No Battle of Britain pilots were "Conscripted" as such. All Aircrew, throughout the war, were volunteers.
@duartesimoes508
2 ай бұрын
And they could give up anytime in case they didn't feel fit anymore. Their papers were stamped _LMF,_ in red, _Lack of Moral Fibre_ and they were transferred to any other less demanding Unit. But in those days being publicly stamped _LMF_ was socially disgraceful beyond description. It did happen however, more so in the Bomber Command which endured terrible losses. In the Bomber Command you had to fly at least 30 missions, but only those overlying Germany counted as a full mission. (Over France it would be half a mission) Then after a rest you could or not fly 20 more missions or become Instructor, and if still alive you were left alone at last, unless you had become addicted and requested to continue... In early 1943 a large percentage of Bombers were shot down before completing their sixth mission, however, while all on board were inexperienced. This slowly improved along the war. 😰
@CastleHassall
2 ай бұрын
average life expectancy of bomber crew was two or three missions from what i can remember.. it's hard to truly know how that must have felt, for the guys doing the missions bless them
@fus149hammer5
2 ай бұрын
@duartesimoes508 It wasn't a "cushy billet" as an instructor either. Taking up beginners in tiger moths or Wellington bombers was enough to turn your hair white and around a third of all casualties were during training.
@knightowl3577
2 ай бұрын
Guy Gibson was 23 when he led the 617 squadron, The Dambusters to glory.
@andypandy9013
2 ай бұрын
@@knightowl3577 And 26 when he died. 😢
@youknow227
2 ай бұрын
There's one Battle of Britain veteran left John Hemingway 104
@bpdbhp1632
2 ай бұрын
Only one left? Damn thats sad.
@fus149hammer5
2 ай бұрын
@bpdbhp1632 around half never survived the war. Most of the Dam Busters flight crews were killed later in the war too.
@rickh3714
2 ай бұрын
Well worth a read up on JH in Wikipedia etc. Irishman from Dublin. He would have likely helped shoot down the bombers over London that were dropping bombs on my parents as kids. Mum's still alive. She survived a V1 explosion across the street that badly damaged her house as a kid. I can tell her that there is now only one of 'the few ' left. 😢 My late dad remembered being caught out in a London ditch on the way to school several times and watching Hurricanes and Spitfires dog fighting with Messerschmitts etc. He would have still been in service in 1969 when I was living in London at my grandparents and saw the bomb shelter in the garden.
@youknow227
2 ай бұрын
@@rickh3714 This country really has gone down the drain
@jakecutter1487
2 ай бұрын
I hope he doesn't realize that his United Kingdom along with the rest of western society have turned into degenerate lib sewers.......He's a hero that gave everything and every generation that followed destroyed it all. 😥
@joseph-sj7do
2 ай бұрын
Last serving Polish Pilot died 4 years ago in Scotland, he was only 17 in 1940 and claimed he was 21 to be a pilot.
@billolsen4360
2 ай бұрын
When your recruitment officers are so hungry for warm bodies during such a time of desperation, destruction & panic, they'll let that slide, no documentation required.
@Tawadeb
2 ай бұрын
Bless him. The Poles were so brave
@thecursed01
2 ай бұрын
@@Tawadeb as a german, mad respect for the polish determination during the war. i feel like whenever i read stories about ww2 and there are polsih involved, they are absolute iron willed heroes.
@lanceMollenhauer-mf1xz
2 ай бұрын
As an Australian I consider the Poles the bravest , my Uncles always spoke of them to be White Kamakazis.
@Tazza81
2 ай бұрын
Sorry pal but you are either intentionally or unintentionally spreading BS. Jerzy Eligiusz Główczewski (the bloke you are referring to) was born in November 1922 and joined the Polish Army in Palestine in August 1941 serving with the Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade till June 1942 where he volunteered and was accepted in the Polish Air Forces. Bóg, Honor, Ojczyzna.
@richardsawyer5428
2 ай бұрын
Sir Michael is a Korean War veteran.
@donlarocque5157
2 ай бұрын
Task Force Drysdale. Royal Marine Commandos.
@Qasibr
Ай бұрын
@@donlarocque5157 I, too, am going commando.
@duartesimoes508
2 ай бұрын
Michael Caine fought in the British Army in Korea and sure had a hard time there, fighting the Chinese Infantry. My respect towards him skyrocketed when I learned this.
@billmmckelvie5188
2 ай бұрын
I am glad he did appear in this film along with other actors he added his unique personal charm. Michael greatly portrayed the British resolve.which was very much needed at the point in time as the generation before me thought the U.K was done for.
@jockmcscottish7569
2 ай бұрын
oohhhh careful...people are getting labeled right wing extremist for showing national pride. Put up the Union flag, ur racist. The country has gone crazy.
