LUCKY THIRTEEN

Label on the title page signed by 

Wg Cdr Hugh Godefroy DSO DFC*

Published by Croom Helm. First edition 1983.  274 pages plus photographs

Fine condition condition hardback book and dustjacket. Clean, bright and tight. A smart copy.

Hugh Godefroy was born in Java in 1919 and moved to Canada in childhood. The loss of his girlfriend when her ship was torpedoed pushed him to join the RCAF. After training in Canada, he was sent to the UK and joined 401 Squadron in 1941 and later 403 Squadron from March 1943, rising quickly through the ranks. By June 1943 he was a Squadron Leader, and by September 1943 a Wing Commander, taking over from Johnnie Johnson. He was an ace with 7+ victories, survived a ditching in the Channel shortly after D‑Day and had a tour flying ground attack Typhoons. After the war he studied medicine, practicing in both Canada and the USA, passing away in 2002.

‘Lucky Thirteen‘ is a forthright memoir that captures both the intensity of air combat and the inner life of a young fighter leader. Godefroy writes with a cool, analytical tone that makes his accounts of dogfights, leadership pressures, and personal loss all the more compelling. The book balances vivid operational detail with a strong emotional undercurrent, shaped by the tragedy that drove him to enlist. What emerges is a portrait of a thoughtful, disciplined pilot navigating the chaos of the air war with determination and restraint. It stands out as one of the more insightful Canadian fighter memoirs, offering both action and reflection in equal measure.

A great account of life in the Canadian Wing both in the air and on the ground with some interesting annecdotes about Johnnie Johnson and his leadership style and encounters with the maverick ‘Screwball’ Beurling.