RAF HA 21c VARIETY PETER TOWNSEND SIGNED & FLOWN HISTORIC AVIATORS COVER

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1977 RAF HA21c Edward Mannock Cover Signed by Group Captain Peter Townsend DSO,DFC Ltd Edition Cover Signed by :: Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, CVO, DSO, DFC and Bar Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, CVO, DSO, DFC and Bar Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, CVO , DSO , DFC and Bar , RAF (22 November, 1914 – 19 June, 1995) was Equerry to King George VI 1944–1952 and held the same position for Queen Elizabeth II 1952–1953. RAF Career Townsend was born 1914 in Rangoon , Burma and was educated at Haileybury School . He joined the Royal Air Force in 1933, and trained at Cranwell . He served in Training Command , and as a flying instructor at RAF Montrose . He was stationed at RAF Tangmere in 1937 and was a member of No. 43 Squadron RAF . The first enemy aircraft to crash on English soil during World War Two fell victim to fighters from Acklington on 3 February 1940 when three Hurricanes of ‘B’ flight, 43 Squadron, shot down a Heinkel 111 of 4./ KG26 near Whitby . The pilots were F/L Townsend, F/O ‘Tiger’ Folkes and Sgt. James Hallowes . He was awarded the DFC in April 1940. Two more He 111s were claimed by Townsend, on 22 February and 8 April, and a sixth share on 22 April. By May 1940, now a Squadron Leader , Townsend was one of the most capable Squadron leaders of the Battle of Britain , serving throughout the battle as CO of No. 85 Squadron RAF , flying Hawker Hurricanes . On 11 July 1940 Townsend, flying Hurricane VY-K (P2716) intercepted a Dornier Do 17 of KG 2 and severely damaged the bomber, forcing it to crash land at Arras . Return fire from the Dornier hit the Hurricane coolant system and Townsend was forced to ditch twenty miles from the English coast, being rescued by a trawler. On 31 August, during combat with Bf 110s over Tunbridge, Townsend was shot down and wounded in the left foot by a cannon shell which went through glycol tank and exploded in the cockpit. He continued to lead the unit on the ground even after this wound resulted in his big toe being amputated, and he returned to operational flying on 21 September. A bar to his DFC was awarded in early September 1940. He oversaw the conversion of 85 Squadron to night operations at RAF Hunsdon during early 1941. Awarded a DSO in April 1941, he later became Commanding Officer RAF Drew in April 1942 and commanded No. 611 Squadron RAF , a Spitfire unit. On 17 July 1941 he married (Cecil) Rosemary Pawle (1921–2004) with whom he had two sons, Giles (b. 1942) and Hugo (b. 1945). They divorced in 1952 and Rosemary later married John de László (son of the painter Philip de László ) and became the third wife of the 5th Marquess Camden in 1978. Townsend was later leader of No. 605 Squadron RAF , a night fighter unit, and attended the staff college from October 1942. In January 1943 he was appointed Commanding Officer of RAF West Malling . In 1944 he was appointed temporary equerry to King George VI . In the same year the appointment was made permanent, and he served until 1953, when he became Extra Equerry , an honorary office he held until his death. He was promoted Group Captain in 1948. In August 1950 he was made deputy Master of the Household and was moved to comptroller to the Queen Mother in 1952. He retired from the Royal Household in the next year, and was air attaché in Brussels 1953 to 1956. His wartime record was 9 aircraft claimed destroyed (and 2 shared), 2 'probables' and 4 damaged. Post War Group Captain Townsend is best known for his ill-fated romance with Princess Margaret . Despite his distinguished career, as a divorced man there was no chance of marriage with the princess and their relationship caused enormous controversy in the mid 1950s. Cover is in good condition & comes with two insert information cards & photograph Post & Packing discounts for multiple purchases read more

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