@Ray-qb7tk
2 ай бұрын
The UK...WAS...done for...against the Germans! Witness Dunqerque! BUT, The idea of a tolerable Communist state seemed more acceptable, than a fanatical, killing machine, following the footsteps of the Holy Inquisition and destroying everything in its path.
@simonlaw9234
2 ай бұрын
No. But we're definitely done for now.
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
Yes, it's worked out very nicely for us. Thanks Winnie.
@TOFKAS01
2 ай бұрын
Well, his role was cut short. Because of the pilot-masks you could easily oversee that he gets killed in battle.
@jameskershaw4452
2 ай бұрын
"It's like shooting rats in a barrel". "You'll be in a barrel if you don't watch out for those fighters".
@FranssensM
2 ай бұрын
They just looked older, 18 year olds smoking pipes and wearing corduroy trousers. Thank you for your service Gents.
@lonniesides9302
2 ай бұрын
I met a British guy who was just barely 18 when he volunteered as a fighter pilot. He eventually got 6 Germans. Very sweet and kind hearted fella.
@nonono9194
2 ай бұрын
Shame he was fighting for the villains and destroyed the future of his descendents
@AB-mw8oz
2 ай бұрын
@@nonono9194 And the Nazis wouldn't have destroyed the future of entire races?
@srsmedic8285
2 ай бұрын
@@nonono9194my grandfather is rolling in his grave right now
@nonono9194
2 ай бұрын
@@srsmedic8285 yep. It was a white civil war and all whites lost that war, what a shame, ruled by enemies ever since
@rfichokeofdestiny
2 ай бұрын
@@nonono9194 You're not entirely wrong. They were all villains, though. Germany, France, the US, the USSR, the UK. All of them were dirty as hell and none of their young men needed to be sent to their deaths. All wars are sold on lies, on both (or all) sides. Every. Single. One.
@duncanlamont1540
2 ай бұрын
Theres a scene where the new pilots turn up, fresh from training, and are asked how many flying hours they have and it is pitifully low. After Pearl Harbour, as Australia rushed to defend against the Japanese invasion of New Guinea, a squadron of newly arrived P40 kittyhawks flew from Sydney, up the East Coast, lead by an ex Australian Battle of Britain veteran, excepting him these pilots had even less hours. One plane was lost before they even left Australia. These handful of pilots held out for precious weeks to help stop the Japanese advance across Kokoda and contributed to the first Japanese defeat.
@karlbassett8485
2 ай бұрын
The British RAF had a better training system than the Luftwaffe did. The Germans had their pilots stay at the front line until they got killed or shot down and captured. The RAF had their pilots do set tours, after which the best became instructors who trained the fresh recruits. That meant the RAF new pilots arriving at the front line had been trained by experienced veterans who were on the front line only weeks or months before and knew the latest tactics and equipment. The new Luftwaffe pilots were trained by pilots who had never been at the front and taught by the book and were nowhere near as knowledgeable.
@Tawadeb
2 ай бұрын
Thank goodness for them
@jubbernaut4049
Ай бұрын
75/76
@EdBrumley
2 ай бұрын
When I was in the US Air Force, that is one thing that struck me was that EVERYONE was young. The senior NCO’s, that had been around for a long time, they were just in their late 30s and they were considered the “old men”.
@terencejay8845
2 ай бұрын
I watched a documentary a while ago on the crew of a Lancaster bomber completing the required 30 raids on Germany in 1944 - shot down on their 30th and final mission. Five of the seven survived. One given a Victoria Cross for crawling out onto the wing at 20,000ft with a fire extinguisher to put out a flaming engine. These hardened aircrew were 19, 20 and 21.
@kayekaye251
Ай бұрын
Holy #! Wow! That's Amazing!
@46FreddieMercury91
2 ай бұрын
They'd be turning in their graves to see our country now
@Captainkebbles1392
2 ай бұрын
To the few 💓 thanks for all you did
@randolphstead2988
2 ай бұрын
When I was 18 I went to a truck driving school to inquire about getting a license. I told the instructor, "I'm 18, is that too young?" He showed me a photograph of himself in his RCAF uniform in WW2 and said to me, "When I was 18 I learned how to fly a Spitfire."
@davidmundowyahoo7839
2 ай бұрын
love that
@edgaraquino2324
Ай бұрын
Nice!!😊
@sheabobiney8114
2 ай бұрын
My Grandfather flew B17 in WW2. He was 22-23. So he was older than most.
@rikk319
2 ай бұрын
They were describing RAF pilots age, not US bomber crews. US bomber crews averaged 25 years old.
@sheabobiney8114
2 ай бұрын
@@rikk319 My Grandfather was a pilot too.
