13 Hours That Saved Britain

00:00:02 On one day in September, 1940,

00:01:49 and 13 hours that saved Britain.

00:04:17 We couldn't have stopped it.

00:06:28 A lone German Heinkel bomber on a weather reconnaissance flight

00:08:49 …for hop-picking is around again,

00:10:44 But my foreman was a decent type,

00:12:39 to suddenly having to put up 250 plus

00:15:00 Sitting alone in his garden,

00:17:08 or if they had an Anderson sort of shelter

00:18:59 the beleaguered German formations reach the village of Chislehurst.

00:21:13 12:08 p.m.

00:23:22 Looking up, I couldn't tell which was which.

00:25:19 The German formations turn away from London

00:27:23 And when I got to the cottage, there was just a heap of rubble.

00:29:31 Some discover more than just debris and destruction.

00:31:19 We did find a live incendiary bomb.

00:33:16 You adopt a sort of fatalistic attitude to it.

00:35:34 and a battle fast moving towards its climax.

00:37:43 And it was just unbelievable to see so many aircraft.

00:39:36 and dogfights underway.

00:41:40 Everyone was choking, but fortunately, we were alive.

00:43:40 And then, they were sitting ducks.

00:46:06 Two days later, Hitler postponed Operation Sea Lion.

00:48:00 and secured their island home from invasion.