The Few - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Few is a term used to describe the Allied airmen of the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

(RAF) who fought the Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...

in the Second World War

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. It comes from Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...

's phrase "Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few".

The pilots

Nearly 3,000 men were awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp. , there were fewer than 90 alive.

By one tally, British RAF aircrew numbered 2,353 (80%) of the total of 2,927 flyers involved, with 407 Britons killed from of a total of 510 losses. The remainder were from other former colonies of the British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

(particularly New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

and South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

), as well as exiles from many conquered European nations; in particular, there were several squadrons composed of men from Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

, Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

and Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

. Other countries supplying smaller numbers included France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

and the USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

The statistics

The Battle of Britain was considered officially by the RAF to have been fought between 10 July and 31 October 1940.

RAF pilots claimed to have shot down about 2,600 German aircraft, but figures compiled later suggest that Luftwaffe losses were more likely nearer 2,300.
Of 2,332 Allied pilots who flew fighters in the Battle, 38.85 percent could claim some success in terms of enemy aircraft shot down.
The number of pilots claiming more than one victory amounted to no more than 15 per cent of the total RAF pilots involved.
To be proclaimed an "ace" a pilot had to have five confirmed victories. During the Battle of Britain just 188 RAF pilots achieved that distinction - eight per cent of the total involved. A further 233 of those RAF pilots claiming successes during the Battle became "aces" later in the war.
There were two pilots who were "ace in a day" in the Battle of Britain: Antoni Glowacki
Antoni Glowacki
Antoni Glowacki DFC, DFM, was a Polish Second World War fighter pilot flying with Polish Squadrons attached to the RAF, who is notable for shooting down five German aircraft on 24 August 1940 during the Battle of Britain, becoming one of only two pilots who gained "Ace-in-a-day" status during that...

, a Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...

pilot, and Brian Carbury
Brian Carbury
Flight Lieutenant Brian John George Carbury DFC & Bar was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He was credited with being one of two aces in a day in the Battle of Britain as he shot down five aircraft on 31 August 1940...

, a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

pilot.

Leading Aces

The leading Aces

Flying ace

A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...

of the Battle of Britain were:

Rank	Pilot	Nationality	Squadron	Aircraft	Kills	Notes
1	Plt Off ES Lock Eric Lock Flight Lieutenant Eric Stanley Lock DSO, DFC & Bar was a fighter ace of the Royal Air Force during World War II. Lock became the RAF's most successful British-born pilot during the Battle of Britain, shooting down 16.5 German aircraft...	United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	41 No. 41 Squadron RAF No. 41 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is currently the RAF's Test and Evaluation Squadron , based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Its official title is "41 TES". The Squadron celebrates its 95th anniversary in 2011, and is one of the oldest RAF squadrons in existence.-First World War, 1916–1919:No...	Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...	21	Total 26 kills. KIA 3 August 1941
2	Sgt JH Lacey James Harry Lacey Squadron Leader James Harry "Ginger" Lacey DFM & Bar was one of the top scoring Royal Air Force fighter pilots of the Second World War and was the second highest scoring British RAF fighter pilot of the Battle of Britain, behind P/O Eric Lock of No. 41 Squadron RAF...	United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	501 No. 501 Squadron RAF No 501 Squadron was the fourteenth of the twenty-one flying units in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, the volunteer reserve part of the British Royal Air Force. The squadron won seven battle honours, flying Hurricane, Spitfire and Tempest fighter aircraft during World War II, and was one of the most...	Hurricane	18	Total 28 kills
3	Flt Lt AA McKellar Archie McKellar Flight Lieutenant Archibald Ashmore McKellar DSO DFC & Bar , was a top fighter ace of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain in World War II .Most of McKellar's victories were scored in the Hawker Hurricane....	United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	605 No. 605 Squadron RAF No 605 Squadron was formed as an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. Initially formed as a bomber unit, it was one of the most successful participants of the Battle of Britain. It also had the distinction of being active during World War II at two fronts at a time, when the squadron was split up between...	Hurricane	17 + 1/2	Total 18 + 1/5.KIA 1 November 1940
4	Sgt J Frantisek Josef František Sergeant Josef František DFM* was a Czech fighter pilot and World War II flying ace. He flew for the air forces of Czechoslovakia, Poland and the United Kingdom. He is famous as being the number one allied ace in the Battle of Britain.- Career :Born in Otaslavice in 1913, Josef František joined...	Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...	303	Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...	17	Killed 8 October 1940
5	Plt Off CF Gray Colin Falkland Gray Group Captain Colin Falkland Gray DSO, DFC and Two Bars was the top New Zealand fighter ace of the Second World War. Gray was credited with 27 aerial kills, two shared destroyed, six probable kills, with a further four shared probables.-Early life:He and his twin brother Ken were born in...	New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...	54	Spitfire	15 + 1/5	Total 27.7 kills
6	Fg Off BJG Carbury Brian Carbury Flight Lieutenant Brian John George Carbury DFC & Bar was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He was credited with being one of two aces in a day in the Battle of Britain as he shot down five aircraft on 31 August 1940...	New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...	603 No. 603 Squadron RAF No. 603 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The primary role of 603 Squadron, since reforming on 1 October 1999, has been as a Survive to Operate squadron, as well as providing Force Protection.-Formation and early years:No...	Spitfire	15 + 1/3
7	Plt Off RFT Doe Bob Doe Wing Commander Robert Francis Thomas "Bob" Doe DSO, DFC & Bar was a flying ace of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain in the Second World War, and served with honour with the Indian Air Force during the Burma campaign.-Early life:Robert Francis Thomas Doe was born in Reigate, Surrey,...	United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	234 No. 234 Squadron RAF No. 234 Squadron RAF had a long career within the RAF, being operational on flying boats in World War I and on fighter aircraft in World War II. After the war it remained a fighter unit till 1957. In its last incarnation the squadron was in turn Operational Training Unit , Tactical Weapon Unit and... and 238	Spitfire and Hurricane	15
8	Fg Off W Urbanowicz Witold Urbanowicz Witold Urbanowicz was a Polish fighter ace of the Second World War. According to the official record, Witold Urbanowicz was the second highest-scoring Polish fighter ace, with 17 confirmed wartime kills and 1 probable, not counting his pre-war victory...	Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...	145 No. 145 Squadron RAF No. 145 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that operated during World War I, World War II and the Cold War. Its motto was Diu noctuque pugnamus .-History:... and 303	Hurricane	15	Total 18 (possibly 20) kills
9	Flt Lt PC Hughes Paterson Clarence Hughes Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes DFC was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter pilot, assigned to the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain in World War II....	Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...	234 No. 234 Squadron RAF No. 234 Squadron RAF had a long career within the RAF, being operational on flying boats in World War I and on fighter aircraft in World War II. After the war it remained a fighter unit till 1957. In its last incarnation the squadron was in turn Operational Training Unit , Tactical Weapon Unit and...	Spitfire	14 + 5/6	KIA 7 Sept 1940
10	Sqn Ldr MN Crossley Michael Nicholson Crossley Wing Commander Michael Nicholson Crossley DSO, OBE, DFC was a Royal Air Force Flying ace who, during the Second World War, led No. 32 Squadron RAF in the Battle of Britain....	United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	32	Hurricane	14	wartime total 22 victories

