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Battle of Britain fighters remembered at St Paul's
8 Sep 2010The courage and sacrifice of those who fought in the Battle of Britain was remembered today.
On the 70th anniversary of the day the first German bombs fell on London, 2,500 people packed into St Paul's Cathedral to remember the Blitz spirit and honour those who contributed to what Churchill called Britain's “finest hour”.
Former pilots and other military personnel standing alongside firefighters, nurses and ambulance workers. The Duke of Kent and the Lord Mayor of London, Nick Anstee, were among dignitaries who joined the remembrance event.
The Duke, who holds the rank of Honorary Air Chief Marshal in the RAF, took the royal salute after the service as air cadets and current servicemen and women joined veterans for a parade.
Onlookers packed the City streets to watch while office workers crowded by windows to catch a glimpse of the Dakota, Spitfire and Lancaster aircraft which flew overhead. A Spitfire aircraft also stood at the bottom of the cathedral steps.
The Ven (Air Vice Marshal) Ray Pentland, who gave today's sermon, said everyone who played a role in the Battle of Britain, from Bomber Command to those who provided refreshments, was part of the story which changed the course of history.
"Without the Battle of Britain there would have been no D-Day, no Victory in Europe," he said.
"We remember and celebrate those who won for us freedom through their bravery and sacrifice. Their deeds shall never be forgotten."
Padre Pentland said it was all too easy for freedom to be eroded, warning: "There are those who seek to undermine our values, who seek to destroy our way of life.
"We live daily with the evil of terrorism that would seek to take away that hard-won freedom that we celebrate today. It must not be allowed to do so."
The Tube strike meant getting to St Paul's for the service was a struggle for many of those invited and the Dean, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles, started the service by thanking everyone for making the "supreme effort" to attend.
"As we stand in this building, which itself stood as a national icon of defiance and hope amidst conflict and uncertainty, we pray for all those who hold memories of a campaign which protected this island from invasion," he said.
"We give thanks for the bravery and service of the members of the Royal Air Force as well as those who supported them from the land, especially for those who gave of their time to protect the life and heritage of our homes and cities.
"We recall too the cost of the campaign, commending to God those whose lives were taken in service and innocence in the struggle for power and freedom."
Dean Knowles later read the famous words uttered by Churchill: "The gratitude of every home in our island, in our empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the world war by their prowess and by their devotion.
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
An air raid siren then sounded the start of a minute's silence.
It is thought the RAF lost more than 1,000 aircraft between July 10 and the end of October 1940 in the battles over London and the south coast, while the Luftwaffe lost around 1,800.
More than 500 airmen from Great Britain and the 19 overseas nations which fought alongside the RAF died during the Battle of Britain.
Reader views (6)
Lest we forget the 439,800 brave service men and women who sacrificed their lives in WW2 for FREEDOM.
Sadly, Great Britain is but a mere shadow of its former self.
- Reuben Camara, Plot 1, Morecambe Compound, UKSSR, 08/09/2010 08:35
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we as a country owe them we should build the biggest monument on the planet for these heros .
- dan henry, glasgow scotland, 07/09/2010 16:09
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From rafbf.org :
Following the Service of Remembrance, there will be a parade from St Paul’s starting at 12.30. Weather permitting; there will be a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Fund.
- Doug, Barnet, 07/09/2010 10:55
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Any idea what time? I've had a look at the official sites and they don't specify a time for the fly past.
- Bob, Cheam, 07/09/2010 10:27
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Mum was in Buckhurst Hill and she could see the flames when The City was hit. St Pauls stood in a field of fire, Paternoster Row caught fire and around half a billion books were burned. She said the sky glowed red, you couldn't see the flames, just a reflection in the sky that got bigger and bigger.
- Harry Cole, Bow, 07/09/2010 09:33
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Here are the true heroes of life.
Perhaps the likes of Wayne Rooney and Bob Crow should take a few lessons from them!
- IshouldbePM, Somewhere in deepest England, 07/09/2010 09:06
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