List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (D–F) facts for kids

The Battle of Britain was a huge air battle fought in the skies over Britain during World War II. It happened between July 10 and October 31, 1940. This list is about the brave pilots and other aircrew who flew for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm during this important time. They were awarded a special medal called the Battle of Britain Clasp because they flew at least one official mission during the battle. These airmen are often called "The Few" because so few of them defended Britain against a much larger enemy air force.

The Story of "The Few"

In 1942, the Air Ministry decided to create a list of all the pilots who died during the Battle of Britain. This list was for a special memorial. This memorial became the Battle of Britain Chapel at Westminster Abbey, which was opened by King George VI on July 10, 1947. The Roll of Honour inside the Chapel has the names of 1,497 pilots and aircrew who were killed or badly wounded during the battle.

It wasn't until November 9, 1960, that the rules for who counted as a Battle of Britain airman were officially set. A special document from the Air Ministry, called AMO N850, explained the requirements for getting the Battle of Britain Star medal. It also listed the 71 air units that were part of RAF Fighter Command during the battle.

In 1955, a serving RAF officer named Flt Lt John Holloway took on a personal challenge. He wanted to make a complete list of "The Few." After 14 years of hard work and research, Flt Lt Holloway had collected 2,946 names. Sadly, 537 of these airmen were killed during the battle or died later from their injuries.

The Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, started by Geoffrey Page, raised money to build another memorial. This one is the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne in Kent. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother opened it on July 9, 1993. At this site, there's also the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, where a full list of "The Few" is carved into the stone.

More recently, the Battle of Britain Monument was opened in London on September 18, 2005. Charles, Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall unveiled it. The idea for this monument came from the Battle of Britain Historical Society, which then worked to raise money for it. The outside of the monument has bronze plaques with the names of all the Allied airmen who took part in the Battle.

Who Were These Brave Airmen?

The lists below show some of the airmen who fought in the Battle of Britain. Each entry includes their name, rank, nationality, the squadron they flew with, any awards they received, and notes about their service or life.

• KIA means "Killed in Action" – they died during the battle or later from their injuries.
• MIA means "Missing in Action" – they disappeared during a mission and were presumed dead.
• Rows highlighted in light blue (like the one for D'Arcy-Irvine) mean the airman was killed or went missing during the Battle of Britain period (July 10 - October 31, 1940).
• Rows highlighted in silver (like the one for Denchfield) mean the airman survived the war.
• Many of these airmen were "Official Aces," meaning they shot down five or more enemy aircraft.

Pilots and Aircrew (D)

Pilots and Aircrew (E)

Pilots and Aircrew (F)

See also

• Non-British personnel in the RAF during the Battle of Britain
• List of World War II aces from the United Kingdom
• List of World War II flying aces by country
• List of World War II flying aces
• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (A–C)
• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (G–K)
• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (L–N)
• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (O–R)
• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (S–U)
• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (V–Z)