Magic at War

In another escape-themed blog, I look at the wartime exploits of Vincent 'Bush' Parker. A schoolboy magician and former assistant to an illusionist, Parker was a Battle of Britain pilot. After getting shot down over the English Channel and taken captive, he became a prisoner-of-war in Germany. A persistent and audacious escaper, Parker spent time in various POW camps, until he ended up in Oflag IVC, Colditz. There, his magic skills boosted morale and played a key role in many escape attempts. See my blog, 'Never in the field of human conflict...": a magician is one of the few' , to read more about 'Bush' Parker's background as a magician and his time with the R.A.F. before he was captured. 'In the bag' Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the 15 August 1940 as  "one of the greatest days in history" ,  as it proved to be the most decisive day in the Battle of Britain. Unfortunately, for  Pilot Officer Vincent Parker, it  was also ...

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few..." By mid-1940, German forces had occupied much of Eastern Europe, Denmark, Norway, France and the Low Countries, leaving Britain and her empire standing alone to defeat the Nazi menace.  In July, Hitler ordered the preparation of Operation Sea Lion, the invasion of Great Britain.  The period that followed, through to October 1940, became known as the Battle of Britain. It was fought in the skies, as the Luftwaffe (German air force) launched a stream of deadly raids, day and night, to compel Britain to agree to a negotiated peace settlement. The Luftwaffe first aimed to destroy Britain's airfields. As the battle progressed, it also targeted factories involved in aircraft production and strategic infrastructure. The Nazis wanted to gain air superiority over the Channel, to allow an amphibious and airborne assault. Leading the defence of the United Kingdom, were the airmen and aircraft of the ...