Tri-Service
Royal Tea For Battle Of Britain Veterans
A handful of the surviving ‘few’ pilots and aircrew who fought in the Battle of Britain have marked its 76-year anniversary with a Royal reception at Clarence House.
Invited by HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, the Battle of Britain Fighter Association enjoyed a serene afternoon tea to mark the tumultuous event.
The association has 14 members, down from 26 in 2015, all aged between 90 and 100.
For the four that could make it, Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum, Wing Commander Dick Summers, Flight Officer Ken Wilkinson and Wing Commander “Tim” Elkington, the occasion was a chance to reminisce and see old friends..
The Battle of Britain Fighter Association formed 20 years after the war, with Prince Charles becoming its Patron in 2003.
Almost 3,000 airmen from Britain, the Commonwealth and Allied countries would have been eligible to join the association, but nearly half of those had died in action.
The Battle of Britain marked a crucial turning point in the Second World War and was a decisive victory for the country.
Throughout the summer of 1940 RAF pilots and aircrew relentlessly defended British skies against the onslaught of the German Luftwaffe.
A battle finally won thanks largely to the RAF's Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes, and the courageous young men who flew them.
Exclusive Video: Remembering The Battle Of Britain's 'Hardest Day'
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