Last Battle of Britain pilot honoured as name added to Hawker Hurricane
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is paying tribute to Group Captain John "Paddy" Hemingway by adding his name to Hawker Hurricane LF363 – an aircraft of the type he flew during the Battle of Britain.
The tribute appears just below the cockpit of the historic fighter, which is thought to have been the last Hurricane to enter service.
Gp Capt Hemingway, one of The Few, was the last surviving pilot to have flown in the Battle of Britain – a group celebrated for defending the UK against Luftwaffe attacks during the summer of 1940.
He passed away peacefully on 17 March 2025 at the age of 105.
His service in both the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain is being commemorated by the BBMF as a lasting symbol of courage, duty and resilience.
Operated by the Royal Air Force, the BBMF maintains a fleet of historic wartime aircraft in flying condition, performing at airshows and commemorative events across the UK.
Gp Capt Hemingway was born in Ireland and joined the RAF in time to take part in the Battle of France, where as a 19-year-old pilot with No. 85 Squadron he flew Hurricanes on strafing runs, dogfights and patrols in support of retreating Allied troops at Dunkirk.
On 10 May 1940, he destroyed a Heinkel He 111. The next day, he shot down a Dornier Do 17 before his own aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire, forcing him to crash land.
As the Germans advanced, his squadron withdrew to Britain.
Under the command of Peter Townsend, No. 85 Squadron became part of Fighter Command’s front line during the Battle of Britain.
Gp Capt Hemingway flew regular sorties, twice bailing out of his aircraft during fierce dogfights – once landing in the sea off Essex and another time in marshland.
The strain of combat and the loss of comrades, including his close friend Dickie Lee, left a lasting impact.
His biggest regret, he later said, was the loss of friends.
In July 1941, Gp Capt Hemingway was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and later that year was Mentioned in Dispatches.
His journey to London to receive his DFC nearly ended in disaster when the Blenheim aircraft he was in crashed on take-off.
It wasn't his only brush with death. That same year, while flying a Havoc night fighter, he bailed out at just 600 feet due to instrument failure, injuring his hand on the tailfin.
His parachute only partially deployed, but snagged in a tree, breaking his fall.
In 1945, while flying a Spitfire over Italy, he was shot down again, this time landing in enemy territory. Italian partisans helped him return safely to his unit.
Despite his extensive heroic missions, Gp Capt Hemingway downplayed his role. He never considered himself a hero – just someone doing the job he was trained to do.
His passing marks the end of an era – but his story and name will remain airborne, inscribed on Hurricane LF363.
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