London Blitz begins- 70 years ago today (1 Viewer)

[Rob]

Heres to the memory of all those civilians and members of the Police and emergency services who lost their lives or were wounded during the Blitz on London and other British cities that began 70 years ago this very day.

Your resolve, resilience, bravery and defiance was a beacon of hope around the world and will never be forgotten. It was something the Germans could simply not break for all their war machinery, you were the greatest of generations and have my undying admiration and respect.In your own words;

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

Rob

 

[Obee]

Hear, hear to that !!

Rob, it was very interesting talking with my Auntie in London in June, on the Thursday before the Toy Soldier Show as she was telling me about her wartime service in the AFS -Auxiliary Fire Service. She told me how after work, in the City, she'd stay there and help fight the fires. She's now 94 years old, and can recall seeing the building on fire, falling down, and the damamge done. She was wounded twice with shrapnell, but lived to tell the tale.

As a tribute to her, I got an Asset figure at the show and I've painted it as her, and its now proudly in her 'parlor' in Ilford.

As the song said "Bless em all ....."

John

 

[Rob]

Well said John, you must be very proud of your Auntie, we all owe her and her many colleagues a great deal, and although I have never met her she has my greatest respect.

Excellent figure too, Asset make a great home front range don't they.

Cheers

Rob

 

[Mitch]

They had plenty of guts pride and determination to overcome some horrendous situations I can only envisage in nightmares. They still had the strentgh to go about their day-to-day business and have a laugh a joke and a sing song and help each other.

I always love to see the news reels showing the shop fronts blown out and signs with open for business as usual and anti hitler slogans. Makes you proud
Mitch

 

[trooper]

Excellent programme last night on the first day of the Blitz. How the Luftwaffe nearly caused a firestorm with St. Pauls at the centre and the efforts of the AFS to control the conflagration. Very moving.

 

[jazzeum]

As John said, hear, hear to the indomitable spirit of the British people and freedom loving peoples everywhere.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Yesterday, Labor Day here in the United States, there was a special anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Britain at the American Air Power Museum, and Chuck (Evilchuck) and I attended.

We got to take a tour of one of the only two Lancaster's in the world which still fly, from Canada. It was unbelievably cramped inside. I stood up in the top turret with my feet on the floor of the fusalage, and my entire head stuck out of the plane, with the top of the fusalage even with my neck, and I am 5'9.

There was also a Spitfire Mark IX there for the ceremony. I joined the museum, and was permitted to take my first flight in an open cockpit biplane, a Waco identical the smaller one used by the Long Range Desert Group, and had the good luck to be in the air to watch the Lancaster, Spitifre and a P47 Thunderbolt take off. The three warbirds actually followed the Waco in the pattern as we came around to land, and I photographed them both in the air, and from the cockpit on the ground as they passed over while we taxied on the runway with the camera in my wife's cell phone. Being in the air in an open cockpit with those magnificent historic planes was one of the highlights of my collecting life.

After I got out of the Waco, Chuck and I watched the P47 and the Spitfire make low level highspeed passes, and the Lancaster passed overhead 3 more times. Finally, I stayed and got to watch the lancaster land on the runway, passing no more than 100 yards from where I stood. It was awe inspiring to see that enormous bomber land. Once my wife e-mails me the photos from her phone, I will ask Brad to post them on this thread. Chuck took a bunch of photos, and hopefully he will post them too.

 

[uksubs]

Yesterday, Labor Day here in the United States, there was a special anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Britain at the American Air Power Museum, and Chuck (Evilchuck) and I attended.

We got to take a tour of one of the only two Lancaster's in the world which still fly, from Canada. It was unbelievably cramped inside. I stood up in the top turret with my feet on the floor of the fusalage, and my entire head stuck out of the plane, with the top of the fusalage even with my neck, and I am 5'9.

There was also a Spitfire Mark IX there for the ceremony. I joined the museum, and was permitted to take my first flight in an open cockpit biplane, a Waco identical the smaller one used by the Long Range Desert Group, and had the good luck to be in the air to watch the Lancaster, Spitifre and a P47 Thunderbolt take off. The three warbirds actually followed the Waco in the pattern as we came around to land, and I photographed them both in the air, and from the cockpit on the ground as they passed over while we taxied on the runway with the camera in my wife's cell phone. Being in the air in an open cockpit with those magnificent historic planes was one of the highlights of my collecting life.

After I got out of the Waco, Chuck and I watched the P47 and the Spitfire make low level highspeed passes, and the Lancaster passed overhead 3 more times. Finally, I stayed and got to watch the lancaster land on the runway, passing no more than 100 yards from where I stood. It was awe inspiring to see that enormous bomber land. Once my wife e-mails me the photos from her phone, I will ask Brad to post them on this thread. Chuck took a bunch of photos, and hopefully he will post them too.

Great stuff

 

[thebritfarmer]

Puts a lump in my throat everytime, knowing that many never did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY&feature=fvw

 

[Mitch]

Louis....

Sounds like you had a great time. Nothing better than a Lancaster and glad you were able to experience that
Mitch

 

[sammy719]

Hey guys, here is a story AOL ran yesterday on some new color film of London blitz bombing...Sammy


Rare Color Footage of London Blitz Found

 

[Martin Tabony]

Lest we forget! Next time you're in London take time to see the amount of damage that is still noticable. All over Horseguards building there are holes in the stone and one of the gate pillars at Buckingham Palace has been knocked off centre!

Martin

 

[Rob]

Lest we forget! Next time you're in London take time to see the amount of damage that is still noticable. All over Horseguards building there are holes in the stone and one of the gate pillars at Buckingham Palace has been knocked off centre!



Martin

Yes indeed, and on the Buckingham Palace wall surrounding the grounds (opposite Green Park) you can see a whole section of it is of different brick,this is where a V1 hit.;

And 70 yrs on, faded but still there, Air raid Shelter signs;

Rob

 

[Mitch]

Watched the first day of the Blitz last night and have to say what a moving documentary that was. One of the most memorable things I have watched in years. Fancy, having to live your life thinking you killed your mum!!!!
And that dear old lady playing the piano was she not just the epitomy of why we won???
Churchill said Hitler underestimated the spirit of the nation and the fibre of the londeners and, boy, did this programme show that.
An astonishing start to a myriad of programmes honouring all of these people
Mitch

 

[Rob]

Yes I'm sure Hitler, Goering and co thought this country would be another walk over, but he had no idea about us as a people, nor the resilience and determination of that generation. Yesterday at St Pauls one of the civilians who lived through the Blitz described Hitler as ' that silly little man with a toothbrush moustache' , far from being cowed many didn't even take him seriously such was their contempt of him.

Will watch the docu later today, sound good.

Rob

 

[Louis Badolato]

Louis....

Sounds like you had a great time. Nothing better than a Lancaster and glad you were able to experience that
Mitch

Mitch,

It was amazing! And to be in the air in an open cockpit watching that magnificent Lancaster flying in the pattern behind me was fantastic. I have got to get those photos up on here.