The Battle of Britain broke out in 1940. It was the largest aerial clash in human history, and Major Townsend had taken part as a frontline pilot.
Perhaps because of the intensity of the fighting he had endured, or perhaps because of the subsequent post-traumatic stress, he looked far older than his actual age when he retired in 1944. He appeared somewhat haggard, nothing like The Beatles in their youthful vigor.
During the air war, Buckingham Palace had been bombed by the German Air Force, but the royal family had not moved to Canada.
At the time, London still had no night fighters, and nighttime air defense could rely only on anti-aircraft guns and searchlights. Likewise, the Germans had no guided bombs, and Britain's foggy weather further limited visibility. Much of the time, planes simply dropped their bombs after rough aiming. The Germans did not make any special effort to avoid Buckingham Palace or the Prime Minister's residence, while even if they had wanted to bomb them, they could not necessarily have done so.
One plane happened to hit Buckingham Palace, but the Queen calmly emerged from the rubble and even chatted and laughed with others.
The boundaries of airspace were based on territorial boundaries. Though air, like water, could flow, it was still part of a nation's territory.
When Townsend entered service at Buckingham Palace, the palace had not yet been fully rebuilt. Many of the people who had worked there before had not returned, or rather, they were not sure whether the Germans would once again fly over and bomb Buckingham Palace. The Allies had not yet carried out the Normandy landings, and victory still seemed remote.
Thus, the King selected his attendants through strict screening from families raised in the traditional aristocratic manner or from the military.