Hey guys thank you for watching and your feedback about the documentary. Pls watch one about the Poles helping Britain the war 👉🏼 th-cam.com/video/CnI0W7szdpI/w-d-xo.html The 303 Squadron deserved to be recognised. God bless Gloreeyah x
Given how hard they fought for us against the Germans, I always find it hard to stomach how we didn't do more to resist the Russians from annexing Poland. Of course by the end of WW2 the UK was pretty much spent, the Russians were probably the most powerful military on the continent and they already effectively held Poland so there was little we could actually do to make them give it up.
As a Brit, massive respect to you for wanting to know about this part of our history! They were our greatest generation! They sacrificed everything for freedom!
I consider myself very lucky. Lovely wee cottage in the country, we work hard and enjoy our free time especially this time of year. It is a lovely country, some faults, but I feel blessed.
@@somniumisdreamingAnd so you should be able to enjoy & reap the rewards of your Labour quite rightly so.. not to be confrontational, show me a country or people/person than doesn't have faults. 🤷♂️ we all have flaws its what makes us human ❤ we can only try to improve daily .
If you see the British film "The Battle of Britain" starring Michael Caine at the very end the names of the real Battle of Britain pilots names came up. Each and every one came from what was known as the British Empire including USA volunteers.
@@petermcculloch4933 Of course they did I saw a documentary interviewing a few of "The Few' and one of them recalled he heard that captured Luftwaffe pilots dreaded the return journey after blitzing London because the Polish pilots were waiting for them before they crossed the Channel. To chase, harry and shoot them down when all they wanted to do was fly back to safety in France..
Just remember wheen you see little old people, shuffling along the street, that they are the people who fought to the death to save us. And not just the men, but the women too, and they were young like you!
Excellent post! Yes, they weren't always stiff, awkward in stance and movement needing Zimmer frames or wheelchairs to get about; they were active, virile young men and women in the prime of life who had to put their wishes and hopes on hold 'for the duration of the present Emergency'. Bless every one of the Greatest Generation.
Perfectly put i dont think there's enough emphasis put on that.. wee men & women who done things we couldn't imagine. All so we can live, communicate & live freely..
You're right. I run a bookshop and an old chap came in, bought a book and we got talking. He had been in a Pathfinder squadron, shot down, escaped by crawling along the plane as it descended on fire. Happily managed to bail out (his comrades didn't). How on earth do you or I measure our lives against that!? Old people? Our saviours.
There are essentially zero people left "shuffling along the street" who fought in WW2 - and the same was true when the video was posted a few years ago. These heroes are sadly all long gone. This is why all these videos have interviews from people who were children at the time. Many of those children have stories that both stir the heart and also sometimes horrify us - times were incredibly hard at times for those kids, especially for those who lost parents and older siblings in the fighting. However, these days we do have a load of boomers who love to shout about how "we won the war" when they did nothing of the sort. Annoying as fuck.
The Poles were incredible, they deserve to be recognized for their bravery. No. 303 Squadron was based at RAF Northolt from 2 August 1940, and became operational on 31 August. Its initial cadre was 13 Officer and 8 NCO pilots and 135 Polish ground staff. At the outset, serving RAF officers were appointed to serve as CO (S/Ldr RG Kellett) and Flight Commanders (F/Lt JA Kent and F/Lt AS Forbes) alongside the Poles, as the Polish pilots were unfamiliar with RAF Fighter Command language, procedures and training. The nickname chosen by the squadron was in honour of the famous 18th century Polish-American general Tadeusz Kościuszko. No. 303 Squadron was also linked to the original 1919 Kościuszko Escadrille through personnel that had served in that squadron. Later, further air force units from this unit were renamed the 7th, 121st and 111th Escadrilles of the Polish Air Force.
I can assure you that in my neck of the woods the Poles are recognised and remembered every year without fail, their graves are tended to and their memorials are cleaned every week. My Grandfather flew with a few Poles during the war and could not praise them enough and remained friends and working with them for the rest of his life.
@@johnbeck1978 I have not had any problems with the Poles in my area or the Poles I work with, some of them like to party hard but they also work hard to enjoy themselves. Perhaps you have had a different experience with Poles which is fair enough.
My polish mother in law talks about the 303rd all the time when i visit shes proud of our countries combined efforts.. and tells me the stories of the village living on rashions etc
The way we treated the Poles after the war was disgusting, but we were broke as a country, which is why we are nothing in the world anymore, but we have paid the yanks off for our debt of saving the world, despite a certain Kennedy, and his obvious bias that his family still feel
Every program on TV makes mention of them and other nationalities. There have been films and mini-serise about them. Every effing video about the battle has someone like yourself commenting on them. To listen to some Poles you'd think they won it single-handed. Remember, Britain went to war BECAUSE of the invasion of Poland.
Including my father who won the DFC. RIP DAD. He told is he was safe because he had the greatest engine in the world - the Rolls Royce Merlin, which was in the spitfires, hurricanes and later on in the Lancaster bombers. Even the American fighters swapped over to RR Engines. We would never have won without pilots from the commonwealth who came to fight 🇦🇺🇿🇦🇳🇿🇨🇦🙏 and the Polish and Czech pilots. We even had a few American pilots in the Eagle Squadron. 🇺🇲. Thank you for our freedom.
That day changed the course of history I don't think enough people realise the significance of that battle, and we were at breaking point but we didn't break. Some people say that we talk about the war too much but I disagree, we as a people stood as a beacon in a world of darkness, it truly was our Finest Hour .
It is likely that America would have backed away completely if the Battle of Britain had gone awry and then it's German sausages for dinner and goose stepping for the World from then on, another dark age would have descended only more widespread than Europe alone. The Germans would have had atomic weapons at least a year before the US too BTW as they had the materials manufacturing in place and the British had the know how as early as 1899, if Britain had fallen the consequences would have been unimaginable.
@@cuhurun They also had nerve gas but resisted due to the UK having a massive store of fully weaponised Anthrax in fully deployable form. With atomic weapons nothing would have stopped the genocide.
@@darthwiizius : Yep, again you're quite right. Smacking down those Nazi heavy water plants in Norway was undoubtedly another crucial and much overlooked event in the eventual allied success. Also, thank heavens for the British 'Tube Alloy' scientists who handed everything over, to get 'Manhattan' fully underway.
Thank you Gloreeyah, I almost cry for joy that you appreciate this history. My father was a Polish bomber navigator during the war and was lucky enough to survive. The Poles called Britain last chance island. If this battle had been lost who knows how the world would have been today.
My mother married a Polish gentleman late in life. I had many talks with him. He was parachuted into Arnhem, he said he prayed all the way down, promising to go to church everyday if he survived. He kept that promise. RIP Jan, feel very privelaged to have know you.
@@iriscollins7583 Dear Iris I am glad you got to meet and talk with him. The Polish Independent Parachute Brigade was very frustrated at Arnhem. Their commander General Sosabowski was the only senior commander who predicted it was going to be a disaster. By the time there were enough aircraft and the weather was good enough to drop them, the Germans had captured the landing grounds so some of them were shot out of the air. Then they tried to cross the Rhine at night using rubber boats to try and help the surrounded British paras, but were shot up. It is covered very well in the film a Bridge Too Far, with Sosabowski played by Gene Hackman. th-cam.com/video/f4BT4S_peV0/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/7RqJGoFljIA/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/Y-ojcFoVfFw/w-d-xo.html If you ever go to Warsaw, General Sosabowski's uniform is in the Army Museum. Polish paratroopers wore grey berets instead of the British paras dark red colour, but otherwise they used the same type of uniforms and equipment. Take care Stephen (in Polish Stefan)
The book is called Last Hope Island. If we had surrendered there wouldn't have been a launching pad for D-day. Would the Americans have crossed 3,000 miles to liberate Europe? Impossible. De Gaulle told the French people that they had liberated themselves. How come there are war cemeteries across France with thousands of non-French soldiers who died to liberate them and if they liberated themselves, why did it take four years?
My Nana was sitting in her Anderson shelter with her kids and one neighbour and her kid during an air raid, when someone knocked on the door and Nana went to open it. Her neighbour shouted don't it may be a nazi and my Nana turned and said "do you think the Nazis would bloomin' knock?" before letting another neighbour in. They apparently all had a laugh, but such a scary thought it must have been to sit in the dark with knives (the mums all took the carving knife with them) waiting to hear all clear wondering if a Nazi had parachuted down. Proud of all that generation, my family all had roles in the war from RAF to Navy and factory work from the women. So lucky to be British and so lucky to have wonderful videos from Gloreeyah and have her wonderful smile brighten the country each day.
