And about time too......... [img]graemlins/salute.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/poppy.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/vc.gif[/img]
Pilot who saved palace honoured

Also found this....
Day marks Hawker connection

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Regards,

Gordon
History Vault Bookshop
FortressScotland-http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Historian/

It would be neat to hear one of the old engines fired-up again. Better to see it pull a Hurricane accross the sky, but still neat.

Giving the squadron a model cast from the engine of the husband's plane is a nice touch. [img]graemlins/poppy.gif[/img]

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PEOPLE SLEEP PEACEABLY IN THEIR BEDS AT NIGHT ONLY BECAUSE ROUGH MEN STAND READY TO DO VIOLENCE ON THEIR BEHALF. GEORGE ORWELL

Nice to see Ray Holmes acknowledged in this way ; in this case maybe it's best to happen after he's gone. He was a very modest man and often embarrassed by 'hero worship' of any kind.

And b.i.m. - save up and come over here next July for Flying Legends at Duxford : you'll hear many Merlins firing up in all types of warbirds !

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

National Geographic Channel has broadcast (several times) a doc on the salvage of his hurricane, complete with interviews and original footage of the Ju or heinkel crashing! A great doc from NGC, I must say.

Sad story is that the German Oblt Zehne, piloting the German plane that crashed into King's Cross station (I believe) did not survive. The doc was quite vague on it but it seems he was killed by an angry London mob.

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"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

Martin, I may just have to do that. There are so many facinating things that are happening over there by your descriptions. My wife has always been a big Anglophyle. I don't know how she would like me popping off to battle grounds and airshow. May be later than July next year though. Going to Hawaii at the end of this month and it was a lot more expensive than I thought. [img]redface.gif[/img]

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PEOPLE SLEEP PEACEABLY IN THEIR BEDS AT NIGHT ONLY BECAUSE ROUGH MEN STAND READY TO DO VIOLENCE ON THEIR BEHALF. GEORGE ORWELL

Well, one reason for Sgt Holmes being so bashful is that the Dornier had been attacked by several other aircraft. It's now generally believed that, by the time his Hurricane rammed the Dornier, its' crew had already baled out....

And yes, there were very ugly scenes near the Oval cricket ground which led to the pilot being beaten to death. BTW, the Dornier landed in front of Victoria station and marks could be seen on the wall there until quite recently.

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Once again I stand corrected, Martin! [img]redface.gif[/img]

First the Donier (DOH!) and then Victoria Station. Which is strange that I had that wrong as I have been there numerous times and thought I should check out the damage next time I am there. However, I don't travel with Eurolines anymore....

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"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson