Another of the few has left us.
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Another of the few has left us.
RIP Archie,
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsm...day/ar-AAFehJO
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsm...day/ar-AAFehJO
A "hero" Battle of Britain veteran has died hours after celebrating his 100th birthday, taking the number of surviving members of The Few to five, his biographer has said.Archie McInnes, who flew Hurricanes during the battle in the skies over southern England, completed his pilot training aged 21 and was commissioned the next day.He died hours after celebrating his 100th birthday on Wednesday.His biographer and friend Jonny Cracknell wrote on Twitter: "It is with a heavy heart and incredible sadness to advise the tragic news that Battle of Britain hero Archie McInnes sadly passed away last night, just hours after celebrating his 100th birthday amongst friends and family.
We are down to 5 now. I have been tracking the Battle of Britain veterans for a while:
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"As we grow older.........."
The numbers dwindle (inevitably). Only 5 left.!
I hope that we (collectively, all of us) will also be remembered in the future (some 50 years away) as Veterans of Bastion/Basrah/Kandahar/Kajaki/Al Amarah etc, counted as some of the Few.
The numbers dwindle (inevitably). Only 5 left.!
I hope that we (collectively, all of us) will also be remembered in the future (some 50 years away) as Veterans of Bastion/Basrah/Kandahar/Kajaki/Al Amarah etc, counted as some of the Few.
My father was on that list when it was much longer... 1919 must have been a good year. Children of the Great War.
Lost for words.
Lost for words.
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There is a huge belief around the RAF that "The Few" referred to the Battle of Britain pilots in 1940. However, in common with many other things that fighter pilots think is their preserve, this is incorrect. If you read Churchill's "The Few" speech, you will find that he is referring to "British Airmen" and not just those of Fighter Command. The excerpt from the speech is here:
“The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain.”
Perhaps on every September 15th, in addition to remembering the 550 pilots of Fighter Command who died in the Battle of Britain we should remember the 790 aircrew of Bomber Command who died in the same period (and who incidentally caused the dispersal of the German invasion barges before the end of the Battle of Britain due to the "Battle of the Barges" in early September).
“The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain.”
Perhaps on every September 15th, in addition to remembering the 550 pilots of Fighter Command who died in the Battle of Britain we should remember the 790 aircrew of Bomber Command who died in the same period (and who incidentally caused the dispersal of the German invasion barges before the end of the Battle of Britain due to the "Battle of the Barges" in early September).
Perhaps on every September 15th, in addition to remembering the 550 pilots of Fighter Command who died in the Battle of Britain
We should also note the service in the RCAF and RAF of approximately 9500 Americans, and the 829 who were killed in service.
https://militaryaviationchronicles.c...g-world-war-2/
https://militaryaviationchronicles.c...g-world-war-2/
There is a huge belief around the RAF that "The Few" referred to the Battle of Britain pilots in 1940. However, in common with many other things that fighter pilots think is their preserve, this is incorrect. If you read Churchill's "The Few" speech, you will find that he is referring to "British Airmen" and not just those of Fighter Command. The excerpt from the speech is here:
“The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain.”
Perhaps on every September 15th, in addition to remembering the 550 pilots of Fighter Command who died in the Battle of Britain we should remember the 790 aircrew of Bomber Command who died in the same period (and who incidentally caused the dispersal of the German invasion barges before the end of the Battle of Britain due to the "Battle of the Barges" in early September).
“The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain.”
Perhaps on every September 15th, in addition to remembering the 550 pilots of Fighter Command who died in the Battle of Britain we should remember the 790 aircrew of Bomber Command who died in the same period (and who incidentally caused the dispersal of the German invasion barges before the end of the Battle of Britain due to the "Battle of the Barges" in early September).
Works for me as a motivational speech.
We should also note the service in the RCAF and RAF of approximately 9500 Americans, and the 829 who were killed in service.
2 years ago I attended a fly in British Columbia. John Hart's grandson had arranged for a ride for his Grandfather in one of the Harvards attending. He was physically rather frail but mentally 100%. A very interesting gentleman and he was very moved at the response and interest he received at the fly in. He very much enjoyed and appreciated the ride although in the politest possible terms did allow as to the fact that he was disappointed there was no control stick in the back cockpit !
Non-British personnel in the RAF during the Battle of Britain
I think that list is reasonably complete, I havent checked the notes to see why there is disparity in some of the figures
Megan, I have definitely seen an "Argentina" blue cloth shoulder title worn by personnal from that country serving with the RAF, and you may well be right about Mexico. I have seen that photo of Indian pilots several times before. Sometimes it is stated that they flew in the Battle of Britain, which is incorrect, but certainly many Indian aircrew flew with the RAF, as well, of course, with the RIAF. Given the hostility of the government of the Irish Free State under de Valera towards their citizens joining the British armed forces during WW2, it is remarkable that no less than ten Irish pilots flew during the Battle, including of course the famous Wg Cdr Paddy Finucane
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NationNumber
Poland141[1] or 145[2]
New Zealand127[2] or 135[3]
Canada112[2]
Czechoslovakia84[4] or 88[2] 
Belgium28[2] or 30[4]
Australia26[4] or 32[2]
South Africa22[4] or 25[2]
France13[2] or 14[4]
Ireland10[2]
United States9[2] or 11[4]
Southern Rhodesia3[2] or 4[4]
Jamaica1[2]
Barbados1[2]
Newfoundland1[2]
Northern Rhodesia1[4]
Poland141[1] or 145[2] New Zealand127[2] or 135[3] Canada112[2] Czechoslovakia84[4] or 88[2] Belgium28[2] or 30[4] Australia26[4] or 32[2] South Africa22[4] or 25[2] France13[2] or 14[4] Ireland10[2] United States9[2] or 11[4] Southern Rhodesia3[2] or 4[4] Jamaica1[2] Barbados1[2] Newfoundland1[2] Northern Rhodesia1[4]I think that list is reasonably complete, I havent checked the notes to see why there is disparity in some of the figures
Megan, I have definitely seen an "Argentina" blue cloth shoulder title worn by personnal from that country serving with the RAF, and you may well be right about Mexico. I have seen that photo of Indian pilots several times before. Sometimes it is stated that they flew in the Battle of Britain, which is incorrect, but certainly many Indian aircrew flew with the RAF, as well, of course, with the RIAF. Given the hostility of the government of the Irish Free State under de Valera towards their citizens joining the British armed forces during WW2, it is remarkable that no less than ten Irish pilots flew during the Battle, including of course the famous Wg Cdr Paddy Finucane
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Virtually all you need to know can be found here https://www.battleofbritain1940.net/
