Dambusters film
Discussion
mybrainhurts said:
Father of a pal of mine was one of Bader's gound crew. He related Bader's git status to me many years ago.
Link to "Reach for the Sky" classic film, The Douglas Bader story starring Kenneth More.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzB4EjeGvwg
Evangelion said:
Sorry am I missing something here? Why are people clamouring for a knighthood just for living the longest? He already got a DFM for his part in the dams raid (knocking a few chips out of the third dam). A lot of people didn't even get that.
It's symptomatic of how British society has changed since the 1940s. We're getting more like the Americans every year. Cloyingly melodramatic, everything has to be some sort of mini-drama. Evangelion said:
Sorry am I missing something here? Why are people clamouring for a knighthood just for living the longest? He already got a DFM for his part in the dams raid (knocking a few chips out of the third dam). A lot of people didn't even get that.
Now, this is the interesting question.Why a Dambuster?
Why not a normal Bomber Command pilot?
Why not one of the fliers who bombed the gestapo HQ in Copenhagen in 1945? Another tremendous piece of flying.
It goes to show the fact the cultural importance of the Dambusters Raid over its military importance - at the end of the day, as useful as it was, it doesn't crack the top 10 in most CRUCIAL operations of the war.
This cultural importance comes from the fact that it was one of precious few swings we could take at Germany without a foothold on the continent. It was also very theatrical - that was incidental rather than deliberate - but the fact is that it was, it captured imaginations.
This is compounded by the film, and the need for the patriotic derring do in the fifties.
A knighthood to the last one would be like the social equivalent of a unit citation for them. A gesture from the people to a cultural icon. He'd be taking a more cheerful one for the team.
Wacky Racer said:
mybrainhurts said:
Father of a pal of mine was one of Bader's gound crew. He related Bader's git status to me many years ago.
Link to "Reach for the Sky" classic film, The Douglas Bader story starring Kenneth More.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzB4EjeGvwg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4408_DJOu3I
Baders "this is your life". A remarkable who-s who of Battle of Britian pilots.
I certainly don't begrudge him a knighthood, but these awards do seem to be handed out like confetti these days, rendering them fairly meaningless.
Must have been terrifying going on sorties night after night for these brave young men, over 55,000 perished, that would fill the Etihad stadium....a sobering thought.
http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/commandlosses.ht...
Must have been terrifying going on sorties night after night for these brave young men, over 55,000 perished, that would fill the Etihad stadium....a sobering thought.
http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/commandlosses.ht...
Vocal Minority said:
Now, this is the interesting question.
Why a Dambuster?
Why not a normal Bomber Command pilot?
Why not one of the fliers who bombed the gestapo HQ in Copenhagen in 1945? Another tremendous piece of flying.
It goes to show the fact the cultural importance of the Dambusters Raid over its military importance - at the end of the day, as useful as it was, it doesn't crack the top 10 in most CRUCIAL operations of the war.
This cultural importance comes from the fact that it was one of precious few swings we could take at Germany without a foothold on the continent. It was also very theatrical - that was incidental rather than deliberate - but the fact is that it was, it captured imaginations.
This is compounded by the film, and the need for the patriotic derring do in the fifties.
A knighthood to the last one would be like the social equivalent of a unit citation for them. A gesture from the people to a cultural icon. He'd be taking a more cheerful one for the team.
Why a Dambuster?
Why not a normal Bomber Command pilot?
Why not one of the fliers who bombed the gestapo HQ in Copenhagen in 1945? Another tremendous piece of flying.
It goes to show the fact the cultural importance of the Dambusters Raid over its military importance - at the end of the day, as useful as it was, it doesn't crack the top 10 in most CRUCIAL operations of the war.
This cultural importance comes from the fact that it was one of precious few swings we could take at Germany without a foothold on the continent. It was also very theatrical - that was incidental rather than deliberate - but the fact is that it was, it captured imaginations.
This is compounded by the film, and the need for the patriotic derring do in the fifties.
A knighthood to the last one would be like the social equivalent of a unit citation for them. A gesture from the people to a cultural icon. He'd be taking a more cheerful one for the team.
Vipers said:
See on the news just now they have handed in a petition to No10 for Johnnie Johnston, the last remaining member of the dam busters to be knighted. He was the bomb aimer.
They had better get a move on, he's 95.
You are slightly getting mixed up.They had better get a move on, he's 95.
Johnny Johnson flew on the 1943 dambuster raid.
Johnnie Johnson was the celebrated RAF fighter pilot.
aeropilot said:
Evangelion said:
Yes, but it's the one who was on the Dam Buster raid that people want the knighthood for.
Given the 'other one' has been dead for over 15 years there should really be any confusion...... 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnie_Johnson_(RAF...
williamp said:
speaking of Bader,that link lead me to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4408_DJOu3I
Baders "this is your life". A remarkable who-s who of Battle of Britian pilots.
What an absolute gem of a find. Thank you for posting the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4408_DJOu3I
Baders "this is your life". A remarkable who-s who of Battle of Britian pilots.
Wacky Racer said:
Vipers said:
See on the news just now they have handed in a petition to No10 for Johnnie Johnston, the last remaining member of the dam busters to be knighted. He was the bomb aimer.
They had better get a move on, he's 95.
You are slightly getting mixed up.They had better get a move on, he's 95.
Johnny Johnson flew on the 1943 dambuster raid.
Johnnie Johnson was the celebrated RAF fighter pilot.
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