Bidspirit auction | Goldfish, Caterpillars and Guinea Pigs:

Goldfish, Caterpillars and Guinea Pigs: Accounts of Pilots and Air Crews from the Second World War, hardback book by Colin Pateman, 2012. The book details 35 accounts of miraculous survival, focusing on the exclusive, unofficial clubs formed by the RAF and Commonwealth aircrews who survived life-threatening emergencies. Goldfish Club: For airmen whose lives were saved by ditching in water and utilizing personal life preservers or inflatable dinghies. Caterpillar Club: For pilots and crew members who successfully bailed out of crippled aircraft using a parachute. Guinea Pig Club: For severely burned aircrew who underwent pioneering plastic and reconstructive surgery by Sir Archibald McIndoe at the Queen Victoria Hospital in Sussex.