Shot down four times, walking away from a failed parachute and now telling the tale, aged 101, sole Battle of Britain survivor John Hemingway talks to Jonny Cracknell
There has always been a strong sense of admiration for ‘The Few’ who gallantly took to the skies during the Battle of Britain. With countless growing up idolising them as heroes, some even aspired to follow in their footsteps. However, it’s a sobering thought that of the almost 3,000 recognised Allied airmen who flew between July 10 and October 31, 1940, just one is known to survive today.
History narrates how The Few – as a small band of courageous young men, from all walks of life – refused to wilt in the face of Nazi tyranny, despite seemingly insurmountable odds.
Spitfires and Hurricanes still grace the skies as the irreplaceable sound of their Merlin engines perpetuate the tale, but it’s the individual stories that truly capture the human sacrifice, significance and reality of the conflict.
His fight; our fortune
The last known survivor is the remarkable 101-year-old Gp Capt John Allman ‘Paddy’ Hemingway DFC. Not only did he take part in the Battle of Britain (BoB), he also fought during the Battle of France and across Italy. It is wi…
