FLYING FEVER

Signed on the title page by

Air Vice-Marshal Stanley Vincent CB DFC AFC

‘In memory of KCCS’

(NB. KCCS is Kings College Choir School in Cambridge which Vincent attended.
There is a note under the front flap of the DJ which says the book was signed at Cambridge KCCS on 28 July 1973)

The only man to have shot down enemy aircraft from single seat fighters in both World Wars.

Station Commander of RAF Northolt during the Battle of Britain
where he was responsible for the the famous 303 Polish Squadron

Published by Jarrolds. First edition 1972.  192 pages plus photographs

Near Fine condition hardback book in blue boards in a Very Good condition unclipped dustjacket.

Few RAF officers had a more varied and active career than Stanley Vincent (1897-1976) who was the only man to have shot down enemy aircraft from single seat fighters in both World Wars. Nobody else could claim to have shot down an Albatross and a Bf109!

Between those wars he was CO of 41 Squadron flying Bristol Bulldogs. He was posted to Iraq and Palestine flying obsolete aircraft and driving old armoured cars before returning to command RAF Northolt during the Battle of Britain where he borrowed Hurricanes to have ‘a crack at Jerry’ and see for himself the fighting spirit of the ‘Poles’.

He was then sent to Singapore where he escaped from the Japanese and then commanded 221 Group in Burma and worked with Earl Mountbatten who wrote the foreword to this book.

A scarce signed Battle of Britain memoir as Stanley Vincent died in 1976.