Finest Hour: Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and the Blitz
It is not hyperbole to say that in the summer of 1940 Britain stood alone. It would be hard to imagine a more important summer. What I love so much about this trip, however, is that the it begins with the German invasion of France and subsequent evacuation of British and French forces at Dunkirk before travelling to England to see so many of the sites associated with the Battle of Britain before making our way to my hometown to study the Blitz. I feel that doing things this way gives you a much better understanding of just how “fine,” Britain’s Finest Hour was.
A Spitfire greets visitors to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon.
One of the Medieval alleys in Cassel that was defended by members of the BEF in 1940.
The bunker defended by 2Lt. Roy Cresswell at le Peckl still shows many battle scars.
German bunker built after the evacuation slips into the sand among the Bray dunes.
Hardstand at German fighter ace Adolf Galland's Battle of Britain forward airstrip.
Memorials in the reconstructed cowshed outside of Wormhout where the SS murdered 80 British prisoners.
Remains of the Mile at Dunkirk where thousands were evacuated from.
One of the original trees at Wormhout site.
The OPS Room at the Battle of Britain Bunker is preserved as it would have been on 9/15/40.
An RAF display at the Battle of Britain Bunker.
Churchill first uttered the words never has so much been owed to so few at the Bunker.
Memorial in Grosvenor Square to the 244 Americans and 16 British pilots who flew in the Eagle Squadrons during the Battle of Britain.
Text on the Eagle Squadron Memorial.
A Spitfire and Hurricane, the two principal British fighters during the Battle of Britain in the Bunker Museum at Hillingdon.
Statue of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, who commanded 11 Fighter Group during the Battle of Britain, outside the Athenaeum.
Visiting "Casper" the Other Club's "pet" cat.