HE was an ace pilot who defended our shores in the Battle of Britain.

Squadron Leader John Colin Mungo Park was one of the heroes who inspired Winston Churchill’s famous speech in which he declared: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

And today the Bolton war hero’s effort was being recognised at his former college, 70 years after his aircraft was shot down over Belgium.

Sqn Ldr Mungo Park was the only commanding officer in 74 Squadron to be killed in action during the Second World War when his Spitfire was shot down by Messerschmitts over De Panne. He was aged just 23.

The Battle of Britain Historical Society was today unveiling a special memorial plaque to Mungo Park and four other pupils at Liverpool College.

The plaque is the first to be placed in Lancashire but will join more than 50 placed around the world.

He was born in Wallasey on the Wirral but the family moved to Bolton in 1934, where a neighbour had a pilot’s licence and keen interest in aviation. It was from here that his own interest in flying grew and he joined the RAF three years later.

He flew a number of missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1940 and then posthumously after his death in 1941.

Mr Mungo Park’s nephews, Christopher Faux and Geoffrey Faux, will both be at the service today.

Christopher said: “It is fantastic that the Historical Society are placing these plaques at the college. To have five such fine airmen at one college is unbelievable.

We are very proud of my uncle and this is very fitting.”

Mr Mungo Park is buried alongside others killed in the Second World War at the military cemetery at Adinkerke, Belgium.

In addition to its school memorial plaques the Battle of Britain Historical Society maintains a register of all known graves of those who died during and after the conflict, enabling volunteer members to care for these graves.