A Fortuitous Find

[Sukerkin]

Altho' it has been some time now since my missus' father passed on, it is only in the past week or so that some of the objects and papers that he had collected over his long life have come to light.

One in particular was of great interest to me as an ex-historian.

A slim, blue, pamphlet sized book entitled "The Battle of Britain August-October 1940".

What makes this one so worthy of mention is that it was printed by HMSO for the Ministry of Information.

It has the subtitle of:

"An Air Ministry Account of the Great Days from 8th Aygust-31st October 1940".

The print date is 1941, this is as close a document as I have ever personally handled to the events themselves.

The last paragraphs are very resonant to me as an Englishman:


"It was not achieved without cost. The Royal Air Force lost 375 pilots killed and 358 wounded. This was the price, and of those who died let it be said that:

"All the soul
Of man is resolution which expires
Never from valiant men till their last breath"

Such was the Battle of Britain in 1940. Future historians may compare it with Marathon, Trafalgar and the Marne"

And so it is regarded :bows:.

 

[K-man]

Interesting firstly that it was published so soon after the event, but also that it recognised the great significance of that battle so early in the war. :asian:

 

[Senjojutsu]

When Britain stood alone!

From the August 2010 remembrance ceremony - veteran actor Robert Hardy read out the iconic speech by wartime leader Winston Churchill praising Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots which includes the line “never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

Mr. Hardy began reading the speech at 3:52 pm, exactly 70 years after then prime minister Churchill delivered it in parliament in London.

The original audio of Winston Churchill:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y60xvkJ8ko&feature=player_embedded

 

[Ken Morgan]

Certianlly not to diminish the achievements of the RAF, but does that number include, losses for the RCAF as well? Or the Poles? Dutch? Free French? If not the toll is certainally much higher.

 

[K-man]

Certianlly not to diminish the achievements of the RAF, but does that number include, losses for the RCAF as well? Or the Poles? Dutch? Free French? If not the toll is certainally much higher.

It refers only to the RAF. In total 544 lives were lost at that time ... and in fairness there were some Americans too.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/Bob1940/roll.html

Not that that takes anything away from the significance of the document. :asian: