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Charles unveils Battle of Britain memorial
LONDON - Britainâs Prince Charles praised the âunremitting braveryâ of the fighter pilots who fought in the 1940 Battle of Britain on Sunday as he unveiled a memorial in London. Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, joined Defence Minister John Reid and 70 of the few remaining pilots to unveil the memorial on Londonâs Victoria Embankment.The monument depicts scenes from the Battle in the air and the support in London and carries Winston Churchillâs phrase âNever in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so fewâ. The heir-to-the-throne said he hoped the monument would inspire future generations. âWe shall never forget that if the few had failed in their mighty struggle, the consequences for this nation would have been quite unthinkable,â the Prince said. âThe unremitting bravery of those pilots is etched deep into the consciousness of this country and will ensure their special place in history.â The monument is made up of two bronze friezes, set in a 25 metre-long granite structure. A bronze plaque carries the names and ranks of the airmen who took part in the battle and a small description of the events. Defence secretary Reid said the monument was a âfitting tributeâ to the pilotsâ âselfless commitment and determination against the oddsâ. âI salute all those who took part in this memorable victory and also all those who have worked so hard to raise funds to erect this wonderful tribute in the heart of London,â he said in a statement. Reid was also joined by the Australian Secretary of Defence Robert Hall, Czech Defence Minister Jaroslova Pribylova and ambassadors from other nations that flew alongside the British pilots. Almost 3,000 British, European and Commonwealth airmen took part in the Battle of Britain between July 10, 1940, and October 31st 1940. Despite being greatly out-numbered, they defeated the German Luftwaffe and caused the Germans to postpone and eventually cancel their invasion plans.
Posted by: Steve White 2005-09-19 |
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