HISTORY
The St George's Chapel which you see today is not the original chapel. Although there was a station church, the idea to create a more permanent memorial chapel at Biggin Hill emerged in 1943 when RAF personnel thought it would be appropriate to have a memorial to the increasing number of aircrew who were being killed on operations from within the Biggin Hill sector, remembering especially those who had died in the Battle of Britain. Further more, there was a desire to commemorate that victory, and mark the destruction of the 1000th German aircraft by fighters from the Biggin Hill sector, which happened in June 1943. Three prefabricated huts, made with steel angle-iron frames and lined with fibreboard, were acquired and placed together to form a single rectangular unit as a chapel, similar in size and layout to today's chapel. A commemorative service, unveiling and dedicating the Memorial - the reredos - and the Book of Remembrance, was held on Battle of Britain Sunday 19 September 1943.
THE GATE GUARDIANS
The Chapel survived the remainder of the war, but one night in December 1946 it caught fire and was almost totally destroyed. When Winston Churchill heard of the destruction of the Chapel, he was extremely distressed and immediately contacted Padre King to see what could be done to rebuild it. He felt that a permanent memorial chapel should be built, for, as he observed, ' as a nation, we have short memories'. However, in post-war Britain Air ministry funds were short, and therefore Mr Churchill and Padre King set about raising funds through a special appeal. The design eventually chosen was based on the original Chapel and was intended to recapture the austerity, simplicity and atmosphere, as well as the size and shape of the wartime huts. This is why the Chapel we know today is not the usual cruciform shape of a church. Sufficient money, mainly from private donations, was eventually amassed through the appear to allow building to start and the building was finally dedicated by the Bishop of Rochester in November 1951, the first chaplain being the Reverend Vivian Symons, Church of England Vicar of Biggin Hill.
The first Gate Guardians, a Hurricane and a Spitfire, came to the Chapel in the mid 1950s. Both were flown to the airfield, which was still operational at the time, and the aircraft were consecrated at a Drumhead Ceremony on 19 September 1953 and became official memorials. They remained on guard for many years thereafter and Biggin Hill was and still is unusual to have two Gate Guardians. Each was surrounded by a rose bed planted with 'Peace' roses. The aircraft were replaced by the Ministry of Defence with fibreglass replicas of aircraft that flew from in WWII. These were subsequently replaced in 2010 by the Friends of the Chapel. It was then decided to choose aircraft flown from Biggin Hill airfield during the Battle of Britain, by two fighter aces who had survived the war.
Hurricane P2921 GZ-L represents one flown by Flight Lieutenant Peter Brothers of 32 Sqn. Note the "Blue Peter" flag near the cockpit.
Spitfire K9998 QJ-K represents one flown by Pilot Officer Geoffrey Wellum of 92 Sqn.
The text for the history is taken from the Guide to St George's Royal Air Force Chapel of Remembrance (2007). The booklet (£1) is available from the Friends of St George's Chapel, c/o 39 Jail Lane, Biggin Hill, Kent, TN16 3SE .
email Margaret Wilmott ([email protected])
THE GATE GUARDIANS
The Chapel survived the remainder of the war, but one night in December 1946 it caught fire and was almost totally destroyed. When Winston Churchill heard of the destruction of the Chapel, he was extremely distressed and immediately contacted Padre King to see what could be done to rebuild it. He felt that a permanent memorial chapel should be built, for, as he observed, ' as a nation, we have short memories'. However, in post-war Britain Air ministry funds were short, and therefore Mr Churchill and Padre King set about raising funds through a special appeal. The design eventually chosen was based on the original Chapel and was intended to recapture the austerity, simplicity and atmosphere, as well as the size and shape of the wartime huts. This is why the Chapel we know today is not the usual cruciform shape of a church. Sufficient money, mainly from private donations, was eventually amassed through the appear to allow building to start and the building was finally dedicated by the Bishop of Rochester in November 1951, the first chaplain being the Reverend Vivian Symons, Church of England Vicar of Biggin Hill.
The first Gate Guardians, a Hurricane and a Spitfire, came to the Chapel in the mid 1950s. Both were flown to the airfield, which was still operational at the time, and the aircraft were consecrated at a Drumhead Ceremony on 19 September 1953 and became official memorials. They remained on guard for many years thereafter and Biggin Hill was and still is unusual to have two Gate Guardians. Each was surrounded by a rose bed planted with 'Peace' roses. The aircraft were replaced by the Ministry of Defence with fibreglass replicas of aircraft that flew from in WWII. These were subsequently replaced in 2010 by the Friends of the Chapel. It was then decided to choose aircraft flown from Biggin Hill airfield during the Battle of Britain, by two fighter aces who had survived the war.
Hurricane P2921 GZ-L represents one flown by Flight Lieutenant Peter Brothers of 32 Sqn. Note the "Blue Peter" flag near the cockpit.
Spitfire K9998 QJ-K represents one flown by Pilot Officer Geoffrey Wellum of 92 Sqn.
