2 months ago 22nd Sep 14:00
Britain's Prince Charles and wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were among the congregation at a memorial service for war veterans yesterday (21.09.08).
The thanksgiving service was held at Westminster Abbey to honour the "extraordinary" efforts of RAF pilots - famously described by Winston Churchill as 'The Few' - on the 68th anniversary of the Battle of Britain victory.
Before the event, Charles, who is patron of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, and Camilla watched a flypast of four Tornado F3s and later chatted to veterans and their partners.
During the service, the Venerable Ray Pentland, Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force, said the battle had been a victory of "good over evil" and "courage over fear", before adding: "Today we proudly salute The Few and the many who supported them."
Today we proudly salute The Few and the many who supported them.
During the Battle in 1940 Fighter Command lost more than 1,000 aircraft, with 544 aircrew killed.
Germany's Luftwaffe began an onslaught against Britain in July 1940 hoping to destroy the county's aerial defences and pave the way for an invasion.
The following month, wartime leader Churchill praised the efforts of British pilots, saying: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
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