- Type of Memorial
- Board / Plaque / Tablet
- WMR Reference Number
- 13244
- Description
- Slate (granite?) tablet bearing the RAF Badge and depicting in the corners two Spitfires, a Blenheim and a Hurricane. Above all a model Spitfire.
Metal plaque at right hand side with details of the dedication.
New VIP suites at Lakenheath have been named in honour of the seven Americans who fought with the RAFduring the Battle.
- Inscription
- THE FEW./ THIS MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED TO THE AIRMEN OF MANY NATIONS WHO FLEW WITH THE RAF/ DURING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN AND SERVED IN THE HEAVENS SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE./ IN JULY 1940, HITLER'S LUFTWAFFE BEGAN AN AERIAL SIEGE OF ENGLAND AIMED AT DESTROYING THE ROYAL AIR FORCE/ IN PREPARATION FOR A CROSS CHANNEL ASSAULT BY THE GERMAN ARMY AND NAVY. OUTNUMBERED SOMETIMES FOUR/ TO ONE, EXHAUSTED PILOTS OF THE RAF MET THE AERIAL ARMADA FLYING THOUSANDS OF SORTIES, DAY AFTER DAY,/ NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, TO ENSURE GREAT BRITAIN'S VERY SURVIVAL. BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER THE RAF HAD INFLICTED/ CRIPPLING LOSSES ON THE LUFTWAFFE, DESTROYING OVER 1880 ENEMY AIRCRAFT, THEREBY FORCING HITLER TO CANCEL/ HIS INVASION PLANS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. ALTHOUGH FEWER IN NUMBER, THE RAF LOSSES WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY/ HIGHER. MORE THAN 530 AIRMEN PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, SOME EVEN RAMMING ENEMY AIRCRAFT WHEN THEIR/ OWN GUNS JAMMED OR AMMUNITION RAN OUT./ AFTER THE BATTLE, THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, IMMORTALIZED/ THOSE AIRMEN THAT FLEW DURING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN WITH THE FOLLOWING WORDS:/ ...IF THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND ITS COMMONWEALTH LAST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS, MEN WILL STILL SAY/ "THIS WAS THEIR FINEST HOUR"./ DEDICATED BY/ THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN FIGHTER ASSOCIATION/ AND THE 48TH FIGHTER WING,/ SATURDAY 12TH JUNE 1997.
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This plaque was unveiled by / Air Chief Marshal / Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris / on behalf of / the Battle of Britain Fighter Association / and dedicated to the members of / the 48th Fighter Wing, Lakenheath, / in appreciation of / their friendship and generosity. / Saturday 24th 2000.