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  • Short Summary

    Air Minster unveils plaque to first US Airman who died in Britain in this war.

  • Description

    London. 1941

    Several shots of the dignitaries and military men arriving for the unveiling of the plaque to the first American airman who died in this war in Britain. Various shots of Sir Archibald Sinclair, Air Minister, unveiling plaque to first American airman to die in Britain during the war at St. Clement Dane's Church. Airman's name is William Fiske. Close up shot of the plaque.

  • Tags

  • Data

    Film ID:
    1663.05
    Media URN:
    60342
    Group:
    Unissued unused
    Archive:
    British Pathé
    Issue Date:
    Sound:
    mute
    HD Format:
    Available on request
    Stock:
    Black & White
    Duration:
    00:01:17:00
    Time in/Out:
    01:18:14:00 / 01:19:31:00
    Canister:
    UN 274 B

Comments (2)

  1. jamied says

    The funeral of William Fiske is also covered by British Pathe, in clip 1653.03.

    As well as being an airman, Fiske was also a bobsled driver in the 1928 and 1932 Winter Olympics. (He won the Gold Medal in 1928).

    This piece is currently dated as being from May 1941, however very many sources suggest that the unveiling took place on 4 July 1941.

  2. jamied says

    Further to my earlier comment, the attached magazine article of the era shows, (in the bottom right-hand corner), that the date of the unveiling was indeed 4 July 1941, rather than the currently given date of May.

    The article also shows that the location is not "St Clement Danes", but the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral.....

    http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchi
    ve/view/1941/1941 - 1543.html

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