Script for the Battle of Britain sector operations room on Horseguards Parade, September 1959. Found in the book "The Narrow Margin - The Battle of Britain and Rise of Air Power 1930-40" by Derek Wood and Derek Dempster McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. 1961 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 61-15451 https://lccn.loc.gov/2010549116 Reproduces the events during a day at Biggin Hill, September 1940 "Angels" means thousand feet of altitude. Angels 20 is 20,000 feet. "Short Jack" is the Biggin Hill call sign. FLOOR SUPERVISOR to Controller: Hostile, sir. CONTROLLER to Ops. B: Ops. B -- here they come! Tell the squadrons to be on their toes. I've a feeling it's going to be a repeat of yesterday. OPS. B to controller: I've already briefed them, sir. Everything's on the top line and they're quite ready. -- Kenley controller for you, sir. CONTROLLER: Yes, Kenley? I see, thank you. What do you make of these two raids? -- Hostiles 132 and 135? (Slight pause.) Yes, I think so too. It looks fairly obvious from the build-up that they're intended for us. I expect Group'll order off something very soon -- I'll let you know. STATION LOOK-OUT: Station lookout -- testing -- testing. Visibility five miles about 3/10ths cloud at 20,000 feet. Off. OPS. A: Biggin Hill -- pause -- Serial 18 -- pause -- one squadron -- intercept hostile 132 -- Angles 20. Sir, form A. CONTROLLER: Right -- scramble Tennis squadron, patrol Canterbury Angels 20. OPS. B: Operations calling -- operations calling -- Tennis squadron scramble -- Tennis squadron scramble -- patrol Canterbury Angels 20. One moment, Group -- Group controller for you, sir. CONTROLLER: Smith here, sir. -- Getting off now, sir, and the other two squadrons are raring to go. Yes, I think this it. Right, sir, I'll expect form A. OPS. A: Biggin Hill -- serial 21 -- one squadron -- patrol base -- Angels 20. Sir, form A. Biggin Hill -- serial 24 -- one squadron -- patrol base -- Angels 15. Form A, sir. CONTROLLER: Right -- scramble Keta squadron vector 140 Angels 20. Scramble Jaunty squadron patrol base Angels 20. OPS B.: Keta squadron -- scramble -- Keta squadron scramble vector 140 make Angels 20. Jaunty squadron scramble -- Jaunty squadron scramble patrol base Angels 20. Well sir, that's that -- let's hope that Group's hunch is right. CONTROLLER: Guns! All our aircraft are now committed against hostiles 132 and 135. I expect your turn'll come soon. GUNS OFFICER: Right sir, I'll tell guns ops. STATION LOOKOUT: This is station lookout -- 12 Spitfires just took off. R/T TENNIS LEADER: Hello Short Jack, Tennis leader calling, Tennis squadron airborne, making Angels 20 -- over. DEPUTY CONTROLLER I: Hello Tennis leader, Short Jack answering, loud and clear. Vector 120 -- 60 plus bandits at 15,000 feet heading west -- over. R/T TENNIS LEADER: Hello Short jack, O.K. listening out. R/T KETA LEADER: Hello Short Jack, Keta leader calling Short Jack, Keta squadron now airborne. instructions, please -- over. DEPUTY CONTROLLER II: Hello Keta leader, Short Jack answering, vector 140 -- 25 plus bandits at 12,000 feet heading west -- over. KETA LEADER: O.K. Short Jack. Listening out. DEPUTY CONTROLLER I: Hello Jaunty leader -- correct, Vector 140 Angels 20. CONTROLLER: Hello Group. Yes, sir -- they're all off. I understand -- we shall do our best. Ops. B -- Group Intelligence seem to be right on the ball. They reckon that Hornchurch and ourselves are going to get the lot -- I hope they're wrong. Ops. B -- get me the Maidstone Observer Corps centre. OPS. B: Maidstone, sir. CONTROLLER: Observer Corps? -- This the Biggin Hill controller. -- Yes, it is a bit hectic -- Group thinks they're making for us so keep your tracks going, will you? -- You're doing very well at the moment. Now Ops. B -- I want you to ring all dispersals and tell them to get everything into the air that's serviceable; I don't want any aircraft to be caught on the ground. OPS. B: Right away, sir. CONTROLLER: Group controller? -- Biggin here, sir -- I've ordered all other serviceable aircraft into the air as it looks pretty certain now that these raids are heading for us. By the way, sir -- I did tell you that our three squadrons are airborne. Right, thank you, sir. CONTROLLER: Sergeant Brice. How about 72 squadron -- have they had any joy yet? DEPUTY CONTROLLER I: Not ye, sir -- they are very close -- any moment now I think ... TENNIS LEADER: Hello Short Jack, Tennis leader calling -- Tally Ho! Tally Ho! ... A gaggle of Heinkels with 109s -- Dead ahead. Hello squadron, B flight take the bombers, A flight take the fighters with me. A flight, line astern, line astern -- GO. CONTROLLER: Guns! -- Tennis squadron are now engaging hostile 132 so warn the guns of friendly fighters, will you? How are 32 squadron, Sgt. Norris? -- Are they into the others yet? DEPUTY CONTROLLER II: Nearly there, sir -- Hello Keta leader bandits 12 o'clock 15 miles now heading north -- Watch out for top fighter cover -- over. KETA LEADER: This is Keta leader -- Understood -- no joy yet. Keep your eyes skinned chaps, and don't straggle. Hello Short Jack -- Keta leader calling -- Tally Ho! Tally Ho! A helluva lot of Heinkels and Junkers 88s with fighter escort. DEPUTY CONTROLLER II: Hello Keta leader -- Short Jack calling -- more friendly fighters are coming in to join you. Over. KETA LEADER: Hello Short Jack -- understood, listening out. DEPUTY CONTROLLER I: Hello Jaunty leader -- Ack Ack fire at 12 o'clock -- 12 o'clock. JAUNTY LEADER: Hello Short Jack -- Tally Ho! Tally Ho! -- Just getting into position. Jaunty squadron, line astern -- head on attack -- going in ... NOW. CONTROLLER: Ops. B -- Sound the station attack alarm! OPS. B: This is operations -- this is operations. Air raid warning. All station personnel are to take cover immediately. -- I repeat -- all station personnel are to take cover immediately. -- enemy attack imminent. CONTROLLER: Floor supervisor -- Get the troops into their battle bowlers right away. Tin hats everybody. STATION LOOKOUT: This is the station lookout -- enemy aircraft approaching from the south -- Five ... six ... nine ... twelve. Blimey, there's dozens of'em. Explosions. TENNIS BLUE II: MAYDAY -- MAYDAY -- MAYDAY. Tennis Blue Two calling. Tennis Blue One has baled out -- I am orbiting position and transmitting for fix -- my position is just off Deal. DEPUTY CONTROLLER I: Hello Tennis Blue Two -- Understood -- I have fix on you -- stand by. CONTROLLER: Deal lifeboat? -- Biggin here -- one of our chaps has baled out off-shore. Yes ... in ROBERT 9070 Yes, a Spitfire's orbiting the position. Good -- thank you. KETA LEADER: Hello Short Jack -- Keta leader calling -- We have all been split up -- aircraft are landing at forward base to re-arm and re-fuel, over. CONTROLLER: Hello Keta leader -- Short Jack controller answering. Understood. Hello all Keta aircraft -- return to base immediately after re-fuelling and re-arming. Listening out. Well, George -- it's been quite a morning! Ring the Watch hut and find out how we fared on the airfield.