:06:02
"Sir, I have the honor to refer
to the very serious calls...
:06:06
"which have recently been
made upon fighter command...
:06:09
"in an attempt to stem
the German invasion...
:06:11
"of the continent.
:06:13
"I hope and believe that our
armies may yet be victorious...
:06:17
"in France and Belgium...
:06:19
"but we have to face
the possibility...
:06:21
"that they may be defeated.
In this case...
:06:25
I presume that there is no one
who would deny...
:06:28
"that England
should fight on...
:06:30
"even though the remainder
of the continent of Europe...
:06:33
"is dominated by the Germans.
:06:36
"I must therefore request...
:06:37
"That not one more fighter
be sent across the channel.
:06:43
"If the home defense
is drained away...
:06:46
"in desperate attempts to remedy
the situation in France...
:06:50
"defeat in France will involve
the final, complete...
:06:54
"and irremediable defeat
of this country.
:06:57
"I have the honor to be, sir...
:06:59
"your obedient servant,
H.C.T. Dowding."
:07:13
Air Chief Marshal Dowding, sir.
:07:20
You do realize, Dowding,
the position this puts us in?
:07:25
I realize that the French have
been promised this squadron.
:07:29
By Churchill personally.
:07:33
He's given the French
prime minister his word.
:07:37
You do appreciate, Dowding...
:07:39
that Churchill
will have to see this?
:07:43
That's why I wrote it.