It was only on the second of April 1982 that Elizabeth and Jake Reynolds and their small circle of friends finally put ‘two and two’ together. However, none of them were prepared to go public on this ‘time-travelling’ tale, as it appeared too absurd. As a consequence, they remained silent.
49
RAF Cardington, Bedfordshire
27 August 1940
There were only eleven days to go until the potential escape, back to the future. However, the eighth of September seemed a long, long way away at this point – and at the current rate of losses – there would be no-one left to send back!
Todd Morrissey stood in the massive hangar at Cardington and surveyed the scene. It was pitiful. The Battle of Britain might be going reasonably well up to now, and the Germans may have been influenced to change their invasion plans, and thereby give Churchill the breathing space he required, but the price paid by Force 1992 was horrendous – both in personnel and materiel.
He had just the C-130, one Canberra ECM, one Recce Tornado and two IDS Tornados remaining. He'd lost four more of his good friends during the run for this new base and the authorities couldn’t find either one of the lost jets. He had attended the short burial service up near Norwich for the crew picked up dead in the North Sea, and had earnestly contemplated his future on the tiresome journey back to Bedfordshire.
His troops were worn out, frightened and beyond the point of despair. None of them now believed that they would ever make it back home and to make things worse, Jim Charles had requested another interview with the AVM and himself.
‘Good morning, Jim,’ greeted the AVM brightly, ‘ what can we do for you?’
Jim Charles was not in the mood for any more bullshit from this man.
‘I want you to listen to me Air Marshal, and to try to understand your situation – our situation – because it's not only you who is involved in all of this ….this….nightmare!’
‘Calm, down, Mr Charles,’ warned the AVM, ‘I suggest you maintain your dignity. Now, speak your piece and we will see what is to be done.’
Todd, sitting to the right of his father sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. This reaction wasn’t missed by the Met Man, who suddenly recognised a potential ally in the young Wing Commander.
‘Sir,’ he began quietly, ‘you must appreciate that all is not as it seems. We may be in August 1940 – but we are not in our August 1940. There are far too many discrepancies in the history of the timeline we currently inhabit.
In our time, we win the second world war with the assistance of the United States and eventually Russia. That is never going to happen here. President Joe Kennedy despises the British and will never lift a finger to help us. Even you must realise that without his support, Britain will lose the war.’
The AVM was silent as Jim Charles continued:
‘The development of the Me 262 is three or four years ahead of the corresponding period in our time. This potent weapon will make mincemeat of the RAF in the present 1940 and the invasion of Britain – Operation Sealion – will go ahead and be successful. Hitler will be so pleased with his victory over the British that Russia will go unattacked, and ‘Barbarossa’ will never happen.
In addition, the Nazi nuclear programme will proceed unhindered, as will their rocket development programme. V2s – as we know them – will eventually have nuclear warheads and the rest of the world will be held to ransom. Hitlerism will prevail.
Do you need other evidence to corroborate what I say, Air Marshal?’
Todd spoke up for the first time:
‘Go ahead, Jim. At least I'm interested in what you’ve got to say.’
His father gave Todd a withering stare, but remained silent.
‘I have been scanning the newspapers and visiting the local libraries to check up on historical data to confirm my beliefs. For example, apart from the anomaly of the First World War, the present king is Edward the Seventh. He never even met Wallis bloody Simpson, but married a member of the old German Royal Family and openly welcomes a pact with Herr Hitler. Although he is hiding in Canada at present where Churchill banished him, Hitler has stated publicly that he will allow Edward to resume his position as King and Emperor – of a new Anglo-German Empire and Commonwealth. Add to this the fact that most European countries and states are making friendly approaches to join Hitler in a United Europe, and we have a completely isolated Britain under Churchill.
The upshot of all this is that everything we from 1992 have done since we arrived is for nothing. We cannot influence the final outcome of this fight, and our men and women have died for nothing – and they should be told the truth. They deserve at least that much, and there is absolutely no point in them making any more sacrifices for a patently lost cause.
It's time to stop this madness, wait the ten days and then try to get home.’
The AVM was unmoved. Clearly, he knew all of this background information and was completely aware of the risks and dangers.
As it happened, he didn’t care. He had always had his own agenda and nothing and no-one was going to change it now. However, this was no time to reveal his cards, so he bluffed:
‘Alright, Mr Charles, I concede that you have a point. Will you please accompany me to London to speak to the PM – today. I am sure that we can reach a compromise. In the meantime, Todd, will you please await my arrival back at Cardington before taking precipitate action.’
Todd was relieved, so nodded his assent.
‘Of course, sir. Shall I arrange a car?’
‘If you would, Todd. Mr Charles, let's go. We have important issues to discuss.’
Jim Charles smiled with relief and stood up. The two men left the room and climbed into a staff car, which took them directly to 10 Downing Street.
The Prime Minister was waiting.
***
It was about at this time that Hitler overruled Reichsmarschall Goering and changed tactics.
He decided to attack Britain on two specific fronts.
His bombers, protected by conventional fighters would attack London and other major cities in order to shock and terrify the population into surrender. Additionally, he would use his Me 262s to destroy airfields and their fighters in the air and on the ground. He now had more than fifty of these stupendous aircraft and would use them to their full effect. He had no other military distractions, so the full force of his Luftwaffe could be used in the pre-invasion onslaught.
He was determined to dine in Buckingham Palace on Christmas morning with the newly-installed King.
***
Winston Churchill listened to Jim Charles in silence for thirty minutes, and then asked him to wait in an outer office whilst he talked with AVM Morrissey.
‘He's a dangerous man, Air Marshal. And he's wrong. Hitler will never defeat these people or ever control these islands. If Charles opens his stupid mouth, and the bloody press spread this defeatism, then we will be placed in an impossible position by the extreme right and the appeasers. I’ll deal with the man. You go back to Bedford and await my orders. Pacify your people, Air Marshal – or I will intervene!’
Air Marshal Morrissey stood as if to leave, but made only one comment:
‘You do understand, Prime Minister, that I must return on the eighth of September – or everything will be lost.’
Churchill looked up from his desk.
‘Yes, yes, yes! I understand. You will get back as promised – even if it's only you in the back of a Lysander. The letter is safe. However, you must comply with my wishes and orders up to that point.’
‘As long as we understand each other, Prime Minister.’
Churchill watched AVM Morrissey leave the underground office and picked up the phone. A man answered at the first ring:
‘Menzies, I've got a job for you. Send one of your best men over to see me, and then I’ll expect you here at 6pm for a little chat.’
The head of the British SIS had been summoned.
***
Carpet bomb
ing of London, Plymouth, Southampton, Crewe and, in particular - Castle Bromwich started immediately. German intelligence had being providing excellent target information for the Luftwaffe crews.
Not only was the population of these cities put under the severest pressure, but also three vital factories assembling Spitfires and their engines were completely destroyed. It would take months to set up new construction facilities – but by then it may be too late.
To add to the misery, Me 262 bombers and interceptors took to the skies in droves, protecting Luftwaffe bombers as they laid waste to RAF airfields and shooting down Spitfires and Hurricanes by the dozen.
By the first of September, the RAF was on its last legs and it was now that Churchill, desperate for a victory, called upon Force 1992 for one final effort.
***
Meanwhile, the aging Met Man, Jim Charles, having said his piece, sat deep beneath Downing Street waiting for a response from the PM. Air Marshal Morrissey had returned to Bedford, instructing Charles to await further instructions.
He waited several hours, reading newspapers patiently, secure in the knowledge that he had probably saved what was left of the people from 1992.
At 1700 hours, two men in trench coats entered the office and approached him.
‘James Charles?’ one enquired.
‘Yes, what can I do for you?’ he responded.
‘James Charles, I am arresting you on a charge of treason. You do not have to say anything, but anything you do say will be written down and may be used against you at your trial. Do you understand?’
Jim was dumbstruck.
One of the men produced a pair of handcuffs and secured Jim’s wrists. They grabbed him roughly and escorted him out of the building to a waiting car, which sped off to Bow Street Police Station.
The secretary in the outer office didn’t even look up.
***
The entire procedure took only eleven days.
Jim Charles was mercilessly interrogated.
He could produce no evidence to prove his identity and the charge was changed to one of espionage.
He went before a court on the third of September and a judge, in camera, heard the case presented by the police, and found him guilty.
Jim Charles was taken to Wandsworth prison and, ironically, on the morning of the eighth of September led struggling to the gallows, protesting his innocence to anyone who might listen.
Nobody did, and the luckless Met Man was also unceremoniously hanged by the notorious Albert Pierrepoint – one of seven executions for espionage, murder and treason he carried out that day.
50
RAF Cardington
1 September 1940
There was a week remaining until the potential, yet persistently promised window back to 1992 should open. Todd Morrissey sat in his dingy office and reviewed the situation.
Who and what the hell did he have left to take home?
He had six aircraft remaining after the last debacle transferring to Bedford – 1 x C-130, 2 x IDS Tornados, 1 x Recce Tornado, 1 x Recce Canberra and 1 x ECM Canberra.
