| Second World War aviation art prints of the Gladiator aircraft. Our collection of prints and original paintings of the Gladiator aircraft of World War Two. |
| GLOSTER GLADIATOR: A continuation form the Gloster Gauntlet aircraft the Gloster Gladiator (SS37) becoming designated the F.7/30 was named Gladiator on the 1st July 1935. The first 70 Gladiators had Under wing machine guns (Vickers or Lewis) before the browning became standard The first aircraft arrived at Tangmere airfield on in February 1937 to no. 72 squadron. at the outbreak of world war two a total of 218 Gladiators had been received by the Royal air force with a total of 76 on active service. They served also in the Middle eats and in 1940 when Italy joined the war was nearly the only front line fighter in the middle east. Between 1939 and 1941. the Gloster Gladiator flew in many war zones. flying in France, Greece, Norway, Crete Egypt Malta and Aden. The Aircraft claimed nearly 250 air victories. It stayed in front line duties until 1942, then becoming fighter trainer, and other sundry roles. It continued in these roles until the end of world war two. The Naval equivalent the Sea Gladiator a short service in the Middle east and European waters. A Total of 746 aircraft were built of these 98 were Sea Gladiators.. Performance. speed: 250mph at 17,500 feet, 257 mph at 14,600 Range 430 miles. Armament: Two fixed .3-03 browning machine guns |
| Impossible Odds by Ivan Berryman. Outnumbered and outclassed, the aging Gloster Gladiators of 112 Sqn nonetheless put up a spirited defence in the skies above Crete as Germanys Operation Mercury gathered momentum in the Spring of 1941. Here, shark-mouthed Messerschmitt Bf.110s of ZG.76 menace a lone Gladiator during an evening encounter. Signed limited edition of 20 giclee paper prints. Image size 26 inches x 17 inches (66cm x 43cm). Price £150.00  Save £10 on selected prints - Was £160
Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 10 artist proofs. Image size 26 inches x 17 inches (66cm x 43cm). Price £180.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Small limited edition of 100 artist proofs. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £70.00 Save £5 on selected prints - Was £75
Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Small limited edition of 1150 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £42.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £5 on selected prints - Was £47
Signature edition of 20 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £250.00
Limited edition of up to 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £590.00
Limited edition of up to 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £460.00
Original painting, oil on canvas by Ivan Berryman. Size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £3100.00 Massive Summer Sale! To make way for new art projects, this painting is reduced to gallery trade price for all customers!
Save £500 on this original painting! - Was £3600
Remarque edition - limited edition of 10 giclee prints featuring an original pencil remarque. Image size 26 inches x 17 inches (66cm x 43cm) plus border with text and remarque drawing.. Price £350.00
ITEM CODE DHM1911 |
| Veterans of the Med by Ivan Berryman. Alone in the aerial defence of Malta in the early part of WW2, these three Gloster Gladiators, nicknamed Faith, Hope and Charity, saw such intense action against the invading Italian air force that the enemy's commanders were convinced that a much bigger force existed on Malta. They are depicted here making a low pass over the destroyer HMS Dainty as she heads out of Grand Harbour from Sliema Creek. Herself a veteran of much action in the early part of the war, HMS Dainty was lost to dive bombers off Tobruk on 24th February 1941. Signed limited edition of 20 giclee paper prints. Image size 26 inches x 18 inches (66cm x 46cm). Price £150.00
Limited edition of 10 artist proofs. Image size 26 inches x 18 inches (66cm x 46cm. Price £180.00
Small limited edition of 20 artist proofs. Image size 12 inches x 9 inches (31cm x 23cm). Price £105.00
Small limited edition of 30 prints. Image size 12 inches x 9 inches (31cm x 23cm). Price £80.00