@robertjeffcoat441
2 ай бұрын
Michael Caine was drafted into the British Army and fought in the Korean War. He was in an infantry unit and in heavy combat. 🇬🇧
@richardhausig9493
2 ай бұрын
They saved the world that summer
@robertheywood2553
2 ай бұрын
Guy Gibson was 24 when he led the Dam Buster Lancasters. Bloody amazing
@DebiB62
2 ай бұрын
My dad was a US Army sergeant during WWII. He was just in his mid twenties but his guys called him "the old man." He lost most of his men in the Battle of the Bulge and he never got over that.
@patrickmiano7901
2 ай бұрын
Movies always show soldiers older than they really were in WW2. They average 32-40 years old and the “kid” in the squad looks to be about 27.
@carlgreisheimer8701
2 ай бұрын
War is mostly a young man's game. I was recalled to active duty at 42 and should know.
@Briselance
2 ай бұрын
As long as you're fit enough to go to war, you're fit enough, whatever your age. The young blood will always need experienced NCOs and officers, after all. Older brothers or fathers who can still keep up with them and teach them. Waitwaitwait... you were recalled to active duty at 42?? Are you a reservist?
@carlgreisheimer8701
2 ай бұрын
@@Briselance yes
@oscaralegre3683
2 ай бұрын
@@carlgreisheimer8701the goverment always send the youngest ones to die in war. Is sick
@Gingy2002
Ай бұрын
@@BriselanceDefinitely the younger the better though, men are stronger at younger ages, testosterone decline pretty rapidly after a certain age
@c123bthunderpig
2 ай бұрын
" Gramps" or Pappy Boyington was 31 commanding Black Sheep
@Smoshy16
2 ай бұрын
He wasn't RAF nor did he fight in the BoB. Your point?
@c123bthunderpig
2 ай бұрын
@@Smoshy16 age doesn't matter in war AH
@Smoshy16
2 ай бұрын
@@c123bthunderpig Never said it didn't. We're talking about Bob so your post was pointless.
@slideryt
2 ай бұрын
We’re actually talking about age in war, so it is relevant.
@tarverr.mcknightjr4439
2 ай бұрын
@@Smoshy16smushy..love your little helmet, but please get your knickers out of their twist.
@johnday8771
2 ай бұрын
A lot of those pilots never got any older than 20. Thank God their friends kept fighting despite the terrible losses. Brave men all
@jehb8945
2 ай бұрын
Yeah I remember watching History channel documentaries back in the day(the 90s) and that there was a pilot in a squadron that they called Gramps because he was 28 It's amazing that they could get pilots through training and into squadrons just as they hit their early twenties Could you imagine being the same age as a lot of drunk early year college kids and having this kind of responsibility as in your responsible for an aircraft and to fight aircraft successfully whether it's a fighter or a bomber or some kind of patrol aircraft
@rhocat362
2 ай бұрын
My dad was RAF..joined at age18 in 1939..maybe this is why they're known as "the greatest generation "...curious to know how old you are
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
@@rhocat362 The 'greatest generation' is American. None of their generation designations have the remotest relevance outside of their planet.
@davidpope3943
2 ай бұрын
When the Aussie David Shannon was piloting his Lancaster as he made multiple attempts to get his aircraft into the extremely demanding correct height, speed and distance configuration to drop his ‘Upkeep’ mine at the Eder Dam (a far tougher approach than at the Moehne dam) in the famous Dambusters raid on the night of May 16-17 1943, he was just 10 days short of his 21st birthday. He’d been flying as Captain on operational missions with 106 Squadron before Gibson brought him to 617. On the ground, his crew did take the mickey out of his age as they were all that much older, but in the air he was unquestionably the boss. He was so aware of his youthful looks that he grew a moustache to try to look older, which worked fine until he asked his girlfriend to marry him as they were on their way up to London with the squadron for the medals to be awarded and she replied, ‘Not with that moustache.’ so off it came! These were incredibly young men performing amazing feats. In much later years when he was present at a Bomber Command memorial unveiling, there was a group of protesters hurling the usual ill-informed insults at the veterans, at which point Shannon said to his companions, ‘It makes you wonder whether it was all worthwhile.’ Yes, they were the Greatest Generation.
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
@@davidpope3943 Beautifully written, apart from some small cohesion section glitches. Unfortunately there are two main problems as I see it. The first is that it has nothing whatsoever to do with the OP's point. Secondly, they were not the greatest generation for two main reasons. First, they were just doing their best as every generation does. That it eclipses the last three, since the mid 80's, by a sea mile doesn't mean it eclipsed any of the previous. Secondly he was Australian. What has a bovine American noun phrase got to do with an Australian? Americans are at liberty to mangle the language and underlying paradigms of it as they see fit. But why copy an inappropriate, and frankly risible idea, from them and apply it to a man who would have rejected it even more fiercely than I?
@randybackgammon890
2 ай бұрын
@@davidpope3943They were,and massive respect due.But when you look at the state of politics now and then,you wonder who or what they were really fighting for.
@glenmoss02
2 ай бұрын
Reminds me of the film Das Boot. The lead actor was 40, portraying a 30 year old U-boat captain, which was considered quite old, considering most were early to mid-20s by the end of the war.
@peterhanes782
2 ай бұрын
Sqn Leader Sailor Malan was 30, Douglas Bader was 29, Ken Tuck was 24. Anyone of the age of 20 and perhaps with 300 total flying hours were woefully under trained and suffered commensurately.
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
A lot of people suffered with Bader. In the 60's I revered him. And Winnie. If you read what they don't want you to read, you can find a lot of information in a very short space of time.
@duartesimoes508
2 ай бұрын
@@simonengland6448every Country needs his Heroes, but by all accounts Bader was a really nasty person. He was a bully, systematically harassing and provoking people around without any reason, and was said to be extremely arrogant, sarcastic and insolent, even rude. Moreover, along my life I always found that disabled people normally carry with them a noticeable trait of revolt and bitterness. But losing his legs was entirely his fault, he crashed while trying to make a roll along the runway at less than 50 feet, in a Siskin, or Gamecock, some fighter from the thirties, just because another fellow pilot had done so. Paul Brickill's book hints at his bad character, namely when he writes that "The German guards were incredibly patient".
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
@@duartesimoes508 Yes. You picked up on my point well. As a kid in the 60s and 70's my life was filled with heroic stories of the English. From the serious Kipling to the sublimely funny Wodehouse. As I grew older and studied more, I found out that theirs was an optimistic and charming attempt to portray the good and Bowlderise the ignoble. There are no English heroes that bear scrutiny, apart from perhaps Edward II. I bear no grudge against Kipling, nor Wodehouse or the many like them; Crompton, Dahl, Cptn W E Johns. I still hold them very dear. Winston and Bader lied though, that's a very different thing. Since I found that out, I started noticing other prominent establishment figure don't hold up to the light at all well. As time progressed I learned that none of they that wield, or wielded, power can be trusted. Some cultures insist their heroes, or their paradigms, are unblemished. IMO it's a rite of passage into maturity to see them for what they truly are. The Spanish have impressed me recently on this point. We achieved greatness. I think finding out the truth and admitting its darker side (sans ignoble 'progressive' politics) makes us greater still. The cousins have a lot of catching up to do, stuck as they are in the immature hero phase. But they will be gone within two generations at most, so we should be easy on them. edit: composition.
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
@@duartesimoes508 Third attempt at a reply. Yes. You picked up on my point well. As a kid in the 60s and 70's my life was filled with heroic stories of the English. From the serious Kipling to the sublimely funny Wodehouse. As I grew older and studied more, I found out that theirs was an optimistic and charming attempt to portray the good and Bowlderise the ignoble. There are no English heroes that bear scrutiny, apart from perhaps redacted. I bear no grudge against Kipling, nor Wodehouse or the many like them; Crompton, Dahl, Cptn W E Johns. I still hold them very dear. Winston and Bader redacted though, that's a very different thing. Since I found that out, I started noticing other redacted redacted figures don't hold up to the light at all well. As time progressed I learned that none of they that wield, or wielded, power can be redacted. Some cultures insist their heroes, or their paradigms, are unblemished. IMO it's a rite of passage into maturity to see them for what they truly are. The Spanish have impressed me recently on this point. We achieved greatness. I think finding out the truth and admitting its darker side (sans ignoble redacted politics) makes us greater still. The redacted have a lot of catching up to do, stuck as they are in the immature hero phase. But they will be gone within two generations at most, so we should be easy on them. edit: composition.
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
@@duartesimoes508 Fourth attempt at a reply. Yes. You picked up on my point well. As a kid in the 60s and 70's my life was filled with heroic stories of the English. From the serious Kipling to the sublimely funny Wodehouse. As I grew older and studied more, I found out that theirs was an optimistic and charming attempt to portray the good and Bowlderise the ignoble. There are few English heroes that bear scrutiny. I bear no grudge against Kipling, nor Wodehouse, nor the many like them; Crompton, Dahl, Cptn W E Johns. I still hold them very dear. Some newer cultures insist their heroes, their paradigms, their very raison d'etre, are unblemished and unsullied. IMO it's a rite of passage into maturity to see them for what they truly are. We achieved greatness. I think finding out the truth and admitting its darker side (sans ignoble modern politics) makes us greater still. Some places have a lot of catching up to do. Given the accelerating decline and spectacular own goals of our 'leader' it probably will happen in my remaining lifetime, circa 30 years.
@peter2023
2 ай бұрын
My dad was an electrician on the air field this movie was being filmed ...I went every day it was epic
@frostyfrost4094
2 ай бұрын
Oh you lucky boy
@slr3447
2 ай бұрын
And they had real brains instead of todays 20 year olds who can't even decide which toilet they should be in.
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
In fact, you are right. IQ is declining rapidly and has been since the 1880's, where records began.
