‘And now it has come to us to stand alone in the breach and face the worst that the tyrants’ might and enmity can do. Bearing ourselves humbly before God, but conscious that we serve an unfolding purpose, we are ready to defend our native land against the invasion by which it is threatened. We are fighting by ourselves alone; but we are not fighting for ourselves alone.
‘Here is this strong City of Refuge which enshrines the titledeeds of human progress and it of deep consequence to Christian civilisation; here girt about by the seas and oceans where the Navy reigns; shielded from above by the prowess and devotion of our airmen – we await undismayed the impending assault… But be the ordeal sharp or long, or both, we shall tolerate no parley, we may show mercy – we shall ask none.
‘Should the invader come to Britain, there will be no placid lying down of the people in submission before him as we have seen, alas, in other countries. We shall defend every village, every town, and every city. The vast mass of London itself fought street by street, could easily devour an entire hostile army, and we would rather see London laid in ruins and ashes than that it should be tamely and abjectly enslaved… This is no war of chieftans or of princes, of dynasties or national ambition; it is a war of peoples and of causes. There are vast numbers not only in this island but in every land, who will render faithful service in this war, but whose names will never be known, whose deeds will never be recorded. This is a war of unknown warriors but let all strive without failing in faith or in duty, and the dark curse of Hitler will be lifted from our age.’
