lockdown although fewer than 100 guests attended. sarah campbell reports. the sights and sounds of 19110 as a hurricane in three spitfires flew over london today. 80 years ago the sta kes over london today. 80 years ago the stakes couldn t have been higher. sir winston churchill famously called the young pilots the few , and the stakes couldn t have been higher back in 1940. archive newsreel: hurricanes and spitfires roar into action. it was the first time a pivotal military battle was fought in the air. the nazis plan to overwhelm the allied air defences and then launch a land invasion. their plan failed. today the prime minister arrived at westminster abbey to remember the sacrifices made, along with the leader of the opposition, all in masks, in this, the first major service to have taken place at the abbey
helicopters have carried out two rescue missions and around 200 people were moved to safety from two villages. a memorial service marking 80 years since the battle of britain has been held at westminster abbey. the battle was a dramatic turning point in world war ii when 1500 pilots and aircrew lost their lives fighting the german airforce. today s service was the abbey s first major event since lockdown although fewer than 100 guests attended. sarah campbell reports. the sights and sounds of 1914 as three spitfires and a hurricane flew over london today. 80 years ago, the sta kes over london today. 80 years ago, the stakes could not have been higher. sir winston churchill famously called the young pilots the few. hurricanes and spitfires roar into
couldn t have been higher. sir winston churchill famously called the young pilots the few. newsreel: hurricanes and spitfires roar into action. it was the first time a major military battle was fought in the air. the nazis plan was to overwhelm the allied air defences and then launch a full on invasion. their plan failed. today, the prime minister arrived at westminster abbey to remember those who fought so courageously, along with the leader of the opposition, all in masks, in this, the first major service to have taken place at the abbey since lockdown began in march. fanfare. more than 2,000 people would usually attend the service of remembrance, which has been held here every year since 19114. the pandemic meant numbers were restricted to fewer than 100, with no veterans present. however, their legacy and what they achieved against the odds lives on. some events, some people,
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it was at a time when britain was standing alone against nazi germany, america hadn t yetjoined the war effort, and the british army had been pushed out of occupied france. and the german air force had been bombarding britain. london had been enduring the blitz, 57 nights of bombing, and then came 15th september, a crucial moment when two massive attacks by the german air force were successfully defended by the british royal air force. but it was not without significant losses. 1,497 pilots and aircrew died during it. it was the battle about which winston churchill famously said, never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few . and the names of those who fought and died will, as they have been over the decades, honoured here at the abbey. the roll of honour will be paraded along with the colours, the flags of the squadrons of the air force that took part in that battle.