A 96-YEAR-OLD veteran who taught pilots how to see and fly in the dark during the Second World War is featured in a bestselling author’s latest book.

After meeting at a literary festival last year, Eve Warton, from Quidhampton, shared her wartime stories with author Damien Lewis, to complete part of his research for newly released book, SAS: Shadow Raiders.

The book explores the air raid that changed the course of the Second World War, as well as the stories of veterans involved.

“I find it very funny, I met Damien last year at the Mere Literary Festival, he was selling his book and I was selling mine, we did a book swap and we’ve been in touch ever since. It’s been great fun,” said Eve.

After finding out Eve’s role during the war, Damien wanted to include her in his non-fiction novel to add a “real touch” and “more understanding”, describing their meeting as a “special experience”.

He added: “It’s very rare to find a war veteran like Eve, who still has a sparkle in their eye.”

As well as wanting to record Eve’s wartime story, Damien also wanted to learn about officer George Paterson, who he discovered was the godfather of Eve’s son.

He said: “I wanted to tell the story about the first ever airborne operation by Armed Forces, Colossus, which took place in 1941, and as I started researching it in more detail I came across the name George Paterson, who was the Canadian officer Eve had mentioned.

“I couldn’t believe it, it was such a coincidence.”

When asked about inspirations behind the book, Damien said: “If there hadn’t been men and women willing to risk their lives all those years ago, we would now be living in a Nazi super state.

“The freedoms we enjoy today have been fought for and still need to be fought for – that’s why we should never forget.”

Eve’s own book, Brave Faces, was released in 2015, and from teaching pilots how to see in the dark to almost getting sent to prison, the novel tells Eve’s version of the war, while serving for the Women's Royal Naval Service.

Talking about the book Eve said: “I wrote my book for my grandchildren, sadly their grandfather died very young from war wounds and they didn’t really remember him so I wrote it for them, and then it dawned on me that maybe other people would be interested as it was history."