Battle of Britain Day 2021

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Today is 'Battle of Britain Day'.

This day, in June 1940, one of the largest and intense aerial battles took place over the English Channel and the South East of England. The RAF took on the might of the German Luftwaffe during continual attacks and won. This defeat forced Hitler to postpone his planned 'Operation Sea Lion' Invasion plans.

Winston Churchill summed up this Victory with the famous words:

'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few'

It should also be remembered the crucial part played by Keith Park who was in command of No 11 Group Fighter Command. Lord Tedder (Chief of the Royal Air Force) stated in 1947 about Keith Park:
‘If any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did. I do not believe it is realised how much this one man, with his leadership, his calm judgement and his skill, did to save, not only this country, but the world’.

At the time of posting this, there is only one 'Battle of Britain' Fighter Pilot still alive: Group Captain John ('Paddy') Hemingway DFC of 85 Squadron, aged 102, who lives in Ireland.

PW