The role of ‘The Few’- the pilots of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain - is a very well-known story.  Their success is legendary; they were the tip of the spear and often paid the ultimate price.   What is, perhaps, less well understood is the role of those that manned and operated the system of air defence which became known as the ‘Dowding System.’  Without the system and those that operated it there would have been no victory and the sacrifice of The Few would have been in vain.  The Association is now working to support the Bentley Priory Trust and has agreed to raise funds for a small stained glass window to commemorate the ‘Dowding System’ and the role the WAAF who, from 1941, were increasingly employed across all elements of the system, with conspicuous success, to release their male colleagues for service overseas.  Some 4000 WAAF personnel were to ‘man’ and operate the ‘Dowding System’ over the period of the war.  Read more at http://www.radarmuseum.co.uk/page33.html.

Please help us create this lasting memorial at the home of integrated air defence – Bentley Priory-to the ‘Dowding System’ and those that evolved and operated it.  All donations large or small will be most gratefully received.  Contact Tim Willbond (External Relations Member) via the 'Contact...' page (see tab above) for more details or find the Appeal details via the RAF Air Defence Museum website.