The prestigious 2026 L.G. Groves Memorial Awards marked their 80th year last Thursday, 10 September, at Crowcombe near Taunton. Held in memory of Sergeant Louis Grimble Groves, the awards honour outstanding contributions to aviation safety and meteorology, and continue to strengthen the close links between the MOD, notably the RAF, the Met Office and the Groves family.
The day began with a solemn Service of Remembrance at the Memorial Stone on the Quantock Hills, dedicated to the crew of nine from No. 517 Squadron Halifax aircraft that tragically crashed in the fog on 10 September 1945. The accident prompted Major Keith Groves and his wife Dorothy Groves to establish the L.G. Groves Memorial Awards in 1946 in memory of their only son who was onboard.
The morning service was led by The Right Reverend N. Stock, supported by an Honour Guard from the King’s Colour Squadron and a bugler from the RAF Regiment Band. Attendees witnessed a poignant "missing man" formation flypast featuring period light aircraft, including a replica SE5A, two Austers, and a replica Hawker Fury at the beginning of the service, followed by a solo Spitfire display coordinated by spitfires.com to close proceedings.
Following the outdoor remembrance, guests gathered at Crowcombe Village Hall for the official presentation of the 2026 awards, presented by Air Marshal M Flewin, Air & Space Commander RAF, Professor S Belcher, Chief Scientist at the Met Office and Mr Anthony Groves representing the family.
These awards have come to represent the most incredible legacy. A tragic accident 81 years ago now forms the basis of a close partnership between one family, the Met Office and the RAF, recognising advances in air safety. With more than 300 individual awards made since 1946, each has contributed substantially to making military airborne operations safer for all.
Mr Anthony Groves.
The 2026 L.G. Groves Memorial Prizes and Awards recipients were:
Air Safety Prize: Awarded to 1710 Naval Air Squadron (NAS).
Ground Safety Award: Awarded to the Air Safety Management Team, RAF Shawbury.
Meteorology Prize: Awarded to Dr. Kirsty Hanley, Met Office.
Meteorological Observation Award: Awarded to Mr. Robert Scovell, Met Office.
It was a great honour to be involved in organising the day. The number and quality of citations received during the nomination process were outstanding, demonstrating the commitment across Defence to maintaining a strong safety culture, improving air safety and advancing the field of meteorology. The event itself provided a valuable opportunity for us to continue the legacy of the L.G. Groves Awards, and we were honoured to welcome so many distinguished guests, including representatives from across the military, the Met Office and the Groves family.
Squadron Leader Mike Richards, Project Officer.
This year’s event is particularly timely, taking place the day after the general release of the film ‘Pressure’ which explores the link between meteorology and operational effectiveness of the RAF, the same long-standing relationship the awards were set up to promote 80 years ago.
For more information regarding the history of the awards and the memorial fund, please visit L.G. Groves Awards
