There is a genuine debate over how big a part the RAF played in the ‘Battle of Britain’, basically there’s a feeling the contribution of the navy has been ignored, but really it’s just arguing over detail.
Yes, it's always a pity when somebody’s contribution is being overlooked. Next time I will have some free time, I will try to read something about it, it sounds very interesting.
Agree with your other comments Mat [OK if I call you that?], Poland’s history is fascinating and I am but a novice in the subject- the more I learn the more I am amazed by the resilience of the Polish people.
I'm still thinking about writing about some interesting periods and characters from polish history, but there is so much of it, and I have so little free time. :(
And yes, you can call me Mat. It's a lot easier I guess. :)
Maty er no, I was implying the strength of ouir Royal Navy during the WW2 period. Germnay stood no chance of invading us.
You are right, but that's why the Germans came up with the air attack. What would be the faith of GB if the Nazis would manage to destroy RAF nobody knows, but we are not here to discuss possibilities, but rather facts. And one of the facts is that Germans didn't succeed in accomplishing their goal because RAF did their job properly, and you can say that the Poles were an answer to British prayers. RAF really had a big shortage of pilots at one point, and Poles were just the right people at the right time. Although they didn't participate in BOB from the whole beginning they had big successes in the air, for example with the squadron 303 having the biggest score of shoot down enemy airplanes. The reputation of polish pilots was so big that squadron 302 was frequently being used to escort the kings plane, and also other prominent British dignitaries. When Winston Churchill was coming back to UK in 1942 squadron 302 was specially withdrawn from the front in order to protect his plane, etc...etc…
For a start Poland had no empire. win already. not to mention UK defeated a superpower, known as Spain back in the 1500's, navy victory wise.
As far as Poland not being an empire, well you are right, its size can't be compared to the one England had in the XIX th century, but still it was once the biggest country in Europe.
Polands war and battle victories is still way off UK's victories.
Well if you putted it that way, let’s make a competition. I will name few won by us wars that spring to my mind at this moment, and then you will name the same amount of wars won by England, ok? It sounds like a lot of fun, don’t you think? Ok, I will start: we defeated the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation twice in the XI th and XII th century, Teutonic Knights in the XV century, the Ottoman Empire in the XVII century which basically meant the beginning of its decline, Sweden in the XVII century, and Russians twice in the XII century (inter alia hetman Żółkiewski took by assault Moscow, something that still hadn’t been repeated, even by such historic figures like Napoleon or Hitler) and in the XX century, which stopped the commie march towards west for another 20 years. Ok, enough for now. It's your turn. :)