Many of us in here today, with our hours, would have been considered 'aces' - thus all the more humbling to think just how inexperienced many of 'the few' were, flying very high-powered aircraft, in a life-and-death situation.
But, and whilst not discounting the contribution made by fighter command, it might also pay to remember/reflect that during the nights of the 1000 bomber raids more bomber flight crew lost their lives every single night than were killed during the whole of the Battle of Britain !
Many's the time I've passed overhead Dresden, on our schduled service to Prague, and whilst sitting there at FL's in the +300's, in short sleeve shirt, drinking tea, watching the glass stuff do its magic w.r.t navigation et al...... I've thought of those blokes in their Lancasters, freezing cold, no nav aids, scared, being shot at from the ground and in the air, and in an aircraft full of high explosives and petrol - it brings me out in goosebumps every time !