This Day in the Battle of Britain

[Njaco]

10 October 1940 Thursday
UNITED KINGDOM: Heavy rains prevent the Luftwaffe from mounting a massive raid and instead sent frequent flights of high-flying Bf 109s to attack targets in England throughout the day. Reconnaissance raids were being plotted as early as 0600 hours and by 0700 hours a small group of He111s attacked and bombed Dover before returning to France without being intercepted. Within the hour a larger raid of 20+ Do17s and Bf109s were approaching the Sussex coastline and were met by the Spitfires of RAF No. 92 Squadron, scrambled from Biggin Hill to patrol the area, near Brighton. Three Spitfires were lost during the engagement.

At 1000 hours two raids of about 30 Bf109s crossed over Kent, of which one was intercepted by Spitfires of RAF No. 603 Squadron scrambled from Hornchurch. Maj. Adolf Galland of Stab/JG 26 claimed a Spitfire near Eastchurch for his 42nd victory. Hastings was attacked twice, at 0644 hours when 14 HE bombs fell in the residential area demolishing four houses, and at 1215 hours when further civil damage was done. Brighton, Eastbourne and Bexhill were also attacked, but only superficial damage resulted.

Just after 1200 hours a raid was plotted approaching the Dorset coast. 100+ German aircraft including Bf 109s from JG 53 penetrated slightly inland at Lulworth. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 52, 56, 145, 213, 238 and 607 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF No. 152 and 609 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept. During the battles Hurricanes of RAF No. 56 and 238 Squadrons suffered losses to the Bf109s over Wareham and Corfe areas. Spitfires were claimed by Hptm. Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke of Stab III./JG 53, Lt. Erich Schmidt of 9./JG 53 and Oblt. Gerhard Michalski of Stab II./JG 53.

The last main attack of the day consisting of 65+ aircraft, crossed the Kent coast just after 1500 hours and headed for London. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 73, 229, 249, 253, 257, 303 and 615 Squadrons along with Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41, 66, 72, 92 and 602 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept the raid. Although both Hurricanes and Spitfires were dispatched, only the Spitfires were able to reach the altitude of the Messerschmitts and even then were are at a disadvantage with the German fighters still above them. One formation of German bombers split into two sections with one heading to London and the other to the South-west. The second wave of over 80 came inland over Deal and Dover at 1525 hours. Few contacts were made, targets were not found and slight damage was reported. No 12 Group despatched three Squadrons to assist in meeting this attack.

Sgt. Otto Hanzlicek, of RAF No 312 (Czech) Sqdrn, took off from the RAF station at Speke airport, Liverpool in Hurricane I 'L1547' along with P/O Dvorak on practice against enemy aircraft attacks in the Liverpool area. At 1415 hours the engine of his aircraft caught fire and he was forced to abandon his aircraft near Oglett. Unfortunately the wind blew him out over the River Mersey, and he bailed out too low and he fell down into the River Mersey, some 300 - 400 yards from the edge of the river and drowned. He was seen to fall into the water on the North side of the river by a farmer near Oglett, but when the farmer arrived at the river bank 10 minutes later there was nothing to be seen. Sgt. Hanzlicek's aircraft came down into the River off the end of runway 08 and had been seen to be emitting smoke over the river just opposite to the airfield by personnel at the station.

During the night the bombing continued on London with further raids on Liverpool, South Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia, Gloucester area and to the airfields of Debden and Duxford. At 0345 hours a single He 111 of III./KG 55 took off from Villacoublay airfield to attack the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton but soon aborted the mission and returned to base. Four people were killed in a bombing incident centred around the Potter Lane area, Yorkshire. Four HEs fell in the market garden, Preston Road, two HEs landed in the river area near the harbour entrance and four delayed HE were dropped at High Flatworth Farm. Apart from slight activity in Northern England, raids had practically ceased by 0400 hours. London and its approaches were clear by 0452 hours and at 0530 hours, apart from an isolated raid over Bristol, there were no enemy aircraft over the country. Few districts in Greater London escaped bombing, but the reports indicated that little real damage was done, beyond some further dislocation of railway communications and utility services. Mullards Radio Valve Co Suffered damage to the machine shop at Mitcham Works. At Wembley a large trunk water main was damaged near the GEC factory. HE bombs were dropped on the GWR Line - Greenford Loop, and both lines were reported destroyed.

