Memorial details

Memorial type
Chapel or Church: Freestanding building
District
Bromley
Town
Biggin Hill
County
Greater London
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945)
Ceremony
  • Foundation Stone
    Date: 1947
    Attended by: AIR CHIEF MARSHAL THE LORD DOWDING GCB GCVO CMG RAF RETD
  • Dedicated
    Date: 18th September 1955
    Attended by: Bishop Suffragan of Willesden
  • Unveiled
    Date: 18th September 1955
    Attended by: AIR MARSHAL SIR DERMOT A BOYLE KCVO KBE CB AFC
  • Dedicated
    Date: 10th November 1951
    Attended by: Bishop of Rochester
  • Show More (3)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
11020

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Current location

St George's Chapel of Remembrance
Main Road (A233)
Biggin Hill
Bromley
Greater London
TN16 3EB
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 41070 60603
Denomination: Church of England

View location on Google Maps
Description
The chapel was originally built for the RAF Station Biggin Hill and was later established as a memorial dedicated to those from the RAF who lost their lives during the Second World War. In 1946 the chapel was destroyed by a fire and was rebuilt in its current form as a basic brick building to reflect the austerity of the original wartime wooden hut. Panelling each side of the altar shows badges of squadrons and the names of those killed. There are twelve stained glass windows within the chapel, each with a seraph holding one of a variety of badges. St George’s room: West window shows St George in the lower light above a commemoration inscription and the upper light shows the badges of seven squadrons surrounding the British Army badge. Four other windows show parachute packing; aircraft servicing; rescue services and ground control. Outside the Chapel to the left (when facing) is a modernist Roman Cross used for outside commemorative parades.
Inscription
Reredos: DUNKIRK BATTLE OF BRITAIN DIEPPE PAS DE CALAIS NORMANDY ARNHEM RUHR RHINE/ (Names) St. George window: This window commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Battle of/ Britain marked on the 21st September 1980 at Biggin Hill during/ the command of Wing Commander J. R. Myers by a Hangar/ Service of Thanksgiving addressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, a/ Reunion of 1940 Station personnel & by a Festival of Flowers in this Chapel.
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 455
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 455
    Exact count: no
    Information shown: Surname, forename, rank, squadron.
    Order of information: Squadron then alphabetical by surname
Components
  • Chapel
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brick
  • Window
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stained Glass
  • Cross
    Measurements: height c3000 mm
    Materials: Stone
  • Reredos
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Wood
Listing information
  • MEMORIAL CHAPEL
  • Grade II
  • This memorial is protected, and listed on the National Heritage List for England maintained by Historic England. View list entry
  • More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website
  • Historic England
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Other
Responsibility
Biggin Hill Memorial Museum Trust
Reference
  • BROMLEY WAR MEMORIALS VOLUME TWO by RASON, PAUL 124-135 Source: Image Library NIWM Published:LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY NOV 1999 BROMLEY
  • Light Perpetual, Aviator's Memorial Windows - Author David BEATY 1995
  • 'Kent Seen' magazine, November 1992, pp 35-36
  • Carter Postcard Collection

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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© WMR-11020

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