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Loading ...His last wish was that he wouldn’t be forgotten! Thankyou Will for helping his wish to be kept.
Flights of Fancy
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of September Add your comment below
The funeral was held today for John Fancy, a World War 2 Spitfire pilot, who died last week well into his nineties. He lived in my mother’s village and propped up the two local pubs’ bars most days enjoying his whiskey. To my complete frustration, as I don’t live here, I never got the chance to meet him, but by all accounts he was a proper British hero, and unsung at that.
Just been told that the Battle of Britain music sent him on his way, which is great to hear, and have been reminded of the book he wrote, Flights of Fancy. Among his many exploits in the war, he managed to escape by digging a hole with a tiny trowel no bigger than his hand, and in doing so removed him and several others from a prison. Unfortunately the book is now out of print, but I’m sure someone somewhere will have a copy.
I like heroes, especially when they (as I’ve been told about John) don’t recognise it and don’t want to. What happened happened; he survived, millions didn’t, so there’s no point crying over spilt milk. He was enjoying his whiskey and family and whatnot right up until he died, slipping away in his sleep mid-conversation. What a great way to go!
Well done that man.
Tags: flights of fancy, john fancy, spitfire, spitfire pilot, world war 2 |
9 Responses to “Flights of Fancy”
September 30th, 2008 at 9.12 pm
October 2nd, 2008 at 1.04 pm
Amazing – I have been looking for John Fancy for some time; I am very sorry to learn of his death. By all accounts he was a great man – I have a friend (ex RAF Sgt K E Murray who was shot down with my father in 1940) who was also a PoW with John Fancy and who recently wanted to get in touch again.
I have searched for copies of his book – it is very rare and the only copy I came across was £25 (Mr Murray has lost his own copy and has just the back cover with a photograph of him, John Fancy and several others in Stalag Luft 1. John Fancy is quoted in several reputable book on the RAF PoW camps of the Second World War.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1.38 pm
Just seen your response, Susan.
John Fancy won’t be forgotten by quite a number of people who are interested in not only the war but also in the backgrounds of those who took part and were so brave. Like Mr Fancy, my father (died 2001) was shot down in France in mid 1940.
After visiting the site where my own father was shot down and researching the subject, I discovered that he and all the airmen who risked/gave their lives over N. France are commemorated by local villages at least annually with service and exhibition; a very detailed book French lang) has been written; on going research is carried out by two dedicated historians and a second book is in progress. This kind of work, reverence and respect also occurs in Belgium. I was told that by both French and Belgians ‘We shall never forget’
John Fancy and his like are not forgotten. It may well be that he, too, is recorded in research carried out in the area (Sedan) where he was shot down. I will check with my historian friends.
If there is a heaven, I hope that he and my father (they were in the same camps together) are raising their glasses of whisky (in my father’s case, many many glasses !) along with so many of their comrades.
October 7th, 2008 at 3.49 am
John wasn't a Spitfire pilot. He was observer in a Blenheim bomber when he was shot down. Nonetheless, a remarkable man.
October 8th, 2008 at 12.25 pm
John was my grandfather and I am so sorry to know that I won't see his cheeky smile and hear first hand his stories any more. He was still riding down to the pub on his electric buggy complete with extra battery to get him back up the hill, right up to the time of his death. We all celebrated his 95th birthday a few months ago with John, as usual propping up the bar in the local pub. There's a portait of him above his favourite seat which was revealed on the day of his funeral and it captures him perfectly. 5 years ago, he went with my mother (his daughter) and my uncle and aunt back to the crash site in Sedan where he met with a local historian to share the story of the crash. I have 2 copies of the original book (Tunnelling to Freedom) and one of the rewritten version (Flights of Fancy). Growing up as a small boy building airfix kits (plenty of Blenheims!) I was so lucky to have my grandad there bringing it all to life. What a long and exciting life he lead. RIP JF, never to be forgotten.
October 20th, 2008 at 10.22 am
Do you think there is any chance of getting Tunnelling to freedom reprinted ?. I would very much like to read it but copies seem to be unobtainable.
November 5th, 2008 at 4.59 am
If anyone can locate a copy of Flights Of Fancy by John Fancy could they please email me asap with details as very keen to purchase a second hand copy.
November 5th, 2008 at 5.43 am
September 18th, 2009 at 7.40 pm
We’re all going up to Yorkshire to scatter John’s ashes this weekend. A third version of his book is now in print and will be out soon. Kieron (grandson number 5)
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