You're thinking of Sam Gamgee, or the Sarn Gebir. It's a French phrase, which literally translated means "Cold Blood", but is actually idiom for what you might call "Grace under pressure" or being cucumber-cool in a crisis. It comes naturally to the insular denizens of this sceptered isle, because being British means you keep a stiff upper lip at all times.
I am musing on this topic since I am currently reading "The Narrow Margin", which is a very detailed account of the Battle of Britain; being from 1969 it doesn't mention Enigma, which would probably have been in it's very infant state at this point (June 1940) and thus not terribly important.*
Hmmm. Well, close enough, I suppose |
CONTROLLER: Observer Corps? This is the Biggin Hill controller - Yes, it is a bit hectic - Group think they're making for us so keep your tracks going, will you? You're doing very well at the moment. Now, Ops B - I want you to ring all dispersals and tell them to get everything into the air that's serviceable; I don't want any aircraft to be caught on the ground.
- and a little later -
CONTROLLER: Ops. B - sound the station attack alarm! Floor supervisor - Get the troops into their battle bowlers right away. Tin hats, everybody.
- and afterwards -
CONTROLLER: Well, George, it's been quite a morning!
This is Perfidious code for "We've been hit with dozens of tons of bombs but we're still here and not down in the dumps the least bit."
The battle bowler in question - a Brodie pattern helmet |
We will return to this topic, O yes indeed!
In appropriate fashion, let us superglue the motley to a sheet of plywood, and then lift it by helicopter to 7,000 feet!***
Big Nelly And The Coincidence Hydra
If you recall, Conrad sought to
Little Nelly: an autogyro |
Anyway -
Back to "The Narrow Margin", because in the mid-1930's the RAF was seeking to test it's embryonic radar capability, which in part meant flying aircraft up and down the airways, so that baselines could be established. How did they manage this?
With Cierva Autogyros. Art?
Nelly's bigger sister |
Excuse me whilst I pry the Coincidence Hydra's fangs from my tender nethers.
Yeah, this |
Okay, More Coincidence Hydra
I happened to be reading the Beeb's website, and it mentioned a lady author whom I was not familiar with - at first. Her name is Judith Kerr, and she escaped to Perfidious Albion whilst the Teutons were under that temporary derangement called "Nazism", her and her family being Jewish.***
The thing is, I did know about a work of hers: "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit", because that's not a title you forget easily. Art?
Hitler, you cur! |
<bites tongue to avoid adding inappropriate caption> |
Dreaming of cats and hideous alien invaders, I bet. |
* FYI, Enigma only became released from it's 30-year security blanket in 1975
** SOP for cameramen filming "The Battle of Britain" (1969)
*** Nazis felt all the fond regard for Jews that vampires have for garlic, FYI
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