The Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel‑le‑Ferne owes its existence to Wing Commander Geoffrey Page, a Hurricane pilot severely burned when shot down on 12 August 1940. After extensive treatment under pioneering plastic surgeon Archie McIndoe, Page returned to operational flying, ultimately achieving 15 confirmed victories and receiving the DFC and Bar and later the DSO. Years after the war, he was struck by the absence of a national memorial to the aircrew who had fought beside him in 1940. His determination led to the creation of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust and the selection of Capel‑le‑Ferne – part of the wartime “Hellfire Corner” – as the memorial site.
The Location
The clifftop location had played a significant military role in both world wars, serving as an airship mooring site during the First World War and later as the position of a major gun battery constructed between 1941 and 1942. Much of the installation was underground, with deep emplacements and reinforced concrete structures that remained until the Army’s departure in the early 1950s.
Memorial Opening
The National Memorial was opened on 9 July 1993 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Sculptor Harry Gray’s design, centred on a seated airman gazing across the Channel, stands on a vast propeller‑shaped base surrounded by the badges of Allied squadrons that took part in the Battle. The site also features full‑size replicas of a Hurricane and Spitfire and the Christopher Foxley‑Norris Memorial Wall, inscribed with the names of almost 3,000 aircrew. At the left hand end of the wall is a brick plinth inset with an inscribed poem by veteran William Walker AE, who died in October 2012 at the age of 99. The poem, Our Wall, refers to the adjacent wall that list the names of those who flew in the Battle.
The Wing Visitor Centre
In 2010, The Duchess of Cornwall unveiled a bust of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park. The Wing visitor centre, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015, provides an immersive interpretive experience, including The Scramble Experience and a viewing balcony overlooking the Channel – the direction from which the Luftwaffe approached in 1940. The starboard wing of the building now houses the Geoffrey Page Centre, honouring the man whose vision ensured that the Few would be remembered. At the Memorial, Park’s bust looks out towards the skies where the battle was fought, while Dowding’s is turned towards the Memorial Wall, facing the names of the airmen he called his “chicks”.
The Busts
Unveiled on 31 May 2017 by HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, the bust of Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding stands at the far end of the Christopher Foxley‑Norris Memorial Wall. Sculpted by Will Davies, who also created the neighbouring bust of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, it honours the commander who led RAF Fighter Command through the Battle of Britain. At the unveiling, guests included Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM, one of The Few, and Odette, Lady Dowding.
Graydon Gates
In 2020 the Graydon Gates named in honour of the support provided over the years by the former President of the Trust Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon GCB, CBE. The gates used to stand at RAF Biggin Hill and were renovated using funds donated to a special 80th anniversary appeal.