Carew Cheriton was attacked at 1958 hours by a low-flying enemy aircraft, which dropped 6 HE bombs. A petrol pump was set on fire, but this was quickly extinguished, and other damage was negligible. An attack was made on General Aircraft Ltd, Hanworth, at 1940 hours, and the main hangar was set on fire by incendiary bombs. The fire was under control by 2340 hours.

2 HEs fell and exploded in the river 50' astern of the block-ship 'Melba' lying at the Groyne Quay, South Shields. There were no casualties. Mines were dropped in the Bristol Channel, Thames Estuary, off Harwich and the Northeast coast.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 4; RAF, 4.

 

[Njaco]

11 October 1940 Friday
UNITED KINGDOM: Many of the raids made on this Friday consisted of bomb carrying Bf109s, which saw the first combat of the day involving Spitfires of RAF No: 72 Squadron, scrambled from Biggin Hill to protect a convoy, at about 0800 hours off Deal. Six bomb carrying Bf 109s crossed the Channel and caused little damage. Fighters and fighter-bombers continued to use stream tactics, generally at 30,000 to 35,000 ft where they were difficult to counter. Hptm. Heinz Bretnütz and Oblt. Gerhard Michalski from Stab II./JG 53 each claimed a Spitfire at 0855 hours.

Over the next few hours many reconnaissance raids were made over southern England until about 1030 hours when four separate waves of Bf109 bombers and fighters crossed the Kent coast for nearly 1 hour and made for targets around Kent and London. Many unsuccessful attempts were made to penetrate to the London areas, but only succeeded in dropping a few bombs on the Southern outskirts of the Capital. Bombs were dropped on Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Folkestone, Whitstable and the Thames Estuary areas. Many Fighter Command squadrons were scrambled to intercept, but only the Spitfires of RAF Nos. 66 and 72 Squadrons and Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 73 and 253 Squadrons managed to engage the raiders. P/O J.H.T.Pickering of RAF No. 66 Sqdrn was injured when his Spitfire I (X4052) was shot down by Oberst W. Mölders of JG 51 in a Bf 109 over Canterbury at 1115 hours.

The pattern continued into the afternoon from 1400 hours as waves of Bf109s crossed the coast at Hastings and Dungeness where they split for targets near Portland, London and Hornchurch. Another raid crossed the Essex coast and made for North Weald and then Biggin Hill areas. No 11 Group detailed 13 Squadrons to meet this attack and No 12 Group patrolled from Eastchurch to Canterbury with 3 Squadrons. The dogfights involving Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 73, 249 and 253 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF No. 41 Squadron lasted until nearly 1700 hours. The Spitfires of RAF No. 41 Squadron from Hornchurch and RAF No. 66 Squadron from Gravesend had suffered during the combat with Bf109s, each losing three aircraft. F/O D.H.O'Niell of RAF No 41 Squadron died when his parachute failed to open after bailing out of his Spitfire I (X4052) when he collided with Sgt L.R.Carter in another Spitfire I (X4554) whilst climbing to engage some Bf 109s at 1625 hours. O'Niel's aircraft crashed near West Kingsdown, Kent.

JG 26 provided escort for the jabos throughout the day. Late in the afternoon, Maj. Adolf Galland from Stab/JG 26 claimed a Spitfire and a Hurricane to reach 44 victories while Hptm. Walter Adolph of Stab II./JG 26 brought his score to eleven with a pair of Spitfires. C.A.H.Ayling was KIA while flying with No 421 flight, shot down in his Spitfire Mk II (P7303) at 1600 hours over Newchurch, Kent.

As the evening arrived a raid by Do17s was made on targets in the Midlands and Merseyside between 1800 hours and 1930 hours. The Hurricanes of RAF No. 312 (Czech) Squadron were scrambled from Speke to intercept, as did the Spitfires of RAF No. 611 Squadron, from Ternhill. Three of the Do17s were successfully shot down with the loss of one aircraft to each squadron. Little or slight damage was caused by the raiders but one Dornier Do17Z-3 from 2./Kflgp 606 was shot down by the RAF off the Irish coast at Meath. Only two bodies were recovered and buried in Glencree.

