The Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace has honoured the last Battle of Britain pilot, John “Paddy” Hemingway, following his death at the age of 105.
Group Captain Hemingway, originally from Dublin, was the final surviving member of “The Few”, who took to the skies in 1940 to defend the UK against Luftwaffe attacks in what became a pivotal moment of the Second World War.
The Band of the Coldstream Guards, in their long grey greatcoats and bearskin hats, played the Battle of Britain March and the Royal Air Force March Past in tribute to Group Capt Hemingway during the ceremony on the Palace forecourt on Wednesday.
💂♀️ 🎵 Today, the Band of the Coldstream Guards played the Battle of Britain March and the Royal Air Force March Past during Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace in honour of John "Paddy" Hemingway, the last surviving Battle of Britain pilot who died on Monday at the age of… pic.twitter.com/XLgwD5JXxX
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 19, 2025
The Prince of Wales and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer were among those who praised Group Capt Hemingway for his courage during the conflict after his death on Monday.
William, in a personal message, said: “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.”
In 1940, Group Capt Hemingway was recorded as destroying a German airliner and the following day he downed a German Luftwaffe plane, but his Hurricane fighter was hit by anti-aircraft fire and he had to make a forced landing.
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 then became one of the frontline members of 11 Group’s response to daily attacks by German aircraft, which went on to be known as the Battle of Britain.
In August 1940, during hectic dogfights, he was twice forced to bail out of his Hurricanes, landing once in the sea off the Essex coast and in marshland on the other occasion.
In 1941, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and in September of that year, he was mentioned in despatches by senior officers.
