0:00:02 > 0:00:05Over the years on Flog It, you've brought thousands of items to value
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and together we've been to thousands of auction rooms
0:00:08 > 0:00:10to put those valuations to the test.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12In this series, we're pulling together all of that knowledge
0:00:12 > 0:00:14to help you get in the know.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Welcome to Flog It! Trade Secrets.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50Great world events provide the dramatic backdrop to today's programme,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53as we take a look at items associated with war.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Now, all antiques tell a story, as we know.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02It could be a joyous occasion, a time of national celebration,
0:01:02 > 0:01:06or a time of great adversity. Like war. Or austerity.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09We're going to be investigating why these items
0:01:09 > 0:01:13that have been touched by such tragedy are so highly sought after.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19On this show, our experts will be getting into the wartime spirit.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22HE HUMS "The British Grenadiers"
0:01:22 > 0:01:26And I'm off on a Boy's Own adventure.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28If you've ever wondered
0:01:28 > 0:01:33what a Rolls-Royce V12 Merlin engine sounds like, I've got a real treat for you.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43It can feel slightly uncomfortable talking about market values
0:01:43 > 0:01:46when it comes to talking of items that are so closely related
0:01:46 > 0:01:47to stories of horror and tragedy.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50But there are many collectors out there
0:01:50 > 0:01:54who regard the history behind the object as being of great interest,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and that's worth preserving.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02So what are our experts' tips on buying wartime memorabilia?
0:02:02 > 0:02:04When we look at militaria,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07what we really want is documentation with it.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10We want to see the whole picture.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14As far as militaria goes, the most interesting area is medals.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18It's so easy to fake certain badges and the like,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20so the important thing is to make sure
0:02:20 > 0:02:22you have the provenance and the pedigree.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24So you must really know what you're handling
0:02:24 > 0:02:28if you're putting a lot of money into buying militaria.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33My top tip, if you're collecting it, is pick a battle. Pick a war.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Don't scattergun - because it's massive.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Objects in storage can bring the past back to life so vividly.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47And there can be few moments in our history that resonate so strongly today
0:02:47 > 0:02:51as those dark days of when Britain was at war.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Here are some of the finest examples we've come across
0:02:53 > 0:02:56over the years, and what we've learned from them.
0:02:59 > 0:03:04There's a huge market for any militaria - medals, cap badges,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08uniforms, helmets, ration books.,..
0:03:08 > 0:03:13The whole military area is a very collectible one.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16I'm constantly surprised what you find in people's drawers.
0:03:16 > 0:03:22As was the case at Eastbourne, when that lovely lady brought in the First World War
0:03:22 > 0:03:24German pickelhaube helmet.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27It belonged to my father's father.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30- Did he serve in the First World War, do you think?- Yes, I think so.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Because it certainly dates from that Kaiser Wilhelm period, doesn't it?
0:03:34 > 0:03:37The Great War - 1914 to 1918.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42And, of course it's a German army officer's helmet,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46with the Imperial German eagle on the front and then the regiment.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48These helmets were worn right throughout the 19th century.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52But in the early part of the 20th century particularly,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56in the Great War, they proved to have a bit of a design defect.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59The problem was, whenever you stuck your head
0:03:59 > 0:04:02above the parapet, as it were - or the trenches -
0:04:02 > 0:04:05you could see the spike before you could see the helmet.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09There's been a lot of discussion with my colleagues about this -
0:04:09 > 0:04:12there's all sorts of different estimates coming in.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14But I guess we'll never know, really, what it's worth,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16unless it goes into auction.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Some of them think it's worth at least £200 to £300.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22I think it's worth £150 or so.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26But I'm going to follow their advice with an estimate of £200-£300.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Was Mark right to listen to the advice of the other experts?
0:04:33 > 0:04:34Prussian pickelhaube,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37military helmet for the guardsmen.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40And we can start this one here on commission at £220.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42230, 240, 250.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46260 on the telephones, 250 here.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48260, 270, 280, 290, 300.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52These items are notoriously difficult to value.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Particularly in the heat of battle, as it were.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58- £600. £620. - (This is good.)
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Hey-ho. We all got it wrong.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02- £750.- £780.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09£780 on the phone. £800. And 20. 820. 850?
0:05:09 > 0:05:12820 on the telephone. Anybody else getting involved?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Are you all done at £820...?
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Hammer's gone down on £820!
0:05:18 > 0:05:20I can't believe it!
0:05:20 > 0:05:21Phew!
