‘What about them?’ asked one of the soldiers angrily.

‘Regular customers,’ said the publican. ‘You just clear off quietly, you chaps, and don’t make trouble.’

One of the soldiers made a move towards the bar; the other gripped his arm and pulled him back.

‘Come on, Bert, let’s blow.’

As they turned to go, they heard: a voice from the babble behind them: ‘Time they started this Second Front and got this lot out of here. Costing the country a fortune, they are.’

In the tents that night the men of the Fifth Battalion paid no attention to the German bombers droning overhead. The whole battalion knew about the incident in the public house. There was talk of burning down the pub, of wrecking the town. The Fifth Battalion was ready for a fight; by now it was not particular with whom.

There was no fight. The pub was not burned down. The town was not wrecked. On Thursday morning the men awoke to find themselves confined to camp, with orders to stand by in readiness to move off again.

Their fury vanished; they packed and prepared quietly, without excitement, and when their tasks were done, they sprawled luxuriously in the grass and sunned themselves.

During the day a message from the colonel appeared on the notice-board. It did not speak of great events.

The message ran:

An invitation has been received from the management and staff of Messrs. – – (this was an aircraft factory on the other side of town) extending the use of the factory’s canteen and bar to all members of this battalion. A dance has been organised for Friday night to which all ranks will be admitted, free of charge, as guests. For obvious reasons it will not be possible for us to take advantage of this kind and hospitable gesture; nor, unfortunately, are we in a position to reveal the reason by refusing or by making any explanation. I have had to accept, in the knowledge that we shall have to let these good people down. I shall write, as soon as it is possible, to offer both apologies and thanks on your behalf. I am sure that the circumstances which will by that time exist will be sufficient explanation – and compensation – for our action.

‘Times like these,’ said Charlie Venable appreciatively, ‘you find out who your friends are, eh?’

Happier now, and confident, the men sat on the grassy heights and tried to count the ships that stretched, tiny as toys in the distance, across the sparkling Solent to the skyline.

The colonel left camp early on Friday morning. He returned a little before midday, and called the battalion on parade.

Standing up in the back of his jeep, he summoned the men to break their ranks and gather round him.

‘Sit down, lads, make yourselves comfortable.’

When they were seated and the buzz of conversation had died away he began to speak.