Prince Michael of Kent joined airmen who fought a Nazi invasion in the summer of 1940 for a ceremony at Capel-le-Ferne near Dover. Just 89 of the 2,940 men who flew in the Battle survive today. Nineteen original veterans marched to the Battle of Britain clifftop memorial yesterday where a minute's silence was held to honour those who took part, including the 544 men who died in Battle.
Spitfires and Lancaster Bombers capped off yesterday’s events with a spectacular fly-past in the air service which around 5,000 people attended, which a Hawker Hurricane was unable to fly in due to technical problems.
Plans were also unveiled for a new £650,000 learning centre aimed at schoolchildren, which will be housed in replica RAF dispersal huts overlooking the cliffs to give the site a wartime station feel. Wing Commander Bob Foster DFC, who flew Hurricanes with 605 Squadron, said: “Our aim is to keep the memory alive and the obvious way to do it is by showing the younger generation what happened.”
Spokesman Malcolm Triggs said the annual event was the biggest memorial day yet!
