The Few get fewer

Tom_Hovi

Last week we heard of the passing of Wing Commander Tom Neil, aged 97 and today came the news of the death of fellow Battle of Britain ace Squadron Leader Geoff Wellum, aged 96, who later wrote “First Light” which is one of the best memoirs of its type ever published. Inevitable but still sad, The Few are now very few indeed. Thank you for your service gentlemen and sleep well.

AddicksAddict

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

Our Dad told us of watching bits of The Battle of Britain from Deptford. The heroism of those involved is beyond my ability to comprehend but I thank every one of them for what they did.

SoundAsa£

I attended the funeral of Bob Doe a few years back.....very moving and I was both proud and pleased to have been there and paid my respects to Bob and his family....a memory that will live with me for ever.

SoundAsa£

Don’t know how to do links but can someone kindly put up the poem by Lord Balfour of Inchrye........

“On Weald of Kent I watched once more.”

Thanks.

AddicksAddict

On Weald of Kent I watched once more
Again I heard that grumbling roar -
of fighter planes, yet none were near
and all around the sky was clear
borne on the wind a whisper came -
though men grow old, They stay the same
and then I knew unseen to eye -
the ageless few were sweeping by.

SoundAsa£

Gets me every time.
Thanks AA.

bobmunro

As @Greenie would rightly say, the greatest generation.

RIP - true heroes.

ShootersHillGuru

We really do owe them a huge debt of gratitude. RIP

DaveMehmet

RIP, I bought First Light in the charity book shop in Dymchurch a couple of weeks ago to read when we go away next month.

Brendan_O_Connell

RIP

Greenie

RIP Squadron Leader Geoff Wellum, the youngest Battle of Britain pilot.
I understand that there are now only 9 of the few still with us.
If you do get a chance read his book First Light and/or watch the film of the same name, an absolutely excellent account.
Also Geoff used to frequent The White Hart Pub in Brasted Nr Sevenoaks in Kent during the Battle of Britain, there are many mementoes there, including a copy of the famous blackboard (the original is now in Shoreham Aircraft Museum) containing the signatures of many of the few including Wellums and his Squadron leader Brian Kingcome, Wellum was his wingman, they used to sign it after their first kill.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3547782

DaveMehmet

Greenie said:

RIP Squadron Leader Geoff Wellum, the youngest Battle of Britain pilot.
I understand that there are now only 9 of the few still with us.
If you do get a chance read his book First Light and/or watch the film of the same name, an absolutely excellent account.
Also Geoff used to frequent The White Hart Pub in Brasted Nr Sevenoaks in Kent during the Battle of Britain, there are many mementoes there, including a copy of the famous blackboard (the original is now in Shoreham Aircraft Museum) containing the signatures of many of the few including Wellums and his Squadron leader Brian Kingcome, Wellum was his wingman, they used to sign it after their first kill.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3547782

Another pub that has mementos from the Battle is The Jackdaw in Denton (not far from Folkestone).

It was used in the Battle of Britain film, in the scene where Christopher Plummer met Susannah York.

The food's pretty good there and it's near the Battle of Britain museum at Hawkinge.

Greenie

DaveMehmet said:

Greenie said:

RIP Squadron Leader Geoff Wellum, the youngest Battle of Britain pilot.
I understand that there are now only 9 of the few still with us.
If you do get a chance read his book First Light and/or watch the film of the same name, an absolutely excellent account.
Also Geoff used to frequent The White Hart Pub in Brasted Nr Sevenoaks in Kent during the Battle of Britain, there are many mementoes there, including a copy of the famous blackboard (the original is now in Shoreham Aircraft Museum) containing the signatures of many of the few including Wellums and his Squadron leader Brian Kingcome, Wellum was his wingman, they used to sign it after their first kill.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3547782

Another pub that has mementos from the Battle is The Jackdaw in Denton (not far from Folkestone).

It was used in the Battle of Britain film, in the scene where Christopher Plummer met Susannah York.

The food's pretty good there and it's near the Battle of Britain museum at Hawkinge.

Good shout @DaveMehmet Ive not been there, I must pay it a visit.....cheers.

Valiantphil

My mum told a story of when she was working as a bus conductress in London during the B.O..B..
She was in her 20’s and at one point her dad got on her bus and said - “we’ve lost and you’re coming home now”.
She had to leave the bus and join the family who had gathered to plan for the worst.

