SFX:                Music

 

PERCY:          Attention. This is your Flight Lieutenant Percy here.

 

ANTIS:           And Woof Commander Antis, too!

 

PERCY:          This story is all about the role of the RAF in D-Day.

 

ANTIS:           Ooh! And D-Day doesn’t stand for dog day, right?

 

PERCY:          Correct, Antis. D-Day was nothing to do with dogs.

 

ANTIS:           Okay. Definitely no dogs. D-Day was……

 

PERCY:          (sighs) Why don’t I tell this story, Antis?

 

ANTIS:           Oh yes, I love your stories, Percy!

 

PERCY:          D-Day was an important operation during WW2, which helped eventually lead us to victory.

 

ANTIS:           Woohoo!

 

PERCY:          Ahem.

 

ANTIS:           Sorry, continue.

 

SFX:                Music Fade. Beach Ambience. Waves crashing on rocks. Distant Aircraft overhead.

 

PERCY:         D-Day was the day the Allied Forces launched an invasion by land, sea and air into France, which had been occupied by Nazi forces. The RAF carried out operations not only on D-Day, but in the lead up to it, too.

 

ANTIS;           Ooh, like if D-Day was an exam and the operations beforehand were like the homework. If you haven’t done the homework, the exam probably won’t go as well!

 

PERCY:         Hmm, yes exactly, Antis. Preparation is key. The RAF carried out special operations to confuse enemy forces in the lead up to the invasion. Like using Window or Rupert’s.

 

SFX:               Aircraft approaches. Landcrafts in distant background. Tanks. Trucks. People.

 

ANTIS:          Huh? Window? And whose Rupert? And why is there so many of him?

 

PERCY:         Listen carefully, Antis and I’ll explain. The Nazi forces were always watching and listening for any sign of an invasion or attack. So, the Allied Forces had to disguise their plans as best they could. Let’s set the scene. It’s night time on the coast of France. The Germans are on the lookout – keeping an eye on the radar for ships approaching.

 

High up in the sky above the sea, the Mosquioto aircrafts of the RAF are flying closer to enemy territory. They are carrying a speical cargo. All of a sudden, shiny pieces of metal begin to fall from the sky.

 

SFX:                Objects falling from sky into the ocean.

 

The German radar goes wild.

 

SFX:               Radio Static. Unintelligible Chatter.

 

That was ‘Window’ - and no Antis I don’t mean what you look through. ‘Window’ was the codename for these metal strips made from aluminium that the Mosquitoes dropped. It would jam the German radars, sending them false signals and making them useless. Excellent work, lads! They were able to convince the enemy that their was an invasion heading towards one place, while it was actually headed towards another. But the RAF didn’t just stop the Nazi’s from seeing what was coming! Other aircrafts also used powerful equipment to jam enemy radios, too - so now they couldn’t hear or see!

 

ANTIS:           Ooh, a sneak attack! Love it. I carry out sneak attacks on my human - I just pretend I’m invisible and then pounce on them!

 

SFX:               Fade to beach ambience. Distant noises rumble.

 

PERCY:         Mmhmm. Moving on. Now that brings me to Ruperts - the ultimate deception operation! And the question is not who was Rupert, but what was Rupert. Let's go back to the French coast.

 

SFX:               Aircraft approaching. Engine Noise intensify’s. Seawash ambience.

 

There’s the buzz of aircrafts in the night sky. The Nazis are on the lookout again. Something catches their eye in the dark as it falls through the night sky. This time it’s a figure floating to the ground. Paratroopers! The enemy locks onto their target. But little do they know…their enemy is made from sacks filled with sand and straw. Haha! That is Paratrooper Rupert!

 

SFX:               Parachutes opening.

 

The Nazis were busy with a pretend enemy - 450 of them to be exact! That’s how many Ruperts were dropped by the RAF the night of the invasion. The perfect distraction for the real paratroopers that were sent in that night. They even made some of the Ruperts fire flares or make gunfire sounds, to really fool the enemy!

 

ANTIS:           Woah. I would definitely have been fooled. I bark at everything just to be safe!

 

SFX:               Seawash ambience calms. Aircraft Fade.

 

PERCY:         Some very clever work, if I do say so. And every little helped in making D-Day a successful operation…..um, Antis? What are you doing?

 

SFX:               Antis Jumping on Percy.

 

ANTIS:           Sneak attack!!!!

 

PERCY:          Antis!!!!

 

SFX:               Kerfuffle and Commotion. Fade All.