Night raids commenced at 1835 hours, and between that time and 2100 hours approximately 55 raids from Cherbourg, Le Havre, Dieppe and Belgian and Dutch Coasts crossed the Coast towards London, which was again the main objective. Wimbledon was bombed when a 'stick' of five 500-pound bombs straddled the club grounds. The first bomb demolished the club tool house. The second bomb of the 'stick' fell on the roof of Centre Court. The third bomb fell in Church Road at the club N.E. entrance and the last two produced two bunkers in the Wimbledon Park Golf Club. The damage to the Centre Court meant a loss of 1,200 seats. The Lever factory at Port Sunlight was also hit. HE bombs fell at the City of London Electric Light Co, Bankside Power Station, causing some damage to feeders. The SR service at Heston was interrupted owing to an unexploded bomb on the line between Syon Lane and Isleworth Station.

Other raids appeared over Liverpool during the period and attacks on this area were maintained. Enemy aircraft were also plotted over Aberdeen and the Firth of Forth. There was continued operation towards Liverpool up to 2330 hours, after which time the Country was clear except in the London area and its approaches from the South-west. Other districts visited during the night included Southampton, Portsmouth, towns in Dorset, Berkshire, Surrey, Kent and Norfolk, and parts of Scotland, but damage was all of a minor category. Mines were dropped off the east coast of Scotland and the Thames Estuary.

Losses: Luftwaffe 7: Fighter Command 8

The first Beaufighter night fighter Squadrons became operational.

The first production Handley Page Halifax I (L 9485) makes its maiden flight.

GERMANY: Daily Keynote from the Reich Press Chief:

"The Minister has once again specified the wishes of the Luftwaffe staff leaders that we issue formal denials in all cases where the English claim to have hit military targets, unless the English have hit the corresponding mock installations. ... the Luftwaffe has repeatedly raised objections to the use of expressions like "air pirates" or "night pirates," but on the other hand the Reich Chancellery desires that these expressions be used: Therefore the Wehrmacht High Command [the OKW] should take up the matter with the Fuhrer."

WESTERN FRONT: A force consisting of H.M.S. Revenge, cruisers, destroyers and motor torpedo boats, working in conjunction with heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force, bombarded the port of Cherbourg on the night of the l0th-llth October. The co-ordination of the attack was excellent, the lighting of fires in the target area and the illumination of Cape de la Hague by flares for fixing purposes occurring at exactly the right moment. One hundred and twenty rounds of 15 inch and 800 rounds of 4.7 inch shell were fired and very heavy fires were started. It would appear that the shore defences at first mistook the bombardment for part of the air attack as the only response to shells falling was a marked intensification of anti-aircraft fire, including flaming onions and multi-coloured tracers of all descriptions. After the bombardment had ceased a battery of heavy guns (estimated up to 13-15inch) to the east of the town opened fire. Salvoes fell close to the ships for a period of 30 minutes and up to a range of about 36,000 yards. The fire was so accurate that it was thought that some form of R.D.F. was used for ranging. No casualties or damage were sustained by H.M. Ships.

Overnight, in the English Channel off the Isle of Wight, German torpedo boats Falke, Greif, Kondor, Seeadler Wolf sink British anti-submarine trawler HMT Warwick Deeping (no lives lost), French submarine chasers CH.6 (9 killed, 12 taken prisoner) and CH.7 (12 killed, 8 taken prisoner) and French armed trawler Listrac (12 killed, 25 wounded).

 

[Njaco]

12 October 1940 Saturday
"The Best Laid Schemes...."
UNITED KINGDOM: As with previous days the majority of the raids were carried out by high altitude, bomb carrying, Bf109s and waves of these started crossing the coast from 0900 hours. One of these raids managed to reach and bomb London during the morning while others reached the areas of Biggin Hill and Hornchurch. Much easier to intercept than large, ungainly bomber formations, this caused an increase in losses for the Jagdgeschwaders from RAF fighters.

At about 1000 hours a large raid was intercepted over north Kent by Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 249 and 257 Squadrons, both scrambled from North Weald. The Biggin Hill Spitfires of RAF Nos. 72 and 92 Squadrons were also in action over Kent with the Bf109s of LG 2, JG 77 and JG 54. F/L Georges Perrin a Free Frenchman of RAF No 249 Sqdrn was wounded when he baled out of his Hurricane I (V7313) near Ewhurst Sussex after combat with a Bf 109 at 0950 hours. JG 54 would lose two Bf 109s including that of Lt. Bernhard Malischewski of Stab II./JG 54 who was shot down and captured.

