"Suffolk" provided a trial for a more ambitious scheme to burn invasion barges before they left port. The plan was first floated in early June–July 1940 and became known as Operation Lucid. Lucid had the backing of Churchill. The idea of using fire ships against Hitler's invasion as the English had attacked the Spanish Armada in 1588 appealed to Churchill's sense of history. Recalling a pre-emptive attack by Sir Francis Drake, Churchill said that just as Drake had "singed the King of Spain's beard", he wanted to "singe Mr Hitler's moustache".