Brew for the Few

The Bexhill branch and over 500 RAFA branches worldwide are hoping that the appeal will raise 2 million for the benevolent fund this year.

To get the appeal off to a flying start local dignitaries supporting the event included MP Greg Barker, Town Mayor Paul Lendon, Battle of Britain pilot Wing Commander Robert W. Foster and three of Bexhill's former town Mayors.

A raffle and auction set the fund in motion with donations of much coveted gifts including a tour of the House of Commons with lunch and Ex town Mayor Eric Armstrong's personal donation of a watch worn during the Faulklands conflict.

'The Few' were the pilots and aircrew consisting of 2353 men from Great Britain and 574 from overseas, who flew in operational sorties during the historical Battle of Britain.

A prelude to Hitler's planned invasion of Great Britain and, lasting just over 3months (10th July 1940 - 31st October 1940) these tenacious, brave, dedicated men ultimately blasted Hitler's planes from the skies to rein supreme, forcing him to abandon his plans for an invasion but, not without cost as 544 lost their lives.

Many at the launch were both awed and honoured to have the privileged of meeting and talking to Wing Commander Foster, who has lived in St Leonards for the past twenty years. He was a young man of just twenty when he was launched into the Battle of Britain where he was to clock up a staggering 150 sorties. Based in Crawley he flew Hawker Hurricane planes throughout the Battle and later went on to fly Supermarine Spitfires. He said many of his memories of that time are still as vivid today as they were back in the late summer of 1940.

He recalled the intensity and demands of the job which were clearly not for the fainthearted he said: "Sometimes it was not unusual to fly 4 or 6 times a day but more often than not the average was three."

Greg Barker said: "RAFA have a particular special place in my heart as there are so many terrific veterans who live here in Bexhill and, to meet Commander Foster today, who was a Battle of Britain pilot, is a real honour. We musn't forget the thousands of others who served during the second world war.

I really don't think as a country we do enough to value and respect both our armed forces who are serving today in very difficult circumstances and also to the veterans whom we owe so much so it's very nice to come along today to be able to support those men and women."

Cllr Lendon said: "It's a marvellous event and a tremendous cause."

Look out for the RAFA volunteers who will be out and about collecting donations over the next couple of weeks.

For more information on RAFA or to make a donation visit the website at: www.rafa.org.uk.

For more information on the Battle of Britain and to download and view a free video and cockpit information on Hurricanes and Spitfires visit the Royal Airforce website at: www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940