The Last WW2 Autobiography?

[irc]

Colin Bell, a WW2 Mosquito pilot has published his story this year. Aged 105 he is still driving and used the advance from his book to buy himself a "hot hatch".

Story in The Sunday Times, (paper version). Too young at the start of the war he was trained in the USA and flew 50 missions over Germany.

Remarkable.

The story in The Sunday Times is on the lower half of page 3. The other story on te page is appropriately about peregrine falcons nesting in Glasgow Cathedral.

[carl_w]

Just did a search and found this: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1413471723265734

Incredible for 105, he looks more like he's 75

[S600BSB]

I’ve just finished the book. It’s a decent read.

[DeejRC]

I cut n paste this to some friends earlier today from the online Times…

Bell, who had drunk half a bottle of wine over lunch before the interview, bursts with bon mots. His prescription for longevity is “a combination of exercise, alcohol and the love of good women, with the odd bad one thrown in”.

[marksx]

Glad I spotted this. Just ordered a copy for my week away in Wales next week

[and31]

Quite a character is Colin!!
I watched an interview with him recently, he said about coming back from bombing Berlin, he would trim his Mossie for straight and level flight and have a kip for for an hr or two

[irc]

carl_w said:

Just did a search and found this: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1413471723265734

Incredible for 105, he looks more like he's 75

Great interview. Wow, he looks good for 105!

Left it until now because "my family weren't interested in my silly stories".

[irc]

If you will excuse a Youtube link. In the same vein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttJHXYiKCYk&t=...

American who flew adapted Spitfires over Berlin to take photos is surprised by a "documentary project".

Shown footage of a WW" airbase he realises the damaged Spit being landed is flown by him!

The expression on his face is priceless.

[J6542]

This is when big Phil interviewed him on forces TV.

https://youtu.be/F6H6gKpJAbM?si=h6kgXcA07PRDo-s5