New museum in Kent honours the heroes of the Battle of Britain
The story of RAF Biggin Hill, the airfield that played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain, will be told for the first time in a new museum.
The Biggin Hill Memorial Museum in Kent, which opened on 2 February, features artefacts and personal accounts celebrating Biggin Hill’s role in the Second World War.
The airfield was originally established in 1917 as a testing ground for new developments in flight. During the Battle of Britain in 1940, Winston Churchill described it as “the strongest link” in a chain of airfields protecting London.
Jemma Davey, the museum’s director, said: “The museum shares people’s experiences of war at RAF Biggin Hill ‘in their own words’. We hope their stories will inspire generations, and continue to remind us of the very best of the human spirit.”
The museum contains more than 80 exhibits, many donated by members of the public, including a deactivated bomb that was dropped south of Biggin Hill, an escape crowbar from a Spitfire, and pilots’ personal items such as cigarette cases, identity cards and wallets.
The museum features audio guide commentary by historian Dan Snow and recorded interviews with veterans, including the late Geoffrey Wellum, the youngest Spitfire pilot to fly in the Battle of Britain.
The £5.3 million construction project took 16 months. The museum has also secured the preservation and restoration of St George’s RAF Chapel of Remembrance. The Grade II-listed building was built in 1951 at Churchill’s behest. After touring the museum, visitors will be able to reflect on what they have learned in the chapel, where 454 pilots who were killed flying from the station are commemorated.
Phase One of the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum was funded with £2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £2 million from the Government, and grants from Bromley London Borough Council and other sources. Fundraising has begun for Phase Two: the construction of a learning centre and memorial wall.
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday. For more information, visit bhmm.org.uk.