"THEY were "the few" whose role has been largely ignored. A Scottish historian has claimed that The Battle of Britain began not over the white cliffs of Dover, but the islands of Orkney. As the nation yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the battle between the RAF and the German Luftwaffe for control of Britain's skies, the author of a new book argues that Scotland's contribution to fending off enemy attacks has been all but forgotten. Les Taylor, writer of Luftwaffe Over Scotland, said a three-day attack in April, 1940, when Germany's Air Force targeted Royal Navy shipping off Orkney and in Scapa Flow, was the true beginning of the famous battle that saw Winston Churchill declare: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Author claims The Battle of Britain 'began over Orkney' - Scotland on Sunday
This is a very interesting read. But this was not technically the beginning of the BoB, because Scotland was attacked. I agree that this should be remembered, but Britain was not attacked, Scotland was.
Scotland is part of Britain. Specifically it is part of the Island of Great Britain whose other parts are England, Wales, and Cornwall.
But Ireland is one of the British Isles as well. Not great Britain but certainly qualifies geographically as British. Not that I would say that in a Dublin bar....