John “Paddy” Hemingway, the last surviving pilot of the iconic Battle of Britain, passed away peacefully on 17 March 2025 at the age of 105.
Paddy Hemingway, one of a number known as ‘the Few’ and revered figures in British aviation history, played a crucial role in defending the United Kingdom against Nazi oppression during the summer of 1940. His courage in the face of overwhelming odds demonstrated his sense of duty and the importance of British resilience.
Eighty-five years ago, a nineteen-year-old Royal Air Force Pilot Officer from Ireland, flew his Hurricane in the skies over France, providing fighter cover (strafing attacks, air patrols and dogfights) to the British Expeditionary Force and other allied troops as they retreated to the beaches of Dunkirk in the face of overwhelming Nazi Blitzkrieg attacks. It became known as the ‘Battle of France’.