We are a quietly patriotic and passionate nation. For better or worse, we find our strength when we feel "our back's against the wall". For all our faults, we're not bad, especially considering we're a tiny island.✌️🇬🇧❤️🏴
@@tb9262 Not everyone is a snowflake altho they are certainly on the rise, unless you are counting yourself among them. The generation he speaks of led the world into the worst war the world has ever seen so when he says its the greatest generation i dont know what the fuck hes on about.
@@eraldorh You are moaning because nazis were in the generation that was at the time which was the reason why the war started, but he most likely meant that the generation at the time on the allies side would go out to fight not knowing if they would come back alive or not, but do u think that would be the case nowadays if most people are so sensitive that if they are called a name they cry about it people nowadays wouldn't go to war so willingly ur just ignorant
I'd agree with you the generation of the great war was lead like lambs to the slaughter. But the ww2 generation knew what war was about their dads fought one.yet they still went to war.
As an ex-RAF Airman of more modern times, I can tell you this story always makes my heart swell. As tragic as the losses were, the story is of bravery and valour, and the day things really turned away from invasion. They teach this to new recruits today, the RAF lives in the hope they will never let these men and women down, and so far they continue to uphold their promise. Thank you for giving this some exposure, many won’t realise how different things could have been had it not been for our invention of the first Air Traffic Control system, using Radar to see the threat early, and of course the many that played their part on the ground and in the air, from many nations, not just the UK. Love all your videos, but especially this one ❤️🇬🇧
I watched a documentary about the battle of Britain a little while ago and one thing struck me. A pilot’s young wife after he was killed sowed his wings into the lapel of her coat, the inside next her heart and had done so since he was killed. The programme was probably made early 2000 and she was still keeping them like that next to her heart. Moving stuff and wonderful to see a young person take time to learn and understand and empathise with her forbears.
This didn't mention the Polish (& Czech) fighter pilots of the RAF (302 & 303 squadrons). They were "crazy" but incredibly brave. Quote, "Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry," wrote Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, head of RAF Fighter Command, "I hesitate to say that the outcome of the Battle (of Britain) would have been the same." Great shame some "British" (don't have the right to call themselves that), are anti Eastern European, yet their forefathers saved this country. Thanks for the reaction 🇬🇧.
Spot On. Many of the Poles remained after WW2 those that returned were killed by the soviets as potential spies. They fitted in fine and caused no social problems whatsoever. Unlike some that have arrived since
Why are we expected to tip our cap to someone else all the time? Are you people determined to never let us have any story where we are the main participants? Why do you insist on elbowing-in on everything?
@@gammonsandwich1756 "Flying Hawker Hurricanes, the squadron claimed the largest number of aircraft shot down of the 66 Allied fighter squadrons engaged in the Battle of Britain, even though it joined the fray two months after the battle had begun" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._303_Squadron_RAF
You're completely over reacting. This is one documentary amoungst many on this battle. There are monuments to those such as the Poles who fought, the film the Battle of Britian, where the footage in this video mostly comes from, famously covers the Poles and Czechs. And what about all the other nationalities? Does it mention any of those? I notice you didn't. In fact, does it mention ANY nationality? English, Scotish, Welsh, Irish, Canadian, South African, New Zealand, Belgium, Australian, French, American, even Jamaican. Anyone who thinks the Poles and Czechs are somehow forgotten are being woefully ignorant and are poorly educated.
I know people born here who dont know or are not interested in how people died for our freedom i think about it everyday almost so i think it is lovely to see you taking interest in our history much love and stay safe!
@@GloreeyahOnuh My parents lived and worked through it. They were very young - my mother just a girl, but they did what they had to do. You take care, xx.
I have a great DVD called "Finest Hour". It's not about the Battle of Britain but about the finest hour of service people, ambulance, Fireman etc. There is one very moving story and interview of Edith Heap (later Edith Cup). She was a WAAF plotter and the fiancee of Hurricane Pilot Dennis Wissler. The plotters could hear the battles and chatter going on over the internal Tannoys. On this certain day when she was plotting a large raid which she knew Dennis was involved in and also knew he was "blue two", she actually heard over the Tannoy that "Blue two" was hit and going down in flames. It was over the channel and his body was never found. The interview with Edith was so moving and she cried saying that although she eventually married, she never got over losing Dennis. She said "Even if I had been married to him for a day, I t would have been better. I was desperate to marry Dennis."
Gloreeyah thank you for putting this together. I’m sure your citizenship went through okay and I warmly welcome you. I get quite choked up thinking about those days and the desperate fight that went on in the skies right over my little house and garden on the south coast, between Portsmouth and Weymouth. We marked the anniversary in September 2020 sitting in our garden under an immaculate blue sky……not saying very much at all. Thanks again and best wishes
@UCcTowJV60YU1UMaGxLCmHnA ouch 😂 what have you ever done for this Country lad? I was in op Telic 1 as part of 12 L.S.R in with the R.L.C so at least I fought for the Country Hitler or not TRIGGGGGGGGERD.
@@shanehitler2343 "but a lot of them don't." THAT is the point, Shane ! THIS Lady ain't one of THEM (whom I love as much as you obviously do). Ultimately - IMHO - it ALL boils down to ATTITUDE. Personally, I detest Islam, but I'd FAR rather have as a friend a Black Muslim who LOVED and RESPECTED the traditions of this country than a White Christian/Atheist who hates/despises/devalues both. Which, I think, is the point YOU are making...............................yes ?
My Grandmother worked in a local factory making parts for Rolls Royce Aero engines. My Grandfather was only allowed to join `Dads Army` the Home Guard as he`d lost a lung to TB in childhood. He was on duty when the Germans bombed the centre out of Coventry.
I live in Kent on the coast I’m lucky to have the Battle of Britain memorial and museum down the road but I also have above my bed a print of Douglas Barders squadron named barders bus company also signed by some of the pilots who flew with him
Much is made of the brave young men in their spitfires (rightly so) but the hurricane was actually more in number and the women of the WAAF were integral in our victory! All of them hero’s/heroines!
No it was until Toni Blair enriched the country, these old people speaking now probably couldn't walk down the streets in most of London with out getting abuse or robbed
@@shanehitler2343 B-liar the war criminal should be in jail for crimes against Humanity! He lied to his Public, nation & the World, to make war on Iraq, ultimately murdering 1 to 2 million innocent iraqi civilians! He also is against the UK Public, in trying to overturn the Brexit that the People voted for, in a Democratic referendum! The man works & is paid by the globalist elites & has no morals or Human decency! 🇬🇧
@@Paul-hl8yg I know mate I was part of the invasion of Iraq in Op Telic 1, you're right he is still shouting he's mouth off now about Brexit. There's one good thing that came out he's government, I don't think many white working class voters will vote Labour for a good while, well that is until we become the minority in the UK.
One of my uncles flew a Hawker Hurricane during the Battle of Britain. He lived through the war, and ended his career flying Spitfires out of Malta during the 1950's. He still used Brycreem on his hair until the day he died, much to my dad's (A man who served over 30 years in the British Army from 1939 until 1970) and his other brother's amusement :-) His wife flew fighter/bomber supply from the South of England up to Scotland during the Second World War, which is how they met :-) I miss the stories I grew up hearing from my dad and his brothers, who made their heroism sound so ordinary and everyday, yet remarkable when you looked at what they lived through on a daily basis, facing death at every instant.
My mum was a little girl during the Blitz. My grandmother, and the three children, would go to sleep under the kitchen table, fully dressed, at night, in case they were bombed and had to escape - my grandmother would keep the family photo album and ration books with her. (Their weekly rations were about what we would have for one meal now.) My mum never forgot seeing the sky on fire, and to the end of her life, would turn pale if she heard the air-raid siren, on films.
My dad and his brother were in the RAF and I am so proud to be able to say that. Unfortunately his brother was never heard from again after one raid.. Then my father helped in the design Of aircraft. Meanwhile my mum worked In the war office. We were determined to win. And that's why I think the USA '& the UK get on so well. We will never surrender & we will defend our homes to keep free. And we will remember them. 💕
I am 67 years old and I grew up hearing my grandparents and parents talk about their lives during the Second World War. We lived in a house in Catford, South East London. German bombs did fall nearby and one destroyed two roads of houses about a quarter of a mile away. My dad was in the pioneer corps and told me he used to dig up unexploded bombs in central London. My mum worked in an engineering factory in Kings Cross, making release mechanisms for airman’s parachutes. My grandad was a policeman in Lewisham, and he used to talk of a shelter in Lewisham that took a direct hit and over 60 people died. My Nan told me of the day she waved at a low flying aeroplane that flew over our back garden. She thought it was an RAF plane, but it was not. It flew on and dropped a 300lb bomb on a school just up the road; lots of primary age children and teachers died, and my grandad was called with other emergency personnel to pull the dead and injured out of the rubble. He injured his back and had to leave the police after this. These stories of ordinary people are in danger of becoming lost to modern generations.
