BATTLE OF BRITAIN (1940) - Respecting THE FEW.

[Talbot]

Lest we forget..

Just missed the anniversary of 'The Hardest Day'.

RIP

 

[JPH]

So not only Gerry did naughty things in WWII.

To quote the immortal bard;

"There is no king, be his cause never so spotless, if it come to the arbitrement of swords, can try it out with all unspotted soldiers: some peradventure have on them the guilt of premeditated and contrived murder; some, of beguiling virgins with the broken seals of perjury; some, making the wars their bulwark, that have before gored the gentle bosom of peace with pillage and robbery. Now, if these men have defeated the law and outrun native punishment, though they can outstrip men, they have no wings to fly from God: war is his beadle, war is vengeance; so that here men are punished for before-breach of the king's laws in now the king's quarrel: where they feared the death, they have borne life away; and where they would be safe, they perish: then if they die unprovided, no more is the king guilty of their damnation than he was before guilty of those impieties for the which they are now visited. Every subject's duty is the king's; but every subject's soul is his own."

King Henry the Fifth Act IV, Scene 1

Joseph

 

[Story]

Just so everyone has a clear image of who wrote that article.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fisking

The word is derived from articles written by Robert Fisk that were easily refuted, and refers to a point-by-point debunking of lies and/or idiocies.
Here we have a great example of a fisking of a clearly biased writer.

 

[Spitfire]

Best books on Battle of Britain

70 years ago the battle raged in the sky over the southcoast of England and to celeberate this, tons of books are out now.
But which to choose?

Here are my favourit five:

An oldie but goodie. Filled with facts, day-to-day and then and now. The book is rather old, but a must for the afficionado.

The new illustrated edition is great. I am not on the level with everything in here - but heck. It's a masterpiece.

Great concept, great photos, documents and letters, maps in a great layout - the best "coffetable book" on BoB.

James Holland is such a great writer. This book is almost like a novel - but it's all for real. If you only buy one book on the subject, this could be it.

Maybe it's my personal favourit.
Written and spoken by the pilots who were there. Draws from letters, radio interviews just a few days after the dogfight and memoirbooks and diaries.
It's so true and so vibrating - almost like talking with the pilots.
It's their own words and their fears and humor that strikes you.
Extremely personal accounts and thought on flying and killing or getting killed.

 

[Smithy]

Gosh how to narrow it down to a few. Here's mine:

I know Ken so I might be a tad biased but this is simply astounding. And the new 3rd edition is just about to be released.

This is the book I still recommend to those who don't know the first thing about the BoB. A brilliant introduction but make sure you get this 1990 edition which has an eye-watering amount of photos, maps, diagrams, etc.

My favourite BoB memoir. An absolute classic.

Like Søren I have this on my list but I'd go for the original edition which has not been shortened and had the text reduced. The scale of research in this is mind-boggling. Less pictures but more meat.

Probably the first independent account of the BoB. An oldie but a goodie and the starting point for virtually every new book that is written.

Like Søren, this is on my list. Nothing more to say but brilliant.

Very worthwhile and enlightening read for those wanting to dig a little deeper.

Better stop there as I could list another half dozen more. I'm tempted to add "Last of the Few" but Søren has covered that one. Great book.

 

[kampkatz]

Thanks for the comprehensive list.

 

[Spitfire]

Oh yes - how could I forget: First Light is a MASTERPIECE!
(And Wynn's 3 edition is on my need-to-have-list)

 

[W4ASZ]

Supplemental but an old favorite :

The Wizard War by R.V. Jones, also published as Most Secret War is. in my opinion, essential reading on how British science gave an edge against the Luftwaffe bombers, among other things.

Jones is said to have responded to Churchill's request that he become chief of air-defense scientific intelligence by saying, "A man in that position could lose the war ---I'll take it."

Your favorites have been noted, and thank you.

