Monument

Battle of Britain - London monument

Erection date: 18/9/2005

Inscription

{A large plaque tells the story of the Battle - this text we have put on our page for the Battle of Britain. The plaque concludes:}
Of the 2,936 pilots and aircrew who fought in RAF Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain, 544 lost their lives and a further 795 did not live to see the final victory in 1945. One in six were from countries outside the United Kingdom and on the plaques surrounding this monument their names have been grouped according to the airmen's country of origin. The plaques also feature the badges of their Squadrons.
It is in honour of the spirit and sacrifice of those immortalised as "The Few" and those supporting them that this monument has been erected.

{A small plaque below part of the list:}
The sculptor for this monument was Paul Day, working with architects Donald Insall Associates. The site was suggested by English Heritage and Westminster Council, the bronze reliefs and plaques were cast by the Morris Singer Foundry and the contractor was Stonewest.

BBM says "the names and ranks of the airmen who took part in the battle are {on plaques} mounted around the outside of the monument, the airmen's names being grouped under their respective countries." and at that website you can access the names, many of which have photos and further information.

Unveiled as part of the commemorations of the 65th anniversary of the Battle.

2010: the BBC reported on a name, Sq Ldr Charles Alexander Ogilvy, being added to this memorial.

Site: Battle of Britain - London monument (1 memorial)

SW1, Victoria Embankment

As happens occasionally (we've listed a few others here) this memorial hides a ventilation shaft. BBM has photos of it when it was a plain anonymous granite structure. To create the monument the chimney was split into two long low sections covered with the high relief sculptures and plaques.

This is a stunning memorial which we don't think is appreciated as widely as it should be. Perhaps the overall design is against it, since taking one photograph that shows the whole is just not possible.  But the sculptures by Paul Day are magnificent. We cannot find a website with photos that do them justice - you'll just have to go and look for yourself.

Some of the scenes depicted are: pilots "scrambling" (our picture), the flights being plotted in an ops room (like No. 11 Fighter Group RAF Operations Room), mechanics and riggers preparing the aircraft, the Observer Corps scouring the air for incoming Luftwaffe (our other picture), the chat in the mess room after a flight, crews waiting for the signal to scramble, women factory workers building the aircraft, St Paul's surrounded by smoke, civilians sheltering and scanning the skies, anti-aircraft guns being loaded and fired, rescuers searching the ruins, etc.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Battle of Britain - London monument

Subjects commemorated i

Battle of Britain

As part of WW2 the Germans set out to gain supremacy over the RAF in the Brit...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Battle of Britain - London monument

Created by i

English Heritage

English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that ma...

Read More

Donald W. Insall Associates

A firm of chartered architects, historic building and planning consultants. D...

Read More

Westminster City Council

The ancient parish of St Margaret's was divided into St Margaret's and St Joh...

Read More

Paul Day

Sculptor. Best known work (you love it or you hate it) is the huge statue (wh...

Read More

Morris Singer Foundry

Founded by John Webb Singer as the Frome Art Metal Works. Cast many of the be...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Arsenal Football Club founded

Arsenal Football Club founded

SE18, Number 1 Street, Dial Arch public house, Dial Arch Buildings

Erected in about 2005, the memorial (now almost covered by foliage) can be seen on the right centre of our photograph. Because of the ram...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
St Mary-le-bone War Memorial

St Mary-le-bone War Memorial

NW8, Park Road

{On the back of the plinth: a carved laurel wreath encircling a lit lantern, representing an eternal flame, presumably, and:} 1914 - 1...

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Hackney Town Hall Cross

Hackney Town Hall Cross

E8, Mare Street, Hackney Town Hall

{On three marble slabs attached to the base of the cross:} To the honoured memory of those employees of the Metropolitan Boroughs of Hac...

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Thames head

Thames head

GL7, Tetbury Road, near Kemble, Tewksbury Mead

The lettering in this granite stone was originally picked out, probably in gold or black, but now the only way to see that the lettering ...

1 subject commemorated
Memorial Cross at Lancaster Gate

Memorial Cross at Lancaster Gate

W2, Lancaster Gate

A City of Westminster information plaque on the ground at the centre of the traffic island provides the following: The Christ Church war...

3 subjects commemorated, 4 creators

Previously viewed

Mark Gertler - E1

Mark Gertler - E1

E1, Elder Street, 32

This is a lovely 18th century cobbled street in which the blue plaque is garishly anachronistically. The plaque was erected in 1975 when ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
The Plumbers Arms

The Plumbers Arms

WC1, Hastings Street

2016: With the exception of this tall tower, this entire block of buildings has been demolished and replaced with a single massive block....

1 subject commemorated
Mrs Eliza Wilson

Mrs Eliza Wilson

Born Eliza Lawes, daughter of Edward Hobson Vitruvius Lawes and Jane Edwards Lawes. He was a barrister and lived in Serjeants Inn, and their daughter was baptised on the 1st April 1824 at St. Andre...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial
Colonial Office - B02 - Henry I

Colonial Office - B02 - Henry I

SW1, Whitehall, Foreign Office

Statues Hither and Thither has been invaluable in identifying some of the busts and most of the statues. The statues are not labelled and...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
John Wesley - Aldersgate Street

John Wesley - Aldersgate Street

EC1, Aldersgate Street

The probable site, where, on May 24, 1738 John Wesley "felt his heart strangely warmed". This experience of grace was the beginning of Me...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator