www.militarysupport.ca 23 That we live in uncertain times today is sadly evident anytime a newspaper is read or the TV news watched. Threats to our security and freedom seem a part of our new world reality. However, today’s troubles pale in comparison with the situation faced by Britain and her Commonwealth seventy five year ago this summer and fall. While we know the outcome today, few in Britain had reason for optimism in those early summer days of 1940. Just miles across the Channel, Hitler was preparing his invasion forces. Just weeks before the German Army’s “Blitzkrieg” had routed the Dutch and Belgians in a matter of days and the French, who had the largest army in the world, in a matter of weeks. About 200,000 soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force and 140,000 French had just been evacuated from Dunkirk in early June. However, almost all their equipment was abandoned in France. The German victory was staggering and now Britain was alone. The fate of Britain and her Commonwealth, Western Europe and indeed the world would be decided by what happened next. Britain waited and the world watched. In his radio broadcast on18 June, 1940 Winston Churchill summarized the situation and what was at stake. REMEMBERING THE FEW P7370 The Battle of Britain
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