Fairey "Battles" in France.
Chugalug, Fareastdriver, and Geriaviator,
What a feast for Christmas ! Thank you, thank you !
Questions and comments fairly bubble up:
(Cpl Davies looking with affection - or Wild Surmise ?) at the Merlin......What a subject for the Caption Competition !........I like those exhaust stubs (anti-glare for n/f ?).........Surely they could afford a spinner to make the poor old thing look "finished off" (in the nice sense) ?........Shows what could be done with a Box Brownie (12/6 ?).....the original point-and-click.
(The one with a wheel on the - evilly glittering with ice -road).......What happened when he started to taxy from his dispersal?......How far did he get ?.....How did he stop ?
I've heard of the Rope Trick before. As told to me, it was a Dakota. They wound the rope round the prop hub and hitched the other end to a Jeep.
All this must not blind us to the terrible reality. Over half the Battle aircrews who went out to France died (Wiki tells me that it was pro rata the worst casualty rate of the war). The RAF won its first two VCs (F/O Garland and Sgt Gray). The poor airman who was the gunner in the back got nothing - he was not part of the decision-making process and so did not have to be brave to get killed !.......it makes my blood boil even now.
Of course this was replicated many times after, the pilot (and perhaps the Nav) got his DFC/DFM at the end of their "tour", the lesser breed down the back got nowt. Speaking as one who earned (and got) nothing beyond a whole skin and is therefore impartial, I thought it grossly unfair.
Geriaviator, as I have said somewhere before: I shall endeavour to give complete satisfaction !.......And don't we all know that peremptory call !
Danny.
EDIT: 26er, Their uniforms look darker, too. Could they be RAAF ? But then didn't they have black plastic buttons instead of brass ? (So long ago, so hard to remember). Garland and Gray, BTW, were 12 Sqdn. The bridge-busting operation was a gallant try; France collapsed; Guderian and his merry men were to go straigh through just the same next year.....D.
Last edited by Danny42C; 20th Dec 2012 at 16:17.
Reason: Additional Material.