Book Review: Second World War Stories

The Avaiation Geek Club's Dario Leone reviews Second World War Stories.

The Hawker Hurricane was one of the most famous British fighters of World War II. The prototype was first flown in November 1935 and the first production aircraft made its initial flight in October 1937. Within a matter of weeks, Hurricanes were being delivered to their operational squadrons. By the time the war broke out in September 1939, the Royal Air Force had taken delivery of about 500 Hurricanes and production continued.

Hurricanes were built not only in Great Britain but also in Yugoslavia before the German invasion, and in Canada during the 1940-1942 period. They were flown by pilots of many nations during the war.

The following story is from the bookazine Second World War Stories by Mortons Books and features the memoir written by wartime Hawker employee [at Langley factory] Herbert Morris to Hawker Siddeley’s public relations department in Kingston in June 1974.

‘I can well recall the occasion when the last Hurricane was built and the scene was set in the flight shed of the christening of The Last of the Many [Hurricane IIC PZ865]. This was written on the fuselage and I can still picture the scene. A platform had been erected and draped with bunting and flags and we all got about an hour off from work to go to the christening.

‘Many VIPs were there and the wife of [Chairman Hawker Siddeley Group] Sir [Frank] Spencer Spriggs (I think) had the honour to christen the Hurricane The Last of the Many. After this it was taken out to the airfield and was flown by Major Bulman who was, I think, a Director of Hawker. Also in the air was an old but still serviceable Hawker Hart. A very memorable occasion.

‘I remember doing a spell on repairs; damaged Hurricanes used to be brought in from active service to be repaired or scrapped and salvaged for spares. These had bullet and cannon shell holes in them and I once fished a dead seagull from the air intake. Bits of twigs, a part of a telegraph pole, soil and turf were all part of the damage, each ‘plane recording in its way a tragic role.

‘After the war, when the Essential Works Order was lifted, I left Hawker for Langley Alloys and learned another branch of engineering. I stayed for a few years, then went back to Hawker my first love – for I liked the aircraft industry. Then came a falling- off of work and I became redundant. Some of us were offered work at Kingston, but it was too far for me to travel each day (by this time my son was born and domestic cares were tying).

‘So I turned down the offer and got a job in Colnbrook, still in engineering. Then events happened in the domestic field and my wife son and I decided to return to Lancashire where I had an engineering job waiting for me. So here I am back north, now retired as a senior citizen. But I can honestly say my work with Hawker and my years in Buckinghamshire will forever be a happy and pleasant period in my life. Whenever I can, I go to Slough for a holiday with my sister, who still lives there; and when I see the Hawker’s factory at Langley I can still see many happy memories.’

On Jun. 8, 1946, a victory parade was held in Kingston, Surrey. The last of the Many being one of the main attractions. Having been bought back by Hawker from the Air Ministry in December 1944 for use as a trials aircraft, the Hurricane had its wings removed and it was mounted on a trailer pulled by a Hawker flatbed truck. The Surrey Comet of Jun. 12, 1946, reported: “Soldiers of two wars, men and women of the Home Front and representatives of industry took part in Kingston’s Victory Parade on Saturday.

“Crowds lined the route, particularly at the Guildhall, where the Mayor (Mr F.C. Digby) and members and officials of the Corporation took the salute. Industry’s part in achieving victory was strikingly typified by tableaux staged on lorries showing employees of Hawker and Leyland Motors clad in overalls and working at their machines, A feature of the procession was a Hawker vehicle carrying the last Hurricane.”

The rain held off as the parade made its way from Portsmouth Road and along Eden Street, Brook Street, Orchard Road, Fairfield South, Hawkes Road and Cambridge Road before finally dispersing in Douglas Road, but a heavy downpour in the afternoon caused some of the day’s activities to be transferred indoors.

Second World War Stories is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

By | April 14th, 2025

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