A Second World War fighter pilot who saved Buckingham Palace from a direct hit has died at the age of 90, it was announced today. Sergeant Ray Holmes saved the palace when a German Dornier bomber lined up to attack it on September 15, 1940. Mr Holmes, from Wirral, Merseyside, spotted the Dornier making its approach but had run out of ammunition. So the pilot from 504 Squadron used his Hurricane to slice through the tail of the intruder. He then parachuted to safety, while his plane crashed into Buckingham Palace Road and the German bomber plunged into part of...