An Cosantóir

28 LAST OF THE FEW By Ronan McGreevy LAST OF THE FEW Irishman John Hemingway is now the last survivor of the Second World War "Few" who fought in the Battle of Britain. It follows the death in a Yorkshire care home of Flight Lieutenant Terry Clark (101) on the eve of the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The "Few" were so called by Britain's wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill in reference to the 3,000 men from the Royal Air Force (RAF) who repulsed the German Luftwaffe during the summer and autumn of 1940 and prevented a Nazi invasion of Britain. Mr Churchill paid tribute to them in his much-quoted speech in August 1940 in which he stated: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few". The RAF Benevolent Fund controller Air Vice-Marshal Chris Elliot confirmed to the BBC that Mr Hemingway is now the last surviving member of the Few. Mr Hemingway (100) lives in a nursing home in Foxrock, Co Dublin. He was informed yesterday of the death of Mr Clark and that he is now the last of the Few. He expressed his condolences to Mr Clark's family. 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. Mr Hemingway was on the frontline during the Battle of Britain, a campaign which decimated No. 85 Squadron. He was shot down twice in August 1940. The first instance was while intercepting Junkers Ju 88s about 32km off Clacton-on- Sea in Essex. He was in the water for almost two hours before a rowing boat rescued him. Over Eastchurch in Kent during an attack on Dornier bombers, his aircraft was damaged by tail gunners and he bailed over Pitsea marshes. His Hurricane P3966 plummeted from 5,000m and was buried in the soft, boggy soil of the marshes. By September 1940, No. 85 Squadron had lost 11 pilots in action and had to be withdrawn. Mr Hemingway was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in July 1941, but the battle Mr Hemingway stands in front of a Hurricane fighter jet with his RAF pals John Hemingway showing us a picture of himself from the war v John posing for a photo in his RAF uniform

• Cover