ChristineCB

Just imagine what he could have achieved if he'd done daylight bombing!

Harleybloke

But every one of Bomber Command is a hero in my eyes.

'Reap the whirlwind' he said. And they did.

Nuff said.

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!

Steve Crook

His nickname was "Bomber" Harris. A few of his crews may have referred to him as a butcher because of the losses. In general or after a particularly dangerous raid. But it wasn't a term in general usage.

Steve

ChristineCB

Yes, I didn't think "Butcher" was something he was frequently tagged with. It's not as if he was actually butchering people.

"Deep Fry Harris" and "BBQ Harris" was probably more appropriate, but now it sounds like a fast-food chain instead.

I've never read any of his own works, but only other 'historians' views of his endeavors, few of which were vaguely neutral. "It was war" was about the only excuse they've offered to give him, and when I've seen his post-war quotes, they're probably in response to some recent hiding he'd received.

Has anyone read anything by Harris that they could recommend to me?

Ealingfilmfan

Hmmm, so "Bomber" Harris started the war did he????

What was the alternative???



Anyhow, back on topic.......

The Dambusters for me featured the finest putdown ever seen on film....


When Barnes Wallace was begging for the use of some Wellington bombers to carry out his bouncing bomb experiments....


Ministry man......."Don't you know there's a shortage of aircraft, what possible reason can I give them for letting you have a Wellington bomber???"


Wallace......."Perhaps if you told them I designed it......Do you think that might help???"........

"Just room for one inside sir"

Steve Crook

I always quite liked Larry Olivier's line in The Battle of Britain where, as Dowding, he was asked to confirm some statistics because both sides were claiming different figures and he said something to the effect of "Statistics don't matter. If we're right, they'll give up. If they're right, they'll be marching through London in a week."

Steve

Steve Crook

He wrote his own version of events in Bomber Offensive by Sir Arthur Travers Harris. Collins, London. 1947. Reprinted in 1990 & 2005.
But I haven't read it so can't give a personal recommendation.

That's the only thing he's credited with writing in the British Library catalogue

Steve

Kalab

I wonder whether that was the scene where the Lancaster banked away after narrowly missing some trees. Over the noise of the engines came the broad Aussie voice - "This is bloody dangerous!". I agree its a great film and have it on VHS, haven't seen it on DVD

716Jones

I always thought that "Bomber" Harris was a nickname the press thought up. Certainly the late Jack Currie, ex bomber pilot, calls him "Butch" in his memoirs 'Lancaster Target'. A very good book, incidently, as are Squadron Leader Currie's other books.

Santonix

Just as an aside and in response to Christine who was looking for a recommendation for a Harris book to read, may I suggest "Enemy Coast Ahead" written by Guy Gibson shortly before he was killed in action? It gives his account of the Dams' raid amongst other interesting stuff and is a good read.

Marky B

I agree,Steve - it is one of my favourite lines in movie history.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

ChristineCB

Steve, I've started Harris' BOMBER OFFENSIVE a few times but it's heavy on "offensive" where he is railing against everyone as if he needs to put axes in their skulls - it's a more than a little abrasive. Rather than having an ax to grind, it reads more like he's using it instead.

Whatever facts he discusses are overlayed with berating all those around him - above him, below him, etc. Apparently, he may have had no friends, or once that book was published, I suspect those numbers dwindled considerably. It contains about 50,000 too many harangues for my continued reading.

Which is a shame. Actually, maybe "Defensive" should have been the keyword in its title.

Sant, thanks for that recommendation, too.

I think I've seen a few televised quotes or discussions with Harris, but I can't tell if he was a pariah during the war, or if he managed to become one after it. My sense is that he did more damage afterwards.

Curtis LeMay, on the other hand, rode the Anti-Communist wagon from BBQing Japan into the '60s, probably because he was the favorite son of the munitions makers and American air-force contractors.

This was something that Harris did not do - those who supplied him with equipment were castigated in some of the first pages for giving him "always inadequate equipment, even thru the end of the war."

I have ended up with only one question for Harris (and for his American counterparts): "Why wasn't someone forcing you two to play together nice-nice and carry out mission after mission in concert with one another?" Just as the English airfields were worn down until Adolph showed his brilliance and left them alone, the Brit and American forces were also wearing down German forces the few occasions when they did work together. The VERY few occasions.

While I'm certain this isn't correct, I often believe the significant cooperation between the two air forces was the marriage of the Merlin Rolls Royce engine into the P51 body.

Steve Crook

I think the top brass on both sides were still very much "old school" back then and didn't appreciate the advantages in international co-operation. Look at the arguments between Montgomery, Patton & Bradley. Senior people from both countries thought they were in charge and that the others were there to help out (under orders)

Steve

penfold

That, plus we gave the US the plans for jet engines......

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

merryowen

How about if he had done nothing and waved the white flag.

Think how it would have improved our German