Leave.EU, the biggest campaign group to fight on either side of the EU referendum, has launched a petition to honour Britain’s few surviving Battle of Britain veterans with knighthoods.
The petition notes that 2018 will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Air Force, and argues that the year “should be a celebration of the extraordinary achievements of one of Britain’s most beloved institutions”.
Recalling that the RAF’s defence of Great Britain during the Second World War was its finest hour, Leave.EU declares that Winston Churchill “spoke for the nation when he said that ‘never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few’.
“They are even fewer today – of the almost 3,000 aircrew who helped repel the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, only eight are still with us. Their bravery will be remembered for as long as Britain exists.
“But every year we see ever more politicians, celebrities, and civil servants handed honours while those who have won the gratitude of the entire nation through valour and sacrifice go ignored.”
The New Year honours list has been somewhat controversial this year, lionising various diversity activists and awarding high honours to failed Liberal Democrat leader and Remain campaigner Nick Clegg — thrown out of the House of Commons by voters just a few months ago — while snubbing Brexit champion Nigel Farage.
Two petitions to rescind Clegg’s knighthood, one started on Boxing Day, the other on December 27th, have already received close to 37,000 and 22,000 signatures at the time of writing, respectively.
“We call on the honours selection committee to recognise the courageous men who served our nation in its darkest hour and ensured its continued survival. Knighthoods should be awarded to Flight Lieutenant William Terence Clark, Wing Commander John Francis Durham Elkington, Wing Commander Paul Caswell Farnes, Squadron Leader J. S. Hart, Flight Lieutenant William Robert Kent Hughes, Flight Lieutenant Maurice Hewlett Mounsdon, Wing Commander Thomas Francis Neil and Squadron Leader Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum,” says Leave.EU’s petition.
“It’s time for Britain to honour its true heroes and award knighthoods to our last surviving Battle of Britain veterans. There cannot be anybody more deserving.”
The petition to award knighthoods to Britain’s surviving Battle of Britain veterans can be viewed in full here.