Memorial Day

Royal Flying Corps Honored in Fort Worth on Memorial Day

NBC Universal, Inc.

Inside Greenwood Memorial Park in Fort Worth stands a monument recognizing history dating back to 1917.

"They have no idea that 6,000 British came here 1917 through 1918,” veteran Griffin T. Murphey said. “They brought 200 airplanes from Canada with them, and they trained 1900 combat pilots and that history is pretty well unknown. We want to make sure people do know about that history."

They were the Royal Flying Corps-- 39 RFC died here, mostly in crashes, but 1900 combat pilots were trained here.

On Memorial Day a special ceremony will be held at the Royal Flying Corps Cemetery to honor 12 British, Canadian, and American volunteers in the Royal Flying Corps who are buried here.

"It's just to preserve the history," Murphey said.

The Royal Flying Corps Cemetery is an official British Commonwealth War Grave site and is considered British soil.

"I just think it's a great thing to show the friendliness of Fort Worth and the willingness to preserve that history,” Murphey said. “So, to me, that's the significance of the service."

The Service will Begin at 10:15 a.m. Monday at Greenwood Memorial Park on Whitesettlement Road in Fort Worth.

Contact Us