R/T Transmissions

[Smithy]

A few years ago I read Andrew Greig's novel "That Summer" about the Battle of Britain. A good read but something also intrigued me and I thought that I might ask here as someone may know.

In the book's introduction he mentions that some R/T transmissions from the Battle have become trapped between the ground and the Heaviside layer and they bounce back and forth endlessly because they don't decay. He further states that once in awhile a radio ham skimming the radio waves will suddenly stumble across these signals, hearing the Battle of Britain with controllers instructing and pilots communicating, shouting and cursing.

Ever since reading this I have been intrigued and wondered whether this is indeed true. So does anybody here know more about this phenomenon?

Cheers,

Tim.