The Gen’s Tribute (For This Final War Edition) to the RAF’s "Finest Hour"

Series

Series Name

The Gen

Issue

Issue No.

18

Date Released

1945

Length of issue (in feet)

1642

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Fancy Dress Football Match at RAF Uxbridge for National Savings Thanksgiving Week
2. 2Reminders
3. 3Gen Special - The Story of Winnie the WAAF
4. 4The Gen’s Tribute (For This Final War Edition) to the RAF’s "Finest Hour"

Story

Story No. within this Issue

4 / 4

Summary

A Battle of Britain Day display at an RAF base introduces the story of the "greatest battle". In an Ops Room, the progress of enemy forces is plotted; AA guns and Spitfires are prepared; cliff-top observers wait. Scramble! Formation of nine Spitfires engages HE111s; Heinkels and ME109s crash, but the Luftwaffe breaks through to London. Air raid siren - civilians enter shelters, workers don steel helmets. Germans drop bombs "at random", Spitfires and Hurricanes continue the attack, and bring down planes over the sea. Over film of wrecked enemy aircraft, commentary tells of subsequent victories made possible by this first success. VE Day celebrations, Roll of Honour, Spitfire landing, to strains of "O God our help in ages past".

Keywords

Aviation; Celebrations and festivals; Victory celebrations; War damage; Civil defence; Military; Religion and belief

This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name

Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive

Email

film@iwm.org.uk

Web

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/film

Phone

020 7416 5291

Fax

020 7416 5379

Address

Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ

Notes

The IWM also preserves the original nitrate film copies for the World War II period of British Paramount News, Gaumont British News and Universal News.

Series held

View all series held by Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive