Basil Herbert Quelch, born in Oxford on April 8th, 1919, went from being a junior brewery clerk to one of the most talented pilots during World War II. Who would’ve thought that someone used to filing paperwork in a brewery could take on the world in the skies?
In July 1938, he joined the RAFVR as an Airman u/t Pilot, and there began his wild adventure in the world of aerial combat. This brave soul was called to full-time service on September 1st, 1939. Having completed his training, Quelch was converted to Blenheims and joined the 235 Squadron on May 26th, 1940. No more sifting through piles of brewery receipts, he had become a fighter pilot extraordinaire!
Flying high with the 235 Squadron, he protected his fellow countrymen during the evacuation of Dunkirk and fought throughout the Battle of Britain, based at Thorney Island. All of those weekend trainings on Magisters had really paid off.
After proving his worth in the skies, on February 20th, 1941, Quelch was posted to 2 (Coastal) OTU as an instructor for Blenheims and Beaufighters. Not only was he talented in the cockpit, but he also had a knack for teaching others the art of aerial warfare. Talk about multi-talented!
Commissioned in December 1941, Quelch left the unit in August 1943, and rejoined the 235 Squadron for a second tour of duty on October 20th. His undaunted courage saw him through the Normandy landings and strikes against shipping off Norway. So impressed were they by his skills, that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on February 2nd, 1945.
After his daring exploits in the war, Quelch joined a Coastal Command PR Unit on February 12th, 1945, working first in England and later in Germany. His talents didn’t end there – he even helped create a film off Norway, titled The Shipbusters. The lad had a flair for the dramatic, it seemed.
When the war was finally over, Quelch was released from the RAF on January 8th, 1946, and returned to the brewery company. There, he held various executive positions and eventually retired as Marketing Director in 1979. In May 1947, Quelch rejoined the RAFVR, proving that once you’ve got the bug for flying, it never really leaves you.
Basil Herbert Quelch, who began as a junior brewery clerk, went on to achieve great things as a pilot during World War II, becoming an instructor, film producer, and marketing director in the process. Unfortunately, he passed away on October 12th, 1995. But the sky has not seen the last of this intrepid pilot – his memory continues to soar high in the hearts of those who knew him.