Battle of Britain Monument Home THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN LONDON MONUMENT Battle of Britain London Monument
The Battle of Britain London Monument "Never in the field of human
conflict was so much owed
by so many to so few
."
Site of Battleof Britain London Monument Work in Progress London Monument Site Drawing of Battle of Britain London Monument
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Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Battle of Britain?
The Battle of Britain took place during the Second World War in 1940. At the time Germany under Hitler was trying to invade Britain. The Battle was fought in the skies between the Allies (airmen in the RAF from Britain and friendly nations) and the Germans (airmen in the Luftwaffe). more information ...

When was the Battle of Britain?
The Battle was defined as the air war between the dates of 10th July and 31st October 1940. more information ...

Who called it the Battle of Britain?
Winston Churchill coined the phrase in a speech in June 1940. This was just after France had been defeated and he said "I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin"

How many airmen flew in the battle?
2,936 British and Allied airmen took part in the battle. They were supported by very many more people. more information ...

What qualified someone to be classed as a battle airman?
To be classified as a battle airman they had to have flown at least one authorised sortie with an accredited unit of RAF Fighter Command in the period 10th July to 31st October 1940. This was recognised by the awarding of the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939-45 Star.

How many countries provided airmen that flew in the battle?
The airmen came from 15 countries (including Britain). For a full list see here

Why are some countries listed that no longer exist?
The airmen are listed as coming from the country as existed at the time of the battle. For example Newfoundland was a separate territory apart from Canada at the time and so is listed separately.

Who's idea was the Monument?
The Monument is an initiative of the Battle of Britain Historical Society, from an original idea by Bill Bond, the Society's founder. more information ...

What does the Monument commemorate?
The Monument is designed to commemorate those people who took part in the battle. Whilst the airmen will be commemorated with their names cast in bronze, the scenes are designed to also remember everyone who took part in the battle, both military support people and civilians.

Where is the Monument?
The Monument site is located in London (England) on the Victoria Embankment (north side of the river Thames). It is between the RAF memorial (the one with the big eagle wings) and Westminster bridge / Big Ben (next to the Houses of Parliament). It is opposite the London Eye ("The wheel"). See here for more details

What has been the reaction of surviving pilots to the Monument?
The reaction from pilots who have seen the first castings has been overwhelmingly positive. Similarly there has been a very positive response to the concept and design as models (maquettes) have been shown at many events around the country. See here for some of the pilots' comments

Where did the list of pilots come from?
There was no definitive list of airmen who took part in the battle before this project started. A number of partial lists and ideas did exits. Thus considerable research has been done as part of the overall project to produce a definitive list of names of pilots who flew during the battle. See here for more details

 



 

Battle of Britain Monument