The Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede. UK. lots of Images

Hi
This is my first attempt at photojournalism, so I am a little nervous about posting this, but I will not learn if I don't and I would appreciate comments good and bad:redface: So here it goes.....

The following pictures were taken at The Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede. This is just outside London near Windsor Berkshire. There are over 20,000 names on the walls of the building which I found to be very emotional to look at. ( I must confess to shedding a few tears while I was there.) Many of those who died and are remembered here and on memorials alll round the world were lost without trace and there graves are unknown.

The Memorial was designed by Sir Edward Maufe and the land where it stands was donated by Sir Eugen and Lady Effie Millington-Drake.

The memorial consists of a shrine that is embraced by a cloister in which the names of the dead are recorded. These are grouped by the year that they died. The coat of arms of the Commonwealth countries are painted on the Cloister ceilings

The Cloisters have curved wings that finish in 2 lookouts.

Engraved on the Great north window of the shrine are words from the Airmans Psalm ( Psalm 139)

If I climb up into Heaven, Thou art there:
If I go to hell, Thou art there also.
If I take the wings of the morning
And remain in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there also shall Thy hand lead me:
And Thy right hand shall hold me

Above the Angels flanking the text are engraved vapour trails taken from pictures of the Battle of Britain. The design is by John Hutton who is also responsible for the painted ceilings in the Shrine and lookouts.

From the Shrine there are 2 spiral staircases that lead to a gellery, where on a window engraved is a poem by a student by the name of Paul H Scott, which he wrote soon after the completion of the Memorial.

From the Gallery another staircase leads up to the roof of the tower which has an Astral crown of Blue and Gold mounted on it.

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God Bless them all and My thoughts go out to all their famlies. Without brave men like these we would not be free like we are today.

 

Thanks for the positive comments, I think I am going to try a couple of other subjects in the coming weeks and post those as well, this has really boosted my confidence. :biggrin: