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

counterparts had been given. It was also sad to say goodbye to the
squadron. ‘It seems incredible to me to say goodbye to Peter B,’ the CO
wrote in the squadron diary. ‘He’s been with us for years and years. He’s
shared our laughs and shared our tears and now he’s gone – new friends to
meet. So long, old pal, we’ll miss you Pete.’
Time was now fast running out for Germany, as Hitler was well aware. If he
was going to strike, he had to strike soon. The navy was now almost ready.
For all the earlier pessimism of the Kriegsmarine, its plans had been going
well. Weather had hampered some minesweeping operations, but on 6
September Raeder had reported that flank mine barrages had now been
successfully laid, the Schnellboote playing their part in these operations. All
the transportation shipping was now assembled, although as landing craft
the hastily gathered barges were hardly ideal. Only half the barges even had
engines, and these were not powerful enough to get them across on their
own. Tug boats were the solution, and some 350 had been found for the
purpose. Each one would tow two barges, one without an engine, and one
with. Just before they reached the English coast, those with engines would
be cut loose and then expected to make the last stretch under their own
steam. The whole shipping operation was clearly fraught with potential
problems, but Raeder, rather surprisingly, now seemed more optimistic
about the entire plan. ‘If air supremacy is increasingly established,’ Raeder
told Hitler, ‘it will be possible to be ready by the new date.’ Having been
one of the biggest sceptics, Raeder now believed that with the air
supremacy proviso, SEALION could succeed. Von Brauchitsch and Halder
were of much the same mind, and confident that should they get a foothold
in England, their forces would prevail. All now depended on the Luftwaffe.
The tension was mounting with every day and every hour. Hitler knew
he had to make a crucial decision. To go ahead and then fail would be
catastrophic, but to abandon the invasion would also be disastrous. It would
mean the war going on through the winter, on into the following year,
Britain getting stronger, America increasing its military output to levels
Germany could not hope to match, whilst in the east Russia built up her
strength too. War on two fronts. Hitler would have to attack in the east after
all, another operation fraught with danger.
But the Luftwaffe had yet to clear the skies. On 10 September, Hitler
still held back, deciding to postpone his decision until the 14th. In between,