Today is 15 September

[Wander00]

A gentle reminder chaps and chapesses, and all in between, that today is 15 September. A glass or two will be raised tonight chez W to salute The Few

[Asturias56]

Absolutely.... braver men than me.........................

[Shack37]

Glass raised here also.
They shall not grow old......
Per Ardua

[jolihokistix]

Ad Astra. In silent respect to all.

Sadly no B of B veteran pilots made it to the Abbey today. Splendid service though.

[Old-Duffer]

Whatever you do, don't let Max Hastings write a book about the B of B in time for next year's 80th - he still hasn't corrected the cock up I pointed out to him in his Bomber Command book of 20 years ago!!!

[Haraka]

Also 50th anniversary of the "Battle of Britain" film premiere ( and the day I was commissioned )

[sycamore]

Not wishing to detract from the foregoing,but another glass to those who `signed-on` at Halton ,this day ,nineteen- hundred- and frozen- to- death.`..

[GlobalNav]

Both a salute and a glass, to our brothers in arms.

[Union Jack]

Originally Posted by GlobalNav

Both a salute and a glass, to our brothers in arms.

.....not least those who flew with the Fleet Air Arm, vide https://navalairhistory.com/2017/09/...le-of-britain/

Jack

[BEagle]

Yes, Haraka, 15 Sep was indeed a memorable date for both of us - commissioning and then the BoB premiere.

I didn't back from Lapland in time to watch the DVD yesterday - but Susannah in her undies will be on tonight!

[Chugalug2]

By keeping the UK in the war, the Few not only enabled our own freedom but of those who were liberated after D-Day. The peoples of Eastern Europe however had to exchange one tyranny for yet another...

[Pali]

Originally Posted by Chugalug2

The peoples of Eastern Europe however had to exchange one tyranny for yet another...

Exactly, many heroes came back home only to face another kind of hardship. František Fajtl for example.

Another one was 242 Squadron fighter pilot Josef Bryks with unbelievable story of multiple captures and escapes from POW camps, tortured by Gestapo, persecuted by communist regime in homeland and died in prison when he worked in uranium mine. His body was never given back to his family.

You wouldn't believe how many Czechoslovak RAF pilots suffered death and persecution after war.

Battle of Britain is the key milestone in history, we will never forget.

[Lonewolf_50]

15 years ago I attended a BoB ceremony with flypast.
Moving, and I was grateful for the invitation.
First saw the BoB film at a NAAFI theater in 1970 or 1971 with my Dad.
Man, I'm feeling old.
*pours a shot of rye*
To those few ...

[Wander00]

I was lucky enough to get open access at Duxford whilst the film was being made - turned up as a fairly junior fg off with very shiny pilot's wings, then ushered at two Westminster Abbey services, and also attended a BoB Reception at Boscombe Down in the late 80s.