This page gives brief biographies of some of the Few. As more are added, the diversity of nationalities, trades and ranks amongst the airmen who qualified for the Battle of Britain Clasp will become clear.
The biographies are based on, though not the same as, the entries for these men in the new edition of Men of the Battle of Britain by Kenneth G Wynn, now being prepared for publication. The rights to this book are owned by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust and a publication date will be announced as soon as possible. The traditional style of the book will remain.
Jan Borowski
P 0250, Flying Officer, Pilot, Polish, 302 Squadron (Hurricanes)
Jan Borowski served in the Polish Air Force before the war and fought the Luftwaffe in September 1939. He may have escaped to France, but arrived in England in the middle of 1940. He joined 302 Squadron at Northolt on October 17 1940. The next day he was part of a patrol that became lost in poor weather. Borowski’s aircraft crashed on Kempton Park racecourse and he was killed.
George Kemp Gilroy
90481, Flying Officer, Pilot, 603 Squadron (Spitfires)
“Sheep” Gilroy (born June 1 1914) was a farmer before the war and a member of 603 Squadron in the Auxiliary Air Force. He was called to full time service in late August 1939 and shared in the destruction of the first German aircraft to fall on British soil in wartime, on October 28 that year. On August 31, 1940, he was shot down and landed by parachute on the eastern side of London, where he was attacked by a crowd who believed he was German. Legend has it that he was rescued by a bus conductress. He was admitted to hospital. On September 13 Gilroy was awarded the DFC.
After being badly injured in an accident in December 1940, Gilroy flew sweeps over France in 1941. He later commanded 609 Squadron and received a bar to his DFC. He commanded a Wing in North Africa and was awarded the DSO on March 2 1943. He became a Group Captain and left the RAF at the end of the war. He took command of 603 Squadron in the Auxiliary Air Force in 1946.
“Sheep” Gilroy died in 1995.
William Howard Machin
968717, Sergeant, Air Gunner, 264 Squadron (Defiants)
Bill Machin came from Handsworth, Birmingham, and joined the RAFVR in 1939. He was posted to 264 Squadron at Hornchurch on August 22 1940. Two days later, on his first operational sortie, his aircraft was shot down and he was mortally wounded. He was 20 years old.
Tony Garforth Pickering
114471, Sergeant, Pilot, British, 32 and 501 Squadrons (Hurricanes)
Born in Foxton, Leicestershire, on August 25, 1920, “Pick” Pickering, as he was known in the RAF, became an engineering apprentice with British-Thomson Houston. He joined the RAFVR in 1939, arriving at Biggin Hill with two other novice Sergeant pilots on July 27, 1940. They were sent away for further training and returned in late August. Almost immediately the squadron was ordered north for a rest but Pick and the other two, who were considered to be in need of a rest, were posted to 501 Squadron at Gravesend.
On September 11 1940, Pick’s Hurricane was hit by return fire from a bomber he was attacking. He baled out, “slightly scorched” in his own words, and landed in the Guards’ Depot, Caterham.
After the Battle Tony Pickering served with 601 and 131 Squadrons and in the Middle East. He left the RAF in 1945 as a Squadron Leader.
In pre-war days he took up campanology and he has continued to ring church bells ever since.