 

[Dudleydoright]

'Fighter Pilot' by Paul Richey, whilst not of the BoB as such, is a very good account of the events leading up to the BoB. Fall of France etc.

'Piece of Cake' is a rippingly good read and, if I remember correctly, is a great 'factional' book of the BoB. Great characterisations and dialogues and period feel. Pretty much anything written by him is a good read. I mention him as, Soren, you didn't make a distinction between fact and fictional books .

But then you probably all knew of these little gems anyways.

Dave

 

[PADDY]

FIRST LIGHT (Heads Up)

As some of you may already know, the BBC are running a series of programmes in commemoration of The Battle of Britain and The Blitz.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/comingup/first-light/

Part of that will be a screening of FIRST LIGHT (Based on the book by Geoffrey Wellum). In fact some of our members (Nigel) had a role in it, as did Pip I believe.

 

[Smithy]

In fact some of our members (Nigel) had a role in it, as did Pip I believe.

And our Miss Sis Paddy! I hope that she doesn't mind my putting in a plug for her appearance as well

 

[PADDY]

Phew Smithy...

Saved my bacon there mate!! I'd never hear the end of it Well done Miss Sis!! So all-in-all, a pretty good showing from TFL..!

 

[Spitfire]

Anybody knows when this First Light is going on air - and the next question: Since it will (propably) not be shown on danish TV, can anybody make a DVD of it?
Or is it possible to buy it on DVD somewhere?

 

[PADDY]

FIRST LIGHT DvD

Soren. I'm sure one of the boys here will be able to tape it onto DvD for you (there's also BBC iPLAYER, not sure if you can get that on the internet?). If I had the facility, I'd tape it for you, but sadly I don't.
It's showing 'sometime' this month, but I cannot find out 'exactly when.'

 

[PADDY]

BBC link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/battle_of_britain

Keep and eye on this for BATTLE OF BRITAIN.

 

[Naphtali]

I enjoy Len Deighton's book, Spitfire.

 

[PADDY]

FIRST LIGHT (Battle of Britain) Movie - Details

First Light Tuesday 14 September
9:00pm - 10:20pm
BBC2
Docudrama based on the personal memoirs of Geoffrey Wellum, an RAF pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain with the legendary 92 Squadron. His experiences in combat serve as intense rites of passage, but as time goes by it becomes clear that the price of victory can often be an unbearable loss. Starring Sam Heughan.
VIDEO Plus+: 3940066
Subtitled, Widescreen, Audio-described

Cast
Boy - Sam Heughan
Older Boy - Geoffrey Wellum
Brian Kingcombe - Ben Aldridge
Tommy Lund - Alex Robertson
Mac - Gary Lewis
Bevington - Paul Kynman
Davy - Paul Tinto
Trevor `Wimpy' Wade - Jordan Bernarde
Drummond - Alex Waldmann
Grace - Tuppence Middleton
Dad - Richard Walsh

 

[Spitfire]

'Fighter Pilot' by Paul Richey, whilst not of the BoB as such, is a very good account of the events leading up to the BoB. Fall of France etc.

'Piece of Cake' is a rippingly good read and, if I remember correctly, is a great 'factional' book of the BoB. Great characterisations and dialogues and period feel. Pretty much anything written by him is a good read. I mention him as, Soren, you didn't make a distinction between fact and fictional books .

But then you probably all knew of these little gems anyways.

Dave

Piece of Cake is my favourit fiction novel - and TV series - too.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Mainly filmed at Twinwood Paddy with our boys.
:-D

 

[Miss Sis]

I am in it as WAAF who walks past Wellum in corridor - unless I end up on the cutting room floor! lol. Twinwoods was freezing, as usual!

Several members of one of our groups did various scenes. They have already mentioned that there are inaccuracies that were pointed out to the director etc, who ignored them and went with his own thoughts. Oh well. [huh]

Still hope it will be a good yarn. I've been told the book is excellent.