The aircrew had been badly hit. He had six IDS crewmen, no ADV – all had been killed – either in action or in the air raid at Middle Fleckney. There were four Tornado Recce men left and two Recce Canberra crew. The three ECM boys survived, but two of the five VC10 crew were killed in the air raid as was the co-pilot of the C-130, leaving just four.
That left twenty-two aircrew plus five other assorted officers and just twenty-two groundcrew, plus three badly injured in hospital.
That was a total of fifty-two personnel to get home in a week’s time – plus of course his father – the Air Marshal.
He had fallen seriously out of favour in that quarter, as Todd refused to compromise on the matter of further operations against the Luftwaffe. In addition, his father would give no information as to the whereabouts of Jim Charles, who had not re-appeared after his trip to London the previous week.
Todd felt that there was a storm brewing and truly hoped it wouldn't blow until the eighth of September safely came and went. He was diverting all of his energies into getting these fifty-three airmen from 1992 back to where they belonged without further mishap – but he would not have wagered his mortgage on avoiding further trouble with Churchill and his gang.
To make matters worse, Patsy had been to see him the previous night, and after a particularly vigourous and totally unexpected sexual escapade, she broke the bad news.
She was pregnant – and Todd was the father.
So now he had fifty-four lives on his conscience!
Todd had struggled to summon up the strength to tell his father, who reacted calmly. There was no point in crying over spilt milk, he had muttered, and dismissed Todd with a wave of the hand.
Todd returned to the enormous hangar at Cardington and gathered the group together for their daily shareholder’s meeting. Everyone got a chance to air their views – with no comeback – and all matters of interest were discussed. The number one subject was the escape the following week and Todd promised that no more sorties would be programmed until then.
The three wounded men from Middle Fleckney were uncontactable and Todd was pressed to find out where they were. He was also shown a copy of the Daily Sketch, which had been smuggled in by one of the civilian catering staff and stolen by an airman.
It incontrovertibly proved Jim Charles’ theories about the timeline anomalies.
President Joe Kennedy was almost congratulating Hitler on his conduct of the war as the Me 262 smashed the RAF to pieces – in the air and on the ground. Several of the more senior airmen and some of the officers commented on the fact that Joe Kennedy was US President. Surely it was his son that became President – but that wasn’t until 1960 – and wasn’t Franklin Roosevelt the current American leader?
Todd tried to divert attention away from this very astute observation by changing the subject to the imminent invasion of Britain by German forces. He bluffed his way out of answering directly but there was clearly an air of disquiet amongst his men.
Churchill also bluffed and blustered in the press and on the radio, going on about ‘fighting them on the beaches’, but it was clear that the German army was on the brink of launching an invasion of southern Britain – and there was little that anyone could do about it.
Or was there?
At that point, the hangar doors cracked open about ten feet and a large black staff car drove through the gap, followed by four trucks and an ambulance, which pulled up around thirty feet from the assembled 1992 team.
Around forty heavily armed regular soldiers – no namby-pamby Dad’s Army troops – sprang out the trucks and surrounded the Force 1992, weapons cocked, pointing directly at the frightened and alarmed group, who looked at Todd for a lead.
However, before Todd could react the passenger doors of the black sedan opened, and three very serious looking gentlemen climbed out.
Led by Winston Churchill was Hugh Dowding - Fighter Command supremo; Sir Peter Andrews and, to complete the coup, entering from behind Todd was AVM Morrissey.
All four men approached the airmen from 1992, who now sat dumbstruck, but too tired to be really frightened.
Churchill opened the proceedings:
‘Ladies and gentlemen. I can see you are surprised by this unannounced visit, but please don’t be overly distressed. The soldiers in attendance are for my protection and do not threaten your wellbeing in any way.’
Todd was angry.
‘Why are they pointing their bloody weapons at our head, then? What the hell do you want now? We've just about had enough of your circus. We just want to go home,’ he shouted.
Force 1992 cheered in complete agreement with Todd’s outburst.
Churchill directed his next remarks at the entire assembly, ignoring Todd. He waited for complete silence before beginning.
‘I, and the country at large, fully appreciate the contribution and sacrifice that your party has made to the war
effort. I also appreciate that you have all lost friends in the fighting, and that you didn’t choose to get involved in this fight to the death with Herr Hitler.’
The Prime Minister paused for effect.
‘However, you are involved, whether you like it or not and that is an inescapable fact. Yes, you have done your part and hopefully, you will be able to return to your own time next week. However, you will have surely noted that Britain is taking a severe beating, and that invasion is a very real prospect – indeed, it could happen before your planned departure – which would have severe repercussions for your escape, would it not?’
Churchill was over-dramatising the situation as a pre-cursor to his main point.
JET LAG! Page 24
