I remember one Hurricane pilot, who had been forced to bale out during the Battle, being taken by a TV film crew to the Kentish field where his aircraft had fallen. For the benefit of the camera he expressed suitable interest in having the opportunity to study the spot. Then he did the same for another film crew.
Several authors produced books of reminiscences of the Few and those who served with them. One, Lost Voices of the Battle of Britain by the late Max Arthur, (first published 2010), has just reappeared as a paperback from August Books. Leaving aside the absurdity of the title (stories found by Mr Arthur in recordings, written reminiscences, etc, were anything but lost), the book contains excellent material and is well worth reading.
For example, Frank Carey (Hurricane pilot, No 43 Squadron) described how he was “ably assisted by an Me 109” in the shooting down of a Ju 88.
We have Jean Mills, a WAAF plotter and tracer at Duxford, presumably thinking back to 7 September 1940: ‘I remember coming on for a night shift and seeing a great glow in the south-east, like the biggest sunset you ever saw, and we said to the guard, “What’s that?” and he said ”Oh, that’s London burning”. That was the first time, really, that I felt it in the pit of my stomach.’
There are a few words that paint a picture of the suffering of the East End better than any statistics.
Max Arthur did not confine himself to events of 1940. He quoted Tim Vigors (Spitfire pilot with No 222 Squadron) recalling how his homesickness and shyness prevented him from making friends immediately at prep school.
Then he encountered another boy on his own, flying a model aircraft. Close friendship followed. The model enthusiast was Henry Maudslay (‘Maudsley’ according to the book), who also became an RAF pilot, although in Bomber Command. He earned a DFC and then, as a squadron leader, was appointed ‘B’ Flight commander with the formation of No 617 Squadron.
On the night of 16/17 May 1943, he and his crew (Sergeant Marriott, Flying Officer Urquhart, Warrant Officer II Cottam, Pilot Officer Fuller, Flying Officer Tytherleigh and Sergeant Burrows) attacked the Eder Dam but were shot down and killed on the homeward flight.
Tim Vigors was 82 when he died in 2003.
Geoff Simpson FRHistS
