"Tributes have been paid to one of the last surviving Battle of Britain veterans who has died aged 102. Squadron Leader John Hart was one of 'The Few' who ensured the Germans did not invade Britain in the Second World War by defeating the Luftwaffe. The Spitfire pilot, who served in 602 Squadron, shot down a German Messerschmitt 109 and shared in two kills on Junkers Ju88 bombers, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry in the process. His death means that the number of Battle of Britain heroes left is just four. They are Flight Lieutenant William Clark, Wing Commander Paul Farnes, Flying Officer John Hemmingway and Flight Lieutenant Maurice Moundson. David Brocklehurst MBE, chairman of the Kent Battle of Britain Museum, said: 'John was the archetypal Battle of Britain pilot; very modest and self-effacing - the epitomy of what they stood for. 'He should be remembered for his bravery. Many of these men said they were not heroes, just doing their duty, but we see them all as heroes. 'Sadly they are a dying generation and there are only four of The Few still living. Sq Ldr Hart was born in New Brunswick, Canada, on September 11, 1916. An engineer by trade, he learnt to fly at Halifax Flying Club in Canada and went to Mount Allison University. But he got bored of working on the fishing fleets of his home town and moved to Britain, before joining the RAF in January 1939. He converted to Spitfires, briefly joining 54 Squadron in September 1940, before transferring to 602 Squadron at RAF Westhampnett in West Sussex, later that month. He was scrambled on a daily basis over the south coast. On October 12 he helped shoot down on a Ju88 fast bomber off the East Sussex coast, taking serious damage to his plane in the process. Three weeks later saw a huge operation by the Luftwaffe after a few days of rest. Five Spitfire and four Hurricane squadrons were rushed to the air and Hart played a part in shooting down 11 fighters. He destroyed a Me109 during a duel in the skies over Kent in what was the last major conflict during the Battle of Britain. Sq Ldr Hart then had a stint as a flying instructor, before commanding 67 Squadron in Burma in 1943 and 112 Squadron in Italy in March 1945. He led a formation of fighter planes in a successful attack on a railway line that ran from Italy into Yugoslavia and later a sortie that destroyed 11 transport locomotives. He left the RAF in 1946 and he returned to Canada and became a property appraiser. Sq Ldr Hart, who had three children, died on June 18 but news of his death has only emerged." www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7390025/Canadian-born-Squadron-Leader-one-surviving-Battle-Britain-pilots-dies-102.html
Great to see this. I came to post the obituary for him in the National post and on the Last Post FB site, but this one is so much better. Now I will copy this link to add to the Last Post. Thank you Gordon.
This is the article about him in The National Post in Canada. Squadron Leader John Hart, Battle of Britain’s last surviving Canadian pilot, dies at 102
