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This article is more than 1 year old

A Battle of Britain veteran has died hours after celebrating his 100th birthday, leaving five surviving members of “The Few”, his biographer has said.

Archie McInnes, who flew Hurricanes during the battle in the skies over southern England, completed his pilot training at the age of 21 and was commissioned the next day.

He died hours after celebrating his 100th birthday on Wednesday.

His biographer and friend Jonny Cracknell wrote on Twitter: “It is with a heavy heart and incredible sadness to advise the tragic news that Battle of Britain hero Archie McInnes sadly passed away last night, just hours after celebrating his 100th birthday amongst friends and family.

“An inspiration and hero of a man – rest in peace, dear Archie.”

He had earlier written to wish Flight Lieut McInnes a happy birthday, noting that he was the “last of the six remaining Battle of Britain ‘Few’ to become a centenarian”.

Those who fought in the three-and-a-half-month Battle of Britain came to be known as “The Few” after a speech by the prime minister, Winston Churchill, who said of their sacrifices in battle: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

The British victory marked a turning point in the second world war, but by the end of the battle 544 RAF pilots and aircrew had died.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest British pilots scramble to board Hurricane fighter planes at a second world war RAF base. Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection

Flight Lieut McInnes was born on 31 July 1919 and joined the RAF volunteer reserve in 1938, the year before the war broke out. He completed his pilot training in August 1940 and flew Hurricanes with 601 Squadron in Exeter, later moving to 238 Squadron at Chilbolton, Hampshire.

After the Battle of Britain ended on 31 October 1940, McInnes joined HMS Victorious, which was hunting for the German battleship Bismarck.

From April 1941 he flew missions in north Africa, including providing cover for bombers. He was shot down by a Messerschmitt fighter plane on 30 October 1941 and lost his left arm.

He was released from the RAF in 1946 as a flight lieutenant and retired to a village outside Cambridge.

Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston CBE, the chief of the air staff, said: “Flight Lieut Archie McInnes was part of an extraordinary band of selfless aviators to whom we owe the freedom we enjoy today. The bravery and sacrifice of Archie and The Few should never be forgotten.

“Our thoughts are with Archie’s family and beloved friends at this sad time.”