Battle of Britain Memorial Service

[Wander00]

Just watched the highlights. Brilliant to see the veterans still able to be there and describe events of 75 years ago so clearly. However, sadly much reduced in number since I had the privilege of twice ushering at the Service in the late 80s.

We will remember them all, those who died in the Battle and those who have passed since

[CoffmanStarter]

Well said Wander ...

[smujsmith]

At a time when so much of our national history and tradition is threatened with being banished to the periphery of our "national" memory, it's good to see that major events that helped shape, and save our nation are still commemorated with the dignity and respect they deserve. An apt post Wander00, totally agree with your opinion.

Smudge :ok:

[Danny42C]

Could not have said it better myself, Wander00 and Smudge. We must never forget that "a nation which forgets its history is condemned to repeat it".

Churchill was right: it was their "finest hour", and it is seemly that we should commemorate it with all the dignity and ceremony that the State can muster.

Danny42C.

[Nugget90]

I had the pleasure of attending this Service today, and there can be no doubt that it was one to remember for its content, the clarity of the singing of the choir, the diction from those who read and - at the end - the spontaneous and appreciative applause that accompanied the BoB veterans as they processed down the Nave.

This year, as those of you who have seen the excellent BBC recording "Battle of Britain 75: from Westminster Abbey" will have observed, the Service was followed by a Parade and then a Flypast by Spitfires and Hurricanes, all in the most benign weather that could ever have been hoped for.

A most proper way to remember those who in the summer of 1940 fought the enemy in the skies above the United Kingdom to preserve this nation's independence and freedom from invasion.

Lest we forget.

[Chugalug2]

Never attended the Service, and first time I've watched it on TV. Very impressed. The current RAF represented from LAC to CAS. The Central Band and QCS as always doing us all proud. The flypast was brilliant, and twice for the price of one! Above all though those very modest veterans who no doubt in their minds are still the same young men who fought those frenetic, terrifying, and often bewildering battles day after day, often twice or thrice a day. They of course were there not so much in their own right as to pay tribute to and remember those who gave their lives.

The Royal Air Force is rightly proud of those of all ranks who served in Fighter Command in 1940/41. It is of course equally proud of those in other Commands and indeed in its overseas Air Forces, or should be. However if Fighter Command had failed to deny the Luftwaffe daylight Air Superiority then, all else would be irrelevant. We would have sued for peace eventually, invasion or no invasion. That is why we give thanks. That is why we remained free.

[Martin the Martian]

Chugalug2:

:ok:

Spot on.

[Dougie M]

It's a shame we don't have a suitable honour to confer on the last of the few. The French awarded the last three tommies from the Great War with the Legion D'honneur. It would be a gesture of appreciation. Of course that could start another ball rolling: arctic convoys, Burma campaign, etc.

[Flap62]

It was indeed a lovely service and the survivors should be justifiably proud of their central role in it.

Not sure I wouldn't have had a word with the Wg Cdr pilot who thought it acceptable to allow his son to stand on the seats during one of the hymns so he could look about though!

[Gannet Driver]

Wish I could have seen it but access to BBC a bit limited here in Canada. Sounds as tho' it was right in every way. There was an open-air service here in Kingston (Ontario) too. Simpler, but just as genuine, and in equally perfect weather.

I hope those that some of us call "The Few of the Few" were mentioned - the pilots from the Fleet Air Arm, the U.S.A., France, Poland and Czechoslovakia - they are so often left out.

I was born in the UK during the B of B, thanks Guys.

Mike

[Chugalug2]

Not sure if you can access BBC iPlayer in Canada GD. Probably not, but for those who can it is here (temporarily):-

BBC iPlayer - Battle of Britain 75: From Westminster Abbey (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06dl1bv/battle-of-britain-75-from-westminster-abbey)

and highlights here:-

BBC iPlayer - Battle of Britain 75 - Highlights from Westminster Abbey (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06cr88m/battle-of-britain-75-highlights-from-westminster-abbey)

[Gannet Driver]

Regret no Chugalug, but many thanks anyway,

Mike

[Tankertrashnav]

Some years ago I was approached by Geoffrey Wellum*, who lives not far from me, who told me he needed his medals remounting as he was to accompany the book of remembrance at the service for the first time. This I duly arranged for him, and he suggested I apply for tickets to the service. Mrs TTN and I attended and were very impressed. I was delighted to see him on TV yesterday, and to hear his thoughts on the Battle. In particular I was impressed by his thoughts on the present generation of RAF aircrew who he has met on visits to Cranwell, and his conviction that they would acquit themselves just as well as his generation did, should the need ever arise. On a lighter note I loved his remark that he was cross with the Lutwaffe as they were interfering with the cricket!

