Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Hoboken, N.J. : J. Wiley & Sons, 2002.
Description
Two months before the outbreak of WWII, seventeen-year-old Geoffrey Wellum leaves school to become a fighter pilot with the RAF. Bursting with youthful energy and enthusiasm, he makes it through basic training to become the youngest Spitfire pilot in the prestigious 92 Squadron. Thrust into combat almost immediately, Wellum finds himself flying several sorties a day, caught up in terrifying dogfights with German Me 109s. Over the coming months he and his fellow pilots play a crucial role in the Battle of Britain. But of the friends that take to the air alongside Wellum many never return. Published for the first time more than fifty years after the war, First Lightis Geoffrey Wellum's gripping memoir of his experiences as a fighter pilot.
User reviews
LibraryThing member wadezoe
Of all the Battle of Britain books I have read this is by far the most personal. Mr. Wellum's flying descriptions are the best I've ever read and made me get that old familiar knot in my stomach that I got as a combat pilot in Vietnam. Most pilots are in love with the Spitfire, even in this
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century. I will most likely never fly a Spitfire but in reading this book, I almost feel as if I've been up for a few sorties. This book is a must for Battle of Britain enthusiasts, pilots and Spitfire lovers. Show Less
LibraryThing member TimBazzett
Geoffrey Wellum's stories of his days as a very young fighter pilot sat percolating somewhere on a back burner of his mind for over fifty years before the publication of this book, FIRST LIGHT. And yet somehow he managed to make these memories as real and immediate as if they were only yesterday.
There is something about the stream-of-consciousness narrative that Wellum employs here that just grabs you and makes you feel like you're right there in the cockpit with him as he dodges, feints, and rolls through the skies over England in some of the most furious dogfighting scenes every told from the WWII European theater. Here's a sample -
"All over the sky 110s are being chased by Spitfires. My particular Hun takes violent evasive action and I follow. I fling the Spit all over the sky in order to stay with him. This chap is no fool. I'm on to a good one here, he's like an eel, blast him. I manage one quick burst and I'm sure I see strikes on the fuselage ... Think I've got this one. His dive steepens and he starts to turn on his back. I take a quick look round before finishing him off in a nice tidy manner and am just in time to see a 110 diving down on me, opening fire as he does so. Jesus, I've seen him just in time, another fraction of a second ..."
This goes on and on, as Wellum recalls how he attacked and dodged, in perhaps some of the most intense scenes of air combat ever written. As I read some of these passages I was reminded of James Salter's riveting novel of the air war in Korea, THE HUNTERS. But it's not all smoke and explosions in Wellum's story. You also feel his fear and see him questioning the powers that be, and wondering how does God decide which side is 'right'.
"In any case, why does He allow this sort of thing to happen? Whatever He decides, many thousands of people, 'His children' we are all taught to believe, are going to be slaughtered before it is all over."
Wellum was near 80 years old when his story was finally published, but it leapt to the top of the bestseller lists in Britain immediately. This is not surprising, since his storytelling skills are as superb as his piloting was back in 1940. The perspective of the intervening decades has lent a kind of precious wisdom to this story though. And Wellum's humility and plain-spokenness about those days brought to mind another young pilot's story, that of Samuel Hynes, a US pilot from Minnesota who flew scores of combat missions in the Pacific, all before he turned 21 too. Hynes's book was called Flights of Passage. It would make an interesting companion piece fo Wellum's book for any WWII air war buffs. I've already praised and touted the Hynes book. Now I'm doing the same for Wellum's. This is one hell of a good story, filled with action, but also with the kind of introspection that makes it a great memoir. I will recommend it highly.
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Wellum was not quite eighteen when he matriculated directly from his prep school into the RAF. In less than two years he was a Spitfire fighter pilot engaged in some of the most intense aerial combat and dogfights of the war, dodging German fighters over London in the Battle of Britain. At age 20, the victim of stress and fatigue of nearly constant sorties, bomber escorts and other combat flights, he was removed from operational duties, much to his chagrin and distress. After a stint as a flight instructor, however, he was detailed to the secret Operation Pedestal which was instrumental in lifting the Axis siege of Malta. There is something about the stream-of-consciousness narrative that Wellum employs here that just grabs you and makes you feel like you're right there in the cockpit with him as he dodges, feints, and rolls through the skies over England in some of the most furious dogfighting scenes every told from the WWII European theater. Here's a sample -
"All over the sky 110s are being chased by Spitfires. My particular Hun takes violent evasive action and I follow. I fling the Spit all over the sky in order to stay with him. This chap is no fool. I'm on to a good one here, he's like an eel, blast him. I manage one quick burst and I'm sure I see strikes on the fuselage ... Think I've got this one. His dive steepens and he starts to turn on his back. I take a quick look round before finishing him off in a nice tidy manner and am just in time to see a 110 diving down on me, opening fire as he does so. Jesus, I've seen him just in time, another fraction of a second ..."
