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"Hawkeye" got his name for being able to spot enemy aircraft with exceptional range in all skies. He passed recently (Sept 2015) at age 92. During the war, he spent enough time in Spitfires to fly every Mark from I to XXI. He was shot down while on a mission over Normandy - a witness to D-day from the sky - he spent time in POW camps and was part of the great march, a survivor. Upon repatriation, in 1945, to Duxford, he was asked to be part of the first every victory flypast that flew over London, lead by Douglas Bader.
His daughter (quoted in the article to the right) ... Merrylyn said,
“He never felt being a Spitfire pilot was something to be glorified as he felt war is not glorious. But he did enjoy flying, Biggin Hill took him up in a Spitfire for his 90th birthday. He said it was really nice to fly over the south coast and look down onto the golf courses and scenery without someone chasing you.”
He is also quoted in the book Spitfire Voices (right) taking a more philosphical view that "There is nothing glamorous in being a fighter pilot. There is nothing glamorous in killing and being killed. Exciting, very exciting, sometimes too exciting, but definitely not glamorous, not even in a Spitfire.'
