What is this campaign all about?

The RAF Benevolent Fund is running this digital campaign to mark the 70^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The campaign revolves around the ‘1940 Chronicle’, an online newspaper which breaks daily news of Britain at war from the same day 70 years ago, as though the Battle of Britain is happening in real time.

Interwoven with this historically accurate account of the Battle are the stories of five fictional characters: a Hurricane Pilot, a Radar Operator, an Aircraft Technician, a Nurse and a Journalist.  Their personal accounts of the Battle will unfold against the backdrop of the war through a series of blogs in the form of diary entries, from June 21 to September 19.

By giving people the opportunity to gain an insight into the characters’ personal lives and interact with them live through Facebook and Twitter, we hope to generate a greater understanding and appreciation for the RAF, both then and now.

Why a digital campaign?

The RAF Benevolent Fund has chosen to tell the story of the Battle of Britain through digital media as a way of bringing to life the very reason why we exist.

Firstly, we want to engage the wider public in the story of the Battle of Britain and remind everyone of the huge debt of gratitude we owe to those who fought for our freedom, as well as those serving today.

Secondly, we want to bring home the physical, psychological and emotional impact of conflict on serving personnel and their families. By using social media to tell the characters’ stories, we hope to communicate, in a very immediate way, that whether it’s 1940 or 2010 the human cost of war remains the same.

I have joined halfway through.  Can I go back and read the story so far?

Certainly you can.  Go to 'The story so far' in the top of the site navigation.  You will find all the previous editions of the Chronicle newspaper and all the blogs in date order.

Are these characters real?

No. The characters are entirely fictional but their stories are based on careful historical research and are meant to accurately resemble the lives of real people from 1940.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the historical events described in the campaign are accurate throughout.

See the notes on sources to find out more about the research that has gone into this project.

How can I find out more about the RAFBF?

Visit our website for more information.

Where does the source material come from ?

Acclaimed writer Kevin Telfer (author of Peter Pan’s First XI) has carefully recreated a historically accurate picture through thorough research and interviews. A full list of all source material can be found on our acknowledgement page