ONCE UPON A MATELOT: A WW2 Memoir and Spitfire Restoration Story

These are the memoirs of William Francis (aka Bill) at the start of WW2 as he writes the story of his life and experiences as a young matelot in the Royal Navy when he signed up at tender age of 15 years after lying about his age. His memoirs are about his WW2 service experiences alongside his lifelong passion for aeroplanes and in particular the Spitfire. He writes of his journey towards working with aeroplanes and achieving his dream of owning, restoring and flying his own WW2 Spitfire. Bill, from a very early age was a very driven, determined and unassuming man who worked hard to develop a range of engineering and mechanical skills which would equip him with the knowledge and passion to pursue his dreams. He never hesitated to seek out and accept a range of diverse challenges. It was this drive that followed him throughout his entire life. His journey took him from the Royal Navy into the Fleet Air Arm to ultimately working as an air fitter on the set of the Battle of Britain film in 1969 at Pinewood Studios where he rubbed shoulders with film stars of the day alongside some well-known WW2 heroes. It was whilst working on the film set in 1967as an air fitter that he was able to purchase his beloved Spitfire TB863 as a non-flying project which was used as a prop on the film. After the purchase, the plane was transported on a low-loader to Bill’s family home at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, where Bill began the restoration work almost immediately. The “Spitfire in the Garden” was well known in Southend and even given a special newspaper story in both the Southend Echo and Southend Standard. Needless to say, a WW2 Spitfire in the bungalow’s back garden caused quite a stir and was a great source of novelty and interest at the time.Years later Bill and his family decided to move to Warwickshire to purchase a rundown Service Station which Bill named the Flight Service Station and he developed into a successful business. Many a celebrity stopped for fuel at the Flight Service Station back in the day and Bill loved to tell the stories of these encounters. Bill’s beloved Spitfire was also moved to Warwickshire where the restoration continued and it remained until the early 1980’s. Years later, with advancing age, Bill moved back to Southend to be near the sea again which he always missed and yearned for but he decided he was unable to move the plane back to Southend again or continue the restoration work. He reluctantly sold it before he was able to restore it to full flying condition as he had dreamed. During these relocations and restoration periods the plane also spent some time in both Southend and Duxford Museums. Once again and despite his advancing age Bill soon had a project “on the go” again in his work shop in his Southend garden. These included (and even living on) a WW2 Air Sea Rescue Boat which he was restoring at the Dauntless Boat Yard on Canvey Island. Unfortunately once again life took over and Bill became a full time carer for his beloved wife, Doris, whom he eventually and very sadly lost to cancer. Only a few years later he too tragically lost his own life whilst lonely and still grieving for Doris, he went on a journey to seek out an old friend from “the good old days”. He broke his leg in an accident which needed surgery but did not survive the operation.. He sadly passed away at Southend Hospital leaving his family in shock. His ashes were scattered into the sea at Southend Pier Head, where he loved to be. As his family walked away to catch the Pier train home, as if to say a final farewell, a lone Spitfire was seen overhead flying down the Thames away from London. No one knows why it was there or where it came from that day but it was a fitting final farewell for a man who devoted his life and dreams to his beloved Spitfire - TB863. The Spitfire is now owned by the Temora Air Museum and is fully restored and flying in Australia. Bill would be very proud.