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This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. For nearly a thousand years the white cliffs of southern England had taunted many a foreign army. These fortress walls of chalk, however, were defended by the moat-like waters of the Channel, and together they had shielded the British from her enemies. Alongside Drake they had defied the armies of Spain and her great Armada and, in 1805, had halted the march of Napoleon's Grand Armée. No enemy force since that of William the Conqueror in 1066 had successfully managed to cross the Channel in anger but, in May 1940, one of the most powerful armies the world had ever seen arrived at Calais. An invasion by Hitler's all-conquering Wehrmacht was imminent - or so it seemed. To cross the Channel and breach the English defences, the Luftwaffe simply had to gain control of the skies, and with massively superior numbers the outcom seemed inevitable. The fate of Britain lay in the hands of less than 3,000 young airmen from Fighter Command - Churhill's 'Few'. By July the most famous air battle in history was underway and, over the next three months under tranquil summer skies, the 'Few' battled to defend their Scpetred Isle. Impossibly outnumbered and flying daily to the point of exhaustion, by October these courageous young men had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, emerging defiantly victorious. The threat of invasion might be over but a terrible price had been paid - during that long battle for the survival of Britain 544 had been killed and 422 wounded; and of those who survived a further 814 would be killed before the end of the war. This painting pays tribute to the valiant 'Few', portraying a fleeting moment of calm for the pilots of 74 (Tiger) Squadron during the height of the Battle of Britain. With his commanding officer Sailor Malan (ZP-A) to his right, Acting Flight Lieutenant John Freeborn (ZP-C) takes time to reflect on another day of intense combat while passing over the white cliffs and the familiar lighthouse at Beachy Head, as the squadron cross the English coast to head for home. Item Code : DHM6577 This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. - This Edition TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT Signed limited edition of 200 prints. Paper size 24.5 inches x 18.5 inches (63cm x 47cm) Image size 19 inches x 13 inches (48cm x 33cm) Elkington, John Clark, Terry + Artist : Robert Taylor Signature(s) value alone : £80 £40 Off! Now : £175.00 All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling

Other editions of this item : This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. DHM6577 TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING ARTIST PROOF Collectors edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 24.5 inches x 18.5 inches (63cm x 47cm) Image size 19 inches x 13 inches (48cm x 33cm) Elkington, John Clark, Terry McInnes, Archibald Hughes, William Robert Bob Roddis, Joe + Artist : Robert Taylor Signature(s) value alone : £135 £40 Off! Now : £345.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Collectors edition of 125 prints. Paper size 24.5 inches x 18.5 inches (63cm x 47cm) Image size 19 inches x 13 inches (48cm x 33cm) Elkington, John Clark, Terry McInnes, Archibald Hughes, William Robert Bob Roddis, Joe + Artist : Robert Taylor Signature(s) value alone : £135 £40 Off! Now : £245.00 VIEW EDITION... PRINT Veterans edition of 40 prints. Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item! Paper size 24.5 inches x 18.5 inches (63cm x 47cm) Image size 19 inches x 13 inches (48cm x 33cm) Elkington, John Clark, Terry McInnes, Archibald Hughes, William Robert Bob Roddis, Joe Morgan, Tom Dalton Freeborn, John Lee, Kenneth Sizer, Wilfred M Wainwright, Michael Terry + Artist : Robert Taylor Signature(s) value alone : £430 £40 Off! Now : £425.00 VIEW EDITION... PRESENTATION Tribute edition of 5 prints. SOLD OUT. Paper size 24.5 inches x 18.5 inches (63cm x 47cm) Image size 19 inches x 13 inches (48cm x 33cm) Elkington, John Clark, Terry McInnes, Archibald Hughes, William Robert Bob Roddis, Joe Morgan, Tom Dalton Freeborn, John Lee, Kenneth Sizer, Wilfred M Wainwright, Michael Terry Brown, Norman (companion print) Currant, Christopher (companion print) Neil, Tom (companion print) Page, Geoffrey (matted on companion print) Townsend, Peter (matted on companion print) + Artist : Robert Taylor Signature(s) value alone : £750 SOLD OUT VIEW EDITION... General descriptions of types of editions :

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
Name	Info
Flight Lieutenant Terry Clark (deceased) *Signature Value : £40	Terry Clark was born in Croyden on 11th April 1919. Terry Clark joined 615 RAuxAF in March 1938 in Kenley, as an Aircrafthand. Called up in 1939, he joined 615 Squadron, Auxiliary Air force, and flew as a gunner in Hawker Hectors before he qualified as an Air Gunner and also a Radio Observer. He joined No.219 Sqn at Catterick in July 1940 and flew on Beaufighters throughout the Battle of Britain. By September 1940, the conflict had reached its zenith and at night the feared Blitz began in earnest. More radar specialists were needed to deal with the threat so Mr Clark was sent to Beaufighters. He did not receive any training and still wore the AG brevet, but people began to ask why a plane without a gun turret had an air gunner on board, so he was given a badge that said RO. Eventually, in recognition of his new role, Mr Clark was awarded his third flying badge – N for Navigator. His job was to track enemy aircraft and guide the pilot towards the selected contact. It was while flying the Beaufighter that he was awarded the DFM on 8th July 1941 after assisting his pilot to down three aircraft at night. He joined 1455 Flight in 1941, forming at Tangmere with Turbinlite Havocs, then flew the same aircraft with 1451 Flight at Hunsdon, locating enemy aircraft by Radar in the Havoc for accompanying fighters to attack and destroy. Commissioned in May 1942 from Warrant Officer and in May 1943 he was posted to No.488 Sqn RNZAF. He died on 7th May 2020.
Wing Commander John Elkington (deceased) *Signature Value : £40	John (Tim) Elkington was born in 1920 and joined the RAF in September 1939. Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in July 1940 he was immediately posted to join 1 Squadron flying Hurricanes atTangmere. On 15 August he shot down an Me109 over the Channel, but the following day he was himself shot down over Thorney Island. He baled out injured and was admitted to hospital, his Hurricane crashing at Chidham. He died on 1st February 2019.

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