warspite1
Posts: 41353
Joined: 2/2/2008 From: England Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: RangerJoe quote:
ORIGINAL: IslandInland quote:
ORIGINAL: RangerJoe The next time you hoist a pint, say "Na zdrowie" and remember them. But they were also flying Hurricanes. They shot down a lot more 109s than they lost. The difference was their training. There is also a movie "Hurricane" about them. There is also a movie about a "sergeant Wojtek" in the Polish Army. He enjoyed his wine and beer. He was excellent on guard duty as well. He was NOT Polish. After the war, he was a hit with the children in one Scottish village. But then, well, you could kinda, sorta, say that he went to jail. ^ Also this. Hurricanes outnumbered Spits. The Battle of Britain was won by pilots not planes. It was more than just the pilots. The air crew, the ground support, the command echelon, the production people, and others. But it was a combination of the right people and the right equipment. warspite1 Stephen Bungay (The Most Dangerous Enemy) summed it up rather well: It is ironic that the British and the Germans swapped the characteristics they commonly attribute to each other He then lists five examples which I won't repeat as they are frankly too long - but include Leadership, carefully prepared, but flexible, system, discipline and control, team work, determination and ruthlessness. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the battle. As for the Poles, it is not an Untold Story - I've read four books on the Battle of Britain, seen two films and untold numbers of documentaries. The contribution of the Poles, Czechs, and all those who took part from within the Commonwealth, and from without, is never covered up, marginalised or in anyway downgraded. Dowding is on record as stating the battle may not have turned out the same without them. I've posted previously on these forums pictures of the tasteful Polish war memorial in North London and do so again here.
Attachment (1)
< Message edited by warspite1 -- 7/19/2020 7:21:58 AM >
_____________________________
England expects that every man will do his duty. Horatio Nelson October 1805
|