Battle of Britain Day 15th September

Lest We Forget.

BBC ON THIS DAY | 15 | 1940: Victory for RAF in Battle of Britain

Battle of Britain Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The leaders of the FEW





View attachment 86928

 

Indeed, Lest We Forget.

 

This was the day when Hitler said he would make a decision about invading the British Isles.

But Dowding and Park knew that they had only to last out and deny the Luftwaffe air superiority until the bad weather arrived for a respite to last until the better weather arrived in 1941.By this time British defensive forces should be rapiding building up to resist an invasion.

In the event Hitler posponed his Sealion for Goring could not assure air superiority and the Kreigsmarine did not aniticipate that command of the Channel would be in their favour.

Remembering over 500 aircrew lost in the B of B and those 800 aircrew or so of Bomber Command who lost their lives in the "Battle of the Barges"

Per Adua ad Astra.

 

We who are left of their generation, remember their courage and tenacity in their fight to defend us from an unrelenting enemy.

May Light Perpetual for ever Shine upon them.

Joe Brown

 

A very Great sacrifice by the FEW.

May they be alway's remembered for their courage in the air defending the UK.

Regards
Tom

 

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-grave-photographs/29701-battle-britain-casualties-r-f-fleet-air-arm-during-period.html

Battle of Britain

 

Lest We Forget.



1940: Victory for RAF in Battle of Britain
RAF Fighter Command is claiming victory over the Luftwaffe after a day of heavy bombing raids ended in big losses for the enemy.
According to the RAF, 176 enemy aircraft were destroyed by fighter planes. At least another nine aircraft were hit by anti-aircraft guns.
British casualties were much lighter - only 25 aircraft lost with 13 pilots killed or missing.
The Air Ministry says the German losses are the highest since 18 August, five days after the Battle of Britain began in earnest.












We saw a Hawker Hurricane coming down with a dead engine and whisps of white smoke


People's War memories »



Today there were two major attacks on London during daylight and a number of smaller raids on the south coast in the Portland and Southampton areas.

The first big attack came in the morning at 1100 hours. A wave of about 100 German aircraft was spotted heading over the Kent coast towards London followed by a second wave of about 150 planes.
Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons were sent to meet them and many German planes are reported to have turned away without dropping any bombs.
However, Buckingham Palace was hit during this initial raid. Two heavy bombs fell, one on the Palace buildings and one on the lawns. Neither exploded but one caused damage to the Queen's private apartments.
The King and Queen were not in residence and there was only a skeleton staff who were sheltering in the basement. It is the third time this week the palace has been targeted.
At about 1400 hours another wave of about 150 German planes crossed the coast near Dover - again followed by a second wave of 100 aircraft. They appeared to be heading for targets in south London and railways in London and Kent.
Fighter patrols were again ready to meet the enemy and only 70 or so enemy planes reached central London where there were a series of dogfights.
The attacks continued with smaller raids on Portland and Southampton. Again the enemy aircraft were successfully driven off by the British fighters.
As darkness fell, the raids continued on London inflicting major damage on targets in the south of the city.
Railway bridges were hit between Victoria and Clapham Junction, the railway has also been hit at East Croydon, gas and water mains have been disrupted and St Thomas's, Guys and Lambeth hospitals were all hit although there were no casualties.









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Watch/Listen


Hurricane fighter planes take off from Gravesend after refuelling and rearming to take part in Battle of Britain






Churchill: "So much owed by so many, to so few" 20.08.1940










In Context


Two days later it became clear Hitler had indefinitely postponed Operation Sealion - his plan to invade Britain.
British intelligence decoded a message from the German General staff to the officer responsible for loading the transport aircraft earmarked for the invasion ordered him to cease the operation. Without this equipment there could be no invasion.
Air raids continued over London and the south east of England into October and the German bombers inflicted considerable damage and casualties.
But they were also losing planes faster than they could repair or replace them and switched to night-time raids.
As summer gave way to autumn and worsening weather conditions, the Germans realised the RAF could not be beaten in 1940 and as Germany was preparing to attack Russia, Operation Sealion was cancelled.
The actual number of planes lost is far lower than the RAF and Luftwaffe claimed at the time. In fact only 60 German aircraft were shot down on 15 September.
In total the RAF claimed to have shot down 2,698 German planes. The actual figure was more like 1,294. The RAF lost 788 planes - far fewer than the 3,058 the Luftwaffe claimed.





