The story of a WW2 pilot who apparently rose from the dead to join his parents for tea in Gravesend has been revealed by auctioneers.
Squadron leader Ian Joll made his mum faint when he turned up on her doorstep 10 minutes after she had received a letter pronouncing him missing, presumed dead.
His mother "thought he was a ghost" after hearing how Joll was shot down over Holland by Germans on May 5, 1940.
After their crash, Joll and his gunner LAC Pickford had hitched a lift with a Dutch fisherman and persuaded him to take them to the English coast.
They were dropped in Gravesend where Joll’s parents were coincidentally living at the time, and a courtesy visit for tea gave Joll’s mother the shock of her life.
Joll died in 1977, aged 57, and also fought in the Battle of Britain.
His collection of six medals is being sold by Spink in Bloomsbury, London on April 23 from 10am.
The medals are expected to sell for between £7,000 and £9,000.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel