Love Is In the Air

Local man charts the progress of his parents' long distance love affair

The remarkable story of Joe Pack, an Egerton RAF pilot, and his sweetheart Margaret have been brought back to life by the painstaking efforts of their son Jeff.

Their love affair unfolds before our very eyes in the delightful book that also offers a fascinating insight into life during World War II.

Hundreds of exchanges have been preserved for posterity as we follow Joe through the thick of action, from Europe to Africa to the Indian Ocean.

In 1940 Joe volunteered  for the RAF and was posted to a bomber squadron. In 1942 we hear how he was shot down over the German/Dutch border.

There's evasion from capture and a return to Britain using the famous Comete Line network - a Dutch inspector of ditches, a Basque smuggler and many others put their lives in danger to help the stranded Allied airmen escape.

But it was while training in Scotland that Joe stumbled on his future wife. Amorous advances may have been spurned but he whatever he lacked in the flesh he clearly made up for on paper.

Joe's way with words is there for all to see as his love letters literally map his progress with Margaret, separated from her by thousands of miles.

Joe returned from war in 1945. A month later they were married! "The subjects of my book, my parents, lived in Ealing for most of their postwar lives and in Fowlers walk for their last 10 years or so," said Jeff.

You can buy Jeff's extraordinary tale of wartime love at Pitshanger bookshop.

February 13, 2009