WW2 veterans fly in Spitfires for first time

Three World War Two veterans have fulfilled a long-held ambition by flying in Spitfires for the first time.

The former servicemen took to the skies above Kent from the heritage hangar at London's Biggin Hill Airport on Thursday watched by family members and fellow veterans.

Ivan Staines, 99, Alfred Cooley, 100, and Paul Terry, 101, had all served during the war, but none of the three had flown in a Spitfire before.

The flights were organised by the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, which is run by black cab drivers, and paid for with a fund set up to make World War Two veterans' wishes come true.

Cooley told how he was "absolutely blown away".

He said: "The experience was something I will remember for the rest of my life. I never thought that one day I would be flying in my favourite plane - the spitfire.

"I used to see them flying over my head when I was 13 years old and war had just started."

Staines played with his five-year-old great-grandson Alfie Rose in the hangar before the flight.

The veteran had served in the Home Guard from 1942 to 1944, when he was called up to fight in Europe, aged 18.

He was transferred to the South Staffordshire Regiment and later deployed to Palestine.

After the flight, Staines said it was "an amazing experience that I never expected to get".

"I am absolutely over the moon," he added.

Cooley signed up to the Highland Light Infantry's 5th Battalion the day before D-Day, and after eight weeks' training, he landed in a liberated France at the age of 18, and travelled towards the German border.

His daughter Ann Crossley said: "Today is the day my wonderful dad gets to fulfil his wish to fly in a Spitfire."

She said the family was "so grateful" to the charity for the places he had seen and camaraderie he had experienced, adding: "He has so many new friends in this fantastic 'family' and is loving every minute of it."

Joining them was Paul Terry, from the King's Royal Rifle Corps, one of three brothers who survived the war.

Terry landed in Normandy the day after D-Day and later travelled through France, Belgium and Holland.

He fought in operation Market Garden to secure Nijmegen Bridge, before he moved on to Arnhem.

Terry said the flight was "remarkably smooth, though to be honest, not quite as fast as I thought". He said: "I reckon my BMW could give it a run for its money."

​The veteran said: "Jokes aside, it was an incredible experience.

"From watching the dogfights rage over London as a teenager, to spending the war as a rifleman with my feet planted firmly on terra firma, finally getting up into the sky in a Spitfire brought everything full circle."

Keely Allen, the charity's trustee and fundraising officer, said: "Seeing Paul, Alf and Ivan take to the skies in three Spitfires has been an incredibly moving and proud moment for everyone involved.

"These iconic aircraft played such an important part in the story of their generation, so to see them flying in one is something very special."

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