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Glorious Summer by Robert Taylor.
Image shows nearest, young Pilot Officer Geoffrey Page, later to become one of
the RAFs most highly decorated fighter aces, powers his Mk I Hurricane over the
country lane at the edge of the airfield, as he and his fellow No 56 Squadron
pilots make their third scramble of the day. |
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Glorious Summer by Robert Taylor
Image shows nearest, young Pilot Officer Geoffrey Page, later to become one of the RAFs most highly decorated fighter aces, powers his Mk I Hurricane over the country lane at the edge of the airfield, as he and his fellow No 56 Squadron pilots make their third scramble of the day.
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased), Wing Commander Christopher Bunny Currant DSO DFC (deceased), Group Captain Dennis David CBE DFC AFC (deceased), Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC, Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM and Wing Commander Gordon Sinclair OBE DFC (deceased)
Limited edition of artist proofs. Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm). Price £ Signed by Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased), Wing Commander Christopher Bunny Currant DSO DFC (deceased), Group Captain Dennis David CBE DFC AFC (deceased), Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC, Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM and Wing Commander Gordon Sinclair OBE DFC (deceased)
Limited edition of 250 Millennium Proof Edition Prints. Paper size 33 inches x 24 inches (84cm x 61cm). Price £495.00 Signed by Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC*, Wing Commander Christopher Bunny Currant DSO DFC, Group Captain Dennis David CBE DFC AFC, Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC, Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM, Wing Commander Gordon Sinclair OBE DFC, Air Commodore Cyril Brown CBE AFC AE (deceased), Air Vice Marshal Edward Crew CB DSO DFC (deceased), Group Captain John Cunningham CBE DSO DFC AE DL FRAeS (deceased), Air Commodore John Ellacombe CB DFC*, Wing Commander Bob Foster DFC, Warrant Officer Peter Fox, Flight Lieutenant Peter Hairs MBE, Squadron Leader Percy Morfill DFM, Group Captian Alan Murray DFC, Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC, Wing Commander Peter Parrott DFC AFC (deceased), Group Captain John Peel DFC DSO (deceased), Squadron Leader Arthur Bill Pond AFC, Squadron Leader Christopher Riddle (deceased) and Captain Tommy Thompson DFC JP BOAC/BA.
ITEM CODE DHM2464
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Glorious Summer by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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 | Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased)
Learnt to fly at the age of 16 and joined the RAF two years later in 1936. He first saw action in 1940 when as a Flight Commander in 32 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill, he flew his Hurricane against the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe. He recalls this as an intensely busy period, during which he shot down an Me109 - his first enemy aircraft; by the end of August that same year his tally of enemy aircraft shot down increased to eight. Awarded the DFC, he was transferred to 257 Squadron where he joined Bob-Stanford Tuck as a Flight Commander. Promoted in 1941 to Squadron Leader, Pete Brothers then took command of 457 Squadron RAAF, equipped with Spitfires. A year later when 457 Squadron returned to Australia, Pete took command of 602 Squadron. In the early autumn of 1942 he went on to become Wing Leader of the Tangmere Wing, succeeding his old friend, Douglas Bader. By the end of the war Pete Brothers had amassed 875 operational hours over a 44-month period. He was credited with having personally shot down 16 enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He later went on to command 57 Squadron during the Malaya campaign. Upon return to the UK Pete Brothers joined the V-Force, flying Valiant-4 jet bombers. He retired in 1973. Sadly, Pete Brothers died 18th December 2008.
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Peter Brothers signing the print - Combat Over Normandy - by Graeme Lothian |
Peter Brothers signing the print - Fighting Lady - by Graeme Lothian |
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 | Wing Commander Christopher Bunny Currant DSO DFC (deceased)
Born 14th December 1911. One of the most succesful fighter pilots in the RAF, credited with 13 kills during the Battle of Britain. On 15th August 1940, with No. 605 Sqn, he downed two He111s and claimed a third probable. On 8th September he downed another bomber and damaged three more, sharing in two more the next day, downing two more and damaging a further three on the 15th of that month, before being shot down himself. The same afternoon, he got airborne again, shooting down a fighter. After the Battle of Britain, he became an instructor, before rejoining combat flying with No.501 Sqn. In August 1942 he took command of No. 122 Wing, leading them until the D-Day landings in June 1944 before taking a non-flying post until the end of the war. He died 12th March 2006.
