Eighty-six years since the Battle of Britain was won over southeast England, our annual memorial event held to remember ‘The Few’ took place under those same skies.
On Sunday 12th July, we welcomed the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Lady Colgrain, who has always been a great supporter of the Memorial, and the professional head of the Royal Air Force, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, as our Guest of Honour.
We also welcomed international air staff from Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and Poland, and a number of related Associations and Societies and local civic dignitaries, who laid wreaths alongside the RAF.
Unlike in previous years, the sun was shining and despite the wind, the service was held outside, beginning with a display from Kent Wing Royal Air Force Air Cadets Band, before the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment marched ahead of the various Standards, a Guard of Honour comprised of Cadets from Kent Wing Royal Air Force Air Cadets and the Sovereign’s Colour of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, carried and escorted by members of 600 (City of London) Squadron RAuxAF.
Order of Service
A General Salute for the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth KCB OBE DFC ADC was followed by a welcome from Battle of Britain Memorial chairman Richard Hunting CBE, before a service of commemoration, Last Post and laying of official wreaths:
The Lady Colgrain, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Kent
Chief of the Air Staff on behalf of the Royal Air Force
Allied Air Force Commanders, Attachés and Advisers
Flt Lt Little on behalf of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
600 City of London Sqn RAuxAF
A Royal Air Force Air Cadet on behalf of the Air Transport Auxiliary
OC Kent Wing on behalf of the RAF Air Cadets
A cadet on behalf of Kent Wing Air Training Corps
Mr Richard Hunting, Chairman, on behalf of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust
Mrs Deborah Burns on behalf of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association
Folkestone & Hythe District Council
Capel-le-Ferne Parish Council
Other Civic Dignitaries, Associations, Societies and guests
Guests were treated to a flypast of a Spitfire Mk Vb from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flown by Squadron Leader Alistair Luckins – following the flights of ‘The Few’, giving them a victory roll as he flew over the Memorial.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS
Flt Lt William Walker
Personal tributes were then laid at the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, where the family of Flt Lt William Walker read his poem ‘Our Wall’ which is inscribed on a plinth at the left end of The Wall and was written especially for the Memorial, about The Wall.
His son David, grandson Thomas, granddaughter Fiona and great-grandchildren Leo and Zara, travelled from Dorset to read his poem to close the service ahead of the afternoon tea.
Teenagers Leo and Zara, who had met their great-grandfather before he died, aged 99 in 2015, 99, said they felt privileged to have a Battle of Britain pilot in their family and enjoy coming each year to remember him, saying they thought that school children should learn about the Battle on their curriculum because of how pivotal it was to the outcome of the Second World War.
Their parents Thomas, father of Leo and Fiona, mother of Zara, remember their grandfather as always looking forward to coming to the Battle of Britain Memorial – they have been coming together for decades.
They remember him telling them about being shot down – an exciting story which Thomas recalls, which led to being recovered by a fishing boat and having a bullet removed from his ankle – which flew out when he was having it surgically removed…he asked to keep it and the family still has it.
They also remember going to fundraising events with him – and meeting other pilots who also shared their stories.
His son David, said: “His main complaint was the scant training – they were just chucked into an aircraft because they could fly and off they went – they hoped for the best. I would have been as terrified as he most likely was. When he was waiting to be found, he wondered if that fishing boat was the English or the Germans!”
Granddaughter Fiona said: “He was a very loving grandfather, we had lots of conversations about all sorts of things and were very close, so it’s very moving to come here. When I talk to the other wives and widows, they say he had a twinkle in his eye and was always up for some fun!
“It’s important to realise the sacrifice that was made – they weren’t trained well enough but they were willing to give their lives to go up and fight for their country, risking their lives – and there were just a few of them compared to the Germans.
“It’s quite emotional to be here and when the Spitfire went over today, I start shaking – I envisage my grandfather in that rickety plane, doing this at night, with planes on fire, fighting for their country. I just can’t imagine it – it’s impossible. I really miss him.”
Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier
David Rosier was visiting to remember his father, Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier, a Battle of Britain pilot who flew towards the end of the campaign, having previously been shot down in operations over Vitry; the cockpit canopy jammed, the plane blew up and Fred – as he was known by, found himself in mid-air. He pulled his parachute to land safely but burnt.
