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This was an early version of the Spitfire. It was piloted by P/O
Geoffery Hill on February 5, 1941. He was part of an escort
group that was assigned to rendez-vous with Bristol Blenheim
bombers to attack a German airfield at the St-Omer Aerodrome in
France. Poor weather conditions resulted in the escort group
being unable to meet up with the bombers so Hill and another
pilot skirted around in the area where they were attacked by Me
Bf 109s. The result was that P/O hill was shot down near St
Omer. He survived the crash and was captured by the Germans and
imprisoned in Stalag luft III. Hill escaped from there no less
than three times and was eventually sent to Colditz prison (PoW
No. 405), where he remained till war's end. He was released in
May, 1945 as a Flight Lieutenant and made MBE (Member of the
Order of the British Empire), for distinguished service as a
PoW. Hill founded a prominent antique business in London where
he died in November, 1997; his businesswas carried on by his
family members.
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