Glasgow Museum Honours "Forgotten" Air Ace

I would say unknown outside historical circles rather than "forgotten". A lot of years ago I started researching this air raid after seeing it mentioned on tv, and his was the first name the local historian reeled off to me.
"A Second World War hero known as the "Forgotten Air Ace" despite shooting down the first German aircraft on British soil has been honoured in one of Scotland's leading museums.
A panel from the plane shot down by Paisley-born Archie McKellar in October 1939 has pride of place in the new displays honouring the squadron leader.
McKellar, a member of the 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, was responsible for shooting down 21 German aircraft during the first few months of the conflict.
However his name was controversially left off the Royal Air Force's official Battle of Britain roll of honour as he was thought to have died eight hours after it ended.
Now Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow has decided to pay tribute to McKellar as part of a showcase of exhibits draw from his squadron's collections.
Also on show in the museum's "Conflict and Consequences" gallery are letters he wrote and received, photographs and a portrait, together with a uniform representing the one he would have worn to protect him from the freezing temperatures experienced at higher altitudes.
McKellar, who was born in 1912, grew up fascinated by stories of First World War pilots, and joined the Scottish Flying Club, which was based at Renfrew Airport, when he was 21.
This brought him to the attention of Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, Lord Clydesdale, who commanded the 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, which was based at nearby RAF Abbotsinch.
Following the outbreak of the war in September 1939, the Spitfires of 602 Squadron were posted to RAF Drem in East Lothian.
On 28 October he shot down a Heinkel HE-111 Bomber over Humbie - the first German aircraft shot down on to British soil in the war.
He went on to become a hugely successful and decorated pilot
Archie was just 28 when he was killed shortly after 8am on November 1, 1940, when his Hurricane plane crashed after being hit by enemy fire above Kent. Government officials later ruled the Battle of Britain had lasted until midnight on October 31, 1940."
www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/glasgow-museum-honours-forgotten-air-ace-who-shot-first-german-aircraft-down-over-britain-during-second-world-war/ar-AAJt15Y?ocid=mailsignout

 

Seeing the title of this thread immediately had me reaching for my copy of 'Glasgow's Fighter Squadron' by F G Nancarrow, published by Collins in 1942.

The Squadron in question is of course 602 and a whole chapter is devoted to Archie McKellar, DSO DFC*. which commences with the words ' If we were to select one man as typical of the pilots of No 602 City of Glasgow Squadron, and typical of Fighter Command, we could do no better than choose Archibald McKellar'.

The time seems ripe for a reprint...?

 

I was married to one. Ditto.

 

Still available on Amazon and Abebooks for less than a tenner.
Don't know if the law has changed, but used to be the case that if the author of a book had been deceased for at least 50 years, you could have the book republished in your own name with yourself as editor. Might be a moneyspinner.

 

Strange how a notable person can be left off a list of notable people. It probably happens with some frequency. A bit sad even today.

As for Western Scottish accents a number of years ago we were visiting "The house for an art lover". The splendid modern construction of the famous Scottish architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh's entry into a 1900 design competition in Vienna. A young Glasgow woman was there to answer questions. In my soon to be 80 years I had never heard a most beautiful voice. Clear, lyrical and rich as if Anna Netrebko was signing at a conversational pace. It made a bigger impression upon me than the lovely architecture. In the cab returning us to the city, I quickly learned she was an outlier!!!! But I will remember that voice until I die.