The wing commander stood up by a series of enlarged photographs. ‘Actually, reconnaissance has been a major problem, sir. The distance to Peenemünde makes it very hard, for a start. Our best option has been one of the special Spitfires used by the photographic reconnaissance unit at RAF Benson. But these are very obvious: they’re quite exposed and a long way from home, if you get my meaning. Just sending them over the site carries the risk of alerting the Germans that we know something’s going on there. Nevertheless, we’ve had two runs over the site. The results,’ he pointed to the photographs, ‘are disappointing. They do show there is indeed a very large site, but we can’t get much detail at all. Large areas of it are covered by camouflage netting or are under trees.’

‘I should add,’ said Hamilton, ‘that we persuaded Bomber Command to lay on a raid over Rostock, the idea being that a couple of specially adapted Blenheims could detach from the main group and fly over Peenemünde on their way back. But I’m afraid one of the planes was shot down before it even reached Rostock, while the other came back with next-to-useless pictures – you can see them here. They also said there was an enormous amount of flak over the site.’

‘We need to decide what to do pretty quickly. Winston keeps asking.’ Pearson looked worried.

‘I’m prepared to be persuaded if we can get some better intelligence about the site than those ridiculous photographs. Frankly, they look as if someone forgot to remove the lens cap. Get a decent first-hand account from the place itself and I’ll keep my head down if Winston asks. I can’t say I approve, but I’ll do my best not to bugger things up too much.’ Lord Swalcliffe smiled as if he’d intended to concede all along and had simply been toying with the others.

The meeting came to a close, its participants arising with varying degrees of ease. The only one who remained seated was Long from the Ministry. He cleared his throat loudly enough for the others to pause and take notice.

‘If we do get decent intelligent from Peenemünde – and by that, I mean a detailed layout, proper confirmation of what they’re up to there – then what?’

Everyone looked at Pearson, who in turn pointed to Air Vice Marshal Hamilton. ‘Then Frank will arrange for Bomber Command to raze the whole place to the ground.’

‘I suppose that counts as a victory, eh, Roly?’

‘Not sure, Tom. Feels to me more as if we’ve been taken to a replay. Better than losing, I suppose: Swalcliffe puts up a decent fight, you have to hand that to him.’

Pearson and Gilbey were in the former’s office deep inside Downing Street in the immediate aftermath of the meeting.