Today’s defence related news focuses on the death of one of the youngest pilots to fly in the Battle of Britain and a halt to upgrades of a jetty in Portsmouth.
Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot dies aged 96
The Daily Mail, The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Express, The Times, The Independent, Daily Star and The Press & Journal all report on the death of Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum died on Wednesday evening aged 96. He was just 18 when he helped fight off the Luftwaffe in the famous World War II battle. He wrote about his experiences in First Light, one of the most famous accounts of the period.
An RAF spokesperson said:
It is with great sadness that we hear one of ‘The Few’, Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum, DFC, passed away on Wednesday evening.
Eels halt jetty upgrade
Work to upgrade a jetty in Portsmouth that will house HMS Prince of Wales has been put on hold after the Environment Agency alerted the Defence to the presence of eels that could see their breeding season disrupted by the project. The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mirror, The Sun and the Portsmouth News all report on the story.
An MOD Spokesperson said:
We worked closely with the Environment Agency to resolve its concerns and enable us to undertake the vital work necessary for the new HMS Prince of Wales without disturbing wildlife, including eels. The work to the jetty has started and is expected to be complete prior to the arrival of the aircraft carrier.
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