Wine, Women and Song A Spitfire Pilot’s Story Signed

Description

Wine, Women and Song A Spitfire Pilot’s Story
By Hamish Brown,

Compiled from Doug Brown’s letters and reminiscences

Signed by Doug Brown

Wine, Women and Song documents Doug Brown’s war years from the day war broke out in 193g until his return to New Zealand after his second tour in 1945. After signing up with the Air Force, basic training took place at Levin, followed by initial flying training on Tiger Moths at Whenuapai. On 30 April 1941 over 200 New Zealand and Australian trainee observers, pilots and wireless operators began their great adventure on board the Awatea, bound for Vancouver.

Training in Canada provided in single-engine Harvards enabled these young pilots to graduate with their wings. This group was destined for Bournemouth via Halifax and Iceland to eagerly await their fates. Would they be assigned to bombers or fighters, or elsewhere in the RAF?

In these few years many friendships were made and many close friends were lost. Some never got to the front line as they were killed in training accidents, while others suffered from equipment failure, and many more `bought it’ at the hands of the enemy. None would deny the effect that intensive active service would have on nerves. Boys who left New Zealand as young as 18 became men, and those who survived would claim these were the best years of their lives.

Hardback, 2011, 358pages, very good condition, gift dedication on end page