With Wings Like Eagles (35 page)

pride and morale in, 126, 207–8, 232–35, 272

rearmament of, 23-24, 28-32, 41, 56, 168n

rumors of war in, 122–23, 261, 271, 276

seaplane racing in, 50–53

will to survive, 18, 154

in World War I, 15, 18, 20, 22, 29, 95, 105, 232, 292

in the years between the wars, 19–24, 27–29

British Expeditionary Force (BEF), in France, 12, 77–78, 95, 100–102

Broke, Lord Willoughby de, 214

Bryson, Johnny, 194

Bulman, P. W. S., 57

Camm, Sydney, 56-58, 66, 70n, 73

Campbell, Sir Malcolm, 49

Challenge du Tourisme Internationale, 67, 68

Chamberlain, Neville, 6, 22n, 23–24, 131

and air battles, 201

and appeasement, 42, 287

personal traits of, 48

as prime minister, 31, 41, 154

and war preparations, 56, 168n

Churchill, Winston:

and abdication crisis, 21, 23

and air battles, 200–201, 207–8, 243, 277–80, 281

and Baldwin, 23–24, 26, 29, 31

battles viewed by, 189

and bombing of London, 245

and Dowding, 17, 103, 110-12, 114-18, 138-39, 149, 151, 179n, 192, 201, 291, 292, 293, 294–95, 296, 297

and Dunkirk, 79

and evacuations of children, 122n

and France, 93–94, 97–100, 103, 105–7, 110, 113–18, 136, 138, 153–54, 296

memoirs of, 99–100, 105–7, 115, 117, 118, 138, 192, 292

and night bombing, 237, 239, 293

and peace negotiation, 78, 136

political traits of, 112, 154, 290, 292–93

as prime minister, 6, 154, 198, 249

reputation of, 21, 23, 105, 111, 112

and retaliation, 245

and Roosevelt, 109

secret weapons favored by, 219–20

speeches of, 1–2, 22–23, 107, 153–54, 207–8, 273–74

and strategic bombing, 106–7, 245–47

visits to No. 11 Group HQ, 206, 277–80

and War Cabinet meeting, 107, 110–18, 138

in World War I, 105, 292

in the years between the wars, 22–23, 24, 42

Civilian Repair Depots, 147–48

Clausewitz, Carl von, 76

Collier, Basil, 298

Collier, Richard, 194

Colville, John, 201

Cunningham, John “Cat’s Eyes,” 238n, 284

Curtis dive-bombers, 75

Czechoslovakia, German invasion of, 136

Daimler-Benz engines, 70, 72, 74, 81

Daladier, Édouard, 98

D-day, 135, 152, 155, 244n

Defiant, design of, 79–80

de Gaulle, Charles, 96n, 109n

Deighton, Len, 59

Dornier bombers, 25, 90–91, 165, 218

Douglas, Lord Alfred, 150

Douhet, Giulio, 3, 18

Dowding, Sir Hugh:

and aircraft design, 73–74, 84

air defense strategy of, 44–48, 102–3, 108, 114–19, 124–26, 128–30, 145–46, 156–57, 171, 190, 202, 244, 257, 266, 269–70, 271–72, 281

and bombing of London, 264–65

career of, 15–16, 33, 118, 289–96

and Churchill, 17, 103, 110-12, 114-18, 138-39, 149, 151, 179n, 192, 201, 291, 292, 293, 294–95, 296, 297

as Fighter Command Chief, 15, 32, 33–35, 37–39, 44, 106, 111, 128, 136, 174–75, 289

and French demands for aircraft, 93, 94, 95, 99, 100, 101–8, 113–18, 137, 151, 296

and Geneva Conventions, 148–49

and “my chicks” (pilots), 17, 124, 232, 282

and night bombing, 237–38, 243, 265, 283, 293–94

and October 17 meeting, 290–92

office of, 36–37

personal traits of, 16–17, 33–34, 35, 37, 38, 71, 111, 113, 116, 132, 151–52

political enemies of, 33–36, 38, 39–40, 47, 111, 118, 125, 137–39, 149–52, 159, 178–79, 182–83, 211, 257, 265, 266, 290–92, 293–97, 298

political grievances of, 111–12, 294

preparations for war, 15–16, 37–39, 44–49, 58, 156

as prophet, 298–99

and retirement, 111, 137–39, 295–96, 297–98

victories of, 15, 118–19, 182, 192, 202, 266, 281, 295

in War Cabinet meeting, 106, 107, 109–18, 138

Drake, Sir Francis, 274

Dunkirk:

air fight over, 77–82, 93

British Expeditionary Force at, 12, 77–78, 95

evacuation from, 77, 78, 93, 96, 104, 121, 123, 134, 152

Eddy, Mary Baker, 298

Eden, Anthony, 131, 200, 233

Edward VIII, abdication of, 21–22, 23

Eisenhower, Dwight D., 151, 153, 155, 244n, 256, 289

Elizabeth, HRH Princess, 143

Elizabeth I, queen of England, 163, 244

English Channel:

air supremacy sought over, 9, 126, 135, 136, 146, 148, 255, 281

and Dunkirk,
see
Dunkirk

and expected German invasion, 9, 152, 283–84

Kanalkampf
in, 126–28, 135

narrowness of, 7

Spanish Armada in, 163–64

weather in, 8, 155, 163–65, 175, 187, 220–21, 243–44, 275

Farman “Shorthorn,” 53

Fields, Gracie, 78

Fighter Command:

aircraft for, 31–32, 39, 42, 55–56, 79–80, 124, 131–34, 189, 210, 236, 250, 272;
see also specific types

and aircraft speed, 49–50

Bentley Priory HQ of, 36–39, 44–47, 128, 167, 174, 213–14

Biggles tradition in, 35

“big wing” formation of, 178–79, 182, 236, 242, 252–53, 257, 265, 266, 276, 290, 292

communication in, 34-35, 38, 41n, 46, 75n, 103, 157, 159, 161, 182, 213–14, 288, 294

day in the life, 214–17

discipline in, 150, 177, 230

and Dowding,
see
Dowding, Sir Hugh

at Dunkirk, 12, 93

fighter groups of, 129–30, 144, 182, 212–13, 257

fighters vs. bombers debate, 4, 19, 26–29, 34, 40, 49, 287

Filter Room of, 44–45

formation of, 15, 287