Just 2,936 fighter pilots and aircrew flew against the mighty Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain and were entitled to wear the rare ‘Battle of Britain Clasp’ to their war medal. To earn that right and become one of ‘The Few’, they had to fly at least ‘one authorised operational sortie with an eligible unit of the RAF or Fleet Air Arm during the period from 00.01 hours on 10 July to 23.59 hours on 31 October 1940’. Understandably it remains one of the rarest ‘clasps’ of them all.

With Britain ripe for invasion, Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering overlooked the tenacity, bravery and courage of RAF Fighter Command as, during these testing times, Britain did not stand alone. Although the majority of aircrew were British, nearly 600 men came from other countries. Some such as Poland had been over-run by the Nazis, whilst other large contingents came from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. There were even a few Americans.

By the end of the battle they had all learnt to heed Churchill’s defiant words – ‘we shall never surrender’ – and their spirit lives on. However, the vital role played by the supporting cast cannot be overlooked; the hard working ground crews whose endless checks and running repairs ensured the aircraft were ready as soon as they were called upon.

Keith Burns’ latest piece serves as a tribute to all those who took part in the Battle of Britain during that long summer of 1940.

Keith, who joined the Military Gallery in 2020, is currently illustrating the Ladybird Expert History series of the Second World War written by leading historian James Holland. His graphic portrayal, Testing Times, depicts Sergeant Don Kingaby carrying out last minute checks on his Mk.I Spitfire at the height of the Battle of Britain.