“Governor General praises the bravery of those who fought in the Battle of Britain”
“Here is what Governor General David Johnston had to say at the Battle of Britain ceremony today:”
“Some years ago, I had the opportunity to speak to Sir Martin Gilbert, the author of a multi-volume biography of Winston Churchill and someone who knew more about Churchill’s thinking than any living person. Sir Gilbert had just gained access to Churchill’s secret wartime diaries. I asked him, “What did you learn from them that you didn’t already know?” He replied: “I learned what a close thing it was.”
The outcome of the Battle of Britain—like that of the Second World War itself—was never guaranteed. Without the great courage, ingenuity and skill of those who fought the air war, as well as the remarkable resilience of people on the home front, things might have turned out very differently. As governor general and commander-in-chief of Canada, I’m grateful for this opportunity to mark this milestone anniversary.”
20 September 2015: Ottawa Citizen, Reported by David Pugliese.