The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
It’s sad to read letters of such apparent ingratitude and contempt as that of M J Vick in the August 26 issue.
While we scuttle out of danger, let’s leave those who helped us (often at great risk to themselves) to stay and face the music – possibly death. After all, they knew the risks, didn’t they?
Britain has a big habit of blanking out just how much it owes to others. Take just one example. Britain did nothing to support the Poles when Hitler threatened. The Poles, however, did do things to help Britain.
Here’s three of them:
First: A Polish intelligence group worked out the Enigma coding system by the early 1930s. They were reading German Enigma messages before WW2. When invasion threatened, they met and briefed British and French intelligence with all they knew, even providing actual Enigma machines. Given that basic understanding, the British group at Bletchley Park was able to tackle the extra complication when the Germans added an extra code wheel to the Enigma machine.
Hands up all those who thought Britain sorted Enigma all by itself!
Second: During the Battle of Britain, RAF fought desperately to beat the Luftwaffe and prevent a German invasion. The fighter pilots (‘The Few’) did a brilliant job. The outstanding squadron of all those that took part, was the Polish one.
Third: During the conquest of Italy, later in the war, the Allies were completely held up by the German defence at Monte Cassino. After several failed British attempts to break through, the Polish units finally led the way and, at considerable cost to themselves, succeeded.
And the reward for all that? Towards the end of the war, Mr Churchill did a deal with Stalin that allowed the USSR to annex the eastern half of Poland.
I believe we should honour and protect those who have supported Britain. And incidentally, the proposed number of 20,000 immigrants, would work out at about eight immigrants arriving in Spalding.
John Tippler
Spalding
