During the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone, defying the Luftwaffe’s aerial assault – the prelude to a proposed seaborne invasion. Fighter Command faced this challenge against overwhelming odds with immeasurable courage and tenacity, the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, immortalising these young Spitfire and Hurricane pilots as ‘The Few’. Some 2,927 aircrew comprised the ‘Few’, 544 of whom made the ultimate sacrifice that fateful summer, now known as the Battle of Britain. A further 791 would perish before the war’s end.

Today, precious few indeed remain alive worldwide. Veteran aviation historian Dilip Sarkar, however, has spent a lifetime recording the stories of casualties and the memories of survivors.

In this important book, Dilip brings us more original research and new interviews with ‘The Final Few’. This is likely to be the last such work produced, as sadly but inevitably Churchill’s ‘Few’ fade from living memory.

• Several

  veterans featured will be available for media interviews

• Praise

  for Dilip Sarkar from the Battle of Britain pilots themselves: 'If anyone ever

  needs to know anything about the RAF during the summer of 1940, don’t ask the

  Few, ask Dilip’ George ‘Grumpy’ Unwin, 19 Squadron; 'Dilip understands perfectly

  the mysteries of air tactics and strategy, enabling him write authoritatively,

  lively and deeply touching stories of those days when friend and foe met in the

  air’ Peter Townsend, 85 Squadron

• Over fifty historic photographs, many of which have never been reproduced

  before, from the personal collections of the pilots themselves