Heroic Brighton pilot salutes those who went before

Over the next two Sundays thousands of airmen and women, past and present, will pause and remember along with their families.

They will be commemorating “the few” who fought – and in many cases sacrificed their lives – during the Battle of Britain.

The battle, 72 years ago, was Hitler’s first military defeat and marked a turning point in the Second World War.

Among those taking part in acts of remembrance will be the decorated Chinook helicopter pilot Marc Heal who was born and raised in Brighton.

Flight Lieutenant Heal, 32, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), the highest award for gallantry in the air, during one of his six tours of duty in Afghanistan.

And in recognition of his courage in risking his life to save others he was also awarded the Freedom of the City of Brighton and Hove.

As a schoolboy he was a member of the CCF (Combined Cadet Force).

He said: “I was actually a member of the army cadets at Brighton College as I think at that age I preferred to be out running around obstacle courses than learning about the different aircraft types.

“I’m most certainly the opposite way round now.”

He joined up ten years ago after graduating with a degree in business administration from Nottingham Business School.

He wasn’t ready for office life at the age of 21.

Having seen plenty of active service, and with six months left to serve, a desk job now holds greater appeal.

Three years ago Flt Lt Heal repeatedly put his life on the line over three days in a battle one to fly 29 casualties to safety.

He said: “As a crew over that time we made lots of crucial decisions on returning into enemy areas knowing we would take heavy fire from AK47, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars when we were sat on the ground waiting to pick up casualties.

“At the end of a very intense three days we just carried on with our tour and it wasn’t till six months later, when I was called into my boss’s office, did he tell me that as the captain of the aircraft I had been awarded the RAF’s highest gallantry award, the DFC.

“Since the Queen presented me with the DFC I have received some other very humbling awards. The most notable of these to me was the Freedom of the City of Brighton and Hove.

“Growing up in and loving the city as I do, this was a great honour for me and a very special day for me and my family at Hove Town Hall.

“I am not back in Brighton as much as I would like to be and do hope one day to move back full time.

“All my family still live there so it is always nice to get home.

“I think you realise when you are away from somewhere how much more you appreciate it when you do go back and, with being a freeman of the city, I feel a strong affinity and would love to one day raise a family in the area.

“Plus I would love to get to the Amex a lot more and see the Seagulls playing in a stadium worthy of the team.

“The Battle of Britain is the main event celebrated in the RAF and is always marked every year with a large parade, flypast and then we have a large dinner at each of the bases.

“It is very important for us who now hold the baton of RAF pilots not to forget or under-appreciate the extraordinary lengths and sacrifices these young men put themselves through to make sure mainland Britain wasn’t weak enough to enable a land-based invasion.”

Flt Lt Heal has helped promote the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and the annual Wings Appeal organised by the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA).

The appeal is well supported at the Shoreham Airshow each year. This year’s show took place at the weekend (Saturday 1 September and Sunday 2 September).

He said: “The work that RAFA do is outstanding. All of us in the RAF understand and appreciate the hard work they put in to help the veterans and families of the RAF both past and present.

“And the support network they provide is invaluable.”

In Brighton the annual Battle of Britain memorial service takes place at St Martin’s Church in Lewes Road at 3pm on Sunday 16 September.

Deputy Mayor Ann Meadows is due to represent Brighton and Hove City Council at the service.