All Centred on a Single Day

Maurice Lindsay

I was an officer and part of a contingent of defence troops hastily stationed on the flat roofs of bungalows on the South Coast of England in September 1940, because it became known that a large force of hostile ships were on their way across the channel. My little force had Bren guns and ammunition but no possibility of immediately replenishing the ammunition once fired. Without a doubt on the rooftops we would quickly have been overwhelmed by an invading force, along with many civilians. Suddenly we received, through intelligence, the news that the invading ships had mysteriously turned back. It is quite impossible to describe the sense of relief I felt, as did the rest of the troops.

Later, in our quarters, over breakfast, we learnt that Hitler had decided to let England be for the moment and had invaded Russia instead.

Though the years may have blunted some of the details, I have never forgotten the emotions of that September night, which I think must therefore be defined as a truly memorable one, though unpleasant, except for its ending.