St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021 In this edition England, Kingdom, Commonwealth: time to celebrate St George’s Day Visionary England – the Lake District The continuing battle for the English countryside Britain’s famous steam locomotives THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF St GEORGE – The Premier Patriotic Society of England Founded in 1894. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Patron: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II £3.50 BATTLE OF BRITAIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” Official Newsletter of the Battle of Britain Historical Society 2013 Ltd “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” Head Office: Calais View, Channel Way, Fairlight, East Sussex TN35 4BP Editor and Managing Director: Graves Registrar: Membership Secretary: John Pulfer BEM JP Steve Maddock Margaret Pulfer Tel: 01424 814866 Tel: 01895 676004 Tel: 01424 814866 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Email: [email protected] Historian: Nick Hall Tel: 01427 668122 Battle Officia Email: [email protected] of B l NewAUTUMN / WINTER 2017 ritain Histo sletter of the rical Society 2 Issue 156 013 Ltd 100 years of the RAF We are now recruiting new members to join the “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” Head Of fice: Ca lais View Editor , Channel W and Managing ay, Fai John Pulfer B rlight, East Su Tel: 01 EM JP Di 424 814866 rector: ssex TN Always Remembered … Never forgotten Email: john Graves Reg 35 4BP Battle of Britain Historical Society 2013 Ltd. atbo Steve M istrar: [email protected] addock Historian: Tel: 01895 676004 Official Newsletter of the Nick Hall stevewmaddock@ Membership Secretary: Margaret Pulfe Battle of Britain Historical Tel: 01427 668122 gmail.com Society 2013 Ltd Email: scam Tel: 01424 814866r pton.1943@ Email: bobh btinternet.com [email protected] Members will receive bi-annual 24 page colour newsletters. SPRING / SUMM ER 2018 Issue 157 The Society has four main aims… • To ensure the Battle of Britain is never forgotten • Head Office: Calais View, Channel Way, Fairlight, East Sussex TN35 4BP Editor and Managing Director: Graves Registrar: John Pulfer BEM JP Membership Secretary: Steve Maddock Margaret Pulfer • To erect plaques in places where the “few’ were educated • Tel: 01424 814866 Tel: 01895 676004 Tel: 01424 814866 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Email: [email protected] Historian: Nick Hall Tel: 01427 668122 Email: [email protected] AUTUMN / WINTER 2018 Issue 158 • To look after the final resting places of the “few” • • To erect granite memorials to the “few” • LIFE MEMBERSHIP STANDARD MEMBERSHIP CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP UK Life members - GB £400 UK members under 18 Years - GB £12 Annual Membership Corporate Members - GB £500 Overseas Life membership - GB £500 UK members over 18 - GB £24 Annual Membership Corporate Sponsor - GB £1500 Overseas members all ages - GB £36 Annual Membership MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Margaret Pulfer Email: [email protected] Tel: 01424 814866 Web address: www.battleofbritain1940.net $$%# #%)( $#$#!#$%( '#$%) # &%#% &#$!&%)%#% % !# %!#$#'%&$&#$% % #)# ( #% $&#%%%$% ##)# %&$% '% &%&# #% $($% %# &%% ) &! ! #$ $ %# & &%% &# &#)%'%$& #$(%%(#)&#$'!#%&# %%% % #)# &%#!# %$ # #$#) &$ $ #'%% !$$ %# & &# ## $#'$(# # &"&%)*$ &#$ # %%!#$% &$ ## (#$ #) &! ! '#)##'$'*$)#!&$'%% $% '#%) % '%$& &#$% #(##$##$$)"&%)$!#$# # %#%$ # $% # # #% !$ %% #'$% # +0 +))%)$ -0$,)'*(0&$'$- 0".+(- + "$,- + $(("&()'*(0) ( "$,- + #+$-0) "$,- + !!$ (+ ,,!)+)++ ,*)( ( # -.$))*0#)&+'0+)/ )+$(" -# $(" Contents Vol 19. No. 1 – April 2021 Front Cover: The Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace 4 From the Chairman 5 Editorial 7 My England St George for England The Official Journal of 8 Dambusters The Royal Society of St George 10 Branch News Overseas Reports The Society stands for: 16 I Respect for the Monarchy; Duty to our Sovereign and our Country; 16 St George’s Tax I The cause of England and Englishness. In accordance with our Constitution, the Objects 17 Origins of Easter Traditions of the Society are: Memories of the Battle of 18 News 33 One Britain To foster the love of England and to strengthen England and the Commonwealth by spreading the knowledge of English history, traditions and ideals. England’s Railway Heritage 34 Two To keep fresh the memory of those, in all walks of 38 Letters to the Editor life, who have served England or the Commonwealth in the past in order to inspire 39 Heritage of the leadership in the future. Commonwealth Three To combat all activities likely to undermine the strength of England or the Commonwealth. William Wilberforce 40 Four To further English interests everywhere to ensure that St. George’s Day is properly celebrated and to provide focal points the world over where English 33 men and women may gather together. 