Signature edition of 2 prints. Image size 12 inches x 9 inches (31cm x 23cm). Price £380.00
Limited edition of up to 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 26 inches (91cm x 66cm). Price £590.00
Limited edition of up to 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 30 inches x 23 inches (76cm x 58cm). Price £460.00
Original painting, oil on canvas by Ivan Berryman. Size 32 inches x 24 inches (82cm x 61cm). Price £
Remarque edition - limited edition of 10 giclee prints featuring an original pencil remarque. Image size 26 inches x 18 inches (66cm x 46cm) plus border with text and remarque drawing.. Price £350.00
ITEM CODE DHM1919 |
| Lone Gladiator by Ivan Berryman. (P) A Gloster Gladiator MkII of 247 Sqn is depicted patrolling off the Cornish coast in August 1940 during which time this squadron became the only one to operate the Gladiator in the defence of the South of England during the Battle of Britain. Original acrylic painting by Ivan Berryman. Size 13 inches x 9 inches (33cm x 23cm). Price £800.00
ITEM CODE B0377 |
| Operation Mercury by Nicolas Trudgian. Slow, frail, out-dated and hopelessly outnumbered, Gladiator biplanes of 112 Squadron RAF tenaciously throw themselves into the fray, attacking Luftwaffe fighter-bombers in the battle for Crete, in April 1941. This painting shows Me110Cs of II./ZG76, having attacked naval units off the coast of Crete in early May 1941, being bravely intercepted by two Gladiators of 112 Squadron. Heavily outnumbered, the best the RAF pilots can hope for is to disrupt the Luftwaffe formation. And this they continued to do until, literally, they had no more aircraft left! Signed limited edition of 285 prints. Image size 24 inches x 16 inches (61cm x 41cm). Price £100.00 Signed by Leutnant Otto Fries and Hauptmann Peter Spoden. Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Special Edition Artists Proof. Limited edition of 30 artist proofs. Image size 24 inches x 16 inches (61cm x 41cm). Price £155.00 Signed by Leutnant Otto Fries, Hauptmann Peter Spoden and Leutnant Karl-Ludwig Johanssen (deceased). Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Special Edition. Signed limited edition of 425 prints. Image size 24 inches x 16 inches (61cm x 41cm). Price £125.00 Signed by Leutnant Otto Fries, Hauptmann Peter Spoden and Leutnant Karl-Ludwig Johanssen (deceased). Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE DHM2615 |
| Shuttleworth Salute by Ivan Berryman. To commemorate Shuttleworths Golden Jubilee in 1994. A Spitfire leads a Hawker Hind and a Gloster Gladiator in formation over Old Warden. The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden aerodrome is recognised as one of the finest private collections of vintage aircraft in the world. Many of the exhibits have direct connections with the all too short but lively career of Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth himself, and all the aircraft are flown regularly - from the frail and endearing Bristol Boxkite to what is regarded as the most genuine Spitfire flying today. Here, this Spitfire leads a Vic-3 formation of the Collections Hawker Hind and Gloster Gladiator over Old Warden during a typical flying display to Commemorate Shuttleworths Golden Jubilee in 1994. Signed limited edition of 250 prints. Image size 22 inches x 15 inches (56cm x 38cm). Price £100.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE B0017 |
| Charity by David Pentland. Malta, 22nd June 1940. Some 12 days after the air battle for Malta began, the recently raised ad hoc Gladiator flight claimed its first confirmed victory. Flt. Lt. George Burges, and Flg. Off. Timber Woods were alerted to a lone S.79 from 219 Squadriglia on a reconnaissance sortie. They managed to intercept the intruder over Valetta, and although Timber's first attack was unsuccessful, Burges in Charity shot off the Savoia's port engine sending it crashing into the sea at Kalafrana. Limited edition of 30 giclee paper prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 21cm). Price £56.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 20 artist proofs. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 21cm). Price £75.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £5 on selected prints - Was £80
Signature edition of 2 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £250.00
Original pencil drawing by David Pentland. Paper size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £410.00 Signed by Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC. Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE DP0190 |
| Textbook Attack by David Pentland. Bir el Gobi, North Africa, 8th August 1940. A full squadron sweep into Libya by 80 Squadron, designed to give the enemy a bloody nose was devised and implemented by Squadron Leader Paddy Dunn. In all 13 of the unit's Gloster Gladiators engaged some 16 Fiat Cr.42s and 2 Ro.37s, inflicting considerable damage on the enemy. Last to enter the fray were the top cover vic of Pat Pattle, Sid Richens and Greg Shorty Graham. By the end of the brief 5 minute battle 9 Italian aircraft were confirmed destroyed plus 6 probables. Limited edition of 30 giclee paper prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 21cm). Price £56.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Limited edition of 20 artist proofs. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 21cm). Price £75.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £5 on selected prints - Was £80
Signature edition of 2 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £250.00
Original pencil drawing by David Pentland. Paper size 17 inches x 12 inches (43cm x 31cm). Price £410.00 Signed by Flight Lieutenant Alex Thom DFC. Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE DP0191 |
| Faith, Hope and Charity by Kenneth McDonough. June 1940, Gloster Sea Gladiators. Maltas airborne defence flying over the Grand harbour. Open edition print. Image size 16 inches x 11 inches (41cm x 28cm). Price £21.00
ITEM CODE DHM1471 |
| Gloster Gladiator Mk II L8011 YK-O. by M A Kinnear. Aircraft History: Built by Gloster Aircraft, L8011 was one of a batch of 28 Gladiators delivered in September 1938 to the Royal Air Force. Allocated to 80 Squadron, L8011 saw service in North Africa and Greece, until it was transferred to the Royal Hellenic Air Force, 15th December 1940.
Squadron Leader Marmaduke T St. John Pat Pattle, DFC: Born on 3rd July 1914 in Butterworth, Cape Province, South Africa, Pat Pattle joined 80 Squadron in 1937. The Squadron was sent to Egypt in April 1938, and Pattle became a flight commander in 1939. During August 1940 the Squadron moved up to the Libyan border. Whilst escorting a Lysander, Pattles flight was engaged by a force of Italian fighters. Pattle (claiming 2) was forced to bale out inside Italian territory, but returned to base the next day. The Squadron moved to Greece in November in support of Greek forces on the Albanian border. Pattle was awarded the DFC in February 1941. In March he was awarded a bar to the DFC promoted to Squadron Leader and given command of 33 squadron equipped with Hawker Hurricanes Mk I. By this time he was credited with 23 victories. Due to the chaotic conditions during the British and Greek retreat, records were lost. However, relying on personal records and memories, it appears that his score of victories was 50 (possibly as high as 60) making him the highest scoring RAF pilot of the war. On 20th April 1941, he led the combined remnants of No.s 33 and 80 squadrons from Eleusis airfield. Although suffering from influenza and fatigue and on his third sortie of the day, Pattle led the remaining Hurricanes to intercept a German formation over Eleusis Bay. He was seen to shoot down a Bf110 but two other Bf110s then attacked him. Pattle was hit and he was seen slumped forward in the cockpit of his aircraft as it fell into the Bay. Open edition print. Image size 16.5 inches x 11.5 inches (42cm x 30cm). Price £14.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
ITEM CODE AP0012 |
