Battle of Britain

[mgmark]

Folks,

Its is now the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.  Last week's Dining In Night in the Mess here was a pleasure, talking to 93-year old Billly Drake, our guest of honour, who joined the RAF in 1936 and flew open cockpit Hawker Fury biplanes and left in 1962 flying Hawker Hunters, and along the way flew Hurricanes in the Battle of France, Spitfires in the Battle of Britain, Kittyhawks in North Africa, Spitfires in Malta, and Typhoons across France and into Germany.  Rather humbling talking to someone who spent over 5 years constantly on "ops". 

Today was spent in a meeting discussing what we might, or might not, have by way of a Royal Air Force after the Defence Review and this evening (sadly too late on return to get to the ACE Cafe) was spent with a beer or three watching a trade training film in the Mess, shot in 1968, whilst wearing the excellent T-shirt produced by The Brethren for Le Mans this year.  Nice to remember the period as well, when stopping off at the Capel-la-Ferne memorial, just outside Dover, on the way to Le Mans this year in the MGA, looking out on a crystal clear evening, over the 22 miles to see Cap Gris Nez on the other side of the Channel.

Suffice to say that the 15th is the day we commemorate that anniversary, where a few bought the time that eventually secured the freedom of many, and we remember those who made that sacrifice, just as we remember all of those who fought over those years, irrespective of the side on which they fought.  Please spare a moment during the day to think about them all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3UtmHLKUU&feature=related

Thank you,

MG Mark

[Canada Phil]

Hi Mark,
            You have a Tshirt like this?


Better picture , because i took it  ;D of the exhibit at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.



Not to forget the Huricane



Phil
Phil

[Canada Phil]

'The Few' were 2353 young men from Great Britain and 574 from overseas,

All named here:
                      http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/roll.html

[monkey]

The entire free world owes each of them an incalculable dept.

We will remember them.

[Nobby Diesel]

Thanks given.

[Lawnmower Man]

I'm wearing my Wing Appeal badge today.  (and it's not the one I got last year!!)

t.

[Lawnmower Man]

'The Few' were 2353 young men from Great Britain and 574 from overseas,

All named here:
                      http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/roll.html

I knew it was not many but I didn't know it was such a small number.

t.

[Perdu]

Mark I envy you dining with that great guy

I always think of my old man on B of B Day, remembering tales he told me of days at Hawkinge

He could well have armed Billy Drake's aircraft in those days

Wings Day

RAF Benevolent Fund sent dad (and mom) to convalsecent homes a couple of times during his ilness

Marvellous folks and deserving of all we can afford on Collection day

[Leftie]

What one has to remember is that besides the 2927 pilots that took part in this epic air battle, there were 20,000 plus ground crew keeping them up there and all the WRAF's at ops guiding them under great personal pressures.

During this battle, my Dad was in the Raf guiding our fighters and bombers over enemy territory using mobile radar etc. He doesn't speak about it much.

Six weeks after D Day, he was sent as a replacement to Omaha beach with the yanks and was immediately issued with yankie a uniform.

After a few drinks last week, I learned some more of what and where.  I wouldn't have the guts to what he did.

By the way, he was Corporal Jones!!!!!