pslewis

Thank you ..............................

http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1E418...D8/0/BBMF1.jpg

slipstream_uk

iTrader: (1)

David Lock

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11027879

A true master of the English language.

d

RA Dunk

With out him we would have all been speaking German.

A pity we have no one like him nowadays TBH.

Mifo

iTrader: (10)

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

All credit to Churchill, a fantastic, if extroverted, wartime leader.

'The few' - they did us proud.

But lest we forget, there were more bomber crews killed than fighter pilots and they never received the same recognition - http://www.rafbombercommand.com/memorialfund/

The Zohan

Credit to Churchill, credit to the RAF and credit to the British people!

DCI Gene Hunt

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, -- and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of -- wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air ....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor ever eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

pslewis

Never since English ships went out
To singe the beard of Spain,
Or English sea-dogs hunted death
Along the Spanish Main,
Never since Drake and Raleigh won
Our freedom of the seas,
Have sons of Britain dared and done
More valiantly than these.

Whether at midnight or at noon,
Through mist or open sky,
Eagles of freedom, all our hearts
Are up with you on high;
While Britain's mighty ghosts look down
From realms beyond the sun
And whisper, as their record pales,
Their breathless, deep, Well Done!

The Zohan

Great thread and it makes me proud to be British

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Amen to that!

Scoob99

iTrader: (1)

Me Too, Great Post, My uncle Harry, was a co-pilot bomb aimer in a Lancaster, and I am so proud of him, R.I.P. Uncle Harry!!!!!!!

pinkypurkhardt

iTrader: (9)

Chip

My Mum knew Guy Gibson when she was a little girl and my Uncle Bill as a young engineer worked closeley with Barnes Wallis after the war.

Chip

David Lock

I hope it's not inappropriate to report the comment of one of the remaining vets which I heard on the radio, a young 92 year old I think

He said Churchill's words had inspired the lads but when they heard the words "was so much owed by so many " they thought he was referring to their mess bill


dl

Leslie

Well said Pete. I hope in years to come that people will still realise what a debt we owe to all those who defended us during those wars. Not forgetting those who were from the Commonwealth countries and also fought and gave their lives to save this country.

It was a time of honour and self sacrifice and we still have that spirit going on in Afghanistan. The spirit is beyond reproach but I am not so sure about the war in question.

Les

specialx

Makes me fell very proud indeed, my uncle Den bless his cotton socks was a rear gunner in a halifax he got shot down laying mines after 48hours flying time (which was a lot! average was 24hours) I can only imagine what went through his head sat freezing his a** of in the back being shot at!

R.I.P Dennnis!

Leslie

Rear gunners were amongst the bravest aircrew, and the most likely to get killed.

Les

BULLITT

Time for tribute build to these brave men

The Zohan

My Uncle Eric was a rear gunner in Wellingtons, my dad Flew Beaufighters and went ship busting! The Beaufighter was the most heavily armed Allied Fighter of WW2 boasting 4 x 303 mahine guns and 4 x 20mm cannons + wing mounted rockets and offensive armament (from memory). He then Flew Lysanders, dropping SOE agents into Occupied Europe amongst other things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsUdbzQCm_Y

mouse555

iTrader: (1)

Not everyone is grateful....


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/l...re/7082401.stm


.....my Dad did all the engineering works for the memorial.

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

My uncle did 2 tours as a rear gunner, commissioned from the rank of FS, and just before he commissioned he was awarded his DFM, would have been a cross 2 weeks later.

He campaigned hard for recognition of the bomber crews and died a couple of months before the announcement that the memorial was to be built

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

Animals the lot of them, the ignorant tw@ts have no appreciation for the sacrifice that gives them their freedom today.

The Zohan

It is covered on another thread on SN, lets not let this thread get spoiled by the actions of one chav slapper

Hawkwind

This kinda thing really makes my blood boil

Love the BBMF. Regulary fly over my house really low.. The noise is epic

Leslie

Enjoyed the videos Paul.

The Beaufighter was a very well armed aircraft as you say. The one worry I was told was if you lost an engine just after takeoff before you had full flying speed. If the speed was not great enough to give enough rudder control the aircraft would be uncontrollable. This was due to the powerful engines and it was the same problem with a heavily laden Canberra. Not acceptable nowadays from the point of view of slight safety.

Also impressed to hear that he flew Lysanders. I always wondered how they managed to land in the dark with virtually no ground lighting and I would have been permanently twitched in case the Germans caught me on the ground.

So much selfless bravery in those dark days.

Les

Leslie

Another very brave man. What a shame that he did not see that the memorial was going to be built.

Les

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Churchills life was not all about good decisions, some were terrible and cost many lifes. For all his blunders and imperfections.....

In 1940 he was the man of the moment. He had moral vison. Was prepared to stand up against the *****, going against the poltical grain and probably at the same time, by doing this giving bankrupt britain no chance of saving her empire.

What a man. He held the moral high ground, motivated a nation that had just suffered a massive defeat in France, sacrificed our final chance of empire, so much of the world today could enjoy a reasonable amount of freedom of speach and information.

the greatest Briton of the 20th century

I rest my case gentlemen.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Succintly put. Churchill unlike today's politicians knew what it was like to risk life and limb on the front line. He was known to ride his horse back and forth right at the front amidst a hail of bullets.

Leslie

His actions were on behalf of this country and its people rather than himself.

What a difference we see in modern politicians!

Les