0:05:21 > 0:05:24I'm sure the fact the family who owned it
0:05:24 > 0:05:29had never tried to restore or clean it or tamper with it...
0:05:29 > 0:05:32So you had that original finish, colour, patina...
0:05:32 > 0:05:38aging... created that wonderful item which the collectors wanted.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40And therefore the price it achieved.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Mark learnt a good lesson there. And it's a tip for you, too.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49If your item looks less than perfect, hold off on the scrubbing brush
0:05:49 > 0:05:51until you've got advice from a specialist dealer.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55As it may well be worth more in its original condition.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Anita knew that polish wasn't everything
0:05:59 > 0:06:01when it came to valuing the next piece.
0:06:01 > 0:06:07I suppose I'm always moved to some extent by what we call trench art.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12Those items that are made by prisoners of war,
0:06:12 > 0:06:17or soldiers during long periods of inactivity.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21And there was one particular item which I thought was rather lovely.
0:06:21 > 0:06:27And rather poignant. It was a little Stuka plane.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32I believe it was made by a German prisoner of war in Sicily.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35And it was brought back by an Irishman
0:06:35 > 0:06:38who was an ordinary soldier there.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41It was given to him by the prisoner who made it.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46If you can imagine him - and he would be a very young man at that time -
0:06:46 > 0:06:51incarcerated, a prisoner of war in a foreign country,
0:06:51 > 0:06:56building this little plane, made out of aluminium.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59And I found that very...
0:06:59 > 0:07:01very touching.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06And we have on the wings here, "Sicily" and "1944".
0:07:06 > 0:07:11- So it was towards the end of the war.- Yes.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13- It's telling us a wee story, Hilary.- Yeah.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17There is a market for this type of items
0:07:17 > 0:07:21that were made up by prisoners of war.
0:07:21 > 0:07:29Value on it? I would say we could put it in at 20 to 25.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33- It's really just a figure plucked out...- Yes, yes.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36These items appeal to the collectors because of the story.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39It's the story that they're thinking about.
0:07:39 > 0:07:45Did they find a buyer intrigued by the story of the prisoner of war at the auction?
0:07:45 > 0:07:4945. 7.50? 50.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50At 50, here on my left.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53At £50. Have you all done? At 50. We're selling.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56At £50, then.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- £50!- Brilliant! - That's good, isn't it?
0:08:00 > 0:08:01Not a huge price,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05but that's not always what a piece like this is about.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08As our expert Charlie Ross also found
0:08:08 > 0:08:11when he came across an item discovered in a house clearance,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15dating back even further - to the Crimean War.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I think this is the most interesting,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19if not the most valuable thing
0:08:19 > 0:08:21I've had today.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24I'm absolutely astonished at the lack of
0:08:24 > 0:08:29monetary value with something that I think
0:08:29 > 0:08:30is as significant as this.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It's a parchment dated 1854. What happened in 1854?
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Charge of the Light Brigade.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38As written and sung by Corporal John Brown.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Well, I dare say if you look up the records we'll find who
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Corporal John Brown is of Grenadier Guards.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46And it's done to the tune of the British Grenadiers.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50- Do you know how that goes?- No, but I'm sure you're going to show us.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54Whether the words fit to it or not, I'll give it a try.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58# Come all you gallant British hearts that love the red and blue
0:08:58 > 0:09:01# And drink the health of those brave lads
0:09:01 > 0:09:02# Who made the Russians rue... #
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- It does fit!- It does!
0:09:05 > 0:09:09How many letters are there from the Crimea War
0:09:09 > 0:09:11that have survived intact,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15given the huge percentage of deaths that there were there?
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Um, there can't be that many of them.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Historians love things like this!
0:09:20 > 0:09:23It's very interesting historically because it talks about fighting -
0:09:23 > 0:09:25"The French, they had the right that day,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27"and flanked the Russian line,"
0:09:27 > 0:09:29so it goes on and on and on
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and it mentions commanding officers and what have you.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Isn't it more interesting
0:09:33 > 0:09:36to know the thoughts of the rank and file soldier,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39rather than the guy who's told them where to go?
0:09:39 > 0:09:41It's not so much the value,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43we're not going to get a wonderful surprise.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46And I think it's probably worth less than £50.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48- And I'm sorry for the singing! - That's all right!
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- Been lovely to meet you. - We'll forgive you.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Did the auctioneer convince the crowd
0:09:54 > 0:09:57of its historical significance when it came to the sale?
0:09:57 > 0:10:00The handwritten letter from the Crimea War.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05A lot of history connected with this. For a bit of British history.
0:10:05 > 0:10:06Only £70.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10And 5! £80! At £80 now.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13At 80. Get passionate about this!
0:10:13 > 0:10:15All done at 80, I'll take a £5 again.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16Done then at £80. Nobody else?
0:10:16 > 0:10:19You're out on the net? You're out at £80.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21You're disappointing me. Have another go.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25- Five! 90!- Ooh...
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Five! 100?
0:10:27 > 0:10:29I'll take your five again!
0:10:29 > 0:10:34105? Yes? At £105. Nobody else?
0:10:34 > 0:10:38All done at £105!
0:10:38 > 0:10:40- You've got to be pleased with that. - Really pleased.- Very pleased.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Hopefully, it's gone to somebody that really wanted it.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Thank you for bringing in a wonderful piece of history.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Look at what you've got. This was on its way to a skip, I think.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51As indeed so many things are,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and then somebody decided to have a look.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57And he knew just enough to rescue it.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00If you have items like this handwritten letter,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04or the metal plane, they might not fetch the largest sums at auction,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08but they could be invaluable to the right buyer
0:11:08 > 0:11:10as a slice of history.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13There's one kind of militaria that really gets Will Axon
0:11:13 > 0:11:15and our experts excited.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18A lot of the time
0:11:18 > 0:11:20when you're dealing with items that are war related,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22it's usually sort of printed matter.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Ephemera. Say, a ration book or a discharge sheet.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28But what really excites the team on Flog It
0:11:28 > 0:11:31is when, say, a medal comes in, or a group of medals.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Then you've got real physical evidence of what someone has done.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Now, what can you tell me about this medal?
0:11:37 > 0:11:40How's it come to be in your family?
0:11:40 > 0:11:45A friend of the family gave it to me about 20, 25 years ago.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47It belonged to his brother,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49so he gave it to me because he knew I would look after it.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51I think I said at the time,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54it's that all important word "courage" on the medal.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57And people who are buying medals, that's what they're buying into.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01They're buying into the history of this one person - what did they do? Where were they?
0:12:01 > 0:12:04What happened to them later in the war? Did they survive the war?
0:12:04 > 0:12:08It's a medal that was first issued in 1918.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12It's for dedication or bravery or devotion in duty.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- And it was awarded to the RAF. - To pilots, yes.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20To pilots. Because I understand he was a pilot?
0:12:20 > 0:12:22He was a Spitfire pilot, yes.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Really? And did he survive the war?
0:12:24 > 0:12:28No, no, he was shot down over Germany, I think about 1941.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Right, because I see you've also brought in
0:12:31 > 0:12:36- some interesting paperwork.- Yes. - Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41- Mm-hm.- Who have provided you with a photograph of his grave.- Yes.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44So we've got Squadron Leader Farmery.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49And there's the DFM after his name,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53which is the Distinguished Flying Medal that we've seen here.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55So that's really what medal buyers are after.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59They're after the historical context of these medals
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and who they were awarded to and how did he fit in
0:13:02 > 0:13:04to the whole war story?
0:13:04 > 0:13:07- We don't know why he was awarded this.- No.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09But somewhere, that's going to be recorded.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13That, I suspect, is probably what the buyer is going to be doing after this.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17He's going to be looking into the history and the research of it.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21I would say, that at auction, a sensible estimate for a medal
0:13:21 > 0:13:25- of this type, put it in with an estimate of 400-600.- Gosh!
0:13:25 > 0:13:27£400-£600.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I'm quietly confident that it's going to make more than that.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Then, I think, Olive, between then and the auction,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35had found the more standard service medals.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39Having found a clutch of medals, the auctioneer, Adam Partridge,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42went for broke and upped the reserve.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46I think even he was surprised at what they finally sold for.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48470 is the medal group to Sergeant, later
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Squadron Leader Clifford John Farmery of the RAF,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55including his courage medal, a lovely medal group indeed.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59I can start straight in at £1,050.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Crikey!
0:14:02 > 0:14:061,100, 50, 1,200, 1,250, 1,300,
0:14:06 > 0:14:101,350, 1,400, 1,450, 1,500,
0:14:10 > 0:14:121,550, 1,600...
0:14:12 > 0:14:15I think there's still two phone bidders waiting to come in.
0:14:15 > 0:14:172,000...
0:14:17 > 0:14:192,100,
0:14:19 > 0:14:222,200, 2,300...
0:14:22 > 0:14:24You'll have to pick me up off the floor in a minute!
