|
Two’s
Company by Philip West
The
Lancaster and Mosquito became legends in their own time during
the Second World War. Both performed vital roles in support
of the allied cause roaming far and wideover occupied Europe.
The Signatories
The Primary Edition is signed and numbered by
the artist.
The
Artist Proofs are also signed by
Air Marshall Alfred Ball KCB, DSO, DFC
(Spitfire and Mosquito PRU pilot)
Air
Marshall Sir Alfred (Freddy) Ball, KCB DSO DFC
attended RAF College, Cranwell in 1939 and joined
13 Squadron in France in March 1940 on Lysanders
(Army Co-operation). He joined No 1 PRU Benson
early in 1941 on Spitfires. He commanded 4 PRU
(later 682 Sqdn) as Squadron Leader in October
1942 and flew out to North Africa for Operation
Torch, the Allied landings, flying Spitfires.
He was posted to the UK as CF1, 8PR, OTU Dyce,
Aberdeen in September 1943 and took over 542
Sqdn Benson in March 1944 (PR Spitfire Mk XIs
and Mk XIXs). In September he was promoted to
Wing Commander and given command of No 540 Squadron
flying Mosquito 16s and 32s. The Squadron moved
to France early in 1945 to support the Allied
armies. In December, Freddy was posted to Egypt
to take command of No 680 PR Sqdn (later to
become 13 Sqdn), flying Mosquitoes and Spitfires.
He was posted to Staff AHQ East Africa in 1946
and retired from the RAF in April 1979. |
and
Flt/Lt. Joe Petrie Andrews DFC, DFM
(Pathfinder pilot and veteran of 68 ops. – 60
before his 20th birthday!)
Flt.
Lt. Joe Petrie-Andrews DFC. DFM joined the RAF
at “about 14 or 15 years of age.”
Rejecting the opportunity to become a bomb-aimer,
Joe was determined to pester the RAF until they
would accept him on a pilot’s training
course. Flying mainly Lancaster and Halifax
aircraft, Joe joined 158 and 35 Squadron’s,
and later became part of the Pathfinder Force.
During an operation to bomb Cannes in southern
France on 11th November 1943, Joe’s (aged
only 19) Halifax was badly shot up, forcing
him to ditch the aircraft in the Mediterranean,
where he and the crew spent three days in a
dingy before being rescued; for this operation
Joe was awarded an ‘immediate’ DFC.
He completed 68 operations, 60 before his 20th
birthday on 11/7/1944. |
|
Print size: 28 x 20ins approx
Signed
and Numbered
|
Edition
size: 125 |
Price: £95.00 |
| Artist
Proof |
Edition
size: 50 |
Price: £125.00 |
PRINT
TERMINOLOGY
- see below |
|
|
