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Last surviving Battle of Britain pilot passes away
John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway, the last surviving of the 2,937 pilots who helped to win the Battle of Britain, passed away at the age of 105. Born in Dublin in 1919, Hemingway joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1938 where he flew Hawker Hurricane fighters during WWII.
After taking part in the ‘Battle of France’ where as part of the No. 85 Squadron he was recorded as destroying a He-111 on May 10, the following day he downed a Do-17. However during the latter engagement his Hurricane was hit by anti-aircraft fire, and he had to make a forced landing.
As the Germans advanced in France, the remaining British pilots, aircraft and crews returned to the UK.
According to a Royal Air Force news release, No. 85 Squadron, under a new commanding officer, Peter Townsend, became one of the front-line squadrons of the 11 Group (Fighter Command) response to the daily attacks from Nazi aircraft, which came to be known as the ‘Battle of Britain’. Paddy’s logbook records, almost nonchalantly, the daily sorties he and the other pilots undertook in defence of the United Kingdom. In August 1940, during hectic dogfights, Paddy was twice forced to bail out of his Hurricane, landing in the sea off the coast of Essex and in marshland on the other occasion.
Last Battle of France and Battle of Britain pilot
On 1 July 1941, Paddy was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and in September that year, he was Mentioned in Dispatches. His journey to London to receive his DFC from The King began with him escaping from a wrecked Blenheim aircraft which crashed on take-off.
This wasn’t the last of his aircraft related misfortunes. In 1941, serving with No. 85 Squadron, based at RAF Hunsdon, in a Havoc night fighter, Paddy had to bail out at 600 feet due to instrument failure in bad weather, breaking his hand on the tail section. Paddy’s parachute failed to open properly, and he was saved further injury as the chute caught on the branches of a tree. In 1945, whilst serving in the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces with 324 Wing, he was forced to bail out a fourth time. While attacking enemy forces near Ravenna in April 1945, his Spitfire was hit multiple times by anti-aircraft fire. He parachuted into enemy territory and managed to contact Italian partisans, who helped him return to his squadron.
John Allman ‘Paddy’ Hemingway was the last Battle of France and Battle of Britain (last of “The Few”) pilot.
His passing marks the end of an era and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom during World War II.
The bedrock of the Royal Air Force
Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, Chief of the Air Staff, said;
“It is with great sadness that I heard of the passing of John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway today. I am thankful that I was able to meet and spend time with him in Dublin, most recently in January this year. Paddy was an amazing character whose life story embodies all that was and remains great about the Royal Air Force. In his youth he travelled from Ireland to join the RAF and following the outbreak of World War II, was assigned to No. 85 Squadron in France, where he is recorded as destroying two enemy aircraft during the Battle for France, as well as flying supporting missions during the Battle of Dunkirk.
“He eventually retired from the RAF in 1969 as a Group Captain. Throughout his life he inspired those he knew and served with. My thoughts are with his family and all those who cared for him over the past few years.
“This was a generation who understood the importance of service and comradeship. A generation who believed that with hard work, clarity of purpose and a determination to succeed, they would not lose. Their efforts and the efforts of all our personnel past & present are the bedrock on which the Royal Air Force maintains the security of the UK at home and abroad. Their sense of duty and willingness to put others before themselves should inspire those who will build the next generation Air Force.”
Hawker Hurricane
From May to August 1941, Number 71 Squadron flew the Hawker Hurricane MkIIa aircraft. The Hawker Hurricane was one of the most famous British fighters of World War II. The prototype was first flown in November 1935 and the first production aircraft made its initial flight in October 1937. Within a matter of weeks, Hurricanes were being delivered to their operational squadrons. By the time the war broke out in September 1939, the Royal Air Force had taken delivery of about 500 Hurricanes and production continued.
Hurricanes were built not only in Great Britain but also in Yugoslavia before the German invasion, and in Canada during the 1940-1942 period. They were flown by pilots of many nations during the war.
The Hurricane is probably best known for its performance during the Battle of Britain. When the Battle of Britain commenced in July 1940, the RAF Fighter Command had but 527 Hurricanes and 321 Spitfires to counter the enemy’s 2,700 aircraft. Yet, the RAF was able to maintain air superiority in the skies of Great Britain. The Hurricanes absorbed the brunt of the German air attacks until a faster, more maneuverable Spitfire was available in quantity to blunt the successes of the German Messerschmitt Bf 109.
Photo credit: Crown Copyright
