Geoffrey Wellum was a young fighter pilot who joined his Squadron, no. 92, flying Spitfires in May 1940. The squadron was initially based at Northolt, but moved to Biggin Hill during the Battle. The remarkable thing about Wellum was his youth. His nickname was “Boy” because of it. He had joined the RAF at the end of July1939, only weeks before the war began. He had timed his entry to coincide with the end of the cricket season in the last summer of peace.
He was credited with several kills and received the DFC in 1941. Interspersed with several rest periods, he spent three years flying Spitfires after the Battle. First, these involved flying in fighter sweeps over northern France, then a period at Malta flying there. He, subsequently, became a test pilot helping with the development of the Typhoon.
He wrote a memoir, First Light,of his experiences in the RAF, from which he retired in 1961. The book was published by Penguin and became a great success. It contains the most illuminating description of the RAF in 1939 and 1940, from training as a pilot to service on a squadron. It is a ‘must’read.
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October 9, 2010 at 7:37 am
Day 92 – 9th October 1940 « Battle of Britain Day by Day
[...] Today’s theme: Top Gun Gallery – Geoffrey Wellum [...]
December 5, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Robert R Allison
I’m in the middle of “First Light” and looked for Geoffrrey Wellum. So sorry to read he’s gone. I was seven during Battle of Britain and this Yank wasn’t aware of it. I woke up on 7 December, 1941. Dad had bought “The Aircraft Spotter’s Handbook”, which I almost memorized; 3-views, photos and specifications of each plane of the era, including the beautiful
“Spitfire”. In those days, my favorite read was the fictional “A Yankee Flyer in the RAF” series. But, they didn’t come close to the reality of “First Light”. On every flight, I was in te cockpit with Geoffrey, reading his thoughts and feeling his emotions. His descriptive powers are amazing. Prop-powered fighter planes are a thing of the past. But, fighter pilots can’t have changed all that much and each should read this autobiography of an air combat warrior. Thank you, Geoffrey.
December 7, 2010 at 11:12 am
Tony Rudd
Yes, in my opinion Geoffrey Wellum’s book “First Light” is the best account of the battle from the pilot’s point of view. It stands out as a remarkable achievement.
All the best,
Tony Rudd