The power of Wellums writing lies in its immediacy and lack of artifice. In May 1940 eighteen-year old Geoffrey Wellum joins the 92 squadron of the Royal Air Force and is taken to the pub,where pilots who have seen action sign their names on a blackboard. "I just wanted to sit quietly and convince myself" He takes a deep breath. In August he was awarded the DFC for his great skill and determination. Geoffrey Wellum - Wikiwand All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. He joined the local choir, and became deputy harbourmaster. Some of them men, mostly elderly, take off their hats and the womenfolk in their black hoods and cloaks cross themselves. There, Wellum made his first sorties, pursuing a Junkers Ju 88 German bomber as far as Weymouth, Dorset, and losing it in the clouds; attempting night-fighting around Bristol; and chasing isolated German aircraft all over the south-west. He was previously married to Grace Neil. There it all is, the whole arena for bloody battle, and there they are, the enemy. Wellum had married, in 1943, Dorothy Grace Neil, with whom he was to have three children: Anna was flight attendant and now works part-time in the NHS; Deborah, who died in 2017, had a career in the music business, notably with Apple Records; and Neil has been latterly a senior marine environmental inspector and manager. Max Hastings in The Sunday Telegraph rated it one of the best memoirs for years about the experience of flying in war. I experience an exhilaration that I cannot recall ever having felt before, he wrote in First Light. "I was losing my house, my divorce was coming, my son was at university, I had nowhere to live. After the war, Wellum remained in the RAF until 1961. I must be getting lightheaded! A few weeks later Wellum was in his local in Cornwall when the landlady handed him the phone. I thought, 'Hold on a minute, this is bloody dangerous! "[4], Soon after Dunkirk, 92 Squadron was transferred from RAFDuxford in Cambridgeshire to RAFPembrey in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Fade from Grace happened in 2004-08. Oops, we were unable to send the email. A funeral was held in the village for the country's youngest ever Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot following his death at home in Mullion last month, at the age of 96. "The Battle of Britain made me want to put a value on life. There was a problem getting your location. Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum, who was just 18 when he joined the RAF in August 1939 . On a sadder note: As the RAF celebrates its centenary, its - Seradata Doctors recognised that he was exhausted after three years of intense flying. [8], Wellum claimed a Heinkel He 111 shot down on 11 September, and a quarter share in a Junkers Ju 88 downed on 27 September 1940. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Disappointed to be leaving frontline service, Wellum initially found the experience to be "almost unbearable". Disappointed to be leaving frontline service, Wellum initially found the experience to be "almost unbearable". Everything was pear-shaped. My poor parents, they must have been very brave. "One time, I had literally to fight my way back to the White Cliffs; on another, there was a German hanging on my tail, who wouldn't let me go. He left the service in 1961, after 22 years, in the rank of squadron leader. His marriage and business collapsed. In 2002 these were published as First Light. Drama-documentary telling the story of Geoffrey Wellum who, at the age of just 18, was one of the youngest Spitfire pilots to go into . Your Scrapbook is currently empty. "No, darling. Geoffrey Wellum - IMDb By now, the Luftwaffe was flying a new fighter aircraft, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, superior in all but turn radius to the Spitfire V, and the squadron took heavy losses. [3] In 1943, he married Grace Neil, his wartime girlfriend, with whom he had three children. He is survived by two children, Anna and Neil. A year later, in preparation for Pedestal, the convoy operation carrying vital supplies to Malta, Wellum led a flight of eight Spitfires out to the island via north Africa. By summer 1941, the Germans had invaded the Soviet Union and there would be no more intensive bombing of southern England until the arrival of the V1 flying bombs, or doodle bugs, and V2 missiles in 1944. Geoffrey Wellum ( right ) and his commanding officer Brian Kingcombe. English In this film Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC, a veteran of the Battle of Britain, narrates the Airman's Grace. Like many of his colleagues, Wellum had discovered that nothing could ever compare with the intensity of life as a fighter pilot. Two days later Britain entered the war. Geoffrey Wellum was born on 4 August 1921 in Walthamstow, London, England, UK. Died. The sun glints on their wings and bellies as they roll like trout in a stream streaking over smooth round pebbles. Born an only child in Walthamstow, Essex, Wellum was educated at Forest School, Snaresbrook before serving in the RAF. Squadron Leader Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum DFC (4 August 192118 July 2018) was a British Battle of Britain fighter pilot and author. He reached the island by flying off a lethally short aircraft carrier. Walthamstow, London Borough of Waltham Forest, Greater London, England, Mullion Cove, Cornwall Unitary Authority, Cornwall, England. Having learnt to fly in Tiger Moths, he first went solo on September 1, 1939. Later he became a commodities broker. I thought 'To hell with this, I'm not ready to go yet'. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? The first aircraft he flew was the Tiger Moth at Desford airfield in Leicestershire. [3], Wellum's first commanding officer was Roger Bushell, (later immortalised in The Great Escape). . [14] FirstLight:TheStoryoftheBoyWhoBecameaManintheWar-TornSkiesAboveBritain was published by: Viking Books, 2002 (hardcover, .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}ISBN0-670-91248-4); Wiley & Sons, 2003 (hardcover, ISBN0-471-42627-X); Penguin Books, 2003 (paperback, ISBN0-14-100814-8); Penguin Books, 2020 (paperback, ISBN978-0-241-98784-1), which contains a new foreword by military historian and novelist Patrick Bishop. Find out more, Wellum, right, photographed by Cecil Beaton with his mentor in No 92 Squadron, Brian Kingcome, Wellum in 2002 during the launch of his autobiography, First Light, Wellum with the Prince of Wales during a reception at Church House following a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Jim Fox, British star pentathlete who exposed a notorious cheating scandal obituary, Barbara Young, actress with credits ranging from I, Claudius to Coronation Street obituary, John Cockcroft, Telegraph leader writer, Tory MP and passionate European obituary, Wee Willie Harris, eccentric Soho coffee-bar rocker who carved a place in pop history obituary, Ray Shulman, musician and songwriter who co-founded prog-rock favourites Gentle Giant obituary, Mike Coulman, dual-code rugby international for England, Great Britain and the Lions obituary. Try again later. He then became a commodity broker in the City before setting up his own business. In August 1941 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. [4] On 9 September 1940, 92 Squadron was posted to RAFBigginHill in Kent, in the centre of the fighting. Nothing can possibly quite rise to such heights.. Geoffrey Wellum - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. The whole thing feels unreal and I cant believe this is really happening. In his combat narration Wellum conveys something of the texture of battle, the imminence of death, aircraft straining for kills yards apart, the exhilaration, the surrealism, the terror, the speed and the Messerschmitt Bf 109s. His father, who had served at Gallipoli during WW1, ran an off-licence. Although alive to the beauty of flight, there is little of the heroic romanticism about aerial combat that afflicts other memoirs of the period. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He was subsequently diagnosed as suffering from exhaustion, aged 20, having by then completed two full tours, including dozens of fighter sweeps and bomber escort details. Several times he narrowly evaded being shot down. Born the only child of Percy and Edith Wellum, Geoffrey grew up in Walthamstow and attended the Forest School in Snaresbrook. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Never stay still, never fly straight and level, chuck it around. Retirement. "But what would I write about, darling? Wellum left the Royal Air Force in 1960[13] and took over the family haulage business. Geoffrey Wellum, who was just 18 when he joined the RAF in August 1939, died at his home in Cornwall on Wednesday evening, the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust said. [4] On 9 September 1940, 92 Squadron was posted to RAF Biggin Hill in Kent, in the centre of the fighting. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. An only child, Wellum grew up in Essex, always dreaming of flying. Given his youth, and a certain cockiness, he was known as Boy Wellum, a nickname conferred by his friend and mentor, Brian Kingcome. SquadronLeader Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum DFC (4 August 1921 18 July 2018)[1][2] was a British fighterpilot and author, best known for his participation in the BattleofBritain. Spitfire pilots had an average life expectancy of four weeks. Initially posted to protect the port of Bristol in the West Country, Wellum found that he and his 92 squadron were being moved to Biggin Hill in Kent in early September as the RAF wisely rotated its squadrons in and out of the quiet and busy areas. Battle of Britain pilot who wrote a dramatic personal account of his wartime experiences. It was the German you didn't see who shot you down. At the end of July he joined others