| Faith Hope and Charity by Stan Stokes. With Italys entry into WW II on June 10, 1940, the epic two-and-one-half-year siege of Malta began. Symbolizing the defiant resistance of the people and defenders of that tiny island, the legend of Faith, Hope, and Charity grew from a handful of Gloster Sea Gladiators which initially comprised Maltas sole aerial defense. Until the arrival of the more modern Hawker Hurricanes, these obsolescent biplanes fought the Regia Aeronautica alone in the skies above Malta. Only six or seven Gladiators were assembled from the shipment of eighteen crated aircraft which had been delivered by the HMS Glorious. Others were utilized for spare parts, and three had been dispatched, still crated, to Egypt. Though hugely outnumbered, the defenders fought on, raising the morale of the citizens of Malta, and denying the Italians mastery of the sky. Suffering from a constant shortage of spare parts, tools and equipment, the devoted ground support crews were never able to keep more than three Gladiators operational at any point in time. Only one of these Gladiators was totally lost in aerial combat, and the sole surviving aircraft was presented to the people of Malta, and today stands in their National War Museum as a proud symbol of courage and endurance. In Stan Stokes painting, a Sea Gladiator, piloted by Flight Lt. James Pickering, tangles with a Fiat C.R. 42 over Malta in 1940 while an Italian Savoia S.79 tri-engined bomber passes by in the background. The Gloster Gladiator represented the zenith of development of the classic biplane fighter aircraft, a design formula which characterized an entire era from WW I until the advent of the monoplane fighter just before WW II. Glosters naval model of the Gladiator was equipped with a Bristol Mercury VIIIA engine providing a maximum speed of 253 MPH, a rate of climb of 2300 feet per minute, an operational ceiling of 32,200 feet, and a range of 415 miles. The Gladiator was armed with four .303 inch Browning machine guns, and incorporated several advanced features including an enclosed cockpit and wing flaps. One top RAF ace, Sqd. Ldr. Pattle, attained eleven victories flying the Gladiator. A total of 527 Gladiators were produced, and the aircraft served in twelve different countries. The Italians were overly persistent in their emphasis on biplane fighters, stemming from their successes with these highly maneuverable machines during the Spanish Civil War. Employing distinctive Warren-truss type interplane bracing the C.R. 42 was powered by a Fiat A74 R.C. 38 engine providing a maximum speed of 274 MPH and a range of 485 miles. The C.R. 42 was more lightly armed than the Gladiators it opposed, possessing only two 12.7mm Breda machine guns. The C.R 42 served on all of Italys fronts including North and East Africa, France, Britain, the Balkans, and Russia. Exported to Hungary, Sweden and Belgium, the C.R. 42 ironically served alongside the Gladiator in other theaters of operation during WW II. Signed limited edition of 4750 prints. Print size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm) Supplied with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.. Price £40.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Signed limited edition of 225 prints. Size 16 inches x 11.5 inches (41cm x 30cm). Price £75.00 Signed by Malta Gladiator pilot Flt Lt James Pickering (deceased). Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £5 on selected prints - Was £80
ITEM CODE STK0115 |
| Angels of Malta - Faith, Hope and Charity by Ivan Berryman. Although key to the allied campaign in the Mediterranean, Malta was virtually undefended against air raids in the early part of the Second World War. Just four Gloster Sea Gladiators, packed in crates, were deposited on the island by HMS Glorious, these aircraft originally intended for operations in Norway. Three of them were hurriedly assembled, the forth being held in reserve, and were instantly engaged in fierce fighting against Italian raiders. Nicknamed Faith, Hope and Charity, their determined pilots fought for seventeen days without relief, their achievements playing a major part in fooling the Italian intelligence into thinking that this crucial Mediterranean outpost was much more heavily defended than it really was. Signed limited edition of 20 giclee paper prints. Image size 26 inches x 17 inches (66cm x 43cm). Price £140.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £10 on selected prints - Was £150