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Group Captain Dennis David CBE DFC AFC (deceased)
Dennis David served with distinction in both the Battle of France and Battle of Britain. He regards the RAFs success in the former - during which he was credited with 11.5 victories - as crucial to victory in the Battle of Britain. He was a member of 87 Squadron at the outbreak of war and was posted to France in 1939 as part of the Air Component. When the Blitzkrieg began on 10th May 1940, he was a Flying Officer. He destroyed a Do17 and shared a He111 on the first day, and by the time the squadron withdrew to the United Kingdom late in the month he had brought his score to 11.5 and been awarded the DFC and Bar. He continued to fly during the Battle of Britain, destroying a Ju88 and a Bf109 on the 11th August, a Ju87, a Bf110 and another shared on the 15th and a Ju88 and Bf109 on the 25th. He shot down a He111 on 15th September and the following month was posted as a Flight Commander to 213 Squadron. On 19th October he destroyed a Ju88 to bring his score to 20 and in November was posted to 152 Squadron. In 1943, with the rank of Wing Commander, he was posted to the Middle East to command 89 Squadron on Beaufighters. In November he led the Squadron to Ceylon and early the following year was promoted again to Group Captai. He served in Burma until the end of the war, after which he remained in the RAF with the Rank of Wing Commander. He died 25th August 2000.
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 | Group Captain Billy Drake DSO DFC*
Joined the R.A.F. in 1936. His first posting was to 1 squadron flying Furies then Hurricanes and first saw action over France in the Spring of 1940 and was awarded his first DFC by the end of the year. As a Squadron Leader he was sent to West Africa to command 128 Squadron. 1942 saw his commanding 112 squadron in North Africa, in July saw an immediate BAR to his DFC and in December an immediate DSO. Posted to Malta as Wing Commander he won a US DFC in 1943. Back in the UK he now was flying Typhoons in the lead up to D-Day. With Pete Brothers he was sent to the States to attend the US Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. After the war he continued in the R.A.F. serving in Japan, Malaya, Singapore, Switzerland and his final posting as Group Captain RAF Chivenor, Devon. Retired in July 1963. Going to Portugal where he ran a Bar and Restaurant and dealing in Real Estate. In his flying career he accounted for more than 24 enemy aircraft.
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Billy Drake signing the print - Fighting Lady - by Graeme Lothian. |
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Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM
501 Squadron, Battle of Britain.
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Wing Commander Gordon Sinclair OBE DFC (deceased)
A short service commission officer, Sinclair joined 19 Squadron as early as 1937 and was still with the Squadron in 1940. Over Dunkirk he destroyed a Bf 109 and probably another, and then on June 1 he destroyed two Bf 110s and on a later patrol the same day he claimed a He 111 and a Do 17 destroyed. He was awarded the DFC. He knew Bader well during his stay with 19 Squadron when Bader often flew as his No 2. Sinclair remembers his forceful personality, but also that he was great fun. They often played golf and squash together. In June 1940 Sinclair was posted as Flight Commander to 310 Squadron at Drixford and was soon to fly with that Squadron as part of the Duxford Wing, led by Douglas Bader. His final score was 10 confirmed victories. He later commanded 56 Squadron on Typhoons before promotion to Wing Commander and a post on the staff of HO 84 Group. Sinclair retired from the RAF in 1957. He died on 26th June 2005.
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Air Commodore Cyril Brown CBE AFC AE (deceased)
Born 17th January 1921. Joined the RAFVR in 1939, and completed pilot training to fly Hurricanes with No.245 Sqn during the Battle of Britain. He then joined No.616 Sqn in 1941, before taking a post as a test pilot. He died 1st November 2003.
