THE FEW become One!

[unclenelli]

Only One Left! (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8300791/RAF-veteran-dies-aged-101-eve-VE-Day-leave-just-one-surviving-member-Few.html)
RIP!

[stevef]

It doesn't seem that long ago since the last WW1 participant died. Where does time go...
Respect.

[Surplus]

And when the one becomes none... they will still be there in their hundreds, because we will never forget them.

[stevef]

And when the one becomes none... they will still be there in their hundreds, because we will never forget them.
Nice sentiment but I'm afraid that they'll mean nothing to relatively modern generations. That's in the same way that the Nazi regime means little or nothing to most present day Germans. The Battle of Britain legacy is that we still speak English here in the UK. Well, mostly...

[NutLoose]

https://youtu.be/NqHx1CDRQkc

[Just a spotter]

Covered also in The Irish Times (10th May)

Irishman is now sole survivor of Winston Churchill’s second World War “Few”
Born in St Kevin’s Gardens in Dartry on July 17th, 1919, Mr Hemingway attended St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir School where he was “an unsuccessful choirboy”. He later attended St Andrew’s College, then located on St Stephen’s Green.

After being accepted into the RAF, he began training in Brough, Yorkshire, in January 1939. Having completed flight training school, Pilot Officer Mr Hemingway was posted to No. 85 Squadron in Debden, flying Hurricanes.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/irishman-is-now-sole-survivor-of-winston-churchill-s-second-world-war-few-1.4249763

JAS

[Union Jack]

I wonder if anyone has any information about the last known survivors of the over 50 Royal Navy and Royal Marines Fleet Air Arm officers and men, including four "aces", who flew in the Battle of Britain with 804 NAS and 808 NAS and several Royal Air Force fighter squadrons.

Jack

[spitfirek5054]

https://youtu.be/NqHx1CDRQkc
Just seen this,I have never heard The Last Post,played on a violin before,very evocative.
Thank you for posting.

[Tankertrashnav]

The phrase "Battle of Britain pilot" rolls off the tongue, but Clark's death is a reminder that navigators (observers) and air gunners were also among those who qualified for the Battle of Britain clasp. Most of these served on Blenheim squadrons, many of which were transferred from Coastal to Fighter Command during the battle. Indeed when I dealt in medals, the only Battle of Britain group which ever passed through my hands had been awarded to a Blenheim air gunner,and it also had the 'Atlantic" clasp on the recipient's Aircrew Europe Star.

RIP

[NutLoose]

Just seen this,I have never heard The Last Post,played on a violin before,very evocative.
Thank you for posting.

Thank you
her later version I feel is better, I have enclosed the link

https://youtu.be/lfVQiThgncc

[Union Jack]

Take a bow, Nutty - pun intended! Your first post on the subject led me to the second link, so well done on posting it as well. Just a pity the lady doesn't play the dark blue "Reveille"....

Jack

[NutLoose]

She plays Rouse which is it under another name I believe.

[pr00ne]

That is quite beautiful. Thank you!

[tarantonight]

I wonder if anyone has any information about the last known survivors of the over 50 Royal Navy and Royal Marines Fleet Air Arm officers and men, including four "aces", who flew in the Battle of Britain with 804 NAS and 808 NAS and several Royal Air Force fighter squadrons.

Jack

I wonder if the FAA Museum will have information re this. I’m sure they have an Archivist.........

TN.

[Union Jack]

She plays Rouse which is it under another name I believe.

Gluttons for punishment can hear the full dark blue "Reveille" at No 13 and "Rouse" at No 14 on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrSJHbPa334 I was always amused that there was a bugle call for "Belay the Last Bugle Call"!

I wonder if the FAA Museum will have information re this. I’m sure they have an Archivist.........

TN.
Meanwhile, back on track, VMT for the thought TN - I might put them to the test.

Jack

[Herod]

Thank you, Nutty. I don't mind admitting it's not the dust in the air. Quite the most moving performance I've ever heard.

[XV490]

Can't help being struck by the irony that the last of the Battle of Britain pilots is an Irishman. How very Irish! ☘️

[Tankertrashnav]

Indeed, and it is only been in recent years that the Irish government has sought to put right the appalling treatment it meted out to those of its citizens, and there were many, who joined the allied forces in their fight against the Nazis, preferring that to staying home in safety. Members of the Irish armed forces who joined the British Army, Royal Navy or RAF were treated as deserters, and were punished on their return to Ireland after the war. One of those punishments was that they were barred from any employment in the public service for a period of seven years. It was as late as 2013 that the Irish Government enacted an amnesty which admitted that those so called "deserters" had been harshly treated" Thankfully now the general Irish attitude to WW2 is far removed from that of the DeValera government, which sought to appease those of its citizens whose hatred of the British led them to support the German cause. I speak as someone of Irish ancestry who sees that country's actions during and after WW2 as a stain on its history.

[XV490]

Tankertrashnav – de Valera also famously expressed his condolences on Hitler's death to the German embassy in Dublin.

So much has changed in the Republic of Ireland in the past 75 years – particularly since 2000. My mother (born in Co Monaghan in 1910) would not recognise it.

​​​

[Wensleydale]

I wonder if anyone has any information about the last known survivors of the over 50 Royal Navy and Royal Marines Fleet Air Arm officers and men, including four "aces", who flew in the Battle of Britain with 804 NAS and 808 NAS and several Royal Air Force fighter squadrons.

Jack


To say nothing of the aircrew of Bomber Command who were also referred to as "The Few" in Churchill's speech.