h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For first hand accounts check out:
THE WW2 SITE on this BBCi site.
Well worth an evening's research

Hi, Oetzi

The Scots are included in Britain.

Who are the Kurhas?

The colonies did not contribute significantly to the Battle of Britain.

The Americans did not *send* anyone to fight in the Battle of Britain. Some Americans volunteered. Whether they were black or not...

My point is that everyone mentions all these notable worthies, but forgets to mention the Poles, who contributed significantly to the pool of pilots available to the RAF. The Battle of Britain is probably the most significant turning point, as the failure of the RAF to defend Britain would have resulted in Germany invading Britain, its stated intention at the time. The outcome of *that* battle (we were very poorly defended and equipped at the time, having left most of our materiel on the beaches of Dunkirk) would probably have ended the war in Europe there and then.

Yes Reddy
Sorry the KURKHAS...enlisted men from Nepal.
The Battle of Britain 1940 June July
Yes I know of the Poles and the Czechs...the greater part killed.
The Canadians trained the multi engine crewes of the latter part of the war. Pilots and navigators.
The Scots were called "THE LADIES FROM HELL" by the German troops.
Ahem..the Italians...well they went when they heard the bagpipes.
S Europeans do not like the wail of bagpipes....gives 'em the "wiilies". Don't ask me why.

Yeah, Oetzi, only teasing, I know who the Gurkhas are

None of them flew, though.

Like I say, there weren't many colonial pilots at the Battle of Britain. There were a far larger number of Poles and Czechs. These were an unexpected bonus (we kinda expected the colonies to turn up...they were part of the Empire). And without those unexpected extra pilots, the battle would probably have gone the other way - we only one it by the skin of our teeth as it was.

But they are rarely acknowledged for the part they played in saving Britain at its darkest hour.

There were some Sikhs in that 1940 air battle: not many I think but some.

One of the most interesting and contemporay facts was how the USAF had an all black squadron. No one believed a black man could fly let alone fight at the same time.

A lot of people were killed in training and testing new kit. Radar, weapons and navigation aids. A lot died just messing about, a bit like the M6 on Fridat night.

Yeah, and they didn't believe a black man could be a diver either, as evidenced in that film. With that bloke.

Again, however, not really relevant to the Battle of Britain.

Whilst the result of the Battle of Britain was highly dependent on radar, it also needed pilots to fly planes to attack the incoming bombers and fighters. Without those, the battle would have been lost.

Yeah and most of those guys were public school. Most had only a few hours basic and most were killed. At the end I think they had 4 seviceable aircraft...Goering never knew.

And yes I do believe the black squadron of USAF is relavent to this thread. As is the current cohort in Iraq.

And something that few know....ears pricked folks....Goering's personal chauffeur was not a true follower of the Nazi cause.
Not a word more on this subject!

My ancestors had to deliver Easter baskets during the Second World War. Sometimes they had to burrow under enemy lines to deliver them. They survived by stealing carrots from Hitler's garden.

But what's *really* wrong with Americans (some of them, at least) is that so many are afraid of carbohydrates. Some of them won't even eat Carrots.

Carrots? Well, that leaves more for you, Fluffy Pink. This way they'll eat all the Easter eggs you leave around.

As the song goes: This thread has "been my favourite passtime".
Thanks for all the input and...
Season Greetings To All
Oetz

and good will to all.

Whew, boys and girls I leave you alone for a few short days and you are tearing each others throats out. Over who won World War II of all things. Well, let me sum it up for you. The Allies won. In other words all of the nations that were on that side won the war. Oh sure we can bicker and argue over who had this many killed or when they decided to fight or even what color their pilots were. I would venture to say that the man most responsible for Germany losing the war in the first place would have been Adolf himself.
After World War I the American people wanted no part of any war in Europe until it was beating them about the face and neck. Wilson looked the other way on a lot of agressive acts commited by U-boats. The zimmerman telegraph did a lot to stir up some war sentiment in the US but it took the Japanese to finally get us involved. They attacked, we declard war. But, only on Japan. Hitler declared war on us due to his mutual assistance pact with Japan.
Had Hitler thrown the full might of his army on England he might possibly have taken the country and that would not have left a foothold in Europe to attack from. Instead Hitler decided to violate his non-agression treaty with Russia and attack them when the whole England thing did not go as well as he planned.
Hitler thought he could simply Blitzkrieg all the way to Moscow. Seems success all across Europe made him a little overconfident. The army forgot to pack for winter, outran its supply trains, froze to death and was forced to retreat. (I know it was not that simple but it is a good outline)
Also Hitler had a small problem with executing generals. Seems if he thought you were incompetent or involved in a real or imagined assasination plot you got shot.
Eventually all madmen devise their own undoing. We will find out next year if ours has...

Have you got a publisher Flip?

Happy New Year, Oetzi.

You too Wabbit.
Do you think Flipper works for the CIA?
No wonder there are so many #### ups!