Back from the Fight by Anthony Saunders features Spitfires of 610 Squadron heading back to base during the Battle of Britain.

Throughout August 1940 the second phase of the Battle of Britain was in full swing as the Luftwaffe turned their full attention to the destruction of Fighter Command’s 11 Group airfields. The summer skies over Kent and the south-east of England saw the young RAF fighter pilots in almost continuous action as they sought to repel Goering’s raiders. But by October, Fighter Command’s tiny force of just under 3,000 had achieved the impossible; against the odds they had halted and repelled the mighty Luftwaffe, then the largest and most modern air force in the world. Hermann Goering and his cronies in German High Command had seriously underestimated the skill, determination and resilience of the men from RAF Fighter Command. A few months before, Hitler had been pouring scorn on Britain for its refusal to surrender; now he was forced to eat his words.

Anthony Saunders’ beautiful painting Back From The Fight transports us to the morning of Monday 12 August 1940, a day when 11 Group airfields at Hawkinge, Manston and Lympne airfields all came under heavy attack from Luftwaffe raiders. With the harvest well under way below them, the Spitfires of 610 Squadron, led by Squadron Leader John Ellis, return to re-fuel and re-arm after a tense encounter with Luftwaffe fighters, an engagement in which they were credited with several victories, including two claimed by the Squadron Leader. 

Back from the Fight by Anthony Saunders is personally signed by the artist plus three highly-regarded Battle of Britain veterans:

Air Commodore PETER ‘PETE’ BROTHERS CBE DSO DFC*
Hurricane pilot 32 and 257 Squadrons - 16 victories

Wing Commander ROBERT ‘BOB’ DOE DSO DFC*
Pilot on Spitfires with 234 Squadron and Hurricanes with 238 Squadron - 14 victories

Flight Lieutenant JOHN ‘JACK’ TOOMBS
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner on Blenheims with 236 Squadron

Also released with this edition are very small numbers of Artist Proofs at £195 and remarques at £425 - please contact us for current availability.