Tom Neil
| Thomas Francis Neil | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Ginger |
| Born |
14 July 1920 Bootle, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1938–1964 |
| Rank | Wing Commander |
| Unit | No. 249 Squadron |
| Commands held | No. 41 Squadron |
| Battles/wars |
Second World War |
| Awards |
Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Air Force Cross Air Efficiency Award Bronze Star Medal (United States) |
Second World War
Wing Commander Thomas Francis "Ginger" Neil, DFC & Bar, AFC, AE (born 14 July 1920) is a famous Royal Air Force fighter pilot and ace of the Second World War, and one of the few remaining survivors of the Battle of Britain. Neil scored a total of 14 kills during the Second World War.
Neil was born in Bootle on 14 July 1920; he had a keen interest in aircraft as a child and played cricket and football for local teams. His family moved to Manchester when he was 16, and he attended Eccles Secondary (grammar) School where he was awarded an art prize for a drawing of an aeroplane. After taking the School Certificate in 1937 he started work at the District Bank in Gorton whilst training to be a pilot with the RAF Volunteer Reserve Tom had wanted to attend Cranwell (the RAF Officer training college) but his parents did not approve of his plan!
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 17 October 1938 at the age of 18 and was called up to full-time service at the outbreak of war. He was posted to No. 8 FTS on 1 December 1939 and was commissioned as a pilot officer on completion of the course. He was posted on 15 May 1940 to No. 249 Squadron RAF, which was an operational fighter squadron based at RAF Church Fenton in which he flew Hurricanes from RAF North Weald during the Battle of Britain alongside "Tich Palliser". He recalled that the 12 Hurricanes in the squadron were permanently ready to scramble and that the pilots were simply instructed to shoot down as many enemy aircraft as possible and avoid getting shot themselves. The enemy aircraft he destroyed with the squadron included six Messerschmitt Bf 109s, two Heinkel He 111s, a Messerschmitt Bf 110, a Junkers Ju 87, a Junkers Ju 88 and a Dornier Do 17.
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