Group Captain Derek Rake was a wartime Spitfire pilot shot down over Yugoslavia attacking a train. He was sheltered by the partisans and the Resistance movement took him over the mountains into Greece where he was reunited with his squadron. He moved to 41 Squadron in Holland in early 1945 and was in combat with Luftwaffe jets before the war ended. Post-war he served in India and in 1949 formed the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. After working at SHAPE he commanded 51 Squadron with Comets and Canberras gathering electronic intelligence. He later commanded RAF Wyton. He was appointed OBE and was twice awarded the AFC.

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