'Channel Dash' Memorial - 22 September
- 22 September 2012 15:42192639
Been nice knowing you :) - 22 September 2012 16:23192641Been nice knowing you :)
- 22 September 2012 16:34192642Good on you Paul.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
22 September 2012 16:37192643yes a good day despite reservations,had a chat with some senior milatry officers decent chaps to talk to.
footnote,did see hush hush ted covorting with a few mates. - 22 September 2012 17:55192649no dover event would be complete without local celebrities, here we have published author, the man with the golden lens john mavin.
here we have mr dixon proffering much needed military advice to the chap on his right.
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
22 September 2012 18:00192650and a very nice chap he was to.
howard you are getting to sneaky to be true.
- 22 September 2012 18:12192653Superb afternoon this afternoon. Incredible that the Swordfish went up against ME109s when you see and hear the difference between the Swordfish and the Spitfire, they knew what was going to happen to them, but still they went and did their duty, amazingly brave men. Saw many Forumites and other friends both near the memorial and in the queues for the HMS Kent. Smashing time, now getting ready to play in a Jubilee Concert at Eythorne Baptist Church, promises to be a good evening as well.
- 22 September 2012 18:38192655What a lot of people on the front and the pier.
Dover rocks!
- 23 September 2012 07:38192676
Brilliant coverage on this thread guys you absolutely did us proud. The great pictures really capture the atmosphere of the whole event. Absolutely gobsmacked I am to see those. Have put another link through to this thread from our now new frontpage ( which shows my group of pictures ) telling everyone about the pictures and info on this thread. Great stuff all round on the whole event from the very beginning.
This guy took the top off me boiled egg so he did...
shouldnt be allowed...
email: dover7@msn.com - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
23 September 2012 07:43192677paulb,flying butler,but did he fill your glass with the right drink.? - 23 September 2012 08:28192681What can you say some cracking good coverage of yesterday, with the pictures on the Frontpage and on this thread, just goes to show our chaps with their camera's are on the ball every time. well done guys.
- 23 September 2012 09:06192683As I couldn't get down there yesterday, it is great and very much appreciated to see all the photos and read the postings - thank you all very much; must hav e been a great day and the weather was very kind too.
Thanks again.
Roger - 23 September 2012 09:56192689It was a brilliant service, and very moving to see the planes and the MTB. A key note of the service was reconciliation, and the recognition of bravery on opposing sides.
It is still an horrendous tragedy that so many were so appallingly lost, following their duty far beyond the call and without the needed support. The loss reverberates, and in the recognition of this action, which may have remained little known, it reminds us all of the very many and often unsung deeds of great heroism and sacrifice of ordinary men and women in extraordinary circumstances - and which continue to this day.
As a footnote, we were able also to see HMS Kent, which visit was much appreciated. Indeed, we were almost caught in the act - for in one of the photos on this thread is Simon, doing his own little cameo.
The Dover War Memorial Project
www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
23 September 2012 10:16192693yes a good turn out with lots of people milling around and watching with intresest.the minuits silence was well observed. - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
23 September 2012 10:37192695The thing that was really brought home to me was the difference between the old fashioned Swordfish and (for the period) very modern Spitfire. I did just about see the Swordfish in the distance but only because I heard it first and looked up.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 23 September 2012 13:16192710News, around and about...
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2012/September/18/120918-HMS-Kent-Channel-Dash-Honour
Oops! Probably a little early for any official pictures to be uploaded of the day itself.Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - 23 September 2012 14:23192711The reason for the Swordfish, a biplane, being employed in battle, was its capability to carry and launch an air to surface torpedo, the most effective way in those times to cripple an opposing warship.
Spitfires were fighter planes armed with machine guns and possibly small caliber shot, of no avail against a warship.
The main monoplane bomber in service with the RAF in that period was the Wellington, but this could only drop bombs, which would mean flying directly over a warship.
Being large and heavy, the Wellington, even if equipped with a torpedo, would have had no chance to maneuver out of firing line once the torpedo were launched, and indeed would have had scant flight-maneuvering capabilities throughout the approaching operation.
The Swordfish, however, could do all these things: change direction rapidly so as to avoid incoming fire, fly low to the sea to avoid boffa-style guns, as these could only fire upwards. But the Swordfish was still vulnerable to machine-gun fire.
Another point to reckon with, is that a warship would change course to avoid an approaching torpedo, so the Swordfish had to get in quite close to launch its missile. Once this was accomplished, it would immediately swerve off and fly back.
All this with tracer bullets coming in.Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
Rule Britannia!
Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
23 September 2012 15:36192722I was just comparing their completely different styles, wish I'd kept quiet now.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
23 September 2012 17:22192724never mind jan,you could allways handbag him when you see him next. 
- 23 September 2012 18:10192729Is HMS Kent still in Dover?Audere est facere.
