From Socialite to Fighter Boy

Fiske lived a comfortable and fashionable life, becoming a leading socialite on both sides of the Atlantic. Summers were spent in America, and winters in Britain and Europe.

In 1938 this idyllic life was interrupted by the Munich Crisis. Nazi Germany was making aggressive moves towards Czechoslovakia, and Britain and France stood ready to intervene. War suddenly seemed a very real possibility, and for Fiske the natural thing to do was to defend his adopted country. He tried to join the Royal Air Force in September 1938, but was rejected because he was an American citizen.

The crisis over Czechoslovakia passed after emergency talks in Munich, but to many it was now clear that war in Europe was inevitable. When it came in September, 1939, with Germany invading Poland, Fiske was in America, but he immediately returned to Britain where he again tried to enlist. America was still neutral, and under American law it was illegal for US citizens to join foreign armed forces, so Fiske passed himself off as a Canadian. This time, he was accepted.

Fiske was posted to No.10 Elementary Flying Training School at RAF Yatesbury. Despite already having nearly 100 hours of flying experience, he still needed to learn how to fly the RAF way.

Plt Off Fiske's log book, 25 - 28 March 1940

On 23 March, 1940, he officially graduated, and became an Acting Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He then proceeded to No.2 Flying Training School at RAF Brize Norton to complete his training.

Plt Off Fiske's log book, 3 - 9 July 1940

On 12 July, 1940, Pilot Officer Fiske was posted to his old friends No.601 Squadron, operating Hawker Hurricane fighters out of RAF Tangmere.

• Pilot Officer Billy Fiske
• Battle of Britain
• For Our Tomorrow