Ah right. I was relying uopn [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/battle_of_britain_05.shtmlthis[/url.



[url=http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/hugh_dowding.htmThis report[/url intimates he was coerced into retirement and farmed out to the US.

But I am happy to bow to your undoubted knowledge about this area as mine goes back to O level history and has only been refreshed by taking part in this very interesting discussion.

While you're obviously free to discuss whatever you want, you do know the Battle of Britain wasn't a game don't you?

I don't dispute he might've been shot at. It wasn't to secure you a vote though.

I seem to recall that I did read AC's book.

For a letcherous tory he wrote good military history. Read his book on the fall of Crete too - a monumental cock up of an operation from start to finish.

According to

[url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Britain-Myth-Reality/dp/0141018305/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244643128&sr=1-1This[/url

and

[url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Luftwaffe-War-Diaries-Cajus-Becker/dp/0552090425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244643225&sr=1-1This[/url

That I have at home Dowding was pretty keen to retire. The speed and timing and subsequent downplaying of his achievements by Sholto Douglas and Leigh Mallory and their ilk were pretty poor given that his thinking was totally vindicated. He was apparently no politician though but fact was he had no appetite to stay on.

It did appear on a spin-off about life in occupied Ukraine, entitled Привет Привет but it never really took off.

Fuelled by the re-kindling of my interest in this subject yesterday I watched a couple of documentaries on Sky last night. One about Himmler entitled "Hitler's Bodyguard" and another about the battle of the Bulge (though it seemed more like a campaign to me).

From the latter it seems many of those at the head of each sides military were complete incompetents and, perhaps, it was a case of the least incompetent won!

I saw the Battle Of The Bulge documentary as well a few weeks ago and thought it was rather good.

A subject close to your heart?

Sadly, a subject closer to my knees but I am working on the over-hang.

Coca Cola nose enema.......

Most of Hitler's Generals were dead against the idea but the man himself was in charge and gave all the orders.

Hitler didn't listen to his Generals much and that was part of his downfall. Stalin listened to his mostly but if things went wrong they were, not all, replaced.

Yes. Hitler was effectively the head of his military.

He almost pulled off the battle of the Bulge by sheer luck as Monty and Patten were too busy bickering and we ignored/failed to read the intel from the code breakers.

Monty & Patton - Two of the biggest egos in modern history!

One widely believed to be a screaming queen and possible lover of children. The other had pearl handled revolvers.

Takes me back to university and the old broad front/narrow front dilema.

Been consulting the Profanisaurus again?

Filth.

Personally I'd have thought you'd have preferred the rear guard action Puig.

Well, Churchill did entitle one of the volumes of his unreliable history of the second world war 'Closing the Ring'.

Where is Colonel Urquart when you need him?

Out on a daring assasination attempt - some Johnny Foreigner will soon find out too late that the Colonel is coming up behind.

How did the thread drift from European/Local elections to history of WW2?