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Battle of Britain pilot recalls war
Thursday 21st January 2010, 12:13PM GMT.
Ron Smyth, Bruce Spurr, Brian Beattie and Bill Carless reminisce over a drink at The Wroxeter Hotel, near Shrewsbury.
The oldest living World War II Battle of Britain pilot, who lives in Shropshire, today spoke about his memories at a special lunch.
Ron Smyth, 85, of Shrewsbury, attended an event with other members of the Shropshire branch of the Air Crew Association.
Mr Smyth, the county’s sole remaining Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot, reminisced with ex-bomber pilots, air gunners and navigators from the Second World War.
He said: “It was a very chaotic time. I’m not sure how to put this, but I wasn’t so much involved in the sort of Biggles stuff.
“A lot of my work was related to the interception of bombers. The thing I remember most, to be honest, happened on the ground.
“I remember walking through the streets of London, which were totally bombed out. I remember seeing people living in tube stations and such like.”
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I think someone has made a mistake here. At 85 years of age, Mr Smyth would have been aged 15 in 1940. Perhaps he is actually 95.
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