“Invasion” is episode fifteen of season one of The Time Tunnel.
At the end of the previous episode, “Night of the Long Knives”, Doug and Tony had arrived at a location that looked to be guarded by World War II German soldiers, just prior to some armed men turning up. The intruders attacked the Germans with guns and grenades, then flee. Doug and Tony see a German staff car arrive and try to flee, but are caught.
They are taken to a building where an officer in an SS uniform states that the area is known for bad weather, but it has its advantages; it makes invasion on this part of the coast unlikely. He tells Doug and Tony that the Gestapo will make them speak. Even though he’s dressed as an SS officer. Tony says there isn’t much they can tell him. The man, Major Hoffman, states they already have. They are American, well-educated and presumably dropped to help the French underground. The phone rings and the major answers it. Doug and Tony see the date. June 4th, 1944. They are on the Cherbourg Peninsula, two days before D-Day.
Tik-Toc are watching; they have the date and location but not the exact place. General Kirk says it isn’t Cherbourg; he’s been there. He asks Anne for photos of the places in the area for 1944 and tells Ray that they need to get Doug and Tony out before the pre-invasion barrage.
Hoffman is threatening to torture Tony when a beep sounds. He heads into another room, where there’s a one-way mirror. The major thinks that what the man in the other room, Dr. Hans Kleinemann, wants is a waste of time. Kleinemann says the Gestapo is good at breaking things, but it’s better to have control. The major isn’t pleased, but he has orders from Berlin to help the doctor, and he will obey. Kleinemann says of course he will; he has been conditioned to. That’s what he will do to one of the Americans. Make him kill the other without hesitation or remorse in cold blood. That will test the usefulness of his technology. Kleinemann wants Doug and tells Hoffman to let Tony escape.
Doug is brought into the room and photographed. Kleinemann tells Hoffman to get rid of the guard but make sure that Tony thinks he’s making his own escape. The guard heads to answer the phone and is clubbed down. Kleinemann predicts what Tony will do, and has the alarm sounded. Tony leaves, followed by a man the major order to tail him, but that man is killed and Tony is bundled away.
Anne has got the photos and found out about Kleinemann. He was rumoured to have developed a quick brainwashing technique using drugs. Most of his subjects died. They identify the town, but need the locations of Doug and Tony.
Tony is being questioned by two men. They tell him no-one leaves Gestapo headquarters unless the Gestapo wishes it. Which is true. Tony didn’t know he was being followed. Also true. He was hoping to find them to help him free Doug. One wants to kill him, but they listen to a BBC broadcast. A weather report. No personal messages.
Kleinemann is drugging Doug and tells him he will answer the questions of his friend Kleinemann. His only friend. Hoffman wants to know how soon Doug will talk. Kleinemann warns him that any answers cannot be trusted. This is being done to reach Doug’s subconscious, open his mind and erase his past. Doug, when questioned, gives the year Germany is defeated. He isn’t believed. Hoffman isn’t interested unless useful intelligence can be obtained, and leaves. Kleinemann shows Doug a photo of himself, then one of Doug dressed in an SS uniform. He tells him Douglas Phillips is dead, and gives him a German name. Doug starts to forget who he is.
The French are now listening to personal messages from the BBC. This time, there are personal messages; Tony recognises them as being code. He’s asked how he got there. He and Doug were being transported back to their home base and were dropped there by accident. Another truth. If he was a German infiltrator, he wouldn’t have been at Gestapo HQ. Tony is asked what his speciality is. Electronics. The French leader believes him, and says he can be used. They are going to destroy a refinery. Yes, they will try to help rescue Doug, but they are steering clear of the Gestapo until the invasion. Doug, meanwhile, is being brainwashed into being an SS captain, and that Tony killed his father.