James Holland

But basically, the stage is now set for this potentially war-changing clash between unequal opponents.

Because the Germans have basically put all their chips up onto the... Into the Norwegian basket.

Exactly, into the Norwegian basket.

That's right.

So, let's get... It's the morning of the 9th of April, 1940, Jim.

Admiral Sir Charles Forbes, Commanding Chief of the British Home Fleet.

And in London, the Chiefs of Staff are also there now.

scratching their heads about what to do.

They met at six o'clock that morning.

Oh, there's only one battalion, which is that the first Scots Guards, so really rather snazzy soldiers, are currently embarked in transport on the Clyde.

They're ready to leave immediately for Narvik, having stood down an invasion force anyway, with Plan R4 abandoned previously.

So British chiefs decide they've got to make the best of the situation.

And what they're going to do is prevent a firm German toehold at Bergen and Trondheim.

They've got to make that happen.

Stop the Germans from doing that.

So they issue orders to attack any German warships and transports at both ports and control the approaches to both.

So they're finally waking up.

to what's going on.

Better late than never.

Yeah.