Memorial

Monument: Croydon Aerodrome Battle of Britain memorial

Erection date: 27/10/1991

Inscription

{On the front of the pylon, below the Royal Air Force Fighter Command crest and a Christian cross:}
In God we trust
This memorial is in tribute to all connected with Croydon and its aerodrome who gave their lives either in the air or on the ground during the Second World War,
1939 - 1945.
This memorial was unveiled by Air Marshal Sir William Wratten KBE, CB, AFC, FRAeS, RAF, on Sunday 27th October 1991.

{On the left face of the pylon below three badges:}
They gave us our freedom.

{On the back of the pylon below three badges:}
The possibility of defeat never existed.
{Way down at the bottom right:}
A.D.S. M.B.E. {Alan Savage}

{On the right face of the pylon below three badges:}
Remembered always

{On the step risers, starting at the front:}
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. W.S.C. {Winston Spencer Churchill}

Royal Artillery - Hon.Artillery Company - Queens Royal Reg. - Middlesex Reg. - Tower Hamlet Rifles - 2nd London Rifles - W.A.A F. - A.T.S. - A.T.A.

Ambulance - Fire - Police - Royal Observer Corps - Home Guard - NAAFI - Salvation Army

All civil defence units - telephone services - transport - doctors & nursing staff - post and all those who suffered.

On the second step riser, at the back:}
W. L. A. - W. V. S.

{On a plaque laid into the ground in front of the monument:}
In memory of Alan D. Savage MBE DFM, 1927 - 2007, without whose constant endeavours this memorial would never have been raised.

21 foot high and topped with a bronze eagle, this monument does not actually name the Battle of Britain but that is what is being commemorated, along with the fighter pilots and all those based at Croydon that won it. We understand the badges are those of the squadrons based here and we think (but are open to correction) that the initial spaghetti untangles as:

A.T.A. - Air Transport Auxiliary
A.T.S. - Auxiliary Territorial Service
NAAFI - Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes
W.A.A F. - Womens' Auxiliary Air Force
W. L. A. - Women's Land Army
W. V. S. - Women's Voluntary Service

Buried under the monument is a time capsule containing historic items relating to the Battle of Britain and Croydon Airport.