Parachute Silk of one of The Few and autographed Photo on Ebay
Thank you for visiting this post. Please allow me to share a special message from one of The Few.
Flight Lieutenant Charles “Tich” Palliser DFC AE is trying to help raise money for the Memorial Trust, through sale of a signed photo, and a bookmark, made from the parachute he used throughout the Battle of Britain.
“Tich” Palliser is one of only four Battle of Britain pilots living in Australia, but hopes this message reaches readers around the world.
Follow this link and click on Ebay icon
This bookmark has been made for you by my daughter, from silk from the parachute I carried throughout the Battle of Britain. This parachute had been preserved to this day by my sister and is now being used to raise money for the Education Centre of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust.
This is a very important cause as it keeps this part of history alive. It teaches people about what was a turning point in the history of World War II. I looked on the makers and packers of the parachutes as “agents of God” – they saved so many lives.
Follow this link and click on Ebay icon
Thanks so much for reading, and for helping “Tich” Palliser share his story.
The best place to display the remains of the arcraft is at the Lashenden Air Warfare Museum at Headcorn Kent. We already have the Rolls Royce Merlin XII & the prop boss on display as part of the Andrew Cresswell collection along with a fitting tribute to John Gilders.
We would be only to pleased to give the remains an appropriate home.
Finding Sergeant Gilders – Patrol Failed to Return – Spitfire P7816
“Sergeant Gilders was killed on February 21st 1941 when his Spitfire P7816 dived into soft ground near the Great Stour River at Chilham, Kent and buried itself. In April 1994 the site was investigated with a new owners permission and Gilders’ body was found. The recovery operation (by Mark Kirby) was done with the co-operation of the pilot’s family. On May 12th 1995 Gilders was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, with full military honours.”
http://www.battleofbritain.tv/TheFew.html
Thank you all for your comments and advice. This response is intended as an update to these discussions albeit some time later.
Every effort has been taken to try to move the remains of Sergeant Gilders Spitfire (P7816) to a public display.
AeroHistorian, thank you so much for your recommendation, and we all agreed that Lashenden Air Warfare Museum would be the most suitable choice. This is particularly inspired by the generous acts of archaeologist, Andy Cresswell’s family in donating his own collection to Lashenden, after his loss. For these parts to be brought together with the parts currently on display at Lashenden, including the merlin engine, will also be a fitting tribute to John.
Sign-off and agreement was required from various parties, firstly the family, and secondly the MOD, and those in charge of the current, private collection. I am grateful to everyone involved in this process, but many reading this message would appreciate such things take a long time, and the process continues to this day. I hope the museum still has space for this extended collection, and that these plans can come together one day in the near future.
Thank you also Tangmere1940 for all your help and advice (including privately).
“Finding The Few” by Andy Saunders, and “Missing in Action: Resting in Peace” by Dilip Sarkar remain the best publications covering the story of Sergeant John Stanley Gilders, and Aviation Archaeology in General.
Here’s hoping that all the discussions and correspondence to date will finally lead to a public display of John’s Spitfire.
Not only was John Gilders one of the missing for so long, he was also one of the forgotten Aces. In the most recent update of ‘Aces High’, John Gilders was added to the illustrious list of Battle of Britain Aces. This was following the recognition of an HE111 ‘forced down’ on 15th September:
“Christopher Shores adds that claim to his victories in Aces High Volume 2 page 94 and states that the revised total was 5 plus 1 shared and 3 damaged. JS Gilders … is definitely recognised as an ace.”
message from an Historian friend
In the meantime, whatever readers’ opinion on this posthumous recognition of Sgt J S Gilders, please spare him a thought.
I share below a link to a short film I made about the story of John’s recovery. :
http://www.battleofbritain.tv/Archaeology.html
Thanks again, and putting my hopes in success with the public display of John’s Spitfire at Lashenden Airwarfare museum.
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