Never Stay Still

Geoffrey Wellum: The Battle of Britain’s Youngest Warrior.

- Rachel Morris

As Hitler’s tanks roll into Poland on September 1, 1939, Europe’s worst fears are confirmed: war becomes inevitable. A thousand miles away, a young man celebrates his first solo flight in a de Havilland Tiger Moth, heading to a quiet English country pub with friends to enjoy a pint of beer. As his training continues, the mighty German Blitzkrieg sweeps across the continent. Soon he will earn his coveted Royal Air Force pilot wings in time to join the most epic aerial battle of history: defending the green fields of his homeland from the Luftwaffe foe determined to clear the path for invasion. Interviewed in London’s RAF Club in 2012, Geoffrey Wellum recounted his experiences as the youngest pilot to fly and fight during the Battle of Britain.

East India Flying Squadron Gets Bloodied

After completing advanced pilot training, Wellum was posted straight to No. 92 (East India) Squadron at RAF Northolt where his young age earned him the nickname “Boy.” He felt the RAF was the best flying club in the world, and was elated to have joined the most elite section of that club: Fighter Command. Wellum arrived on the Squadron just as it was put on operational status, and he sensed an underlying tension behind the smiles and laughter in the officers’ mess. The men knew the gravity of war would soon make its presence felt.