First of 'the Many' honoured

The first of the commemorative stones marking the contribution to the Allies success in the Battle of Britain by ‘the many’ have now been put in place at the Memorial.

Four stones, which line the edge of one of the white propellers radiating out from the National Memorial to the Few, were unveiled in time for guests at the annual Memorial Day earlier this month to admire.

The Memorial is hoping that many more people will nominate someone who, while not flying with the Royal Air Force as a member of the Few, ‘did their bit’, perhaps as groundcrew, a WAAF, telephone engineer or in runway maintenance. For more examples of the kind of people who might qualify, click here

The President of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton GCB, highlighted the opportunity to nominate a family member or anyone else who played a part in defending the country in 1940 as he welcomed people to the annual Memorial Day commemoration.

He pointed out the vital part that so many people had played in ensuring that Fighter Command had been able to see off the Luftwaffe and prevent an invasion, a victory that paved the way for the D-Day invasions of June 1944.

Nominees for all four of the tiles now in place were all at the site on the day, including members of the Crawshaw family, who have dedicated a tile to Leading Aircraftman ‘Joe’ Crawshaw, an airframe rigger with No 222 Squadron during the Battle of Britain.

Admiring the stone while smartly dressed in the uniform of a corporal in the Yateley and Eversley (2407) Squadron ATC was Jake Crawshaw. ‘Joe’ Crawshaw was the uncle of his grandfather Peter Crawshaw, who was also present with his wife Wendy and his son Mark, Jake’s father.

Also at the event was one of the nominees, centenarian Colin Deverell DFM, an aircraft mechanic working on Hurricanes and Spitfires during the Battle.

The Crawshaw Family

Colin Deverell chats to Trust Hon Secretary Patrick Tootal