“Though many brave unwritten tales were simply told in vapour trails”*
by chuckofish
Let’s take a moment to remember that the Battle of Britain began on July 10, 1940 as Nazi forces attacked shipping convoys in the English Channel. It was the first major assault by the Luftwaffe. Although heavily outnumbered, the British fighter pilots put up a fierce fight and succeeded in driving off the attackers.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Window for Rolls-Royce, dedicated in 1947 in the Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey
“Spitfire” window created to honor all members of RAF Fighter Command. It’s located at the former RAF Bentley Priory, headquarters of Fighter Command during the Second World War.
Battle of Britain Memorial in Kent, England
A section of the Battle of Britain Monument in London, England
I might have to dust off my copy of The Battle of Britain (1969), an “historical reenactment of the air war in the early days of World War Two for control of the skies over Britain as the new Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force determine whether or not an invasion can take place.”
Directed by Guy Hamilton, there is a lot of aerial action by Spitfires and it boasts a who’s who of British actors, including Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Ian McShane, Laurence Olivier, Michael Redgrave, Kenneth More, Ralph Richardson, and on and on.
If I had not just recently seen Spitfire–The First of Few (1942) starring Leslie Howard and David Niven, I would certainly watch it.
Leslie Howard is great as aircraft designer R.J. Mitchell and, as usual, he is doing his best to support the war effort in the best way he can.
It goes without saying that I will toast those few brave flyers who fought so valiantly to save so many. Will you join me?
* Lines from “Our Wall” by Flight Lieutenant William Walker, 616 Squadron, inscribed on a plaque next to the memorial wall in Kent.
dual personalities 
Another great post. This battle is near and dear to me. Had it turned out badly, God only knows what would have happened…invasion by the Germans, a separate peace initiated by the British appeaser faction which was still out there, Churchill gone? How could the D-Day invasion be mounted, if at all? There well could have been a different outcome to WWII. Yes, I will join you with my gin and tonic in hand tonight and maybe play a little Vera Lynn! Sorry to be making so many comments but your posts are terrific.
Don’t be silly–we love comments!
Forgot to mention that I will look for the Spitfire film. As an aside, heard last night on PBS that David Niven was a war hero in his own right…he participated in special operations behind German lines.
Well, and as we’ve said before, the plane in which Leslie Howard was flying home was shot down because he was a British spy.
I’ve never seen ‘Spitfire’ but we own ‘The Battle of Britain’ and I’ll certainly mention it at dinner tonight. Thanks for the very appropriate reminder!