Battle of Britain (1969)

Harry Andrews: Senior Civil Servant

Photos 

Quotes 

• Senior civil servant : Damn it, man! We've got 650 planes!

  Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding : And they have 2,500 aircraft, haven't they?

  Senior civil servant : They won't come all over at once and we have radar. Churchill puts great faith in radar.

  Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding : It's vital, but it won't shot down aircraft.

  Senior civil servant : Ha! Well I must say you don't exactly exude a spirit of optimism.

  Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding : God willing we will hold out minister.

  Senior civil servant : I see. So I tell the cabinet, that you're trusting in radar and praying to God, is that right?

  Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding : [chuckles]  More accurately the other way round. Trusting in God and praying for radar. But the essential arithmetic is that our young men will have to shoot down their young men at the rate of four to one, if we're to keep pace at all.