List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne

The List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain is a summary regarding the lists of those who flew during the Battle of Britain, and were awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp[1] to the 1939–45 Star by flying at least one authorised operational sortie with an eligible unit of the Royal Air Force or Fleet Air Arm during the period from 0001 hours on 10 July to 2359 hours 31 October 1940. (There are a few names missing from this list; check on The Battle of Britain Society web site.)[2][3]

Contents 

History

In 1942, the Air Ministry made the decision to compile a list from records of the names of pilots who had lost their lives as a result of the fighting during the Battle of Britain[notes 1] for the purpose of building a national memorial. This became the Battle of Britain Chapel at Westminster Abbey, which was unveiled by King George VI on 10 July 1947.[4] The Roll of Honour within the Chapel contains the names of 1,497 pilots and aircrew killed or mortally wounded during the Battle.[5]

Nothing was done officially, however, to define the qualifications for the classification of a Battle of Britain airman until 9 November 1960. AMO N850, published by the Air Ministry, stated for the first time the requirements for the awarding of the Battle of Britain Star, and listed the 71 units which were deemed to have been under the control of RAF Fighter Command.[6]

In 1955 Flt Lt John Holloway, a serving RAF officer, began a personal challenge to compile a complete list of "The Few". After fourteen years of research Flt Lt Holloway had 2,946 names on the list. Of these airmen, 537 were killed during the Battle or later died of wounds received.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, founded by Geoffrey Page, raised funds for the construction of the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne near Folkestone in Kent. The Memorial, unveiled by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 9 July 1993, shares the site with the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall on which a complete list of "The Few" is engraved.[7]

More recently, the Battle of Britain Monument on the Victoria Embankment in London was unveiled on 18 September 2005 by Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The idea for the monument was conceived by the Battle of Britain Historical Society which then set about raising funds for its construction. The outside of the monument is lined with bronze plaques listing all the Allied airmen who took part in the Battle.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ This was initially regarded as being from 8 August to 31 October 1940; however, the dates were later amended to also include those who lost their lives between 10 July and 7 August.

References

  1. ↑ The MOD
  2. ↑ "The Battle of Britain Historical Society". Battleofbritain1940.net. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  3. ↑ http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/BattleofBritainRollofHonour.cfm Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Roll of Honour
  4. ↑ Ramsay 1989, p.253.
  5. ↑ The Royal Air Force Chapel, Westminster Abbey RAF media files. Retrieved on 15 April 2009.
  6. ↑ Ramsay 1989, p.254.
  7. ↑ Home page The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust. Retrieved on 15 April 2009.
  8. ↑ Battle of Britain London Monument – project history Retrieved on 15 April 2009.

Bibliography

  • Ramsay, Winston, ed. The Battle of Britain Then and Now Mk V. London: Battle of Britain Prints International Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-900913-46-0.
  • Ringlstetter, Herbert (2005). Helmut Wick, An Illustrated Biography Of The Luftwaffe Ace And Commander Of Jagdgeschwader 2 During The Battle Of Britain. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0-7643-2217-6.
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