Last surviving pilot from the Battle of Britain, John 'Paddy' Hemingway, dies at age 105

LONDON (AP) — John “Paddy” Hemingway, the past surviving aviator who flew during the Battle of Britain, has died astatine the property of 105.

He died Monday astatine his location successful Dublin, the Royal Air Force said.

Hemingway was conscionable 20 years aged erstwhile helium and his comrades successful the Royal Air Force took to the skies to combat disconnected question aft question of Nazi craft that sought to lb Britain into submission during the the summertime and autumn of 1940.

During dogfights with German craft successful August of 1940, Hemingway was doubly forced to bail retired of his Hurricane fighter, erstwhile landing successful oversea disconnected the eastbound seashore of England, earlier returning to his squadron to resume the fight, the RAF said. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry successful 1941.

In an interrogation with the BBC successful 2020, Hemingway dismissed suggestions of bravery and heroism, saying helium was a aviator and had a occupation to do.

“The satellite was astatine war, and you couldn’t spell determination and say, ‘I’m astatine bid and I don’t combat wars,’” helium said.

“The main accomplishment was luck. You had to beryllium lucky, nary substance however bully you were. For instance, my boss, Dickie Lee, was the champion aviator I’ve each seen, but helium was changeable down and killed. So helium had nary luck. I had bags of luck.”