Tom Farrier was a British Royal Air Force pilot who served in World War II. On 4 June 1940, he flew to France with Fortis Squadron with the objective of providing air cover for the Dunkirk evacuation, and he assumed command of his squadron after Fortis leader was shot down. However, his squadron mate Jack Collins was shot down and forced to bail, so Farrier flew solo and shot down a German dive-bomber on the beach, saving the British ships and troops on the Dunkirk beach, before crash-landing his plane beyond the perimeter after it ran out of fuel. He was taken prisoner by the German Wehrmacht after setting fire to his plane.