Great Britain. John “Paddy” Hemingway is dead. This is the last living pilot participating in the Battle of Britain

The last living pilot fighting in the Battle of Britain died. The departure of John “Paddy” Hemingway Raf called “the end of a certain era”. He himself, although he took part in one of the most important battles on the Western front during World War II, said that “he never thought he was co -creating history.” He claimed that he simply “did his work”. He brushed his death many times.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) informed on their website that John “Paddy” Hemingway, the last living pilot who took part in the Battle of Britain, died on Monday. As reported, he left alone at the age of 105. In a statement published by RAF, we can read that Hemingway “played a key role in defense of the United Kingdom” against the Nazis in the summer of 1940. It was also emphasized that “his courage in the face of the overwhelming advantage of the enemy was proof of his sense of duty and importance of British endurance.”

As stated, “Paddy personified the spirit of all those who performed combat flights” over Great Britain. “His departure means the end of a certain era and a touching reminder of sacrifices incurred by those who fought for freedom during World War II” – he added.

Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of Great Britain, paid homage to the deceased. “With great sadness we accepted the news of the death of Captain John 'Paddy's' Hemingway, the last pilot known to us, Battle of Britain. His courage and courage of all RAF pilots helped end World War II and provide us with freedom.

John “Paddy” Hemingway brushed many times about death

The 105-year-old was an Irishman and He emphasized many times in his statementsthat Irish happiness owes the fact that he had survived the war. Because he wiped up for death many times. He was shot down four times during combat operations.

Even August 18, 1940, during the most fierce fights in the Battle of Britain. His plane hit the shooters of the German bomber. Hemingway jumped with a parachute above the Thames' mouth to the La Manche channel and drifted in a life jacket for about three hours before he was noticed and fished by a rescue ship.

Another time, German balls hit a Hemingway aircraft just before the end of the war on April 23, 1945. This time it was a Spitfire fighter, which the Irishman – then in the rank of Major and as commander of the 43rd RAF Squadron – flew to attack German positions in northern Italy. He landed in an emergency, and thanks to the help of local anti -fascists he managed to return through the front. “They were wonderful people, they risked their lives,” he recalled in an interview with the BBC. Disguised as an Italian peasant, he was escorted to a British unit by a 10-year-old. He later said that he was not afraid of himself, but about this girl.

– I never thought I was co -creating history. We performed the work to which we were employed. We just went and did what we could – he emphasized.

In July 2022, to Ireland, on the occasion of the birth of John “Paddy” Hemingway to Dublin, where he lived, Raf Memorial Flight aircraft arrived, i.e. the historical squadron of British aviation, which tries to maintain historic machines capable of flying with the maximum possible number of original parts. Hurricane was among them – that is, a plane in which Hemingway took part in the Battle of Britain.

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