Limited edition of 10 artist proofs. Image size 26 inches x 17 inches (66cm x 43cm). Price £180.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Small limited edition of 20 artist proofs. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £100.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £5 on selected prints - Was £105
Small limited edition of 30 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £75.00 Part of our Buy One, Get One Half Price Offer
Save £5 on selected prints - Was £80
Signature edition of 2 prints. Image size 12 inches x 8 inches (31cm x 20cm). Price £380.00
Limited edition of up to 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 36 inches x 24 inches (91cm x 61cm). Price £590.00
Limited edition of up to 50 giclee canvas prints. Size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £460.00
Original painting, oil on canvas by Ivan Berryman. Size 30 inches x 20 inches (76cm x 51cm). Price £
Remarque edition - limited edition of 10 giclee prints featuring an original pencil remarque. Image size 26 inches x 17 inches (66cm x 43cm) plus border with text and remarque drawing.. Price £350.00
ITEM CODE DHM1892 |
| Pilot signatures for this aircraft | | Name | Info | | Air Commodore Alan Deere DSO DFC* (deceased) | Top scoring New Zealand Ace with 22 victories, Deere was born in Auckland on December 12th 1917. Alan Deere would become one of the RAF's finest pilots. Joining the RAF in 1937, in September 1938 Al Deere was posted to No.54 Sqn at the time flying Gloster Gladiators, then in early 1940 the Squadron converted to Spitfires. His first brush with death happened when his oxygen failed while at altitude and ke blacked out, coming to only in time to pull his aircraft out of a dive and certain death. At the beginning of May 1940 Deere took part in the intensive air war over Dunkirk and on 23rd May 1940 Deere took part in a daring rescue operation. He and Pilot Officer Allen escorted their flight commander, James Leathart, to France where he was to land a Miles Master trainer and pick up the CO of 74 Squadron who had made a forced landing on the airfield at Calais-Marck. While the pick up was made, Alan Deere was at low level with Pilot Officer Allen at 8000 feet. As Flight Commander James Leathart prepared for take off in the Master, Pilot Offcier Allen spotted a flight o Bf109's coming their way.
Deere scored his first victory, as a strafing Bf109 pulled out of its dive, presenting a perfect target. Deere fired a short burst and the aircraft stalled and then crashed into the sea. Deere, climbing to help Allen, crossed the path of two 109’s, one of which turned towards him. Deere also turned, firing at the second one, which rolled over and dived away. Pursuing the first one, he caught up at treetop height and pursued him, firing off his remaining ammunition before the German headed for home. During the whole event Deere and Allen accoutned for three Bf109's shot down and three damaged. All three aircraft returned to their base at RAF Hornchurch.
During four days - 23rd to 29th May - Deere shot down three Bf109’s and three Bf110’s but his luck ran out and he was shot down over Dunkirk while attacking a Dornier Do17 and luckily managed a forced landing in Belgium where he optained a bicycle and cycled to Dunkirk where he managed to get on a destroyer and returned to Hornchurch within 30 hours of taking off. In June he was decorated with the DFC by the King at a special ceremony at Hornchurch. Alan Deere destroyed seven more enemy fighters and one bomber during the Battle of Britian and was awarded a Bar to the DFC. In January 1941 became an Operations Room Controller. He returned to operations on 7th May 1941, joining 602 Squadron in Scotland as a Flight Commander.
On August 1st 1941 Alan Deere took command of 602 Squadron and on that day destroyed a Bf109. When his second operational tour ended in January 1942 Deere went to the USA to lecture on fighter tactics. In May 1942, he took command of 403 Squadron, commanding the squadron until August before being posted to staff duties. During a temporary attachment to 611 Squadron in February 1943 Deere destroyed an Fw190. Some days later he was appointed Wing Leader at Biggin Hill. He flew 121 sorties during his six months leadership and by this time his tally was twenty-two confirmed victories, ten probables and eighteen damaged.
