The last enemy

Author: Richard Hillary
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-06-01
Features:
" One of the literary classics of the two occupations." — Philip French, The London Review of Books
"Many lengthy works often only float on the surface of people's memories, but Hillary's thin book, with its concise prose, deeply embeds itself in readers' minds." — Arthur Koestler
"Hillary's style is vivid and incisive, showcasing the romance and tragedy of a fallen hero." — Frank Smith, The Sunday Times
"These kinds of works always deserve praise, portraying the romance and tragedy of a fallen hero." — John Ollier, The London Weekly
"This is a rare literary classic. Every page of The Last Enemy reminds us that Hillary was destined to be a writer. Even more admirable is the fact that few writers can approach him in the way he writes with zero emotion, describing himself with such objective and detached brushwork." — Elizabeth Bonn, The
Critics have described it as "not a book by a pilot about war, but a book by a writer about a pilot." The Last Enemy tells the story of a young writer who trained as a Spitfire fighter pilot and fought in the Battle of Britain, as well as his life after being shot down. Richard Hillary begins the story with a gripping opening: his takeoff from Hornchurch Airport on September 3, 1940, into a fierce battle over the Channel—"a chaotic swirl of spinning planes and tracer bullets." His plane was hit and crashed into the water. After drifting in the English Channel for hours, he was finally rescued by a Margate lifeboat.
Then, focusing on those September days, The Last Enemy unfolds this extraordinary and moving story: his carefree days at Trinity College, Oxford; his indifferent rowing races in Germany and Hungary; his training as a fighter pilot and aerial combat, followed by the slow and agonizing medical treatment and recovery after being shot down and severely burned. Richard also narrates his sincere friendships, his tragic death, and his intense reaction to the loss of his friends. He reflects further on his combat experiences, which transformed him from a naturally handsome and admired athlete into a man scarred by injuries. Unable to be sure whether he would be allowed to fly again, Richard asks himself what he can do for his fallen comrades. As he himself wrote, "After thinking for a while, an idea struck me. I can write." And so, The Last Enemy was born.
First published in the UK in 1942, The Last Enemy has been reprinted many times. The edition introduced by this press is the commemorative edition published in 2003 by Pippin Publishing Company in Canada, marking the 60th anniversary of the author's death.