White Waltham is one of the UK’s oldest and best known airfields, and is home to the West London Aero Club. The aerodrome is forever associated with the Air Transport Auxiliary, with whom Whitney’s close friend, Diana Barnato Walker, served with distinction. My talk focused on Whitney’s childhood fascination with aircraft; qualifying as a pilot at just 17; his pre-war civil aviation business (the aerodromes, the airlines and the Miles Whitney Straight); his rise through the ranks from Pilot Officer to Air Commodore with 601 and 242 Squadrons, and 216 (Air Transport and Ferry) Group; and his his post-war career with BEA, BOAC and Rolls-Royce.
The clubhouse provided a convivial atmosphere. The food was first-rate, the members engaging, and the only latecomer had the very best of reasons – he’d just passed his Night Rating.
I want to give a shoutout to the person who drew up the blackboard in the clubhouse reception. Imagine being so handy with a chalk that you can draw a perfect representation of a Miles Whitney Straight…
