Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne
The Battle of Britain Memorial | |
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United Kingdom | |
Statue of a seated pilot at the Battle of Britain Memorial | |
For the RAF casualties of the Battle of Britain | |
Unveiled | 9 July 1993 |
Location | near Capel-le-Ferne |
Designed by | Harry Gray |
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 9 July 1993. It is formed of a large propeller-shaped base, with the figure of a seated pilot carved by Harry Gray sitting at the centre. The propeller shape has lead the monument to be considered a hill figure.
Also on the site are replicas of a Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire and the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall, on which appears the names of the almost 3,000 fighter aircrew who flew in the Battle.
In October 2010 HRH The Duchess of Cornwall unveiled a bust of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park by sculptor Will Davies at the site.
The Trust is currently raising money to build a new visitor centre. It will take the shape of a Spitfire wing and will be called The Wing.
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Memorial Wall
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Spitfire
External links
- Battle of Britain Memorial - homepage
- Harry Gray, Sculptor. The Carving Workshop - Cambridge, UK
- On the 70th Anniversary of the Battle, a veteran at the Memorial recalls his memories http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00cbgt6 or if viewing outside the UK: http://vimeo.com/35312839
Coordinates: 51°05′55″N 1°12′21″E / 51.0985°N 1.2059°E