@williamcaton8432
2 ай бұрын
I can tell you have never served in the military, for if you had, you’d know the brilliant and courageous young people that are out there keeping you safe at home. They are brave, smart and eager to serve. You shouldn’t ever talk when veterans are being spoke of, you’re not qualified.
@slr3447
2 ай бұрын
@@williamcaton8432 Oh, have I not? You know me so well. 👍
@liamfarnell6638
2 ай бұрын
Ok boomer
@simonengland6448
2 ай бұрын
@@liamfarnell6638 Thank you for illustrating my point so perfectly.
@fus149hammer5
2 ай бұрын
"Good afternoon my arse!"😂
@fus149hammer5
2 ай бұрын
Not bad when you consider the age of such actors as John Wayne in The Longest Day playing a real person half his age or Travolta and Newton John trying to play teenagers when they were nearly thirty.
@notamoonraker
2 ай бұрын
Not just nearly 30, the actors playing highschoolers were indeed in their 30s in "Grease". Much worse than this. 35 yrs old is still reasonable for a squadron leader in military service, not many can climb up the ranks from the lower ranks so fast.
@ghostviggen
2 ай бұрын
John Wayne was even born before the guy he played.
@billolsen4360
2 ай бұрын
I think I only saw Keir Dullea and Kurt Russell were the only teenagers in TV who played people their actual age. Maybe there's something mistic about 4-letter names starting with "K."
@duartesimoes508
2 ай бұрын
Charles Bronson playing Lieutenant Cor. Yonatan Netaniahu in the Entebbe rescue is outrageously old. Yonatan was 30 when he was killed. He was the eldest brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
@ghostviggen
2 ай бұрын
@@duartesimoes508 It wasn’t Bronson who played Netanyahu.
@donwyoming1936
2 ай бұрын
We had several WW2 RAF pilots working on base in the early 90s. They were more than happy to tell us of their exploits during the war, both the good & bad.
@lanceMollenhauer-mf1xz
2 ай бұрын
"You bosch bastard" scene of battle of Britain
@Ray-qb7tk
2 ай бұрын
Is it Bosch or Boche?...They were bastards anyway.
@thepolishnz
2 ай бұрын
@@Ray-qb7tk hes polish
@CaseyJonesNumber1
2 ай бұрын
@@thepolishnzbut to the farmer, who probably knew absolutely nothing of the Polish (or Czech) pilots in the RAF, any foreign-sounding airman parachuting down into his field must obviously be a German!
@BananaRama1312
2 ай бұрын
🤡🤡
@lanceMollenhauer-mf1xz
2 ай бұрын
@@thepolishnz tell that to the farmer 😅
@rickhawkins218
2 ай бұрын
My father was 20 or 21 when he joined the RAF in 1941 (b. 1921) and was 26 when he retired from the RAF in 1947 as a wing commander serving in Italy after the war. He served as a navigator on bombers.
@Point221b
2 ай бұрын
'He felt he was too young'. Did he? 😅. Should have done his homework. In the UK we already knew that during the battle of Britain if pilots were over 25 years old they were referred to as 'old man'.
@jcorbett9620
2 ай бұрын
Geoffrey Wellum was just 18 (just over half of Sir Michael Caines age) when he took part in the BoB. They nicknamed him "Boy", due to his young age, although he wasn't the youngest pilot to take part.
@mikpug
2 ай бұрын
Guy Gibson lived near me on Archer road in Penarth opposite my old school called Stanwell.
@rhocat362
2 ай бұрын
My father was a WW11 vet, he signed up at age 18 in1939
@timkiller8887
2 ай бұрын
The first eight weren't that bad, but the time recursion on WW10 really made WW11 a doozy.
@RABIDJOCK
2 ай бұрын
@@timkiller8887I know should have used 2x lower case L "WWII " but we all know what he meant.
@RABIDJOCK
2 ай бұрын
Same here My dad was a boy soldiers in the reserve "Argylls" then tranferred to the RAF in 1939 at 18 years old as a LAC gunner..
@rhocat362
2 ай бұрын
@@timkiller8887 smartass
@rhocat362
2 ай бұрын
@@RABIDJOCK hi, my dad was RAF also...he signed up in '39 at 18 too..flew in Lancasters..
@nicholacousins8563
2 ай бұрын
As a former soldier who took part in the Korea war I'd imagine he knew anyway
@TheBlazingDead
2 ай бұрын
For several years, I lived in an area beside what used to be RAF Hornchurch. A lot of the street names were named after BoB Pilots. Finucane, Bader, Malan etc.
@christopherdean1326
2 ай бұрын
I lived a few miles away (Redbridge) but I often drove through that area..
@Gate-of-Dawn
2 ай бұрын
"Zulus. Thousands of 'em."
