Bidspirit auction | Rare Battle of Britain pilot

Rare Battle of Britain pilot Cdre M Birrell and ace George Baldwin DSC signed 1981 official Navy cover comm, shooting down of the first enemy plane from a Catapult ship. When the squadron was sent to Acklington for a rest on 13th July Birrell had flown only one operational sortie, on the 9th, during which he damaged a Me109. He did not stay with 79 but returned to the Fleet Air Arm on 20th July. He carried out fighter training with 760 Squadron at Eastleigh before joining 804 Squadron at Hatston on 31st August 1940. Birrell was slightly injured on active service on 28th October 1940. After a short spell with 802 (FAA) Squadron, he returned to 804 when it became a Catapult Fighter Unit in March 1941. Birrell was the first pilot to be catapulted from a CAM ship on 18th May 1941 in Belfast Lough. The rockets misfired, setting off an air raid warning in the city, and his Hurricane touched the water before being able to climb away. He sailed in the SS Michael E on 28th May 1941, bound for New York. Five days out from Belfast the ship was torpedoed by U-108 on 2nd June in the Central North Atlantic and Birrell was among the survivors picked up after twenty hours in lifeboats. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99