RIP Geoffrey Wellum

[Spitfire88]

Geoffrey passed away on Wednesday evening, a true great, blue skies sir.

[MRTT]

Very, very sad news. Blue Skies, Sir.

[paddyboy]

Another true hero departed

[xkekeith]

Very sad news, was only 19 when he fought in the Battle of Britain.
His book "First Light' is a great read.
Blue Skies.

[The Phantom]

Very sad news - especially following so soon after Tom Neil.

What a great man!

It may be soppy footballers who get the money and attention, but this man was a true hero in every sense of the word!

RIP Sir.

[DanBeeden]

Extremely sad news. First Light is one of the best books I've ever read - beautifully written and however well I now know the story, I still end up reading it at least once a year. Blue skies Sir.

[markranger]

Extremely sad news. First Light is one of the best books I've ever read - beautifully written and however well I now know the story, I still end up reading it at least once a year. Blue skies Sir.

Spot on Dan, That book is Brilliant,The Few is getting Fewer by the day.,RIP "BOY"

[jem60]

I can only echo everybody else's thoughts here. If you haven't yet read his book, if you read no other B of B book, then you MUST read this one. So different from all the others.

[Sparts99]

I don't normally comment on these threads but echo everything said above, First Light is a must read book if you have any interest in WWII or combat flying.

[Hurrican]

So so sad he was a real hero god speed geoff

[d555]

Very sad news. His book 'First Light' really put you in the cockpit of a combat aircraft. What a brave young man he was,
He really does deserve the bluest of blue skies. Thank you sir.

[Tiger 1]

Very sad news indeed, a true hero... gentlemen and my favourite Spitfire veteran... Blue Skies Sir...and many thanks for all that you and your fellow pilots did for all of us.

Lest We Forget.

T1

[robstopper]

Saw it on the news this morning, such a huge loss of someone who seemed a genuinely humble gentleman. Coming so soon after Tom Neil, it's been a tough week for "The Few".

Strangely enough, it was just last night that I was thinking of buying my own copy of "First Light" from Amazon (pretty sure my dad has a copy, but I wanted one too), so it was pretty emotional hearing the news this morning. I've watched and read a lot about Spitfires in the last couple of years, especially so since May of this year, so have just done what I thought about doing last night, and also bought a copy of Tom Neil's "Silver Spitfire", to add to my collection.

[hertsman]

One of the last of a generation the like of which you feel we are unlikely to see again. Thanks to his well-recorded wartime reminiscences, and his outstanding book, both his voice and thoughts will live on. 'First Light' is an outstanding book, and far, far more than just a recitation of events. You are there with him. He never ever doubted his duty to the greater good of country before self; he didn't shy away from the psychological impact of an unrelenting and terrifying war, he didn't glorify it either. I have to steel myself to reread it, though it is undeniably readable over and over again, because the pain and survivors guilt still permeates through all his achievements. 'First Light' is a fitting tribute, warts and all, to a brave man, a modest man, a troubled man who is now at rest. Blue Skies and White Clouds, sir.

[Blackcat1]

Will have to order his book, i have been meaning too for a while.

Godbless , RIP Sir.

[F3]

Great obituary in today's Times. Never realised he'd had such a long post war RAF career flying B-29s from Watton, as adjutant @ Gaydon, and finishing @ N.Luff when it was a Thor missile base. Also that First Light was written so long after the war, unlike many other fighter pilot biographies. I think that's why it reads so well today, because it's written in a modern introspective style free from the traditional stiff upper lip school to which the majority belong. Certainly when I read it I found it refreshingly different. If you've never read it now's the perfect time but if you've seen the BBC film the experience won't be as good as you'll already know the story and may even have retained a mental picture of the characters which earlier readers could only imagine.

[Reach1985]

I was very saddened by this news coming as it did just 24 hours after I’d see a screening of the ‘Spitfire’ film of which he along with the other veterans were the real stars. It’s a fantastic film and a fitting tribute to him and the last of ‘the few’. If you are a fan of John Dibbs his aerial footage is quite brilliant. Well worth a watch.