This goes on and on, as Wellum recalls how he attacked and dodged, in perhaps some of the most intense scenes of air combat ever written. As I read some of these passages I was reminded of James Salter's riveting novel of the air war in Korea, THE HUNTERS. But it's not all smoke and explosions in Wellum's story. You also feel his fear and see him questioning the powers that be, and wondering how does God decide which side is 'right'.
"In any case, why does He allow this sort of thing to happen? Whatever He decides, many thousands of people, 'His children' we are all taught to believe, are going to be slaughtered before it is all over."
Wellum was near 80 years old when his story was finally published, but it leapt to the top of the bestseller lists in Britain immediately. This is not surprising, since his storytelling skills are as superb as his piloting was back in 1940. The perspective of the intervening decades has lent a kind of precious wisdom to this story though. And Wellum's humility and plain-spokenness about those days brought to mind another young pilot's story, that of Samuel Hynes, a US pilot from Minnesota who flew scores of combat missions in the Pacific, all before he turned 21 too. Hynes's book was called Flights of Passage. It would make an interesting companion piece fo Wellum's book for any WWII air war buffs. I've already praised and touted the Hynes book. Now I'm doing the same for Wellum's. This is one hell of a good story, filled with action, but also with the kind of introspection that makes it a great memoir. I will recommend it highly.
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LibraryThing member lamour
This a truly remarkable book. Wellum kept notes during his time training to fly Spitfires in the period before and during the Battle of Britain. In the 1990's he took those notes and wrote this book. He is very open about the stress of day after day of facing death and how it changed him and other
This is also a very different view of the Battle of Britain when compared to those written by other famous pilots such as Bader, Johnson and Lucas. This is possibly because Wellum was so young when he started flying combat missions. For that reason alone, it is well worth reading.
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pilots from optimistic young men to men who feared each day was their last. He eventually was relieved of combat flying because of stress. This is also a very different view of the Battle of Britain when compared to those written by other famous pilots such as Bader, Johnson and Lucas. This is possibly because Wellum was so young when he started flying combat missions. For that reason alone, it is well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member Gary-Bonn
I thought I had read every first-hand account of the Battle of Britain. For some mysterious reason family, extended family, friends and enemies think I like them and fill my bookshelves.
This one came as a surprise. Written maybe fifty years after, the author wrote at a time the culture of the UK
That makes this book unique – and important.
Yes, not many people understand the incredible inner battle that goes on inside you when forced to go by instruments alone: when every instinct tells you they are incorrect. Listen to your instincts as they scream at you that the horizon can’t possibly be there, ‘up’ has to be the other way – and you’re dead.
Written from old notes and memories Geoffrey ‘Boy’ Wellum takes the reader through the height of the battle and out the other side – both you and he emerging in one piece though shaken, exhausted and with no little need for a pint of beer and a quiet stream to walk beside.
He is breathtakingly good at taking you into the nightmare realm of emotions he experienced while in combat, learning to fly or flying in appalling conditions.
Thank you, Geoffrey, for not only an outstanding read but also for the best account of the battle I’ve ever read.
This one came as a surprise. Written maybe fifty years after, the author wrote at a time the culture of the UK
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had changed and it was quite acceptable to talk about feelings, thoughts and emotions. The stiff upper lip had relaxed.That makes this book unique – and important.
Yes, not many people understand the incredible inner battle that goes on inside you when forced to go by instruments alone: when every instinct tells you they are incorrect. Listen to your instincts as they scream at you that the horizon can’t possibly be there, ‘up’ has to be the other way – and you’re dead.
Written from old notes and memories Geoffrey ‘Boy’ Wellum takes the reader through the height of the battle and out the other side – both you and he emerging in one piece though shaken, exhausted and with no little need for a pint of beer and a quiet stream to walk beside.
He is breathtakingly good at taking you into the nightmare realm of emotions he experienced while in combat, learning to fly or flying in appalling conditions.
Thank you, Geoffrey, for not only an outstanding read but also for the best account of the battle I’ve ever read.
