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The Few

Updated: Wikipedia source

The Few

The Few were the airmen of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the aviators of the Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy (RN) who fought the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. The term comes from Winston Churchill's phrase "Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few." It also alludes to Shakespeare's famous speech in his play, Henry V: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..."

Tables

· Statistics › Leading aces
1
1
Rank
1
Pilot
Flt Lt Eric Lock
Nationality
United Kingdom
Squadron
41
Aircraft
Spitfire
Kills
21
Notes
Total 26 kills. MIA 3 August 1941.
2
2
Rank
2
Pilot
Sqn Ldr Archie McKellar
Nationality
United Kingdom
Squadron
605
Aircraft
Hurricane
Kills
19
Notes
Total 21 (possibly 22) three probable and three damaged. 5 Bf 109's on 7 October 1940. KIA 1 November 1940.
3
3
Rank
3
Pilot
Sgt James Lacey
Nationality
United Kingdom
Squadron
501
Aircraft
Hurricane
Kills
18 (23 by end of November)
Notes
Total 28 kills.
4
4
Rank
4
Pilot
Sgt Josef František
Nationality
Czechoslovakia
Squadron
303
Aircraft
Hurricane
Kills
17
Notes
Killed 8 October 1940.
5
5
Rank
5
Pilot
Fg Off Brian Carbury
Nationality
New Zealand
Squadron
603
Aircraft
Spitfire
Kills
15 + .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- 1⁄2
6
6
Rank
6
Pilot
Fg Off Witold Urbanowicz
Nationality
Poland
Squadron
145 and 303
Aircraft
Hurricane
Kills
15
Notes
Total 18 (possibly 20) kills.
7
7
Rank
7
Pilot
Plt Off Colin Gray
Nationality
New Zealand
Squadron
54
Aircraft
Spitfire
Kills
14 + 1⁄2
Notes
Total 27.7 kills.
8
8
Rank
8
Pilot
Plt Off Bob Doe
Nationality
United Kingdom
Squadron
234 and 238
Aircraft
Spitfire / Hurricane
Kills
14 (+ 2 shared)
9
9
Rank
9
Pilot
Flt Lt Paterson Hughes
Nationality
Australia
Squadron
234
Aircraft
Spitfire
Kills
14 + 5⁄6
Notes
KIA 7 September 1940.
10
10
Rank
10
Pilot
Sqn Ldr Michael Crossley
Nationality
United Kingdom
Squadron
32
Aircraft
Hurricane
Kills
14
Notes
Wartime total 22 victories.
Rank
Pilot
Nationality
Squadron
Aircraft
Kills
Notes
1
Flt Lt Eric Lock
United Kingdom
41
Spitfire
21
Total 26 kills. MIA 3 August 1941.
2
Sqn Ldr Archie McKellar
United Kingdom
605
Hurricane
19
Total 21 (possibly 22) three probable and three damaged. 5 Bf 109's on 7 October 1940. KIA 1 November 1940.
3
Sgt James Lacey
United Kingdom
501
Hurricane
18 (23 by end of November)
Total 28 kills.
4
Sgt Josef František
Czechoslovakia
303
Hurricane
17
Killed 8 October 1940.
5
Fg Off Brian Carbury
New Zealand
603
Spitfire
15 + .mw- .mw- 1⁄2
6
Fg Off Witold Urbanowicz
Poland
145 and 303
Hurricane
15
Total 18 (possibly 20) kills.
7
Plt Off Colin Gray
New Zealand
54
Spitfire
14 + 1⁄2
Total 27.7 kills.
8
Plt Off Bob Doe
United Kingdom
234 and 238
Spitfire / Hurricane
14 (+ 2 shared)
9
Flt Lt Paterson Hughes
Australia
234
Spitfire
14 + 5⁄6
KIA 7 September 1940.
10
Sqn Ldr Michael Crossley
United Kingdom
32
Hurricane
14
Wartime total 22 victories.

References

  1. "Visiting the Abbey: The Royal Air Force Chapel." Westminster Abbey. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
    http://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/highlights/the-royal-air-force-chapel
  2. Royal Air Force
    https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/the-last-surviving-battle-of-britain-pilot-john-paddy-hemingway-dfc-passes-away/
  3. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg1z42pkj8o
  4. Bickers 1990, Appendix 24, p. 358. Note: Gives the numerical breakdown by nationalities.
  5. Bickers 1990, Appendix 25, pp. 359–376. Note: Gives a complete list of the Allied aircrew in the Battle.
  6. Wood and Dempster 1990, p. 187.
  7. Wood and Dempster 1990, pp. 194–203. Note: Gives a complete list of the Allied aircrew in the Battle.
  8. Speech to the House of Commons on 20 August 1940.
  9. "Battle of Britain Day". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/events/battle_of_britain_day
  10. "Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary" Archived 15 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine. The Royal British Legion. Retriev
    http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/battle-of-britain-70th-anniversary
  11. "Battle of Britain Memorial." battleofbritainmemorial.org . Retrieved: 7 September 2011.
    http://www.battleofbritainmemorial.org
  12. RAF News
    https://web.archive.org/web/20221201091632/https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/spirit-of-the-few-monument-unveiling/
  13. Crang, Jeremy A. "Identifying the 'Few': The Personalisation of a Heroic Military Elite." Archived 15 September 2010 at
    http://www.bbm.org.uk/Crang.htm
  14. Shores, Christopher and Clive Williams. Aces High. London: Grub Street, 1994. ISBN 1-898697-00-0.
  15. The Telegraph
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/surviving-pilot-battle-britain-last/
  16. Fleming, Michael. "New flight plan for Cruise." Variety, 9 September 2003. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
    https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117892183.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=billy+fiske
  17. Moreton, Cole. "Hollywood updates history of Battle of Britain: Tom Cruise won it all on his own." The Independent, 11 A
    https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/hollywood-updates-history-of-battle-of-britain-tom-cruise-won-it-all-on-his-own-55566.htmle
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