@ianrkav
2 ай бұрын
There's a great book called 'First Light' by Geoffrey Wellum. Unlike most BoB pilots who only had a few hours on Spits or Hurricanes this guy was a fully qualified Spit pilot at 18! It's a great read.
@mrs.dinahsaur7195
2 ай бұрын
I'd love to see more clips of this movie, James Cosmo was in this. It might have been his first movie. Please, more!❤
@abdul-kabiralegbe5660
2 ай бұрын
I saw it complete on KZitem some years back.
@Getpojke
2 ай бұрын
He was in a TV Movie the year before; 1968 called Splash O.K. but yes, Battle of Britain was his first theatre release movie.
@antigrace1
2 ай бұрын
Search KZitem for "battle of britain movie" and you'll find shorts and the entire movie!
@TheGroundedAviator
2 ай бұрын
The guy in the white flight suit is Air Vice Marshel Keith Park played by Trever Howard. He was the front-line commander and regularly went around the bases inspecting them in the fastest and most fun way possible in a front-line fighter. He may have even seen combat at 48.
@vincentlefebvre9255
2 ай бұрын
Park a New Zealander was a Bristol fighter ace during ww1.
@TheGroundedAviator
2 ай бұрын
@@vincentlefebvre9255 I've seen his uniform and medals on display in Auckland.
@kimchiwasabee
2 ай бұрын
CZEŚĆ I CHWAŁA BOHATEROM. 🇵🇱
@CanadianSmoke
2 ай бұрын
My father's Wing Command in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) was twenty-six years old and his Squadron Leader was about the same age.
@user-et6pj4db9s
2 ай бұрын
So bottom line was he couldnt win either way, but considering the 60s and 70s was peak Caine I couldnt care less about the technical details, its a film not a documentary, most if not all war films embellish, if you want everything perfect go watch a documentary of the actual events. I'm glad he was in it.
@aimaction7393
2 ай бұрын
I AGREE. IN A DOCUMENTARY, IT WOULD SHOW, THE BRITISH BETRAYING LORD DOWDING, AND SACKING HIM AFTER HE WON THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN. A BIT LIKE THE BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, NEW ZEALANDERS, AND AMERICANS ALLOWING THE WOKE SLANDER OF EXPLORATION HERO, LORD COOK. HE SHOULD RECEIVE A LORDSHIP FOR CIVILIZING THE CANNIBALS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND MAPPING THE SOUTH PACIFIC. IF WOKE MORONS NEW THEIR HISTORY, THE SPANISH, AND DUTCH ENSLAVED AND GENOCIDED ISLAND POPULATIONS. THE BRITISH, AND COOK IN PARTICULAR WENT OUT OF HIS WAY NOT TO HARM BULLY OR OFFEND THE NATIVE PEOPLE HE CAME ACROSS. AS A RESULT OF HIS GENTLENESS HE WAS GROTESQUELY MURDERED BY PACIFIC ISLANDERS. STILL WITH THIS MURDER OF THEIR GREATEST EXPLORER WHILE TRYING TO RELTRIEVE STOLEN BOAT, AND NAVIGATIONAL EQUIPTMENT NECESSARY TO GET. HIS CREW HOME ALIVE. MY COMMENTS ARE MY BELIEF ONLY WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
@gonefishing5434
2 ай бұрын
Such brave young men. Their death rate was horrifying. Very sad for these young heroes. God bless that great generation
@FordPrefect-tr8fb
2 ай бұрын
*_Then: 20 years old, flying a Spitfire and defeating the Nazis._* *_Now: 20 years old and pissing their pants over hurty words._* It's such a damned shame.
@egosumhomovespertilionem2022
2 ай бұрын
Most of the RAF fighter pilots were remarkably young -- 18 to 22. Desperate times, desperate measures.
@billolsen4360
2 ай бұрын
I think the youngest RAF pilot killed during the Battle of Britain (the actual battle, not the movie) was 17.
@adrianaslund8605
2 ай бұрын
They were probably a few 18 year olds there. Basically mid century versions of youthful fps gamers sitting behind a cockpit.
@NarwahlGaming
2 ай бұрын
20 year olds back then looked 30s. 20 year olds today look (and act) like children.
@PeterStaniforth
2 ай бұрын
"I say, thanks awfully!"
@glenmoss02
2 ай бұрын
It's mind-boggling what these 20-somethings did back then and the responsibilities that were expected of them; compared to the 30- and 40-somethings that still live with mommy and daddy today.
@glenkeating7333
2 ай бұрын
A average age of 20 years old? Not even old enough to legally drink in the states. Makes one think.
@dalane5196
2 ай бұрын
I went to a drive in theatre with my dad in 1969 or 1970 I think, to watch this movie, I was 4 or 5 years old at the time. I fell asleep and didnt see much of the movie, Mum probably blackmailed him and said yes you can go watch the movie but you have to take the boys with you. It’s one of my earliest memories, Dad is gone now and the this movie still makes me think of him.