* Ex 92 Squadron, and author of First Light

[Chugalug2]

Their generation were past masters at the throw away line, TTN. I always liked Bob Doe's description of the only time he was authorised to fire his guns in practice before being launched into action. He was briefed to fire at the North Sea. "I managed to hit it!", he said triumphally.

"Boy's" observation that the present generation could do just as well as his is shared by our own Danny42C, who will not countenance that theirs was remarkable in any way. No doubt they are both right but that doesn't change the fact that it was theirs that was on watch when enjoined to:-

Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, "This was their finest hour." No matter that the Empire is past and the Commonwealth may not so endure, they will be remembered in a thousand years because they saved not only this country but enabled the Invasion of Europe four years later to liberate it in turn.

[jolihokistix]

Splendid and fitting service, flypast and RAF band. Beautiful weather for it too. Sorry that the 'highlights' were only the BBC's slant on things, but not a day to quibble.

A magnificent 75th Battle of Britain ceremony to top off all the events this summer.

Let's hope that some of these old boys are good for a few years yet!

[1.3VStall]

The staggering thing about Geoffrey Wellum is that by the tender age of 19 he had fought in the Battle of Britain and was posted to a Spitfire training unit as a rest from operations. When I look at my two lads at Uni - 18 and 21 - it really makes me think about what those "boys" did 75 years ago!

[Old-Duffer]

Regarding the throw away lines, Mrs O-D was a fairly senior female at B/H and she - aided by yours truly of course - was detailed to look after Wg Cdr Ivor Cosby at the BofB cocktail party, even though he was a mess member.

Some bright young thing asked if he realised he was saving civilisation or some such, when he fought the battle.

Ivor put on a look of amazement and incredulity before saying: "My dear chap we did it so that every year thereafter we would be invited to at least one decent cocktail party".

Lovely man, with an eye for the ladies to the end - he even featured in a Pilots' Pals calendar one year!

Old Duffer

[Ken Scott]

In today's DT, the obituary of Gp Capt Allan Wright, who sadly died on 16 September:

http://http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11880019/Group-Captain-Allan-Wright-obituary.html

Described by Geoffery Wellum in his book 'First Light' as, 'a lovely chap: kind, quiet & introverted.' (Doesn't sound like a 'typical' fighter pilot to me....!)

Gp Capt Wright was 20 during the Battle & rested after a year of combat at the same age that I was still getting p***ed up in the Student Union bar. I was inspired by his generation to join the RAF.

Duty done, Sir.

[Danny42C]

(From the "Daily Mirror" of the time)

THE FEW

"These are the men of whom we said:
They are not what their fathers were -
"They........and do not cut their hair"

"Now these like eagles live and die
And in the time....................
They shoot a pair of Heinkels down"

Sadly, I cannot recall the "....s" (nor can Google bring up the quotation)

And, after the 1941 New Years Honours List was published, a back-bencher got up in the Commons and asked: "What about the knights who ride on the wings of Spitfires ?

Well said both, I thought - and resolved to volunteer for the RAF.

D.

[FantomZorbin]

Many years ago, my very last BoB Cocktail Party was at Bentley Priory. I was honoured to be one of the 'also rans' to host and usher many of those whose faces we see in and on the cover of history books. They were a most fascinating, intriguing and modest group of gentlemen that I'm ever likely to meet.
To cap it all, I stood with them* on the balcony just outside Dowding's office watching the BBMF display. A memory that still gives me 'goose-bumps' to this day!!

* ... and I felt very, very small.

[Chugalug2]

Danny:-
Sadly, I cannot recall the "....s" (nor can Google bring up the quotation)Danny, I couldn't find it either. It occurs to me that as the Daily Mirror published it, they might be able to find it in their archives. I imagine that they would have digitalised them by now. If so they should be able to quote it verbatim.

If you like I could email them, no names no pack-drill, simply quoting the parts that you recall. It should be enough for them to do a search. What do you think? Worth a try?

[Flying Lawyer]

As others have said, the Service at Westminster Abbey was magnificent - a perfect tribute with a wonderful atmosphere throughout.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/2015-09-20%2013.19.27%20crop800_zpsn6rwpl8r.jpg
Veterans and their families awaiting the fly-past at nearby Church House


A smaller and less formal but no less moving Act of Remembrance was held at the Battle of Britain Monument on the Embankment the previous day.
Organised by the BoB Fighter Association, the short service was conducted by the Ven Ray Pentland, former Chaplain-in-Chief of the RAF.

