Kel Palmer is a proud Mancunian. On retirement in 2000, he and Rosemarie planned to move from their 17th century haunted Sussex cottage to the sunshine of Cyprus or Kauai, but chose Wales This memoir, covering the 76 years he can remember, is written so that chapters may be read in isolation avoiding autobiographic boredom.

It depicts life during WW2 as seen through the eyes of a young boy, via roller-coaster days at Grammar School, spurning a sporting career to join the RAF leading to commissioning and flying training.

His first superiors were men wearied by war, facing new challenges as the jet replaced the piston and the WP replaced Nazism. It was a time before aircraft technology had mushroomed, before ejection seats, and electronic wizardry, but in which the flying was immensely exciting and life as a young officer was about fun and fulfillment. He flew mainly fighters with a mix of frontline squadrons, Operational conversion, Flying College, and service with the USAF and US Navy. He was a pioneer of fighter in-flight refueling in the heady days when RAF squadrons deployed worldwide.

Later he held Command posts, served in MOD Operational Requirements, Directed the Air Warfare College, and was Chief of Nuclear Plans at SHAPE, leading to his career in the defence industry. On cancellation of Nimrod AEW he left air defence switching to maritime patrol and battlefield surveillance as those roles became increasingly important. During the 90s life caught up with him and he enjoyed a triple heart bypass, divorced and re-married, and watched his four children complete their education and grow into adulthood.

He retired in 2000 to become involved in Community affairs, Youth, the environment and social housing, receiving The Queens Award for Voluntary Service.

He has lived in the USA, Germany, Belgium and Cyprus, travelled to 111 countries, and been an accomplished and versatile sportsman playing his last game of rugby at 46 and soccer at 61.An enthusiastic dancer, Kel is a great lover of music and of furry friends. He published his memoirs in 2005, updating them in the light of much reflection and some repercussions.

Kel Palmer is a proud Mancunian. On retirement in 2000, he and Rosemarie planned to move from their 17th century haunted Sussex cottage to the sunshine of Cyprus or Kauai, but chose Wales This memoir, covering the 76 years he can remember, is written so that chapters may be read in isolation avoiding autobiographic boredom.

It depicts life during WW2 as seen through the eyes of a young boy, via roller-coaster days at Grammar School, spurning a sporting career to join the RAF leading to commissioning and flying training.

His first superiors were men wearied by war, facing new challenges as the jet replaced the piston and the WP replaced Nazism. It was a time before aircraft technology had mushroomed, before ejection seats, and electronic wizardry, but in which the flying was immensely exciting and life as a young officer was about fun and fulfillment. He flew mainly fighters with a mix of frontline squadrons, Operational conversion, Flying College, and service with the USAF and US Navy. He was a pioneer of fighter in-flight refueling in the heady days when RAF squadrons deployed worldwide.

Later he held Command posts, served in MOD Operational Requirements, Directed the Air Warfare College, and was Chief of Nuclear Plans at SHAPE, leading to his career in the defence industry. On cancellation of Nimrod AEW he left air defence switching to maritime patrol and battlefield surveillance as those roles became increasingly important. During the 90s life caught up with him and he enjoyed a triple heart bypass, divorced and re-married, and watched his four children complete their education and grow into adulthood.

He retired in 2000 to become involved in Community affairs, Youth, the environment and social housing, receiving The Queens Award for Voluntary Service.

He has lived in the USA, Germany, Belgium and Cyprus, travelled to 111 countries, and been an accomplished and versatile sportsman playing his last game of rugby at 46 and soccer at 61.An enthusiastic dancer, Kel is a great lover of music and of furry friends. He published his memoirs in 2005, updating them in the light of much reflection and some repercussions.

Kel Palmer is a proud Mancunian now retired and living in Wales with second wife Rosemarie. He joined the RAF straight from Grammar School, spurning the attractions of a sporting career for a technical apprenticeship leading to commissioning and flying training. Before retirement in the rank of Group Captain in 1983, he spent 17 years flying in mainly the night/all-weather fighter and low level strike/attack roles, followed by a series of Staff/Training tours including seven years in Operational Requirements posts in Whitehall that led directly to his second career in the Defence Industry in l983.

He has lived in all four home countries, also in the USA, Germany, Cyprus and Belgium, and has traveled to over 110 countries worldwide. He has been an accomplished and versatile sportsman, playing his last game of club rugby at 46 and of soccer at 61; an enthusiastic dancer, he is also a great lover of music and of furry friends. Since retirement from Industry in 2000, he has become intensely involved in Community affairs, Youth clubs and the Environment, for which he received The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2004.