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80 years ago


3fingersreid

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Today 

1940 Battle of Britain Day: climax of the Battle of Britain, tide begins to turn as the Royal Air Force repulses a major Luftwaffe attack, losing 29 aircraft to the Germans' 57-61. 
 

surely merited a mention on the news 🤔
 

Anyway , thank you to the brave men and women who took part , lest we forget . 

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6 minutes ago, 3fingersreid said:

Today 

1940 Battle of Britain Day: climax of the Battle of Britain, tide begins to turn as the Royal Air Force repulses a major Luftwaffe attack, losing 29 aircraft to the Germans' 57-61. 
 

surely merited a mention on the news 🤔
 

Anyway , thank you to the brave men and women who took part , lest we forget . 

 

Absolutely.  There were several pivotal battles in WWII, but none where the consequences were as clear cut as the Battle of Britain.  If the RAF had lost the battle, the world today would be an entirely different place.

 

Special nod to the non-British pilots who comprised about 20% of the total number in the RAF.  Highest number of these was the Poles.

 

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12 minutes ago, 3fingersreid said:

Today 

1940 Battle of Britain Day: climax of the Battle of Britain, tide begins to turn as the Royal Air Force repulses a major Luftwaffe attack, losing 29 aircraft to the Germans' 57-61. 
 

surely merited a mention on the news 🤔
 

Anyway , thank you to the brave men and women who took part , lest we forget . 

I don't know what news you listen to or watch but it was all over the radio this morning. 

 

 

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Just now, I P Knightley said:

I don't know what news you listen to or watch but it was all over the radio this morning. 

 

 

 

And breakfast TV as well.

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1 minute ago, I P Knightley said:

I don't know what news you listen to or watch but it was all over the radio this morning. 

 

 

Forth 2 afternoon news , fair enough of it was mentioned elsewhere 👍🏻

 

6 minutes ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

Absolutely.  There were several pivotal battles in WWII, but none where the consequences were as clear cut as the Battle of Britain.  If the RAF had lost the battle, the world today would be an entirely different place.

 

Special nod to the non-British pilots who comprised about 20% of the total number in the RAF.  Highest number of these was the Poles.

 

Years ago I used to have the pleasure of picking up a wee old lady called Margaret Mazcek ( sp) now sadly passed away , her dad was one of the most decorated Polish pilots in WW2 , I’m sure he has a plaque naming his actions on a wall somewhere in Marchmont ? 

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2 minutes ago, 3fingersreid said:

Years ago I used to have the pleasure of picking up a wee old lady called Margaret Mazcek ( sp) now sadly passed away , her dad was one of the most decorated Polish pilots in WW2 , I’m sure he has a plaque naming his actions on a wall somewhere in Marchmont ? 

 

He wasn't a pilot, but is this your guy?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanisław_Maczek

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4 minutes ago, Maple Leaf said:

Special nod to the non-British pilots who comprised about 20% of the total number in the RAF.  Highest number of these was the Poles.

I'm full of admiration of these guys. There was a handful of them in my neighbourhood growing up and, as a West Londoner these days, I regularly go past the Polish War memorial in Northolt/Ruislip. 

It's disgraceful how some meat-heads treat them as second class citizens while trumpeting the 'two world wars, one world cup' mentality. 

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7 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

He wasn't a pilot, but is this your guy?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanisław_Maczek

It’s got to be , especially when I see his picture , despite his daughters severe disabilities she was his double . I was told he was a pilot , having a mare with my info on this 🙈🙈😂😂

cheers for the link though 👍🏻

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Just now, 3fingersreid said:

It’s got to be , especially when I see his picture , despite his daughters severe disabilities she was his double . I was told he was a pilot , having a mare with my info on this 🙈🙈😂😂

cheers for the link though 👍🏻

 

No, it was excellent that you mentioned the guy. He led an extremely interesting life. Shameful however that the UK government didn't give him a general's pension and it was left to the Dutch government to secretly give him some measure of a pension.

