The Battle of Britain Five Months That Changed History, May—October 1940 by James Holland (z-lib.org).epub

regardless of the detrimental effect on the economy. There was also talk of
launching large-scale terror raids on London on the eve of an invasion, with
the intention of causing mass panic. It was hoped that streams of people
would flee London, blocking roads in the process and hampering British
moves to meet the invasion.
Having returned to Berlin for this critical period in the battle against
Britain, Hitler told Jodl on 30 August that he would decide on SEALION
on or around 10 September. Since it was accepted that at least ten days’
notice would be needed, a timetable was now drawn up and issued on 3
September. This made the earliest sailing date 20 September, with troops
landing early the following morning.
Göring made it clear that he had little faith in SEALION, but Hitler was
becoming more optimistic, ironically because at last the Luftwaffe now
seemed to them to be emphatically winning the air battle currently raging.
At a conference with the Reichsmarschall in The Hague on 29 August,
Beppo Schmid confirmed that British fighter strength had dropped to
around one hundred, although with the lull up to the 23rd, they probably
had an actual strength of around 350. Kesselring reported that according to
Generalmajor Theo Osterkamp, the commander of Jafü 2, Germany
‘already had unconditional fighter superiority now’. Only Sperrle was
prepared to add a note of scepticism. By the first week of September, the
situation looked even more favourable. Fighter units were reporting that the
RAF was attacking with between five and seven aircraft rather than full
squadrons of twelve to fifteen aircraft. ‘English fighter defence hit hard,’ it
was reported to OKW. ‘Ratio of kills has changed much to our favour.’
There was now a feeling of confidence that September’s fighting would see
the end of British fighter defence – admittedly, later than had been
scheduled, but air superiority over Britain at last appeared to be assured.
Some refreshed Luftwaffe units had now arrived at the front.
Kampfgeschwader 30 ‘Adler’ had been moved to southern Belgium. For
Unteroffizier Peter Stahl, in the 2nd Gruppe, the new posting was no
surprise; after all, it had seemed odd that they should have stayed in
Germany and Denmark kicking their heels while other bomber crews were
fighting to exhaustion. At least he was refreshed, having managed to get
four weeks’ home leave. A young NCO pilot, Peter had been a civilian test
pilot before the war, and in August 1939 had been newly married and living