"Remembering
Sgt. Bann"
A new painting by John
Howard Worsley
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The painting was commissioned
by Jon Eeles, the young man who has adopted Sgt Bann's grave.
Jon wanted an oil painting as a tribute to this Battle of Britain
pilot who fell to his death on Brading marshes, September 28th
1940.
I first met Jon a couple of years ago when he gusted into my Shanklin
studio on a personal quest to find the crash site of
another BoB pilot. This time it was a German airman who's Me 109
had smashed into a long forgotten well just up the road from the
studio.
This incident (covered by our Echoes
of the Home Front story: "Tickling the Daisies")
I was able to direct Jon almost to the spot which I'd identified
some fifteen years earlier.
I well remember Jon's visit as, he'd gone off with immense enthusiasm
and came back a couple of hours later reeking of
wild garlic which was growing in profusion at the spot.
Jon kept in touch and introduced me to The Battle of Britain Historical
Society. It was
through this organisation that he adopted the grave of Sgt. Bann.
The painting was done
during April and Jon, with his wife Mandy arrived on the 10th
May to collect it.
I'm pleased to say that Jon and Mandy were delighted with their
picture and left us just before lunchtime.
10.51 am Saturday May 10th 2003
After our friends had
departed, Angela and I decided to have a picnic lunch at a beauty
spot near where Sgt Bann's Hurricane had crashed.
Having just finished our baguettes, we settled to look at the
view and our mobile phone rang. It was a very excited Jon, who'd
gone in search of the crash scene. He really didn't know that
he was within a few hundred yards of us.
"This has got
to be the icing on the cake. I have just found some pieces of
the Sgt Bann's Hurricane!"
1.15 pm Saturday May 10th 2003
Jon was astounded when
we told him that we were within such a short distance.
A few minutes later we met and I took the photos shown above.
(Note: Although Jon
is wearing different clothes, the photos above were taken within
two hours of each other)
See new prints
of this painting: