Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

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Nick - A2A
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Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by Nick - A2A »

Sad to read that Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum, DFC, veteran of the Battle of Britain and Operation Pedestal passed away on Wednesday evening at the age of 96. I'm sure many here will have read First Light and see his appearances on television.

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Farewell and rest in peace.

Nick

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Moggster
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Re: Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by Moggster »

Cheers Nick, very sad news indeed. If any of you haven't read Geoffrey Wellum's book First Light. Do yourself a favour and go read it.
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Paul K
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Re: Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by Paul K »

Very sad news indeed. He did a program with Claire Balding on BBC Radio 4, in which she accompanied him on one of his favourite walks near his home in Cornwall, and she taped the conversation they had. It was fascinating to hear him speak of the things he'd written about in 'First Light'.

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So, another of 'the Few' gone, and they are all disappearing quickly now. If you know one of them, or any of that generation who stood fast in such dire adversity, shake his or her hand and say thank you while you still can.

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trindade
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Re: Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by trindade »

R.I.P.
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cflord
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Re: Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by cflord »

Very cool, thanks for sharing great aviation history with us!

Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down!

Ret SMSgt Cliff Lord - C-130 Flight Engineer & Mechanic :D

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Lewis - A2A
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Re: Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by Lewis - A2A »

R.I.P

He is obviously featured heavily in the new Spitfire documentary thats just been produced.

thanks,
Lewis
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rod55
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Re: Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by rod55 »

There are occasions when you don't waste time. Go for it; trusting people who know their stuff.

Many thanks Nick for your important message so I instantly got myself hardback of Geoffrey Wellum's First Light. Totally absorbing! (I was born on the 15th anniversary of The Battle of Britain.)

I enjoyed reading and visualising his flight procedures on the Harvard and then Spitfire ("... yet more throttle, now we are really beginning to move .... into the air, catch it on the stick, hold her, we fly."...."Never, but never fly straight and level for more than twenty seconds. If you do, you'll die.")

Well done, 'Boy'. Just 19 years of age.

God bless you Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum, DFC.

Humbled and eternally grateful,

Rod Cragg EGBB

shortspecialbus
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Re: Farewell Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum

Post by shortspecialbus »

I had just finished re-reading First Light for about the 3rd time probably 1-2 days before he passed away and was strongly considering writing him a letter. I suppose I won't be doing that. Very sad, but he was a great man and had what by all appearances was a great life, and I don't think he'd have changed any of it.

-stefan

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