41 Obituaries 20 A Saint for all Nations 42 Book Review 23 Cinematic England 43 50/50 Club 25 Book Review 47 Membership Affiliations 27 Overlooked England 28 Visionary England 48 Our Branches 32 England’s Veterans 18 50 Shop Window 17 28 34 ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND 3 FROM THE CHAIRMAN THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF St GEORGE last year by people that they have loved and The Premier Patriotic Society of England nurtured. Founded in 1894. I should imagine that marrying into the Incorporated by Royal Charter. Royal Family is an enormous challenge, Patron: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and we can only admire those who rise to Chairman: Joanna M. Cadman it so well. To always present yourself well, Published at: The Royal Society of St George, RSSG, P.O. BOX 397, Loughton, IG10 9GN, England to make the right choices and say the right Telephone: 020 3225 5011 things (or not say what you want to say) E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rssg.org.uk must be completely exhausting from time to Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ time, but there has never been one word of RoyalSocietyofStGeorge Twitter: @RSStGeorge complaint or self-pity from any of the senior Join us on LinkedIn – the Royal Society of StGeorge Official Group Royals. Maybe they are all “trapped”, but Opening times: Monday to Thursday, 10.30 am to 3.30 pm they recognise that they are born into, or Editor: Stuart Millson married into, a life of service and get on with Editorial Address Rumbeams Cottage, Ewhurst Green it. Whilst in some ways they do live a life of Nr Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 7RR incredible privilege, their life and activities Telephone: 01483 268627 are largely choreographed and controlled by E-mail: [email protected] protocol and tradition and is certainly not as George Andrews, FCIB FCIS FCIArb – President Emeritus Disney would portray the life of a Royal. We Vice Presidents The Earl of Aylesford JP How are you? look up to them, we admire them, their words, The Lord Cope of Berkeley PC THINK WE MUST, almost all of us, be clothes, children and houses fascinate us, and The Lord Butler of Brockwell KG GCB CVO side-swiped and punch drunk by now. Clifford James Trowse – Past Chairman we are more stable as a country because of Mr B M Cronan It’s probably a good thing that most of us them, as well as being admired and respected Mr C P Fairweather I (well, me anyway) didn’t take on board the throughout the world for our constancy. Mrs Esme Robinson Sir Henry Paston-Bedingfeld Bt enormity of a pandemic when it started. If you Her Majesty has devoted much of her life His Excellency Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Dalton GCB had told me a year ago that we would be in the building the Commonwealth into a family of RAF (retd) third lockdown now, that we would have spent equals that represents over a 2.4 billion people Past Presidents: William R Firth Christmas, our birthdays, a long grey winter, from all corners of the globe, something she John Clemence QPM and now a second Easter without our loved Members of Council should be rightly proud of. Chairman – Joanna M. Cadman ones, I think I would have found it very hard to So whatever words of criticism and self Deputy Chairman – Nick Dutt take. It has all anyway been very hard to take, justification come out of Hollywood, we can Vice Chairman – Christopher Houghton but we seem to be almost institutionalised now Honorary Treasurer – Alastair Clement FFA FFTA have complete faith in our Royal Family. We Honorary Secretary – Michael Riley and live with the restrictions imposed on us by know that they welcomed Meghan – you only Chaplain to the Society – Revd. Roderick Leece the pandemic with resignation. And if that is have to remember the wedding, and the joy General Secretary – Elizabeth Lloyd all that we have had to do, we have been lucky. Website Manager – Christopher Houghton on the faces of the Queen and Prince Philip or North of England Co-ordinator – Michael Riley So many people have lost family, friends and the wonderful moment when Prince Charles Youth Representative – Dennis Stinchcombe MBE livelihoods in this last year and face the future walked down the Chapel to meet Meghan, Membership affiliations – Lloyd James with loss and uncertainty. Schools and Projects – Nick Hinchliffe took her arm, and walked with her to her City of London – Paul Herbage, MBE husband to be – to know that everyone wanted Young Professionals Network – Cdr James Nisbet The Queen Young Professionals Network – Farah London her in the Family, everyone could see how It will be Her Majesty’s birthday this month Council member – Lt. Col. Leslie Clarke much Prince Harry loved her and joined in that Council member – Alan Broomhead and the Royal Society of St George will send love. And that went for the rest of us as well. Administration Centre staff her, our Patron, our very best wishes for long General Secretary – Elizabeth Lloyd life and happiness. Next year the Queen will Membership Secretary – Jade King England’s History and Heritage have reigned over us for seventy years and Charitable Trust Members And while I am talking about our pride in Chairman – Bob Smith has done so with unswerving steadfastness, Secretary – Shirley Hankers grace and dignity.