St George's Royal Air Force Chapel of Remembrance
The St George's RAF 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 station chapel was destroyed by fire in 1946 and a new chapel was built in 1951 which is as you see today.
The Book of Remembrance holds the names of the 454 aircrew killed flying from the Biggin Hill Sector and the pages are turned daily to the current date, or the closest day to it on there are names written.
A descriptive book about the Chapel is available in the Chapel.
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 station chapel was destroyed by fire in 1946 and a new chapel was built in 1951 which is as you see today.
The Book of Remembrance holds the names of the 454 aircrew killed flying from the Biggin Hill Sector and the pages are turned daily to the current date, or the closest day to it on there are names written.
A descriptive book about the Chapel is available in the Chapel.
A sign is hanging on the railings to encourage more people to attend the Sunday service. Could you bring another person once in a while?
Some people think only RAF members can attend, which is more than surprising considering the Royal Air Force left Biggin Hill in 1992.
If you attend another church, why not come here once in a while.
If you don't go elsewhere, do come here, everyone is welcome.
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Call to Worship.
The Infant Jesus of Prague Statue
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A replica of the Infant of Prague statue was presented to the Chapel on 21st July 2016 by Cardinal Dominik Duka, the Archbishop of Prague. Just recently permission was given to install it in the Chapel.
The Friends are pleased to have arranged and paid for the sign and oak shelf, similar in design to the two shelves on the Sanctuary. The statue is on the left near the Sanctuary, in line with the Czechoslovakian flag (far left) and was on display at the Battle of Britain Service 15th September 2019. The statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague, is a much revered statue since the 16th Century. It depicts Jesus Christ as a child, crowned and clothed as a King. It is on the main altar in the church of Our Lady Victorious in Prague and it is believed to have come from Spain. On the 21 July 2016, one of the last surviving Czech Royal Air Force pilots of World War 11, Brigadier General Emil Boček, a Spitfire pilot, (who was 96 this year), was brought to Biggin Hill by the Czech Air Force for a flight in a Spitfire. A contingent of Airforce personnel, Embassy staff, Cardinal Dominik Duka, and Roman Catholic officials came too. A bilingual Mass was said in the Chapel, remembering the 4 RAF Czech pilots who died flying from the Biggin Hill Sector during the war. The Mass was concelebrated by the Cardinal, Father Gerald Flood, parish priest at Biggin Hill and a Czech priest Father Jan, who was on his last day of duty, standing in at St Theresa’s church, Biggin Hill while Father Flood was on holiday. The Archdeacon of Bromley and Bexley, Paul Wright, a former Trustee of the Museum, participated in prayers. Pictures of this Mass and the whole visit can be seen in several places on the internet. |
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