Last surviving Battle of Britain pilot dies at age 105
FILE-The last known Battle of Britain pilot, Group Captain John 'Paddy' Hemingway DFC, celebrates his 105th birthday and the unveiling of portraits reflecting his life by British artist Dan Llywelyn Hall, at the British Embassy in Dublin, Ireland on
John "Paddy'' Hemingway, the last surviving pilot of the Battle of Britain, has died. He was 105 years old.
Who was John "Paddy'' Hemingway?
The backstory:
John "Paddy'' Hemingway was born on July 17, 1919, in the Rathmines area of Dublin. He was an Irish national who enlisted in the Royal Air Force in 1938 before the Battle of Britain started.
The Associated Press reported that Hemingway first saw action during the Nazi invasion of France, when he flew fighter cover for retreating British forces.
At 20 years old, Hemingway and his colleagues in the Royal Air Force took to the skies to fight off Nazi aircraft that tried to attack Britain during the summer and autumn of 1940, the Associated Press reported.
Hemingway awarded for his service
Dig deeper:
In battles with German aircraft in 1940, Hemingway was twice forced to bail out of his Hurricane fighter, once landing in the sea near England before returning to his squadron to continue the fight, the RAF told the AP. Hemingway received an award for the Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry in 1941.
After the Battle of Britain, Hemingway worked as a controller, assisting the RAF’s response to German attacks. He later served as commander of No. 43 Squadron, which flew in northern Italy.
Hemingway retired in 1969 after over 30 years of service, the AP noted.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, which shares background on John Hemingway’s career. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.