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LibraryThing member ogopogo
While reading this book all i could think about weas Spitfire's. i woke up thinking about them and and flying them, his descriptions did not seem overly laborious or complex but i was sitting inside a Spitfire when reading that book. and the amount that he went through and then suddenly that was it
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- he was 'done' done his tours of duty and was finished - at which point i realised he was younger then i was. Show Less
LibraryThing member alexbolding
Autobiographical memoir of the author's life as a Spitfire pilot during ww2. Contains surprisingly well written, punctuated, brief sentences that are hard as nails and remind us of a different kind of English – jolly. Like when he takes his first training flight in a Tiger Moth and reflects
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rather matter of fact on his anxiety – ‘I’ve made one hell of a mistake joining this lot.’ Geoff, or ‘boy’ his nickname, takes us through his training, first posting as a fighter pilot on a Spitfire (without ever having flown a Spit) and the Battle of Britain. After the Battle attrition starts with sweeps and bomber escort flying across Northern France throughout 1941. At some stage Boy gets retired from active service on a fighter squadron, much to his regret. He does some time as an instructor but then gets called back on active service for a special assignment, which takes him on an aircraft carrier towards Malta, being part of a mission to fly in 38 Spitfires and other supplies to the island under siege. Once on the island he does some sweeps and escort flying across Sicily, but then gets retired on medical grounds with sore eyes. He is repatriated and after 6 months leave takes on a job as test pilot for the Bristol Aircraft company, flying a Typhoon. What’s really impressive about this memoir is that Wellum uses a sparse, slightly subdued style of writing engaging a language that is long gone. His style is also immediate, as he writes certain scenes in extensive detail it is as if the reader is with him, or even is him. Particularly impressive are the scene where he describes how he is sent out with a mate on a convoy escort in heavy rain over wild seas. At some stage he thinks he notices a Ju 88, takes a pot shot and follows him into the low hanging clouds. From then on it becomes questionable whether he will ever find base again (Manston). He talks us through his ordeal. Show Less
LibraryThing member alexbolding
Autobiographical memoir of the author's life as a Spitfire pilot during ww2. Contains surprisingly well written, punctuated, brief sentences that are hard as nails and remind us of a different kind of English – jolly. Like when he takes his first training flight in a Tiger Moth and reflects
Show More
rather matter of fact on his anxiety – ‘I’ve made one hell of a mistake joining this lot.’ Geoff, or ‘boy’ his nickname, takes us through his training, first posting as a fighter pilot on a Spitfire (without ever having flown a Spit) and the Battle of Britain. After the Battle attrition starts with sweeps and bomber escort flying across Northern France throughout 1941. At some stage Boy gets retired from active service on a fighter squadron, much to his regret. He does some time as an instructor but then gets called back on active service for a special assignment, which takes him on an aircraft carrier towards Malta, being part of a mission to fly in 38 Spitfires and other supplies to the island under siege. Once on the island he does some sweeps and escort flying across Sicily, but then gets retired on medical grounds with sore eyes. He is repatriated and after 6 months leave takes on a job as test pilot for the Bristol Aircraft company, flying a Typhoon. What’s really impressive about this memoir is that Wellum uses a sparse, slightly subdued style of writing engaging a language that is long gone. His style is also immediate, as he writes certain scenes in extensive detail it is as if the reader is with him, or even is him. Particularly impressive are the scene where he describes how he is sent out with a mate on a convoy escort in heavy rain over wild seas. At some stage he thinks he notices a Ju 88, takes a pot shot and follows him into the low hanging clouds. From then on it becomes questionable whether he will ever find base again (Manston). He talks us through his ordeal. Show Less
LibraryThing member tommi180744
Humbling! Simply humbling to recognise I and millions more in Britain, Europe, the World owe our lives to this 18/19 year old and so FEW of his sort: July 1940 - June 1941 - When Britain really did STAND ALONE against the military might of Nazi Germany (Stalin's USSR was Hitler's ally at the time)
His story of wartime as a RAF Spitfire Pilot has no equal for the unassuming heroics on a daily basis over the skies of the British Isles and western Europe... Humbling.
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only the selfless, unswerving, unrepeatable nerve, courage and skills of Geoffrey Wellum and less than 1,500 like him in the BATTLE OF BRITAIN and the BLITZ saved us all.His story of wartime as a RAF Spitfire Pilot has no equal for the unassuming heroics on a daily basis over the skies of the British Isles and western Europe... Humbling.
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LibraryThing member jmkemp
If you want to know what it was like to be a spitfire pilot in the Battle of Britain, then this is the book you need to read. The author was a public schoolboy that joined the RAF just before the outbreak of war. He signed up in the spring of 1939 and started training as soon as he finished school
The first third of the book is a very detailed account of his entry to the service and the flight training. Through this we get to know the author as a typical public schoolboy, he struggles with the academic side, but has no problems with the discipline and dealing with being in a service institution. Flying is clearly his passion, and is most of the focus of the book. Other than his struggles with the training matter, and the mental stress of combat flying and dealing with the progressive loss of his friends there is little else in the story.
