Following on from our last post, this is another, but very different, photograph of Brian Lane. Lane was No. 19 Squadron’s fourth Commanding Officer in less than 12 months. Of his predecessors, one was posted away, one was shot down and made a prisoner of war, and one was killed. Lane was extremely well-liked by his men, and was a very gifted fighter pilot. He wrote a book about his experiences in the Battle, Spitfire!, which was published in 1942.  Tragically, Lane was killed in December that year. He was 25 years old.

This was taken during the Battle of Britain at Fowlmere, Duxford’s satellite station. Walter ‘Farmer’ Lawson (left), Brian ‘Sandy’ Lane (centre) and George ‘Grumpy’ Unwin (right) had all been in heavy combat that day. Lawson and Lane were both killed in combat later in the war, but ‘Grumpy’ Unwin survived.

What do you think was going through Lane’s mind when this photograph was taken? How do you think he feels?