Original Oil Painting by Philip E. West

"Evening Glory" by Philip E. West is full of the atmosphere and nostalgia we
know our clients like to see in his paintings. This new oil painting portrays Geoff Wellum in his Spitfire, during an all-too rare quiet moment, one evening during the height of the Battle of Britain.

The unframed size of this outstanding oil on canvas painting is 12" deep x
24" wide. If you would like to add this nostalgic
new painting to your collection, please do contact us.

The painting is signed on the back of the canvas by Geoffrey Wellum and
Peter Brothers.
Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC joined the RAF with a Short Service Commission in August 1939. He joined no 92 Squadron flying Spitfires in June 1940 at the time of Dunkirk. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, later completing over 50 fighter sweeps and escorts over northern France and Belgium until August 1941. He then joined 65 Squadron as Flight Commander in March 1942 operating over northern France and flew off Aircraft Carrier Furious on operation Pedestal, to Malta. (Geoff was a Flt. Lt. during
"Operation Pedestal") He returned to the UK as a test pilot Gloster Aircraft and finished the war as a Pilot Attack Instructor. Geoffrey was credited with three destroyed, four probables and several damaged and was awarded the DFC in July 1941.

Air Commodore Peter Brothers DSO, DFC & Bar learnt to fly at the age of 16 and joined the RAF two years later in 1936. He first saw action in 1940 when as a Flight Commander in 32 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill, he flew his Hurricane against the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe. He recalls this an intensely busy period, during which he shot down a Me109 - his first enemy aircraft.
At the end of August that same year his tally of enemy aircraft shot down, increased to eight. Awarded the DFC, he was transferred to 257 Squadron where he joined Bob Stanford-Tuck as Flight Commanders. Promoted in 1941 to Squadron Leader, Pete Brothers then took command of 457 Squadron (Royal Australian Air Force), equipped with Spitfires. A year later when 457 Squadron returned to Australia, Pete took command of 602 Squadron. In the early autumn of 1942 he went on to become Wing Leader of the Tangmere Wing, succeeding his old friend Douglas Bader. By the end of the war Pete Brothers had amassed 875 operational hours over a 44-month period. He was credited with having personally shot down 16 enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He later went on to command 57 Squadron during the Malaya Campaign. Upon return to the UK Pete Brothers joined the V-Force, flying Valiant-4 jet bombers. He retired in 1973.

If you have arrived at this page through a ‘backdoor’ you will have nowhere to go.

Please click here to go to our HOME page

www.oliversart.com