@Lord.Kiltridge
2 ай бұрын
'Pappy' Boyington was called "Gramps", because at age 31, he was a decade older than most of the Marines serving under him. The name "Gramps" was changed to "Pappy" later by the press.
@davidm159
2 ай бұрын
Thank you, Josie. Thank you, Angels🙏. Divine timing with that message 😊
@feraudyh
2 ай бұрын
I met a chap who trained to be a pilot at the age of 17, for the battle of Britain. He was still flying planes 60 years later, but was assisted.
@soultraveller5027
2 ай бұрын
Sir Michael cane was a Korean war veteran who so action during the Chinese big attack
@patrickstewart3446
Ай бұрын
A funny story about another WW2. Critics knocked the Longest Day for casting a bunch of “teen idols” to player the junior enlisted men. But veterans defended the casting because they themselves were 18-20 years of age in 1944.
@Baresark
2 ай бұрын
All gave some, some gave all.
@johnbrereton5229
2 ай бұрын
The average age of pilots might have been 20 years old but their life expectancy was only 4weeks yet it didnt stop them volunteering to fight. 29 year old Douglas Bader lost both his legs but still flew and despite being shot down and imprisoned by the Nazis he had new legs droped by the RAF and escaped. They don't make such men any more. RIP to all who served 🇬🇧
@duartesimoes508
2 ай бұрын
He escaped but was captured the very same day. A German Officer told him to either follow them back to Colditz or be shot on the spot. Grab and drag him forcibly by the sleeve was considered an insult to an Officer and this the Germans would not do. Bader followed them back, only to be liberated in 1945. (From Paul Brickill's book)
@johnbrereton5229
2 ай бұрын
@@duartesimoes508 The Germans had no problems shooting 50 officers and men who they captured after escaping from Stalag Luft III in 1944. They made a film about it called the Great Escape. They also made a film about Douglas Bader called 'Reach for the Sky', staring Kenneth More.
@duartesimoes508
2 ай бұрын
@@johnbrereton5229I know. Maybe he was lucky to be dealing with the "right" Germans, maybe _Luftwaffe_ personnel, and besides they all knew him... 😀
@Tawadeb
2 ай бұрын
@@duartesimoes508 Phil Lamason
@steffenjonda8283
2 ай бұрын
Well, GENERAL der Luftwaffe, Adolf Galland was a General with 30... and many high aces (not the lower counter of the western allies) were commodores with 23 or 24. So that was very common in all airforces, also because fighter pilots needed to be fit and very young.
@OldGreyGryphon
2 ай бұрын
Who knew Ray Stevens would fit a video on barbarians so well? I laughed way too hard at this.
@Mohammadali-cs8gi
2 ай бұрын
they were more mature in the 1930's -40's
@dalecomer5951
Ай бұрын
Being subject to conscription is one motivation to volunteer.
@scootergeorge7089
Ай бұрын
Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was in his thirties when he commanded VMF-214, The Black Sheep.
@OldMovieFan1973
2 ай бұрын
Imagine what those 18-22 Yr old Men did then... Now think of the 18-22 yr Olds now.
@christopherdean1326
2 ай бұрын
Remember Sqn Ldr Guy Gibson, who commanded the Dambusters squadron when he was 24....
@santosrobles1703
2 ай бұрын
We never realized that we were kids when we were in 17-34 we were kids I miss it and my friends
@ernestdrown5631
4 күн бұрын
My Father was a tank commander in WWll,they shot down a German fighter,the kid was 16
@craigsawicky1643
2 ай бұрын
Flying Fighters was a young man's game, with the exception of WW1. Ability to resist G forces, quick reflexes, willing to take chances(sometimes foolishly). Recruitment has rarely been an issue. Training, G-suits and Technology have increased the window since, but unless things have changed, Israel has the Youngest Pilots today. Their Training begins 3-4 years before most other countries.
@nemo6900
2 ай бұрын
there was a man in the 8th air Force flying in a B 17 everyone called pappy because he was the oldest crewman there he was 21
@Rockhunter329
2 ай бұрын
USMC pilot Joe Foss, awarded the Medal of Honor, was considered to be too old at 27 to be a fighter pilot when he got his wings. Finally got his wish, transferred to fighters, and flew a Wildcat in the Pacific. Credited with 26 kills.
@jintsfan
2 ай бұрын
Like Bridge Too Far, there are so many top British actors (and actresses) in this film.
@yosemitesam-ux5ir
2 ай бұрын
Make your own film then.
@Jimbo-og6ei
2 ай бұрын
Brave men god rest there souls 🌹they gave they life for our freedom!!