0:14:24 > 0:14:272,300 on Mark's phone there.
0:14:27 > 0:14:282,300, are you all done now?
0:14:28 > 0:14:32At £2,300, we sell at 2,300.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35- Crumbs!- Goodness!
0:14:35 > 0:14:36- Wow!- Gosh!
0:14:36 > 0:14:38An incredible result.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44I think the important facts that brought the medals
0:14:44 > 0:14:47up to that sort of level was he was a squadron leader.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51You had the medal itself presented for courage
0:14:51 > 0:14:53and also you had a bit of paperwork there, as well.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55You had the picture of the grave
0:14:55 > 0:14:58as well as some paperwork from the War Commission.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Now, I've got a little tip for you -
0:15:00 > 0:15:03provenance is key to valuing any antique.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06If you have the paperwork accompanying an item
0:15:06 > 0:15:09that can prove ownership of somebody of note, it will definitely put the value up.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13But sometimes an item just speaks to you directly from the past,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15as James Lewis found out.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17There are certain pieces
0:15:17 > 0:15:20when you pick them up and look at them
0:15:20 > 0:15:25that immediately take you back to an earlier time.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29One of the most incredible was an aviator's watch.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36- Do you know much about it? - No, I know nothing.- OK.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Well, let's go back 60 years
0:15:40 > 0:15:44into the middle of the Second World War.
0:15:44 > 0:15:50At night, squadrons of bombers are coming over from Dresden
0:15:50 > 0:15:52and if you were in one of those dark,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57noisy planes, looking at your watch wouldn't be easy,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00especially not if it was underneath your flying suit.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04So, if you were an observer in one of the planes,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07you would need a watch that would go over your flight suit
0:16:07 > 0:16:11and this is what you would have worn.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15You can imagine the fear
0:16:15 > 0:16:18of the people in those very small, confined planes,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22be it Germans coming over here, or us going over there.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Why it would have to be so big, why they would need a timepiece
0:16:26 > 0:16:29to work out where they are and where to bomb.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31It's incredibly rare.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- I've seen them in books, I've never handled one.- No.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37This is a first for me.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- What do you think it's worth? - I've no idea.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43What do you think?
0:16:43 > 0:16:44Couple of hundred?
0:16:46 > 0:16:50- It's probably worth a couple of thousand pounds.- You're joking!
0:16:50 > 0:16:52SHE LAUGHS
0:16:52 > 0:16:57- I didn't expect that. - It's a fantastic watch.- Oh...
0:16:57 > 0:17:00A bold valuation, but as so many men were shot down
0:17:00 > 0:17:03in those air battles and few watches survived,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07did the buyers value such a rare and poignant piece?
0:17:07 > 0:17:10A rare, oversized, stainless steel navigator's watch,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14in reasonable condition. We've had a lot of interest presale.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- I'm going to come straight in flat at £1,000.- Oh!
0:17:18 > 0:17:21£1,000. I have a £1,000 bid with me.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23And 50, 1,100.
0:17:23 > 0:17:24It's straight in at 1,000.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27The bid's online at £1,200, 1,250,
0:17:27 > 0:17:291,300, 1,350,
0:17:29 > 0:17:311,400, and 50.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34And the price went up and up.
0:17:34 > 0:17:362,250 online.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I've got 2,300. I've got 2,300 on the phone.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41April, do you need a seat?
0:17:41 > 0:17:43I've got 2,300, are you going to go 2,400?
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- 2,300.- Blimey!
0:17:45 > 0:17:47One more won't hurt you. I've got 2,300, bid it up.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50We've got 2,300 on the phone. 2,400.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52They are loving this, aren't they?
0:17:52 > 0:17:532,600.
0:17:53 > 0:17:59The bid's at 2,600. It's against you online at £2,600.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02I've got 2,700, 2,800, still climbing.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03At 2,800.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06James, this is unbelievable.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09At £2,800, 2,900.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11At 2,900, come on, round it up. 3,000.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13I knew you liked this lot.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17At £3,000, going once. At 3,000, going twice.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Last and final call, at £3,000 online, I sell...
0:18:21 > 0:18:22GAVEL BANGS
0:18:22 > 0:18:24£3,000!
