The Wreck Hunter: Battle of Britain and The Blitz

Book by Hothfield Historian Melody Foreman

Sgt Herbert Black

Battle of Britain Memorial London

Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain Memorial London

Our free public talk "Battle of Britain Heroes Lost and Found" by local Hothfield historian Melody Foreman on 30 September 2022 was a great success. Around 40 people came along to listen and find out more.

In October 1940, Sgt Herbert Black was shot down by the Luftwaffe over Hothfield. Although he bailed out from his burning aircraft, sadly he died of his injuries ten days later. More than 80 years since the Battle of Britain, a unique memorial to Hurricane pilot Herbert remains in a field in this village. The story of Herbert’s last flight, and that of many other RAF and Luftwaffe aircrew were discussed during Melody's talk about her book "The Wreck Hunter: Battle of Britain and The Blitz". Artefacts from Herbert’s Hurricane were also on show.

Stories of those families left behind were explored including that of two Belgian sisters who lived for 60 years before learning how their father had died a hero during conflict in the skies over east Kent in 1940.

The presentation included illustrations of Churchill’s famous ‘Few’ plus details of the work of pioneering community archaeologist Terry Parsons who has been excavating RAF and Luftwaffe aircraft since 1962.

This was a fascinating and evocative talk revealing an important insight into the compelling association between archaeology, the power of memory, and the largest aerial conflict the world has ever known.