Time to honour ‘The Few’

Sep 4 2008 by Andrew Baldwin, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

September 15 is the day when we officially remember the dedication and courage of those who became known as The Few – men who faced a formidable and experienced foe in the Battle of Britain. ANDREW BALDWIN reports

‘Geoffrey Gaunt, one of my best friends, is missing. I saw a Spitfire during the fight spinning down on fire’

INSIDE the walls of a Huddersfield church graveyard lies the last resting place of a true hero.

Pilot officer Geoffrey Gaunt was a member of the RAF’s 609 Squadron, one of ‘The Few’ who defended Britain in the skies during the early period of the Second World War.

When the call came a little after 11.20am on September 15, 1940, he did his duty and scrambled with the rest of his squadron.

Climbing into his cockpit, he was quickly strapped into his safety harness.

Fellow pilot Eugene Tobin later spotted Gaunt climbing to his left, followed by a furious Messerschmitt.

A few moments later a sickened Tobin saw a Spitfire, out of control, cockpit ablaze. It was beginning to spin down trailing black smoke.

Late that night, he wrote in his diary: “Today was the toughest day – we were in a terrific battle over London.

“Geoffrey Gaunt, one of my best friends, is missing. I saw a Spitfire during the fight spinning down on fire.

“I sure hope it wasn’t Jeff. If it was – well, from now on he’ll be flying in clearer skies.”

It was indeed his friend’s plane. A brave man had been killed in the aerial battle.

Gaunt was one of 2,936 RAF pilots who took part in dogfights against the German Luftwaffe in the summer of 1940.

It became known as the Battle of Britain – and it stopped Nazi plans to invade our land.

Like others who served, Gaunt will be remembered this month during events to commemorate the battle.

Gaunt was from a well-known textile family and screen star James Mason was a cousin.

He was buried in his family plot at Salendine Nook Baptist Church with his grandparents and later his father was also buried there in 1958.

Mark Andrew, of the Battle of Britain Historical Society, wants people to remember his sacrifice.

He says: “It would be fitting if the grave of Geoffrey Gaunt could be planted with daffodil bulbs at this time of the year to show respect for him in the spring.

“We would welcome anyone to donate and plant bulbs.”

The brave men who took to the skies came from all walks of life, many were trained and experienced, but most had come from civilian duties to become fighter pilots.

During the battle, which lasted almost four months, 544 of them would lose their lives.

Many are in graves still well tended after all these years, others were simply never heard of again and officially listed as missing in action.

September 15 is the day when we officially remember their dedication and courage against a formidable and experienced foe.

The date was chosen as Battle of Britain day because it was on that day in 1940 that the tide started to favour Britain.

The failure of the Luftwaffe to achieve a breakthrough during their mass attacks on September 15 was arguably the point at which a British victory in the Battle of Britain was achieved.

Though the fighting continued, there was no invasion.

Mark Andrew says it is important that we never forget the men who fought.

He runs programme to put up commemorative plaques in honour of individuals who died in the battle.

One of them is in Huddersfield New College where Sgt Pilot Thomas Emrys Westmoreland of 616 Squadron was a pupil.

He was killed in action on August 25,1940 having failed to return from combat over Canterbury.

Tommy, as he was known to family and friends, was 27 when his plane came down. His body was never found.

Perpetuating the memory of the pilots is a cause close to the heart for Mark Andrew as his older brother Stanley was killed in 1940.

He says: “The plaques programme of the Battle of Britain Historical Society is very important part in not only preserving the memory of the Battle of Britain, but remembering those pilots that so courageously took part.

“It is through these plaques that the younger generation in our schools and colleges are given a chance to understand what a former pupil did.”