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Sqn/Ldr Stanley Charles Widdows DFC WW2 RAF Battle of Britain Pilot signed colour print 12x8 inch signed in pencil. Image of him in flying gear. Air Commodore Charles Widdows., joined the RAF in 1926 as an aircraft apprentice and commanded a night fighter squadron during the Battle of Britain; at the time of his death on January 10, he was the battle's oldest surviving pilot. After a series of appointments overseas, Widdows returned to Britain in September 1937 as a test pilot with the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, where he carried out extensive performance tests on the first production Hurricanes and Spitfires. Air Commodore Charles Widdows He also flew many other prototypes, and so prized was his experience that at the outbreak of war he was barred from operational flying. His determination to go into combat was eventually rewarded in June 1940 with the command of No 29 Squadron, a night fighter squadron based in Lincolnshire and equipped with the Blenheim. Widdows quickly identified a degree of laxness and low morale among some of the pilots, whom he set about replacing. He rebuilt the squadron around a number of young pilots and radar operators who would achieve fame as ace night fighter crews. Although meticulously fair, he was intolerant of anything casual or familiar when his men were on duty, while his own outstanding ability as a pilot quickly won their respect. Off duty, he was relaxed, sociable and highly popular. No 29 flew night patrols during the Battle of Britain, with modest success; the slow, outdated Blenheim equipped with a very rudimentary air intercept radar made little impression on the Luftwaffe bomber force that started night operations against the northern cities in September and October 1940. At the end of September, however, the squadron received its first Beaufighter, and the night air war was soon transformed. Widdows flew the first aircraft and trained all the pilots as more Beaufighters arrived. Success soon came, although initially it eluded Widdows. Finally, on the night of March 13, 1941, he and his radar operator shot down a Junkers 88 bomber over Lincolnshire. Activity increased in the spring of 1941. One night Widdows was scrambled, but the aircraft's engines began to fail soon after take off. He ordered the radar operator to bail out, but as Widdows left his cockpit he saw that his crewman had been unable to release the rear escape hatch. He returned to the controls of the aircraft and, against all odds, managed to make a crash landing in a field, thus saving his comrade's life. One of No 29's pilots later wrote: The squadron was deeply disappointed when Widdows's cool courage went unrewarded. In our opinion his action ranked with the bravest. When No 29 moved to West Malling in Kent in April, Widdows was appointed station commander. A few days later he was on patrol over the English Channel when he attacked a Junkers 88. As he opened fire, his Beaufighter was badly damaged by return fire, which also put the radio out of action. Widdows took violent evasive action and managed to limp back to his airfield where he discovered that his radar operator had bailed out; the man's body was later recovered on a French beach. Shortly afterwards, Widdows was rested from operations and awarded a DFC for his fine leadership. Stanley Charles Widdows was born on October 4, 1909 at Bradfield, Berkshire, and educated at St Bartholomew's School, Newbury, before joining the RAF as an aircraft apprentice. After training he was one of the few to be awarded a cadetship to the RAF College, Cranwell. He trained as a pilot and was commissioned in July 1931. After two years' flying fighters in England, in 1933 he left for Egypt and nine months later joined No 47 Squadron at Khartoum, flying the Fairey Gordon. Promoted flight lieutenant, in 1936 he was posted to RAF Ramleh, Palestine, before returning to England. In 1942 his experiences of night fighting served him well when he played a wider role as Group Captain Night Operations first at Fighter Command's HQ 11 Group and then at No 12 Group. After commanding a night fighter operational training unit, he joined the air staff of the Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Forces in May 1944 and moved to Germany as the war came to an end. Two years in the plans department of the Control Commission in Germany was followed by a return to the fighter business in the air ministry and then as the senior air staff officer at HQ 12 Fighter Group. He was the air defence expert on the staff of the School of Land Air Warfare and was then sector commander at HQ Eastern Sector of Fighter Command. After completing the Imperial Defence College course, his last appointment was a return to the air ministry as director of air defence operations. He retired from the RAF at the end of 1958. Twice mentioned in despatches during the war, he was appointed CB in 1959. Good Condition. All signed items come with our certificate of authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £3.95, EU from £4.99, Overseas from £7.95
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Autograph Auction TV Film Military Music Sport Historic Signed Covers Photos FDCs
Auction dates
01 Jun 2018 10:00 BST
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All items are sent by either Recorded or Royal Mail Special Delivery. The UK delivery cost start from £4.99 for items up to £50 and from £6.95 for items over £50, plus any additional insurance to cover the full lot value. Overseas orders will be charged at cost. If you have special delivery instructions, do not hesitate to call us on 0800 1701314
All autographs and first day covers will come securely packaged with an envelope stiffener in a board-backed envelope. Larger photographs and prints are sent in a tough tube, and books and oversized/framed items will be packaged with bubble wrap and sent in a box.
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Overseas clients are requested to settle accounts by Bank Transfer, Visa or Mastercard.
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INTERNET ONLY AUCTION
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Lots purchased online with the-saleroom.com will attract an additional charge for this service in the sum of 3% of the hammer price plus VAT at the rate imposed
Shipping:
All items are sent by either Recorded or Royal Mail Special Delivery. The UK delivery cost will be £3.95 for items up to £50 and £6.95 for items over £50, plus any additional insurance to cover the full lot value. Overseas orders will be charged at cost. If you have special delivery instructions, do not hesitate to call us on 0800 1701314
All autographs and first day covers will come securely packaged with an envelope stiffener in a board-backed envelope. Larger photographs and prints are sent in a tough tube, and books and oversized/framed items will be packaged with bubble wrap and sent in a box.