Churchill’s Navigator is the title of historical biographer Sean Feast’s most recent work which is co-authored by John Mitchell, who was personally selected to join the crew of Winston Churchill’s private aircraft in 1942.

Sean began his writing career more than 25 years ago when he worked on titles such as the Wapping Gazette.

“I covered the Wapping riots,” says Sean. “I know what it’s like to be on receiving end of a mounted charge.”

As an RAF Volunteer Reserve officer, John has seen more than his fare share of combat. He was mobilised on the outbreak of World War Two and just missed going to join a Battle Squadron in France, but was instead posted to 58 Squadron, flying Whitleys.

John’s son lives at Micklefield Hall in Sarratt, which is how Sean, also a Sarratt resident, became involved in his remarkable story.

“John had been saying I’d like to meet this chap as he writes about people I used to serve with in the war,” says Sean. “Then he starts talking to me about how he carried the fight to Germany in a night bombing raid. He had less than ten hours’ night-time flying experience when he flew his first operation in the winter of 1940-41.

“The ‘chop’ rate at the time was horrendous. You could run out of fuel or be shot down by flak. A lot of aircraft didn’t get within 50 miles of the target.”

Apparently John’s heroic escapades were even recorded in The Daily Sketch.

“He had to put down in The Channel and, as we know, landing a plane on water is not easy. He lost all his clothes in the process and was told to take some from the local morgue. He ended up wearing a top hat and tails and made the front page of the paper.”

Awarded the DFC for his service, John was sent to the US, becoming involved in the development of the first navigation training simulators with the Link Trainer factory. He was awarded the US Legion of Merit by Harry Truman.

Returning to the UK in 1942, for two years he navigated Churchill to conferences around the world – from North Africa to Moscow, including the famous Teheran and Yalta conferences. Sean couldn’t believe his luck when the retired airman asked if he would like to see his log book.

“I drove down to his home in Lymington. Very cleverly, a little while after war, he wrote down all the flights he’d made with Churchill. He had such a detailed diary and it married up with his log book, so when it came to writing his story, that element was in place. He flew King George VI on a couple of occasions and took The Queen and Churchill on trips in what was little more than a converted bomber.”

Sean and co-author John Mitchell are holding a book signing at Chorleywood Bookshop on Saturday, 11.30am. Details: 01923 283566, wwww.chorleywoodbookshop.co.uk