He was also awarded the DSO and a bar to his DFC. Alan Deere was also awarded the Croix de Guerre and the DFC (USA) and in May 1945 He was awarded an OBE. In December 1977 Air Commodore Deere retired form the Royal Air Force. Iin 1959 Air Commodore Alan Deere wrote of his experiences in his book, ’Nine Lives’. Sadly, he passed away on 21st September 1995. | | Flight Lieutenant Charles Palliser DFC | Joining the RAFVR in 1939, Charles Palliser joined 17 Squadron in August 1940 during the Battle of Britain, moving to 43 Sqn and then 249 Sqn on 14th September. the following day he made the first of 8 claims, before being transferred to Malta with this unit. He flew his Hurricane to Malta off HMS Ark Royal on 21st May 194`. Here he made 5 further claims, and on 27th November flew Gladiator 'Faith' on a met flight. In January 1942 he was posted to 605 Squadron as flight commander. He left the island in February 1942 as one of the island's longest serving pilots. | | Flight Lieutenant James Pickering AFC (deceased) | Jim Pickering joined the RAFVR in 1937, and was attached to 769 Sqn FAA, then 804 Sqn FAA. In June 1940 he returned to the RAF and flew Spitfires with 64 Sqn during the Battle of Britain. With 418 Flight Jim flew Hurricanes to Malta from HMS Argus on 2nd August 1940. This flight was to reinforce Malta's handful of outdated Gladiators and few surviving Hurricanes, and on 16th August was amalgamated to become 261 Squadron. With this unit Jim flew Hurricanes and at least five operations in the legendary Gladiators, which have been immortalised as Faith, Hope, and Charity. In April 1941 Jim was posted, first to Egypt, then 80 Squadron in October 1942, and 145 Squadron in December. He returned to the UK in 1943.
Born in 1915 in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England, James Pickering studied the printing business in Europe during the 1930s. Convinced that Hitler represented a threat which could lead to war, Pickering joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1937. As a "week-end" flyer he earned his wings as a Sergeant Pilot in April of 1939. In September of that year Pickering's unit was mobilized. He was sent to an attachment of the Fleet Air Arm, where he flew Gladiators, Skuas, and Rocs, following his carrier training. In June of 1940 Pickering returned to the RAF flying Spitfires with No. 64 Squadron based in Kenley during the Battle of Britain. Pickering was selected along with eleven other carrier-qualified pilots to fly Hurricanes to Malta off the deck of the HMS Argus. On arrival in Malta these new Hurricanes and their pilots were integrated with the 3 flyable Gladiators and 3 Hurricanes already there to form No. 261 Squadron. This unit carried on the defense of Malta against Italian and German bombing missions which were launched regularly from Sicily, only sixty miles distant. Because of his earlier experience with the Gladiator, Pickering flew both Gladiators and Hurricanes at Malta for eight months. It is believed that Pickering is the last living RAF pilot to fly the Gladiator at Malta. Following his assignment in Malta, Pickering joined No. 1 Aircraft Delivery Unit which ferried aircraft from the West African Gold Coast and Port Sudan to various points throughout the war theater of operations. Pickering delivered a P-40 Warhawk to the Flying Tigers which involved one of the first flights "over the hump." In October of 1942 Pickering returned to operational flying with No. 80 Squadron (Hurricanes) at EI Alamein, and later with No. 145 Squadron (Spitfires). Having completed three separate operational tours, Pickering returned to England when victory was achieved in North Africa. In England, Pickering was assigned as a test pilot with No. 3501 Servicing Unit. He tested modifications to the Spitfire, and also test flew a number of P-51 Mustangs. Later he was transferred to No. 151 Repair Unit as its Chief Test Pilot. This was the largest unit of this kind in the RAF. Because of these experiences, Pickering is unusual in having flown eighty different types of aircraft during the War. Awarded the Air Force Cross, Pickering was released from the RAF at War's end. He returned to his family-owned printing business, and spent his working career with the company, from which he retired in 1965. He also served as an outside Director of the largest Building Society in Britain. Pickering joined the Volunteer Reserve once again following the War, and continued to fly with the RAF until reaching the mandatory age limit of sixty. Pickering has had a private pilot's license since 1938. He has flown thousands of hours and he is an