 

A nice touch that his surname in Polish means "poppy". :)

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Willie Hamilton genius
28 minutes ago, 3fingersreid said:

Forth 2 afternoon news , fair enough of it was mentioned elsewhere 👍🏻

 

Years ago I used to have the pleasure of picking up a wee old lady called Margaret Mazcek ( sp) now sadly passed away , her dad was one of the most decorated Polish pilots in WW2 , I’m sure he has a plaque naming his actions on a wall somewhere in Marchmont ? 

Plaque is in Arden Street i think.

The General was a great guy, and not bitter despite being treated like crap by British establishment

If you guys don't know about it, you should visit the Polish map of Scotland at Barony House Eddleston

It's dedicated to Mazcek and is something to behold

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11 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

No, it was excellent that you mentioned the guy. He led an extremely interesting life. Shameful however that the UK government didn't give him a general's pension and it was left to the Dutch government to secretly give him some measure of a pension.

 

A nice touch that his surname in Polish means "poppy". :)

Not the first and won’t be the last time good people like himself are mistreated 😡

His daughter had to use a computer to speak to you such was her illness but what a brilliant sense of humour that wee woman had , never absolutely never moaned  about anything 

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21 minutes ago, Willie Hamilton genius said:

Plaque is in Arden Street i think.

The General was a great guy, and not bitter despite being treated like crap by British establishment

If you guys don't know about it, you should visit the Polish map of Scotland at Barony House Eddleston

It's dedicated to Mazcek and is something to behold

 

:thumb:

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1 hour ago, Willie Hamilton genius said:

Plaque is in Arden Street i think.

The General was a great guy, and not bitter despite being treated like crap by British establishment

If you guys don't know about it, you should visit the Polish map of Scotland at Barony House Eddleston

It's dedicated to Mazcek and is something to behold

👍🏻👍🏻

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My memory of the Polish during and after the war was that they were not popular with the Edinburgh people. I guess it may have had something to do with the numbers that arrived as the fled what they could see coming in Poland. Of course there was the blinkered view of why are the lassies going  out with them they are here and our boys are away fighting the Germans. The aluminum factory in Kinlochleven was another source of pseudo racism, damn D.P.s a common term. Fortunately as time progressed understanding  cured the problems and as in the war years the Polish were seen to be very intelligent, industrious and just good all round people.

 

Of course if you weren't from Edinburgh or at least Scotland in my childhood days, you weren't worth speaking to,of or about .

 

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1 hour ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

Absolutely.  There were several pivotal battles in WWII, but none where the consequences were as clear cut as the Battle of Britain.  If the RAF had lost the battle, the world today would be an entirely different place.

 

Special nod to the non-British pilots who comprised about 20% of the total number in the RAF.  Highest number of these was the Poles.

 

Was there not alot of Americans (Pre entry to war) and Canadians, who flew in the battle of Britain, too?

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1 hour ago, Willie Hamilton genius said:

Plaque is in Arden Street i think.

The General was a great guy, and not bitter despite being treated like crap by British establishment

If you guys don't know about it, you should visit the Polish map of Scotland at Barony House Eddleston

It's dedicated to Mazcek and is something to behold

 

Visited that just a few weeks ago, we had lunch at the Barony Castle Hotel and afterwards I visited the map.

 

There used to be an old Pole who lived right across from me.

The usual story, fled Poland at the start of the war, made his way to the UK, joined the Polish Army, very badly injured at Monte Casino, shipped back to the UK, spent time in a hospital in Peebles, after the war stayed in Scotland as he hated the Russians more than he hated the Germans, met a local girl, settled in Innerleithen where several other Poles had settled after the war. 

He left Poland in 1939 and didn't set foot on Polish soil until about 1992/3 after the Russians had left, one year he went to Poland the next some of his family came here.  Must be 15+ years since he died.

