God Bless the Prince of Wales

A 70-year-old Scarborough man has released a book about hotels in the town which were used as bases for aircrew during the Second World War.

David Fowler spent three years writing God Bless the Prince of Wales, Volume One – The War Years about the former Prince of Wales Hotel and others in Scarborough which were used as RAF Initial Training Wings.

The book covers stories such as aircrew training, education, blackouts, air raids, rationing and evacuees as well as memories from many men who trained in Scarborough.

Mr Fowler, of Avenue Victoria, said: "It's really a dedication to people who served in the war. The reaction has been very favourable generally. One guy didn't think it would be his sort of book but when he read it he was fascinated by it all."

He planned to write a trilogy of books about the hotel, which was on the corner of the Esplanade and Prince of Wales Terrace, during different periods of its history.

In 2005, the Evening News ran a piece about Ivor Thompson, who had trained for RAF Aircrew at 11 Initial Training Wing in the Prince of Wales Hotel in World War Two.

Mr Fowler, who is a former bank manager, contacted him for some information and decided to focus on the hotel during the Second World War.

He put an appeal for people's memories in several magazines including Intercom, the Aircrew Association's magazine, and received more than 60 replies.

Mr Fowler said: "The memories from those who got in touch are largely fascinating, in some cases they show true courage, some memories are very humorous and all of them, however brief, paint a vivid picture of those far off days."

The book also looks at the other Initial Training Wings in Scarborough, which were at the Grand Hotel and Scarborough College.

He hopes to write about the pre and post war years of the hotel, which were converted into apartments, in the second and third volumes.

His next book though will focus on the background of the national service.

Mr Fowler used to live in the Prince of Wales Apartments and is President of the OId Scarborian's Association, which includes former staff and pupils of the Scarborough High School for Boys.

God Bless the Prince of Wales is published by Farthings Design and Publishing and is available from Mr Fowler, Scarborough Library, the Stephen Joseph Theatre bookshop, Doodles bookshop in Newborough, the Clock Cafe in Esplanade Gardens as well as online on http://stores.lulu.com/farthings.

Prince of Wales hotel factfile



l The hotel started life as a terrace of houses in 1850 before the site became a hotel 10 years later, soon after the railway came to Scarborough.



l In 1874 Richard Hunt, the manager of the hotel, was instrumental in building the South Cliff Tramway, the first cliff lift of its kind in England to ferry passengers to and from the Spa.



l After the war it was owned by Bertie Cockerline, who owned racehorses and had shipping interests in Hull.



l The Prince of Wales closed as a hotel in the late 1980s and developers moved in to convert the building into luxury flats.