I really appreciate you taking your time to learn about our History and what the Men and Women went through at that time, it was touching to to watch. Believe me when I say you have done more to learn more about it than a lot of people who were born here have done. All the best.
People think its a joke, but 7th armour group (desert rats) in North Africa would stop mid battle to brew up tea . If your tank was knocked out you put a brew on . Almost the whole of the desert army group rebelled when the quartermaster informed command there there was only 3 days worth of tea left in North Africa .
with all that is happening now, my Grandparents i remember their stories of what my granddad told about the war. as a kid i was amazed at his stories and his passion for building model steams trains. no matter what view people have, people are forgetting the actual history and not many left to storytell those stories
Incredible to think that day changed the course of WWII forever as Germany seeing that Britain was a formidable force to be reckoned with, it turned its attention to Russia and the rest is history. What amazes me is that we as Britons didn't bask in the glory and rest on our laurels, no those fine men (and ground-women) went head-on into the hellmouth of mainland Europe to stop the tyranny for a further 17 months until our pleas of help were finally answered from our American allies as they began coming over in February 1942. I have nothing but pure admiration for all those men and women who fought for freedom and liberty. We should *never* forget.
That day in September was the culmination of weeks of battle in the air. It started in July. One day in august was called Adler Tag, or Eagle Day. My father never talked about it until a long time after the war. He only said once "i didn't make friends."
You don't say a lot when watching this... til you said you were proud at the end. Well good for you. I'm proud of them and I'm not even British. May God bless you.
For a topic I don’t really know a great deal about, I think it’s distracting to make unnecessary chatter. I think a lot of people confuse reaction videos to always having to saying something even if it’s very insignificant. Showing emotions are reactions, after all actions speak louder than words😊they say. Thank you for watching, I appreciate. God bless you too😊
My mother was one of the (very) small children who watched the proceedings from Kent, but she also saw a lot of the action with bombing in London. It's a formative experience that some countries in the world are still having, courtesy of different aggressors.
The RAF pilots would be up before dawn and would only be stood down after dark. Many would be on a 'sortie' six or seven times a day. They were mentally have physically exhausted. Churchill as usual put it so well with his ' So many to so few'
@@HO-bndk They were the ones dropping the Bombs on innocent civilians. Sorry. Mindsets are different when you are are the ones being attacked. I'm sure the feelings were the same with the other side. Who started the war, who were the aggressors.Why was it worse? Their wives, children, parents, weren't being bombed at the time, were they?They didn't even have rationing,.
My parents lived through this (Dad was 13, Mum was 11 in September 1940) and told me about it when I was young. They lived in the east of London only 5 miles from the London docks, which was a target for the Luftwaffe. They spent a lot of that summer in air raid shelters so they didn't see the fighting. But they did see the aftermath, the bombed buildings, the fires and sometimes the dead and wounded. 22:33: Peter Brothers shot down 10 German aircraft during the Battle of Britain period (July to September 1940). He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross two days before the air battle of 15th September.
I love how you dont try to make these videos about you, but more about the content.. i also love how passionately you, without saying a word can emphasis on all sides just by the look on your face at the lose of life.. Britain by no means in the grand scheme of things is perfect. We conquered many ppls lands. Done many of wrongs. But this, this was our finest hour we stood & said we will never surrender... This was when the empire said we can no longer claim to be the "good guys" whilst for hundreds of years taking ppls lands.. The ppl of the empire would also not stand for it either. Quite rightly so.. But by god am i glad those brave few protected us. Only thing i would like to add is the 303 302 Polish squadron they were something else i dont think they got a mention.. 16 polish squadrons in total..
Thank you for your feedback, It means a lot. I try not to make my reaction videos about me, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from them. It’s such a great documentary and I hope somewhere somehow the Polish Squadrons got the recognition they deserved. We live free today thanks to all who fought for us.
Not just the Poles, more than 1 in 6 of the RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain were not native British. It's also rather gingoistic to say Britain stood alone; it was the front line but had a whole empire and hundreds of thousands from the occupied countries backing it up. Still our finest hour.
Dowding eventually said we could not have won the Battle of Britain without the Poles even though he was against them being involved. However, the documentary is flawed, Sealion could never have suceeded without the denial of the channel to the English fleet which was without doubt enough to stop any invasion. There are myths aplenty about Sealion and the invasion of the British Isles, most of which have been debunked over the years. Not to take anything from those brave men and women who lost their lives both in the air and on the ground during the Battle of Britain, but if you actually research the history Germany was never going to be able to invade the UK as long as the navy existed. Even Georing knew that complete air superiority was impossible over the channel. The British however used the Battle of Britain as a major propaganda tool to bring the USA into the war. Life is usually a lot more complex than we like to view it, in this case, the actions of the RAF did save Britain and Europe from German hegemony, but we were never actually at risk of invasion.
@@raven1x419 If the RAF had been severely defeated in the air Sealion may have been practical. Even the might of the RN would have struggled to close the channel against Luftwaffe air superiority. You just need to look at the fate of the British Pacific fleet in 41/42 and the loses at Crete to see how vulnerable to air attack the navy were.
@@raven1x419 Hitler was obsessed with attacking the Soviet Union he was focused on Barbarossa not Sealion. Only the BEF was left to defend the UK who left most of their equipment at Dunkirk. Most of the British Troops were in the Empire Countries India etc. Hitler expected the UK to settle for peace terms after Dunkirk
Both my Grandfathers did their bit, not by being in the military but by one being an Air Raid Warden. He couldn't be be in the military because he lost a finger in a sawmill during the 1930s. The other one had a lung disease (which eventually killed him)that rulled him out. So his contribution building Anderson Shelters. But my mums cousin Cliff was Tailend Charlie in the back of a Wellington Bomber.
Thanks for the reference to the Squadron 303. You might also find it interesting to learn about the female pilots at ATA - Air Transport Auxiliary. They had 200 female pilots who were busy flying new aircrafts from factories to combat air bases. One female pilot flew the first British jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor, in 1945
My mother would take her dogs for walks during air raids, she was claustrophobic. My mum and dad ran pubs during the war, mum also trained greyhounds and dad joined the Navy. My parents were married nearly 20 years before I came along. I can remember asking my dad what ships was he in and he would say rowing boats. Took him quite a few years after the war to talk about it. Their pub was also flattened not by a direct hit but hitting a house a few yards away. Mum would tell me about doodlebugs and how some pilots in their planes would tip the doodlebugs small wings and bring them down. Mum said you could hear the doodlebugs but when their engines cut out they would come down within a radius of 5 miles. The V2 you couldn't hear it would just crash, all you knew would be the house was gone.
My grandad Aaron was in the home guard. When he was 17 he went down to London with Mr Bateman of Batemans Breweries who paid for his ticket, to join the Royal Air Force. He was sent home as he had had a motor bike accident previous that had damaged his ankle and they sent him home. If not for that, he would have been one of those young heroes. He instead joined the home guard and defended the east coast of Britain in case of a German invasion. The dad's army so to speak. They were all heroes then. And both my nan and grandad were heroes to me. Always and forever. Lest we forget!!!!
Your reaction to this documentary is very gratifying. I have been fascinated with the Battle of Britain all my life. A fascinating subject, a story of sheer determination and courage by an entire nation. I am so proud of the achievements of the ordinary people that stood up to Hitler and said "No".
"Heroes of Biggin Hill" is another good video here on TH-cam. Interviews with pilots, civilians and many others who were involved in the Battle of Britain. Also "Jimmy Corbin" who was one of the pilots in the book "Ten fighter boys." Dave.
its a very moving program, one that Ive watched a few times but my first watching a reation video. As a Brit I'm glad some have not forgotten this mammoth struggle not really that long ago. The reaction and comments from those of all nations are touching and its also a tribute to those of the other allies, Poland, France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Denmark and the nations of the Commonwealth that joined the RAF to fight for freedom. Later our brothers across the pond would join the fight. In a time when its not 'the thing' to wave national flags its still important to remember these heros that fought for us, some making the ultimate sacrifice!
NOT "for us" but "against nazism".... The UK kept the flame of democracy burning when it had been extinguished everywhere else in Europe, and the US and USSR were happy to conduct business with nazism undeterred. Unfortuantely nowadays the evils and corruption of corporate globalism has shit all over the flame of democracy across the world.
I remember my Late Father telling me about sitting in an Anderson Shelter as a young boy, for some reason I thought that the shelter would have saved him if a bomb landed on it but when I asked my Father about the shelter he said it would never be able to withstand a direct hit , not sure why I thought it would have. I think someone close to their home wasn't so lucky and received a direct hit , many did sadly.
We still get Spitfires flying overhead in Dover 3-4 times a week, normally on their own but occasionally in pairs. There is something comforting hearing those Merlin engines.
The history of the world wars is amazing and encouraging how so many men, women and children live through this with the attitude we will get through this we WONT be defeated and we will pull together I think it’s the 1st time in the worlds history everyone came together to stand as one against a murderous dictator
If you haven't seen it already, you may enjoy TH-camr Mark Feltons documentary on the Battle of Bamber Bridge. It's about an army battilion of Black Americans (segregated at that time) in the UK preparing for D-Day, and how the villagers of Bamber Bridge hosting them refused to put up with Americas racism towards them.
You may find violet szabos story interesting she was a shop worker whos french husband was.fighting in North Africa was killed to exact revenge she joined SO E eventually captured.and shot at a concentration camp
I have to say that i came across this channel by accident, im really glad i did. You seem a lovely young Lady and i wish for you that you will be happy and thrive in this new home you have made. God bless..
Many of the pilots were 19 or 20 years old, which meant that they could fly a fighter or a 4 engine bomber, but they weren't old enough to drive a car.
@@jonmac3995 MOTOR-DRIVING LICENCES (AGE QUALIFICATION). HC Deb 08 May 1940 vol 360 c1211 1211 §28. Mr. Magnay asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to ensure that the lowest age for the holding of motor-driving licences be reduced for the duration of the war from 17 to 16, subject, of course, to the passing of a driving test and to physical fitness? §Captain Wallace I do not think that in present circumstances it would be in the public interest to reduce the minimum age for the driving of motor vehicles. §Mr. Magnay Has the Minister forgotten that, in the last war, young men were not called up for two years, which was quite different from the present position? §Captain Wallace I do not think there is any reason to suppose at the present moment that the shortage of drivers is so great that it is necessary to repeat the experiment of the last war. I think the House will agree that there are certain road safety considerations which make it inadvisable to employ persons under 17 as drivers unless we have to.
one of the witnesses shown was Dame Vera Linn who increased the public morale by singing on the radio she was famous during the war and many years after. she also travelled out with themiletry to put on shows for the troops
Did you know this??? Total maintenance costs of the Polish Air Force in 1939-1945. Funds allocated by His Majesty's Government to the Polish Government as a loan of £ 9,606,000 Funds intended for: airplanes, engines, equipment, materials for operational flights and training, food, uniforms, accommodation, fuel, light, transport, medical assistance, materials for maintenance and maintenance aircraft, including fuel, bombs, ammunition, explosives. Use of airport installations such as hangars, workshops, offices etc. until December 31, 1945 £ 90,044,000 Total £ 107,650,000. Everything was covered from the reserves of Polish gold deposited in Canada. We we had to pay for defending UK not only with our lives but also with hard currency.
So much whinging in these threads about Poles having to pay for the weapons & supplies etc they received from Britain during WW2. The Polish government in exile AGREED in April 1940 to pay for its ALL its equpiment & supplies provided by Britain in EXACTLY the same way that Britain repaid TEN OF BILLIONS of dollars to the US for equipment and services it supplied to us during WW2, and which we only finished repaying in 2006. Is modern day Poland a country of freeloaders?
Working in saltcoats Town Scotland,,, someone told me their great aunt and uncle saw Rudolf Hesse's plane above saltcoats/ Stevenson town as he drifted off course just before he u turned to crashlanded at eaglesham!!!
Thank you for amazing Vid, so demonstrated how close we were to living in a tyranny. I hope u got your citizenship granted and will have a happy and wonderful life here. Stuart F-H
This is why we must NEVER forget those that served or those at home that braved this awful situation in any way. My own Mother was growing up as a teenage girl in the East End of London during the war. She was bombed out of the houses they lived in three times in Stratford, E15. The sound of the air raid sirens haunted her for the rest of her life. We owe it to those in uniform from whatever Allied country they were from and also those that took civilian jobs for the war effort a great debt of gratitude.
Interesting - thanks for that, Mate ! MY Mum - a young lass who'd just got married (to her first husabnd), had been drinking in an East End pub in 1944, and left only a few minutes before a Doodlebug fell on it, killing everyone. Life in those days was rather unpredictable - but Ma would have LAUGHED at all the current panic over a Corona 'bug' !! Frankly, I think we've gone rather soft since the end of WW2 (just a personal view).
@@marvinc9994 You're certainly right about your last part and especially since the time they stopped National Service. Nowadays there's no discipline and it's all want want want !!
It was not just 13 hours, it went on for about 57 days and not just London.My hometown of Southampton was destoyed as many other cities. This was also north. My dad as a kid watched the Ariel fights in Newcastle.
Hey guys thank you for watching and your feedback about the documentary. Pls watch one about the Poles helping Britain the war 👉🏼 th-cam.com/video/CnI0W7szdpI/w-d-xo.html
The 303 Squadron deserved to be recognised. God bless
Gloreeyah x
Given how hard they fought for us against the Germans, I always find it hard to stomach how we didn't do more to resist the Russians from annexing Poland. Of course by the end of WW2 the UK was pretty much spent, the Russians were probably the most powerful military on the continent and they already effectively held Poland so there was little we could actually do to make them give it up.
They do indeed I think all of the guys who took part do they are heroes till the end
If it wasn't for the poles we would have lost the polish pilots where the best I
Politics we went to war for Poland then left them to Russia sham full
My dad lost three brothers in the war my dad was the only one that came back dad was 17 years old can you amagine that I can't
Thank you Brits, from Denmark.
We saved your bacon and Sven
..and thank you Danes, you did your part too, from the UK
@Skovgaard1975 And thanks Denmark from Britain. You did your part and how you look after our war graves is truly amazing and much appreciated!!
Dave.
It's lovely to think some people regard us as the good guys, by and large.
As a Brit, massive respect to you for wanting to know about this part of our history! They were our greatest generation! They sacrificed everything for freedom!
The world owes Great Britain a great debt for saving us from a second dark age. Thank you Great Britain!!
Your love of Britain makes me wish people knew how lucky they are to be born here
I consider myself very lucky. Lovely wee cottage in the country, we work hard and enjoy our free time especially this time of year. It is a lovely country, some faults, but I feel blessed.
I aren't bothered what anyone says about other nations.. The UK is the best nation in the World! 🇬🇧
@@somniumisdreamingAnd so you should be able to enjoy & reap the rewards of your Labour quite rightly so.. not to be confrontational, show me a country or people/person than doesn't have faults. 🤷♂️ we all have flaws its what makes us human ❤ we can only try to improve daily .
I love being British and am VERRRRRRRRRRRRY proud to be British :)
@@CallumKray Me too, proud & theres nothing wrong with that! 👍🇬🇧
I am Australian and watching the Brits at their best is an honour
If you see the British film "The Battle of Britain" starring Michael Caine at the very end the names of the real Battle of Britain pilots names came up. Each and every one came from what was known as the British Empire including USA volunteers.
@@theoldgreymare703 There were also two Polish squadrons, which are credited with the most kills.
@@petermcculloch4933 Of course they did I saw a documentary interviewing a few of "The Few' and one of them recalled he heard that captured Luftwaffe pilots dreaded the return journey after blitzing London because the Polish pilots were waiting for them before they crossed the Channel. To chase, harry and shoot them down when all they wanted to do was fly back to safety in France..
The polish and Czechs also fought and were brave and honourable.
Never have so many people so much to so few people.
Love a Spitfire plane xxx
Just remember wheen you see little old people, shuffling along the street, that they are the people who fought to the death to save us. And not just the men, but the women too, and they were young like you!
thank you.
Excellent post! Yes, they weren't always stiff, awkward in stance and movement needing Zimmer frames or wheelchairs to get about; they were active, virile young men and women in the prime of life who had to put their wishes and hopes on hold 'for the duration of the present Emergency'. Bless every one of the Greatest Generation.
Perfectly put i dont think there's enough emphasis put on that.. wee men & women who done things we couldn't imagine. All so we can live, communicate & live freely..
You're right. I run a bookshop and an old chap came in, bought a book and we got talking. He had been in a Pathfinder squadron, shot down, escaped by crawling along the plane as it descended on fire. Happily managed to bail out (his comrades didn't). How on earth do you or I measure our lives against that!? Old people? Our saviours.
There are essentially zero people left "shuffling along the street" who fought in WW2 - and the same was true when the video was posted a few years ago. These heroes are sadly all long gone. This is why all these videos have interviews from people who were children at the time. Many of those children have stories that both stir the heart and also sometimes horrify us - times were incredibly hard at times for those kids, especially for those who lost parents and older siblings in the fighting.
However, these days we do have a load of boomers who love to shout about how "we won the war" when they did nothing of the sort. Annoying as fuck.
The Poles were incredible, they deserve to be recognized for their bravery.
No. 303 Squadron was based at RAF Northolt from 2 August 1940, and became operational on 31 August. Its initial cadre was 13 Officer and 8 NCO pilots and 135 Polish ground staff. At the outset, serving RAF officers were appointed to serve as CO (S/Ldr RG Kellett) and Flight Commanders (F/Lt JA Kent and F/Lt AS Forbes) alongside the Poles, as the Polish pilots were unfamiliar with RAF Fighter Command language, procedures and training.
The nickname chosen by the squadron was in honour of the famous 18th century Polish-American general Tadeusz Kościuszko. No. 303 Squadron was also linked to the original 1919 Kościuszko Escadrille through personnel that had served in that squadron. Later, further air force units from this unit were renamed the 7th, 121st and 111th Escadrilles of the Polish Air Force.
I can assure you that in my neck of the woods the Poles are recognised and remembered every year without fail, their graves are tended to and their memorials are cleaned every week. My Grandfather flew with a few Poles during the war and could not praise them enough and remained friends and working with them for the rest of his life.
@@georgebarnes8163 it's a shame that the current crop of poles and eastern block's treat us and our country with such distain.
@@johnbeck1978 I have not had any problems with the Poles in my area or the Poles I work with, some of them like to party hard but they also work hard to enjoy themselves. Perhaps you have had a different experience with Poles which is fair enough.
My polish mother in law talks about the 303rd all the time when i visit shes proud of our countries combined efforts.. and tells me the stories of the village living on rashions etc
The way we treated the Poles after the war was disgusting, but we were broke as a country, which is why we are nothing in the world anymore, but we have paid the yanks off for our debt of saving the world, despite a certain Kennedy, and his obvious bias that his family still feel
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"
line above referring to Poles squadron 303 and 302, but English "pride" makes no mention of it.
@@rorzech we do remember the polish mate as well as the other nations. I'm a veteran myself and I know who you are my friend 🇵🇱 🇬🇧
I was just remembering these words as I watched the flighter pilots....🇬🇧
Every program on TV makes mention of them and other nationalities. There have been films and mini-serise about them. Every effing video about the battle has someone like yourself commenting on them. To listen to some Poles you'd think they won it single-handed. Remember, Britain went to war BECAUSE of the invasion of Poland.
Including my father who won the DFC. RIP DAD. He told is he was safe because he had the greatest engine in the world - the Rolls Royce Merlin, which was in the spitfires, hurricanes and later on in the Lancaster bombers. Even the American fighters swapped over to RR Engines. We would never have won without pilots from the commonwealth who came to fight 🇦🇺🇿🇦🇳🇿🇨🇦🙏 and the Polish and Czech pilots. We even had a few American pilots in the Eagle Squadron. 🇺🇲. Thank you for our freedom.
That day changed the course of history I don't think enough people realise the significance of that battle, and we were at breaking point but we didn't break. Some people say that we talk about the war too much but I disagree, we as a people stood as a beacon in a world of darkness, it truly was our Finest Hour .
It is likely that America would have backed away completely if the Battle of Britain had gone awry and then it's German sausages for dinner and goose stepping for the World from then on, another dark age would have descended only more widespread than Europe alone. The Germans would have had atomic weapons at least a year before the US too BTW as they had the materials manufacturing in place and the British had the know how as early as 1899, if Britain had fallen the consequences would have been unimaginable.
@@darthwiizius : Absolutely right, spot on.
@@cuhurun
They also had nerve gas but resisted due to the UK having a massive store of fully weaponised Anthrax in fully deployable form. With atomic weapons nothing would have stopped the genocide.
@@darthwiizius : Yep, again you're quite right. Smacking down those Nazi heavy water plants in Norway was undoubtedly another crucial and much overlooked event in the eventual allied success. Also, thank heavens for the British 'Tube Alloy' scientists who handed everything over, to get 'Manhattan' fully underway.
@@cuhurun
Thank goodness for the Nors, they sunk German Nazi atomic production.
I admire your interest in British tradition. It’s so enviable ♥️
Thank you Gloreeyah, I almost cry for joy that you appreciate this history. My father was a Polish bomber navigator during the war and was lucky enough to survive. The Poles called Britain last chance island. If this battle had been lost who knows how the world would have been today.
Had we been invaded, from where would we plan and assemble the liberation of Europe?
My mother married a Polish gentleman late in life. I had many talks with him. He was parachuted into Arnhem, he said he prayed all the way down, promising to go to church everyday if he survived. He kept that promise. RIP Jan, feel very privelaged to have know you.
@@iriscollins7583 Dear Iris I am glad you got to meet and talk with him. The Polish Independent Parachute Brigade was very frustrated at Arnhem. Their commander General Sosabowski was the only senior commander who predicted it was going to be a disaster. By the time there were enough aircraft and the weather was good enough to drop them, the Germans had captured the landing grounds so some of them were shot out of the air. Then they tried to cross the Rhine at night using rubber boats to try and help the surrounded British paras, but were shot up. It is covered very well in the film a Bridge Too Far, with Sosabowski played by Gene Hackman.
th-cam.com/video/f4BT4S_peV0/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/7RqJGoFljIA/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/Y-ojcFoVfFw/w-d-xo.html
If you ever go to Warsaw, General Sosabowski's uniform is in the Army Museum. Polish paratroopers wore grey berets instead of the British paras dark red colour, but otherwise they used the same type of uniforms and equipment.
Take care
Stephen (in Polish Stefan)
The book is called Last Hope Island. If we had surrendered there wouldn't have been a launching pad for D-day. Would the Americans have crossed 3,000 miles to liberate Europe? Impossible.
De Gaulle told the French people that they had liberated themselves. How come there are war cemeteries across France with thousands of non-French soldiers who died to liberate them and if they liberated themselves, why did it take four years?
@@patryan1375 because the French always lie.
Never ever give the UK any credit ever.
Im British and I take my hat off to the polish for what they did to help
My Nana was sitting in her Anderson shelter with her kids and one neighbour and her kid during an air raid, when someone knocked on the door and Nana went to open it. Her neighbour shouted don't it may be a nazi and my Nana turned and said "do you think the Nazis would bloomin' knock?" before letting another neighbour in. They apparently all had a laugh, but such a scary thought it must have been to sit in the dark with knives (the mums all took the carving knife with them) waiting to hear all clear wondering if a Nazi had parachuted down.
Proud of all that generation, my family all had roles in the war from RAF to Navy and factory work from the women.
So lucky to be British and so lucky to have wonderful videos from Gloreeyah and have her wonderful smile brighten the country each day.
We are a quietly patriotic and passionate nation. For better or worse, we find our strength when we feel "our back's against the wall". For all our faults, we're not bad, especially considering we're a tiny island.✌️🇬🇧❤️🏴
I once heard a comedian say that the brits just like to do things the hard way, and that it is only when we do, that we win
Thank you to you young lady, for the respect and gratitude that you displayed.
As an old army veteran myself, it pleases me.
Thank you for your service sir💐
Best generation this country has ever had
Makes me laugh when i read bollocks like this.
@@eraldorh how is that bolocks everyone is a snowflake now back then noone was crying about the smallet things
@@tb9262 Not everyone is a snowflake altho they are certainly on the rise, unless you are counting yourself among them.
The generation he speaks of led the world into the worst war the world has ever seen so when he says its the greatest generation i dont know what the fuck hes on about.
@@eraldorh You are moaning because nazis were in the generation that was at the time which was the reason why the war started, but he most likely meant that the generation at the time on the allies side would go out to fight not knowing if they would come back alive or not, but do u think that would be the case nowadays if most people are so sensitive that if they are called a name they cry about it people nowadays wouldn't go to war so willingly ur just ignorant
I'd agree with you the generation of the great war was lead like lambs to the slaughter. But the ww2 generation knew what war was about their dads fought one.yet they still went to war.
As an ex-RAF Airman of more modern times, I can tell you this story always makes my heart swell. As tragic as the losses were, the story is of bravery and valour, and the day things really turned away from invasion.
They teach this to new recruits today, the RAF lives in the hope they will never let these men and women down, and so far they continue to uphold their promise.
Thank you for giving this some exposure, many won’t realise how different things could have been had it not been for our invention of the first Air Traffic Control system, using Radar to see the threat early, and of course the many that played their part on the ground and in the air, from many nations, not just the UK.
Love all your videos, but especially this one ❤️🇬🇧
Thank you, for your service sir!! 👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Thank you for your incredible service 💐
Here from your also amazing reaction to “The British Crusade Against Slavery” a great one too! You are wonderful thank you!!! 🙏🏼
I watched a documentary about the battle of Britain a little while ago and one thing struck me. A pilot’s young wife after he was killed sowed his wings into the lapel of her coat, the inside next her heart and had done so since he was killed. The programme was probably made early 2000 and she was still keeping them like that next to her heart. Moving stuff and wonderful to see a young person take time to learn and understand and empathise with her forbears.
Still gives me the chills when I watch it😂 Great reaction! Glad you liked it
The western world was built and kept by great men. We stand on the shoulders of giants.
Gloreeyah Onuh, you are already a great credit to your parents and yourself, you will soon become a great credit to this country, welcome!!!
This didn't mention the Polish (& Czech) fighter pilots of the RAF (302 & 303 squadrons). They were "crazy" but incredibly brave. Quote, "Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry," wrote Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, head of RAF Fighter Command, "I hesitate to say that the outcome of the Battle (of Britain) would have been the same."
Great shame some "British" (don't have the right to call themselves that), are anti Eastern European, yet their forefathers saved this country.
Thanks for the reaction 🇬🇧.
Spot On. Many of the Poles remained after WW2 those that returned were killed by the soviets as potential spies. They fitted in fine and caused no social problems whatsoever. Unlike some that have arrived since
Why are we expected to tip our cap to someone else all the time? Are you people determined to never let us have any story where we are the main participants? Why do you insist on elbowing-in on everything?
@@gammonsandwich1756 "Flying Hawker Hurricanes, the squadron claimed the largest number of aircraft shot down of the 66 Allied fighter squadrons engaged in the Battle of Britain, even though it joined the fray two months after the battle had begun" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._303_Squadron_RAF
Plus South Africa rhodesia Canada west Indian an Israeli pilots also great video....
You're completely over reacting. This is one documentary amoungst many on this battle. There are monuments to those such as the Poles who fought, the film the Battle of Britian, where the footage in this video mostly comes from, famously covers the Poles and Czechs. And what about all the other nationalities? Does it mention any of those? I notice you didn't. In fact, does it mention ANY nationality? English, Scotish, Welsh, Irish, Canadian, South African, New Zealand, Belgium, Australian, French, American, even Jamaican.
Anyone who thinks the Poles and Czechs are somehow forgotten are being woefully ignorant and are poorly educated.
I know people born here who dont know or are not interested in how people died for our freedom i think about it everyday almost so i think it is lovely to see you taking interest in our history much love and stay safe!
Gloreeyah. You make me so proud to be British, and so proud that you are one of us. May you be many times blessed.
Thank you for your kind words. I’m still recovering from watching the documentary. What a time to be alive then. You must be so proud x
@@GloreeyahOnuh My parents lived and worked through it. They were very young - my mother just a girl, but they did what they had to do. You take care, xx.
@@GloreeyahOnuhThank YOU. You're a true Brit who recognises the importance of our shared history.
Great video, Gloreeyah. We need more people like you in our country.
I have a great DVD called "Finest Hour". It's not about the Battle of Britain but about the finest hour of service people, ambulance, Fireman etc. There is one very moving story and interview of Edith Heap (later Edith Cup). She was a WAAF plotter and the fiancee of Hurricane Pilot Dennis Wissler. The plotters could hear the battles and chatter going on over the internal Tannoys. On this certain day when she was plotting a large raid which she knew Dennis was involved in and also knew he was "blue two", she actually heard over the Tannoy that "Blue two" was hit and going down in flames. It was over the channel and his body was never found. The interview with Edith was so moving and she cried saying that although she eventually married, she never got over losing Dennis. She said "Even if I had been married to him for a day, I t would have been better. I was desperate to marry Dennis."
Never underestimate us brits ✊
Especially when you set your terror alert to slightly miffed lol
@@glenchapman3899 we are notorious for down playing many things. Slightly miffed is a step down from truly irked.
Lol it would be different if britain shared land with france lol😅😅😅😅
Gloreeyah thank you for putting this together. I’m sure your citizenship went through okay and I warmly welcome you. I get quite choked up thinking about those days and the desperate fight that went on in the skies right over my little house and garden on the south coast, between Portsmouth and Weymouth. We marked the anniversary in September 2020 sitting in our garden under an immaculate blue sky……not saying very much at all. Thanks again and best wishes
It not only saved Britain but the whole World
Thank you so much for for living in Britain. We are lucky to have you here.
How are we lucky to have her? I'm not saying she a bad person because she actually seems to like the country but a lot of them don't.
@UCcTowJV60YU1UMaGxLCmHnA ouch 😂 what have you ever done for this Country lad? I was in op Telic 1 as part of 12 L.S.R in with the R.L.C so at least I fought for the Country Hitler or not TRIGGGGGGGGERD.
@@shanehitler2343
"but a lot of them don't."
THAT is the point, Shane !
THIS Lady ain't one of THEM (whom I love as much as you obviously do).
Ultimately - IMHO - it ALL boils down to ATTITUDE. Personally, I detest Islam, but I'd FAR rather have as a friend a Black Muslim who LOVED and RESPECTED the traditions of this country than a White Christian/Atheist who hates/despises/devalues both.
Which, I think, is the point YOU are making...............................yes ?
Wow, I shivered when he said "the bomb was so close that we didnt hear the bomb but we heard the blast"💔
Excellent. Really enjoyed this. Thank you to all the marines and sailors for their service.
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed watching 😊
My Grandmother worked in a local factory making parts for Rolls Royce Aero engines. My Grandfather was only allowed to join `Dads Army` the Home Guard as he`d lost a lung to TB in childhood. He was on duty when the Germans bombed the centre out of Coventry.
I live in Kent on the coast I’m lucky to have the Battle of Britain memorial and museum down the road but I also have above my bed a print of Douglas Barders squadron named barders bus company also signed by some of the pilots who flew with him
@shifty389 That's cool! I have a lovely print signed by Robert Stanford Tuck. Also.....being picky...but it's Bader, not Barder.
Much is made of the brave young men in their spitfires (rightly so) but the hurricane was actually more in number and the women of the WAAF were integral in our victory! All of them hero’s/heroines!
I love your reaction videos, it has a nice homely vibe like we're all watching the documentary together.
Thank you ☺️
Britain is a great nation
It's a shame the tories are so useless
No it was until Toni Blair enriched the country, these old people speaking now probably couldn't walk down the streets in most of London with out getting abuse or robbed
@@shanehitler2343 B-liar the war criminal should be in jail for crimes against Humanity! He lied to his Public, nation & the World, to make war on Iraq, ultimately murdering 1 to 2 million innocent iraqi civilians! He also is against the UK Public, in trying to overturn the Brexit that the People voted for, in a Democratic referendum! The man works & is paid by the globalist elites & has no morals or Human decency! 🇬🇧
@@shanehitler2343 .
Don't be so silly.
@@Paul-hl8yg I know mate I was part of the invasion of Iraq in Op Telic 1, you're right he is still shouting he's mouth off now about Brexit. There's one good thing that came out he's government, I don't think many white working class voters will vote Labour for a good while, well that is until we become the minority in the UK.
One of my uncles flew a Hawker Hurricane during the Battle of Britain. He lived through the war, and ended his career flying Spitfires out of Malta during the 1950's. He still used Brycreem on his hair until the day he died, much to my dad's (A man who served over 30 years in the British Army from 1939 until 1970) and his other brother's amusement :-) His wife flew fighter/bomber supply from the South of England up to Scotland during the Second World War, which is how they met :-) I miss the stories I grew up hearing from my dad and his brothers, who made their heroism sound so ordinary and everyday, yet remarkable when you looked at what they lived through on a daily basis, facing death at every instant.
My mum was a little girl during the Blitz. My grandmother, and the three children, would go to sleep under the kitchen table, fully dressed, at night, in case they were bombed and had to escape - my grandmother would keep the family photo album and ration books with her. (Their weekly rations were about what we would have for one meal now.) My mum never forgot seeing the sky on fire, and to the end of her life, would turn pale if she heard the air-raid siren, on films.