Now a trustee of the Memorial, David brought along a copy of his father’s first logbook, which includes poignant records of young airmen who flew into battle and never came back. Reading one page, of a young pilot aged 18 who didn’t survive, brought David to tears – the pain of the sacrifice clear to see. He said: “A lot of the young men gave their lives for this country. My father was lucky – after being shot down in flames, he didn’t fly in the most difficult parts of the battle. He didn’t speak much about it – these young men did what they had to but didn’t necessarily enjoy it. This is a huge part of our heritage – and we must remember what they did.”
Flt Lt Owen Burns
Memorial Trustee Deborah Burns comes to the memorial every year to remember husband Flt Lt Owen Burns’ service. He was caught in an enemy raid while returning from a night patrol over the North Sea – one of three aircraft, his crash landed; the observer was killed, the pilot spent a year in hospital, but Owen sustained only a broken collar bone. One of the other planes was shot down and the other went down in flames just before landing. She attends each year to remember him, honour his service and keep the pilots’ memory alive and the Memorial on the map so that visitors come to see for themselves, the memorials and museum that tell the story.
PO Gilbert Draper
Penny Draper, whose father PO Gilbert Draper, was shot down over Ashford in his Spitfire P7282, was remembering his courage at the memorial day and said: “My dad was 19 – the fear, the realities of going up and flying, not knowing if they would come down again, or if their friends would too. It’s incredible being here – I met someone today whose dad knew my dad. And he had heard a story about a pilot who had landed in a tree and that’s how he survived. That was my dad. I knew that story but to hear it from someone else was amazing. We think he was seen baling out by a doctor who followed where he landed and he was rescued.”
Air Commodore Eric Burchmore CBE
Eric Burchmore was a junior airman at Kenley during the Battle of Britain as a ground engineer – and his family travelled from Scotland to see his memorial tile on the ‘Blade of Honour’ for the first time.
When the medical quarters was bombed during The Battle, his records were severely burnt – which meant for the rest of his career, he was frequently asked why they were in such a “shabby” state, as his son-in-law Olly Knight, who came to the Memorial Day with his grandson Cam, described them. For his work on the introduction of the Harrier, Eric was later in his career, awarded the CBE for his service.
He said of Eric’s Blade of Honour tile: “It’s very impressive and in a lovely position. It honours a great man.”
Family members of both Polish and Czechoslovak pilots, who joined the RAF to bolster the air capabilities, had travelled to pay their respects and meet with other families.
Alex Scott’s Czechoslovak father Jaromir Strihavka had served in both the Czechoslovak and French air forces before the Battle of Britain and although he didn’t see combat at this time of the war, he did later in his service. His father didn’t tell him too much about his service – Alex found out after his death, during historical research.
Alex comes every year from his home in Cambridge, to honour his father, and other service personnel, laying a wreath on behalf of the Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans.
Artur Bildziuk came to the memorial event to remember his father, Kazimerz Bildzuiz, known as both ‘Mietek’ and ‘Mike’ who was a ground engineer during the Battle of Britain.
He came as Chairman of the Polish Airmen’s Association – representing the Polish servicemen who flew in the Battle of Britain alongside both the UK pilots and other nationalities from across the globe.
He said: “The Poles became the highest scoring squadron on the Battle of Britain – and we were there in the most crucial time and critical moments, plus they were most experienced pilots being older, late twenties, so we ended up contributing so much.
Artur said: “The Battle of Britain story is how everyone came together to fight together. As an engineer, they did what I am familiar with – see a problem and come together to fix it.”
With thanks to the following for their free help on the day:
Our staff/volunteers
Early Birds The Bespoke Building Company – for providing generators and helpers all weekend
Simply Ice Cream for providing a chiller van
Thank you to our suppliers:
Catering: Hannah Crebbin Acre Tea Rooms
Marquees: Best in Tents
Portable Toilets: 4 Jays
Security: Ward Security
Visit us soon to find out more about the Battle of Britain, see pilot photos, watch films and hear their voices.
