Ray Holmes

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Raymond "Ray" Towers Holmes (20 August 1914 – 27 June 2005) was a British fighter pilot who was feted as a war hero who saved Buckingham Palace from being severely damaged by German bombing during the Battle of Britain.

On September 15, 1940, Sergeant Holmes was on duty in a Hawker Hurricane fighter when he spotted a Dornier bomber making a run for the palace. Out of ammunition, Holmes decided to ram the bomber hoping his plane could withstand the impact and cut through it. It proved not to be the case, but he caused the bomber to crash and he bailed out safely.

He continued flying for the RAF including duties training Russians in combat flying and reconnaissance. He went on to gain his commission and retired as a Flight Lieutenant.

After the war, he was a King's Messenger, personally delivering mail to Winston Churchill, and later a journalist.

Holmes died on 27 June 2005 at the age of 90, after a two-year battle with cancer.

[edit] Further reading

• Ray Holmes (1989). Sky Spy: From Six Miles High to Hitler's Bunker. Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-054-4.  [autobigraphy]

[edit] References

• Daily Telegraph - obituary
• Battle of Britain Historical Society - Obituary - Flight Lieutenant Ray Holmes