During the Battle of Normandy in June, 1944 there were 20 Squadrons of Hawker Typhoon aircraft armed with 4-20 mm cannon and 8 semi- Armour piercing rockets. The Squadrons were based on airfields along the south coast of England. The sum total was 400 aircraft and 500 pilots and their role was to provide air support for the Army and Navy. Individual pilots were volunteers from Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Rhodesia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and India. After moving to Normandy when the invasion was launched the Squadrons operated from airfields built by RAF airfield construction companies and Royal Engineers. During the 10-week battle 141 pilots were killed and 128 were taken out of the battle by engine failures, forced landings, pilots wounded and some became prisoners of war. The Typhoon Memorial was the brainchild of Squadron Leader Denis Sweeting and General Paul Ezanno, FAF, Flight and Squadron Commanders respectively of 198 Squadron, which suffered the heaviest losses, during the Battle. The Memorial was erected at Noyers Bocage, a village near Caen, under the guidance of M. Jacques Brehin, a farmer who witnessed the battle as a child. The Memorial lists individual pilots killed during the battle but casualties continued as it moved further afield. The Memorial was finally dedicated in June, 1994, the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of ‘D’ Day.