While aerial battles were being fought over Kent and London, Hurricanes of RAF No. 145 Squadron, scrambled from Tangmere, engaged more Bf109s of LG 2 over Hastings and southern areas of Kent and Sussex. At this time Major Werner Mölders, Kommodore of JG 51, destroyed three Hurricanes of RAF No. 145 Sqdrn, bringing his score to 45 kills. Squadron Leader Paul Watling Rabone of RAF No. 145 Sqdrn, one of Mölders victims shot down a Bf 109 and was uninjured when he force landed his Hurricane I (V7521) due to battle damage. Hptm. Walter Oesau from Stab III./JG 51 also claimed a Hurrincane to reach 36 victories.

Successive raids continued into the afternoon and reached areas of Hertfordshire, Surrey, Essex, Kent, and Sussex. One raid of Bf109s was met by Hurricanes of RAF No. 605 Sqdrn, scrambled from Croydon, at about 1300 hours over Maidstone. Sgt. P.R.C.McIntosh was on patrol with RAF No 605 Sqdrn in the Romney Marsh area when they engaged a large number of Bf 109s at 1230 hours. He was shot down and killed, aged 20. His Hurricane I (P3022) was found near Littlestone Golf Course. He is buried at St Johns, Shirly, Croydon.

Slightly later at about 1530 hours and for nearly 1 hour raids of Ju88s and Bf109s including fighters from JG 53 and JG 54 approached the Kent and Sussex coastline. Spitfires of RAF No. 602 Sqdrn, from Westhampnett, engaged the bombers off the coast near Beachy Head whilst the Bf109s were intercepted by Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 257 and 615 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41 and 92 Squadrons. Oblt. Roloff von Aspern from 5./JG 54 shot down a Hurricane for his 15th victory and Fw. Wolfgang Patho from 4./JG 53 claimed a Spitfire for his first.

By 1700 hours the raids had subsided and only reconnaissance aircraft were being detected by radar. One such aircraft, an Arado Ar196, was intercepted and shot down over the Channel by Hurricanes of RAF No. 145 Sqdrn. The crews of JG 52 lost Oblt. Günther Büsgen of 1./JG 52, when he was shot down over England. With six victories in the war, Büsgens was made a POW.

During the night heavy bombing continued on London and the Midlands with other raids reported over East Anglia and the Northeast. The raids on London were increased with bombers flying over the city all night until the first rays of light of the coming day. A HE bomb fell at 2045 hours near King Charles' Statue and penetrated to the Hall at the bottom of the escalator at Trafalgar Square Station, where it exploded, killing seven people, whilst injuring 30. Three Heinkel bombers of II./KG 55 dropped bombs on Parnall Yate shortly after 2030 hours. A heavy attack on the Coventry area developed between 2037 hours and 2150 hours, and several serious fires were started; many other scattered localities, mostly in Southern England were bombed during the night, but the scale of the attack was light and no material damage was caused in these districts. A Gas Works, the factories of Sterling Metal Co and Cornercroft were hit, and the telephone system was interrupted.

The National Gallery was hit by a bomb, but Myra Hess carried on her Gallery concerts as she had been doing for the past year. Against the bare walls of the central galleries (the pictures were safe in a Welsh slate quarry), lunch-time chamber-music concerts were given to 1,500 people, who paid a shilling a head to hear pianists like Solomon and Denis Mathews as well as Myra Hess's Bach and Beethoven. Much of the music - like the bomb damage was German.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 11; RAF, 10.

12 new Pilots were posted to RAF No. 303 (Polish) Sqdrn from No. 307 Sqdrn, with Defiants for conversion and training on Hurricanes.

GERMANY: General Keitel, on orders from Hitler, issued a Directive from the OKL;

"The Führer has decided that until next spring the preparations for 'SEELOEWE" are to be continued with the sole intention of maintaining political and military pressure on England . . Should the projected landing be resumed in spring or early summer, orders will be given for new preparations. In the meantime, it is necessary to shape conditions in the military sphere to suit a final invasion."

Hitler had postponed Operation 'Sealion' until the spring of 1941. The operation will never receive the go-ahead.

Even though the current operations for the Invasion of England were halted, the aircraft companies of Messerschmitt and Junkers were given a new directive - code named 'Warschau-Sud' - to build gliders that could carry assault troops and tanks. Messerschmitt is to build one in steel tube and fabric while Junkers is to build one in wood components. Fourteen days are given to the project and the ambitious requirement was to be able to carry either an 88mm gun and its half-track tractor, or a PzKpfw IV medium tank. After countless months Junkers comes up with the enormous Ju 322 'Mammut'. Uncontrollability and frequent crashes, including one when a tank crashes through the floor of the transport, finally dooms the project and in April of 1941 the remaining examples and prototypes are broken up for fuel. The Messerschmitt was originally designated the Me 261w, was then changed to Me 263, and eventually became the Me 321. Although the Me 321 saw considerable service in Russia, it was never used for a British invasion, or for any other such aerial assaults.

 

[michaelmaltby]

One thing this chronology has made me appreciate, Njaco, is the rather large role bomb-carrying Me-109's played in the B of B. Until now, I was under the impression that the Fw-190 "tip and run" missions against the south coast that began later were the major source of fighter-bomber missions against the UK. Obviously not the case.

Thanks again for this splendid series

MM

 

[Njaco]

13 October 1940 Sunday
UNITED KINGDOM: Though the Invasion of England is officially postponed, the Luftwaffe continued with missions in an effort to harass the RAF. With fog covering most of the country and Channel areas throughout the morning air activity was restricted to occasional reconnaissance raids. One developed off the east coast where a convoy was attacked.

As conditions improved by early afternoon, the Luftwaffe launched the now familiar pattern of high altitude raids over Kent and London. The first was plotted after 1300 hours when some 50 to 60 Bf 109s which included the whole of III./JG 3 as escort, flew up the Thames and dropped their loads on Woolwich and the railway at Dalston and Hackney causing destruction. Most of the interceptions were made by Spitfires of RAF Nos. 46, 66 and 92 Squadrons. The German formation was flying at about 27,000 ft when it was attacked by Spitfires from RAF No. 92 Sqdrn. A Bf109E-4 "White 7", flown by Gefr. Hubert Rungen of 7./JG 3 became slightly separated and went to attack two Spitfires. Meanwhile, a third Spitfire climbed from underneath and shot through Rungen's radiator. Chased by this third Spitfire, Rungen made for the coast but made a forced landing at Cukold Coombe near Ashford. Gefr. Rungen was captured.

Just after 1400 hours a large wave of raids, mainly Bf109s with Ju88s, was crossing the Kent coast and heading for London, causing slight damage to the city. This raid split, one part towards Hornchurch and the other via Dartford to Central London. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 73, 229, 249, 253, 257, 303 (Polish), 605 and 615 Squadrons along with Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41, 46, 66, 72, 92 and 602 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept and tangled with the Bf109s of JG 54 and JG 27. Oblt. Hans Philipp from 4./JG 54 claimed 3 Hurricanes and Ofw. Karl Hier and Gefr. Leo Masterer, also from 4./JG 54, claimed two Hurricanes apiece. Oblt. Hans-Ekkehard Bob of 7./JG 54 commented;

"During all of our operations the radio communications traffic of the British fighter pilots were being intercepted. On one occasion an interesting conversation took place between ground control and a British fighter formation when ground control said: 'Attack the German bomber formations!' The English formation leader shouted back: 'There are no bomber formations here!' Ground control: 'But bombs have been dropped!' Formation leader: 'I see only Me 109s but they can't drop bombs!' Word quickly got around, though, that the bombs were being dropped by the Me 109 units with the result that air combat was resumed."

As the main battles over Kent were dying off, another raid of 25 Bf109s crossed over Dover at about 1530 hours and was met by the Spitfires of RAF No. 66 Squadron, still weary from the last engagements. The Bf 109s got to the center of London in spite of the spirited opposition.

One of the tragedies of aerial warfare was realized, at 1800 hours, by two Blenheim crews of RAF No. 29 Squadron, from Ternhill. At 1735 hours, two Blenheims, L7135 (P/O Humphreys and Sgt Bell) and L6637 (Sgt Stevens, Sgt Sly and AC Jackson) took off to patrol Point of Air. At about 1820 hours, in a position about 10 miles North Weald of Liverpool, Blenheim L7135 was attacked from above by a Hurricane. The pilot at once fired two Very lights and warned Blenheim L6637. L7135, although hit by the Hurricane fire, received no serious damage and the crew escaped uninjured, but L6637 was shot down into the sea. They were mistaken for Luftwaffe bombers by Hurricanes of RAF No. 312 (Czech) Squadron. One of the crews was killed.

