I decided that if I survived, I wanted to be allowed to relish it. I used to make Skybirds, he said. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Dear Jesus why this?. He is survived by two children, Anna and Neil. In May 1940 eighteen-year old Geoffrey Wellum joins the 92 squadron of the Royal Air Force and is taken to the pub,where pilots who have seen action sign their names on a blackboard. After surgery, he returned from Malta to Britain via Gibraltar, and later became a test pilot for new aircraft, such as the new Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber, based at Gloster Aircraft. In the early 1970s Geoffrey Wellum was at a very low ebb. ), For many years he had regarded his wartime service as the pinnacle of his life, with the rest of it as anticlimactic. During the passage of the vital re-supply convoy to Malta, Operation Pedestal, Wellum flew patrols over the convoy and the island and attacked ground targets in Sicily, but his headaches became severe and he was grounded with sinusitis. Drama-documentary telling the story of Geoffrey Wellum who, at the age of just 18, was one of the youngest Spitfire pilots to go into . During the recent offensive operations over France he has led his section and flight with great skill and determination. 0 cemeteries found in Mullion, Cornwall Unitary Authority, Cornwall, England. First Light: Directed by Matthew Whiteman. The Germans were flying a formidable new fighter, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, and Wellum was beginning to suffer from persistent headaches. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Their son and daughter survive him and a second daughter predeceased him. Geoffrey Wellum dead - youngest WWII Spitfire pilot to fly in the Battle of Britain who was just 18 when war broke out dies aged 96 The veteran, who was just 18 when he joined the RAF in August. Wellum's first solo flight was on 1 September 1939. [14] First Light: The Story of the Boy Who Became a Man in the War-Torn Skies Above Britain was published by: Viking Books, 2002 (hardcover, .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}ISBN0-670-91248-4); Wiley & Sons, 2003 (hardcover, ISBN0-471-42627-X); Penguin Books, 2003 (paperback, ISBN0-14-100814-8); Penguin Books, 2020 (paperback, ISBN978-0-241-98784-1), which contains a new foreword by military historian and novelist Patrick Bishop. By now, the Luftwaffe was flying a new fighter aircraft, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, superior in all but turn radius to the Spitfire V, and the squadron took heavy losses. Squadron Leader Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum DFC (4 August 192118 July 2018) was a British Battle of Britain fighter pilot and author.. Wellum suffered severe sinusitis and battle fatigue after three years' intensive frontline flying. ", His first Commanding Officer was Roger Bushell, (later immortalised in The Great Escape), shot down with two others the day after Wellum's arrival, covering the evacuation of Dunkirk. Approached in 2000 by author JamesHolland who was researching a novel set during the Battle of Britain, Wellum lent him his unpublished memoir (see "First Light", below), Holland showed it to friends in publishing at PenguinBooks and, in 2002, Eleo Gordon, Penguin's editorial director, approached Wellum with a publishing deal[6][14] two decades after he had originally written the memoir. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Geoffrey Harris Augustus Boy Wellum I found on Findagrave.com. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Aged eighteen, Wellum signed up on a short-service commission with the RoyalAirForce in August 1939. In 1943 he married Grace Neill and the couple had three children. Many of the chaps became alcoholics.". He was a writer, known for Witness 1939: When War Broke Out (2014), Battle of Britain (2015) and Spitfire Ace (2004). "But what would I write about, darling? Sqn Ldr Wellum, speaking in 2013, said: "Somebody said: 'Here's a Spitfire - fly it, and if you break it there will be bloody hell to pay'. Flying alongside celebrated pilots such as Brian Kingcome, Bob Stanford Tuck and Tony Bartley, and then in Sailor Malans wing from 1941, Wellum destroyed four enemy aircraft and damaged several others, although being bloody-minded he was not meticulous in keeping a record of his kills. Soon after arriving, the doctor told him he was "played out mentally and physically". Unique friendships were forged in the heat of battle - Geoffrey Wellum (r) and his commanding officer Brian Kingcombe, Geoffrey Wellum with Prince Charles following a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Hurricanes taking off from Gravesend in Kent during the Battle of Britain in September 1940. He joined the RAF at the age of 17 and served through the Battle of Britain, eventually leaving the RAF in 1961. Try again. This officer has been with his squadron since the evacuation of Dunkirk. Never stay still, never fly straight and level, chuck it around. . Geoffrey Wellum married Grace Christian in September 1943. [3] On 11 August 1942, Wellum led his flight of eight Spitfires, flying without ammunition to save weight (the .303 cartridges were replaced with cigarettes), and landed at Luqa airfield on Malta, joining 145 Squadron on air defence duties. In the mid-1980s, with the family business in liquidation and his divorce pending, Wellum retired, as he had promised himself in his youth, to The Lizard peninsula, Cornwall, settling in Mullion. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Geoffrey Wellum, who was just 18 when he joined the RAF in August 1939, died on Wednesday evening, the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust said. In August 1941 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. [11], In February 1942, he was reassigned to combat duties, being transferred to 65Squadron based at Debden, where he was appointed a Flight Commander in March 1942. Read about our approach to external linking. Wellum witnessed the arrival at Valletta Harbour of the few remaining ships, including, last of all, the desperately-needed oil tanker SS Ohio, barely afloat, escorted by two destroyers. Nor were their teachers. In May 1940 eighteen-year old Geoffrey Wellum joins the 92 squadron of the Royal Air Force and is taken to the pub,where pilots who have seen action sign their names on a blackboard. A system error has occurred. Self: Witness 1939: When War Broke Out. [9], In the summer of 1941 Wellum participated in more than 50 "sweeps" over occupied France (also known as Circusoffensives) flying escort for Blenheim and Stirling bomber formations, taking the war to the enemy. Is Geoff wellum alive? And I cant put it into words., England was a peaceful place, all I wanted to do was watch England play Australia at Lords. Geoffrey Wellum was born on 4 August 1921 in Walthamstow, London, England, UK. That November there were two damaged Bf 109s, and one shared. Wellum, still a teenager, got used to close friends never returning. 2023 BBC. "Well, it has been," he says without pity. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. His marriage and business collapsed. [11], On Malta, Wellum was diagnosed with severe sinusitis and battle fatigue, after three years' of intensive frontline flying. Here, he is remembered and his life as a fi. I lived near North Weald and saw the pilots in white overalls. "I was losing my house, my divorce was coming, my son was at university, I had nowhere to live. In 1940, when he was 18, Wellum had, as the youngest Spitfire pilot in the RAF, flown in the Battle of Britain. This officer has been with his squadron since the evacuation of Dunkirk. By now, the Luftwaffe was flying a new fighter aircraft, the Focke-WulfFw190, superior in all but turn radius to the SpitfireV, and the squadron took heavy losses. This account has been disabled. Dad would drive past and then, in about 1937, there was one of the new Hurricanes taxiing in, and there was the pilot with the oxygen mask on him, and I thought, God, I want to be one of those. . (One journalist who interviewed him for a national newspaper asked if it was the computer in his Spitfire that told him when his ammunition had run out. As Wellum put it, Id shot my bolt. He was evacuated to England: Something inside me gave way and I broke down. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? "I was a cocky little bastard, a bit full of myself. Thats whats important, not medals or thanks., Geoffrey Harry Augustus Wellum was born in Walthamstow, Essex, in 1921. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. From October 1957 he served at RAF Gaydon, the home of a V-Bomber conversion unit, and before retiring from the RAF in June 1961 he served on Thor ballistic missile squadrons in East Anglia. Wellum was educated at ForestSchool, Snaresbrook, where he captained the school cricket team.[3]. Geoffrey Harry Augustus Wellum, pilot and writer, born 4 August 1921; died 18 July 2018, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. He was married to Grace Neil. Every night, listening to the news on the wireless 'Ten of our Spitfires are missing'.". In air combat over France, Wellum's number two, Freddie Haskett, was killed by a Fw 190, and Wellum himself survived only by "throwing the spit all over the sky without really looking round". The marriage was later dissolved. His business had failed, his marriage was coming to an end and he had recently lost his house. He wrote: Will I ever know quite the feeling and trust and comradeship in a front line Spitfire squadron, and in such a period of our countrys history, ever again? Congratulations on this excellent venture what a great idea! Percy had served at Gallipoli during the first world war and was commissioned on the battlefield. The couple divorced in 1975, and six years later he relocated to Mullion on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall. Britain stood alone. Its like one of those wonderful dreams, a Peter Pan sort of dream. Wellum had married, in 1943, Dorothy Grace Neil, with whom he was to have three children: Anna was flight attendant and now works part-time in the NHS; Deborah, who died in 2017, had a career in the music business, notably with Apple Records; and Neil has been latterly a senior marine environmental inspector and manager. He joined the local choir, and became deputy harbourmaster. After the war he remained in the RAF until 1961, and later ran a haulage business. In May 1940, before his flight training was complete,[4] Wellum was posted to 92 Squadron, which was a combat squadron flying Spitfires. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. That summer Wellum was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. There were new problems. 'Those Other Eagles' Shores, 2004, page 635, First Light: The Story of the Boy Who Became a Man in the War-Torn Skies Above Britain, "Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot dies at 96", RAF.mod.uk: 92 Squadron Geoffrey Wellum, A Cobra in the Sky. Several times he narrowly evaded being shot down. In May 1940 eighteen-year old Geoffrey Wellum joins the 92 squadron of the Royal Air Force and is taken to the pub,where pilots who have seen action sign their names on a blackboard. [4], Much later, in an unpublished interview with The Times, Wellum recalled: "After I joined the squadron they went to Dunkirk and by the end of that day we'd lost five people, four of whom I'd met the night before in the officers' mess. During the hectic fight that followed he sighted a lone Heinkel 111 bomber, pursued it and shot it down off Dungeness. . Geoffrey Wellum was born in Walthamstow in 1921. Never stay still, never fly straight and level, chuck it around. Colum MacKenzie (Gary Lewis) is Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) Uncle. "I was shot up badly on three occasions," he says. Oops, we were unable to send the email. '", 'First Light' is published by Viking, 16.99, Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Failed to report flower. He was a regular at his local pub, having never lost his taste for English bitter. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Aged 18, in spring 1940, Wellum was posted to 92 Squadron and it was then that he encountered, and flew, a Spitfire for the first time. One of the "Few", the decorated veteran airman was. [3], Wellum saw extensive action during the Battle of Britain. When I was first given one to fly, he recalled, my emotion was almost intimidation. Failed to delete flower. Eventually, Wellum relaxed: "I found a new peace andgradually I seemed to unwind. 92 Squadron RAF at RAF Biggin Hill, September 1941. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. I'll never know how I got away with it.". Geoffrey Wellum, the youngest Spitfire pilot to fly in the Battle of Britain, has died, aged 96. When I saw him, I felt fear, real stark fear. It gave me my first intimation of what war is about, Wellum later wrote. Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum, who was just 18 when he joined the RAF in August 1939, died at his home in Cornwall on Wednesday evening aged 96. He has destroyed at least three enemy aircraft and damaged several others. He was 21 and his war was over. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? There is a problem with your email/password. The first aircraft he flew was the Tiger Moth at Desford . Quite often you'd find yourself surrounded by aeroplanes and then the sky would be empty. Later he became a commodities broker. Later, Wellum recalled: "You make yourself a difficult target. Ellie Cullen. Geoffrey Wellum was born on 4 August 1921, an only child, in Walthamstow, Essex, to Percy and Edith Wellum. A funeral was held in the village for the country's youngest ever Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot following his death at home in Mullion last month, at the age of 96. My only regret is that it had to happen so early in life". My target, concentrate, the target. (modern). Bloody front gunners. "It doesn't matter," Wellum says, unconvincingly. After his final retirement in the 1980's he moved to the village of Mullion in Cornwall. Next day,with no flying experience,he is expected to pilot a Spitfire;he is nervous but exhilarated. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? During the battle he had shot down a Heinkel He 111 bomber, and claimed a quarter share in a Ju 88. He has destroyed at least three enemy aircraft and damaged several others. An only child, Wellum grew up in Essex, always dreaming of flying. Trout streams, water meadows, waders, fast-flowing water, the pretty barmaid at the inn. Given his youth, and a certain cockiness, he was known as Boy Wellum, a nickname conferred by his friend and mentor, Brian Kingcome. At this time he began to develop severe headaches, "a splitting headache pain across my eyes". It was there that Wellum began his combat career, "chasing isolated German aircraft all over the south-west". There was a problem getting your location. In his combat narration Wellum conveys something of the texture of battle, the imminence of death, aircraft straining for kills yards apart, the exhilaration, the surrealism, the terror, the speed and the Messerschmitt Bf 109s. With 192 Squadron at RAF Watton in the mid-1950s, he flew more than 50 special operations at high altitude, gathering intelligence about Soviet air defences and Egyptian radar capability