Britain at War - 09.2019

FAMILIES OF THE FEW

We are very fortunate to have a

constant f low of families of former

Battle of Britain airmen visiting

the centre. For example, within the

last few weeks, we have welcomed

at least six groups of relatives of the

Few, many of whom have gone on

to donate personal effects formerly

belonging to their loved ones. We

have a wide array of items on show,

from the medals, 32 Squadron prestige

suit badge and personal effects of Plt

Off Keith R Gillman to Sqn Ldr Cyril

Bamberger’s 1940 f lying boots and

personal effects belonging to Flt Lt

Keith Lawrence.

To show you the diversity of the

displays, we even have on show a

Maltese sailing boat given to David

Bell-Salter as an eight-year-old

boy. You may be thinking, what

is a Maltese sailing boat doing in

a Battle of Britain collection? The

vessel was commissioned in Malta

by Rear Admiral Basil Bell-Salter and

brought back by the navy to Hope

Cove, Devon, to be presented to his

son David on his eighth birthday. As

a boy, David enjoyed many happy

hours sailing Jumbo, as it was called.

The Battle of Britain connection

is that David Bell-Salter, or more

appropriately, Plt Off Bell-Salter,

became a Battle of France and Battle of

Britain pilot with 253 Squadron.

http://www.britainatwar.com^81

TRIBUTE TO

THE FEW

LEFT

Part of the

Luftwaffe gallery,

located in the

former armoury

at Hawkinge.

FAR LEFT

David Bell-Salter

during his time

with 253

Squadron.



Dave Brocklehurst MBE, chairman of the Kent Battle of Britain

Museum, gives an overview of the impressive collection based at one of

Fighter Command’s most famous wartime airfields – Hawkinge.



KENT BATTLE OF BRITAIN MUSEUM|COLLECTIONS

80-82 MUSEUMS BAW SEPT2019.indd 81 15/08/2019 15:34:13