ABSTRACT
The time had come for the final decision on the German side. The argu-
ments for and against proceeding with the invasion were finely balanced.
An essential pre-condition had been the destruction of the RAF and that had
not been completed. It was clear that great damage had been done and the
speed with which Luftwaffe incursions were challenged suggested that the
more southerly of the RAF fighter squadrons were now approaching extinc-
tion and were not being replaced. New methods were being tried such as
General Paul Deichmann’s scheme of using Me-109s of 2nd Wing of No. 2
Instructional Group each fitted to carry a 250kg bomb to hit the British air-
fields installations.1 The invasion fleet was assembled. If 21 September 1940
was to be confirmed as the date for Sealion, the order had to be given on 11
September.
