Air Ministry Bell

Bells have been used for hundreds of years to attract people’s attention. The RAF has used them to warn of fires, air raids, or for fighter pilots to scramble.

This bell was alleged to be one featured in a well-known photograph of a scramble at RAF Biggin Hill, with the phrase ‘Don’t run and tell, ring this like hell’ chalked on it. The photograph, however, was from a film made of No. 222 Squadron in Lincolnshire. The casting date of 1940 means that this bell was probably issued after the Battle ended.