Lord Dowding - Strand, London, UK
N 51° 30.776 W 000° 06.858
30U E 700228 N 5710815
This statue of Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding stands on the north side of Strand in front of St Clement Danes church - the RAF's church. The statue was created by Faith Winter and is cast in bronze.
Waymark Code: WMTDMB
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/07/2016
Views: 3
The front of the plinth is inscribed with the words:
Air Chief Marshal
Lord Dowding
GCB, GCVO, CMG, RAF
Baron of Bentley Priory
in
the county of Middlesex
Commander-in-Chief
Fighter Command
Royal Air Force
1936 - 1940
Identical plaques on both left and right sides of the plinth tell us:
Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding was Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command, Royal Air Force, from its formation in 1936 until November 1940, he was thus responsible for the preparation for and the conduct of the Battle of Britain.
With remarkable foresight, he ensured the equipment of his command with monoplane fighters, the Hurricane and the Spitfire, he was among the first to appreciate the vital importance of R.D.R. (radar) and of an effective command and control system for his squadrons. They were ready when war came.
In the preliminary stages of that war, he thoroughly trained his minimal forces and conserved them against strong political pressures to disperse and misuse them. His wise and prudent judgement and leadership helped to ensure victory against overwhelming odds and thus prevented the loss of the Battle of Britain and probably the whole war.
To him the people of Britain and of the free world owe largely the way of life and the liberties they enjoy today.
A small bronze plaque on the rear of the plinth tells us:
This statue was unveiled by
H M the Queen Mother
30th October 1988