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It was November 1940 and I and the other pilots of 66 Squadron were sheltering from the cold in the dispersal hut at Biggin Hill aerodrome, each of us glad to be back from another sortie. The conversation flowed back and forth, very little of it serious, then Sqn Ldr Athol Forbes joined us. He had aspirations of becoming a writer after the war. He thought it would be a good idea if we pilots wrote the stories of our experience while our memories were fresh from the heat of battle. He would edit them and have them printed and published. We eventually got round to this in early 1941 and ten of us handed our stories to Sqn Ldr Forbes. The result was the book Ten Fighter Boys published in 1942 by Collins.

The pilots were a mixed bunch from many walks of life and various experience as combat pilots – NCOs and officers. It is sad to say that some of the pilots were killed before the book was published.

My particular effort was written in about March 1941 when I was 23½ years old, the second oldest in the squadron at that time. It was always hard when we lost pilots but we could not afford to dwell on these occasions. We had a job to do and dying was a very possible part of the job. We all did our best and now I do my best to remember the good times and not the bad.

I was surprised and delighted when I was informed that Collins were re-issuing the book after all these years, over 66 years. It will be a very fitting tribute to my old colleagues of 66 Squadron, all of them no longer with us. It will also be great for any of their families and friends. They were a fantastic bunch of young men, all characters in their own way, good fun to be with and we always had a very strong sense of trust. I am proud and very grateful to have had the privilege of knowing them.

Looking back I think I really enjoyed my flying time especially in such a beautiful aeroplane, the magnificent Spitfire. It was an extraordinary time to have lived through, the fantastic sense of comradeship, and the trust between us kept us going through the many days often fraught with danger. We had our moments of triumph and of course fear and I was one of the lucky few to survive to tell the tale. I must finally add that the publishing of my book Last of the Ten Fighter Boys has brought me refreshed interest and many new friends. It was amazing that during my signing sessions a number of people turned up with a copy of Ten Fighter Boys for me to sign – an indication of how the book has been cherished over the years. Now it will be available for a new audience.

Jimmy Corbin