Battle of Britain (1969)
Barry Foster: Squadron Leader Edwards
Photos
Quotes
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Air Vice Marshal Keith Park : [Seeing an unknown marker on the strategy planning board] T-5, what's that?
Wing Cmdr. Willoughby : Training squadron, sir. They're the poles.
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park : Get them out of there. Get them down.
Wing Cmdr. Willoughby : Blackhawk leader. Vector two, three zero and return to base immediately. Over.
Squadron Leader Edwards : Blackhawk leader. Received and understood. Out. Blackhawk leader to A flight. Turn to port, and steer two, three, zero.
Polish R.A.F. pilot : [In Polish] Germans! Germans on the right!
2nd Polish pilot : [In Polish] I don't see. Where?
Polish R.A.F. pilot : [In Polish] Down there on the right.
3rd Polish pilot : [In Polish] I see the Jerries! I see!
Squadron Leader Edwards : Stop that Polish chatter and steer two, three, zero.
Polish R.A.F. pilot : [Peals off to engage the Germans] Repeat please.
Squadron Leader Edwards : I say again, two, three, zero.
2nd Polish pilot : [Peals off to engage the Germans] Repeat please.
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park : For crying out loud, two, three, zero.
3rd Polish pilot : [Peals off to engage the Germans] Repeat please.
4th Polish pilot : [Peals off to engage the Germans] Repeat please.
5th Polish pilot : [Peals off to engage the Germans] Repeat please.
Squadron Leader Edwards : Now just shut up the lot of you. And follow me unless you're blind as well as... Oh
[Sees that all the Polish pilots have left to fight the Germans]
Squadron Leader Edwards : God's truth!
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[With the aid of an interpreter, Edwards has berated the Polish pilots for attacking German bombers against orders, before pulling a telegram out of his pocket]
Squadron Leader Edwards : Finally, and God alone knows why, I've received the following signal:
[looks down]
Squadron Leader Edwards : "Congratulations! As of today, this Squadron is operational." Signed, Air Vice Marshall Keith Park, AOC 11 Group
[the men start cheering, and Squadron Leader Edwards smirks, before the scene changes to Dowding's office]
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding : I was wrong about the Poles.
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park : We also have the second Polish Squadron.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding : [Donning his cap] I *thought* you'd mention them. Allright, make them operational.
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park : And the Canadians?
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding : And the Czechs. We need them *all!*
[They exit]
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[to his flight of non-English-speaking Polish pilots]
Squadron Leader Edwards : Shut up! Silence - in Polish!