ALLAN Thipthorpe repeats the mistake made countless times since 1940 that Fighter Command saved our nation from invasion. Not true, although they certainly helped.

The main cause of Operation Sealion (the German invasion) being cancelled was because RAF Bomber Command, mainly flying slow, defenceless aircraft like Blenheim Mk4's or Hampdens, bombed the invasion barges day and night from July to September, 1940. Sadly there was no glamour in it compared to dogfighting the hun at 20,000ft in a Spit or Hurricane and so this vital contribution to our freedom has been virtually forgotten.

However, it did cost us more aircrew and aircraft than the Battle of Britain, and it won the war.

Without it, Hitler's army would have had the landing craft they needed, the world would not have had an unsinkable aircraft carrier from which to launch the D-Day landings and the Nazis would have still ruled Europe. And we'd all be speaking German.

G SCOTT

Swindon