PASTIME I
n one of Winston Churchill’s most famous World War II speeches, he described the debt owed
by the people of the UK to the RAF during the Battle of Britain, using the now famous words: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” The Battle of Britian, the only major campaign fought entirely by air forces, was indeed decisive. After the evacuation of British and French armies from the beaches of Dunkirk and the surrender of the French in June 1940, the Germans believed that they had the UK on the run – and with no European allies believed there would be negotiations for peace. The alternative scenario for Hitler was an invasion of Britain
and plans were put in place for what was code-named Operation Sealion. Key to Germany’s invasion plans was air dominance – its navy was weak at this point in the war and would need to be strongly supported from the air to succeed. The Battle of Britain was a
preliminary to that invasion, with the German aim of breaking the RAF and minimising its ability to protect the country.
Things didn’t go to plan for Germany during the campaign. The RAF – supported by pilots from across what was then the Commonwealth with the notable addition of airmen from Poland, Czechoslovakia and France – took to the skies for the air equivalent of hand to hand fighting. Timekeeping was key to the whole campaign, and the Type 1 Sector Clocks used in the
“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Winston Churchill
C80 Sector – Brown Leather C80 GB1
Used extensively during the Battle of Britain in operations rooms, the Type I Sector Clock describes the standard mechanical clock used by the RAF from 1935 through to 1943. Most were made by FW Elliott Ltd with a few made by Stockall Marples & Co. Christopher Ward’s C80 GB1 Sector watch reflects the design and use of the original clocks, which played a crucial part in plotting the position of aircraft during the Battle of Britain.
C80 GB1 £350.00
The C80 GB1 Sector Watch reflects the design of the original War Office clocks used during World War II. Powered by an ETA 2824-2 automatic movement, it has a 38 hour power reserve and has Super-Luminova hands and indices
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www.christopherward.co.uk
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