A Catholic veteran of the Battle of Britain has been posthumously awarded with the “oldest and most distinguished honour of the Brazilian Air Force”. On October 23 Acting Wing Commander Robin John McNair DFC (1918-1996) was awarded the Order of Aeronautical Merit by the Government and Air Force of the Republic of Brazil.
McNair, a devout Catholic, was born in Brazil but joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in February 1939, seven months before the outbreak of the Second World War.
During the war, McNair flew with the RAF on almost 500 missions, including night fighter operations during the Blitz and the Battle of Britain. He led the Death and Glory operations during the Normandy campaign 1944.
