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Some other related items available from this site. | ||||
  No.76 Squadron Halifax by Ivan Berryman. |   Operation Mallard by Ivan Berryman. |   White-out at Breighton - Tribute to No.78 Squadron by Ivan Berryman. |   Halifax Legend by Robert Taylor | |
| Signatures on these products | |
| *The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature and is for the unmatted version where available. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
| Name | Info |
| Pilot Officer Maurice Spivey DFM *Signature Value : £25 Editions signed : Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Spivey, Maurice (Pilot Officer Maurice Spivey DFM) Wireless Operator / Air Gunner with 158 Squadron. |
| Warrant Officer Rex Statham *Signature Value : £20 Editions signed : Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Statham, Rex (Warrant Officer Rex Statham) Flight Engineer, 158 Squadron. |
| Flight Lieutenant Fred Tunstall DFC *Signature Value : £20 Editions signed : Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Tunstall, Fred (Flight Lieutenant Fred Tunstall DFC) Rear Gunner, 158 Squadron. |
| Flight Lieutenant Tommy Coles DFC *Signature Value : £20 Editions signed : Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Coles, Tommy (Flight Lieutenant Tommy Coles DFC) Having completed training as a pilot, he joined 158 Sqn with whom he completed 37 Operations on Halifaxes and was awarded the DFC |
 Warrant Officer Harry Irons DFC (deceased) Died : 2020 *Signature Value : £40 Editions signed : Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Irons, Harry (Warrant Officer Harry Irons DFC (deceased)) Joining the RAF at the age of 16 in 1940, he did 2 full tours as a Rear Gunner with 9 Squadron and took part in nearly all the famous raids of Bomber Command. He finished in 1945 at 158 Squadron flying Halifaxes. 'I had just turned 18 when we went on a gunnery school course. After that six-week training, we usually went for a further three months training to an Operational Training Unit. It so happened that 9 Squadron had just converted from Wellingtons to Lancasters and they were 14 air gunners short on the squadron, so they posted us from gunnery school after six weeks' training straight to the squadron. 'When I got there, I was approached by a Flt Lt Stubbs, who said to me: 'You're my new gunner. We've got a gunner already but he's been flying Wellingtons and he doesn't want to be a rear gunner. He wants to go in the mid-upper turret. You'll be the rear gunner.' But, he said, on my first raid, the best thing for me to do would be to go on the mid-upper turret. 'That way you can see exactly what's going on,' he said. 'My first raid in Lancasters with 9 Squadron was to Dusseldorf on September 10th, 1942. Every time we went on a bombing raid, we had to do an air test first. We would test our guns, test the bomb sight, test the hydraulics, test the engines, and when you landed, if everything was OK, you told the engineers that everything was fine for the raid. As we landed, the armourers arrived with the bomb load. I still remember now, it was one 4,000 pounder - one huge, fat bomb - and 1,200 incendiaries. 'Our bomb aimer was an 'old sweat'. We used to call him 'The Old Boy'. He was 26. He said that with that bomb load we had, we were definitely going to the Happy Valley. When we returned to the mess, we got ready to go to the briefing. We were briefed and the curtain came down off the target and there it was - Dusseldorf. 'That's right,' said the bomb aimer to me, 'that's where we are going, Dusseldorf.' Most of our raids were on the Ruhr Valley and the reason why I am alive now is because - I don't know why - but I never went to Berlin. I wouldn't be talking to you now if I had been to Berlin. I can assure you. 'We put all our gear on. It took about half an hour for the air gunner to get dressed with all the clothing. I clambered into the mid-upper turret and off we went. As we crossed the Dutch coast, I could see we were about 1,400 or 1,500 feet over the coast. I could see a huge number of lights coming up. Far below us there was light flak, in beautiful colours, but it never touched us because we were a little too high. 'We crossed over Holland and the bomb aimer said: 'We are approaching the target, Skipper,' so I decided to swing my turret around and have a look. I was absolutely shocked by what I saw. I could not believe my eyes seeing what was in front of me. The flak, the guns, the lights, the search lights. It was incredible and I was really, really, really frightened. The plane was bouncing about. Then the bomb aimer said: 'Bomb doors open' and in we go straight and level. 'On my left I could see an aircraft on fire going down, and one below us I could see exploding. And I thought to myself: 'We're in for something here!'