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Air Vice Marshal Edward Crew CB DSO DFC (deceased)
Ted Crew joined 604 Squadron in July 1940 and scored his first victory on August 11. By summer of 1941, flying with Sgt. Guthrie as radio operator, his tally had climbed to 6. In early 1942 he was appointed 'A' flight commander. Later, flying Mosquitos, he had further successes. Between June and September 1944 he destoyed 21 V1s at night over southern England. He ended the war with a total of 12 1/2 victories. Born 24th December 1917. Died 18th August 2002. Citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross This officer is a pilot of outstanding ability who has shown tenacity of purpose to engage the enemy which culminated in the destruction of two enemy aircraft in one night He has now destroyed four and damaged at least a further four enemy aircraft, at night.” (London Gazette – 29 July 1941) Citation for Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross in July, 1941, this officer has carried out a large number of operational patrols by night and has destroyed 4 enemy aircraft. He has now destroyed a total of 8 enemy aircraft at night and damaged a number of others. By his readiness to fly in any weather and his skill and ability in dealing with the enemy at night, he sets a splendid example to the squadron.” (London Gazette – 16 June 1942) Citation for the Distinguished Service Order Wing Commander Crew continues to display the highest standard of skill, courage and leadership. In air fighting he has destroyed 13 enemy aircraft and damaged several more. With the advent of the flying bomb attacks on this country, Wing Commander Crew displayed great skill and perseverance in devising tactics to meet the menace. As a result, he shot down numerous flying bombs, whilst other members of his squadron took a heavy toll of them. This officer has commanded the squadron with outstanding success.” (London Gazette – 26 September 1944)
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 | Group Captain John Cunningham CBE DSO DFC AE DL FRAeS (deceased)
John Cunningham joined the RAF in 1935 with 604 Squadron. At the outbreak of World War Two he was based at North Weald flying Blenheims on day escort and night fighter operations. In September 1940 he converted onto Beaufighters equipped with radar, the first aircraft that made night fighting really possible. In November he had the Squadron's first successful night combat. He took command of 604 Squadron in August 1941. After a period at HQ81 Group, he was posted on his second tour to command 85 Squadron equipped with Mosquitoes. In March 1944 with 19 night and 1 day victory he was posted to HQ11 Group to look after night operations. The most famous Allied night fighter Ace of WWII - 20 victories. He died 21st July 2002.
Born in 1917, Group Captain John Cunningham was the top-scoring night fighter ace of the Royal Air Force. Cunningham joined the RAF in 1935 as a Pilot Officer. He learned to fly in the Avro 504N and was awarded his wings in 1936. While assigned to the Middlesex Squadron Auxiliary based at Hendon, Cunningham received instruction in the Hawker Hart prior to moving on the Hawker Demon. The Demon was a two-seat day and night fighter. Cunningharn's squadron was mobilized in 1938 following the Czechoslovak crisis. His No. 604 unit was moved to North Weald. Later in 1938 his unit returned to Hendon and was reequipped with the more modern Blenheim 1 fighter. In August of 1939 the unit was again mobilized and returned to North Weald. The Squadron was primarily utilized to provide daylight air cover for convoys. Lacking radar the Blenheim was relatively useless as a night fighter. In September of 1940 the unit was moved to Middle Wallop and the first Bristol Beaufighters arrived. The Beatifighter had a modestly effective, although often unreliable radar. It was an excellent aircraft with reliable air-cooled engines and four 20mm cannons. Cunningham attained the units first night victory in the Beaufighter, and his tally rose steadily. He was promoted to Wing Commander of 604 Squadron in August of 1941. Cunningham completed his first combat tour of duty in mid-1942 with a total of 15 victories. He was then posted to H.Q. 81 Group, which was an operational training group under the Fighter Command. In January of 1943 Cunningham was transferred to command of No. 85 Squadron which was equipped with the Mosquito. With the higher speed of the Mosquito, Cunningham was successful at downing Fw-190s, something impossible in the slower Beaufighter. Cunningham completed his second tour in 1944 with a total of nineteen victories at night and one by day. He was promoted to Group Captain at that time, and was assigned to H.Q. 11 Group. Cunningham's radar operator Sqd. Ldr. Jimmy Rawnsley participated in most of Cunningham's victories. The 604 Squadron was disbanded in 1945, but in 1946 Cunningham was given the honor of reforming the Squadron at Hendon - flying the Spitfire. Cunningham left the RAF in 1946 and joined the De Havilland Aircraft Co. at Hatfield as its Chief Test Pilot. Cunningham had a long and distinguished career in the British aviation industry, retiring from British Aerospace in 1980.
