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| Signatures on this item | |
| *The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
| Name | Info |
  Flight Lieutenant Brian Beattie (deceased) *Signature Value : £40 | Born in 1921, Beattie joined the Royal Air Force on July 8th 1940. From the moment of signing up in the Recruitment Centre, Beattie was in no doubt that he wanted to join the RAF to be a pilot. Fortunately, amidst thousands of volunteers, things seemed to be panning out his way. 'I was next sent to No.1 Initial Training Wing for seven weeks,' Beattie recalls, 'and from there we were posted off to Elementary Flying Training (EFT), scattered all over the shop. Four of us for some reason were sent to Rhodesia.' Elementary Flying Training would be the student pilot's first introduction to the complexities of aviation and, for most, would be the first time of even setting foot inside an aircraft. 'After EFT we then moved on to RAF Kumalo, Bulawayo, to fly Oxfords,' Beattie goes on, 'we were now carrying out ITS and ATS which were our Intermediate and Advanced Training Squadrons. ITS was a conversion onto a more complex aircraft type whereas ATS now taught us navigation, bombing and air photography.' bHaving served at 489 Coastal Command flying torpedo carrying Hampdens, he later joined Des Curtis at 248 Sqn where he also flew the Tse-Tse firing Mosquito. |
 Flight Lieutenant Des Curtis DFC *Signature Value : £35 | Originally a Wireless Operator / Gunner with No.235 Sqn on Beaufighters before converting to Mosquitos as a Navigator. He helped form 618 Sqn for ops against the Tirpitz, and then had success against U-boat pens om the French coast. In September 1944 he joined 248 Sqn Banff Strike Wing in Scotland. |
 Flight Lieutenant George Dunn DFC (deceased) *Signature Value : £30 | A Pilot, he flew 30 operations in Halifaxes and then 14 missions as a Pathfinder to Berlin in Mosquitoes. He passed away on the 29th of April 2024 at age 100. |
 Flight Lieutenant George Prichard *Signature Value : £10 | Having joined the RAF in 1943 on a direct entry commssion, George Prichard was posted from Tech Signals Radar (Air) Branch to 151 Night Fighter Squadron on Mosquitos. He supported action on D-Day and across Europe throughout the Normandy campaign, also maintaining and diagnosing crucial radar equipment. He later moved to Tiger Force to fly against the Japanese from bases in Okinawa. |
 Flight Lieutenant John Trotman DFC* *Signature Value : £30 (matted) | John Trotman was still completing pilot training when his crew participated in the raids on Cologne and Essen, after which he joined 150 Squadron flying Wellingtons where he completed a full tour of 30 operations. After a spell instructing he volunteered for a second tour and joined the Pathfinder Force, serving with 692 Squadron equipped with Mosquitos. He completed a total of 70 missions mostly against targets in Germany, which included 19 trips to Berlin. |
 Flying Officer Jack Youens *Signature Value : £45 | Flying Officer Jack Youens went to Gravesend Sea School in 1938 and was on the SS Sacramento as a 16 year old in British Columbia when the 2nd World War broke out. Jack Youens joind the RAF, Bicester O.T.U in July 26th 1944 on Mosquito Conversion, until September 10 1944 along with F/o Scott, F/o Hall, F/o Binnie, F/Lt King, and a F/o Cummimngs who were also there at that time. Whilst there his younger brother Lawrance Youens was killed in action wile serving as a Navigator on Pathfinder Mosquitos. A S/Leader Thomas flew Jack to Gravely to see his C/O. Jack Youens was transfered to Mosquitoes, having been a Staff Pilot at No 2 (OAFU) from September 9th 1942 to Feb 29th 1944. Jacks first introduction to the Mossy was at Swanton Morley, prior to going to Bicester. He was then sent to No 21 Squadron 140 Wing, which included 464 Australian Sqd and 487 Newzealand Sqd, of 2nd Tactical Airforce. Jacks first operations were first from Gravesend and finally at Thorney Island Hants. |
  Reg Davie *Signature Value : £25 | Navigator on Stirlings, Lancasters and Mosquitos. In 1942 Reg Davey was with 218 Squadron flying Stirlings and was one of the decoys for Guy Gibson's dams raid. After leaving the RAF in 1946, Mr Davey joined the civil service, working for the labour exchange. Reg remembered a night where his plane was caught in searchlights and hit by ground fire. 'We got blasted to pieces. The windscreen bashed in. I lent the pilot my goggles from my navigation bag but all my maps and charts were blown away. I never got the goggles back.<\i>' The stricken plane was headed west. 'We landed with a burst tyre and crashed it in a heap.<\i>' He adopted a protective mindset regarding those who did not return from missions. 'You thought: 'That's OK, they're prisoners of war.' They weren't. They were blown to pieces.' |
 Warrant Officer Richard Dick Maywood *Signature Value : £25 | After initial training in America, where he learned to fly Flying Boats for the American Navy, Dick ended up back in England, and after a brief spell with 692 Sqn, he was a Navigator with 608 Sqn PFF Light Night Strike Force. |
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