Overview

Bob Bungey's was an extraordinary and distinguished RAF career in World War Two. He joined survived both the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain where he joined Fighter Command (145 Squadron), flew Hurricanes, was shot down and almost killed, and converted to Spitfires early in 1941. Next he commanded the 452 Squadron of Spitfires, which became Fighter Command's most successful squadron three months running under his leadership, and sometimes led the famous Kenley Wing. He went on to command RAF Hawkinge in 1942, helping to develop the RAF air-sea rescue service; and was also involved in the planning stages for the Dieppe raid of August 1942. But after well over two years of almost non-stop, high-stress operational flying and `front line' service, he returned home to the RAAF in mid-1943. Privately, he had married Sybil, an English girl, and late in 1941(before Pearl Harbor) he sent her to his family in Australia to have their child in a supposed safer environment. Only six short weeks afterthey were reunited, Sybil fell ill and suddenly collapsed. She died in hospital. Nobody realised the depths of Bob Bungey's grief and stress until too late. He snapped. One day he walked out of his parents' house pushing his infant son, Richard, in his stroller and never returned. Bob was found the next day, shot in the head. But Bob's son, Richard, survived, and his life-long quest to uncover what happened to his father led, in 2010, to the Australian `60 Minutes' programme (Channel 9) producing a feature `The Battle Within'. Bob Bungey's story will appeal to aviation and military enthusiasts alike, and to those who love a remarkable story which is better than fiction.

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9781445684352

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Dennis Newton is an aviation journalist and author of many books including 'A Few of the Few', 'Clash of Eagles', 'Australian Air Aces' & 'First Impact'. He edited the Battle of Britain memoir of Gordon Olive, 'Spitfire Ace', also published by Amberley & serialised in the Daily Mail: 'Ever wonder what it was like to fly a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain? No account captures it quite so nerve shredding as this new book'. He lives in New South Wales, Australia. Richard Bungey, ‘the Somerton Miracle’, made it his mission to investigate and understand the circumstances surrounding the events that overtook his mother and distinguished father – tragedies that almost led to his own demise before his life had really started. His quest revealed a story of war’s traumatic impact on a quiet and sensitive man. Richard lives at Somerton Park, South Australia.

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