Author from Mansfield takes flight for his latest book

A Mansfield-born author has put pen to paper to produce his 12th book - an autobiographical account of his own national service in the RAF.
Local Author Alan Plowright with his latest book.Local Author Alan Plowright with his latest book.
Local Author Alan Plowright with his latest book.

Alan Plowright, who was raised in the town and attended Carter Lane Juniors and Southwell Minster Grammar, has published the 159-page book himself, ‘A National Servicemen’s Lot: Life in the RAF in the 1950s’ which recounts his two years as an airframe mechanic.

The 78-year-old lived on several Mansfield streets, including Hall Street, Little Barn Lane and Westfield Lane, but now lives near Bradford in West Yorkshire.

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He was posted in the north while working for Mansfield-based Landers Bakery more than 40 years ago, and made it his home.

“With my job travelling, I spent a lot of time in hotels and started writing, and I gradually got more in to it,” explained Alan.

The subjects for previous books have been largely countryside walking and his time spent working in Nottinghamshire - including a look at tin box making in Mansfield and Sutton - but admits his latest offering is quite different.

He explained: “I’m very pleased with the quality of the book.

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“I was looking round for another book to write, and thought my national service might be of interest to somebody!

“Being at Duxford, which is now part of the Imperial War Museum, a lot of people have been there.

“With it being national service, you had to go, but I did enjoy it and it makes a man of you.

“ I think if they re-introduced it today I think people would not go!”

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Alan has been signing books in book shops around Nottinghamshire over the past week, including Mansfield, Nottingham and Newark. Priced at £10.99, it is available to buy from WH Smith’s in Mansfield.

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