 

Top tip, never try matching the Poles drink for drink when they get the vodka out, I made that mistake once, never again :laugh:

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23 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Was there not alot of Americans (Pre entry to war) and Canadians, who flew in the battle of Britain, too?

 

Yes, there were over 500 foreign pilots in total.  iirc, there were about 15 different countries represented.  They consisted of, in order, Poles (140), Kiwis (130), Canadians (115), Czechs (85).  As you point out, there were also Americans (10).

 

They all flew as members of the RAF, and their contribution was vital to the RAF's ultimate victory.

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1 hour ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

Yes, there were over 500 foreign pilots in total.  iirc, there were about 15 different countries represented.  They consisted of, in order, Poles (140), Kiwis (130), Canadians (115), Czechs (85).  As you point out, there were also Americans (10).

 

They all flew as members of the RAF, and their contribution was vital to the RAF's ultimate victory.

👍

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My dads mate was a spitfire pilot during the war , just a normal guy from porty.Rose to the rank of air commodore i think Jimmy Rankin was his name , think there was a portrait of him in the old British legion in portobello 

My dad always told me he was a real hero had great respect for him 

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Just now, Seaside jambo said:

My dads mate was a spitfire pilot during the war , just a normal guy from porty.Rose to the rank of air commodore i think Jimmy Rankin was his name , think there was a portrait of him in the old British legion in portobello 

My dad always told me he was a real hero had great respect for him 

 

Here's the chap: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Rankin_(RAF_officer)

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3 hours ago, 3fingersreid said:

Forth 2 afternoon news , fair enough of it was mentioned elsewhere 👍🏻

 

Years ago I used to have the pleasure of picking up a wee old lady called Margaret Mazcek ( sp) now sadly passed away , her dad was one of the most decorated Polish pilots in WW2 , I’m sure he has a plaque naming his actions on a wall somewhere in Marchmont ? 

I'm sure there is also a statue of him in the quadrangle at the City Chambers.

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14 minutes ago, Enzo Chiefo said:

I'm sure there is also a statue of him in the quadrangle at the City Chambers.

 

There is indeed. https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/statue-of-wwii-general-who-ended-up-pulling-pints-in-scotland-unveiled-in-edinburgh-3044

 

There's also a General Maczek Walk on Bruntsfield Links.

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19 minutes ago, Enzo Chiefo said:

I'm sure there is also a statue of him in the quadrangle at the City Chambers.

 

2 minutes ago, redjambo said:

At least the city of Edinburgh has honoured the man in a proper manor 

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Just after the war I remember an airman returned from service and he had terrible scars mostly on his face.  A few years later I saw him and he was a postie delivering mail. His scars had been improved probably by the new plastic surgery, bit disfigurement was still there.  That  disfigurement caused some bumps on shoulders to point them out, and in some cases wee giggles. Its possible he liked the job and it was what he wanted, but I often thought it didn't seem much of a reward for the pain ,disfigurement and I am sure he heard some terrible comments about his injuries. The young men who flew in planes had more guts than any man should have to need.

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On 15/09/2020 at 15:46, Willie Hamilton genius said:

Plaque is in Arden Street i think.

The General was a great guy, and not bitter despite being treated like crap by British establishment

If you guys don't know about it, you should visit the Polish map of Scotland at Barony House Eddleston

It's dedicated to Mazcek and is something to behold

Stayed in the Barony Castle Hotel about 18 months ago, it's a wee bit run down, even after renovations, but the map of Scotland is very impressive. They have an elevated platform to view it from, well worth a look.

Edited by whodanny
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15 hours ago, whodanny said:

Stayed in the Barony Castle Hotel about 18 months ago, it's a wee bit run down, even after renovations, but the map of Scotland is very impressive. They have an elevated platform to view it from, well worth a look.

They do ( or did ) decent deals but never been. Would be interesting To see the map. 

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Shanks said no

My Grandads brother was in the Royal Air Force 141 Squadron, flying out of Turnhouse. He was killed in action in 1942, age 24.

 

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