Runnymede Royal Air Forces Memorial: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Overview

The Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede is a solemn tribute to courage, sacrifice, and freedom. On this self-guided walking tour, you’ll explore a masterpiece of memorial architecture that commemorates 20,455 airmen and women who died in World War II with no known graves. This memorial tells a powerful story of those who gave their lives in service to liberty, through thoughtful design elements and panoramic views. You’ll walk through carefully designed cloisters where names are inscribed on stone panels or ’books,’ allowing natural light to fall across them throughout the day. The site’s six acres, gifted by Sir Eugen and Lady Effie Millington-Drake, offer sweeping views westward to Windsor and eastward towards London. You’ll discover the memorial’s rich symbolism, from its stone eagle at the entrance, to the stars carved into column capitals. The tour ends in the Visitor Room, where directories allow for personal research and reflection on the airmen and women commemorated here.