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 | Air Commodore John Ellacombe CB DFC*
John Ellacombe joined the RAF in 1939 and was posted to 151 Squadron in July 1940, immediately converting to Hurricanes. On 24th August he shot down a He111, but a week later his Hurricane was blown up in combat and he baled out, with burns. Rejoining his squadron a few months later, in February 1941 was posted to 253 Squadron where he took part in the Dieppe operations. On 28th July, flying a Turbinlite Havoc, he probably destroyed a Do217. Converting to Mosquitos, John was posted to 487 Squadron RNZAF, and during the build up to the Normandy Invasion and after, was involved in many ground attacks on enemy held airfields, railways, and other 'targets of opportunity'. He completed a total of 37 sorties on Mosquitos. Flying a de Havilland Mosquito XIII with a devastating set of four 20mm cannon in the nose, John Ellacombe flew deep into occupied France on the night before D-Day searching out and destroying German convoys and railway targets. As the Normandy campaign raged on, 151 Squadron intensified its interdiction sorties - including night attacks on Falaise and the Seine bridges. On August 1st Ellacombe took part in the famous attack by 23 Mosquitoes on the German bar-racks in Poitiers, led by Group Captain Wykeham Barnes. Ellacombe had first joined 151 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, direct from Flying Training School. Within weeks he had scored his first victory but also force landed in a field, having shot down a He 111, and baled out of a blazing Hurricane. He baled out a second time during the Dieppe Raid in 1942 but was picked up safely. Postwar he had a long and successful career in the RAE.
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 | Wing Commander Bob Foster DFC
605 Sqn Battle of Britain, flying Hurricanes throughout the Battle of Britain with much success. 54(F) Sqn Spitfire 1942-1944 in Australia. Flew some missions in aircraft R4118, which saw a total of 49 combat missions, shooting down several enemy aircarft. It was in this aircraft that Bob Foster damaged two Ju88s and shared in the destruction of a third. He finished the war with 7 confirmed victories and 3 probables.
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Warrant Officer Peter Fox
Pilot with No.56 Squadron.
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Flight Lieutenant Peter Hairs MBE
Peter Hairs joined the RAFVR in 1937, and was called up at the outbreak of war in September 1939 to complete his training. After being commissioned he converted to Hurricanes, joining 501 Squadron at Tangmere in January 1940. He went to France with the squadron in May, claiming a share in a Dornier Do17 a few days after arriving. 501 covered the evacuation of the BEF from Cherbourg before re-assembling in England. On the 3 June he was shot down, but fortunately not seriously hurt and two days later he rejoined the squadron at Le Mans. On the 5th of September he downed an Me109, Peter Hairs was posted to 15 FTS, Kidlington on October 13 1940 as an instructor. He went to 2 CFS, Cranwell for an instructor's course on February 23 1941. after which he taught at 11 FTS, Shawbury and 10 EFTS, Weston-Super-Mare before being posted to Canada in June as a EFTS flying instructor and then assistant CFI (EFTS). In December 1943 he was posted to join 276 Squadron to 19 OTU. He finished the was in India, receiving a mention in dispatches.
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Squadron Leader Percy Morfill DFM
Pilot with No.501 Sqn RAF.
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Group Captian Alan Murray DFC
Wartime pilot who flew with No.46, No.501 and No.73 Sqn RAF.
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 | Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC
Tom Neil joined 249 Squadron flying Hurricanes just before the start of the Battle of Britain flying from North Weald on 7th September; his first victory was an Me109, followed in quick succession by 10 others and 1 probable. On 7th November he collided in mid-air with Wing Commander Francis Beamish and his aircraft lost its tail. He baled out of his Hurricane unhurt, Beamish force-landing unscathed. Tom was awarded a Bar to his DFC in November Later he served in Malta where he gained another victory, over an Mc200. In September 1942 he was given command of 41 Squadron flying Spitfires before moving to the 9th USAF, 100th Fighter Wing flying P51 Mustangs before and after D-Day in January 1944. He is believed to be the first English pilot to land on French soil after D-Day. Tom Neil finished the war with 12 and 4-shared victories.
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 | Wing Commander Peter Parrott DFC AFC (deceased)
Born 28th of June 1920, Peter Parrott joined the RAF in 1938, completing his fighter pilot training before joining No.607 Sqn in early 1940. On the 10th of May 1940, he destroyed two He111s and damaged a further two, sharing in another the next day. He was then posted to No.145 Sqn, damaging a Bf110 on May the 22nd and an He111 four days later, an action which saw his aircraft sufficiently damaged to force him to crash land in Kent. During the Battle of Britain, Peter Parrott destroyed a Me109, Ju87, Ju88 and damaged an He111, before being posted to No.605 Sqn in September. After baling out of his damaged Hurricane in December 1940 and remaining with 605 Sqn until summer 1941, he became an instructor. From July 1943 he joined a number of Squadrons in Italy, returning to Britain after the war to become a test pilot. He died 27th August 2003.
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 | Group Captain John Peel DFC DSO (deceased)
Born 17th October 1911. John Peel is credited with having fired the first shots of the Battle of Britain. In July 1940, he commanded No.145 Sqn destroying one and sharing in the destruction of three German bombers. During the battle of Britain, he damaged or destroyed three enemy aircraft, and was himself shot down, crash landing on the Isle of Wight. After the Battle of Britain he served as a Wing Leader, once more being shot down - this time over the Channel, until in January 1943 he took a job in the Air Ministry, where he served until the end of the war. He died 7th January 2004.
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Squadron Leader Arthur 'Bill' Pond AFC
Pilot of No.601 Sqn.
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 | Squadron Leader Christopher Riddle (deceased)
Christopher John Henry Riddle, known throughout his life as Jack, was born in Buckinghamshire on 4th April 1914. He attended Harrow School from 1928 to 1931. He joined 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force in early 1938 and was called to full-time service in October 1939. When 601 was formed in the early Thirties as part of the bolstering of Britains air defences its founder, Lord Edward Grosvenor, stipulated that all the pilots should be members of the London club Whites (as he was). With war looming this tradition could not be allowed to inhibit the induction of suitable candidates but Jack did have to run the gauntlet of dinner with Sir Philip Sassoon, who held a senior position in the Air Ministry and was Honorary head of 601. Presumably he reported favourably on Jack. In the early stages of the Battle of Britain, 601 were required to mount early-morning standing patrols over convoys in the Channel. If there was no enemy activity these could be extremely tedious. As the time approached for the patrol to return to Tangmere each pilot would radio in turn his requirements for breakfast - egg, sausage, bacon....etc etc.... This practice came to the attention of a senior officer who forbade this frivolous use of official channels. Jack said that it was rumoured that Churchill had heard of this for permission to continue the habit arrived, this supposedly gave German eavesdroppers the impression that our airmen were well fed and ready to do battle. Over Dunkirk, on 27th May 1940, Riddle probably destroyed a Me110. He shared a Me110 on 11th July and a Do17 on 4th September. In January 1941 Riddle was posted to HQ 10 Group as a Sector Controller. Later in the war he was in the Far East at HQ Air Command South East Asia, in Ceylon and later Singapore. Riddle was released from the RAF in 1946 as a Squadron Leader. He was later with an international trading group and his main work was buying Baltic timber for the Australian market. Riddle later had his own textile company. Jack Riddle passed away on 8th August 2009, aged 95.
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Captain Tommy Thompson DFC JP BOAC/BA
Pilot with No.s 85 and 249 Squadron.
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