14 September 2012

It was a perfect Canberra spring morning, Friday 14 September 2012. Although seventy-two years after the Battle of Britain and under southern skies half a world away, it was easy to visualise the white contrails of dogfighting Spitfires and Hurricanes against our almost cloudless azure sky.

The ACT Battle of Britain Commemorative Wreathlaying Ceremony, in recognition of the sacrifice of those who served during the Battle of Britain, was held 72 years after young John Crossman went into battle for the first time, realising the true meaning of fear, and the true meaning of courage in acknowledging and putting aside that fear. John was not the only young man to experience this and, in his commemorative address, Air Marshal David Evans AC DSO AFC, former Chief of the Air Staff of the RAAF and Patron, Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association (ACT Division), recognised all the airmen who bravely fought against the Luftwaffe.

He spoke of the lives they led as fighter pilots during the brief period when Britain’s defence depended on them. One moment hanging around at dispersal, reading, desultorily chatting or playing cards, all the while listening with half an ear for the ring of the ops phone. Then the harsh ring of the phone, the mad scramble to aircraft, take off, and combat. Perhaps watching the chap they were talking with fifteen minutes ago, plummeting to earth with black smoke streaming behind his stricken aircraft. Thirty or so minutes later and they were back on the ground. Then, after refuel, rearm and debrief, back to dispersal to wait for the ops phone to ring again. And all this, five or six times a day. Air Marshal Evans noted the incredible physical and psychological stress those young men from Britain, the Commonwealth and Dominions and other allied nations felt, and overcame, so they could continue to fight for Britain’s very survival.

 

Air Marshal Evans remembered all of ‘The Few’ but he spoke of one man in particular: James Coward, a much loved and missed member of Canberra’s air force fraternity. He told of how James was shot down on 31 August 1940, how he baled out, only to see his foot almost totally severed, bobbing along as he floated down in his parachute, blood spurting out. He told of how James fashioned a tourniquet out of his wireless cord, thus saving his life. He quipped that it was ‘pretty good thinking for a fighter pilot’. And that coming from a former transport and bomber pilot!

Air Marshal Evans spoke of those who defended Britain with great respect and yet his commemorative address was warm and intimate. He spoke of James Coward with great affection. Indeed, it was a warm and intimate ceremony where politicians, representatives of the Battle of Britain countries and members of their armed services, Canberrans and former and current serving members of the air force gathered to remember ‘the immortal Few’.