MEMORIAL DAY 2010 - BRITAIN'S 70TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE TO THE FEW

 

The Patron of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, will be the guest of honour at the annual tribute to the airmen of the Battle of Britain at Capel-le-Ferne, on Sunday, 11 July.

This special commemoration, featuring the 70th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain on 10 July 1940, will feature flypasts by the iconic aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

HRH Prince Michael will be joined by surviving veterans of the fighting and by the most senior figure in the Royal Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of the Air Staff.

The open air service and parade at the National Memorial on the cliff top between Folkestone and Dover is open to the public and free to attend.

Group Captain Patrick Tootal, Secretary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, explained: "We pay tribute every year to The Few, the men of RAF Fighter Command who were at the forefront of preventing a German invasion, as well as to the many men and women whose support in so many ways helped to ensure that we all live in freedom today."

"The trustees are hoping that this 70th anniversary event will be supported by a particularly large number of people."

The Memorial Site opens to visitors at 10am and the day will include a band display by the Kent Wing Air Training Corps. The parade, supported by music and hymns played by the RAF Central band, will open at 1.30 pm with a 'general salute' for HRH Prince Michael of Kent and three fly-pasts by the BBMF Spitfire and Hurricane.

After a commemorative service conducted by Chaplain-in-Chief of the RAF the Venerable Ray Pentland, the Act of Remembrance and wreath laying, the BBMF's Hurricane and Spitfire will return, accompanied this time by the Lancaster.

At 4 pm the event will end with the Sunset ceremony and music from the RAF Central Band.

MEMORIAL DAY 2009 - THE FEW COME TO CAPEL-LE-FERNE

 

Daybreak on Sunday July 12 saw Capel-le-Ferne at its worst with wind, rain and low cloud swirling around the Memorial. By 10 am the rain stopped the cloud had broken and the sun shone through.

The guest of honour was Air Chief Marshal Sir Chris Moran, Commander-in-Chief Air Command. Precisely at 1330 Squadron Leader Al Pinner, Officer Commanding the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flew past in salute in Spitfire PM631 (Mk XIX), as the parade commander Flight Lieutenant Duncan Martin-Smith RAF from RAF Marham’s 3 Force Protection Wing HQ brought the parade of the RAF Silk Ensign, 17 members of The Few, 60 ex-Service standards, the ATC squadron banners, two flights of ATC cadets from Kent Wing and the Central Band of the RAF to the General Salute. Sir Chris Moran then inspected all those on parade.

After a speech of welcome by the Trust’s President, ACM Sir Michael Graydon, Sir Chris Moran praised the courage and dedication of The Few 69 years ago and commented that the men and women of today’s RAF were showing the same courage and dedication in combat operations overseas.

There followed a short Service of commemoration conducted by the Air Deacon of the Royal Air Force, the Rev (Gp Capt) Ray Pentland. During the service wreaths were laid in tribute to The Few.

Flight Lieutenant William Walker recited his poem “Our Wall” at the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall and members of The Few and 71 widows and other relatives of The Few then laid posies.

Memorial Day closed with a brilliant flying display by Squadron Leader Al Pinner in the same Spitfire, PM631.

Photographs by Barry Duffield.

 

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