In ‘A Moment in Time’, Elizabeth recalls one year in her life at the time of the Battle of Britain in 1940; and reflects on the effect of war on English country life, and on the interaction between RAF pilots and the rural life of Southern England (under the blue skies of which the Battle is fought). Bates makes good use of his intimate knowledge of the world of pilots (anyone who has read his 'Stories of Flying Officer X' will appreciate just how deep was that knowledge); and his understanding of the complexities of human relationships. The novel was televised by the BBC in September 1979. This novel first appeared in a Penguin edition in 1967.