D-Day Minus 1

Seventy years ago, troops across Britain were completing months of preparations for the largest marine invasion in history. During that same period, in Downing Street, Churchill had had a bright idea. This was the moment he'd worked for years to reach, sometimes standing alone, resorting to cajoling, pressuring and even tricking the Russians and Americans to enter the war. And now, having got the chance to take the fight to continental Europe he wasn't going to miss the chance to watch. He announced his intention to watch the invasion land from the bridge of the HMS Belfast offshore.

Obviously this was nuts and everyone who heard about it told him so. What if the Belfast were hit and sunk? What would that do to morale? Of course, Churchill wasn't to be swayed by reason so his colleagues asked his wife, Clementine, if she could do anything. In her turn she realised that he wasn't likely to listen to her (she was only his wife after all), so she asked King George VI for his help.

The King got in touch and told Churchill that he thought his watching the invasion was a cracking idea. "You'll be able to see me", he said. "Because as Commander in Chief I'll be leading the men ashore myself."

And that was that.