June 23, 2013

Finest Hour 137, Winter 2007-08

Page 46

Churchill Proceedings – The Summer of 1940

Proceedings of the 2007 Vancouver Conference, on “Churchill and the Pacific War,” continue next issue.

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Battle of Britain memorial service, 16 September 2007. by Martin Cronin

Growing up in Great Britain, there are few stories as iconic as that of “The Few”— Churchill’s term for the pilots who stood between a rampant, all-conquering Nazi Germany and the invasion of the United Kingdom. The Battle of Britain is for the people of our island one of those nation-shaping events that acquired legendary status and defined the national consciousness. The carefully chosen words of the Prime Minister who rallied the nation in her “darkest hour” have themselves become legends of oratory.

Sadly we live in frightening and uncertain times today, with the relentless threat of terrorism, but we can draw inspiration from the summer of 1940. Then, with Hitler victorious on mainland Europe, the people of Britain waited for the expected invasion.

Hitler hoped for a negotiated agreement, where Britain’s Empire and sea power would be left intact while Germany was allowed to dominate mainland Europe. He hoped, in effect, that the people of Britain might say “this is not our fight,” and walk away. He underestimated, of course, the steadfast nature of the British people in adversity and their willingness to face up to a threat, rather than simply postponing it. Terms were rejected out of hand and Churchill warned: “The whole fury and might of the enemy must soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war.” In doing so, he braced the people of London for the difficult task that would be “their finest hour,” a task that in the space of a few months, took the lives of over 27,000 civilians and 498 pilots.

But Britain was not alone. Our Canadian friends were by our side. In the summer of 1940 British land forces, having evacuated from Dunkirk, were unready to face invasion, and the First Canadian Division was a vitally important part of our defences. Before Hitler could risk exposing an invasion force to the might of the Royal Navy, he needed air superiority, and in the air, again, the Royal Air Force was not alone. The 2440 British pilots of fighter, bomber and coastal commands were joined by 510 overseas pilots, including 300 Canadians as well as Australians, Americans, New Zealanders, South Africans, French, Czechs and Poles.

For Canada, the leadership provided by these pilots, experienced in air combat, was critical to the development of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Battle of Britain was the first occasion that Canadian airmen flew in Canadian units in a sustained battle. The brave men of No. 1 and No. 242 Squadrons, among others, excelled themselves in Britain’s time of need.

In May 1940, the German High Command’s battle plan envisaged four days to defeat the RAF’s Fighter Command in Southern England, given their three to one numerical superiority of aircraft. Four months later, having lost over 2600 aircraft, Hitler postponed the invasion plan indefinitely. It was the first military defeat of the Third Reich and a blow from which their air force never recovered.

The survival of Britain was also, of course, critical to the future course of the war. Alongside the defeat of the German Africa Corps by the British at Alamein, the American defeat of the Japanese Navy at Midway, and the Russian defeat of the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, the tide turned and the stage was set for ultimate victory.

A key component of the German tactics from September 1940 was to try to terrorise the people of Britain into submission with the mass bombing of London and other cities. In all, 18,000 tons of high explosive were dropped on England during the eight months of the Blitz. Over 18,000 men, 16,000 women, and 5,000 children were killed. There are those today who believe that they can bomb their way to victory, whatever that may be for them, through indiscriminate terror in the streets of London, New York, Washington, Bali, Baghdad, Kabul or Toronto. Once again, they have underestimated our determination and as friends and allies, united in our resolve, we will prevail.

September 15 th is celebrated in the United Kingdom as Battle of Britain Day. A day of celebration and remembrance. A day to thank those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, a day for the people of Britain to thank our Canadian and other friends who stood by our side, and a day to inspire us as we face the threats of today.