My dad and his brother were in the RAF and I am so proud to be able to say that. Unfortunately his brother was never heard from again after one raid.. Then my father helped in the design Of aircraft. Meanwhile my mum worked In the war office. We were determined to win. And that's why I think the USA '& the UK get on so well. We will never surrender & we will defend our homes to keep free. And we will remember them. 💕
I am 67 years old and I grew up hearing my grandparents and parents talk about their lives during the Second World War.
We lived in a house in Catford, South East London. German bombs did fall nearby and one destroyed two roads of houses about a quarter of a mile away.
My dad was in the pioneer corps and told me he used to dig up unexploded bombs in central London. My mum worked in an engineering factory in Kings Cross, making release mechanisms for airman’s parachutes.
My grandad was a policeman in Lewisham, and he used to talk of a shelter in Lewisham that took a direct hit and over 60 people died.
My Nan told me of the day she waved at a low flying aeroplane that flew over our back garden. She thought it was an RAF plane, but it was not. It flew on and dropped a 300lb bomb on a school just up the road; lots of primary age children and teachers died, and my grandad was called with other emergency personnel to pull the dead and injured out of the rubble. He injured his back and had to leave the police after this.
These stories of ordinary people are in danger of becoming lost to modern generations.
All heroes.
These are the stories that bind us and should never be forgotten x
I really appreciate you taking your time to learn about our History and what the Men and Women went through at that time, it was touching to to watch. Believe me when I say you have done more to learn more about it than a lot of people who were born here have done.
All the best.
I had never seen this. It’s remarkable. Amazing, thought provoking and informative. Thank you.
Thank you for letting the documentary roll. No interruptions for effect or needless comments. Well done you xxx.
the germans are coming!!
Britan : Right lads put the kettle on
;)
always time for a cuppa before it all kicks off!
People think its a joke, but 7th armour group (desert rats) in North Africa would stop mid battle to brew up tea . If your tank was knocked out you put a brew on . Almost the whole of the desert army group rebelled when the quartermaster informed command there there was only 3 days worth of tea left in North Africa .
with all that is happening now, my Grandparents i remember their stories of what my granddad told about the war. as a kid i was amazed at his stories and his passion for building model steams trains. no matter what view people have, people are forgetting the actual history and not many left to storytell those stories
Incredible to think that day changed the course of WWII forever as Germany seeing that Britain was a formidable force to be reckoned with, it turned its attention to Russia and the rest is history. What amazes me is that we as Britons didn't bask in the glory and rest on our laurels, no those fine men (and ground-women) went head-on into the hellmouth of mainland Europe to stop the tyranny for a further 17 months until our pleas of help were finally answered from our American allies as they began coming over in February 1942. I have nothing but pure admiration for all those men and women who fought for freedom and liberty. We should *never* forget.
That day in September was the culmination of weeks of battle in the air. It started in July. One day in august was called Adler Tag, or Eagle Day. My father never talked about it until a long time after the war. He only said once "i didn't make friends."
You don't say a lot when watching this... til you said you were proud at the end. Well good for you. I'm proud of them and I'm not even British. May God bless you.
For a topic I don’t really know a great deal about, I think it’s distracting to make unnecessary chatter. I think a lot of people confuse reaction videos to always having to saying something even if it’s very insignificant. Showing emotions are reactions, after all actions speak louder than words😊they say. Thank you for watching, I appreciate. God bless you too😊
My mother was one of the (very) small children who watched the proceedings from Kent, but she also saw a lot of the action with bombing in London. It's a formative experience that some countries in the world are still having, courtesy of different aggressors.
The RAF pilots would be up before dawn and would only be stood down after dark. Many would be on a 'sortie' six or seven times a day. They were mentally have physically exhausted. Churchill as usual put it so well with his ' So many to so few'
It was even worse for the young German pilots. Their story is even more fascinating and heart breaking, but all you ever hear is about the "few"
@@HO-bndk They were the ones dropping the Bombs on innocent civilians. Sorry. Mindsets are different when you are are the ones being attacked. I'm sure the feelings were the same with the other side. Who started the war, who were the aggressors.Why was it worse? Their wives, children, parents, weren't being bombed at the time, were they?They didn't even have rationing,.
My parents lived through this (Dad was 13, Mum was 11 in September 1940) and told me about it when I was young. They lived in the east of London only 5 miles from the London docks, which was a target for the Luftwaffe. They spent a lot of that summer in air raid shelters so they didn't see the fighting. But they did see the aftermath, the bombed buildings, the fires and sometimes the dead and wounded.
22:33: Peter Brothers shot down 10 German aircraft during the Battle of Britain period (July to September 1940). He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross two days before the air battle of 15th September.
I love how you dont try to make these videos about you, but more about the content.. i also love how passionately you, without saying a word can emphasis on all sides just by the look on your face at the lose of life.. Britain by no means in the grand scheme of things is perfect. We conquered many ppls lands. Done many of wrongs. But this, this was our finest hour we stood & said we will never surrender... This was when the empire said we can no longer claim to be the "good guys" whilst for hundreds of years taking ppls lands.. The ppl of the empire would also not stand for it either. Quite rightly so.. But by god am i glad those brave few protected us. Only thing i would like to add is the 303 302 Polish squadron they were something else i dont think they got a mention.. 16 polish squadrons in total..
Thank you for your feedback, It means a lot. I try not to make my reaction videos about me, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from them. It’s such a great documentary and I hope somewhere somehow the Polish Squadrons got the recognition they deserved. We live free today thanks to all who fought for us.
Not just the Poles, more than 1 in 6 of the RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain were not native British. It's also rather gingoistic to say Britain stood alone; it was the front line but had a whole empire and hundreds of thousands from the occupied countries backing it up.
Still our finest hour.
Dowding eventually said we could not have won the Battle of Britain without the Poles even though he was against them being involved.
However, the documentary is flawed, Sealion could never have suceeded without the denial of the channel to the English fleet which was without doubt enough to stop any invasion.
There are myths aplenty about Sealion and the invasion of the British Isles, most of which have been debunked over the years.
Not to take anything from those brave men and women who lost their lives both in the air and on the ground during the Battle of Britain, but if you actually research the history Germany was never going to be able to invade the UK as long as the navy existed.
Even Georing knew that complete air superiority was impossible over the channel.
The British however used the Battle of Britain as a major propaganda tool to bring the USA into the war.
Life is usually a lot more complex than we like to view it, in this case, the actions of the RAF did save Britain and Europe from German hegemony, but we were never actually at risk of invasion.
@@raven1x419
If the RAF had been severely defeated in the air Sealion may have been practical. Even the might of the RN would have struggled to close the channel against Luftwaffe air superiority. You just need to look at the fate of the British Pacific fleet in 41/42 and the loses at Crete to see how vulnerable to air attack the navy were.
@@raven1x419 Hitler was obsessed with attacking the Soviet Union he was focused on Barbarossa not Sealion. Only the BEF was left to defend the UK who left most of their equipment at Dunkirk. Most of the British Troops were in the Empire Countries India etc. Hitler expected the UK to settle for peace terms after Dunkirk
Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about our people and our history. We need more citizens than you. X
Thanks for reacting to this...much love 👍 the British history
Both my Grandfathers did their bit, not by being in the military but by one being an Air Raid Warden. He couldn't be be in the military because he lost a finger in a sawmill during the 1930s. The other one had a lung disease (which eventually killed him)that rulled him out. So his contribution building Anderson Shelters.
But my mums cousin Cliff was Tailend Charlie in the back of a Wellington Bomber.
I love your emotional responses.
Thanks for the reference to the Squadron 303. You might also find it interesting to learn about the female pilots at ATA - Air Transport Auxiliary. They had 200 female pilots who were busy flying new aircrafts from factories to combat air bases. One female pilot flew the first British jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor, in 1945
I read of the ATA here on you tube, some years ago, and as great supporter of women, recommend it. It was amusing as well as informative.
My mother would take her dogs for walks during air raids, she was claustrophobic. My mum and dad ran pubs during the war, mum also trained greyhounds and dad joined the Navy. My parents were married nearly 20 years before I came along. I can remember asking my dad what ships was he in and he would say rowing boats. Took him quite a few years after the war to talk about it. Their pub was also flattened not by a direct hit but hitting a house a few yards away. Mum would tell me about doodlebugs and how some pilots in their planes would tip the doodlebugs small wings and bring them down. Mum said you could hear the doodlebugs but when their engines cut out they would come down within a radius of 5 miles. The V2 you couldn't hear it would just crash, all you knew would be the house was gone.
My grandad Aaron was in the home guard. When he was 17 he went down to London with Mr Bateman of Batemans Breweries who paid for his ticket, to join the Royal Air Force. He was sent home as he had had a motor bike accident previous that had damaged his ankle and they sent him home. If not for that, he would have been one of those young heroes. He instead joined the home guard and defended the east coast of Britain in case of a German invasion. The dad's army so to speak. They were all heroes then. And both my nan and grandad were heroes to me. Always and forever. Lest we forget!!!!
It's great that an African is interested in British history, many thanks for the video
Britain is very great special country,,,it's not something we are taught in schools,, you just eventually realise. I was born in Duke Street Glasgow.
Thanks for sharing this video it was very inspirational. I really enjoyed this one new subscriber here!
13 hours that saved Britain. And Europe. And the world.
Absolutely
@Thomas Daley Have you taken your meds this morning?
Your reaction to this documentary is very gratifying. I have been fascinated with the Battle of Britain all my life. A fascinating subject, a story of sheer determination and courage by an entire nation. I am so proud of the achievements of the ordinary people that stood up to Hitler and said "No".
Thank-you for your honest and heartfelt reaction, from a British-born Canadian.
Any Americans watching please note this was done without your involvement.
Good one Gloreeyah, the average age of the pilots in The Battle of Britain was just 22 years of age.!!
"Heroes of Biggin Hill" is another good video here on TH-cam. Interviews with pilots, civilians and many others who were involved in the Battle of Britain. Also "Jimmy Corbin" who was one of the pilots in the book "Ten fighter boys."
Dave.
its a very moving program, one that Ive watched a few times but my first watching a reation video. As a Brit I'm glad some have not forgotten this mammoth struggle not really that long ago. The reaction and comments from those of all nations are touching and its also a tribute to those of the other allies, Poland, France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Denmark and the nations of the Commonwealth that joined the RAF to fight for freedom. Later our brothers across the pond would join the fight. In a time when its not 'the thing' to wave national flags its still important to remember these heros that fought for us, some making the ultimate sacrifice!
NOT "for us" but "against nazism".... The UK kept the flame of democracy burning when it had been extinguished everywhere else in Europe, and the US and USSR were happy to conduct business with nazism undeterred.
Unfortuantely nowadays the evils and corruption of corporate globalism has shit all over the flame of democracy across the world.
My Mum worked at Nuffields fitting the machine guns to the Spitfires as well as being an ARP Warden.
Thanks for watching with us today. This was such an exciting, proud moment in British history!
I remember my Late Father telling me about sitting in an Anderson Shelter as a young boy, for some reason I thought that the shelter would have saved him if a bomb landed on it but when I asked my Father about the shelter he said it would never be able to withstand a direct hit , not sure why I thought it would have. I think someone close to their home wasn't so lucky and received a direct hit , many did sadly.
just subscribed young lady.. can i just say what a pleasure it was watching your reaction.. no pausing no chatting through the vid.. lovely..
Thank you for your kind words 😊
@@GloreeyahOnuh aww your welcome darling ... thank you for your vids..
This is very interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing dear
That was terrible explosive there and great history tho.. Learnt thanks for sharing
We still get Spitfires flying overhead in Dover 3-4 times a week, normally on their own but occasionally in pairs. There is something comforting hearing those Merlin engines.
The history of the world wars is amazing and encouraging how so many men, women and children live through this with the attitude we will get through this we WONT be defeated and we will pull together I think it’s the 1st time in the worlds history everyone came together to stand as one against a murderous dictator
Great stuff again. Love the channel 👍
This is so heartbreaking to watch
waoooo i watched with fear that explosion got me terrified, My God! There's nothing as bad as war
This was kinda sad...let's hope a tragedy like this never happens again 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
You can't be serious? With groups like BLM and other far left loonies this country and slot of the West will be in civil war within 15 years
God bless you love for taking the time to learn
If you haven't seen it already, you may enjoy TH-camr Mark Feltons documentary on the Battle of Bamber Bridge. It's about an army battilion of Black Americans (segregated at that time) in the UK preparing for D-Day, and how the villagers of Bamber Bridge hosting them refused to put up with Americas racism towards them.
Hi I have reacted to that on my channel. Thank you for suggesting it tho. Glad I got to watch it
You may find violet szabos story interesting she was a shop worker whos french husband was.fighting in North Africa was killed to exact revenge she joined SO E eventually captured.and shot at a concentration camp
What a great video!....thank you so much!
Interesting facts....this footage is amazing. Thanks for sharing sis x :)
I have to say that i came across this channel by accident, im really glad i did. You seem a lovely young Lady and i wish for you that you will be happy and thrive in this new home you have made. God bless..
Thank you 😊
Many of the pilots were 19 or 20 years old, which meant that they could fly a fighter or a 4 engine bomber, but they weren't old enough to drive a car.
But you can drive a car at 17, perhaps more interesting is that tests were suspended during the war years ...
@@andyxox4168 You had to 21 in England in the 1930s.
@@jonmac3995 MOTOR-DRIVING LICENCES (AGE QUALIFICATION).
HC Deb 08 May 1940 vol 360 c1211 1211
§28. Mr. Magnay asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to ensure that the lowest age for the holding of motor-driving licences be reduced for the duration of the war from 17 to 16, subject, of course, to the passing of a driving test and to physical fitness?
§Captain Wallace I do not think that in present circumstances it would be in the public interest to reduce the minimum age for the driving of motor vehicles.
§Mr. Magnay Has the Minister forgotten that, in the last war, young men were not called up for two years, which was quite different from the present position?
§Captain Wallace I do not think there is any reason to suppose at the present moment that the shortage of drivers is so great that it is necessary to repeat the experiment of the last war. I think the House will agree that there are certain road safety considerations which make it inadvisable to employ persons under 17 as drivers unless we have to.
one of the witnesses shown was Dame Vera Linn who increased the public morale by singing on the radio she was famous during the war and many years after. she also travelled out with themiletry to put on shows for the troops
Did you know this???
Total maintenance costs of the Polish Air Force in 1939-1945.
Funds allocated by His Majesty's Government to the Polish Government as a loan of £ 9,606,000 Funds intended for: airplanes, engines, equipment, materials for operational flights and training, food, uniforms, accommodation, fuel, light, transport, medical assistance, materials for maintenance and maintenance aircraft, including fuel, bombs, ammunition, explosives. Use of airport installations such as hangars, workshops, offices etc. until December 31, 1945 £ 90,044,000
Total £ 107,650,000.
Everything was covered from the reserves of Polish gold deposited in Canada.
We we had to pay for defending UK not only with our lives but also with hard currency.
So much whinging in these threads about Poles having to pay for the weapons & supplies etc they received from Britain during WW2. The Polish government in exile AGREED in April 1940 to pay for its ALL its equpiment & supplies provided by Britain in EXACTLY the same way that Britain repaid TEN OF BILLIONS of dollars to the US for equipment and services it supplied to us during WW2, and which we only finished repaying in 2006. Is modern day Poland a country of freeloaders?
Working in saltcoats Town Scotland,,, someone told me their great aunt and uncle saw Rudolf Hesse's plane above saltcoats/ Stevenson town as he drifted off course just before he u turned to crashlanded at eaglesham!!!
Great reaction ! Hello from Anglesey north wales 🏴🏴🏴🏴
Thank you for amazing Vid, so demonstrated how close we were to living in a tyranny.
I hope u got your citizenship granted and will have a happy and wonderful life here. Stuart F-H
This is why we must NEVER forget those that served or those at home that braved this awful situation in any way. My own Mother was growing up as a teenage girl in the East End of London during the war. She was bombed out of the houses they lived in three times in Stratford, E15. The sound of the air raid sirens haunted her for the rest of her life. We owe it to those in uniform from whatever Allied country they were from and also those that took civilian jobs for the war effort a great debt of gratitude.
Interesting - thanks for that, Mate !
MY Mum - a young lass who'd just got married (to her first husabnd), had been drinking in an East End pub in 1944, and left only a few minutes before a Doodlebug fell on it, killing everyone. Life in those days was rather unpredictable - but Ma would have LAUGHED at all the current panic over a Corona 'bug' !! Frankly, I think we've gone rather soft since the end of WW2 (just a personal view).
@@marvinc9994 You're certainly right about your last part and especially since the time they stopped National Service. Nowadays there's no discipline and it's all want want want !!
Respect for our fearless heroes
You are a very intelegint lady who takes the time and effort to learn about the history of great britain thank you.
I love your reaction videos. Lemme grab my drink💃💃
It was not just 13 hours, it went on for about 57 days and not just London.My hometown of Southampton was destoyed as many other cities. This was also north. My dad as a kid watched the Ariel fights in Newcastle.