Possible message played at the premiere of The Dam Busters film
Title
Possible message played at the premiere of The Dam Busters film
Description
Talks briefly of the squadron, Guy Gibson, Sir Ralph Cochrane and international nature of aircrew. Continues with message of peace and sends warmest greetings. Submitted with caption 'Possible message from Group Captain Leonard Cheshire played at the premiere of the Dambusters Film, 1955. Leonard was invited to premieres over the world but could not attend. Leonard talks about Guy Gibson, his opinions on the contribution of Bomber Command to athe Allies' victory in the Second World War and sends greetings to his past RAF colleagues'.
Creator
Date
1955
Temporal Coverage
Language
Type
Format
Audio recording 00:03:33
Publisher
Rights
This content is property of the Leonard Cheshire Archive which has kindly granted the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive a royalty-free permission to publish it. Please note that it was digitised by a third-party which used technical specifications that may differ from those used by International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive. It has been published here ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre.
Identifier
SCheshireGL72021v20022-0001, SCheshireGL72021v20022-0001-Transcript
Transcription
Leonard Cheshire Resonate Project
File Title: Possible message played at premiere of Dambusters Film
Date: 1955 (date assumed)
Duration: 3mn33s (3.2MB)
Transcription Date: 08.06.20
Archive Number: AV-S_367
Start of Transcription
00:00: GLC: I'm very happy indeed to be given this opportunity of sending just a few words of good wishes to you. Unfortunately, your letter arrived only just before I have to leave, so this is a very hurried message, but I do assure you that it comes with all my heart. And I would like to feel that I'm speaking to you on behalf of the members of the squadron.
(00:28) We were very privileged to be allowed to take part in the operation of that squadron, and I feel privileged to have been able to try and follow in the footsteps of Guy Gibson and the others who set the pattern for the squadron. They were, as you know, all volunteers, so that meant that as many had given up their rank, dropped a rank, in order to join it, that we perhaps didn't have the same regard for higher authority than, I suppose, one should, but I hope never to the breach of good discipline.
(1:16) We had the greatest respect for our AOC, Sir Ralph Cochrane. He was a man with an outstanding mind, he would question everything, but if he once was convinced then you knew that he was 100% behind you. We were composed of many different nationalities: Australians, Canadians, New-Zealanders, 2 Americans; and I think we gained from that. I think today we have a little lesson to learn or rather that we've learnt a lesson that perhaps in those days we haven't: the necessity of joining together whatever our country, whatever our belief, whatever our background, in working for a better world.
(2:05) In this squadron, in our small way, we hoped that we were making such contribution as we could - small though it was - to ending the war. And in our minds, ending the war meant winning peace. But everybody, until the end of time, has got to work and sacrifice, and perhaps - though God forbid - fight, once again, in order to ensure peace; 'cause peace can only be founded on justice and freedom, and the dignity of the individual. And if we want peace, then we have to work to put right injustice. We have to work to fill the gap between the poorer countries and the richer countries, each generation according to the circumstances of his time.
(3:06) Well, I wasn't here to give you a lecture, I'm far away from you but I'd like to feel that I'm with you in the room in spirit, and from all the boys in the squadron and, I suppose, the West, one or two of whom I've still kept in touch with. I would like to send warmest wishes, thank you for taking an interest in what the squadron did, and God bless. Thank you.
3:32: End of Speech
3:33: End of Recording.
End of Transcription
File Title: Possible message played at premiere of Dambusters Film
Date: 1955 (date assumed)
Duration: 3mn33s (3.2MB)
Transcription Date: 08.06.20
Archive Number: AV-S_367
Start of Transcription
00:00: GLC: I'm very happy indeed to be given this opportunity of sending just a few words of good wishes to you. Unfortunately, your letter arrived only just before I have to leave, so this is a very hurried message, but I do assure you that it comes with all my heart. And I would like to feel that I'm speaking to you on behalf of the members of the squadron.
(00:28) We were very privileged to be allowed to take part in the operation of that squadron, and I feel privileged to have been able to try and follow in the footsteps of Guy Gibson and the others who set the pattern for the squadron. They were, as you know, all volunteers, so that meant that as many had given up their rank, dropped a rank, in order to join it, that we perhaps didn't have the same regard for higher authority than, I suppose, one should, but I hope never to the breach of good discipline.
(1:16) We had the greatest respect for our AOC, Sir Ralph Cochrane. He was a man with an outstanding mind, he would question everything, but if he once was convinced then you knew that he was 100% behind you. We were composed of many different nationalities: Australians, Canadians, New-Zealanders, 2 Americans; and I think we gained from that. I think today we have a little lesson to learn or rather that we've learnt a lesson that perhaps in those days we haven't: the necessity of joining together whatever our country, whatever our belief, whatever our background, in working for a better world.
(2:05) In this squadron, in our small way, we hoped that we were making such contribution as we could - small though it was - to ending the war. And in our minds, ending the war meant winning peace. But everybody, until the end of time, has got to work and sacrifice, and perhaps - though God forbid - fight, once again, in order to ensure peace; 'cause peace can only be founded on justice and freedom, and the dignity of the individual. And if we want peace, then we have to work to put right injustice. We have to work to fill the gap between the poorer countries and the richer countries, each generation according to the circumstances of his time.
(3:06) Well, I wasn't here to give you a lecture, I'm far away from you but I'd like to feel that I'm with you in the room in spirit, and from all the boys in the squadron and, I suppose, the West, one or two of whom I've still kept in touch with. I would like to send warmest wishes, thank you for taking an interest in what the squadron did, and God bless. Thank you.
3:32: End of Speech
3:33: End of Recording.
End of Transcription
Collection
Citation
G L Cheshire, “Possible message played at the premiere of The Dam Busters film,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 27, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/40179.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.