Geoffrey Wellum (1921–2018)

Published for the first time more than fifty years after the war, First Lightis Geoffrey Wellum's gripping memoir of his experiences as a fighter pilot.
Two months before the outbreak of WWII, seventeen-year-old Geoffrey Wellum leaves school to become a fighter pilot with the RAF. Bursting with youthful energy and enthusiasm, he makes it through basic training to become the youngest Spitfire pilot in the prestigious 92 Squadron. Thrust into combat almost immediately, Wellum finds himself flying several sorties a day, caught up in terrifying dogfights with German Me 109s. Over the coming months he and his fellow pilots play a crucial role in the Battle of Britain. But of the friends that take to the air alongside Wellum many never return.… (mais)

A fine memoir from the youngest RAF pilot to fly in the Battle of Britain. I enjoyed this very much. We get plenty of air combat descriptions, we get the whole story of his training, and we get quite a lot of self-analysis and reflection. He is honest about his faults, and describes his removal from combat twice without glossing over or ending the book prior to those events. I wish he would have spent a bit more time on his events after leaving 92 Squadron. He went on to be a Flight Commander with 65 Squadron, then ferried a Spitfire to Malta and spent time there on combat patrols defending the island and attacking Sicily. But the time with 65 Squadron and at Malta takes only 2 chapters at the end of the book. Perhaps he didn't make any detailed notes during those times. Overall an excellent book describing the Battle of Britain.
… (mais)