. I could not believe that we were going to fly through this huge explosion. But we went through it. Then the pilot was talking to the bomb aimer, and the bomb aimer said: 'We have missed the target, Skipper. We're going to have to go round again.' And I thought: 'Dear, oh dear, we've got to go all the way round, come back and go through all that again.' Which we did. And on the second run, we dropped our bombs. 'Bomb doors closed. On the way home. Flying back, there were problems with the oxygen, so the skipper – he was 21 and on his second tour, and old hand – took us down lower. We had to drop below 10,000 feet, and as we crossed the Dutch coast, the light flak opened up. It was absolutely hair-raising. There were hundreds and hundreds of these lights flashing past us but, strangely enough, not one of them hit us. 'When we got back, we landed and had a look at our aircraft. There were about 10 or 15 holes, two or three inches wide, across the fuselage, flak holes caused by shrapnel from the shells. We must have caught them on the Dutch coast. We were lucky but I've seen much worse. We went in for a briefing, had a coffee and went to bed. That was my first raid. Later, I found out, that our skipper, who had finished his tour, unfortunately got killed during training a couple of weeks later.' Harry Irons died on 10th November 2020. |
  Flight Lieutenant John Petrie-Andrews DFC DFM *Signature Value : £50 Editions signed : Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Petrie-Andrews, John (Flight Lieutenant John Petrie-Andrews DFC DFM) John Petrie-Andrews joined the RAF in 1940. After training as a pilot, in January 1943 he was posted to join 102 (Ceylon) Squadron at Pocklington for his first tour, flying Halifaxes. In February 1943 he transferred to 158 Squadron, still on Halifaxes. John the joined 35 Squadron, one of the original squadrons forming the Pathfinder Force. Here he flew first Halifaxes before converting to Lancasters. John Petrie-Andrews completed a total of 70 operations on heavy bombers, including 60 with the Pathfinders. |
| Warrant Officer Dennis Slack *Signature Value : £25 Editions signed : Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Slack, Dennis (Warrant Officer Dennis Slack) Upon completing his training on Wellingtons, Dennis was assigned to 158 Sqn as a Bomb Aimer on Halifaxes. In 1943 he was shot down whilst on a raid to Berlin and spent the rest of the war as a PoW in Stalag Luft IV b. |
| Flight Lieutenant Alan Bryett *Signature Value : £10 Editions signed : Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Collectors edition of 70 prints. RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). Limited edition of 25 remarques. Limited edition of 10 double remarques. | Bryett, Alan (Flight Lieutenant Alan Bryett) Bomb Aimer, 158 Squadron. |
  Air Vice Marshall Donald Bennett (deceased) Died : 1986 *Signature Value : £70 Editions signed : RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). | Bennett, Donald (Air Vice Marshall Donald Bennett (deceased)) Born in Australia, Bennet had joined the RAF before the war. He became widely experienced in flying all types of aircraft including fighters, flying boats and heavy bombers commanding 77 squadron, flying Halifaxes. In 1942, whilst commanding 10 Squadron, he was shot down on one of the attacks on the Tirpitz, but evaded capture and returned to England. Widley regarded as a navigation expert beyond comparison, he was personally selected by Arthur Harris to form the Pathfinder Force and his uncompromising attitude and ceaseless devotion to his men made him a legendary figure in WWII history. He died 15th September 1986. |
  Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC OM DSO** DFC* (deceased) Died : 1992 *Signature Value : £75 Editions signed : RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). | Cheshire, Leonard (Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC OM DSO** DFC* (deceased)) One of the most courageous and determined bomber leaders of World War II, Leonard Cheshire flew four operational tours, starting in June 1940 with 102 Squadron on Whitley bombers at RAF Driffield. In November 1940, he was awarded the DSO for getting his badly damaged aircraft back to base. He completed his first tour in January 1941, but immediately volunteered for a second tour, this time flying Halifaxes with 35 Squadron. He became Squadron Leader in 1942, and was appointed commanding officer of 76 Squadron later that year. Leonard Cheshire ordered that non-essential weight be removed from the Halifax bombers in a bid to increase speed and altitude, hoping to reduce the high casualty rates for this squadron. Mid-upper and nose turrets were removed, and exhaust covers taken off, successfully reducing the loss rate. In July 1943 he took command of 617 Squadron. During this time he led the squadron personally on every occasion. In September he was awarded the Victoria Cross for four and a half years of sustained bravery during a total of 102 operations, leading his crews with careful planning, brilliant execution and contempt for danger, which gained him a reputation second to none in Bomber Command. Sadly, Leonard Cheshire died of motor neuron disease on 31st July 1992, aged 74. |