The text for the history is taken from the Guide to St George's Royal Air Force Chapel of Remembrance (2007). The booklet (£1) is available from the Friends of St George's Chapel, c/o 39 Jail Lane, Biggin Hill, Kent, TN16 3SE .
email Margaret Wilmott ([email protected])
Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC RIP
Geoffrey Harris Augustus Wellum 4 August 1921 - 18 July 2018
Sadly we record the passing of Geoffrey Wellum who was one of the last remaining pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain.
Geoffrey Wellum joined 92 Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill on 9th September 1940 just a month after his 19th birthday. The next 10 days proved momentous in the annals of the RAF as the Luftwaffe threw everything into the attack to gain air supremacy in preparation for Operation Sea Lion - the invasion of the United Kingdom. The successful outcome of the Battle of Britain being fundamental to the final outcome of World War ll.
Wellum’s spitfire in the wartime markings of 92 Squadron now stands outside St George’s Chapel as a permanent memorial to his memory and so many of his comrades who did not survive. Wellum, in his own words in a short documentary made by the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum Trust said that they did ‘ not want honours and medals, they just wanted to be remembered.’
We and future generations will ensure that they are remembered.
Geoff Greensmith
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Geoffrey Wellum joined 92 Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill on 9th September 1940 just a month after his 19th birthday. The next 10 days proved momentous in the annals of the RAF as the Luftwaffe threw everything into the attack to gain air supremacy in preparation for Operation Sea Lion - the invasion of the United Kingdom. The successful outcome of the Battle of Britain being fundamental to the final outcome of World War ll.
Wellum’s spitfire in the wartime markings of 92 Squadron now stands outside St George’s Chapel as a permanent memorial to his memory and so many of his comrades who did not survive. Wellum, in his own words in a short documentary made by the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum Trust said that they did ‘ not want honours and medals, they just wanted to be remembered.’
We and future generations will ensure that they are remembered.
Geoff Greensmith
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Chapel Doors-
In 2017 the old vestry was demolished; the Aircrew Association window was carefully removed and put in storage to be reinstated in the new build. The old doors that led into the vestry end of the chapel building and their fitments were also removed and stored.
Next came the question ‘Are they only fit to be thrown away! Did anyone want them?’ Opinion was sought of the congregation and all agreed, as part of the history of the chapel they certainly needed to be saved. We were sure that they could be put to good use, maybe in the Garden of Remembrance. Several ex RAF people remembered standing in front of the doors having their wedding photograph taken; we had to preserve those doors.
But what next? Another place was needed to store them, somewhere where they could be examined at length. Mick Friend came to the rescue, saying they could be stored in his workshop. We still need to resolve the problem of transporting them, they are heavy, but we had a safe haven on offer. Now, who to approach for the task of changing these doors into usable objects? ‘ Men in Sheds’ seemed to be the answer; they had already made large planters for Biggin Hill Village.
On a very very wet Monday in January, I went to meet the Men. I had hot coffee and we discussed the dilemma we faced. ‘No problem’ was the response; of course we can make something, what do you want? I went away with several suggestions buzzing in my head and the task of looking for pictures of garden furniture, in the broadest sense. So; the doors may become bird houses, a bench or seat, planters, who knows. Nothing is decided yet, the Men need to see the doors and then we can decide on the next step in the transformation. But rest assured, those doors will carry on into perpetuity, taking the memories with them and making new ones
(See Garden of Remembrance latest News)
In 2017 the old vestry was demolished; the Aircrew Association window was carefully removed and put in storage to be reinstated in the new build. The old doors that led into the vestry end of the chapel building and their fitments were also removed and stored.
Next came the question ‘Are they only fit to be thrown away! Did anyone want them?’ Opinion was sought of the congregation and all agreed, as part of the history of the chapel they certainly needed to be saved. We were sure that they could be put to good use, maybe in the Garden of Remembrance. Several ex RAF people remembered standing in front of the doors having their wedding photograph taken; we had to preserve those doors.
But what next? Another place was needed to store them, somewhere where they could be examined at length. Mick Friend came to the rescue, saying they could be stored in his workshop. We still need to resolve the problem of transporting them, they are heavy, but we had a safe haven on offer. Now, who to approach for the task of changing these doors into usable objects? ‘ Men in Sheds’ seemed to be the answer; they had already made large planters for Biggin Hill Village.
On a very very wet Monday in January, I went to meet the Men. I had hot coffee and we discussed the dilemma we faced. ‘No problem’ was the response; of course we can make something, what do you want? I went away with several suggestions buzzing in my head and the task of looking for pictures of garden furniture, in the broadest sense. So; the doors may become bird houses, a bench or seat, planters, who knows. Nothing is decided yet, the Men need to see the doors and then we can decide on the next step in the transformation. But rest assured, those doors will carry on into perpetuity, taking the memories with them and making new ones
(See Garden of Remembrance latest News)