There is no bigger picture, or even narrative of the wider progress of the war to put things in context. When he is rushed out of training and posted directly to an operational squadron (no.92) it is because the Germans have invaded France, however we're not directly told this. The closest he comes is when the rest of the squadron patrol over Dunkirk, losing many of the old hands including the CO Roger Bushell (who lead the Great Escape). If you didn't know how the war went then you could be baffled by some of this. Also, there is nothing about the Battle of Britain directly, other than accounts of some of his more notable sorties (the first, some where he has narrow escapes or shoots down or damages enemy aircraft).
That said, it is a very good first hand account of what it was like on a very personal level. The flights are very well described in some detail. It is clear that Geoffrey Wellum was deeply affected by his war experience and that being an operational fighter pilot represented the pinnacle for him. His tour as an instructor between operational tours is dispensed with in a couple of pages. The narrative between flights shows him moving from an enthusiastic schoolboy to a novice pilot and eventually to a mentally exhausted veteran.
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in July 1939. The first third of the book is a very detailed account of his entry to the service and the flight training. Through this we get to know the author as a typical public schoolboy, he struggles with the academic side, but has no problems with the discipline and dealing with being in a service institution. Flying is clearly his passion, and is most of the focus of the book. Other than his struggles with the training matter, and the mental stress of combat flying and dealing with the progressive loss of his friends there is little else in the story.
There is no bigger picture, or even narrative of the wider progress of the war to put things in context. When he is rushed out of training and posted directly to an operational squadron (no.92) it is because the Germans have invaded France, however we're not directly told this. The closest he comes is when the rest of the squadron patrol over Dunkirk, losing many of the old hands including the CO Roger Bushell (who lead the Great Escape). If you didn't know how the war went then you could be baffled by some of this. Also, there is nothing about the Battle of Britain directly, other than accounts of some of his more notable sorties (the first, some where he has narrow escapes or shoots down or damages enemy aircraft).
That said, it is a very good first hand account of what it was like on a very personal level. The flights are very well described in some detail. It is clear that Geoffrey Wellum was deeply affected by his war experience and that being an operational fighter pilot represented the pinnacle for him. His tour as an instructor between operational tours is dispensed with in a couple of pages. The narrative between flights shows him moving from an enthusiastic schoolboy to a novice pilot and eventually to a mentally exhausted veteran.
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LibraryThing member MHStevens
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was the first, first-person account I'd ever read of the Battle of Britain, and my heart ached for the author (the youngest pilot to take part in the Battle).
It was especially poignant to feel the author's loss of hope for his own survival as his tours wore on,
At the end of the book, after closing the cover, I burst into tears.
What a great work! Thanks ever so much for your service, Mr. Wellum, and for your retelling of same.
Marc Stevens
Grateful son of a Hampden pilot
Author of 'Escape, Evasion and Revenge: The True Story of a German-Jewish RAF Pilot Who Bombed Berlin and Became a POW'
It was especially poignant to feel the author's loss of hope for his own survival as his tours wore on,
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and he lost increasing numbers of friends. You truly felt, along with the author, his utter devastation.At the end of the book, after closing the cover, I burst into tears.
What a great work! Thanks ever so much for your service, Mr. Wellum, and for your retelling of same.
Marc Stevens
Grateful son of a Hampden pilot
Author of 'Escape, Evasion and Revenge: The True Story of a German-Jewish RAF Pilot Who Bombed Berlin and Became a POW'
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LibraryThing member Arkrayder
This was an excellent account of a pilots experience during The Battle of Britain. The youngest pilot to fly for the RAF, Geoffrey Wellum gives an amazing account of how Britain stood alone for two years against the Nazi onslaught. Inspiring. Almost feels as those you are in the cockpit looking
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over his shoulder. Every school child should read these books, in the hopes we don’t repeat history. Highly recommended. 🇬🇧 Show Less
LibraryThing member edwardsgt
Brilliantly written autobiography of the youngest Spitfire pilot in 92 Squadron, with visceral descriptions of dog fights and patrols which brings the pressures to life for the reader. Amazingly he wasn't shot down once in around 100 missions and is very self-effacing about his flying skills.
LibraryThing member markm2315
The author comes across as somewhat of a twit (although a heroic one), but this seems to enhance the book's verisimilitude. He's not much of a writer, but his descriptions of the mechanics of flight in a Spitfire are very good. Does not discuss anything about Battle of Britain tactics, strategy
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etc. so is a refreshing (perhaps) first person account of being a fighter pilot there and then, only. Show Less