ON THE 27^TH OF MAY 1940, ON BEING PROMOTED TO COMMAND AN R.A.F. STATION WHERE HE WOULD DO NO OPERATIONAL FLYING UNLESS HE WISHED, BASIL EMBRY HAD OFFICIALLY HANDED OVER HIS SQUADRON TO HIS SUCCESOR, WHEN THE SQUADRON WAS ONCE MORE ORDERED INTO ACTION.  ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT, HE DECIDED TO LEAD HIS SQUADRON INTO ACTION FOR THE LAST TIME, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NO LONGER ITS OFFICIAL COMMANDER.  HALF AN HOUR LATER HE WAS ALONE IN FRANCE, HIS COMRADES AND HIS AEROPLANE GONE, SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES, HE WAS CAPTURED AND BROKE FROM A PRISONER-OF-WAR COLUMN, A FEW YARDS FROM THE MUZZLE OF A GERMAN MACHINE GUN!