The well known words 'They shall not grow old …' were particularly poignant spoken by one of the remaining Few - Geoffrey Wellum - who also laid a wreath.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/2015-09-19%2009.02.14%20crop800_zpsxvxlhjsr.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/2015-09-19%2009.00.13%20crop800_zps9lppzq8c.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/2015-09-19%2009.10.25%20-%20V2_crop_zpssb7uvrvc.jpg
(L-R)
Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum, Wg Cdr Paul Farnes, Sqn Ldr Tony Pickering, Fg Off Ken Wilkinson



Lest we forget ...

The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust maintains the National Memorial to the Few (http://www.battleofbritainmemorial.org/the-memorial) at Capel-le-Ferne on the cliffs between Dover and Folkestone.
It's well worth a visit, and supporting the memorial as a Friend of the Few (http://www.battleofbritainmemorial.org/the-trust/friends/) costs very little.

[Gannet Driver]

In 19 above, Danny 42C referred to a poem, I have just located it.

"These are the Boys" by A.P.Herbert, July 28th, 1940

These are the boys of whom we said
"They are not what their fathers were;
They have no heart and little head;
They slouch, and do not cut their hair."

Yet these like falcons live and die;
These every night have new renown;
And while we heave a single sigh
They shoot a brace of bombers down.

It was written when I was 2 weeks old. Thanks guys.

Mike

[Union Jack]

BZ 849!:ok:

Jack

[Chugalug2]

Well done, Gannet Driver! Good poem too, a lesson for the old not to carelessly condemn the young, simply because they are young. A lesson that both Danny42C and Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum clearly learned when young and remembered many years later.


Flying Lawyer, thank you for the excellent pictures and the reminder of the good work of the BoB Memorial Association.

[Danny42C]

Chugalug (your #21),

Mike has beaten us to it ! (but thanks for your kind offer, all the same).

How clearly it shows how the best of memories can fail (and mine is certainly not one of them). What I could remember of the poem, I was quite certain of - but it seems that only a few words (and the general idea) were correct. Ah, well.....

Mike, thank you - the D.M. must have a well-organised archive to locate the poem (75 years old) so quickly.

Danny.

[Gannet Driver]

I have a house filled with books of every type, though ships, aircraft and steam railways occupy a significant amount of space. Likewise poems, and A.P.Herbert is a particular favourite. This was from "Siren Song" long out of print but NOT out of this house!

Danny, I thought you recalled it really well. It certainly tripped a few synapses and sent me to the right shelf.

Union Jack, thank you for an accolade only a few of us could fully appreciate - I did! Did we meet on the flight decks of Ark, Centaur or Hermes in the mid-1960's?

Chugalug, I think the upcoming generations will never fail to surprise us, thank you for your nice remark.

Seriously, as a Battle of Britain baby I realise how much I have to be grateful for in my old age.

Mike

[Wander00]

Youngster standing on the seat to see better - well the smallest "W", then about 3 stood on a pew in Warboys Church to watch Hamish Mahaddie unveil the Pathfinder Memorial Window. "Daddy, Lancasters" piped a small voice as the blanket came down. Ivor Broom carried him out of the Church on his shoulders - unforgettable, and better the lad in Westminster Abbey saw what was going on, and which he will never forget, rather than just the back of someone's jacket - IMHO of course

[Flying Lawyer]

https://amp.twimg.com/v/7cb70ee7-dcc7-42b6-b1e4-7c8ee16ee8b8


GvhTUExAj4Q

[octavian]

I'm with you on this one Wander00, and I'm sure your smallest will remember it. Thankfully we still have some of Ivor Broom and Geoffrey Wellum's generation with us to reflect on what the young still have the ability to offer.

[Mike Gallafent]

I was privileged to attend the BofB service at the Abbey some years ago. During the battle I lived a few miles from Tangmere and remember the Stuka 87 dive bombers bombing the airfield vividly. I was only 7 when the war started but for 'our gang' they were exciting times. With so much more freedom than today's children we were always in the race to get to crashed aircraft before the LDV (Home Guard) or the civil police. My bedroom was adorned with all sorts of aircraft instruments. Of course they glowed in the dark and those from German aircraft had a very distinctive smell. There was the aluminium inner nose cap from a Hurricane (marked 'AM') and, until they were confiscated, live ammunition, much to my bitter disappointment.

Mike (ex 16 Sqn)