0:18:28 > 0:18:31It's the story and the feeling and the emotion
0:18:31 > 0:18:37that comes with the object that is so much more important than its value.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40It's those circumstances where you want it to go to the right home
0:18:40 > 0:18:42and that watch made £3,000.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45So, whoever wanted it, wanted it badly, so I hope it has.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49This is an emotive market so look out for rare items
0:18:49 > 0:18:54which embody a dramatic moment in history and you'll be on to a winner.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57If you're lucky enough to find war memorabilia
0:18:57 > 0:19:01you're holding a little piece of history
0:19:01 > 0:19:03and the value is in the story it's telling.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08Don't clean things up - the more it conjures up the past, the better.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Keep hold of anything that enriches the story of your item,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14like photos, or letters.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16You might decide the value is in having
0:19:16 > 0:19:18a piece of heritage in your hands.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20In which case, find out more about your item
0:19:20 > 0:19:25and enjoy something which gives you a connection with a wartime past.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32I've always loved wartime stories of derring-do,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35but none compares to the stories surrounding the Battle of Britain
0:19:35 > 0:19:39and one of our greatest weapons of war, the Spitfire.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43But as I found out a few years ago, its story doesn't end there.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48This is Manston Airfield in Kent.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50As you can see, there are planes behind me here.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52They take off daily carrying passengers and cargo,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55across Europe and onwards to Africa.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57But during the years of the Second World War,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00there was only one destination and that was a short ten-minute hop
0:20:00 > 0:20:02across the English Channel to France.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06This airstrip played a vital role in Britain's air defences.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08BELL RINGS
0:20:09 > 0:20:13In 1940, the threat of German invasion hung over the country
0:20:13 > 0:20:17and airfields across the south-east were put into service
0:20:17 > 0:20:19as urgently needed RAF bases.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23The Battle of Britain had begun,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and much of it was fought in the skies above Kent.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Manston was home to hundreds of Spitfires.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33The young pilots were on constant alert to intercept bombers.
0:20:33 > 0:20:39And the people of Kent even raised enough money to sponsor their own squadron.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Unfortunately, none of those Kent planes survived,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46but you can still see a real Spitfire here at Manston Airfield
0:20:46 > 0:20:49in the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51This one saw active service at home
0:20:51 > 0:20:53and across northern Holland and Germany.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Although it'll never fly again, it's been faithfully restored.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Imagine sitting in there as a young pilot chasing
0:20:59 > 0:21:02the Messerschmitt 109s through the clouds.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05When I say young, the pilots were young,
0:21:05 > 0:21:0720 years was about the average age.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Skilful, brave men. And if you've ever wondered
0:21:11 > 0:21:15what a Rolls-Royce V12 Merlin engine sounds like,
0:21:15 > 0:21:16I've got a real treat for you.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24I've come to meet the pilot of one of the few Spitfires still flying,
0:21:24 > 0:21:30which is named in honour of the men and their aircraft who once flew out of Manston.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33Some guys go fishing for a hobby,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36or they've got classic cars, but Peter here flies Spitfires.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38- Hello.- Hello.- Pleased to meet you.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41What a beauty, what a design icon.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43I envy you. What's it like to fly?
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- It's an absolute delight to fly, it really is.- Is it?
0:21:46 > 0:21:48It's an absolute privilege to be able to, you know,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50have access to a Spitfire to fly.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- Even as a schoolboy, you made Airfix models, I guess? I did.- Yes.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57- I loved them, I loved making them. I've still got some!- That's right.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00This is the real thing, how did you come across this?
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Well, I did a little bit of research and found that there were
0:22:03 > 0:22:07a few that had been recovered from South Africa in a scrapyard.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10- Really?- In a very dilapidated state, to say the least,
0:22:10 > 0:22:12but it was a starting point.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14How did they end up there - do you know, did you find out?
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Yes, at the end of the war, a number of Spitfires were sold
0:22:18 > 0:22:23to the South African Air Force in about 1946, 1947.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26I believe they operated them right up until the late '50s
0:22:26 > 0:22:28and they were scrapped from there.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Was this a complete rustbucket then?
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Erm, I suppose that's one way of describing them, to be honest.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- How many years did it take to restore?- Eight years.- Did it?
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Eight years, and eight years of scouring the world,
0:22:41 > 0:22:42looking for spare parts.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45What was the hardest thing you had to find for this?
