A service to mark the 81^st anniversary of the Battle of Britain has praised the recent evacuation of Afghanistan – comparing the ‘collective hope’ brought by the two events.

A service in Westminster Abbey led by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla paid tribute to the heroism of ‘the few’ who fought the Nazi’s Luftwaffe during the Second World War.  

Prime Minster Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey were also among the guests at the annual service, which commemorates the first battle in history fought entirely in the air.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, helped lead the thanksgiving service on Sunday, which acknowledged those who took to the skies above southern England in 1940.

This year’s service was again impacted by Covid-19, with a smaller, face mask-wearing congregation taking part – but senior Government, military and diplomatic dignitaries were able to attend alongside serving RAF personnel.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston, gave a Bible reading, while the Chaplain in Chief, the Venerable Air Vice Marshal John Ellis, delivered an address about humanity living ‘future-focused lives’ that were motivated by ‘hope’.

He paid tribute to the recent airlift from Kabul, and said that in September 1940 the RAF had carried ‘the collective hope of a nation’ amid a ‘continual onslaught of enemy planes in our skies’.

‘Collective hope is something that remains with us as a constant. We only need look at the pandemic that has affected all our lives,’ Mr Ellis added.

‘Even here that future-focus is apparent in the self-giving sacrifices that have been made and the advances in medicine that have been prompted by the pandemic.’

Addressing the Afghanistan crisis this summer, he continued: ‘Even more recently, we were witness to the largest Royal Air Force airlift since 1948.

‘An effort that highlighted the skill, courage and resilience of everyone involved. A life-changing event that has given new hope to thousands.’

Led by the Dean of Westminster Abbey Dr David Hoyle, the service included an act of remembrance in which the Battle of Britain Roll of Honour with the names of 1,497 pilots and aircrew killed or mortally wounded in the battle was borne through the church.

It was escorted by descendants of airmen and serving RAF personnel.

The service also featured music from the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment and singing by the abbey’s choir.

It opened and closed with the standard of No 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force being borne through the church, while the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille brought proceedings to a conclusion.

Charles, wearing full ceremonial day dress, and Camilla, in a cream dress, blue ribbon coat and pale blue hat, sat close to the altar during the church service.

The royal couple joined a procession and met members of the clergy as they entered and exited the central London landmark.

They then joined other members of the congregation on the balcony of the nearby Church House to watch a fly-past by a Spitfire and Hurricane.

The prince and the duchess were due to meet RAF cadets, aviators and tradesman from RAF Halton at Bishop Partridge Hall before joining a reception in the Assembly Hall.

The Battle of Britain was fought between July and October that 1940, with the RAF scoring a decisive victory on September 15 in what was Nazi Germany’s largest daylight attack.

Some 1,120 Luftwaffe aircraft sent to attack London were repelled by just 630 RAF fighters – and two days later Hitler postponed his plans to invade Britain.

Westminster Abbey has held a service of thanksgiving and re-dedication on Battle of Britain Sunday every year since 1944.

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