expert on geological and archaeological research from the air. A Fellow of both the Geological Society and the Society of Antiquaries, Jim Pickering remains active to this day, and epitomizes the English character of determination and persistence which was so vastly underestimated by Hitler during WW 11. | | Group Captain Brian Kingcome DSO DFC (deceased) | Brian Kingcome flew Gladiators with 92 Squadron before the war, the squadron converting to Spitfire MkIs in 1939. He took part in the Battles of France and Dunkirk, before being posted as a flight commander to 92 Squadron, scoring his first victories in June 1940. He became acting commanding officer during the latter stages of the Battle of Britain. During this time he and his pilots achieved the highest success rate of any squadron in the entire Battle of Britain. After being shot down by Me109s and wounded, he returned to active operations. In February 1942 he was posted to command 72 Squadron, followed by promotion to Wing Leader at Kenley. In May 1943 he was posted to lead 244 Wing in the Mediterranean during the invasion of Sicily. An Ace, Brian Kingcome flew Spitfires in combat continually until the end of 1944, his tally finishing at 8 and 3 shared destroyed, plus a score of probables and damaged. One of the prewar Cranwell elite, Brian Kingcome was to become one ofthe Second World Wars great fighter leaders, alongside such immortals as Douglas Bader, Bob Stanford Tuck and Johnnie Johnson. At the outbreak of war he was serving in 65 Squadron, but in May 1940 was posted to 92 Squadron as flight commander. On 25 May he shared a Do 17 and on 2 June destroyed two He l l Is and damaged a third. He shared a Ju 88 with two others on I0 July, and again on the 24th. On 9 September he probably destroyed a Bf 110 and two days later shot down a He 111. On the 14th he damaged another. He shot down a Bf 109 on the 23rd and next day probably destroyed another and damaged a Ju 88. Three days later he shared a Ju 88 again, damaged two others, probably destroyed a Do 17, and damaged one of these also. Around this time he was awarded a DFC for six victories, and on 11 October got a Bf 109 He claimed another next day, and also damaged one. In 1941 he became commanding officer, having frequently led the squadron. It will be noted that he claimed many probables and damaged during the Battle of Britain, and this was due to his view that it was more important to hit as many as possible than to try and confirm victories. On 16 June 1941 lie probably destroyed a Bf 109, and on 24 July shot one down. He was then rested until late in the year, when he was posted to command 72 Squadron, and in February 1942 gave escort cover to the Fleet Air Arm pilot Eugene Esmonde, who won the VC trying to attack German capital ships with Swordfish during the Channel Dash. During 1941 he received a Bar to his DFC, having brought his score to 10. He was promoted to lead the Kenley wing, and on 15 April 1942 damaged a Fw 190. He probably destroyed a Bf 109 on 28 May, and during the year was awarded a DSO, having added another victory to his score. In 1943 he was posted to North Africa to lead 244 Wing, and lead this for 18 months, becoming a Gp. Capt. after the invasion of Italy. By the end of his stay with the wing he had brought his score to 18, and was then posted as SASO of a Liberator group, and flew an operation as a waist gunner over northern Yugoslavia after taking up this appointment.
| | Lieutenant Commander John William Jock Moffat RN | John Moffat was born in Kelso in 1919 and at the outbreak of WWII, was sent to Sydenham, Belfast where a training school, set up by Short Brothers, was based. John learnt to fly in a Miles Magister. During 1939, he was sent to No.1 Flying Training School at Netheravon and here he was taught to fly advanced open-cockpit aircraft such as Hawker Hinds and Audaxes. Commissioned into the RNVR as a sub-lieutenant he was moved to Eastlee (now Southampton Airport) to the Naval Fighter School, learning fighter techniques in Blackburn Skuas and Rocs and the well-known Gloster Gladiator. In 1940, John was moved to Sanderling, the Royal Naval air station at Abbotsinch (now known as Glasgow Airport). In 1941, on board HMS Ark Royal stationed at Gibraltar, they were ordered to assist in the hunt for Bismarck and Prinz Eugen. The aircraft headed first to HMS Sheffield who gave them signals by Aldis Lamp on the position of the Bismarck. John Moffat served on HMS Ark Royal, HMS Argus, HMS Furious and HMS Formidable, and served with 759 Sqn, 818 Sqn, 820 Sqn and 824 Sqn.
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