Operation Sealion – rival news broadcasts

Early on 17th September 1940 these broadcasts were intercepted by our monitoring department

Transcription

This is the BBC Home Service. We interrupt our programme to bring you an announcement by the Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill.

“Britons. The hour for which we have been preparing since the fall of France has arrived. Despite the valiant efforts of the Royal Air Force, early this morning Nazi parachute troops began to land near the South coast of England. The British Army, with the aid of the gallant forces from the Empire, is already driving them back into the sea.

We must assume that this is no mere raid, but the prelude to a much stronger blow against our shores.

Do not be downhearted. Remember the instructions issued by the Government. Stay in your homes. Do not make unnecessary journeys. Keep the roads free for troop movements. Disable your motor vehicles and hide or render unusable your bicycles. Obey the orders of the Civil and Military Authorities. Do not assist the invader in any way.

The Nazis may be expected to behave in the same beastly way as they have in Poland, Denmark, Norway, the Low Countries, Belgium and France. We will not tolerate them in these islands. If your life is threatened remember your duty and “Take One With You”.

I must now be about my task of organising the defence of our beloved country. We will beat Herr Hitler just as surely as we did the last little corporal who tried to invade this country.

May God go with you.”

Transcription (translated)

“The High Command of the Armed Forces announces:

This Morning Parachutists from the Air Force were landed in several Places in the South of England.  They have already had great Success in capturing Airfields for future Troop Landings and securing important Centres of Communication.

The German Navy has transported many Thousands of Troops to the south Coast of England and they are driving towards London, linking up with the Parachutists who have captured the main Roads.

The Leader has meticulously planned this Operation and we can be sure that England will fall before the might of the German Armed Forces, as have Poland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France before them. We have destroyed the Bulk of the English Army at Dunkirk. There is Little that can resist us.

Mr Churchill continues to bluster from his comfortable House in London, but England has surrendered in France all military Equipment that they could wish to have used to resist our always-victorious Armed Forces. Hail Hitler.”