on the aircraft carrier Furious in the Clyde and sailed for the Mediterranean. Soon after arriving, the doctor told him he was "played out mentally and physically". He was married to Grace Neil. Among his appointments he was with the Second Tactical Air Force in Germany, converted to jets flying Gloster Meteors, de Havilland Vampires and English Electric Canberra bombers on reconnaissance sorties served at RAF Gaydon, and finally, in East Anglia, with a Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile unit. In 1953 he converted to jet aircraft and six months later joined No192 Squadron flying the Canberra on reconnaissance sorties. Geoffrey Wellum was still just 18 when the Battle of Britain started in July 1940. The source code for the WIKI 2 extension is being checked by specialists of the Mozilla Foundation, Google, and Apple. Please enter your email and password to sign in. As Wellum put it, Id shot my bolt. He was evacuated to England: Something inside me gave way and I broke down. After a year of constant combat, including 50 sweeps over France, Wellum was rested and sent to train fighter pilots. Wellum was educated at Forest School, Snaresbrook, where he captained the school cricket team.[3]. [3], Wellum saw extensive action during the Battle of Britain. Geoffrey Wellum, author of First Light (2002), in which he looked back on his life as a Spitfire pilot in the second world war. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. He and his wife were divorced in 1975. Youngest Spitfire pilot to fly in Battle of Britain Geoffrey Wellum Two days later Britain entered the war. [4], Much later, in an unpublished interview with The Times, Wellum recalled: "After I joined the squadron they went to Dunkirk and by the end of that day we'd lost five people, four of whom I'd met the night before in the officers' mess. [11], In July 1942, Wellum was sent to Glasgow, where he participated in OperationPedestal, a convoy mission to carry supplies for the relief of the besieged garrison at Malta. The marriage was later dissolved. Congratulations on this excellent venture what a great idea! The comradeship in a fighter squadron that has survived the Battle of Britain is something that you will never be able to understand, he observed, and I will never experience again. Colum MacKenzie (Gary Lewis) is Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) Uncle. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. He was a writer, known for Witness 1939: When War Broke Out (2014), Battle of Britain (2015) and First Light (2010). [11], On Malta, Wellum was diagnosed with severe sinusitis and battle fatigue, after three years' of intensive frontline flying. After his final retirement in the 1980's he moved to the village of Mullion in Cornwall. By what name was First Light (2010) officially released in Canada in English? "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"Winston Churchilll, Prime Minister, 1940, In Ever Loving Memory, Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum, DFC, 1921-2018, One of "The Few", In Pectore Robur, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Wellum's first solo flight was on 1 September 1939. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. [18], To mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the BBC commissioned a one-off drama for TV called First Light, based on Wellum's book of the same name. In 1940, when he was 18, Wellum had, as the youngest Spitfire pilot in the RAF, flown in the Battle of Britain. It would be a good film for a hight school history class. That's it. All in all it was a good TV movie. I thought, 'Hold on a minute, this is bloody dangerous! "[4], Soon after Dunkirk, 92 Squadron was transferred from RAF Duxford in Cambridgeshire to RAF Pembrey in Carmarthenshire, Wales. He was educated at Forest School, Snaresbrook, where he was captain of the cricket XI in his last term before joining the RAF on a short service commission. Approached in 2000 by author James Holland who was researching a novel set during the Battle of Britain, Wellum lent him his unpublished memoir (see "First Light", below), Holland showed it to friends in publishing at Penguin Books and, in 2002, Eleo Gordon, Penguin's editorial director, approached Wellum with a publishing deal[6][14] two decades after he had originally written the memoir. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. He worked for a family haulage business and, after that went under, spent time working as a commodity broker in the City. He found it difficult to appreciate that his days on 92 Squadron were over and he missed the intensely close relationships he had forged with the air and ground crews. With 192 Squadron at RAF Watton in the mid-1950s, he flew more than 50 special operations at high altitude, gathering intelligence about Soviet air defences and Egyptian radar capability in the run-up to the Suez crisis.
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