Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II, Episode 48, The Time

draws near.

The battle over the channel had been going on for about three weeks now, and both sides

had learned some things.

After Chief Marshall doubting had learned to hate convoys, there were so many of them,

and they all needed and required protection.

But this meant standard patrols for his planes, which exhausted his men and those on the ground

responsible for keeping the aircraft in good shape.

He also hated fighting over the water, just because a plane went down didn't automatically

mean that the pilot was lost.

But a wounded pilot was most likely unable to swim or tread water until rescued by about

if he could be found and rescued at all.

But Churchill didn't mind so much, and the fighter in him liked the idea of the convoys

being used as bait, so RAF fighters could get at their enemies.

But he wisely did not interfere with doubting and the admiralty on this issue.

The admiralty learned the high cost of sending convoys through the channel, and so, on July

26, cancelled all daylight merchant movement through the straits.

Soon after, the Navy gave up on Dover as a base, due to the increasing quantities of large

German guns on the opposite coast, and moved to Harridge and Sheerness.

But the attacks from the Luftwaffe and the German guns continued, and so on July 29,

daytime naval movements ceased as well.

The air ministry had learned a few things as well, and didn't like any of them.

...