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| Service honours WWII RAF airmen | Service honours WWII RAF airmen |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| RAF pilots who defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in 1940 have been remembered at a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey. | RAF pilots who defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in 1940 have been remembered at a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey. |
| Veterans and their families attended, along with the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Defence Secretary Des Browne. | Veterans and their families attended, along with the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Defence Secretary Des Browne. |
| The service marks the 68th anniversary of the deaths of 544 RAF airmen. | The service marks the 68th anniversary of the deaths of 544 RAF airmen. |
| It was these airmen Winston Churchill referred to in his phrase "never was so much owed by so many to so few". | |
| In his sermon, the Venerable Ray Pentland, Archdeacon for the RAF, described the battle as a victory of "good over evil". | In his sermon, the Venerable Ray Pentland, Archdeacon for the RAF, described the battle as a victory of "good over evil". |
| The service was also attended by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. | The service was also attended by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. |
| All of you 'the Few' are heroes The Venerable Ray Pentland, Archdeacon for the RAF | All of you 'the Few' are heroes The Venerable Ray Pentland, Archdeacon for the RAF |
| Addressing the congregation the Archdeacon said that battle was "a victory that promised freedom rather than tyranny". | Addressing the congregation the Archdeacon said that battle was "a victory that promised freedom rather than tyranny". |
| In his sermon he said: "That this battle was won, is in itself worthy of celebration, and today we proudly salute the few and of course the many who supported them. | In his sermon he said: "That this battle was won, is in itself worthy of celebration, and today we proudly salute the few and of course the many who supported them. |
| "Today we celebrate the fact that these few, who would claim they were ordinary, did extraordinary things. | "Today we celebrate the fact that these few, who would claim they were ordinary, did extraordinary things. |
| "All of you 'the Few' are heroes. | "All of you 'the Few' are heroes. |
| "Indeed you are more, for you are also living memorials to your friends and colleagues and this morning we thank you for what you did," the Archdeacon said. | "Indeed you are more, for you are also living memorials to your friends and colleagues and this morning we thank you for what you did," the Archdeacon said. |
| After the ceremony, the Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, and the Duchess met former aircrew members. | After the ceremony, the Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, and the Duchess met former aircrew members. |
| Four Tornado F3s also observed the occasion with a fly-past over Westminster Abbey. | Four Tornado F3s also observed the occasion with a fly-past over Westminster Abbey. |
| The defeat of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe by the RAF's Hurricane and Spitfire pilots in October 1940 came at a cost of more than 1,000 fighter planes. | The defeat of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe by the RAF's Hurricane and Spitfire pilots in October 1940 came at a cost of more than 1,000 fighter planes. |
| But the Luftwaffe's paid a higher price, losing nearly 1,900 aircraft. | But the Luftwaffe's paid a higher price, losing nearly 1,900 aircraft. |