Sergeant Sydney Anthony Hollingsworth Whitehouse

• He studied at Harrow School and Keble College, Oxford.
• Joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in February 1939 and was called up to full-time service on 1 September 1939. He joined No. 32 Squadron but his Commanding Officer (CO) refused to accept him and 3 others for being so new, so they were transferred to the Biggin Hill training flight sector.
• He rejoined the 32 Squadron when they were scheduled for a rest but the CO sent Whitehouse and his new colleagues to join No. 501 Squadron instead, as he felt they did not need to rest.
• Whitehouse was shot down during combat by a Me109 over Cranbrook in Kent on 25 October 1940. He baled out in the middle of a dog fight and, to avoid being shot down by Germans, he proceeded to freefall for 5,000 feet before he pulled his parachute.
• He landed in a wood, realising he had lost his shoes during his descent. He was shortly discovered by the local Home Guard who took him to a local farm house for a cup of tea. He was joined 10 minutes later by his fellow pilot Flight Officer VR Snell who had also been shot down.
• No. 501 Squadron was the only squadron constantly in action during the Battle of Britain and suffered the most casualties throughout the battle.
• Posted to No. 52 Squadron on 8 July 1941 as an instructor
• He joined No. 167 Squadron in April 1942 as Flight Commander.
• After the war, he served in India and Burma. He was released from the RAF in 1946 as Wing Commander.
• He died on 6 January 2015.

Photo: Battle of Britain Monument website (bbm.org.uk)