This was not as strange as it may seem, as I believe that the Royals were going to gather near Guildford (?) and negotiate surrender.

Great heroism (by very young folk) prevented the unthinkable.

Today, freedom, free speech, freedom of religion and sexual preference reigns supreme in the UK, leading to thriving message boards like CL.

Daarrzettbum

Agree with all of these posts, gawd knows what might have happened if we had lost that battle, true brave young men, NCO's and officers

cabbles

All I can ever think to say when I read of or hear about anything related to those that served in both world wars is simply the saying ‘they don’t know they’re born’

Countless people (including myself) walk around in a very safe and secure and world because of what others like the names mentioned above sacrificed for us. Generation after generation after generation must be told of their sacrifice and they must never be forgotten

lolwray

kind of uplifting as we owe it to these people to protect the freedoms and decency they gave and offered their lives for ...see stabbing/murder in greenwich thread

bobmunro

cabbles said:

All I can ever think to say when I read of or hear about anything related to those that served in both world wars is simply the saying ‘they don’t know they’re born’

Countless people (including myself) walk around in a very safe and secure and world because of what others like the names mentioned above sacrificed for us. Generation after generation after generation must be told of their sacrifice and they must never be forgotten

They will never be forgotten.

i_b_b_o_r_g

15/09/1940 -

AddicksAddict

Daarrzettbum said:

Agree with all of these posts, gawd knows what might have happened if we had lost that battle, true brave young men, NCO's and officers

If we’d lost, the Iron Curtain would have ended at Calais.

ShootersHillGuru

No matter how much we post war generations praise and eulogise these young men and in fact all those who served and lived through the Second World War, facing down the nazis. Without their bravery and sacrifice all our lives might have been very different and the world a much nastier place to live.

Redvalleyeast

Went to the Biggin Hill air show a few weeks ago and they did a Battle of Britain display,it was awesome seeing the spitfire,hurricane and 109 in a mock dog fight. The bravery those young men showed all those years ago to defend their country is truly humbling and we should all be forever grateful.

EdgeleyAddick

Another magnificent contemporary book on this is "The Last Enemy", by Richard Hillary. Its like a work of art.

DaveMehmet

They had 3 Spits and a Hurricane displaying at Goodwood last week. Always brings a lump to my throat when you see/hear them roar by.

cafckev

In a couple of weeks I am going up to a place near MK to do a 30 minutes flight simulator experience with my son. It's a Spitfire vs 109 dogfight. Can't wait for it, just to get a very slight inkling of how they felt.
They were brave heroes but, they would ever admit to being a hero or brave and claim they were just doing their bit!

blackpool72

Redvalleyeast said:

Went to the Biggin Hill air show a few weeks ago and they did a Battle of Britain display,it was awesome seeing the spitfire,hurricane and 109 in a mock dog fight. The bravery those young men showed all those years ago to defend their country is truly humbling and we should all be forever grateful.

I'm lucky enough to have sat in some of the planes in that display.
Sadly I've never been up in one,but just sitting in a spitfire or a Hurricane is a rare privilege.

SoundAsa£

cafckev said:

In a couple of weeks I am going up to a place near MK to do a 30 minutes flight simulator experience with my son. It's a Spitfire vs 109 dogfight. Can't wait for it, just to get a very slight inkling of how they felt.
They were brave heroes but, they would ever admit to being a hero or brave and claim they were just doing their bit!

If you ever see or hear Wing Commander Bob Doe being interviewed that will be the exact impression one gets.....very very humble and matter of fact attitude.

charltonkeston

DaveMehmet said:

They had 3 Spits and a Hurricane displaying at Goodwood last week. Always brings a lump to my throat when you see/hear them roar by.

3? Are you sure? I’m counting 5 and a bit.
Don’t know why you took the photo of all the aircraft.

DaveMehmet

charltonkeston said:

DaveMehmet said:

They had 3 Spits and a Hurricane displaying at Goodwood last week. Always brings a lump to my throat when you see/hear them roar by.

3? Are you sure? I’m counting 5 and a bit.
Don’t know why you took the photo of all the aircraft.

Fat fingers and a dodgy iPhone

Tom_Hovi

For those in and around central London tomorrow, there’s a Spitfire and Hurricane from the BBMF doing a flypast over The Westminster area at around 12:25 (Sunday 16/09).