Following the evacuation of Dunkirk, Britain was standing alone against her adversaries. With less than half the strength of the Luftwaffe the RAF boldly stood ready for action. The Battle of Britain was about to begin. By the end of October Britain had lost a number of fighter pilots but had beaten the Germans. Winston Churchill declared that ‘never in the field of human contact was so much owed by so many to so few.’
Eric Lock
Eric Lock has been termed as the most successful British born pilot. He became one of a handful of quadruple ‘ace’ fighter pilots on account of his success in shooting down enemy aircraft. He experienced his first flight on his fourteenth birthday, a present from his father. Lock was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his achievements and a second citation not long after for ‘great courage and coolness in combat’. A month after the end of the Battle, Lock was injured after crash landing. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order during his recovery. The following year Lock, who had returned as Flight Lieutenant, was killed during an attack on a German troop in France. Neither his body nor his aircraft have ever been found.
Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader is possibly the most famous ace fighter pilot from the Battle of Britain.
Bader’s father died from wounds sustained in the First World War when Bader was just twelve years old. Douglas went on to show great skill as a sportsman particularly in rugby and boxing. He joined the RAF in 1928 and was commissioned as a pilot officer by 1930. Bader lost his legs not in battle but because of a dare in 1931. Whilst flying a plane at a low level, he clipped one of the wings and crash-landed. Both of his legs had to be amputated and he left the RAF. Bader unfazed by his disabilities soon learnt to walk again on artificial limbs. When war broke out, he convinced the RAF medical board that he was fit to fly.
Bader was captured when he had to bail out over France. Such was his notoriety that the Germans arranged for a replacement artificial limb to be dropped off by the RAF as he had lost one in the crash. Bader spent the rest of the war at Colditz. Bader lived until he was 72 and was knighted for the work he undertook on behalf of the disabled.
James Lacey
James ‘Ginger’ Lacey was one of the most experienced fighter pilots beginning on day one of the outbreak of war until the day peace was secured. Lacey held one of the few elite titles of triple ace pilot due to his successful fights in the sky. Lacey had begun his career as an apprentice pharmacist and as talk of war started to take hold, he signed up for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre in the Battle of France. Lacey went on to receive the Distinguished Flying Medal for his successful missions and later a second citation. He became known to the public when he shot down one of the planes that had bombed Buckingham Palace. By the end of the Battle of Britain, Lacey had bailed out or crashed nine times, each without suffering serious injury. He remained in the RAF until he retired in 1967 and died at the age of 72.
The Second World War was a war fought and won in the skies as well as on land. Over four hundred fighter pilots died during the Battle of Britain.
References
The Battle of Britain - History
