Battle of Britain speeches

[Spotting Bad Guys]

Evening ladies and gents,

My unit will be holding a Battle Of Britain dinner on the 15th Sep, and we plan to have brief speeches between each course representing the ebb and flow of the battle - something memorable from each side, quotes from Goering, Churchill's "never in the field of human conflict" etc.

If there are any Ppruners with suggestions for inclusion, I'd be most grateful!

Regards

SBG

[henry crun]

Churchill's speeches used to be available on LP record, don't know if they still are but I would be surprised if they are not out there on tape or CD.

Why not play extracts from the real thing instead of having someone make the quotes ?

[Spotting Bad Guys]

I had thought about that but I like the added presence of having one of today's aviators say the lines....


Plus the fact that I don't trust the technology - Churchill would come out sounding like Mickey Mouse knowing my luck!!!!!

Cheers

SBG

[RabbitLeader]

You could always have Galland's famous quote, when asked by Goering what he needed.

"Get me Spitfires for my wing!"

;)

[PaperTiger]

For BoB facts, I usually try The Right of the Line: The Royal Air Force in the European War, 1939-1945 (Hodder and Stoughton, 1985) by J. Terraine first. Has all the 'famous' quotes and some lesser-known but pertinent ones too.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I have a couple of cassettes containing a series of Winnie's wartime speeches - crackly, but you can see why he's gone down as possibly the greatest orator in the history of the English language.

If asked nicely enough, I'm sure that I could be persuaded to lend them, so long as I know I'll get them back.

Alternatively I still have buried in my personal archive, a copy of the original Martlesham Heath flight test report on the Spitfire prototype K5054.

A quote or two from it for you:-

"Loops, half rolls off loops, slow rolls and stall turns have been done. The aeroplane is very easy and pleasant to fly in all aerobatics."

"In general, the stability characteristics are satisfactory for a fighting aeroplane and give a reasonable compromise between controllability and steadiness as a gun platform".

"It is a more satisfactory aeroplane for operating in high winds than the normal biplane fighter"

"The aeroplane is simple and easy to fly, and has no vices"

"In general the handling of this aeroplane is such that it can be flown without risk by the average fully trained service fighter pilot"

G

[PPRuNe Pop]

Here is the 'stunner' about the Few. http://www.fiftiesweb.com/usa/winston-churchill-so-few.htm

Just go to Google and type in Winston Churchill Speeches. They are, more or less, all there - the ones you want anyway.

Have fun, I did :)

[John Farley]

If you wanted a way to wrap up your quotes you could suggest that Raymonond Baxter's commentary from the BBMF Lancaster
at the Fairford RAF 75th Birthday airshow was a remarkable tribute to the RAF by saying something like:

"He broadcast live from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster as it led a formation of current RAF aircraft across the field.

I am sure we all consider ourselves professional people here tonight. But I wonder how many of us, in our own field of expertise, could come up to the professional standards that Raymond reached in that Lancaster cockpit. He had just less than a minute to do justice to 75 years of the Royal Air Force. He used 116 words.

Those of you that missed the programme will have to imagine the background sound of four Merlins as well as the strains of the Royal Air Force March which the producer mixed in behind Raymond's words. This is what he said:


"If ever there was a flying shrine to courage, you join me there now. In these confined spaces brave men fought and died.

The history of the Royal Air Force is punctuated by great names both within and without the Service. Some defied the politicians, some defied the accepted rules of technology, some defied the enemy in the face of fearful odds.

But the people who made the Royal Air Force what it was and is today are anonymous. They are the men and women who were, and still are, prepared to serve and simply go on doing the job in hand, to the best of their ability whatever the circumstances and however great the cost"


Then you can all go and get pissed and blow your noses.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Is Raymond Baxter the second greatest orator in the history of the English language do you think?

G

[PPRuNe Pop]

I remember you sending me that John, on the occasion of Ray's visit to the GatBash at Horley. It moved me deeply then as it does now. He is so eloquent it makes you wonder why such simplicity in speech is so difficult for others to emulate. But then, of course, you have to have a heart too.

[Spotting Bad Guys]

Thanks Gents, for all the inputs so far - Genghis I will be in touch regarding the tapes. I need to think about that one as I work in the USA and I would hate for said items to be lost in the trip across the pond.

The RAF/Aliied perspective is well catered for - anyone with any useful stuff from the Luftwaffe perspective?

Regards and thanks again.

SBG