Delighted to see that the new book is now available to pre-order through Amazon, Waterstones and shortly Grub Street Publishing - or even via the author! Read more about one of the RAF's unsung heroes here: blackrobertson.com RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel Battle of Britain Spitfire Museum

Born this day 8th.July 1913. F.Lt. John Ignatius Kilmartin. DFC. OBE. Irish One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Kilmart… He survived it all. After the war Kilmartin stayed in the RAF. He held several positions in NATO and retired as a Wing Commander.

Born this day 8th.July 1921. PO. Henry Wilfred Arthur Britton. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Britton… He was killed August 1940 when his Hurricane crashed and burned out in Debden Park. Age 19. Buried in All Saints’ churchyard, Wimbish, Essex.

Born this day 8th.July 1913. Sgt. Samuel Leslie Butterfield. DFM. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Butterf… He failed to return from a combat over Portland. His body was washed ashore a month later on the French coast. His Hurricane was found on the sea bed off Lulworth. Age 27.

Born this day 8th.July 1920. Sgt. Neil Cameron. DFC. DSO.( left) One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Cameron… In addition to his gallantry awards, he was created CBE (1967), CB (1971), KCB (1975), GCB (1976) and KT (1983). At one time he was also Principal of Kings College, London.

Born this day 8th.July 1919. FO. Richard Maxwell Milne. DFC. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/MilneRM… He survived. He joined English Electric, involved in the development of the Canberra jet and its sale overseas, including it being built under licence in the US as the B-57.

Born this day 8th.July 1916. Sgt. John Keatings. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Keating… On 15th August 219 was scrambled to intercept 40+ He111's and Ju88's off Flamborough Head. Seven were shot down, with only one Blenheim damaged. It was a remarkable result. He survived.

Pippa Ettore Briefly P/O Cyril Babbage’s CO on 602 Sqn (Glasgow’s Own) in Scotland, early summer 1941. Moved on to help form RAF’s third Czech unit, 313 Sqn. Babbage photographed at the Palace after picking up his DFM.

I know the Poem well , but didn't know this...

Lord Norman Tebbit.

On the 9th July 1941. PO. Gordon Herbert Batchelor. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Batchel… His Spitfire was shot down near Lens and he was taken prisoner. He died aged 23 from a bone disease while a PoW at Oflag VIB in April 1942. Buried in Hamburg Cemetery, Ohlsdorf, Germany.

Born this day 9th.July 1916. PO.Herbert Robert Case. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Case.htm Killed age 24.

Born this day 9th.July 1911. PO. Anthony O’Connell. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/OConnel… His subsequent service is currently unknown, though he stayed in the RAF postwar, ending up in the Fighter Control Branch. He later settled in Zimbabwe and died from a heart attack 1976.

youtube.com/watch?v=SeCFTz…

S.Ldr. John Ralph Alexander Peel. DFC. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/peeljra… He survived. In the early 1980s he retired to Wiltshire and spent most of his time painting. After his 1940 rescue he became a lifelong supporter of the RNLI.

Lost his life this day 10th July 1940. FO. Thomas Peter Kingsland Higgs. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Higgs.h… He was the first RAF fighter pilot to be lost in combat during the Battle of Britain.

Lost his life this day 10th July 1940. Sgt. Ian Charles Cooper Clenshaw. One of THE FEW. bbm.org.uk/airmen/Clensha… On a dawn patrol in poor weather he lost control of his Hurricane and was killed when the aircraft came down near the Humber coast. Age 22.