dual personalities

Tag: Battle of Britain

September 16, 2015

This is cool

by chuckofish

 

Poster marking the anniversary of the Battle of Britain, 1940-2015.

Did you read about the Battle of Britain commemorative “flypast“?

The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain was marked yesterday (September 15) by the largest flypast of Spitfires since World War II. There was also a service at St Paul’s Cathedral. Prince Harry was supposed to take part, flying in a two-seater Spitfire from Goodwood Aerodrome in West Sussex, but he gave up his seat to a 95-year old veteran. Hats off to Harry, who by the way, was celebrating his 31st birthday!

BBC News

BBC News

Anyway, this would have been something to see, right?

The Queen watches the flypast from Buckingham Palace balcony (Mirror)

The Queen watches the flypast from Buckingham Palace balcony (Mirror)

And oh look, it’s another Total Lacrosse video with the boy!

Let’s not forget that today is also the day the Pilgrims set sail for America in the Mayflower in 1620.

"The Embarkation of the Pilgrims" (1857) by the American painter Robert Walter Weir in the Brooklyn Museum of Art

“The Embarkation of the Pilgrims” (1857) by the American painter Robert Walter Weir in the Brooklyn Museum

A toast to those brave souls and a poem:

From my years young in days of youth,
God did make known to me his truth,
And call’d me from my native place
For to enjoy the means of grace.
In wilderness he did me guide,
And in strange lands for me provide.
In fears and wants, through weal and woe,
A pilgrim, past I to and fro.

–William Bradford

Have a great day! Learn something new and smile at someone!

6 Comments
July 9, 2014

“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

The Battle of Britain Memorial Window for Rolls-Royce, dedicated in 1947 in the Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey

“Spitfire” window was created to honour all members of RAF Fighter Command. It’s located at the former RAF Bentley Priory, headquarters of Fighter Command during the Second World War

“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

Battle of Britain Memorial in Kent, England

A section of the Battle of Britain Monument in London, 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.”

10448

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.

spitfire-rosamund-john-david-niven-leslie-howard-1942

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.

 

5 Comments