@HikerBikerMoter
2 ай бұрын
Bomber planes/crews in WW2 served as bait to draw out and shoot down German fighter planes as Eisenhower would not launch DDAY until there were zero German warplanes in the sky. The price for these bomber crew guinea pigs: (googled it) --A total of 21,945 heavy bombers and 18,465 fighter jets were shot down over the Reich for a total of 160,000 crew personnel * so even if a few soldiers died on D-DAY 160,000 dead airmen paved the way for their landings (160,000 soldiers is the equivalent of 16 infantry divisions of 10000 men each by the way or 1.6 armies)
@JoeyArmstrong2800
2 ай бұрын
Also, Michael Caine served in the Royal Fusiliers during the Korean War.
@Tawadeb
2 ай бұрын
My grandfather went to war in the NZRAF at 21
@skylongskylong1982
7 күн бұрын
Michael Cain is a Korean War Veteran . Not a lot of people know that.
@Truth_Hurts528
2 ай бұрын
today Caine would be considered too white for a role in a Battle of Britain film
@bobbylee2853
2 ай бұрын
There would be a black Zulu pilot.😅
@megaduck7965
2 ай бұрын
Amusingly he was at this point already a vet of the Korean War . Probably partly why he was concerned about being the right age to play a veteran of a previous war .
@TheSaturnV
2 ай бұрын
Regardless, I wouldn't have wanted any other person to play the role than Michael.
@nellosnook4454
2 ай бұрын
Unlike many young men today, most young men back then-were real men.
@ghostviggen
2 ай бұрын
Fun fact. Michael Cain played a Spitfire pilot in Dunkirk. He was a bit older then 35 when they filmed it.
@fus149hammer5
2 ай бұрын
He didn't play a pilot he was the voice of the RAF ground controller.
@ghostviggen
2 ай бұрын
@@fus149hammer5 He was voicing the third pilot.
@2funny4u95
2 ай бұрын
what are you talking about lol
@ghostviggen
2 ай бұрын
@@2funny4u95 He player Fortis Leader.
@fus149hammer5
2 ай бұрын
@ghostviggen The third spitfire vanished after no more than a couple of minutes for no apparent reason. We can assume it was shot down off screen. If that's the case how did Sir Michael carry on giving instructions if his aircraft was at the bottom of the channel?
@cynicalrabbit915
2 ай бұрын
My father was in the 1st Calvary in WWII. He was only about 24 when he went in and his peers considered him and called him the old man of his platoon. Though that didn't confer any higher rank. Although he was his commander's orderly so he could take care of the commander's horse, as Dad was a farm boy and had experience with horses. Unfortunately later on his own farm, he never had a horse, wish he'd bought one, but I'm pretty sure that he didn't get one because it would have been a non productive animal, and therefore just an expense.
@alst4817
2 ай бұрын
Even though there was a war on, on average pilots only had to serve for 2 weeks! What a deal!
@CarbideSix
2 ай бұрын
Plus take into account the mortality rate of pilots vs. the Germans. People got promoted quickly because the guy that was above him died.
@rebeccamiller3248
2 ай бұрын
Judging by what those pilots went through Mr Caine looked the part. Might been older but sure as hell looked like those pilots.
@sTraYa249
2 ай бұрын
My uncle Fred was fighter pilot in battle of Britain & then was very involved in the Mason's. Fascinating man, but couldn't get to know him, people from that time/ era just didn't talk about things like people so easily do today
@joeylawn36111
2 ай бұрын
One of the Best war movies of all time IMO.
@isellehalforty1219
2 ай бұрын
Because young men felt 'invincible' they were chosen for the dangerous activities. Basically 'cannon fodder'!
@ladamyre1
2 ай бұрын
AND "during the filming" he wasn't "Sir" Michael Caine... yet.
@ChrisJensen-se9rj
12 күн бұрын
The reason for the age is simple. The younger you are, the more "reflexs" you have, and your reaction time is a lot quicker.
@JohnJohn-zn8ib
2 ай бұрын
20 year olds were men grown up at a young age compared to today, it was standard to get married at 21 to 25 years of age, today it is so different, people won't get married till 30 years of age, how times change.
@fanaticforager6610
2 ай бұрын
The Exuberance of Youth 🎖️
@duartesimoes508
2 ай бұрын
Being young is everything. Being old is a degenerative disease. 😦
@gar6446
2 ай бұрын
A 35 year old squadron leader born in 1905. Probably left Cranwell around 1925. He would have been old school didnt agree with monoplanes, and often forgot to use the new fangled flaps and retractable undercarriage.
@charleskimball2911
2 ай бұрын
It doesn't bother me with older movies, but when you're watching something recent where everyone 30+, it sort of takes you out of it.
@shyguy9102
Ай бұрын
No conscription back then, everyone wanted to fight because they knew it was the right thing to do
@yoohoo909
2 ай бұрын
They were all mostly young in age but all looked older than their years. Todays medecines and sciences have our 'baby fat' stay on a bit longer. Junk food just piles on the fat as well. Michael Caine as 'Canfield' (?) was a good pick for the attitude and poise of his character.
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