MEMORIAL DAY 2009 - THE FEW COME TO CAPEL-LE-FERNE
Daybreak on Sunday July 12 saw Capel-le-Ferne at its worst with wind, rain and low cloud swirling around the Memorial. By 10 am the rain stopped the cloud had broken and the sun shone through.
The guest of honour was Air Chief Marshal Sir Chris Moran, Commander-in-Chief Air Command. Precisely at 1330 Squadron Leader Al Pinner, Officer Commanding the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flew past in salute in Spitfire PM631 (Mk XIX), as the parade commander Flight Lieutenant Duncan Martin-Smith RAF from RAF Marham’s 3 Force Protection Wing HQ brought the parade of the RAF Silk Ensign, 17 members of The Few, 60 ex-Service standards, the ATC squadron banners, two flights of ATC cadets from Kent Wing and the Central Band of the RAF to the General Salute. Sir Chris Moran then inspected all those on parade.
After a speech of welcome by the Trust’s President, ACM Sir Michael Graydon, Sir Chris Moran praised the courage and dedication of The Few 69 years ago and commented that the men and women of today’s RAF were showing the same courage and dedication in combat operations overseas.
There followed a short Service of commemoration conducted by the Air Deacon of the Royal Air Force, the Rev (Gp Capt) Ray Pentland. During the service wreaths were laid in tribute to The Few.
Flight Lieutenant William Walker recited his poem “Our Wall” at the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall and members of The Few and 71 widows and other relatives of The Few then laid posies.
Memorial Day closed with a brilliant flying display by Squadron Leader Al Pinner in the same Spitfire, PM631.
Photographs by Barry Duffield.
Daybreak on Sunday July 12 saw Capel-le-Ferne at its worst with wind, rain and low cloud swirling around the Memorial. By 10 am the rain stopped the cloud had broken and the sun shone through.
The guest of honour was Air Chief Marshal Sir Chris Moran, Commander-in-Chief Air Command. Precisely at 1330 Squadron Leader Al Pinner, Officer Commanding the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flew past in salute in Spitfire PM631 (Mk XIX), as the parade commander Flight Lieutenant Duncan Martin-Smith RAF from RAF Marham’s 3 Force Protection Wing HQ brought the parade of the RAF Silk Ensign, 17 members of The Few, 60 ex-Service standards, the ATC squadron banners, two flights of ATC cadets from Kent Wing and the Central Band of the RAF to the General Salute. Sir Chris Moran then inspected all those on parade.
After a speech of welcome by the Trust’s President, ACM Sir Michael Graydon, Sir Chris Moran praised the courage and dedication of The Few 69 years ago and commented that the men and women of today’s RAF were showing the same courage and dedication in combat operations overseas.
There followed a short Service of commemoration conducted by the Air Deacon of the Royal Air Force, the Rev (Gp Capt) Ray Pentland. During the service wreaths were laid in tribute to The Few.
Flight Lieutenant William Walker recited his poem “Our Wall” at the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall and members of The Few and 71 widows and other relatives of The Few then laid posies.
Memorial Day closed with a brilliant flying display by Squadron Leader Al Pinner in the same Spitfire, PM631.
Photographs by Barry Duffield.
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The Battle of Britain Memorial is a monument to aircrew who flew in the Battle of Britain . It is sited on the White Cliffs at Capel-le-Ferne , near Folkestone , on the coast of Kent. It was initiated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, and opened by the Queen Mother on July 9 1993. It is formed of a large propellor shape, with the figure of a seated pilot
sitting at the centre carved by Harry Gray. Also on the site are replicas of a Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire and the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, on which appear the names of the almost 3000 fighter aircrew who flew in the Battle.
History of the monument
The idea for a National Memorial to The Few came from one of their number. Wing Commander Geoffrey Page had been a 20-year-old Hurricane pilot with 56 Squadron in the Battle. On 12
August 1940 Pilot Officer Page was shot down and baled out into the sea with terrible burns.
