John Fareham pens book about Dambusters hero Guy Gibson
AFTER years in local politics, John Fareham has turned his hand to writing a book about his boyhood hero.
With a fighter pilot father, Mr Fareham grew up on RAF bases, so writing a book on Second World War dam buster Guy Gibson proved a labour of love for the Hull City Conservative councillor.
He spent about four months last summer researching and writing the 40,000-word publication.
Wing Commander Gibson was a renowned fighter pilot who was already decorated before embarking on one of the famous dam buster raids in Germany in 1943. Mr Fareham said: "I was approached by my friend, Rupert Matthews, who has launched a publishing house.
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"He wanted to do a series of books on RAF heroes and asked me if I would like to write one.
"I jumped at the chance. We came up with a few ideas and decided to write about Guy Gibson.
"I did a lot of research at the University Of Hull library and delved through the archives.
"I did a history degree, so it was all quite familiar to me.
"I started the book at the end of June and handed in the manuscript in October."
"I picked up a book about Guy Gibson when I was about six or seven years old and he was a hero of mine.
"But he died when he was only 26 years old and he wasn't very distinguished before the war. There wasn't a lot of new information available to add to the book.
"But there were local connections. His co-pilot on the dam buster raids was Jack Pulford, of Hull."
The book is by no means a heavyweight reference publication, but something Mr Fareham hopes is accessible.
He said: "There are a lot of books on Guy Gibson but I hope the way I have written mine won't be seen as pompous.
"It is meant to be for someone who has seen the film and wants to know just a little bit more."
Entitled Guy Gibson VC, the book is available on Kindle now and will be released in book form on March 28, published by Bretwalda Books.
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