fordie41, Jul 2026
AWESOME AND IMMERSIVE WAY TO LEARN ABOUT PILOTS IN BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Seeing where the enemy planes came from, seeing the pilots riding from the barracks to where they waited to scramble to their planes, how they fought, how some died, seeing where they went to drink and where some are buried is truly a Battle of Britain (BoB) Experience. As advertised, this tour totally delivers and is well worth the cost. I highly recommend this tour.
This tour is a great way to learn about the BoB in a day and especially about the pilots who fought, their stories (for example, how one pilot developed a manoeuvre where he could dive in and attack 3 enemy planes during one pass, Roger whose character was in the movie "the Great Escape", etc), what they did and for some, how they were killed. This included the stories of the 7 pilots at the "Spirit of The Few" Monument and some of the pilots whose plane's wreckage pieces are on display in the museum and at the memorial. Hearing their stories saved having to do a lot of reading.
In addition to the pilot stories, I really liked everywhere we stopped; the gun emplacement at St Martin's Battery, BoB Memorial, Hawkinge Fighter Station, BoB Museum and the Commonwealth Cemetery (here both RAF and Germain pilots are buried). I really enjoyed the stop for a drink at the Inn where pilots went for a drink. At the BoB Museum, Anthony highlighted some of the more interesting things and their stories. There was so much to see here that I could have spent a whole day here. As an added touch we passed by and saw places related to the 1969 movie "Battle of Britain".
Photos at the BoB museum are not allowed but through Anthony, our guide, we got permission to take pictures with the outside exhibits. Photos are not allowed to respect the pilots whose pieces of their planes are on display. Anthony was willing to take our photos throughout the tour.
During our tour, Anthony showed us other things along the way which included stopping at
"The Pig" where Led Zeppelin once played and pointing out where "Ian Flemming" once lived and the place where a young Mozart once performed.
Our day concluded with a walking tour of Canterbury which I thought was very well done and interesting. It was nice to have lunch at the oldest Inn in Canterbury and to see the Inn where the 4 knights had a drink before going to the Canterbury Cathedral and killing Tomas Beckett.
Overall I felt that this tour was very "professional". It was delivered by a very knowledgeable guide who spoke clearly and whose narration was easy to understand. It included wearing good over the ear earsets (not earbuds) and being shown pictures from a binder to further explain things we were being told. Anthony made sure we saw everything we wanted before moving on. It was a nice paced tour where one didn't feel rushed. We rode in a very comfortable (cool) and roomy vehicle.
Lastly, I felt that our guide Anthony was truly dedicated and extremely passionate about telling the stories of the lives of those "FEW" who fought in the Battle of Britain and Canterbury.
Thank you Anthony for a "WONDERFUL", comprehensive, fact filled day and for the "Battle of Britain" experience. As advertised, this tour totally delivers and is well worth the cost. I highly recommend this tour. Those "FEW" live on. Mega Kudos.
