It is believed that 90 Flight Cadets took part in the Battle of Britain.
26 were killed in action, a mortality rate of 28.9%*.
They were responsible for shooting down 116 enemy aircraft.
By the outbreak of the Second World War some 1,094 Flight Cadets from 43 Entries had passed out of the RAF College into the Royal Air Force.
Of that total 90 cadets from 29 of these 43 entries carried out at least one operational sortie in the Battle between 0001hrs on 1st July and 2359 hrs on 31st October 1940.
The Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939-45 Star was awarded on the basis of at least one authorised operational sortie with an eligible unit of the RAF during the period from 0001 hours on 10 July to 2359 hours 31 October 1940.
As a result 88 Flight Cadets qualified for this recognition.
2 Wing Commander Station Commanders who flew with their Squadrons,
the Wing Commander Officer Commanding the Fighter Interception Unit (whose role developing airborne radar/night fighting became increasingly important as the night blitz intensified),
27 Squadron Commanders.
They were deployed:
On Squadrons in 11 Group: 41
10 Group: 23
12 Group: 14
13 Group: 14
Of the aircraft types they flew:
3 were on Defiants 8 on Blenheims/Beaufighters 34 on Spitfires and 39 on Hurricanes
In actions sustained (including friendly fire), but survived, 19 aircraft were cat 3 (write offs).
A total of 116 enemy aircraft were shot down:
11½ Do17s 2½ Do215s 12 He111s 14½ Ju88s 9½ Ju87s
46 Bf109s 17½ Bf110s 2½ Unidentified
B of B Fighter Aces**
Brian Kingcome CBF (9-36B) on 92 Sqn had the highest tally with 7
Aeneas MacDonell (9-32B) OC 64 Sqn: 6½
With a tally of 6 each were:
Harold Atkinson (9-37B) on 213 Sqn
Charles Davis (4-39B) on 238 Sqn
Henry Hogan (1-29 B) OC 501
Peter Townsend (9-33B) OC 85 Sqn
With 5 each:
John Badger (9-31B) on 43 Sqn
Timothy Vigors (1-39B) on 222 Sqn
After the Battle
Of the 64 survivors a further 19 (29.7%) ‘Cadets’ were killed in action later in the war.
*In comparison the overall loss of life during the Battle by aircrew was significantly lower at 17.2%.
** 5 or more kills (The highest scorer in the Battle was Sergeant J Frantisek on 303 (Polish) Sqn with 17 credited kills
Research by Peter Symes
Based primarily on the extensive data in "Battle over Britain" by the late Francis K. Mason
FRHist, ARHistS of 52 Entry and taking the names on the Memorial Wall at the Battle of
Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne as the definitive listing.
View the Roll of Honour
The Battle of Britain
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. Winston Churchill