MICHAEL Barnard remembers his school days in 1940 as full of busy activity, especially in Briar Close, the favourite spot for everyday meetings of local characters, with cheery words shared with boys train-spotting.

Looking over the railing recently to draw his picture, Mr Barnard said, brought back so many memories of Evesham's old LMS station. The old turntable near the current Journal offices drew boys like a magnet.

"This bridge was very busy from the early hours with market gardening drays and lorries delivering peas in white liners to the town's central and top markets," he said. "An airman and his girl friend are remembered, the young girl dressed in a lovely floral patterned skirt. I wonder what happened to this young couple?"

Mr Barnard said he spent some time sketching and remembering and when he left he had a feeling of enormous gratitude.

"It was 64 years since a few reports in the papers filtered into school telling us of the great air battle raging over Southern England," he said. "The Battle of Britain was fought from July 10 to October 31, 1940, during which time 537 RAF pilots were killed or later died of their wounds, seven were boys of only 18."

Mr Barnard's portrait is of Battle of Britain hero Group Captain Johnnie Johnson, DSO and three bars, DFC and two bars. It was autographed by him on September 12, 1946.

"He was the RAF's top scorer with 38 confirmed victories," Mr Barnard said. "He often told of the legendary Squadron Leader Douglas Bader stumping into the mess and on being told of enemy formations approaching our shores, Bader's response was 'Bloody good show, think of all those juicy targets, what shooting.' Such was the spirit of those legendary pilots."

Two Battle of Britain fighters, the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, are seen flying wing men in Mr Barnard's picture. With their pilots have gone down into legend as The Few. The Battle of Britain Memorial window in Westminster Abbey carries the quotation from Shakespeare "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers."

Johnnie Johnson stayed in the RAF after the war, reaching the rank of Air Vice Marshall, CB, CBE, DSO, DFC, DL. He died aged 85 in 2001.

"Such was his brilliant leadership and outstanding skill that he inspired all with whom he had fought," Mr Barnard said. "They will all be remembered here at Evesham."

Battle of Britain Day is next Wednesday.