From day one of the Second World War to the last, fighter pilots from Derbyshire were active. They fought the Germans over France during the Blitzkrieg, played a vital part in the Battle of Britain, and operated over the Western Desert, Syria, Greece, Sicily, Italy, Malta and the Atlantic, as well as against the Japanese over the Timor Sea. Derbyshiremen flew sweeps, ground attacks, escorts and fighter-bomber missions into the heart of the Reich. Through bad times and good, they made a significant contribution to the final defeat of the Axis.