WHEN BRITAIN STOOD TO ARMS

Chronicle (Levin), 20 November 1946, Page 9

WHEN BRITAIN STOOD TO ARMS

Received Tuesday, 7.0 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 19. Events leading up to and tlie reason behind tlie issue of tlie codeword i( Cromwell" 011 September 7, 1940, warniiig that a Oernian invasion was imiiiiiieiit and plaeing the military throughout on the alert, is officially revealed for the first time by Mr. Attlee in a written reply to questions in the Commons. _ _ The i-eply Velates how Hitler on'July 16, 1940, issued a directive for the invasion of England by the middle of August. The Gernian staff drew up plans for " Operation Sea Lion. " The plan provided for the landing ot' two armies eonsisting of 25 divisions, between Folkestone and Worthing. The Cfermans aimed to cut off London from the west as soon as possible. Parachute troops were to be used only for the capture of Dover. Hitler, however, when preparations were well advanced, was niost reluctant and four times postponed the advance. During August the bodies of 36 Germans were washed up on the English coast, giving rise to rumours that an invasion was actually attempted. However, the Germans were killed in R.A.F. raids against the invasion harbours and there was nothing to show that invasion barges had ever left harbour as a fleet to invade Britain. Hitler on September 3, 1940, fixed the German D Day for September 21. Thc British .Chief of Staff, early in September deduced that an invasion was immineiit because, flrstly, of enemy liarge eoncentrations ; secondly, the moving up of bomber reinforcements; thirdly, the conL'cssions of four German spies who were captured after landing by a rowing boat, revealing tliat an invasion was planned for within a fortnight; fourthly, the faet that the moon and tide conditions were favourable. The Chief of Staff therefore issued the warnmg codeword " Cromwell' ' on September 7. The Eastern and Southern Commands took up action stations and Home Guard commanders in various parts of the eountry, acting on their own initiative, called out the Home Guards by ringing church bells, thus giving rise to rumours that enemy parachutists had landed. Hitler, on September 17, once more postponed D D'ay and 011 September 19 ordered the dispersal of the barges.