Battle of Britain? 40% of young people don't know what it is
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I said it before, one day, about 20 years ago, I was walking down Lincoln High Street in uniform. A woman hailed me across the street then crossed the road. She gave me a £5 note. She had missed the RAFA collection the week before.
Another time I was doing a street collection for another charity. Young boy, say 12, cycled passed, turned back, and put his pocket money in the tin.
People do care.
PS, asked 10 yr old grandson. Knew BoB was in 19 something. Told him 75 years ago, pause - 1940 he said. Mind you, his dad is in the RAF.
Another time I was doing a street collection for another charity. Young boy, say 12, cycled passed, turned back, and put his pocket money in the tin.
People do care.
PS, asked 10 yr old grandson. Knew BoB was in 19 something. Told him 75 years ago, pause - 1940 he said. Mind you, his dad is in the RAF.
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I won't let my kids forget the Battle of Britain. My father's eldest brother was one of The Few, flying Hurricanes. Unfortunately we never knew until many years later as my father had been given away shortly after he was born and never knew his family. His father, my grandfather was in the RFC and I served in the RAF myself but long before the family history was known. Now I insist my kids remember. The second brother was also a fighter pilot, flying Spitfires. Both 'boys' were lost in 1941 aged just 20 and 19.
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What's the Falklands War?
A few weeks ago I was invited to give a small presentation to some students at my local college showing and explaining about some of the A2A photos I've taken with various military squadrons.
Going through each photo I gave a simple explanation about each photo and the aircraft depicted.
About 7 or 8 photos in was a photo of a Sea Harrier. I explained that they were based just down the road at Yeovilton and that they were instrumental to the Falklands War back in 1982. At this point a student raised his hand and said ' what's the Falklands War?'.
Trying not to seem too shocked that none of them appeared to know, I gave a brief 10 minute or so explanation.
After the presentation several of the students asked questions and I've now been invited back to give a talk about the war 'Down South'.
I think it's easy to find fault with the younger generation but, going on what the students said it's probably more the fault of the teachers and lecturers.
Going through each photo I gave a simple explanation about each photo and the aircraft depicted.
About 7 or 8 photos in was a photo of a Sea Harrier. I explained that they were based just down the road at Yeovilton and that they were instrumental to the Falklands War back in 1982. At this point a student raised his hand and said ' what's the Falklands War?'.
Trying not to seem too shocked that none of them appeared to know, I gave a brief 10 minute or so explanation.
After the presentation several of the students asked questions and I've now been invited back to give a talk about the war 'Down South'.
I think it's easy to find fault with the younger generation but, going on what the students said it's probably more the fault of the teachers and lecturers.
In the grand scheme of school curricula, it is entirely possible that the current generation of teachers and lecturers had no idea about the war simply because no-one had told them (because it was not required in their courses at school or University/training college) and their knowledge is limited, or they are not required to pass on their knowledge through any of the lessons they teach...
And there are more than a few serving RN and RAF officers of my acquaintance who are too young to have any memory of the conflict, were not taught it at school and who are very keen to learn more about it when they get the chance.
I think Danny has it in post #58 - the constant ebb and flow of curriculum requirements and aiming for good league table positions means that breadth and depth of knowledge obtained is often - not always, but often - sacrificed for command of a relatively narrow range of subjects.
Archimedes
Your comments are spot on, Sir. My 'Management' was a headmistress with a speciality in history, she was appalled and frustrated in equal measure at the narrowness and blinkered approach of the National Curriculum. It is little wonder that the generations growing up today have such limited knowledge.
What's the expression? "Those who forget their history are condemned to commit the faults of the past!"
Your comments are spot on, Sir. My 'Management' was a headmistress with a speciality in history, she was appalled and frustrated in equal measure at the narrowness and blinkered approach of the National Curriculum. It is little wonder that the generations growing up today have such limited knowledge.
What's the expression? "Those who forget their history are condemned to commit the faults of the past!"
Is it against the law now, to 'just not care'?
Several Ppruners will know that after the RAF my main trade was as a primary school Head. I suspect that the vast majority of the 1000 or so darlings that passed through Golf Academy in my time will be able to answer the question, "What was the Battle of Britain?" Remembrance Day was, and is kept respectfully, and the fallen remembered in prayer. VE Day similarly so.
