The Few

The Few is a term used to describe the Allied airmen of the Royal Air Force (RAF) who won the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. It comes from Winston Churchill's phrase "never was so much owed by so many to so few".

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The flyers were overwhelmingly Britons in the RAF (2,353 out of a total of 2,927, by one counting; of them, 407 were killed, out of a total death roll of 510). However, there were many from other British Empire countries (particularly New Zealand and Canada), as well as exiles from many conquered European nations. In particular, there were several squadrons of men from Poland, and many from Czechoslovakia as well. Although this action took place well before the USA entered the war, there were a handful (10, by one count) of US pilots involved.

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There is a preserved Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft known as "The Last of The Few", as part of the "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight", along with a Supermarine Spitfire that flew in the Battle (one of 5 Spitfires in the Memorial Flight).

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The pilots themselves are remembered on the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne.

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Royal Air Force: The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the UK Armed Forces....

Battle of Britain: A major campaign of World War II, the Battle of Britain is the name for the attempt by Germany's Luftwaffe to gain air superiority of British airspace and destroy the Royal Air Force (RAF). Neither Hitler or the German Wehrmacht perceived it possible to carry out a successful amphibious assault on ...

Second World War: REDIRECT World War II...

The Few related Images and Photos (experimental)

Larch or Tamarack Tree in Fall Colors Larix One of the Few Deciduous Conifers North America