Bentley Motors and its Czech subsidiary Bentley Praha are paying tribute to the Second World War with commemorative vehicles.

The larger, UK-based company revealed a Bentayga EWB Azure four days ahead of Remembrance Day on November 11. Part of Bentley’s annual “remembrance car” tradition, the SUV sports a special white-and-red livery that pays tribute to the 17 Bentley and Rolls-Royce employees who were killed during the Battle of Britain.

Crewe, where Bentley is located today, was the site of a factory built in 1938 by Rolls-Royce Limited for aircraft engines and parts in preparation for impending war. It was a shadow plant intended to continue producing engines should something happen to the main facility in Derby. When Germany launched its air raids on Britain in 1940, the town was targeted due to its role as a vital railway junction 34 miles southeast of Liverpool.

At 3:09 PM on December 29, 1940, German dive bombers attacked the Rolls-Royce plant; Deutsches Nachrichtenbüro, the official news agency of Nazi Germany, reported “several direct hits” that resulted in large explosions and fires. The Luftwaffe conducted its largest attack on the British capital three hours later, leading to what was called the “Second Great Fire of London”.

Indeed, a Junkers Ju 88 recorded a direct hit on the factory, instantly killing 16 employees whereas a 17th died in the hospital a few days later. 13 men—John E. Abel, Ellis Brough, Gilbert Davis, Samuel Dudley, Henry Frail, Charles Harrop, John B. Hatton, William D. Lascelles, Reginald Lee, William Naylor, John T. Nicklin, Cyril Nunnerly, and William H. Williams—and four women—Muriel Higgins, Kathleen M. Lafford, Elsie Potts, and Irene Snelson—were the victims.

The workers had been building the Rolls-Royce Merlin, a legendary liquid-cooled V12 engine that would be used in Royal Air Force aircraft like the Avro Lancaster bomber, Hawker Hurricane, and Supermarine Spitfire.

Following the war, the Crewe factory was converted into automobile production for Rolls-Royce and Bentley. A memorial to the victims, shaped like an aircraft propeller, is situated in the main hall of the plant.

The Bentayga’s livery is primarily white with gold trim. Along the front door is a silhouette of a plane followed by streaks of red and poppy-shaped patterns, intended to be the aircraft dropping the flowers as it flies by. The initials of each victim is displayed in the falling streaks, while the number 85 is also prominently shown to represent the 85th anniversary of war’s end.

This is Bentley’s fifth remembrance car. In 2024, they made another special Bentayga to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. Bentley has also been a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant since January 2024, and received the Silver Employer Recognition Scheme from the Covenant earlier this year.

“This annual project is one of the most meaningful for our team, a symbol of our collective memory and the sacrifices made by countless individuals,” said design director Robin Page. “Every detail of the Bentayga, from the cascading poppies to the gold initials, honors those who served and ensures their legacy continues to inspire through the design.”

In Prague, Bentley Praha commissioned the Czech Squadron Collection. It was the first Mulliner collection—a term for special limited-edition Bentleys—for the Czech dealer.

Four cars are part of the set, each representing the Czechoslovak squadrons of the RAF during WWII: a Bentayga, Flying Spur, Continental GT, and Continental GT Convertible. Their liveries are based on the planes that each unit flew, with their respective insignia on the headrests and slogans on the treadplates.

“The Czech Squadron Collection is the first Mulliner edition commissioned by Bentley Prague, and we chose a theme that was close to our hearts,” said sales manager Jiří Halousek. “The craftsmanship and attention to detail of the Mulliner team is everything we could have hoped for, and more.”

After Czechoslovakia fell to Nazi occupation, those fleeing to safety in Britain included 932 airmen from the Czechoslovak Air Force. Three squadrons were eventually formed from those men in July 1940, followed by a fourth a year later.

No. 310 Squadron was used for the blue Continental GT Convertible. It specialized in daytime operations with the Hurricane and Spitfire, seeing major action in the Battle of Britain before becoming a patrol and fighter-bomber unit in the English Channel. Bearing the slogan “We Fight to Rebuild”, it and 312 also participated in missions like the infamous Dieppe Raid.

The green Bentayga pays tribute to No. 311 Squadron (“Never regard their numbers”). It began life in RAF Bomber Command, flying the Vickers Wellington in bombing missions over Europe. This role led to 311 suffering the highest casualty rate of the four squadrons as over half of the Czechoslovak air deaths came with them. 311 was eventually transferred to Central Command for maritime patrols with the Wellington and Consolidated B-24 Liberator, taking on German blockade runners and U-boats. Once peace was secured, the group became a transport group to bring Czechoslovak citizens and supplies home.

Colored green and gray, the base Continental GT’s livery honors No. 312 Squadron. It was a fighter squadron that flew the Hurricane and Spirefire on patrols and reconnaissance flights. 312 bore the slogan “Not many, but much”.

The Flying Spur was not named after a plane, but the luxury car has a green-and-gray look modeled after No. 313 Squadron. Founded in May 1941, their Spitfires were mainly used for escort missions and thus usually had slipper tanks. The treadplates have the motto “One hawk chases many crows”.

Given the Czechoslovak squadrons’ contributions, there have been cases of for Czech racers honoring them. At his final Dakar Rally in January, Czech rider and World War II buff Jan Brabec wore a helmet bearing tribute to the RAF.

Featured image credit: Bentley Praha