ABOUT US

Geoffrey Page was a 20-year-old Hurricane pilot who was shot down and terribly burned in the Battle of Britain. He spent two years in hospital and became a founder member of the Guinea Pig Club.

Such was his spirit that he returned to active service, became a wing leader, won the DSO and DFC and was badly injured again.

Years later, Geoffrey realised to his astonishment that there was no memorial to his comrades in Fighter Command in 1940. He determined to put right that omission and the National Memorial at Capel le Ferne was the result.

On July 9 1993, Her Majesty the Queen Mother opened the Memorial and Geoffrey’s dream was realised. He died in August 2000, shortly after attending the Memorial Day marking the 60th anniversary of the Battle.

 

 

WHO WERE THE FEW?

Perhaps the essential myth of the Battle of Britain can be summed up in the idea that this was a victory gained by young British officer pilots flying Spitfires.

Many were far from young. Teenagers fought in the Battle, but so did men in their 20, 30s and 40s. One air gunner was 51.

Many were not from the United Kingdom. The countries represented in Fighter Command in 1940 included Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Ireland, Jamaica, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Poland, the Rhodesias, South Africa and the United States. Many were not officers – among the high scoring NCO pilots of the Battle were Sergeant “Ginger” Lacey (501 Squadron), Sergeant Jim Hallowes (43 Squadron) and Flight Sergeant “Grumpy” Unwin (19 Squadron).

Multi-crewed aircraft, such as the Bleneim and Defiant, took part in the Battle, so not all the aircrew were pilots.

The Hurricane flew in much greater numbers in the Battle than the Spitfire and shot down far more enemy aircraft.

After the Battle it was decided that every Allied airman who took part should be entitled to the “immediate” award of the 1939-45 Star with Battle of Britain clasp. The qualification that was decided on for this award wasthat a airman must have made one authorised operational flight with a designated unit (of which there were 71 under the control of Fighter Command) between 10 July and 31 October 1940.