"The Few"

An extract from Winston Churchill's speach to the House of Commons 20 August 1940.


The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and b~ their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain.

 

Interesting to see the quote in the correct context

 

Now I understand it completely. And am I the only one who read that with same cadence and rhythm as Churchill spoke it?

 

Great to see the Bomber boys recognised. I think everyone knows what was said but the PR guys have done their job.

Attached is my Father's view on Bomber command from POW camp.

Regards,

Nick

 

Wish politicians spoke like that today! Might actually be inspired by our leaders.

 

Now I understand it completely. And am I the only one who read that with same cadence and rhythm as Churchill spoke it?

I too read as though Churchill was speaking it

 

The actual speech can be downloaded and heard in its entirety here and goes for about 10 minutes:

EarthStation1.com - Item Description

 

Nick, what your dad wrote down was a well known mess song of the RAF. Suffice to say that is one of the few clean ones.

 

Shows the rivalry between two closely linked services.

 

Someday i shall type up some of the RAF songs and put them on here. And promptly have to ban myself for explicit language.

 

Not sure they could compete against some of the Regimental Dinner songs of today, but maybe l am wrong.

 

Oh I don't know, i thought I knew all lof the more colourful swear words. I was wrong.