Born July 1919 in Dublin, John Allman Hemingway, the Irishman picked up a short service flying officer’s commission in the Royal Air Force in April 1938 at age 18 and went on to become one of the RAF’s “so few” just months later.
He flew Hurricanes with No. 85 Squadron over France and the Lowlands in May 1940, chalking up a German Dornier Do 77 light bomber, before covering the Dunkirk Beaches and switching back to England for the Battle of Britain, picking up a DFC after ripping up Heinkels and Messerschmitts. He later flew Spitfires with No. 43 Squadron over Italy as a Squadron Leader and retired from the RAF in 1969 as a Group Captain. In all, he had to hit the silk at least four times during WWII to abandon flaming/falling aircraft.
Capt. Hemingway celebrated his 100th this month, one of the very few RAF WWII fighter jocks left among us and the final Irishman who flew such craft during the Battle of Britain.
“I can’t say don’t drink. I can’t say don’t fool about with people. I can’t say don’t fly aeroplanes. I can’t say don’t shoot and get shot at – I’ve done everything, and I’m an Irishman. The only advice I can give to people is be Irish!”