Veterans and vintage planes mark 70th anniversary of Churchill's "Few" speech
Hundreds of members of the public, proudly waving Union Flags (not an EU flag in sight), WWII fighter pilots, Dame Vera Lynn and Winston Churchill's daughter Lady Soames gathered in London on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of Winston Churchill's famous "Few" speech during the Battle of Britain, the last battle to be fought in Britain (the last pitched battle was the September 1940 Battle of Graveney Marsh against the Germans in Kent).
To mark the occasion, the famous speech was delivered by actor Robert Hardy at 3.52pm - exactly the time they were originally spoken in Parliament by the wartime Prime Minister on August 20, 1940. Tears were shed by some of the attending Battle of Britain veterans during the speech.
A flypast was also performed by a Spitfire and a Hurricane. The two iconic British planes were instrumental in Britain's victory in the battle.
Attending the ceremony was Dame Vera Lynn, 93 who, as a beautiful young woman during the War, was the Forces' Sweetheart whose radio songs and visits to the troops kept up the morale of the British forces during the momentous struggle.
Also there was Churchill's daughter, Lady Soames, 88. She said: 'It is very moving because 70 years ago I was in the House of Commons to hear my father deliver the speech. For me it has particular meaning but I find it wonderful that I look around this crowd and for all of us somehow the speech rang a bell.'
In 1940, one of the darkest years of British history, Britain found itself fighting alone against Adolf Hitler's Germany, and the only thing standing in the way of a German invasion of Britain was the brave pilots of the RAF - average age just 22 years.
The prospect of these brave lads emerging victorious was slim, as the Luftwaffe was around three times the size of the RAF - hence why Churchill called them the Few.
But such was their bravery and skill that, against all odds, the RAF emerged victorious, despite a third of its pilots either being killed or wounded during the battle. 544 RAF pilots were killed, 422 were wounded. 2,698 Luftwaffe pilots were killed and 967 were captured. The RAF lost 1,547 aircraft and the Luftwaffe 1,887.
People today can barely conceive what it must have been like for the British civilians watching the two air forces battling in the skies above their towns and cities, with shot down planes falling in fields, streets and onto buildings.
Britain had given Nazi Germany a bloody nose. It was Nazi Germany's first major defeat of the war, and later Allied victories, in campaigns such as D-Day, would not have been possible had Britain lost the battle.
And on the same day that the Battle of Britain veterans stood outside the Churchill War Rooms to remember their comrades who were killed during the battle, 240 miles to the north a piece of scum was attending court in Blackpool charged with urinating on a war memorial.
Winston Churchill's 'Few' speech marks Battle of Britain's 70th anniversary
By Daily Mail Reporter
21st August 2010
Under a slate grey sky, the words of Winston Churchill rang defiantly around Westminster: 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.'
It may be 70 years old, but the resounding call to arms during the Battle of Britain still stiffened the sinew bringing pride and not a few tears yesterday.
Churchill's famous address was delivered by actor Robert Hardy at 3.52pm - exactly the time they were originally spoken in Parliament by the wartime Prime Minister on August 20, 1940.
Forces sweetheart: Dame Vera Lynn, 93, whose songs kept up the morale of British troops during World War II, mingled with Battle of Britain veterans during the 70th anniversary commemorations of the battle today. Behind them is a Spitfire, another heroic veteran of the battle.
Former fighter pilots, Churchill's daughter Lady Soames and Dame Vera Lynn were among hundreds of people, many waving Union Flags, who crammed into the street outside the Churchill War Rooms in central London to mark the emotional occasion.
Overhead, the world's oldest Spitfire and a Hurricane - the two fighter planes that saw off the German Luftwaffe - performed a fly-past.
For the veterans, the day brought back vivid memories of the battle which lasted from July 10 1940 to October 31 that year.
Churchill's daughter Lady Soames was among hundreds of people to mark the 70th Anniversary
Many had been members of RAF Fighter Command, who became known as The Few because their 600 aircraft were heavily outnumberedby the Luftwaffe which had some 1,750 planes and bombers.
Yet through those bleak months, the RAF crews tigerishly defended the skies over the UK and proved too skilful for their German counterparts. Their courage was legendary - one in three were either killed or wounded in dogfights, yet they returned to the skies day after day to wreck Hitler's invasion plans and turn the course of the war.
Yesterday Lady Soames, 88, said: 'It is very moving because 70 years ago I was in the House of Commons to hear my father deliver the speech. For me it has particular meaning but I find it wonderful that I look around this crowd and for all of us somehow the speech rang a bell.'
"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 by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
An extract from Churchill's "The Few" speech, August 1940.
In the crowd was Wing Commander Tom Neil , 90, who destroyed 17 enemy aircraft and took to the skies 141 times. He now lectures about his experiences, to ensure history is remembered.
Looking at the hundreds at Whitehall yesterday, it was clear that the courage of 'The Few' still resonates across the generations.
Iconic: A Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pass by the London Eye during a flypast today
dailymail.co.uk
Hundreds of members of the public, proudly waving Union Flags (not an EU flag in sight), WWII fighter pilots, Dame Vera Lynn and Winston Churchill's daughter Lady Soames gathered in London on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of Winston Churchill's famous "Few" speech during the Battle of Britain, the last battle to be fought in Britain (the last pitched battle was the September 1940 Battle of Graveney Marsh against the Germans in Kent).
To mark the occasion, the famous speech was delivered by actor Robert Hardy at 3.52pm - exactly the time they were originally spoken in Parliament by the wartime Prime Minister on August 20, 1940. Tears were shed by some of the attending Battle of Britain veterans during the speech.
A flypast was also performed by a Spitfire and a Hurricane. The two iconic British planes were instrumental in Britain's victory in the battle.
Attending the ceremony was Dame Vera Lynn, 93 who, as a beautiful young woman during the War, was the Forces' Sweetheart whose radio songs and visits to the troops kept up the morale of the British forces during the momentous struggle.
Also there was Churchill's daughter, Lady Soames, 88. She said: 'It is very moving because 70 years ago I was in the House of Commons to hear my father deliver the speech. For me it has particular meaning but I find it wonderful that I look around this crowd and for all of us somehow the speech rang a bell.'
In 1940, one of the darkest years of British history, Britain found itself fighting alone against Adolf Hitler's Germany, and the only thing standing in the way of a German invasion of Britain was the brave pilots of the RAF - average age just 22 years.
The prospect of these brave lads emerging victorious was slim, as the Luftwaffe was around three times the size of the RAF - hence why Churchill called them the Few.
But such was their bravery and skill that, against all odds, the RAF emerged victorious, despite a third of its pilots either being killed or wounded during the battle. 544 RAF pilots were killed, 422 were wounded. 2,698 Luftwaffe pilots were killed and 967 were captured. The RAF lost 1,547 aircraft and the Luftwaffe 1,887.
People today can barely conceive what it must have been like for the British civilians watching the two air forces battling in the skies above their towns and cities, with shot down planes falling in fields, streets and onto buildings.
Britain had given Nazi Germany a bloody nose. It was Nazi Germany's first major defeat of the war, and later Allied victories, in campaigns such as D-Day, would not have been possible had Britain lost the battle.
And on the same day that the Battle of Britain veterans stood outside the Churchill War Rooms to remember their comrades who were killed during the battle, 240 miles to the north a piece of scum was attending court in Blackpool charged with urinating on a war memorial.
Winston Churchill's 'Few' speech marks Battle of Britain's 70th anniversary
By Daily Mail Reporter
21st August 2010
Under a slate grey sky, the words of Winston Churchill rang defiantly around Westminster: 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.'
It may be 70 years old, but the resounding call to arms during the Battle of Britain still stiffened the sinew bringing pride and not a few tears yesterday.
Churchill's famous address was delivered by actor Robert Hardy at 3.52pm - exactly the time they were originally spoken in Parliament by the wartime Prime Minister on August 20, 1940.
Forces sweetheart: Dame Vera Lynn, 93, whose songs kept up the morale of British troops during World War II, mingled with Battle of Britain veterans during the 70th anniversary commemorations of the battle today. Behind them is a Spitfire, another heroic veteran of the battle.
Former fighter pilots, Churchill's daughter Lady Soames and Dame Vera Lynn were among hundreds of people, many waving Union Flags, who crammed into the street outside the Churchill War Rooms in central London to mark the emotional occasion.
Overhead, the world's oldest Spitfire and a Hurricane - the two fighter planes that saw off the German Luftwaffe - performed a fly-past.
For the veterans, the day brought back vivid memories of the battle which lasted from July 10 1940 to October 31 that year.
Churchill's daughter Lady Soames was among hundreds of people to mark the 70th Anniversary
Many had been members of RAF Fighter Command, who became known as The Few because their 600 aircraft were heavily outnumberedby the Luftwaffe which had some 1,750 planes and bombers.
Yet through those bleak months, the RAF crews tigerishly defended the skies over the UK and proved too skilful for their German counterparts. Their courage was legendary - one in three were either killed or wounded in dogfights, yet they returned to the skies day after day to wreck Hitler's invasion plans and turn the course of the war.
Yesterday Lady Soames, 88, said: 'It is very moving because 70 years ago I was in the House of Commons to hear my father deliver the speech. For me it has particular meaning but I find it wonderful that I look around this crowd and for all of us somehow the speech rang a bell.'
"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 by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
An extract from Churchill's "The Few" speech, August 1940.
In the crowd was Wing Commander Tom Neil , 90, who destroyed 17 enemy aircraft and took to the skies 141 times. He now lectures about his experiences, to ensure history is remembered.
Looking at the hundreds at Whitehall yesterday, it was clear that the courage of 'The Few' still resonates across the generations.
Iconic: A Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pass by the London Eye during a flypast today
dailymail.co.uk
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