Battle of Britain Chapel
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At the eastern end of
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the Unite ...
in the
Lady Chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British English, British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church (building), church. The chapels are also known as ...
built by King Henry VII is the RAF Chapel dedicated to the men of the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
who died in the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
between July and October 1940.


History

The chapel received extensive bomb damage during the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
in 1940 and it's Tudor glass windows were blown out at the same time. A hole made in the stonework has been preserved and covered with glass. The
Dean of Westminster The Dean of Westminster is the head of the chapter at Westminster Abbey. Due to the Abbey's status as a Royal Peculiar, the dean answers directly to the British monarch (not to the Bishop of London as ordinary, nor to the Archbishop of Canterbu ...
was approached early in 1943 by Mr. N. Viner-Brady who suggested the idea of a memorial to
The Few The Few were the airmen of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the aviators of the Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy (RN) who fought the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. The term comes from Winston Churchill's phrase " Never, in the field of human c ...
and Dean Labilliere chose a small chapel as suitable for the purpose. Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Lord Trenchard Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard, (3 February 1873 – 10 February 1956) was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force. He has been described as the "Father of the ...
and Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding headed a committee to raise funds for the furnishing of this chapel and for a stained glass window, the Battle of Britain memorial window, which was unveiled by King
George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...
on 10 July 1947. Subsequently, the Battle of Britain Roll of Honour was placed in the chapel. It contains the names of the 1,497 pilots and aircrew killed or mortally wounded during the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
. Illuminated by calligrapher Daisy Alcock, the original work was paid for by Captain Bruce Ingram. It is paraded annually during the Service of Thanksgiving and Rededication on Battle of Britain Sunday. The ashes of Trenchard (1956) and Dowding (1970) were interred in the chapel. Notable RAF officers buried elsewhere are commemorated by memorials, e.g. "Bomber"
Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle of ...
, the man who led RAF Bomber Command during much of the Second World War. A tradition has grown that the remaining Battle of Britain veterans and their families hold their own, private service in the chapel prior to the Service of Thanksgiving and Rededication on Battle of Britain Sunday.


Service of Thanksgiving and Rededication

The annual service on Battle of Britain Sunday is held in Westminster Abbey on the Sunday on or following
Battle of Britain Day Battle of Britain Day, 15 September 1940, is the day on which a large-scale aerial battle in the Battle of Britain took place.Mason 1969, p. 386.Price 1990, p. 128. In June 1940, the '' Wehrmacht'' had conquered most of Western Europe and Sc ...
(15 September), and has taken place annually since 1943; the first service took place in St Paul's Cathedral and since has taken place in the Abbey. The format of the service has not changed since 1943. The Battle of Britain Roll of Honour is paraded through the abbey. Originally, it was escorted by 12 Battle of Britain veterans; today, the escort is made up of six veterans and six serving Junior Officers in the RAF. The
RAF Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Brita ...
Silk
Ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
is also carried through the abbey, borne and escorted by serving Junior RAF Officers from an extant Battle of Britain squadron that is currently operational. The Ensign Bearer always wears the Monypenny Sword, a gift of the widow of Squadron Leader John Blackwell Sinclair Monypenny, who was killed in action in 1940. The service is a ticket-only event, arranged by the Royal Air Force Ceremonial Office. Notices are placed in ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
'' and ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'' newspapers in June. Applications can be made in writing to SO3 RAF Ceremonial Events at
RAF Northolt ("Ready to carry or to fight") , pushpin_map = Greater London , pushpin_label = RAF Northolt , pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Greater London , coordinates = , type = Royal Air Force station , code = , site_area = , height = , owner ...
by former Battle of Britain aircrew, relatives of Battle of Britain aircrew now deceased (either during the war or since), past or present members of the RAF or its reserve forces and members of the public.


See also

*
Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch The Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch provides military chaplains for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. Mission The Mission of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch is to serve the RAF Community through: Prayer, Presence and Proclamation. ...


References


External links

{{Commons category
The Royal Air Force Chapel - Westminster Abbey
Royal Air Force Battle of Britain British military memorials and cemeteries Military chapels Westminster Abbey