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- Aug 17, 2003
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Lest we forget
Ray holmes was a journalist before WW2, who then joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve where he trained fighter pilots.
Sunday September 15th, 1940 during the Battle of Britain he was flying a Hurricane fighter (the plane that REALLY won the battle - 64% of kills, the spitfire only 36%).
he was out of ammunition when he saw a nazi bomber heading straight for buckingham palace. without thought for himself, he rammed the bomber, knocking off it's tail. bothe holmes and the german pilot parachuted to safety, but the german pilot apparently died of his injuries later..
stragely, someone on the ground actually was using a movie camera at the time and filmed the whole episode, which has been shown frequently over here.
after the war, he returned to journalism, where he worked unceasingly till he hit 80.
he died june 27th of this year, aged 90.
may he rest in peace.
Ray holmes was a journalist before WW2, who then joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve where he trained fighter pilots.
Sunday September 15th, 1940 during the Battle of Britain he was flying a Hurricane fighter (the plane that REALLY won the battle - 64% of kills, the spitfire only 36%).
he was out of ammunition when he saw a nazi bomber heading straight for buckingham palace. without thought for himself, he rammed the bomber, knocking off it's tail. bothe holmes and the german pilot parachuted to safety, but the german pilot apparently died of his injuries later..
stragely, someone on the ground actually was using a movie camera at the time and filmed the whole episode, which has been shown frequently over here.
after the war, he returned to journalism, where he worked unceasingly till he hit 80.
he died june 27th of this year, aged 90.
may he rest in peace.
