THE DISCOVERY OF A PHOTO ALBUM ENABLED ERIK MANNINGS TO PIECE TOGETHER THE EXPLOITS OF GEOFF BOOTH, A FIGHTER PILOT FROM LAND AND SEA
A house clearance in Leeds uncovered more than the owner expected. Stripping back wallpaper revealed a hatch to the loft and inside there was a long forgotten box containing, among other things, a photo album.
There was only one clue for the new householder, the cover of the album carried the title: ‘Sgt Pilot G Booth – 72 ‘Basutoland’ Squadron’. Using this connection, the author – the unit’s historian – was contacted and the story of a ‘local lad’ was revealed.
Geoffrey Booth was born in 1920 in Leeds. He was an athletic and bright young man who had something to live up to when World War Two started – his father, Harold, had served with distinction in 1914-1918. Initially with the army, Harold joined the Royal Flying Corps in late 1917 and became an observer with 36 Squadron.
Like father, like son, Geoff wanted to fly and to serve his country. In 1940 he joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, going to 7 Initial Training Wing at Newquay, Cornwall in July. A caption on the reverse of a photo suggests where Geoff started his flying tuition: 22 Elementary Flying Training School, Teversham, Cambridge.