By the time I left, I had 'grandpupils' in the school. What's it supposed to mean for them? Michael Gove et al want the history of the Tudors and Stuarts to feature more prominently (when modern history was in the ascendancy I bet the traditionalists on here were baying for 'proper' history) so the curriculum sways to oblige.
We're on generation number 5. While they are young, it is, to them, ancient history.
Just saying.
CG
Several Ppruners will know that after the RAF my main trade was as a primary school Head. I suspect that the vast majority of the 1000 or so darlings that passed through Golf Academy in my time will be able to answer the question, "What was the Battle of Britain?" Remembrance Day was, and is kept respectfully, and the fallen remembered in prayer. VE Day similarly so.
By the time I left, I had 'grandpupils' in the school. What's it supposed to mean for them? Michael Gove et al want the history of the Tudors and Stuarts to feature more prominently (when modern history was in the ascendancy I bet the traditionalists on here were baying for 'proper' history) so the curriculum sways to oblige.
We're on generation number 5. While they are young, it is, to them, ancient history.
Just saying.
CG
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Anniversary-itis
A small part of the problem may lie with the 5-year carousel of anniversaries. The dropping of the atom bomb and the Battle of Britain are now being commemorated. Last year we commemorated D-Day. Next year we will remember the invasion of Russia, the sinking of the Bismark, and Pearl Harbour. The current historical preference for viewing the two World Wars as a single entity doesn't help matters. In two years we will commemorate the Somme.
The media, assisted by many of us, believe that it's our duty to resurrect these events repeatedly in the mind of the public, lest they be forgotten. But in perpetuating this merry-go-round, we can hardly blame anyone under the age of 40 for being confused.
The media, assisted by many of us, believe that it's our duty to resurrect these events repeatedly in the mind of the public, lest they be forgotten. But in perpetuating this merry-go-round, we can hardly blame anyone under the age of 40 for being confused.
Originally Posted by Marbles
A small part of the problem may lie with the 5-year carousel of anniversaries. The dropping of the atom bomb and the Battle of Britain are now being commemorated. Last year we commemorated D-Day.
1 x Blenheim, 8 x Hurricanes and 36 x Spits in the air at the same time - very unlikely ever to be repeated.
As for the Dam Busters!
My casual reference to some aspect dambuster in front of three highly intelligent [and expensively educated] grandchildren brought UNGGGHHHHH ?
So they got the lecture and the film, and on their next visit they will get Woodhall Spa etc.
As they drove off, mum cracked "we've got Nigger in the back!"
My casual reference to some aspect dambuster in front of three highly intelligent [and expensively educated] grandchildren brought UNGGGHHHHH ?
So they got the lecture and the film, and on their next visit they will get Woodhall Spa etc.
As they drove off, mum cracked "we've got Nigger in the back!"
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On a Radio 2 news bulletin this morning they described the flypast for the Battle of Britain at Biggin Hill today as involving '16 Hurricanes and 6 Spitfires'. Now that I'd like to see.
...the 40+ a/c formation out of Goodwood on the 15 Sept.
1 x Blenheim, 8 x Hurricanes and 36 x Spits in the air at the same time - very unlikely ever to be repeated.
1 x Blenheim, 8 x Hurricanes and 36 x Spits in the air at the same time - very unlikely ever to be repeated.
Also taking part in smaller numbers were Beaufighters, Whirlwinds, Defiants, Fairey Fulmers and Grumman Martlets of the FAA, and even the old Gloster Gladiator.
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As I recall from my Jackdaw wallet file on the Battle of Britain (familiar to a certain age group?) there was a map of the UK marked up with airfields & group/ sector boundaries similar to the one which the WAAFs used on the plotting table. There were little symbols for all the squadrons, RAF & Luftwaffe, which you could position at the appropriate airfields & the sole Gladiator Sqn was at Roborough, Plymouth - 267? Didn't seem like much to defend such an important Naval dockyard.
Perhaps something similar might prove educational for the youth of today?
Perhaps something similar might prove educational for the youth of today?
Originally Posted by Ken Scott
As I recall from my Jackdaw wallet file on the Battle of Britain (familiar to a certain age group?) there was a map of the UK marked up with airfields & group/ sector boundaries similar to the one which the WAAFs used on the plotting table. There were little symbols for all the squadrons, RAF & Luftwaffe, which you could position at the appropriate airfields & the sole Gladiator Sqn was at Roborough, Plymouth - 267? Didn't seem like much to defend such an important Naval dockyard.
