Speaking for The Few ...

‘Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so Few’
Winston Churchill, August 20th, 1940

The qualification for the coveted Battle of Britain Bar to the 1939-45 Star is simple: to have flown at least one operational sortie between July 10th and October 31st 1940 with one of the 72 accredited units operating under the direction of Fighter Command between those dates. 2, 927 aircrew qualified, immortalised by Churchill’s words as ‘The Few’. 544 lost their lives in the Battle of Britain, and many more perished before final victory in 1945. As time marches ever on, the survivors – all now in advanced age – become increasingly fewer.

Gone but not forgotten: Wing Commander George ‘Grumpy’ Unwin DSO DFM & Bar, who died in 2006 aged 93. The first non-commissioned pilot to ever fly a Spitfire, George, a tough miner’s son from Yorkshire, was undoubtedly amongst Fighter Command’s most aggressive and successful fighter pilots in 1940. An extremely modest man, George nonetheless recounted his experiences to Dilip, such as the occasion when his Spitfire was attacked by hordes of Me 109s: “What to do? Only one thing: surround them!” The tactic was successful: George hit five and definitely destroyed two!	Pilot Officer William Walker of 616 Squadron. Flying from a badly hit Kenley on August 26th 1940, William was shot down over the Channel and baled out – wounded. Fortunately he was rescued by a passing trawler, and safely ashore at Ramsgate “decided that being shot down was perhaps not so bad after all when an old lady pressed a packet of cigarettes into my hand!”	Flight Sergeant George Unwin of 19 Squadron and his beloved Alsatian. ‘Flash’, at Fowlmere in early 1941 – another unique photograph from Sarkar Collection.

Privileged to have been closely associated with so many of The Few, Dilip Sarkar – a natural public speaker – is uniquely able to keep their memories evergreen by recounting the stories told to him over the years. Having produced his landmark study ‘The Few’, Dilip is now able to provide lively talks based upon the book – recounting the august deeds and experiences of all too many friends no longer with us.

Dilip is also able to speak, in entertaining detail, on various other subjects, including all aspects of Spitfire history, the 1941-42 day-fighter air war, and about such legendary personalities as Air Vice-Marshal Johnnie Johnson and Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader.

Using PowerPoint technology, Dilip’s talks are punctuated with photographs and documents from his unique archive. Needless to say his presentations are comprehensive, covering every detail involved, from who-shot-down-who to aviation archaeology.

Dilip’s research confirmed that Pilot Officer Walker had been shot down by none other than the ‘Father of German Air Fighting’ himself – Major Werner Mölders, Kommodore of JG 51, who left a bullet in William’s foot.	William Walker still carries that 7.9 mm bullet as a souvenir today, pictured here with Dilip in 2000.

Over the years, Dilip has spoken at numerous prestigious venues, including Oxford University’s St Margaret’s College, the Imperial War Museum and RAF Museum, and to such organisations as The Dunkirk Little Ships Association, The Battle of Britain Fighter Association, The Aircrew Association, and the War Widows’ Association.

Anyone interested in obtaining more details should contact Dilip directly.