Throughout World War Two, only one Victoria Cross was ever awarded to a fighter pilot. This man was James Nicolson who received the supreme award for gallantry in action during the Battle of Britain. Born in April 1917, Nicolson joined the RAF in December 1936 and, after completing his training as a pilot, was posted to 72 Squadron to fly the Gloster Gladiator. Assessed as being 'above average', he excelled in air-to-air gunnery. The squadron re-equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire and, following the outbreak of war, Nicolson flew patrols off the east coast without seeing any action. in May 1940 he was posted to a newly formed Hawker Hurricane squadron, No.249, as a flight commander. Once the squadron had worked up to operational efficiency it moved south to Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, just as the Battle of Britain was intensifying.
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