DANGER OF INVASION

Evening Star, Issue 23861, 16 April 1941, Page 9

DANGER OF INVASION

HISTORY is reassuring TWELVE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS ■ The average Englishman docs not usually take much interest in history after lie leaves school —and sometimes not even before that—hut in these stern days the people of this fortress isle are reading their history with relish and enthusiasm (writer a London correspondent of the • ‘ Christian Science Monitor ’). A knowledge of the past stiffens their morale and sharpens their confidence. Many persons have recently been surprised. and somewhat gratified, to learn that their country has, in the past 1,000 vears, faced invasion or the threat thereof no fewer than a dozen times and appears to have emerged in pretty good order. The fact that this island has been menaced by powerful foes on an average once or more every 100 years is apt to make history interesting for those who wait behind beach barbed wire barricades and local strong points. Consequently daily newspapers, periodicals, and publishers generally are turning history into a best seller. MEMENTO OF NAPOLEON. “ Invaders have tried every 100 vears: Hitler should give a thought to the others ” is the headline in a London evening paper. A foremost illustrated journal also takes up the story of invasions in somewhat similar vein, reminding its readers in a sub-heading, • None Successful Since 1066,’ and publishing not only interesting pictures of towers built to counter Napoleon’s threat and secret weapons built by tho French to make landing in Britain less difficult, but a detailed nTap showing numerous points at wheih enehiies have attempted landings, each point being marked with an arrow and a legend telling of tho fate which befell tho besiegers. in Piccadilly a goodly trade has awaited the sellers of history in the form of a reprinted handbill from tho time of Napoleon’s threat to this country. Early last century a number of broadsheets were published by Mr J. Ginger, of 169 Piccadilly, who believed the public too easy-going in their attitude to Napoleon and appealed to them often to take the matter seriously. Mr Ginger gave his readers (his handbills cost 8d a dozen) a detailed account of Napoleon’s preparations and urged everybody to join either one of the regular services or at least “ some volunteer corps, where wo may learn the use of arms and yet attend our business.” Although the invasion planned by Napoleon never eventuated, and Mr Ginger’s handbills proved unnecessary, he was at least paid a genuine but now forgotten compliment for the services ho rendered in rousing the public. His name became part of the language in the phrase td “ Ginger up.” TWO INVASIONS IN 1066. Those who are peddling history among their wares now remind Britishers of something else they have forgotten, tho fact that in 1066 there wore two invasions, not just one. The first was unsuccessful, and the second "brought William tho Conqueror to the throne. It is, however, probable that had King Harold not had to encounter two almost simultaneous invasions from different foes he would have remained unbeaten, for he was no moan general. 'When the Norwegians sailed up tho Humber King Harold defeated them decisively on the banks of tho River Derwent only to learn, three days after this victory, that another invader had made a landing on tho south-east coast. Harold had to hasten southwards, without awaiting rc-cniforce-ments, and it was with a tired army that he faced William on the slopes of Sonlac. More than 600 years wore to pass before another tyrant was to sock to humble this proud island. Everybody knows the story of Drake and the Armada. It is one of the greatest stories in Britain’s history. So badly was the grim Spanish monarch’s fleet mauled by the fury of defenders and tempest that the people of England thought themselves safe for another long measure of time. But the Spaniards came again. This time they thought that they had only to gain the French coastline and they would gain England, too. Spanish armies took Brittany and Spanish galleons massed in French ports. In 1595 Spanish troops landed in Mounts Bay, Cornwall. They burned two fishing villages and destroyed Penzance, but news that Drake had been recalled to form another fleet for Queen Elizabeth sent them back to Brittany, whore, not being able to challenge England's command of the sea, they had perforce to remain until eventually they retreated homewards. INVADED “ BY INVITATION.” One hundred years after the defeat of the Armada England was invaded “ by invitation ” by William of Orange. Only two years after that it was invaded again, this time without invitation, by the French—who managed to boat "the English fleet and gain command of the Channel. The French anchored in Torbay, burned Teignmouth, and threatened tho whole of the south-west. Only after the people had rushed to arms did the French finally withdraw. And even then the threat was not over. The exiled James 11. gathered together a considerable army in the Norman ports ; his fleet lay ready waiting a favourable wind. Before that wind came the British themselves attacked France and burned the transports in La Hogue. In 1744 Charles Stuart collected a new fleet at Dunkirk, but this was shattered by a storm, and the Pretender had to "come alone, landing in the Hebrides. Gathering an army as he went, he took Carlisle, Preston, Manchester, Shrewsbury, and Derby in his blitzkrieg march, but was beaten back before he could enter the south. Later in the century the French made another attempt. Not having an ex-English Kin? to lead their invading troops, thev”chose an Irishman, in whoso command they placed 1,400 ox-convicts. This quaint army was landed on the Welsh coast in 1797, but surrendered without fighting, apparently after havintr mistaken the red cloaks and skirts of’a croup of Welsh women for the serried* ranks of English guardsmen. And that sorry day was the last time the enemv landed on the British coast, even though others schemed to take the fortress that had defied so many conquerors in the past. Small wonder, then, that the British think history is “ a very good thing.”