Battle of Britain: in men and machines

The posted link below comprises three tags. These outline the cost of the battle, on both sides, why the Germans lost the battle and the men who fought the battle, 70 years on.

Now, many people tend to think that just because it was the RAF that participated against the Luftwaffe, that it was a British victory.

I would like to take this moment to praise all those nations that contributed to the battle. Those brave volunteers that fought along side us in the name of freedom. Below is a list of those personnel that contributed

Nationality Number [1]
Poland 145
New Zealand 127
Canada 112
Czechoslovakia 88
Australia 32
Belgium 28
South Africa 25
France 13
Ireland 10
United States 7
Jamaica 1
Palestine Mandate 1
Southern Rhodesia 1
Unknown 8

Bless you all. Lest we forget what they sacrificed so that we are able to post here today.

Here is the link:

www.bbc.co.uk...

Sorry, I forgot to say, Today is Battle of Britain Day.


[edit on 20/8/2010 by TheLoneArcher]

[edit on 20/8/2010 by TheLoneArcher]

[edit on 20/8/2010 by TheLoneArcher]

People who don't know history very well should know that aside from pilots coming from other parts of the empire, the Polish and other continental European pilots had escaped from German rule.
At that time, the Axis powers held all of Continental Europe aside from Spain, Portugal and Switzerland.
"Their finest hour" indeed! Churchill said it well. Yet the Battle of Britain was not only won by the fighter pilots but by the whole British nation. Radar was an important factor in deciding where to scramble fighters to and there were thousands of civilian plane spotters who played a crucial role.
The mechanics, ground crews, anti-aircraft batteries fulfilled important duties as well.
It was a close run thing, the Germans might have won had they continued to attack the English air bases and not switched to bombing cities due to an accidental release of bombs on Berlin by a British Lancaster crew which enraged Hitler.
There was a very good movie made on the subject called (surprisingly) The Battle of Britain. Well worth a watch.
Thanks for the historical reminder. Does this date mark the first day when no German bombers flew over England?

reply to post by Asktheanimals


Actually, this date marks the end. In fact in about 25 minutes from now, a rerun of Churchill's speach will be broadcast again after exactly 70 years of the original.

[edit on 20/8/2010 by TheLoneArcher]

reply to post by TheLoneArcher


Thanks. I had forgotten to mention that the fire and ambulance crews worked night and day to deal with damage wrought by the Nazi bombers on English cities, particularly London. Poor Coventry!

In my opinion, THE defining battle of WW2..

Without a victory by the British, the Afrika Corps would not have been under pressure, Mussolini's italy would not have been invaded, the Russian front would not have collapsed so quickly and with the UK/US unable to launch any kind of invasion as a result of no protection for ships, no Normandy invasions.

While most US peeps on this site like to think that their contribution to the situation was the major one, this was THE major turning point in the war. The Russian winter was the other.

Respect due.

Well having just had a Spit and A Hurricane do a low fly past of the house - I got a timely reminder of the day!

S&F Excellent thread - but we should also remember those pilots still out there flying fast air in the deserts (no comment on the right or wrong please - just a salute to those who serve)

I would also commend any visitors to London this year visit the Imperial War Museum and the Blitz experience - you can only imagine the feelings of the people in the city sheltering.

A timely thread S&F.

A special mention in this dispatch for...

No 303 Squadron. "The crazy Polish"...Hurricanes.

No 603 Squadron. AuxAF. ...Spitfires.

No 609 Squadron. AuxAF. ...Spitfires.

No 41 Squadron. RAF. ...Spitfires.

Never in the field of human conflict, have so many owed so much, to so few.