http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/15/newsid_3521000/3521611.stm

 

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Fighter Pilot​

​

He was no Galahad, no knight sans peur et sans reproche.
Sans peur? Fear was the second enemy to beat.
He was a common, unconsidered man, who, for a moment of eternity
Held the whole future of mankind in his two sweating hands
And did not let it go.​

Remember him,
Not as he is portrayed, but as the man he was.
To him you owe the most of what you have and love today.​

(Air chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, Royal Air Force, GCB, OBE, DSO)​

​

​

 

Per Ardua Ad Astra

Roxy

PS it is 28 year today that I took the oath of allegiance.

 

Battle of Britain day, 15 September.

A day worthy of remembrance.

 

Lest we forget!

 

15th September
Battle of Britain Day



1940: Victory for RAF in Battle of Britain
RAF Fighter Command is claiming victory over the Luftwaffe after a day of heavy bombing raids ended in big losses for the enemy.
According to the RAF, 176 enemy aircraft were destroyed by fighter planes. At least another nine aircraft were hit by anti-aircraft guns.
British casualties were much lighter - only 25 aircraft lost with 13 pilots killed or missing.
The Air Ministry says the German losses are the highest since 18 August, five days after the Battle of Britain began in earnest.












We saw a Hawker Hurricane coming down with a dead engine and whisps of white smoke


People's War memories »



Today there were two major attacks on London during daylight and a number of smaller raids on the south coast in the Portland and Southampton areas.

The first big attack came in the morning at 1100 hours. A wave of about 100 German aircraft was spotted heading over the Kent coast towards London followed by a second wave of about 150 planes.
Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons were sent to meet them and many German planes are reported to have turned away without dropping any bombs.
However, Buckingham Palace was hit during this initial raid. Two heavy bombs fell, one on the Palace buildings and one on the lawns. Neither exploded but one caused damage to the Queen's private apartments.
The King and Queen were not in residence and there was only a skeleton staff who were sheltering in the basement. It is the third time this week the palace has been targeted.
At about 1400 hours another wave of about 150 German planes crossed the coast near Dover - again followed by a second wave of 100 aircraft. They appeared to be heading for targets in south London and railways in London and Kent.
Fighter patrols were again ready to meet the enemy and only 70 or so enemy planes reached central London where there were a series of dogfights.
The attacks continued with smaller raids on Portland and Southampton. Again the enemy aircraft were successfully driven off by the British fighters.
As darkness fell, the raids continued on London inflicting major damage on targets in the south of the city.
Railway bridges were hit between Victoria and Clapham Junction, the railway has also been hit at East Croydon, gas and water mains have been disrupted and St Thomas's, Guys and Lambeth hospitals were all hit although there were no casualties.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/15/newsid_3521000/3521611.stm

 

A very important day - not many people you speak to nowadays in England realise how close we were to being invaded by the Germans.
Or what it would have meant if it had happened.
We're so indebted to those brave airmen.

 

Battle of Britain Day. A day to reflect on those young men who fought like Lions and died Heroes.

 

It reminds me that as a lad, I much more enjoyed the old September Biggin Hill 'Battle of Britain Open Days' held to benefit the RAF Benevolent fund rather than the brash and commercial May Air Fair. It was a special time at Biggin in those days and nothing so vulgar as Harvards painted as Zeros in pretend dog-fights.

 

He was a common, unconsidered man, who, for a moment of eternity, held the whole future of mankind in his two sweating hands.

And did not let it go.

(Excerpt from Fighter Pilot by ACM Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris GCB, OBE,DSO)

Lest We Forget

 

A bit early for this year, but apparently the contribution by Canada has just been unveiled (some more info here: http://dora9diecast.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/rcaf-reveals-battle-of-britain-cf-18.html).

 

Some nice art work on there.