One off copy of ‘Pressing On’ signed by 6 distinguished wartime Bomber Command aircrew
One off copy of ‘Pressing On’ signed by 6 distinguished wartime Bomber Command aircrew
A dramatic image of an RAF Lancaster on a night time raid, pressing on with its attack despite the odds.
What makes this very special is that I recently got this signed by 6 World War 2 Bomber Command veterans. Most had been shot down at some stage and been taken prisoner. One had even been put in front of a firing squad and was only saved at the last moment by the intervention of a Luftwaffe officer who stopped his execution.
The details of the men that signed are as follows:
Squadron Leader Alfie Fripp – an Observer with 57 Squadron he was one of the first aircrew to be taken captive when his Blenheim was shot down on 16th Oct 1939. His C.O. at the time was Harry ‘Wings’ Day who later on led the Great Escape. Held for over 5 years he finally walked to freedom on the ‘Long March’ in 1945.
Sergeant Len Manning – a rear gunner on Lancasters with 57 Squadron, he was shot down in April 1944. Taken in by local French civilians, they kept him in hiding until September 1944 when the Allied advance reached him.
Flight Lieutenant Tom Wingham – he was a bomb aimer with 76 Squadron on Halifaxes and was shot down on a raid on Dusseldorf in April 1944.Using the Resistance ‘escape lines’ set up by local citizens in many parts of Europe he evaded capture until September 1944 when he met up with advancing Allied forces.
Warrant Officer Reg Cleaver – Flight Engineer and Co- Pilot on Halifaxes with 419 Squadron, he was shot down in June 1943. He was captured by the Gestapo in Holland and held at the SS Headquarters in Arnhem. He was very badly treated over a number of weeks and eventually put in front of a firing squad but was saved at the last moment when a Luftwaffe officer intervened and stopped his execution. I asked him about this and he told me he was treated as a spy as he had ditched his uniform and was in civilian clothes. For weeks he was beaten with rifle butts, kept with very little food or water in a tiny dark cell. He said that when they took him away from the firing squad they threw him back in his cell but he had been so badly treated he thought he couldn’t face it again and that he wished they had shot him, but shortly afterwards he was moved and spent the rest of the war in various POW camps.
Flying Officer Jack Easter – Joining the RAF in 1940 he was a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner on Halifaxes and Liberators with 148 Squadron flying special duties on supply drops to resistance groups. He took part in the third 1,000 bomber raid and flew 75 operations.
Flight Lieutenant Tom Payne – Joining the RAF in 1941 he became a pilot with 90 Squadron flying Whitley bombers. He later served with 15 Squadron where he flew both Wellingtons and Lancasters
This was very much a one off event and where this was the only copy of this particular print that we had signed so you are buying a truly unique item.
CLICK on the links below to see photos of this actual print being signed. I will send copies of these photos plus the others signing the print with the print so that you have proof and ‘provenance’ of it being signed.
CLICK HERE TO SEE LARGER IMAGE OF THE SIGNED PICTURE
CLICK HERE TO SEE A CLOSE UP OF THE SIGNATURES
CLICK HERE TO SEE REG CLEAVER SIGNING THE PRINT
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALFIE FRIPP SIGNING THE PRINT
As with all our prints we offer a full money back guarantee if you are not 100% satisfied.
It is taken from one of our own exclusive images and so is unavailable anywhere else.
Printed on top quality canvas to give the impression of an original painting, it is already stretched and ready to hang. Ideal also to just drop into a standard sized frame (no need for glass or backing etc.) to give a more traditional framed painting look.
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN A SIMPLE INEXPENSIVE FRAME.
The size is 16 x 20 inches
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