Alongside the Memorial and Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, visitors can discover several other features of interest, including the Biggin Hill Yardarm, the bust of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, and Bob the Dog – a much-loved Memorial mascot. Together, these attractions highlight the people, traditions and heritage associated with the Battle of Britain and the Royal Air Force.
Lord Dowding Bust
One of the country’s most visionary leaders during the Battle of Britain is remembered at the far end of the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, where Lord Dowding’s bust now sits alongside that of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park.
The bust of Lord Dowding, who, as Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, led RAF Fighter Command throughout the Battle of Britain in 1940, was carved by Will Davies, the sculptor who also created the adjacent bust of Sir Keith Park.
It was unveiled on Wed 31 May 2017 by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, who was accompanied by guests including Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM, one of the Few.
Dowding was at the head of Fighter Command following its formation in 1936, and was responsible for this country’s air defence system, including radio direction finding (radar), Observer Corps posts and control rooms. It was these innovations, together with the bravery and sacrifice of the aircrew and those who supported them, which led to the RAF’s victory in the Battle of Britain.
Also at the unveiling was Odette, Lady Dowding, the daughter-in-law of Lord Dowding and widow of the late Wing Commander Derek Dowding, another of the Few.
Visitors will notice that while the bust of Sir Keith is looking out to where the battle was fought. Lord Dowding’s head is turned towards the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, on which members of the Few – his “chicks” – are listed.
Sir Keith Park Bust
The 70th anniversary commemorations of the Battle of Britain in 2010 included the unveiling of a bust of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park at Capel-le-Ferne.
The bust, which can be seen at the right hand end of the Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, was carved by Sculptor Will Davies and unveiled in October by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, Patron of the War Memorials Trust.
Sir Keith, who commanded the RAF’s No 11 Group Fighter Command – the squadrons that bore the brunt of the Battle of Britain – has been credited as one of the men whose leadership and vision helped to deny the Luftwaffe victory.
The Beaverbrook Wall
Visitors to the Battle of Britain Memorial are greeted by a low, curved, stone wall on which is inscribed Churchill’s famous line: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed, by so many, to so few.”
The Beaverbrook Wall was unveiled by the late Vi, Lady Aitken, wife of the late Sir Max Aitken Bt, DSO, DFC, who served in Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain in 1940 and went on to earn a distinguished war record.
Churchill’s line, included in a speech he gave to the House of Commons on 20 August 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, struck a chord with the nation – and the men who fought in the Battle have been known as the Few ever since.
Bob the Dog
Many RAF squadrons had a dog as a mascot or merely as a station pet, and the Memorial Trust is no exception. Our dog, which doubles as a collecting box and sits obediently at the foot of the Biggin Hill yardarm, is called BoB – for obvious reasons.
South Kent College Wall
This impressive addition to the site, unveiled in 2001, was designed by staff and built by brickwork students at South Kent College. The brickwork tribute is so striking that in the early days of the Memorial some visitors thought it was the National Memorial to the Few, which prompted the Trust to add signage pointing across the car park to the actual Memorial.
The Biggin Hill Yardarm
The flagpole at the Memorial is technically a “yardarm”, reflecting the RAF’s pride in its historic links with the Royal Navy.
The yardarm was one of the earliest of the additional items to be installed at the site following the unveiling of the National Memorial to the Few by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1993.
It was bought from RAF Biggin Hill, where it used to stand, by Mr Savvas Constantinides, who had been planning to ship it home to Cyprus. He was instead persuaded by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust to donate it to the clifftop site at Capel-le-Ferne, where it was installed just a few months after the unveiling of the Memorial itself.
The RAF Ensign and Union Flag are flown from the yardarm daily, while on special occasions such as Memorial Day in July and Battle of Britain Day on 15 September, the flags of all the nations represented in the Battle are flown. Equally importantly, the Ensign is flown at half-mast when one of the Few passes away.
Keeping their memories alive
Help us preserve the memory of The Few and inspire future generations. Your support ensures the Battle of Britain Memorial continues to educate, honour and engage visitors of all ages through exhibitions, events and ongoing conservation.
