The weekend before last we were commemorating Dunkirk, remembering the extraordinary risks that ordinary folk took to go to rescue our retreating forces on the coast of France. We are now approaching the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, a landmark period during the Second World War when we were quite literally teetering on the edge of being overpowered by German air attack.
This weekend I went to a number of community summer celebrations, mostly raising funds for local charities. I enjoyed the auction for St Michael’s Hospice at the Old England pub on London Rd in St Leonard’s, the annual summer fete at Fairlight, and the Friends of the Conquest Fete at the Conquest.
But for me the most moving event was the celebration at the Five Houses at Icklesham. The Five Houses is a retirement home which I have visited before and seems to embody everything that is positive about an elderly local community, living together and supporting each other.
This weekend they put on a commemoration for the Battle of Britain. There were flags, food and period music. There were the Land Girls to entertain (two enthusiastic ladies in their dungarees singing traditional songs) , and a band to set the tone.
I was pleased to see many of the residents had their families with them for the afternoon. Young people need to understand about our history.
I have a particular interest in the Battle of Britain. My father, 86 and ex-RAF, was appalled to find out how little his grandchildren knew about this important event and is putting the final touches to what he calls his “Battle Blog”. He has decided to tell the story of the Battle of Britain in a way that teenagers might be able to follow it. He is releasing a daily blog of the fight from July 10th, going right through to the middle of September. Because the battle didn’t take place over one day but over two months.
This has been a project he has been working on for nearly two years. I have been helping him with research and am now eagerly awaiting the final product. We have so much to learn and be grateful for from those who fought for us during the wars. Each individual commemoration of a Battle or an event, is a chance to remember that and should be welcomed and celebrated.
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