Shot down by Royal family
Group Captain Peter Townsend himself a Battle of Britain pilot, but unfortunately most famous for his 1950s affair with Princess Margaret. This was well-known at the time, but it was made clear that she could not marry someone who was divorced (even if he was a war hero). Townsend went to live in France and poor Margaret had to make do with Lord Snowden who, somewhat ironically, she later separated from. In France in the '70s I saw Townsend on TV telling his disbelieving son, both speaking fluent French, that he really had been a pilot in the Battle of Britain! I once saw poor Princess Margaret in the back of a limo coming out of Kensington Palace. I was quite a long way away and tried to make out which Royal person it might be (Diana was still there at the time). Realised it must be Margaret because she had a cigarette in a long holder. Townsend was older than her and died a few years before.
For who loves flying boats...
I am reading a very interesting book: Fabulous Flying Boats: A History of the world's passenger flying boats by Leslie Dawson. A big section of the book is dedicated to role of the British Short flying boats during WWII, the introduction of the Boeing B314, the routes and the danger of flying during the war. Many photos complete this nice book.