Season ends on high note

The Trust's autumn season of free Sunday afternoon film shows ended on a high note when John Willis, documentary film maker, author and long-time supporter of the Memorial, spoke to an enthusiastic audience about his latest book, Fighter Boy – The Many Lives of Geoffrey Page OBE, DSO, DFC and Bar.

It was Geoffrey Page, shot down and badly burned during the Battle of Britain, who in 1990 persuaded a group of people to commission the National Memorial to the Few at Capel-le-Ferne in honour of his fellow airmen. That group of people became the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, which looks after the Memorial to this day.

The airman statue, unveiled by HRH Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in July 1993, remains at the heart of the Memorial to this day, while the replica Hurricane at the site is painted in the colours of the aircraft in which Page, then a Pilot Officer, was shot down.

Page was treated for his burns by the legendary pioneering surgeon Archie McIndoe, making him one of his legendary ‘guinea pigs’.

After the talk John Willis signed copies of his new book, reviewed here, and chatted to the audience. The book is available from our online shop.

Keep an eye on the website for news of next spring's exciting series of talks and presentations.