Remembrance Day Ride
November 13, 2017Three intrepid WKRC members braved the inclement weather on Saturday 11th November to pay respects to the local memorial sites for downed WWII airmen.
An annual event which begins with a visit to the Chelsfield site on Warren road where RAF Sargeant John Hugh Mortimer Ellis is commemorated.
A visit to the Shoreham Aircraft Museum followed for tea and tea cakes, and a chat with the owners, who kindly allowed us a visit to the display area.
Many interesting exhibits are on show, including the front section of a Junckers-88 ‘Schnellbomber’.
Well worth a visit, with fascinating information on local sites relevant to WWII.
Not far away from here is the next site on Sparepenny Lane.
This memorial is probably the most often passed by members of the club on the rides out or back to the Swanley area.
This point commemorates the life of RAF Flight Lieutenant James Alfred Paterson, a New Zealander.
Thankfully by this time the heavy drizzle had abated and allowed a degree of drying out on the way to the next site on Darenth Hill.
It is here that the memorial stone to RAF Flying Officer Nathaniel John Merriman Barry from South Africa is to be found.
Continuing over the hill towards Dartford and Hesketh Park finds the final memorial stone to RAF Sargeant Trevor Guest Oldfield.
At each of these sites a wooden poppy cross inscribed with WKRC was laid at the base of these impressive commemoration stones.
With thanks to the Shoreham Aircraft Museum.
WKRC 11/11/17