0:22:45 > 0:22:49To be honest, the airframe parts, the bits you can actually see.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- The fuselage. - The fuselage and wing components.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Engines are still not too much of problem, and propeller blades,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59ironically, are made, and they are made in Germany.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01- Are they, really?- Yes, they are.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Spitfires were not just fighters - many were equipped with bombs
0:23:07 > 0:23:11and used as ground attack aircraft against road and rail targets.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Some were based on board aircraft carriers
0:23:13 > 0:23:16and others were used for photo reconnaissance.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19In all, 22,500 were built
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and they became the iconic image of Britain's victory in the war.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26But by the late 1940s, with the war over,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30most were quickly taken out of service and scrapped.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33In the early 1950s, the RAF retired its last Spitfire.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38Within a few short years, only a handful were still flying.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41But thanks to enthusiasts around the world,
0:23:41 > 0:23:4370 years after their greatest hour, there are believed to be
0:23:43 > 0:23:48around 50 flying today. 20 of them are here in the UK.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51You've done a terrific job.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Wonderful job.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- It just looks right, doesn't it? As an aeroplane.- Yeah.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58There's just something about it. They always say, if it looks right, it flies right
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and I think it's definitely the case with the Spitfire.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05- It's capable of speeds of up to 350 miles an hour?- Yes, yes.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07It's not particularly comfortable at high speeds,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10there's very few comforts in the cockpit.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15You need fly it for pleasure and the preservation of the aircraft.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Oh, thank you so much for letting me look around this,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21and I'm going to watch you take off and enjoy the moment.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23ENGINE STARTS
0:24:40 > 0:24:45Just look at that. The Spirit of Kent, that's nostalgia in the sky.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49It's such a shame that it's just a short range, single-seater fighter plane
0:24:49 > 0:24:51because if it had two seats,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55I'd be hitching a lift and it'd be fly away Peter, fly away Paul.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08There is often an explosion of literary expression in wartime,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12and nowhere was this more evident than during World War I.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16The early years of one of England's most famous 20th-century poets
0:25:16 > 0:25:19was spent here at Rugby.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Rupert Brooke died of septicaemia on his way to fight in Gallipoli,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28so he saw no action during the war.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32And as a result, his poetry is full of a clear-eyed optimism
0:25:32 > 0:25:35that is absent in the work of other First World War poets.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41The idealism of the young Brooke is crystallised
0:25:41 > 0:25:43in his most famous poem, The Soldier.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49If I should die, think only this of me
0:25:49 > 0:25:51That there's some corner of a foreign field
0:25:51 > 0:25:53That is for ever England.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57There shall be in that rich earth a richer dust concealed
0:25:57 > 0:26:01A dust whom England bore, shaped and made aware
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Gave once her flowers to love, her ways to roam
0:26:05 > 0:26:08A body of England's, breathing English air
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15One of the war poets who actually went to the front line
0:26:15 > 0:26:19and described its horrors was fellow poet, Siegfried Sassoon.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25Sassoon's poetry sought to betray the ugly truths of the trenches
0:26:25 > 0:26:28to an audience lulled by patriotic propaganda.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32He was very scathing about those who stayed at home.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Who cheer when soldier lads march by
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Sneak home and pray you'll never know
0:26:41 > 0:26:45The hell where youth and laughter go.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47His poems also mocked the military top brass.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52No-one is sure who coined the phrase "lions led by donkeys"
0:26:52 > 0:26:55to describe the way the ordinary soldiers of the First World War
0:26:55 > 0:26:58were let down by inept commanders.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01But Sassoon certainly agreed with that point of view.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05"Good-morning, good-morning!" the General said
0:27:05 > 0:27:08When we met him last week on our way to the line
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead
0:27:11 > 0:27:15And we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Sassoon did survive the war,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27but others, like fellow poet Wilfred Owen, died on the battlefield.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30What they gave us was an insight into war
0:27:30 > 0:27:34and also an incredible bounty of writing,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36now highly collectable as first editions.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41This first edition copy of writer Robert Graves' book
0:27:41 > 0:27:45Goodbye To All That, annotated in the margins by his friend
0:27:45 > 0:27:50Siegfried Sassoon, astonishingly made over £31,000
0:27:50 > 0:27:52at auction in 2007.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55If you have a 20th-century first edition,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58look for a signature, as the price skyrockets.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00And don't get rid of the dust jacket!
0:28:00 > 0:28:04It can drive up the value if you have a mint condition copy.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07But most of all, enjoy a good read.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11A literary adventure can be as rewarding as a lucrative one.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15Many of us have got family war memorabilia sitting in cupboards
0:28:15 > 0:28:16and drawers at home.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Of course, you may not want to sell it, but do get it out
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and do some research, because you'll probably find the story
0:28:22 > 0:28:25behind it is absolutely priceless.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26I hope you've enjoyed the show.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Join me again soon for many more trade secrets.