Skip to main content

    War MemorialsRegister

    • Home
    • Search Memorials
    • Search Names
    • Help
    Imperial War Museums LogoImperial War Museums home
    • About
      • About us
      • Submit a photograph
      • Volunteering
    • Legal
      • Accessibility Statement
      • Cookies
      • Copyright
      • Privacy
      • Terms of use

    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    Croydon Aerodrome Battle Of Britain Memorial

    East (road) face

    Source: Copyright Matt Ebeling

    1/11

    Current Location

    South of retail area on west side of Purley Way, Roadside, Purley Way, South Croydon, Croydon, Greater London, CR0 4RS, England

    OS Grid Reference

    TQ 31305 63222

    View location on Google Maps

    Names listed on this memorial

    Contribute to the War Memorials Register

    Send us details and photographs of your local war memorials, to help enhance the information about the people, places and events they commemorate.

    Contribute now

    This record shows everything IWM currently knows about this memorial. We are continually updating our records.

    © WMR-10797

    To share information or photographs, contact us.

    Type of Memorial
    Sculptured / Cast figure
    WMR Reference Number
    10797
    Description
    Bronze eagle resting on an obelisk and a base of three square steps surrounded by a paved terrace. Inscription in white lettering Crests of different squadrons:- East face: Fighter Command South face: 501 Squadron; 605 Squadron; 607 Squadron, all Auxiliary Air Force West face: 145 Squadron, RAF; 401 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force North face: 72 Squadron, RAF; 85 Squadron, RAF; CXI Fighter Squadron, RAF
    Inscription
    East face: 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// East face step: NEVER IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN CONFLICT WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW // WSC South face: REMEMBERED ALWAYS // South face step: ALL CIVIL DEFENCE UNITS - TELEPHONE SERVICES - TRANSPORT - DOCTORS AND NURSING STAFF - POST & ALL THOSE WHO SUFFERED // North face: THEY GAVE US FREEDOM // North face step: ROYAL ARTILLERY - HON ARTILLERY COMPANY - QUEENS ROYAL REG - MIDDLESEX REG - TOWER HAMLETS RIFLES - 2ND LONDON RIFLES - WAAF - ATS. - ATA West face: THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFEAT/ NEVER EXISTED // West face step: WLA - WVS // AMBULANCE - FIRE - POLICE - ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS - HOME GUARD - NAAFI - SALVATION ARMY //
    War
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Maker(s)
    • Messrs Higgs & Hill PLC, Designer

    • Messrs Higgs & Hill PLC, Builder

    • Alan Savage, Designer

    • Michael Ste Croix, Sculptor

    Ceremonies

    Unveiled

    16th March 1991

    Air Marshall Sir Willian Wratten CB AFC FRAES RAF

    Dedicated

    27th October 1991

    Rev PR Turner QHC BA AKC RAF

    Custodian
    London Borough of Croydon

    Components

    Obelisk

    Height: 64OOmm

    Width: 1800mm

    Depth: 4950mm


    Made from: Granite


    Condition: Good


    • At the going down of the sun... An account of Croydon’s war memorials. Author Ronald COX. Published 1992. Reference V71
    • War Memorials On Line: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/194597/ - Accessed January 2021