Cecil Beaton at War

Good idea.

I’ll be in touch.

Andy

Melvyn

Yes, Gwen phoned here a while back and we have promised to go down to take her out to lunch. I really must fix that soon!

Whoever gets there first, lets agree to pass on the other’s kind regards and report back if the information you are seeking emerges?!

Andy

Or go together!

Melvyn

Yes, Gwen phoned here a while back and we have promised to go down to take her out to lunch. I really must fix that soon!

Whoever gets there first, lets agree to pass on the other’s kind regards and report back if the information you are seeking emerges?!

Andy

Andy,

I have the war diaries but they are buried in a load of stuff that is in storage while I am ‘resting between addresses’. I have seen the QJ-S pic a lot and I do know that Neville was wingman to ‘Sailor’ Malan before volunteering to go out to the desert. I did ask him once why, since ‘don’t volunteer’ was the first rule of service life, DID he volunteer and did he really think he was only going to the desert for three months. He looked at me in that Neville way and said ‘you know, it does seem rather naive now….’

I must go down and see Gwen soon and apart from getting my usual telling off (I do pay my telephone bill Melvyn, it would be nice if it rang sometimes….) she may have something.

M

Melvyn

I am sure that Nev’s logbooks will give either serial number or individual code (poss both?) of the Spits he flew in the 1941 period, and with cross-reference to the squadron ORB and other sources it ought to be possible to come up with the serial/code combination of at least some of the aircraft he flew. Whilst that is a long way from having a photo reference of the actual aircraft, I’d think it highly likely one could come up with a photo(s) of at least some of his 92 Squadron Spitfires.

I know there are some nice (and well known) air-to-air shots of QJ-S being flown by Alan Wright, but have no idea if Nev ever flew that a/c (Wright usually flew it) and I cannot recall offhand what flight he was on.

I am trying to find a good reference for any Spitfire that Neville flew at Biggin. The desert ones are fairly well covered but I would love to model that one.

Thanks for sharing………:cool: