Air Commodore John Mitchell †

Air Commodore John Mitchell, who has died aged 97, was the navigator of Winston Churchill’s personal aircraft during the Second World War.

A veteran of a bomber tour and a specialist navigator, Mitchell was selected for the crew flying Churchill’s VVIP aircraft in late 1942. Earlier, the prime minister had flown in RAF and civil aircraft but it was decided that a specially furnished RAF aeroplane should be used. The model chosen was the new Avro York and given the name Ascalon, after the lance with which St George killed the dragon.