Air Forces Memorial

Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Showing portico entrance, look-out wing and astral crown surmounting the central chapel.
For Commonwealth Air Forces dead of WW2 without a known grave
Unveiled	17 October 1953 by HM Queen Elizabeth II
Location	51.4378°N 0.5650°W / 51.4378; -0.5650 near Egham Surrey England
Designed by	Edward Maufe
Total commemorated	Over 20,000 Commonwealth Air Forces personnel including those with honoury RAF rank such as SOE operatives

The Air Forces Memorial, or Runnymede Memorial, near Egham, Surrey, England is a memorial dedicated to some 20,456 men and women from the British Empire who were lost in operations from World War II. All of those recorded have no known grave anywhere in the world, and many were lost without trace. The name of each of these airmen and airwomen is engraved into the stone walls of the memorial, according to country and squadron.

Design

The memorial was designed by Sir Edward Maufe with sculpture by Vernon Hill. The engraved glass and painted ceilings were designed by John Hutton, and the poem engraved on the gallery window was written by Paul H Scott. It was the first post-World War II building to be listed for architectural merit.

The roof of the memorial looks over the River Thames and Runnymede Meadow, where the Magna Carta was sealed by King John in 1215. Most of north, west, and central London can be seen to the right from the viewpoint; such monuments as the London Eye and the arch of Wembley Stadium are visible on clear days. Windsor Castle and the surrounding area can be seen to the left.

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial

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  One of eighteen bronze sculptures on the main doors of th Air Forces Memorial

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  Air Forces Memorial Runnymede Entrance Gates & Monument Front Aspect

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  Image showing lay out of inscriptions by year nationality and rank

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  Memorial cloister with remembrance stone before the central chapel surmounted by the Astral Crown

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  Air Forces Memorial Runnymede England - example coat of arms of the Commonwealth Nations of the commemorated

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  Air Forces Memorial Runnymede England - View of portico from chapel & showing lions rampant in door

Location

The memorial is on Coopers Hill Lane, Englefield Green, next to the former Runnymede campus of Brunel University and Kingswood Hall of Royal Holloway, University of London since 1965 when it was converted from a convent.

Status

It is a Grade II* listed building and was completed in 1953

External links

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - official site
• Details from listed building database (470605) - Grade II*. Images of England. English Heritage.
• Detailed description and images of the Memorial