The Battle of Britain is once again high profile. The 70th anniversary is being celebrated with as much enthusiasm as the 60th. The more time passes since the summer of 1940, the more fervently it is recalled as a moment of British (though often presented as English) triumph in defence of that intangible ‘way of life' that democracies continue to boast about. It is a history boiled down to a modern-day David and Goliath story, a plucky few against the evil many.
No one doubts that this was a contest that needed to be fought and it is not mere myth that continued British (and British Commonwealth and Empire) resistance was the one way of confounding Axis domination of Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa. But the celebration of the ‘Few' as airborne knights errant holding back the tide of German frightfulness masks many historical truths which put the battle into a rather different perspective. Not the least is the fact that Britain was not a defenceless maiden in 1940 following the defeat of France. The concentration on the air battles that took place over ‘Hell's Corner' in southern England in the summer and autumn of 1940 ignores the reality of broader British strength. Britain was the heart of a large, belligerent empire which was mobilising rapidly in 1940 to confront the Axis threat. The support of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India and a string of colonies and protectorates made the Empire a formidable foe. Fighter Command itself was a multinational force with crew from Europe, the Empire and the then neutral United States.
Read Full Article »