George Palliser Flight Lieutenant George Charles Calder " Tich " Palliser DFC AE ( 1919 - 2011 ) was a famed World War II Royal Air Force fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain , and by the time of his death in 2011 , was one of the last survivors of " The Few " . Early life . Born in West Hartlepool , Palliser was educated at Brougham School and later attended a Technical School . Military career . Palliser joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1939 as an airman under training as a pilot . He was called up to full - time service , at the rank of Sergeant Pilot , at the outbreak of war and was posted to No . 3 ITW Hasting , moved to No . 11 EFTS Perth on 5 Dec 1939 and went to No . 6 FTS at RAF Little Rissington in April 1940 . Pallister converted to Hurricanes at No . 6 OTU at RAF Sutton Bridge in July 1940 and joined No . 17 Squadron RAF at RAF Debden on 3 August 1940 during the Battle of Britain . He moved to No . 43 Squadron RAF at RAF Tangmere on 18 August 1940 and then No . 249 Squadron RAF at RAF North Weald on 14 September 1940 . During the Battle of Britain , Palliser claimed eight victories . Pallister was commissioned in April 1941 and embarked with 249 Sqn on HMS Furious on 10 May and sailed for Gibraltar , and on arrival the squadron transferred to HMS Ark Royal . The squadron flew to Ta ' Qali on 21 May 1941 to take part in the Siege of Malta . During that battle he claimed a further five victories . In January 1942 he was posted to No . 605 Squadron RAF as flight commander . Palliser was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross , which was gazetted on 30 Jan 1942 . He left Malta on 26 February 1942 as one of the island ' s longest serving pilots . He was quoted as saying : He arrived at No . 25 Air School at Standerton , South Africa on 28 March 1942 to be an instructor at the school . Palliser was posted to No . 62 CFS , Bloemfontein on 17 July , to 2 EFTS Randfontein on 19 October and then to 4 EFTS Benoni on 2 September 1943 . He was admitted to Baragwanath Military Hospital in Johannesburg on 21 January 1944 and remained there until leaving for Great Britain on 24 May 1944 . Palliser instructed at No . 15 EFTS at RAF Kingstown from September 1944 . He moved to No . 10 FTS at RAF Woodley on 19 September 1945 where he instructed until 16 March 1946 . Palliser was at instructor at the CFS at RAF South Cerney until October 1946 when he was posted as an instructor to No . 23 flying school at Heany , Southern Rhodesia . In October 1947 Palliser retired from the RAF , at the rank of Flight Lieutenant . Post - war . Following his career in the RAF , Palliser moved to South Africa with his family . He settled and recommenced his career as an engineer , including ship and plane building . An illustrious career , including senior positions in the mining industry later took him and his family to the United States , Asia , and finally Australia . Palliser lived with his daughter in Victoria , Australia . He used his profile as a Battle of Britain veteran to raise funds for the new education centre at the Battle of Britain Memorial , Capel - le - Ferne . He was a keen follower of modern technology - even having his own facebook account . He died on 24 September 2011 in Black Rock , Victoria , Australia .