British Forces

Invasion flotilla in waiting, Autumn 1940.

H.M. Government.

While the main RAF effort to forestall a German invasion of Britain in August/September 1940 came from Fighter Command, Bomber Command did not ignore the target presented by invasion preparations on the far side of the English Channel. This RAF recce. photo shows canal barges massed in the harbour of Dunkirk in preparation for the transportation of German troops and equipment to England. Close examination shows a good number of bomb strikes on port installations; nothing that looks particularly decisive, however. In any event, the barges were back to shipping heavy freight up and down the canals of western Europe within a couple of months ... Best regards, JR.