John "Paddy" Hemingway, the last surviving pilot of the Battle of Britain during World War II, has passed away recently at the age of 105. Born in Dublin, Mr. Hemingway joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a young man before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Read Also...:

Man last known to be seen with missing University of Pittsburgh student tells prosecutors how he rescued her f

03-20, 2025

Eminem's ex-employee accused of stealing and selling rapper's unreleased music

03-20, 2025

Jury finds Greenpeace liable for hundreds of millions in relation to pipeline protest

03-20, 2025

British teenager who killed family and planned school massacre gets minimum 49 years in prison

03-20, 2025

At the age of 21, Hemingway participated in the Battle of Britain as a fighter pilot. It was a three-month-long campaign in which RAF personnel fought to resist the large-scale attacks of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), defending British airspace.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Mr. Hemingway, praising his courage and that of all RAF pilots for "helping to end the Second World War and secure our freedom." Those who participated in this three-and-a-half-month battle were dubbed "The Few" after a speech by Sir Winston Churchill.

Churchill famously remarked on their sacrifice in battle: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." The Royal Air Force said in a statement that Mr. Hemingway "passed away peacefully" on Monday.

In 11 days in May 1940, Hemingway's squadron shot down 90 enemy aircraft and provided fighter cover for Allied forces during the Battle of France. During the war, Squadron Leader Hemingway was shot down four times. In August 1940, during the Battle of Britain, Hemingway was forced to bail out twice, once landing in the sea near the Essex coast and once in marshland.

In 2019, the wreckage of the Hurricane fighter he flew was discovered, with the control stick and firing button still set to "fire." In July 1941, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which is awarded to RAF personnel who have demonstrated an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy. On his way to receive the award from the King, the Blenheim aircraft he was traveling in crashed on takeoff, and he was forced to escape again.

While serving with No. 85 Squadron at RAF Hunsdon near Hertfordshire, Hemingway was forced to bail out from 600 feet (183 meters) due to instrument failure in bad weather. He hit the tailplane, broke his arm, and his parachute did not fully open, instead getting caught in tree branches. In a battle near Ravenna, Italy, his Spitfire was hit multiple times, and he was forced to bail out for the fourth time. He landed in enemy territory and made contact with Italian civilians, who helped him return to Allied lines.

In an interview with BBC News Northern Ireland in 2023, Squadron Leader Hemingway said he never sought fame for being one of "The Few." "I don't think we ever thought we were in any form great," he said, "We were just fighting a war that we were trained to fight." Hemingway stated that his biggest regret was losing friends, especially Richard "Dickie" Lee, who was lost in August 1940.

The Royal Air Force said that Hemingway's death marks "the end of an era and a profound reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom during the Second World War." They added: "His courage in the face of overwhelming odds demonstrated the importance of duty and British resilience." The statement also said that Hemingway "always sparkled when recalling happy times with his colleagues in France and London."

The statement added: "This quiet, composed, thoughtful and mischievous man probably didn’t want to be the last of ‘The Few’ but he embodied the spirit of all those who took to the skies above this green land." Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, Chief of the Air Staff, said he had spent time with Mr. Hemingway in Dublin earlier this year. "Paddy was an extraordinary man, whose life story embodies all that is great about the Royal Air Force, past and present."