Son of one of the founders of the Spithead Express, the author's childhood was spent clambering in and out of the ferry planes. He still vividly remembers the sights, smells and sounds of those pioneering years at Portsmouth and Ryde and recalls talking to the pilots, including Amy Johnson.
During the war the factory was a welcome respite from school and he was old enough to be able to help collecting the components from outlying workshops. He was at the aerodrome for the take-off and landing trials of the Aerocar prototype and, when there were still prospects for the company in India, he flew out to Jamnagar in the Schools Special Solent flying boat; the trip from Southampton to Karachi taking four days.
After these and the other traumatic experiences described in the book, the author opted for a less eventful life working as an officer, and later a councillor, in local government. This book fulfils a long-held ambition to record the story of the Spithead Express.
The glamour of the 1930s intertwined with the personal family involvement and company documents makes this book a fascinating and accurate account of the events of the era.