Alrewas Branch Group 1held their annual ‘Battle of Britain’ service and wreath laying ceremony on Sunday 17th September, at St Stephens Church, and RAF Memorial, Fradley, Staffordshire.
St Stephens’s church is home to the war graves of the Australian aircrew and one German Luftwaffe pilot who lost their lives in the Second World War.
Service representatives from RAF Stafford, Royal Australian Air Force and the German Luftwaffe were Sqdn Ldr Kevin Corby.. RAF Stafford, Flt.Lt. Nick Paucina.. Royal Australian Airforce, Oberleutnant Sascha Olschewski.. German Luftwaffe took part in the church service and the wreath laying ceremony in the churchyard afterwards.
Rev John Allan vicar of St. Stephens and the Lichfield West Mercia Air Cadet Force Chaplain Tim Rutter read the Roll Call of Aircrew buried in Fradley Churchyard.
Also in attendance; Colin Greatrex Lord Mayor of Lichfield, Councillor Dr Bill Hassell and Mrs Hassell Chairman of Lichfield District Council and Gwyneth Boyle Sheriff of Lichfield, David Butcher… Vice-Chair manParish Council, Councillor Terry Finn President ARBL Branch
Ray Leighton President ARBL Club, Area Commander Phil McFarlane.. Staffs Fire & Rescue Service, Derek Hopkins Chairman of Alrewas RBL who read the Lesson, and Ken Compton the County Chairman.
Lichfield West Mercia Air Cadet Force provided the Guard of Honour and a good turn out of Legion Standards from both North and South Staffordshire, and local association standards.
After the main service and wreath laying there was another short service at the recently built RAF Memorial to commemorate all those who served at RAF Litchfield.