Friday was a Battle of Britain day for the family. The boys are interested in WW2 and Biggin Hill was an important air base for Spitfires and Hurricanes so we toured the local sights. The airfield has a full size Spitfire and Hurricane on either side of the gates and a memorial chapel with a small museum and a list of all the squadrons that served here. When the caretaker welcomed us through the door and heard America accents, he showed us the record of two American squadrons that were based here.
Then we drove down to the White Heart in Brasted where the pilots would often go to relax off duty. Because of the bombing, it was dangerous to show any lights at night and there was a blackout enforced. At the pub they had a large black board by the door to stop the light getting out. The pilots would sign the board for fun. Behind me is a framed reproduction of the blackout board with all the Pilot's signatures.
No comments:
Post a Comment