Battle of Britain Page #3

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for pilots to go

swanning around on their own.

We can't afford

to lose them this way.

What's the excuse this time,

undercarriage check?

Instruments, sir.

We've all done it,

but that's no excuse.

What's his name?

Pilot officer Lambert, sir.

Gerhardt, my bath!

Yes, certainly, Major.

Do me a favor. Not now, Papa.

These are the day's instructions

for the Luftwaffe...

- and they must go off today.

- All right, if I must.

I know, you have just found it.

That doesn't concern you.

Hurry up, old man...

because my evening meal

will not wait for you.

In exactly five minutes,

we drive to Boulogne, OK?

Hans, look after Major Foehn.

Good evening, sir.

May I lead the way?

Certainly, my boy. Lead on.

Don't let him

near the wine cellar!

What's the best way to evade

a Spitfire, Major, shallow dive?

And curving in

at the same time.

But excuse me, Major,

my brother says...

a Spitfire

can outmaneuver a 109.

When we are in England,

let him take up a Spitfire...

and prove it to me in my 109.

Done! But don't forget

your life jacket!

I said look after our guest,

Hans, not drown him.

Major Foehn doesn't think much

of the shot-method.

If you would teach your boys

to shoot a little sharper...

the problem wouldn't arise.

Excuse me, Jafu II.

You are to report to Wissant.

- What, now, Papa?

- Immediately.

And Major Foehn also.

I think I know why we've been

asked to go to Wissant.

This is it.

Gentlemen... Eagle Day!

The destruction of the Royal

Air Force on the ground.

Zero hour for takeoff 7:15 A.M.

Our targets today

in southern England...

are the following airfields.

Manston, Biggin, Kenley...

Dover, Hawkinge.

It is our task to destroy

the R.A.F. On the ground.

There'll be nothing left for us.

Don't worry, gentlemen...

our omnibus drivers won't

be able to destroy everything.

Some Spitfires

will remain, anyway.

Even for you, Bruno.

Therefore, gentlemen...

fly in at maximum height

and make good use of it.

And try not to land

in the Channel.

Especially use your eyes

and watch your petrol gauges.

Remember, you've only got

thirty minutes over there.

Come on, chaps.

Away, I'm here.

Hostile 2-3.

Morning, all.

Bearing 1-8-6,

range thirty miles.

Twenty plus.

Height, six thousand.

Yes, Danmoor, I confirm.

No I.F.F.

Hostile 2-9, now thirty plus.

Yes, Danmoor, I confirm.

Recheck I.F.F., please,

Bentmarle.

Sorry to call you in, sir,

but something's building.

2-8 now forty plus.

Convoys?

None due through

until tonight, sir.

Hostile 3-1 forty plus, 1-6.

Better bring

more squadrons to standby.

Right, sir. Get me Beacon Hill.

Reconfirm Hostile 2-3.

Hostile 2-3, 1-8-0.

Getting interference

again, sir.

Not now, corporal, not now.

That's better.

Five miles.

I'm afraid the raid is entering

my ground range, Danmoor.

Stukas.

Get them up.

43 Squadron,

intercept Hostile 2-1.

That was Danmoor, sir.

Ventnar radar out of action.

Who's covering Dover?

54 Squadron, sir.

6th Squadron's airborne, sir.

Too slow. Some of them

took six and seven minutes.

They'll have to do it in two.

Tallyho, Velvet Leader!

Down there on the left.

Stukas!

Roger. Here we go.

Attacking now.

Yellow section, keep your eyes

peeled for the escort.

Spitfire!

Easier to hit than a barn door.

It's like shooting rats

in a barrel.

You'll be in a barrel...

if you don't watch out

for the fighters.

What's the matter?

Can you hear me?

Ventnar, and now Dover's

out of action.

- Our plots are drying up.

- Then we're blind.

So now we've only got

the observer corps.

This is only the beginning.

They won't stop now.

Heinkels.

Make it a hundred plus.

Hello? Hello?

Heinkels, hundred plus.

Yes, Center. Still going north.

Height?

Twelve thousand.

Dispersal.

2 Section, scramble!

Look alive!

Engine trouble!

Lookout.

Right.

Muck and filth everywhere,

Mr. Warrick. It's like a pigsty!

The cooks don't come on

till 6:
00.

Well, you've got some

defaulters. Put them onto it.

Come on you lots, move!

You'd be there fast enough

if it was real!

At the double!

Oh, my God.

Section Officer Harvey!

Sir.

I've noticed

that some of your girls...

are now using the men's trenches

during air raid practice.

- It's got to stop.

- Sir.

And another thing...

gas mask cases...

they're for gas masks.

They're not handbags.

I do realize, of course,

that female requirements...

differ somewhat from the male.

Nevertheless,

that's no excuse to...

God's teeth!

Take cover!

Bastards.

At least we know

what Jerry's going for.

All our airfields,

unfortunately.

It's a squadron scramble, sir.

Don't be wet.

Get me the duty controller.

We've only just come down.

We're still refueling.

Don't just stand there!

Get one up!

Corporal Johnson!

Engine blocks away!

Rest of you men,

in the trenches!

Talk about a hairy takeoff.

- I saw Jimmy buy it.

- Did Archie get off?

Oh, I'm with you old boy,

but I've left my stomach behind.

Ah, shut up, will you!

Rabbit Leader

to Cowslip Control.

Do you read me? Over.

For Christ's sake, Cowslip,

wake up, will you?

Rabbit Squadron airborne.

Close up, Red-2!

Stick to me like glue, Simon.

Rabbit Leader, sorry about that.

This is Cowslip.

About time, too.

Where'd they go?

Bandits now twenty miles

east of you heading southeast.

Sector 1-2-0

and make Angels 2-0.

We'll go, Cowslip.

Rabbit's turning port... now.

Come in, Red-2.

Where the hell are you?

Where the hell are you, Simon?

You, lads, pull

yourselves together!

Get moving!

Get another shovel!

Bates, pull yourself together.

Stay with them, Seymour.

It's all right. I'll see to it.

How about two hands

over here, Officer?

Run the hoses out over here!

Put that cigarette out!

The mains have gone!

Can't you smell gas?

Don't you yell at me,

Mr. Warrick!

Here, you men!

Don't stand there looking

at it, you idle shover!

You! Get me some stretchers

and the orderly.

- Ma'am.

- Fast!

You can stand some of the girls

down now, Corporal.

Jones, Whitman,

clear up that mess.

Then you can take five minutes.

43, stand down.

1-1-1 released.

5-0-1 are down at Tangbear.

They couldn't get in

at Big Wing.

Few more days like this...

and we won't be able

to get them down anywhere.

I suppose we could always

pull them all back...

north of the Thames,

out of range.

That is precisely what

they want us to do.

This is the BBC home service.

Here is the 9:
00 news.

Large formations

of enemy aircraft...

today attacked targets

in southern England...

but the enemy's aerial armada

came in for heavy punishment.

Over forty-seven German planes

were destroyed...

with a loss of only fifteen

of our own aircraft.

Six of these pilots were saved.

Several R.A.F. Aerodromes

were also attacked...

and some casualties

were sustained...

but they were light.

Colonel.

Good. Very good.

The weather is constant.

We have a stabilized

high pressure zone...

and we'll make use of it.

The proof, gentlemen.

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