  Air Chief Marshal Sir Lewis Hodges KCB CBE DSO DFC* (deceased) Died : 2007 *Signature Value : £45 Editions signed : RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). | Hodges, Lewis (Air Chief Marshal Sir Lewis Hodges KCB CBE DSO DFC* (deceased)) Lewis Hodges flew with 49 Sqn from June 1940 until he was shot down over occupied France in Sept 1940 and taken prisoner by the Vichy French. He managed to escape and made his way back to England, rejoining 49 Sqn. He took part in the attacks against the German Channel dash operation in Feb 1942. In Nov of that year he joined 161 (Special Duties) Sqn, flying Halifaxes, Lysanders and Hudsons landing and parachuting agents into German occupied territory. Among the people he brought out of France were two future Presidents - Vincent Auriol and Francois Mitterand. He died 4th January 2007. |
  Group Captain J B Willie Tait DSO*** DFC* ADC (deceased) Died : 2007 *Signature Value : £40 Editions signed : RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). | Tait, J B Willie (Group Captain J B Willie Tait DSO*** DFC* ADC (deceased)) One of Bomber Commands most outstanding leaders, James Brian -Willie- Tait was one of only two RAF officers who had the distinction of being awarded three Bars to his DSO, as well as a DFC and Bar. On the night before D-Day Tait was the 5 Group Master Bomber directing from the air the massed attack by Lancasters on the German defences in the Cherbourg peninsula. By then Tait had already flown more than 100 bomber sorties with 51, 35, 10 and 78 Squadrons. A Cranwell-trained regular officer, he was very much in the Cheshire mould: quiet, bordering on the introspective. He was to go on to command the legendary 617 Dambusters Squadron and lead it on one of its most famous raids which finally destroyed the German battleship Tirpitz. In July 1944 when Leonard Cheshire was replaced by Wing Commander J B Willie Tait, 617 Squadron discovered that it had acquired a Commanding Officer very much in the Cheshire mould. Quiet, bordering on introspection, Tait, who was a Cranwell-trained regular officer, had already flown over 100 bombing operations with 51, 35, 10 and 78 Squadrons before joining 617. Tait had also received a DSO and bar and the DFC. He was 26. In the best traditions of 617 Squadron, Tait wasted no time in adapting to the Mustang and Mosquito for low level marking. He appointed two new Flight Commanders including Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC. Although involved in many of 617 Squadrons spectacular operations, Taits name is always associated with the destruction of the Tirpitz. An earlier attack on the ship by the squadron on 15th September 1944 had caused severe damage but Tirpitz was still afloat. On 29th October the Squadron was frustrated on the second attack by cloud over the target. The final attack was launched in daylight on 12th November 1944. Leading a mixed force of 617 and 9 Squadron Lancasters, Tait achieved complete surprise and had the satisfaction of seeing the Tirpitz destroyed at last. He had led all three attacks. On 28th December 1944 Tait received a third bar to his DSO, becoming one of only two RAF men to achieve this distinction. It coincided with his leaving 617 Squadron. Tait served in the post-war RAF, retiring as a Group Captain in 1966. He died 31st May 2007. |
 Air Chief Marshal Sir Augustus Walker GCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased) Died : 1986 *Signature Value : £35 Editions signed : RAF Bomber Command Tribute edition of 10 prints (supplied with original pencil drawing). | Walker, Augustus (Air Chief Marshal Sir Augustus Walker GCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased)) Born in 1912, Augustus Walker joined the RAF on a university commission in 1931. Serving with Bomber Command, he became a squadron leader and wing commander and was awarded both the DSO and DFC for his fine leadership, particularly on low level bombing raids, and for his invariable cheerfulness and his inspiring example. He lost his right arm when he and the crew of a fire tender approached a Lancaster which had caught fire on the runway and the 4000lb bomb suspended under the aircraft exploded. Despite this, he returned to active service with an artificial arm, and went on to take several key posts in the post-war RAF, including ADC to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. He died on 11th December 1986. |
| Squadrons Related to This Print |
| No.158 Sqn |
| Aircraft Related to This Print |
| Halifax |
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Signature(s) value alone : £65
Signature(s) value alone : £210
