Exclusive - cover of new 'Then and Now' revealed

Volume one of the new edition of The Battle of Britain Then and Now will have a pre-war airfield scene on the cover when it appears next year. The cover image is exclusively revealed by editor Andy Saunders in an interview with Geoff Simpson in the latest Spotlight feature on our Database of the Few page.

Andy tells Geoff how he chose the picture and why it is not a scene from the Battle of Britain. He also reveals that, unlike its much-lauded predecessor from 1980, the new ‘Then and Now’ will carry a list of Fighter Command ground personnel killed in the Battle.

This focus on the broader casualties of the Battle reflects the Trust’s recent initiative to honour those who served during the conflict but were not members of ‘the Few’.

The Trust’s Blade of Honour project invites members of the public to nominate anyone, military or civilian, who can be shown to have contributed to the success of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain (10 July to 31 October) or one month either side of it.

Nominations could cover members of the Air Transport Auxiliary, Salvation Army, WAAFs, air raid wardens, coastguards or the fire service and, of course, the Fighter Command ground personnel to be named in the new ‘Then and Now’. Click on the link to find out more.

Geoff Simpson is the consulting editor for the Database of the Few and writes regular blogs which appear on the Database page.

Andy Saunders pictured at the Pilot Officer Herbert Case display boards during a visit to the National Memorial to the Few at Capel-le-Ferne