This is an original pencil drawing with white highlights on sepia recycled card. The portrait comes with the genuine signature of Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot John Peel professionally mounted underneath. The bookplate will fit most books on the Battle of Britain.
In 1940 Peel was at the Air Ministry, in the Postings Section. He was given command of 145 Squadron at Tangmere in July 1940. On 7th July he shared in destroying a Do17. Peel was shot down over the Channel on the 11th and ditched off Selsey Bill in Hurricane P3400. He was rescued, semi-conscious, by the Selsey lifeboat.
In this action he is believed to have destroyed either a Me110 or a Do17.
On the 17th he returned to Tangmere, damaged by return fire from a Ju88 enaged near St Catherine's Point, which he damaged.
Peel shared a Do17 on the 19th, shared a Ju88 on the 29th and claimed two Ju87s and a Me109 destroyed on 8th August. He made a forced-landing on the Isle of Wight on the 11th, after being damaged by enemy fighters south of Swanage, slightly injured.
He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 13th August 1940).
On 16th September Peel left the squadron but returned to command again on 18th November. In January 1941 he was posted away and in March was appointed Wing Leader at Kenley. On 7th April he damaged two Me109s as they prepared to take off from Berck airfield.
Peel was shot down into the Channel off the French coast in July 1941 but was picked up and led the Wing the next morning. He was posted away in early August and awarded the DSO (gazetted 5th August 1941). He was appointed Sector Commander and Wing Leader at Debden.
In 1943 Peel became Deputy Director of Fighter Operations at the Air Ministry as an Acting Group Captain