1940 | "The Battle of Littleport" ... that was never fought | WOTF_5 [Fenland 360°] 

#1940 #WWII #TheFens
World of the Fens (in 360°) - 5 | 28th / 30th January 2024
Drew Berry and Anthony Browne look at what remains of the Home Guard's World War II defences and fortifications at Littleport during the period when a German invasion was highly anticipated.
The extract of Sir Winston Churchill's "A Colossal Military Disaster" speech from June 4th 1940 is used for educational purposes under the "fair use / fair dealing" exception to UK copyright law.
Background info:
It’s the 4th of June 1940.
Churchill has just given his “we will fight them on the beaches” speech in the House of Commons.
The “Battle of Britain”, fought by the Royal Air Force is yet to commence.
The battle of France has been lost in three weeks with French and British armies shattered with relative ease by the German Wehrmacht and the world introduced to the word “Blitzkrieg” (Lightning War),
Most of Europe will shortly be under the dominance of the Nazi regime but the shattered allied armies, by a matter of professionalism and providence, are rescued from the French coast by the little ships and the Royal Navy.
This rescued army of 500,000 men has abandoned most of its heavy equipment, weaponry, vehicles and supplies in the fields of France. The survivors come home wearing the uniforms they stand up in.
In Britain, some members of the establishment are advocating abandoning their European allies and seeking a peace treaty with Herr Hitler in order to save the British Empire.
Without this armistice it is fully expected, that Nazi Germany will launch operation, “Sea Lion” the full scale invasion of the United Kingdom which is defended by 6 understrength, ill-equipped divisions.
Feverish preparations are underway to construct over 50 separate de-fence lines encompassing 22,000 separate bunkers and pillboxes.
1.5 million men have stepped forward to become members of the “Local Defence Volunteers” (later to be known as the Home Guard) and pick up whatever is available to defend their homes. Museum piece weapons, shot guns and pitchforks are now in the front line to stop an invasion
This interactive 360° video is about that time; focussing on one small Fenland town's story in that epic struggle and the preparations that were being made. This same story was being replayed all across the country.
The Battle of Littleport was never fought, but in June 1940 the people of Littleport were preparing for it to happen.
Further reading:
archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/...
shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/map...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battl...