Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain

[Adriano Baumgartner]

So, it is a book about the Battle of Britain and we are following up John Vasco, who is reading it and is at more or less 33% or half of the book (do not remember by heart how many chapters we're talking of), and we have not started the Battle of Britain yet? That's really interesting.

[Peter Kassak]

Adriano, exactly what I was going to write. One can, in condensed form, describe the situation of those already mentioend 5 chapters in a one few pages long chapter, and with no harm to the subject given by the title, and then work with those new sensational info that had been proclaimed this book should bring to reader. John, fingers crosee to have a nerves to follow other chapters I believe when it comes to details, it will be a painItA for someone knowing as much about BoB as you

[John Vasco]

Chapter 6 read

Covers the period following the Dunkirk evacuation and the German's push southwards in June 1940. Not a lot of detail about the combat, but quotes from a Stabsfeldwebel with the Luftwaffe Transport column 9/VII (page 94), and a soldat in a Luftwaffe supplies unit in Berlin (page 100). Below is a scan of page 98. Anyone interested in the work of Professor Franz Büchner? He specialised in hypoxia, don'tcha know! Directly relevant to the BoB? Put yer oxygen mask on and it don't happen! Still nothing about the BoB, and the end of that chapter takes me to page 106.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

Put yer oxygen mask on and it don't happen!

Good advice, however …

CX/JQ/251, para. 12: It was learned on 25/8 that one Mansfeld urgently required a breathing mask of the old type for himself, as the new type of mask did not fit. He asked for a mask of every size to be sent for him to try on. The matter was urgent, as he could not fly until he had got the mask.
(NB — Oblt. Mansfeld is connected with KGr. 100)

As for Mahlke …

CX/JQ/100, para. 33: Hauptmann Mahlke of Stuka Group 186 was reported on 30/6 to have been selected for command of a Stuka Group.

And Fliegerkorps VIII's secret move …

CX/JQ/99, para. 35: Learnt at noon on 30/6 that Fliegerkorps VIII had ordered Stab z.b.V. 16 to move some unspecified units immediately. There is to be absolute W/T silence. HQ to remain at Pont until morning of 1/7.

CX/JQ/100, para. 16: The signals section of Stuka 77 was changing position after noon on 30/6/1200.

CX/JQ/115, para. 14: There is some reason to believe that the HQ of Fliegerkorps VIII is now at Caen.

CX/JQ/118 para. 6: On 7/7/40 the 2nd Ground Staff Company of St.G. 76 was at Ouilly le Tesson (7 km. N.W. of Falaise).

[John Vasco]

I was under the impression that for masks, 'one size fits all', Nick!

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

I was under the impression that for masks, 'one size fits all', Nick!

You’d have to take that up with Oblt. Mansfeld but apparently not! The request was put in more than once, and it seems there were old and new types of mask in contention. KGr. 100 had a particular problem as they needed to stay at high altitude to pick up the guidance beams when marking more northerly targets. One mask failure would abort the sortie.

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

You’d have to take that up with Oblt. Mansfeld but apparently not! The request was put in more than once, and it seems there were old and new types of mask in contention. KGr. 100 had a particular problem as they needed to stay at high altitude to pick up the guidance beams when marking more northerly targets. One mask failure would abort the sortie.

Thanks for that explanation, Nick.

[John Vasco]

Chapter 7 read

Early July 1940. Mention of the plans for continuing the war against Britain. Quotes from newspapers like the 'Baruther Anzieger' and 'Briesetal-Bote'. Something from a Luftwaffe soldier based with an airbase company in Quedlingburg. Quotes from residents in Wesseln, near Liel, and Uelzen (page 118). 'A flieger attached to the Luftwaffe Guard Command at Tessenow, Mecklenburg wrote'. These are the things that are in chapter 7. Chapter 7 ends on page 121...

[FalkeEins]

... still have yet to see a copy of Ms Taylor's book in a bookshop. I was in Folkestone - prime BoB location if ever there was one. No sign of it in Waterstones. At the counter though they offered to order a copy in so that I could look at it. No obligation to buy. Which I thought was pretty decent of them. I would expect that the Museum in Hawkinge has a copy...

[Peter Kassak]

I was googling her previous works, and found out this is the first book. And already such an excitement...were her articles so very readable?