Combat report RAF No. 29 Squadron:

"At 1950 hours a Blenheim (crew Sgt Roberts and Sgt Mallett) ordered on searchlight co-operation by vectors. Bombs observed in Grantham area. At 2030 hours and enemy aircraft was sighted at 13,000 feet. Pilot followed him down to 3,000 feet and engaged him at about 500 yards range. Blenheim experienced inaccurate return fire. After firing 2.368 rounds, the enemy aircraft's starboard engine appeared to pack up and he disappeared in cloud layer. There was considerable AA activity and searchlight co-operation but it was of no assistance. The weather was extremely good. Unfortunately the enemy aircraft has not been confirmed and must therefore rank as damaged."

Not to be outdone by No. 312 Squadron, P/O J.K.Ross of RAF No. 17 Squadron was shot down and wounded by British A.A. fire over the Chatham area. He baled out of his stricken Hurricane I (P3536) at 1350 hours.

During the night London was bombed along with Liverpool, the Midlands and East Anglia. Mines were dropped in the Thames Estuary, the Humber, the Irish Sea, off Harwich and Flamburgh Head. In the evening Stanmore Underground Station is bombed, very close to RAF Fighter Command. 154 people were killed in a shelter in Stoke Newington in a night bombing raid. Wembley Park station was hit by two High Explosive (HE) bombs at 1947 hours, damaging telephone wires and signals. At 2115 hours a bomb from a lone enemy aircraft demolished two houses directly above the east end of the westbound platform tunnel of Bounds Green Piccadilly line station. Approximately 6-to-8 segments of tunnel collapsed on the scores of people on the platform sheltering from the air raid.

There was a considerable amount of air activity over Newcastle and Middlesbrough. A 250kg bomb demolished a communal air raid shelter and a fish-shop. Altogether twenty-one people were killed, and fatalities occurred in Marsh Road (shelter), Argyle Street, Farrer Street (shelter), Hardman Street, Benjamin Street and Hatherley Street (shelter). Four small HEs were dropped in the Stoneferry and Kathleen Roads, Maxwell and Woodhall Street areas. Domestic and industrial buildings were slightly damaged. Two people were killed and eight seriously injured.

Losses: Luftwaffe 4: Fighter Command 3

WESTERN FRONT: Bomber pilot Lt. Hajo Herrmann of KG 30 was awarded the Ritterkreuz.

In response to Rumanian President Antonescu plea for help, Hitler orders the Luftwaffe's night intruder forces to move to the Mediterranean.

 

[Njaco]

14 October 1940 Monday
UNITED KINGDOM: In comparison to the past week, the scale of raids on this Monday was limited due to poor weather conditions. Although many Fighter Command squadrons were scrambled throughout the day, very few engagements were encountered and accidents or Anti-Aircraft guns caused most of the Luftwaffe casualties. In the early morning, at 0345 hours, a lone Dornier Do 17 from 4(F)./ 14 on a weather reporting mission jettisoned four bombs on the Bristol area.

Major Luftwaffe operations over England didn't commence until 1030 hours when Bf 109s and Bf 110s flew in from the south bombing targets from high altitude, out of the reach of Fighter Command. But the formation was turned away by RAF fighters and poor visibility. Scattered raids were made by He111s and Ju88s on targets in the southeast including the airfield at North Weald. The aerodrome was by now showing the effects of nearly 400 accurately aimed bombs. Hardly a building had escaped so that dispersal and improvisation were necessary to keep the four squadrons going. During one of these raids the He111s found themselves being attacked by patrolling Hurricanes of RAF No 605 Squadron, scrambled from Croydon.

Several raids were made during the afternoon by Do17s and Bf109s on Portsmouth, London and areas of East Anglia. Hurricanes of RAF No. 17 Squadron, scrambled from Debden, intercepted one of the Do17s over Suffolk. RAF Hawkinge and Duxford airfields were hit along with targets in South London. In Middlesex a direct hit on an air raid shelter killed twenty people. F/O Czernin and P/O Pittman from RAF No. 17 Squadron took off from Martlesham at 1440 hours and intercepted a Do17 with British markings on the tail-fin, upper wing surfaces and fuselage. As the aircraft turned away, black crosses were seen on the underside of the wings and F/O Czernin attacked leaving the port engine on fire. The aircraft fired 2 rockets, which were however incorrect colours. Later P/O Pittman attacked, but the Do17 escaped by flying through Harwich balloon barrage. The 2 Hurricanes landed at 1600 hours and claimed a Do17 damaged.

