‘The Few’ becomes one after Battle of Britain hero dies

Battle of Britain veteran Terry Clark has died aged 101, leaving one surviving member of “The Few” who took to the skies in the summer of 1940.

The RAF Benevolent Fund said Mr Clark, who served as a radar operator on Beaufighters during the Second World War, died on Thursday.

He was one of two remaining air crew, known as The Few, who took to the skies to defend the UK against attacks from the Luftwaffe, Nazi Germany’s air force, in the Battle of Britain.

The death of Mr Clark, who had celebrated his 101st birthday earlier this year, leaves John “Paddy” Hemingway as the last surviving member.

RAF Benevolent Fund controller Air Vice-marshal Chris Elliot said: “Our condolences go to Terry’s family and friends at this sad time.

“This news is especially poignant as we remember the bravery and sacrifice of all those who fought for us today, the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

“Terry belonged to a generation of servicemen and women who answered their country’s call without question.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to every one of them and their legacy must be to remember their service.

“John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway is now the last surviving member of The Few and in September we will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the battle.

“The RAF Benevolent Fund will be paying tribute to those pilots and air crew who ‘gave so much to so many’.

“We honour their memory by supporting the Second World War and National Service veterans who need our help, before it is too late.”

Meanwhile, Captain Tom Moore has said VE Day is a “very special” occasion, as he remembered his comrades from the Second World War.

The 100-year-old veteran and NHS fundraising champion said “we all need to be very happy” during celebrations as the UK marks “the end of a very fearsome war in Europe”.

The Yorkshireman, who was just 20 when he was conscripted, has become a national hero by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, raising more than £32 million for the NHS.

After he joined the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 1940, he was posted to India the next year, later moving to the jungles of Burma.

He had just returned from Asia and was at an army camp in Bovington, Dorset, when news of Nazi Germany’s surrender came through.

He told ITV’S Good Morning Britain: “It’s a very special day that is celebrating the end of a very fearsome war in Europe.

“But today it really is a very fine day, the sun is shining on us too, so I think we all need to be very happy that the war in Europe did come to an end.

“It was a very important day and everyone concerned was absolutely very pleased that this was the end... the bombing of London, the bombing of other cities... had come to an end.

“It was a very, very happy day.” But despite the war ending in Europe, Captain Tom has bittersweet memories of VE Day, having returned to the UK to work as a tank instructor while his friends were still fighting in Asia.

It was another three months until Japan’s surrender on August 15 1945.

He went on: “At the time I was very concerned that all my comrades I had left in Burma were still fighting.

“My thoughts were with them because although there were great celebrations here, all my comrades were still fighting in Burma with the Japanese.”

Captain Tom was made an honorary colonel to mark his centenary and fundraising efforts.

Former RAF pilot Terry Clark died on Thursday, aged 101.