Friends with the ‘FEW’

Since I started collecting autographs nearly 45 years ago, I became personal friends with many of the ‘FEW’ 
I would visit many of them at their homes but so many would come to the air shows in their latter years signing for the public and raising tens of thousands of pounds for their charities.

There were a number of nights when we would accommodate them at a Hotel, that inevitably ended in long sessions at the bar and by the end of the evening having a hefty bar bill!  I’m sure they enjoyed sitting around reminiscing as I did listening.

I have so many stories, but two of my favourites were when Wing Commander Terry Kane would come to the signing events and once we had all sat down ready for signing, Terry would say to me “Is it 10 O’clock yet Colin?” and I would reply “Yes"
“that means the bar is open” he would say, and would send me off to pour a very large glass of Gin and Tonic.

On several official functions I would make sure the veterans were okay for drink and  another nice story is that I just leant over to make sure Geoffrey Wellum was okay and he said to me “I’m getting a bit bored now” I then suggested we discretely disappear for half an hour to the bar next door, this is one of my favourite photos with a great man.

This print was signed many years ago and we paid the pilots personally a signing fee to help them or the charity of their choice.
I just wanted to put this personal note as a thank you to them for always supporting me in my adventures in the aviation art business.

I hope you feel as we do that this is a true tribute to the valiant ‘FEW’ who protected our shores in the desperate months of 1940.