Geoffrey Wellum speaking about Cranwell

[Wig Wag]

A complete breath of fresh air from Geoffrey Wellum:

BBC Broadcasting House Sunday 20 September
BBC Radio 4 - Broadcasting House, 20/09/2015, "England's a peaceful place, you're interfering with the cricket" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p032ylhv)

"England's a peaceful place, you're interfering with the cricket"

Churchill called the little band of airmen The Few; 2,000 or so British fliers joined by allies from Canada and New Zealand, Poland, Czechoslovakia and elsewhere.

As time passes of course the few are becoming fewer still but there are 25 or so survivors with us who still remember the fighting and remember how they held the future of the free world in their hands for those few weeks.

Geoffrey Wellum is among them - author of an extraordinary book about his experiences as a 19-year-old Spitfire pilot called First Light. He spoke to Broadcasting House about his life.

At 6:50 minutes Geoffrey Wellum us asked:

Do you think subsequent generations what have had the right stuff in themto do what you did if it had come to it?

He replies:

'I have met so many young men and women going through their training at Cranwell. To me they are young men and women of the highest quality - they are right out of the top drawer. And their courtesy, professionalism and good manners are a credit to the Royal Air Force and our country as a whole.'

Concluding:

'As a very old fighter pilot I salute them!'

It was lovely to hear something so positive said about modern young people. Thank you Sir!

[Tankertrashnav]

I mentioned Geoffrey's remarks on the other thread about the B of B Memorial Service before I noticed you had posted this. All I can say is that I heartily concur. I have had the honour of meeting Geoffrey on a number of occasions, and I am absolutely sure he meant everything he said.

Top man!

[Danny42C]

Or, as I remember saying in one of my Posts: "The Right Stuff is as right as ever it was - just different".

D.

[Take That]

Wig Wag,

I listened to the same interview on Sunday morning, thanks for reproducing the thread of it here. Of course, his closing remarks, said with much conviction, to the interviewer were 'and you can print that!' I guess you have, well done!

As an observation, the BBC have given much coverage to the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which should be applauded especially in light of recent global and political events. I took my 13 year old daughter to our local Curzon cinema last Friday to see the live screening of Radio Two's 'Friday Night is Music Night', which must be remembered was aimed to appeal to the wider audience rather than the critical specialist viewer. As a keen orchestral musician with a sense of history, she found the screening thoroughly enjoyable. As one who has flown on four fighter squadrons, three with a Battle of Britain heritage, I thought it was an account imaginatively told, with the actors' readings set to music, interspersed by the presenters' narration and the veterans' compelling recollections extremely moving and a fitting tribute to The Few.

[strake]

Problem is, we know the debt that is owed to this fast disappearing band of chaps and their friends who have gone before. Unfortunately, the majority of the general population under 35 don't. Whether it would make a difference if they did, I don't know but having seen Saving Private Ryan, Fury and all the other USA world war II films, I wonder if it is about time that a British director, with British money did a remake of the Battle of Britain? Someone like Ridley Scott would seem to be a good candidate.

[Wig Wag]

Yes, I thought someone should ensure the remarks were printed.

What really struck me were the comments:

' young men and women of the highest quality - they are right out of the top drawer'

These days we hear a huge amount about all the silly people. The show offs, exhibitionists, scoungers, turn coats and so on. But the best young people are still out there giving their best for Britain, dedicating themselves to worthwhile careers and putting their lifes on the line without blinking.

I recall, a few years ago, going to a talk by Michael Portillo. He was asked, by an audience member, what was most memorable about being a politician. He said he was completely humbled as Defence Secretary when he learned of all the incredibly dangerous exploits that were carried out by young people on the country's behalf. People of the calibre of, say, Violette Szabo are still out there but for security reasons we never hear of them and their exploits.

I'm frankly baffled by modern social culture. Most of what we do in this country is pretty darned good. We're just not allowed to point it out.

So I think Geoffrey Wellum is, thankfully, right on the money. The same types are out there - but we're not seeing so much of them.

[Chugalug2]

Hear hear, Wig Wag, good post! We are thoroughly blessed by Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum and his ilk, we are equally blessed by those of whom he speaks. Never mind the endless line of "celebrities" constantly paraded before us. It is the ones who never ask "Do you know who I am?", indeed no-one other than their colleagues, friends, and families really know them, but who quietly go about their often very demanding and dangerous business that we should be more aware of and more grateful to than we are.

It is not they that are wanting but we. Never mind tweeting and liking celebs, just give humble thanks to our brave young servicemen and women. They are indeed the creme de la creme.