Former RAF squadron leader Jack Hemmings, a pioneering humanitarian pilot, has passed away at the age of 103.
An early advocate of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), the world’s largest humanitarian airline, Mr. Hemmings dedicated much of his life to providing aid and relief. His wife, Kate, described him as a man who “left the world a better place for having lavished 103 years of love into it.”
Born in Horam, East Sussex, Mr. Hemmings served as a pilot during the Second World War. In 1948, he flew a wooden Miles Gemini aircraft from Croydon to Nairobi, leading the first British aerial humanitarian survey across Central Africa. He later co-founded MAF and remained a steadfast supporter of its mission for 80 years.
For his 102nd birthday in 2023, he was honored with a smoke flyover by the Red Arrows. The following year, at 102, he became the oldest British pilot believed to have taken control of a Spitfire, completing a 20-minute flight from London Biggin Hill.
RAF Chaplain-in-Chief Dr. Giles Legood praised his impact, saying, “Many owe their lives to him and the legacy he has created.”
Mr. Hemmings was awarded the Air Force Cross and the RAF’s Master Air Pilot award. He also volunteered with the RAF Air Cadets and led a youth group in Sussex.
He passed away peacefully on Friday. His wife, Kate, reflected, “Oh, my lovely Jack, this world will be very strange without you, but you’ve left it a better place.
