CENTENARY SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE
NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM – 26 JUNE 2024
BRIEFS ON MEMORIAL STONE DEDICATIONS
The first of our Memorial Stones is dedicated to Air Specialist 1 Anastasia Arnold
Anastasia was born in 1971, and at an early age learned to play the flute. She continued doing so throughout her school days and later when attending Trinity College of Music in London. After graduating, her sense of adventure took her to Nairobi where she became a music teacher at a school for underprivileged and orphan boys. She also involved herself in the wider music scene, becoming the youngest person ever to conduct the Nairobi Orchestra.
After a short period back in the UK, she returned to Nairobi as Head of Music at a Preparatory School. where she met Dougie, her husband to be. Together, they moved near to Mombasa to set up a new school where Anastasia ran the music and art departments.
On returning to the UK, Anastasia joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Band in 2020, where it soon became evident that she was an exceptional flautist and all-round musician. She took advantage of all the opportunities the Band offered including taking part in a Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
In 2022, Anastasia was tragically killed in a motor-cycle accident in France. Although only half-way through a Master’s Degree course, she was posthumously awarded a post graduate diploma.
Anastasia is sorely missed by family, friends and service colleagues.
I now invite her husband, Dougie Arnold, to plant a Cross in Anastasia’s memory
Our next Stone is dedicated to Lord Selkirk of Douglas
Lord James, as he was known, was appointed Honorary Air Commodore of No2 (City of Edinburgh) Maritime Headquarters Unit in 1981 taking over from his elder brother, the then Duke of Hamilton. When the Unit was reformed in 1999 as 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, the Queen, who had been the Squadron’s Honorary Air Commodore before it was disbanded as a flying Squadron in 1957, re-assumed the appointment. However, at Her Majesty’s request, Lord James acted as the Honorary Air Commodore on her behalf until 2008.
Lord James enjoyed a distinguished parliamentary career in the House of Commons as an MP before taking up his seat in the House of Lords. He was also the author of many acclaimed books on military aviation. These included two books about the story of Rudolf Hess’s flight to Scotland in 1943 to meet Lord James’ father, the 14th Duke of Hamilton. Another book was about the ‘Air Battle for Malta’ in which operation his uncle, Lord David, commanded 603 Sqn from an American Aircraft Carrier. A further acclaimed book of his was ‘Roof of the World’, the amazing story of his father flying over Mount Everest in an unpressurised aircraft in 1933. He also wrote an amusing account of his time in Parliament with great insight into the characters he encountered; it was entitled, ‘After You Prime Minister’.
Lord James died last year on 29 November. last year.
I now invite Lady Susie Selkirk to plant a Cross in memory of her husband Lord James.
Our remaining 4 Memorial Stones relate to pilots all of whom fought in the Battle of Britain. We begin with a Stone dedicated to Group Captain George Denholm
George was born in 1908 and educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh and at Cambridge University. His father ran a family timber business on the banks of the River Forth supplying pit props to the coal mining industry. After taking over the business, George joined the Auxiliary Air Force in 1933 serving on 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron and qualifying as a flying Instructor in 1937. As he was older than all of the other pilots on the Squadron, he was affectionately known as ‘Uncle George’. He commanded the Squadron throughout the Battle of Britain. On 27th August 1940, the Squadron was deployed with its Spitfires to Hornchurch. Arriving at lunchtime, the aircraft were immediately refuelled and then took off into the thick of the Battle. George accounted for one kill and a probable kill that day. The Squadron remained at Hornchurch throughout the Battle and didn’t return to Edinburgh until after the Battle had been won. George was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for exceptional leadership and valour during the Battle. Towards the end of the war on 11 May 1945, and having overseen missions in Scandinavia, he accepted the capitulation of Nazi-occupied Norway from a number of high-ranking Luftwaffe Officers at a signing ceremony at Drem Airfield in East Lothian.
After the war he served in the RAF, retiring as a Group Captain in 1947 when he returned to the family business. He died in 1997.
Paul Denholm / Alison Moodie will now plant a Cross in memory of George Denholm.
The next Stone is dedicated to Wing Commander Alastair Grant
Born in Inverness in 1908, Alastair was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh before beginning a career as a civil engineer and architect. In 1932, he joined 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, Initially, he flew Westland Wapiti aircraft but transferred to the Spitfire just before the outbreak of the War.
Alastair was part of a formation that engaged with twelve German aircraft attacking ships in the Forth Estuary on 16 October 1939. The formation shot down a number of the aircraft, and these were the first German aircraft in the war to be destroyed in aerial combat over the United Kingdom. This action prompted the Chief of the Air Staff to send a message to the Squadron, ‘Well done; first blood to the Auxiliaries’. Alistair left 602 Squadron shortly afterwards and served in various overseas postings for the rest of the War. In 1948, he was promoted to the rank of wing commander and posted to command 3510 Fighter Control Unit, Auxiliary Air Force, based near Inverness, a position he held for six years and for which he received the award of Officer of the British Empire. Alastair died in 2001.
Graeme Lyall, a former Commanding Officer of 602 Squadron will now plant a Cross in memory of Alistair Grant.
Our 5th Memorial Stone is dedicated to Squadron Leader Archie McKellar
Archie McKellar was born in Paisley in 1910 and worked as a plasterer in the family business. He joined the Renfrew Flying Club and in 1938 was invited to join 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron which operated from Renfrew Airport and Abbotsinch Airfield. He converted to the newly issued Spitfire just before the outbreak of the War and took part in the same formation as Wing Commander Alastair Grant had done which I mentioned earlier and which had shot down the first German aircraft over the United Kingdom. He personally was responsible for one of the kills. Sometime later, he left 602 Sqn for 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron which he subsequently commanded. During the Battle of Britain, he shot down no fewer than 22 German aircraft including five in one day, thus earning him the accolade of ‘Ace in a day’. He was one of only three pilots to achieve that status. He was also the 2nd highest scoring pilot during the Battle. During the Battle.
Early in the morning of 1st November 1940, Archie was shot down hours after the Battle of Britain was declared over. As a result, rather sadly, Archie’s name does not appear on the Battle of Britain Roll of Honour. For his valour, he was awarded a Distinguished Service Order, Two Distinguished Flying Crosses and a Mention in Despatches.
I again now invite Squadron Leader Graeme Lyall to plant a Cross in memory of Archie McKellar,
Our final Memorial Stone is dedicated to Flight Lieutenant Carl Davis
Carl Davis was born in 1911 in South Arica of American parents. He came to Britain at the age of 13 and attended Sherbourne School before going on to Trinity College and McGill University in Montreal where he qualified as a mining engineer. He returned to Britain, and in 1936 joined 601 (County of London) Squadron in 1936. Carl was part of a formation of six Blenheim aircraft from 601 Squadron that linked up with six aircraft from 25 Squadron on a successful raid in November 1939 on a German seaplane base on the Friesian Islands. Carl converted onto the Hurricane in March 1940 and took part in the Battle of Britain. He was a very good shot destroying nine aircraft, damaging four more and sharing in the downing of others.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 30 August 1940 but was very sadly shot down and killed a week later. He had been married for only a short time to Anne, the sister of Sir Archibald Hope, also a pilot with 601 Squadron.
I now invite Mrs Carolyn Horton, the daughter-in-law of Carl Davis and Mrs Jules Jermyn- his grand-daughter, to plant a Cross in memory of Carl.