in the run-up to the Suez crisis. [18], To mark the 70th anniversary of the BattleofBritain, the BBC commissioned a one-off drama for TV called First Light, based on Wellum's book of the same name. Wellum has contributed to various television documentaries on the Battle of Britain, including Spitfire Ace produced by RDF Media/Channel 4 (2004),[16] Dangerous Adventures for Boys produced by Channel 5 (2008),[17] and The Spitfire: Britain's Flying Past produced by the BBC (September 2011). [3], Wellum's first commanding officer was RogerBushell, (later immortalised in TheGreatEscape). Try again later. At the end of July, he was detailed to command a flight of eight Spitfires from the aircraft carrier HMS Furious, sailing from the Clyde to the Mediterranean, and land them on the besieged island of Malta. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Stunned, Holland showed it to friends at Penguin, who immediately decided to publish it. The next few days proved to be the climax of the battle and Wellum was in constant action, sometimes flying three sorties a day. Officers and guests celebrating the first anniversary of the arrival of No. Within days, a bewildered Wellum nicknamed "Boy" was joining such missions. At school, I was captain of cricket and a monitor." Initially posted to protect the port of Bristol in the West Country, Wellum found that he and his 92 squadron were being moved to Biggin Hill in Kent in early September as the RAF wisely rotated its squadrons in and out of the quiet and busy areas. Wellum had barely completed his training as a pilot when he was rushed to join No 92 Squadron. Although just 18, he was not the youngest pilot to fight in the battle, an honour which is currently held by Martyn Aurel King, born 15 October 1921 - [7]) despite being nicknamed "Boy" by his colleagues. The RAF's 'finest hour' Video, 00:01:52The RAF's 'finest hour', Is Penehllis House open to the public on Helston Flora Day 2023, Bodmin murder enquiry: Police support shocked community after killing, Update on whether popular Helston Flora Day viewing spot will be open this year, Man killed in Bodmin stabbings named as Michael Allen, Missing people from Devon and Cornwall who have vanished without a trace, Bodmin stabbings: Michael Allen named by police as man who died after group of people were stabbed, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended. He had been mad about aircraft as a boy and joined the service straight out of school. "[4], In the summer of 1941 Wellum was taken off active duty, and assigned to a training squadron: No 52 Operational Training Unit at AstonDown, flying HawkerHurricanes. Two days later Britain declared war on Germany. Throughout the summer of 1940, in the skies above southern England, Wellum and his comrades battled the Luftwaffe to prevent invasion. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Get up to 10% off using the Booking.com app, 50 off over 650 using this Expedia discount code, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected product with this eBay voucher code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK May 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this May, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. The book became a best seller and Wellum enjoyed a period of celebrity as its author, as well as for being among the last surviving fighter pilots of the Battle of Britain, known as "The Few". Wellum's first solo flight was on 1 September 1939. By September his time with 92 Squadron had come to an end, and he was tired. The film was first shown by the BBC on 14 September 2010 starring Sam Heughan.[19]. In May 1940, on the eve of Dunkirk, so bad was the situation deemed that he was posted to 92 Squadron before his training was complete. 'Recollections of an RAF Squadron Leader' - Battle of Britain, Heros Of The Battle Of Britain: A Nation Remembers | Timeline. Reading it, you feel you are in the Spitfire with him, thrown around at 20,000ft, chased round by a German Heinkel, with your ammunition gone. Geoffrey Wellum, born August 4 1921, died July 18 2018 SY 2018-08-16 The sun glints on their wings and bellies as they roll like trout in a stream streaking over smooth round pebbles. In 1943 he married Grace Neill and the couple had three children. Verify and try again. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. He died on 18 July 2018 in the UK. He claimed a Bf 109 shot down on 9 July 1941 over France,[9] and in August 1941, Wellum was awarded the DistinguishedFlyingCross. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He was a writer, known for Witness 1939: When War Broke Out (2014), Battle of Britain (2015) and First Light (2010). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/219366673/geoffrey-harris_augustus-wellum. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. The family settled in Epping, Essex.[3]. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Once I was inside, the Spitfire, quite frankly, flew me., His first CO, Roger Bushell, was shot down at once; Big X, as Bushell later became known, was executed by the Gestapo in the aftermath of the Great Escape.