W
Wildfowler
Guest
My friend earlier this week lent me a book. "On a Wing and a Prayer" by Joshua Levine. This book is the story of the air war on the western front. The story is told through the reminisences and journals of the men and women who were there. The book is fascinating.
This evening I was reading the book and came across four quotes from a George Taylor who started his war as an Observer in Fe2b in 1916.
My wifes Grandfather flew in WW1 starting as an observer and later serving as a pilot on Camels and Se5a's. His name was George Taylor. I showed her the book and she confirmed this was indeed her Grandfather!
She remembered one of the stories of how he got totally lost on his first combat patrol. They landed at an airfield and were not sure if it was Allied or German! she was sitting on his knee as a small girl when he told her the tale! And here it is in this book!!
It is quite moving to have a connection like that brought to life! My wife rang her Mother who remembered a couple of the other tales he relates in the book.
George Taylor stayed in the Royal Air Force after the war and was, for a short time the CO of a certain Aircraftman Shaw which was Lawrence of Arabia's assumed name when he later served in the RAF before he was killed in a motorcycle accident. George retired from the RAF in the late 1930's as a Group Captain but was recalled in WW2 where he flew a desk in a training role! He died in 1968 when my wife was 13 years old. I wish I could have met him.
This evening I was reading the book and came across four quotes from a George Taylor who started his war as an Observer in Fe2b in 1916.
My wifes Grandfather flew in WW1 starting as an observer and later serving as a pilot on Camels and Se5a's. His name was George Taylor. I showed her the book and she confirmed this was indeed her Grandfather!
She remembered one of the stories of how he got totally lost on his first combat patrol. They landed at an airfield and were not sure if it was Allied or German! she was sitting on his knee as a small girl when he told her the tale! And here it is in this book!!
It is quite moving to have a connection like that brought to life! My wife rang her Mother who remembered a couple of the other tales he relates in the book.
George Taylor stayed in the Royal Air Force after the war and was, for a short time the CO of a certain Aircraftman Shaw which was Lawrence of Arabia's assumed name when he later served in the RAF before he was killed in a motorcycle accident. George retired from the RAF in the late 1930's as a Group Captain but was recalled in WW2 where he flew a desk in a training role! He died in 1968 when my wife was 13 years old. I wish I could have met him.