This is a lovely original pencil drawing bookplate by Steve Teasdale. It features the genuine signature of Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot and Great Escaper Mick Shand and will fit in most books on The Great Escape.
After converting to Spitfires Shand joined 54 Squadron on the 22nd.
Shand flew as Alan Deere's number 2 on his first operational sortie. He had flown 20 hours in Spitfires but had never fired its guns. On 25th August, his second sortie, he was shot down in Spitfire I R6969 over Dover by Me109's and made a forced-landing near Manston, badly wounded. After several months in hospital, Shand was posted to RAF Exeter for Operations Room duties.
He returned to operations on 21st October 1941, when he joined 485 Squadron at Kenley In May 1942 he was appointed a Flight Commander and later awarded the DFC (gazetted 16th September 1942), having then completed sixty sorties over Northern France.
On 28th November Shand was leading six Spitfires on a low-level sweep across the Dutch coast, seeking targets of opportunity. They successfully attacked a tanker-barge on a canal and as they returned, Shand and Sergeant Tucker went down to shoot up a train. They were attacked by two Fw190's and Shand was shot down in Spitfire Vb EP595 and taken prisoner.
He was held in Stalag Luft 3 at Sagan and Belaria. He took part in the Great Escape, being the last prisoner to emerge from the tunnel and get away but he was recaptured.