A History of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association (ePub)
Commemorating the Few
Imprint: Pen & Sword Aviation
File Size: 17.8 MB (.epub)
Pages: 176
Illustrations: 32
ISBN: 9781473852310
Published: 4th February 2015
As seen in the press
Author as seen on BBC Breakfast, 10/12/19
| Other formats available | Price |
|---|---|
| A History of the Battle of Britain… Paperback Add to Basket | £9.74 |
In 1945 it was announced that Allied airmen who had taken part in the Battle of Britain in 1940 would be entitled to the immediate award of the 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Clasp. This was the only Clasp awarded with the 1939-1945 Star.
In the following years holders of the Clasp held informal get-togethers. In 1958 the Battle of Britain Fighter Association (BBFA) was formed, with full membership only available to holders of the Battle of Britain Clasp. Lord Dowding was the first President. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother became Patron. That post is now held by HRH The Prince of Wales.
As well as organising reunions and providing some welfare assistance to members and widows, the Association has played a key role in researching entitlement to the Clasp and pronouncing on claims for the Clasp. A considerable part of the knowledge existing today on these matters came from the work of successive BBFA archivists, the late Group Captain Tom Gleave and the late Wing Commander John Young.
The Association has also become closely associated with the Battle of Britain thanksgiving service held every September in Westminster Abbey.
The Associations archives are held in part by the Secretary of the BBFA, Group Captain Patrick Tootal and in part by the Air Historical Branch, RAF (AHB) at RAF Northolt.
Geoff Simpson has now been invited by the Association to use these archives as the basis of a book on the history of the organisation.
Author as seen on
BBC Breakfast, 10/12/19
As featured in
Pen and Sword Club
A thoughtful foreword by the Fighter Association's Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales sums up the part that The Few hold for those who grew up during WWII and in the years following. The author has written from the basis of access to the Fighter Association's archives. The resulting book is one that should be read by all Britons, but the Battle of Britain included pilots from across the Empire, from those countries overrun by the German Nazis and pilots from Ireland and the United States. It was a unique battle that produced a unique and inspiring story that will endure. Highly Commended.
FIRE Reviews
This book is rammed with much useful information that makes it 'a must have' for RAF history enthusiasts and medal collectors alike.
Classic Arms and Militaria
An enjoyable read.
Suppressing Fire
A History of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association: Commemorating The Few, tells the story of the exclusive body of which only Fighter Command aircrew, who qualified for the 'immediate' award of the 1939-1945 Star with Battle of Britain Clasp, may be full members.
The Old Askean
As featured in.
Manchester Evening News
As featured on.
BBC Radio Kent
The book explains the background to the award of the Battle of Britain Clasp in 1945. It also details many of the ways in which The Few, a name for the airmen taken from a speech by Winston Churchill, are commemorated.
Stockport Express
About Geoff Simpson
Geoff Simpson has studied the Battle of Britain for 35 years and has frequently written, broadcast and spoken on the subject. He was a long serving trustee of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust and acted as the organisation's historical consultant. He is a member of the Royal Historical Society and the RAF Historical Society.
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