Battle of Britain Guinea Pig Cover signed Flt Lt John Greenwood Battle of Britain pilot with No 253 Squadron JS(BB)S1 Battle of Britain cover depicting Tom Gleave in a burning Hawker Hurricane of No 253 Squadron after beeing shot at by Bf 109s while his squadron was attempting to engage German bombers attacking Biggin Hill. Gleave was Commanding Officer of the squadron at the time of being shot down having taken command of the squadron earlier in the day when the previous CO has been shot down and killed.
The cover shows the famous Guinea Pig Club logo, which Tom Gleave was the vice-president and a founder member and referred to at the 'Chief Guinea Pig' the president of the Guinea Pig Club was Sir Archie McIndoe until his death, and then HRH Prince Philip accepted the position.
The club was formed on 20th July 1941 at the Queen Victoria Hospital East Grinstead, it's members were the Guinea Pigs themselve, members of the medical staff and the friends and benefactors of the Guinea Pigs.
Guinea Pig members were those who were refered to Queen Victoria Hospital for plastic surgery after being badly burnt in flying action. Plastic was a new type of procedure hence the term Guinea Pig and the procedure allowed many airmen to return to a more normal life and many returned to operations. The Guinea pig logo consists of a Guinea Pig with RAF wings.
The Cover bears a 22p Lord Tedder / Typhoon stamp and is cancelled with BFPS 2641 postmark on 20 July 2001 which bears the Guinea Pig Logo and marks the 60th Anniversary of the formation of the Guinea Pig Club.
Cover is signed by Flight Lieutenant J P B Greenwood who was a Battle of Britain Pilot with 253 Hurricane Squadron from October 1939 through until December 1940.
Official special, numbered and certified on reverse.
Flight Lieutenant John Peter Botwell Greenwood
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