The passing of a legend: Last Battle of Britain pilot’s death marks the end of a historic era

18 March 2025, 16:24

The death of Group Captain John Hemingway, the last pilot known to have flown in the Battle of Britain, is a profound moment in the history of Britain and beyond.

For over eighty years the Battle of Britain has served as a touchstone of British national identity.

The victory of the few in that defensive battle was woven into the national consciousness by Churchill’s oratory as early as the summer of 1940, and we have returned to that moment again and again for comfort, reassurance and to remind ourselves in changing times just what it means to “be British”.

A nation that had faced imminent defeat, occupation and the savage tyranny of the Nazis had held firm against the onslaught of the Luftwaffe thanks to a United Nations of the air in RAF blue as British pilots fought desperately alongside comrades from Canada, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Ireland (like Hemingway), Belgium, France, the wider British Empire and other nations under Nazi occupation.

British civilians too had shown their determination to fight, to never give up, even as their homes were being flattened by bombs from above.

A nation united in common purpose had put aside its differences to fight for Britain, for Britishness, for freedom and for a future for their children.

In the summer of 1940 much was placed on the shoulders of those who flew for RAF Fighter Command and they did not disappoint.

The nation ever since has continued to give thanks to those who flew the burning blue, and the Battle marked a turning point in a very long war: The moment when the seemingly unstoppable march of the Nazis was halted.

Victory in the Battle became a vital element in convincing the United States that Britain could hold, and that isolation from Europe would leave the United States facing a world dominated by totalitarian powers with few friends it could count on.

The formation of the special relationship, and victory in 1945, was underwritten by the bravery of the pilots of the RAF in 1940.

The death of the last fighter pilot removes a vital living connection with that defining moment of history that made twentieth century Britain.

As we look to the uncertainties of the present, their exploits will live on in books and film, but that last chance to speak to one of the few, and to marvel at their self-deprecation (“I was just doing my job") has now sadly passed.

G H Bennett is an Associate Professor (Hon.) at Plymouth University.

LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.

To contact us email views@lbc.co.uk