Shropshire's bravest of the brave recall wartime days
They are among the bravest of the brave; old comrades catching up for a Christmas lunch, swapping wartime tales in a matter-of-fact way that belies their heroism and bravery.
Battle of Britain pilot Flight Lieutenant Ron Smyth, 91, of Coton Hill in Shrewsbury; Flight Lieutenant John Trotman, 91, of Marchamley Wood near Wem; Flight Lieutenant Brian Beattie, 91 of Wem, and Flight Lieutenant Jim Penny, 90, of Sutton Road, Shrewsbury still look well for their age.
They joined 50 friends for the festive buffet of the Shrewsbury branch of the Royal Air Force Association.
Mr Smyth, one of only 50 Battle of Britain Hurricane pilots left and originally from Kent, said he was proud but admitted that veterans were sometimes reluctant to take plaudits.
He completed up to 30 air missions during the Battle of Britain and said: "One thing I still recall to this day is when I was flying over London in 1940 and thinking to myself, 'we are fighting over a capital and what does the future hold for us?'
"It was a horrific experience and one which is often obscured nowadays by films and television but you can never forget what you saw back then. At the time you just couldn't look ahead as it was completely unknown – you just took each day as it happened."
Mr Trotman, who flew Wellington and Mosquito bombers, was 18 when he signed up and flew more than 70 missions over Germany.
He said:?"The loss rate was very high – I think 45 per cent never came back so you had a one in two chance really and survival was always the main thing going through your mind.".
Mr Penny, a Lancaster pilot, was shot down over Berlin in 1943. But the former prisoner of war said it was an experience which was difficult to talk about.
Anti-shipping pilot Mr Beattie fought in two tours over the Norwegian coast.
The event was yesterday at the Reman Services Club on Albert Road, Shrewsbury.
By David Seadon