Geoffrey went on to become a founding member of the Guinea Pig Club for RAF personnel
treated at the Queen Victoria Hospital by the team of plastic surgeons led by Archie McIndoe. Determination and courage ensured that Geoffrey returned to operational flying. He was
awarded the DFC and bar and at the time he received the DSO in 1944, he was credited with destroying
15 enemy aircraft. A crash late in the war seriously injured him again and he returned to East Grinstead.
His growing belief that The Few must be remembered led Geoffrey to the area of Dover and Folkestone - "Hellfire Corner" in 1940 - over which so much of the fighting had taken place. The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust was established and fund raising began.
The site that was chosen at Capel le Ferne had played its part in both world wars.
In the 1914-18 conflict airships were moored there and in 1941 construction of a gun battery began. Much of the personnel accommodation was underground, including a "hospital" or
large sick quarters.
By the end of 1942, naval pattern 8-in guns had been installed, in sites 40 ft deep, protected by concrete walls which were six to eight ft thick. Legend has it that the first ranging shot from
Capel struck Dungeness. It was around 1952 that the Army left.
The original plan for the memorial was on a bigger scale than the visitor will see today. Many
would argue that the final design, by Harry Gray of the Carving Workshop, Cambridge is moving through its simplicity.
At the time that Harry Gray was approached, he had, by a remarkable coincidence, been
thinking of carving a pilot, but could not get the design right. One day Harry and his trainee
took a rest and the pose adopted by his colleague provided Harry with inspiration. The seated airman looking out to sea was born, surrounded by the badges of the Allied squadrons and
other units that took part in the Battle.
The idea for a National Memorial to The Few came from one of their number. Wing Commander Geoffrey Page had been a 20-year-old Hurricane pilot with 56 Squadron in the Battle. On 12
August 1940 Pilot Officer Page was shot down and baled out into the sea with terrible burns.
Geoffrey went on to become a founding member of the Guinea Pig Club for RAF personnel
treated at the Queen Victoria Hospital by the team of plastic surgeons led by Archie McIndoe. Determination and courage ensured that Geoffrey returned to operational flying. He was
awarded the DFC and bar and at the time he received the DSO in 1944, he was credited with destroying
15 enemy aircraft. A crash late in the war seriously injured him again and he returned to East Grinstead.
His growing belief that The Few must be remembered led Geoffrey to the area of Dover and Folkestone - "Hellfire Corner" in 1940 - over which so much of the fighting had taken place. The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust was established and fund raising began.
The site that was chosen at Capel le Ferne had played its part in both world wars.
In the 1914-18 conflict airships were moored there and in 1941 construction of a gun battery began. Much of the personnel accommodation was underground, including a "hospital" or
large sick quarters.
By the end of 1942, naval pattern 8-in guns had been installed, in sites 40 ft deep, protected by concrete walls which were six to eight ft thick. Legend has it that the first ranging shot from
Capel struck Dungeness. It was around 1952 that the Army left.
The original plan for the memorial was on a bigger scale than the visitor will see today. Many
would argue that the final design, by Harry Gray of the Carving Workshop, Cambridge is moving through its simplicity.
At the time that Harry Gray was approached, he had, by a remarkable coincidence, been
thinking of carving a pilot, but could not get the design right. One day Harry and his trainee
took a rest and the pose adopted by his colleague provided Harry with inspiration. The seated airman looking out to sea was born, surrounded by the badges of the Allied squadrons and
other units that took part in the Battle.
Click to enlarge
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.jpg "1 (600 x 306)")
.jpg "2 (600 x 402)")
.jpg "!7 Members of the")
.jpg "Air Chief Marshal Sir Chris Moran CinC Air Cmd")
.jpg "5 (600 x 402)")
.jpg "60 Ex Service Association Standards")
.jpg "Flt Lt Bill Walker")
.jpg "Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall.")
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Registered Charity United Kingdom No 226682 Spain No G54288329