Prince William has expressed his sadness after the death of John 'Paddy' Hemingway, the last surviving pilot of the Battle of Britain.
The veteran died on March 17 at the age of 105.
In a statement released by William, he wrote: "I was sad to hear about the passing of John 'Paddy' Hemingway this morning, the last of "The Few".
"We owe so much to Paddy and his generation for our freedoms today.
Prince William has expressed his sadness after the death of John 'Paddy' Hemingway, the last surviving pilot of the Battle of Britain
Getty/RAF
The Prince continued: "Their bravery and sacrifice will always be remembered.
"We shall never forget them."
The Prince of Wales signed the message with a ‘W’, signalling the tribute was directly from the royal.
Prince William served in the RAF as a search and rescue pilot, based at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, from 2010 to 2013.
I was sad to hear about the passing of John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway this morning, the last of “The Few”. We owe so much to Paddy and his generation for our freedoms today. Their bravery and sacrifice will always be remembered. We shall never forget them. W
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 18, 2025
He later worked as a pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance from 2015 to 2017.
Hemingway, who was born in Dublin in 1919, enlisted in the RAF in 1938 and soon became one of the young pilots who fought in the Battle of France.
He was among the men known as "The Few", coined by Winston Churchill to describe Britain’s Battle of Britain pilots two years later.
The veteran passed away at a care home in the Irish capital on St Patrick's Day.
John 'Paddy' Hemingway retired from the RAF in 1969 as a Group Captain
RAF
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Giving a heartfelt tribute to the war-time hero, Defence Secretary John Healey said: "I am deeply saddened to learned of the passing of John 'Paddy' Hemingway DFC.
"Paddy came from a generation who understood the importance of freedom and sacrificed so much to achieve it. The last known Battle of Britain Pilot, he embodied the deep courage of that incredible generation.
"On behalf of a grateful nation, I extend my condolences to his family and loved ones."
The 105-year-old retired from the RAF in 1969 as a Group Captain.
