303 (Polish) Squadron

[Simpo Two]

Well last time I looked there was a thread about this programme on C4.

Just wanted to say I was very impressed by the flying sequences - no CGI planes skidding sideways at 30mph. Many Buchons but I can overlook that, all things considering. And a very touching bit of prose 'He gave his life to flying...'; unfortunately I can't remember or find on Google the rest.

Also impressed by the shot where the 109 rolled inverted then pushed up; the following Hurricane rolled out - real footage colourised, or a remarkably well-informed computer bod?

[Mojocvh]

Simpo Two said:

Well last time I looked there was a thread about this programme on C4.

Just wanted to say I was very impressed by the flying sequences - no CGI planes skidding sideways at 30mph. Many Buchons but I can overlook that, all things considering. And a very touching bit of prose 'He gave his life to flying...'; unfortunately I can't remember or find on Google the rest.

Also impressed by the shot where the 109 rolled inverted then pushed up; the following Hurricane rolled out - real footage colourised, or a remarkably well-informed computer bod?

Fair program, no doubt some will try and dispute the betrayal at the end of the war.

[williamp]

Some footage was from the bob film, but a lot I had never seen before

[Simpo Two]

Mojocvh said:

Fair program, no doubt some will try and dispute the betrayal at the end of the war.

Sadly the incoming Labour government would do anything to climb up Stalin's ass. Naive fools (and they still are)

[Eric Mc]

Missed this. What was it called?

[Simpo Two]

'The Untold Battle of Britain' - part 2 of 4 in the 'Bloody Foreigners' season.

Suspect a media conspiracy to sell us that immigration is good, as for example in last night's episode about Trafalgar when we learned there were three non-Brits involved. Naturally they made all the difference...

Tomorrow, it seems that the Great Fire of London was started by a foreigner, but 'who was really reponsible?' I always understood that it was a baker's oven that caught fire in Pudding Lane.

But as for the Poles, yes indeed, great respect.

[Mojocvh]

Simpo Two said:

Suspect a media conspiracy to sell us that immigration is good

I'll have those sort of "immigrants" anyday.

[Simpo Two]

Absolutely, more than happy to give them a house and pension.

ETA: Double pension.

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 29th June 23:38

[Mojocvh]

Okay, something strange going on here, not only a weird double entry but last reply gone too..sorry must be my machine.

[ninja-lewis]

The rest of the commemoration, written in the squadron diary, was:

"He was one of our best friends.
A brilliant pilot, in love with his role.
He gave his life to flying and flying took his life.
He did not die of natural causes, or in an accident.
He died in battle, having achieved what he always dreamed of, victory.
He will be welcomed to the squadron of Heaven."

[anonymous-user]

That was good viewing.

It was disgraceful the way the Poles were let down in Yalta. It's a bit odd that we went to war over the invasion of Poland and then let the communists occupy them. Also, not being allowed to join in the victory celebrations incase we offended Stalin was also poor.

[cjs]

Here is the link to C4 catch up for anyone who missed it

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-untold-batt...

I enjoyed the programme, I live near RAF Northolt where the squadron was based, I've also drunk in the Orchard Pub where they used to visit, there is a model Spitfire in the garden to commemorate the Polish Airman.

I wonder who the very friendly local girl was who shagged over 30 Polish Airman!

Edited by cjs on Wednesday 30th June 09:08

[Simpo Two]

el stovey said:

It's a bit odd that we went to war over the invasion of Poland and then let the communists occupy them.

Stalin was then the strongest power in Europe, a small and exhausted GB had no way of stopping him. We gave Russia military support we desperately needed ourselves, Stalin took it all and just demanded more - the smartest and most ruthless of the WW2 leaders.

[Hugo a Gogo]

Simpo Two said:

last night's episode about Trafalgar when we learned there were three non-Brits involved.

did you watch that programme?

they mentioned a Swede, 2 Frenchies, 2 Portuguese, a white American bloke and a couple of freed slaves, off that ONE ship that they had the records of

you'd be deluded to think there were only 3 foreigners in a Royal Navy fleet, or even on one ship, at that time (and probably at any other time for that matter)

[Simpo Two]

Hugo a Gogo said:

they mentioned a Swede, 2 Frenchies, 2 Portuguese, a white American bloke and a couple of freed slaves, off that ONE ship that they had the records of

you'd be deluded to think there were only 3 foreigners in a Royal Navy fleet, or even on one ship, at that time (and probably at any other time for that matter)

I wasn't taking notes like you must have been, it's true. But even eight on a ship is hardly significant. Furthermore, they weren't 'immigrants', merely escapees and various other desperadoes who worked for the British Navy because where they came from was worse. The world was a very different place in 1805.

I don't have the total numbers involved at Trafalgar but to give you some perspective, in terms of just casualties, the Royal Navy had 449 killed and 1,214 wounded whilst the Allies (Spain and france) had 6,500 killed or wounded.

Had your 8 'others' not been there, 8 Britons would have been and the outcome would have been the same. We won because Nelson and his fleet was better than Villeneuve and his fleet.

Going back to the plot, whilst I'm happy to concur that the Poles in the BoB punched above their weight, and every contribution was of course welcome not just in terms of materiel and morale, strategically the BoB was lost by Goering/Hitler and won by Dowding/Park and I think the final outcome would have been the same regardless of the valiant and brave effort of the Poles.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 30th June 09:43

[Hugo a Gogo]

I didn't have any point to make about immigration, or any notes
were those casualty figures off the top of your head btw?

point is that there have ALWAYS been foreigners in Britain

a fair few of those sailors wouldn't be actual volunteers either, I suppose

[agric]

Now Eric's cross at missing quite a good flying programme,

IIRC mate it was the same squadrons (spitfire) that the BNP misguidedly used an image of for their poster recently

[Simpo Two]

Hugo a Gogo said:

were those casualty figures off the top of your head btw?

From my website: www.sanjuannepomuceno.co.uk which got it from 'Trafalgar: Napoleon's Naval Waterloo' by René Maine, Thames and Hudson, 1957.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 30th June 09:45

[Eric Mc]

agric said:

Now Eric's cross at missing quite a good flying programme,

IIRC mate it was the same squadrons (spitfire) that the BNP misguidedly used an image of for their poster recently

Yep - Jan Zumbach's Spitfire V.

His aircraft was featured in a high quality colour photo shoot (taken by the famous Chales E Brown) so it is often "grabbed" by PR and media agencies when looking for a picture of a wartime Spitfire.



It was also the subject of Airfix's 1/72 Spitfire V model

[Ross1988]

O/T I know, sorry OP.

But can someone explain to me all the marking on the spitfire Eric Mc posted up?

There's quite a few on the spitfire, and I know for operation Overlord aircraft had 'invasion' stripes, so I presume all the markings have a meaning.

Thank you.

ETA: Your website Simpo Two? Impressive work there. Must of taken ages. Got any others I can peruse?

Edited by Ross1988 on Wednesday 30th June 12:33