Bob Foster is a widely known determine at e-book and print signings in lots of elements of the united kingdom. even supposing famous as a conflict of england veteran, little is understood of his lifestyles, or the main points of his struggle carrier with the RAF. Persuaded to inform his tale to air historian and good confirmed aviation writer Norman Franks, the result's a really readable account of his flying years.
These begun almost immediately earlier than WW2, whilst he learnt to fly with the RAFVR. referred to as up for battle carrier in September 1939, he accomplished his education and was once published to 605 Squadron, built with Hawker Hurricanes. by means of early September 1940 he and his Squadron have been within the thick of the air scuffling with over southern England, working from Croydon.
Surviving the conflict, he later turned an teacher, yet presently after becoming a member of fifty four Squadron, which had Spitfires, he and this unit turned a part of a bunch despatched out to Australia to aid protect the Darwin sector. Bob’s squadron and others, 452 and 457, engaged the japanese incursions all through 1943. offered the DFC for his efforts, he again to the united kingdom and was once given an task with a RAF public relatives outfit, finishing up in Normandy inside 3 weeks of the invasion of 1944.
Often serving correct up within the entrance strains, Bob observed the struggle at very shut hand, after which relatively by accident turned one of many first, if no longer the 1st RAF officer to go into Paris with the freeing French military, and back, accidentally, used to be usually de Gaulle’s effective procession down the Champs-Élysées.
His memoir is an interesting choice of tales and recollections of 2 specific parts of WW2, which additionally exhibits how success usually formed the lives of the fighter pilots concerned. Bob Foster later turned a profitable revenues supervisor with Shell-Mex and BP, in addition to serving with the Royal Auxiliary Air strength. He now lives along with his spouse Kaethe close to Bexhill in East Sussex.
Norman Franks is a well-respected and world-renowned writer and has over seventy-five books to his identify. writer of Jasta Boelcke, Ton-Up Lancs, Air conflict for Dunkirk and Frank ‘Chota’ Carey he has additionally been co-author of many titles with distinctive fighter pilots equivalent to Neville Duke (War Diaries of Neville Duke), Jimmy Sheddan (Tempest Pilot) and Paul Richey (Fighter Pilot's Summer).He lives along with his spouse Heather in East Sussex.