Memorial

The pilots are remembered on the Battle of Britain Memorial

Battle of Britain Memorial

The Battle of Britain Memorial may refer to either of two memorials to the Battle of Britain:*The Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne, Kent*The Battle of Britain Memorial in London*The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is an RAF display team....

at Capel-le-Ferne

Capel-le-Ferne

Capel-le-Ferne , the name of which derives from the phrase "Chapel in the Ferns", is a village situated near Folkestone, Kent. It has a population of approximately 2400...

, Kent and their names are listed on the Battle of Britain Monument in London

Battle of Britain Monument in London

The Battle of Britain Monument in London is a sculpture on the Victoria Embankment overlooking the River Thames in central London, England which pays tribute to those who took part in the Battle of Britain during World War II...

. The Battle of Britain Roll of Honour is held in Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...

in the RAF Chapel

RAF Chapel

At the eastern end of Westminster Abbey in the magnificent Lady Chapel built by King Henry VII is the RAF Chapel dedicated to the men of the Royal Air Force who died in the Battle of Britain between July and October 1940....

, and is paraded annually during the Service of Thanksgiving and Re-dedication on Battle of Britain Sunday.

There is a preserved Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...

fighter aircraft known as "The Last of The Many"—which may be a play on words with "The Few"—that flies as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane...

, along with a Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...

that flew in the Battle (one of five Spitfires in the Memorial Flight). As the Hurricane was the last production model of that type, it did not itself fly in the Battle.

Popular culture

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

loosely refers to "the Few" on the track, "One of the Few", on their anti-war

Anti-war

An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...

concept album

Concept album

In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...

The Final Cut
The Final Cut (album)
The Final Cut is the twelfth studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in March 1983 by Harvest Records in the United Kingdom, and several weeks later by Columbia Records in the United States. A concept album, The Final Cut is the last of the band's releases to...

. The heavy metal band Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...

released a single named Aces High

Aces High (song)

"Aces High" is a song by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, written by bassist Steve Harris. It is Iron Maiden's eleventh single and the second from the 1984 studio album Powerslave...

, telling the story of a pilot flying in the Battle of Britain. In 2010 the Swedish power metal

Power metal

Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...

band Sabaton

Sabaton (band)

Sabaton is a Grammis-nominated power metal band from Falun, Sweden formed in 1999. The band's main lyrical themes are those of historical wars. This is heard in albums Primo Victoria, Attero Dominatus and Coat of Arms where all of the songs, except final tracks, take inspiration from historical...

recorded a song about the foreign contingent of the Few, on their album Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms (album)
-Personnel:* Joakim Brodén - vocals* Rickard Sundén - guitars* Oskar Montelius - guitars* Pär Sundström - bass* Daniel Mullback - drums* Daniel Mÿhr - keyboards-Chart performance:-Certifications:- Notes :...

.

The Few, a novel by Alex Kershaw

Alex Kershaw

Alex Kershaw is the British author of several popular books about World War II, notably the New York Times best-sellers The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter. He has lived in the US since 1994....

, tells the stories of the men who flew in the Battle of Britain. , a Hollywood film similarly named The Few was in preparation for release in 2008, based on the story of real-life US pilot Billy Fiske

Billy Fiske

William Meade Lindsley "Billy" Fiske III was the 1928 and 1932 Olympic champion bobsled driver and, following Jimmy Davies, was one of the first American pilots killed in action in World War II...

, who ignored his country's neutrality rules and volunteered for the RAF. A Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...

magazine outline of the film's historical content was said in The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...

to have been described by Bill Bond, who conceived the Battle of Britain Monument in London

Battle of Britain Monument in London

, as "Totally wrong. The whole bloody lot."

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The pilots

The statistics

Leading Aces

Memorial

Popular culture

See also

Further reading

External links