Roland Temple was my great uncle. He worked as an insurance clerk in Leeds before training to fly the fastest single-engine fighter bomber of the second world war.

For the first 53 years of my life, I'm ashamed to say that I only knew three facts about 'Roly' - that he died in Normandy and he had a wife and daughter. I owed it to him to find out more and honour what he and the many thousands did to protect all our futures.

Roland lost his life on 7th August 1944 aged 27, engaged in the battle of Mortain - when every airworthy plane went into battle against the column of armour that Hitler had ordered to drive the allied forces back after gains made since D-Day.

It was a fight the like of which had never been seen before (or has since) - air power versus ground power, Typhoons versus Panzers. The Typhoons came out on top and the column quickly ground to halt with many tanks and support vehicles being destroyed or badly damaged.

Hundreds lost their lives, including Roland who came down near the town of Gavrey to the west of Mortain. Although it's reported that he managed to evacuate his damaged plane and deploy his parachute, he did not survive.

Roland now rests in the Commonwealth cemetery at Bayeux along with over 4000 of his comrades. He left a widow and daughter who was 3 at the time. She is now 81 - and it was at her 80th birthday party that I decided that I wanted to find out all I could about this incredibly brave 'normal' guy - and visit him in Normandy.

I've since written a book about him, the Typhoon, the Battle of Mortain and my visit to see him with my brother in 2023. All the members of my family now have a copy of the book to help to keep his memory alive.

We must never forget the ultimate sacrifice that so many gave...RIP Roland.