FIRST LIGHT
The True Story of the Boy who became a Man in the War-torn Skies above Britain
Signed by Geoffrey Wellum DFC
Signed by Geoffrey Wellum on the title page
With very best wishes
Geoffrey Wellum
Published by Viking. First edition, first impression, 2002. 338 pages and well illustrated with photographs.
A Fine condition hardback book and Fine condition unclipped dustjacket with an even light tan to the pages. Clean and tight. A pleasing copy.
An exceptional autobiography of life in the air in WW2. Geoffrey Wellum’s RAF commission came through in 1939 and he was posted to No 92 Squadron, aged just 17 and became one of the youngest participants in the Battle of Britain. In March 1942 he went to No 65 Squadron at Debden, and from there to Malta. Returning to England he became a Typhoon test pilot, and stayed in the RAF after the war as a staff officer. A popular and genial figure at veteran events and much in demand for documentaries and interviews, Geoff passed away in 2018.
The first print run of this book was very small but the book quickly became a bestseller and there were at least 14 later impressions of the first edition hardback before it went into paperback. It has been reprinted several times and in 2018 was chosen by Penguin to be one of the 6 books published in the Centenary Collection to mark 100 years of the RAF. It is also on the reading list for officers at the RAF College Cranwell.
‘First Light’ is a true modern classic, totally compelling reading and ranks alongside Hillary’s ‘The Last Enemy’ as a testament to ‘The Few’. A signed copy of the true first edition is a great addition to any Battle of Britain library.