Never in the field of human conflict

[ozzy72]

Has so much been owed by so many to so few.
Battle of Britain day chaps. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the dwindling numbers of veterans who risked their very lives for the freedom we enjoy today.
Time for a bit of Geoff Wellum's First Light (cheers for the tip on this one Doug)

[patchz]

Here, here. I salute them too.

But on the lighter side, I feel compelled to type:

"You can teach monkeys to fly better than that."

"From spring chicken to shite hawk in one easy lesson."

"Attack, attack, attack, attack, attack, attack, attack."

Yeah, I've been watching the movie.

[Webb]

Churchill was the master.

13 May 1940

[quote]I would say to the House as I said to those who have joined this government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.

You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all costs

[Webb]

This, I believe, was Churchill's finest hour.

YouTube

What General Weygand has called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be freed and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands.

But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, This was their finest hour.

[Hagar]

This, I believe, was Churchill's finest hour.

YouTube

What General Weygand has called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be freed and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands.

But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, This was their finest hour.

The great man's voice doesn't sound quite right on that sound clip. I'm wondering if it's a recording made by Winston Churchill himself after delivering the speech in the House of Commons on 4th June 1940 or a later recording made by actor Norman Shelley in 1942. There were no microphones in Parliament in those days.

"Churchill originally delivered the speech over two years earlier, and did not broadcast it (portions were read by a BBC announcer). Churchill did record the speech himself -- at Chartwell after the war -- and it was ultimately released by Decca Records" http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/myths/myths/an-actor-read-his-speeches

Compare it with this one & see what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4BVzYGeF0M&feature=related

PS. I think this would be better in the History forum.

[ozzy72]

Hagar, I popped it in here as it was Battle of Britain Day and I thought people should know.
I agree that most posts on the BoB do indeed belong in the History forum, but as this was what I would term a current event, e.g. it is BoB Day I popped it in here