The War Diaries of Neville Duke : DSO, OBE, DFC (Two Bars), AFC Czech Military Cross 1941-1944

London, United Kingdom: Grub Street, 1995. New book, 218 pages, 83 photos.The name of Neville Duke is well known in aviation circle, not only as a successful wartime fighter pilot, but also as a peacetime test pilot with the Hawker Aviation Company. Joining the RAF at the beginning of the war, he found himself, aged 19, as a young fighter pilot with the crack 92 Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill. He survived the air was over Northern France, in these months, he learned the fighter pilots trade, lessons which were to prove invaluable when, in November, he was posted to a very different war in the Western Desert. Flying the famous 'Shark Mouthed' P40B Tomahawk fighter with 112 Sqn, he quikly established himself as one of the most successful pilots in North Africa, winning the DFC and bar. By 1943 he was flight commander with his old 92 Sqn, which had also become part of the Desert Air Force. Flying Spitfires, he had scored 21 victories by the end of the Tunisian Campaign, and was awarded the DSO, then given command of 145 Spitfire Squadron in Italy. Leading this unit in the summer of 1944 he brought his score the 28, returning home in 1944 as the highest scoring pilot of the Mediterranean Theatre.. Hard Cover. As New/As New. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.