The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and our family’s part in the original conflict
Today we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in 1940 and commemorated the bravery of the almost 3,000 Royal Air Force pilots who flew in the conflict. Around 40 World War Two aircraft – Spitfires, Hurricanes and Blenheims – were brought together to fly over southern England, creating some amazing sights and sounds. This was the largest such grouping since the war itself. One of those in the air was a 95 year old veteran of the Battle itself.
In the Battle of Britain, a fifth of the RAF’s pilots were not in fact British. Almost 90 of them were Czechoslovaks including the father of my wife Vee: Karel Kuttelwascher who flew Hurricanes and, later in the war, won the Distinguished Flying Cross twice in 42 days. Vee tried to see some of the aircraft at Northolt, but in the end they landed elsewhere. However, Vee’s twin sister Mari was able to see all the aircraft take off from Goodwood.
Many years ago, I used the family’s records and many other sources to write a biography of Karel Kuttelwascher or Kut as his comrades called him. In 1985, after three years of research, the book, entitled “Night Hawk”, was published. I thought that would be the end of the story – but time and time we have been invited to revisit Kut’s amazing record.
So, currently I am in discussions with a company which – 30 years later – wants to republish the book with some additions.
September 16th, 2015 at 6:47 pm
I visited Goodwood yesterday to see the Battle of Britain air display. The sun came out and it was a most wonderful sight to see roughly 39 planes take off and circle the airfield. There was a flypast of Spitfires which then came in to hand. Thousands of people were there to see this spectacular sight and tried to imagine what it would have been like 75 years ago. Congratulations to all those who put on such a magnificent display.
September 17th, 2015 at 7:25 pm
Unfortunately I did not get to Goodwood to see this magnificent display of WWII Spitfires and Hurricanes. I went instead to RAF Northolt where our father, Karel Kuttelwascher, was based for a time during the war. He was the No.1 Squadron’s night intruder ace and was awarded the DFC and Bar and countless Czech and French medals. Inclement weather prevented the landing of the Red Section at Northolt on Monday and they eventually landed at White Waltham, much to the disappointment of a large crowd of us who had waited patiently for hours for their arrival. That’s life!