A Spitfire Named Connie is an exciting rollercoaster of a story of ‘Robbie’ Robertson, a front line fighter pilot who lived through the Battle of Britain and the Blitz and, inspired by the exploits of Fighter Command, joined the RAF. As he learnt his trade Robbie rubbed shoulders with national figures and wartime heroes, amongst them Battle of Britain legends Brian Kingcome, ‘Ginger’ Lacey and Bob Stanford Tuck. By 1942, Robbie is in action in the skies over North Africa and at last in combat with the Luftwaffe. It was there, though, that tragedy struck. Wounded and shot down, his Spitfire crashed to the ground. Rescued from the wreckage of his aircraft by the Army, he is moved from casualty clearing stations to hospitals across Tunisia and Algeria, as doctors try desperately to save his sight. Unable to stand the pain any longer, he finally agrees to the removal of his right eye, presaging permanent grounding and an eventual return to the UK. Desk-bound for the remainder of his RAF career, the second, and more poignant period of his life begins. For the young schoolgirl me met at the beginning of his training, and with whom he had been in frequent correspondence with ever since, becomes his wife. It is the letters which passed between the two, along with other correspondence from RAF colleagues and Robbie’s flying logbook, which form the basis of this powerfully moving and emotional story - many of which are reproduced in this highly-charged tale. A Spitfire Named Connie reads like a novel, filled with pathos, tragedy, and compassion, yet, incredible as it seems, every word is true.
AUTHOR: Air Marshal Graeme ‘Black’ Robertson CBE, BA, FRAeS, FRSA was born in Woodford, Essex in 1945. After three years at the RAF College, Cranwell, in 1968 he joined his first operational unit, 8 Squadron, flying Hawker Hunters in Bahrain. He then began a long association with the Phantom that included tours on 6 Squadron, command of both 92 Squadron in Germany (by his own account, the pinnacle of his career) and 23 Squadron in the Falkland Islands. In 1985 he took over RAF Wattisham until he returned to Germany as the Deputy Commander in 1991 and subsequently as Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group. His final appointment was as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command in 1996. He retired from the RAF in 1998.
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