Australians in the Battle of Britain. 20 August 1940

20 August 1940 saw some action, with one loss but, generally speaking, it was a quiet day for Fighter Command. It was raining in the north, and both 72 and 79 squadrons at Acklington had no operational work whatsoever. It was so quiet that their respective squadron diarists did not even bother to record ‘nil report’ in their operations record books. There were scattered showers in the south and 234 Squadron at Middle Wallop was also quiet. At least their diarist picked up the pen to officially record ‘nil report’. Hopefully Des Sheen, Bill Millington and Pat Hughes were having a good rest as the rain poured down because they needed to build up their strength because it wasn’t going to be quiet for long.

Despite the weather, Ken Holland headed to the flights at Warmwell. He had high hopes that he would be in the air that day. He was excited to hear that there was a flap on and he would be going up with O’Brian and Reddington, if there were any machines left. But then the flap was off. A disappointed Ken did, however, make it into the air. Formation practice.

Our Australians may have had a quiet day of it, but Winston Church was not resting. He was about to immortalise those who fought and died in the Battle of Britain, even before its conclusion.

Addressing the House of Commons, Churchill spoke for nation and Empire:

‘The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.’

Churchill did not exclude the valiant airmen of Bomber and Coastal commands in his speech. He thanked all ‘British airmen’ but, despite this, ‘The Few’ soon came to stand collectively for the men of Fighter Command, ‘the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day’.