But the serious damage comes at night when the skies are clear and a full moon lights up the English countryside. The scale of bombing was reduced with the main targets being London, Birmingham and Coventry with smaller raids on East Anglia, Liverpool and Preston. 565 people were killed and another 2125 civilians were seriously injured in the attacks. At the historic city of Coventry, intense fires were caused when oil bombs were first dropped followed by high explosive bombs. The wooden structures of the ancient city and the intense fire power turned out to be a lethal combination. A direct hit on the Carlton Club, London, spared the members, none of whom were seriously hurt. 'The devil looks after his own' was the verdict of a labour MP. Unhappily, there were no less than 500 casualties inflicted that day and night on the civilian population. Worse was to come. Two Dorniers of KGr 606 dropped several bombs on Bristol and the Avonmouth area at 2100 hours.

While the Luftwaffe lost only four aircraft for the day, the RAF fared better, losing a single Hurricane from RAF No. 605 Squadron.

WESTERN FRONT: Obstlt. Werner Streib, Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 1 scored his tenth night-fighter victory during the evening.

GERMANY: Daily Keynote from the Reich Press Chief: "The British raids on Berlin (or other German territory) should not be presented in such an exaggerated form that the reader is bound to get the impression that half of Berlin has been destroyed. But by the same token, the destruction in London should not be depicted so as to suggest that London has already been razed to the ground: in each case the possibility of intensified attacks must be preserved."

 

[Njaco]

15 October 1940 Tuesday
UNITED KINGDOM: The day opened with new instructions from the AOC of 11 Group. It was in response to the new tactics being employed by the Luftwaffe in which twin-engined bombers had been more or less eliminated from their battle order. They were being replaced by strong forces of Me109s and 110s. Secondly they were flying at much higher altitude than before. Sometimes as high as 30,000 feet. All this meant that German aircraft were arriving over London between 17 and 20 minutes after the radar stations had given the first warning. As they might be flying as high as 30,000 feet, RAF fighters were often unable to intercept, as it took them at least 15 minutes to achieve the requisite altitude. The answer was to have squadrons patrolling at 20,000 feet or thereabouts, enabling them to intercept the enemy. The result was that, throughout October, the number of enemy aircraft shot down by the RAF fell in relation to the losses suffered by Fighter Command. It had become a battle of fighter versus fighter.

The daylight German nuisance raids by bomb-carrying Messerschmitt fighters and single bombers continued. The Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton was targeted by a single He 111 of III./KG 55 at 0610 hours. At 0700 hours twenty Do 17s attacked the city of Birmingham and destroyed the airfield at Ternhill. Several RAF aircraft were destroyed on the ground including two Blenheim bombers.

Jafu 2 maintained pressure on Fighter Command and fighter-bombers from JG 2, JG 3, JG 26, JG 51, JG 52 and JG 54, as well as II(Schlacht)./LG 2 again carried out missions with fighter escort to London. All units flew a total of two missions during the day and made several well-executed attacks on London which resulted in a serious disruption of the capital's rail service.

At 0800 hours, bomb-carrying Bf 109s crossed the Channel in a raid on the south of England. British fighter squadrons from Biggin Hill and Hornchurch were scrambled to intercept them, but not before the damage had been done. Although most of the Messerschmitts were turned away by the RAF, the initial flight of Bf 109s got through to London and about twenty fighter-bombers managed to damage the King George V Dock in West Ham, Waterloo Station and suburbs in South London. More than sixty Bf 109s crossed the Channel at 0945 hours but were turned away by RAF fighters who were able to scramble early and gained the advantage of attacking out of the sun. RAF No. 149 Sqd, who had recently come down from Dyce, got caught up in combat over the Channel and one of their Hurricanes managed to get a Bf 109. But several pilots of JG 51 claimed victories including Maj. Werner Mölders of Stab/JG 51 who reached a score of 47 with a Hurricane downed over London and Hptm. Walter Oesau of Stab III./JG 51 who also destroyed a Hurricane to reach 37 kills.

About noon, close to sixty Bf 109s - including those of JG 27 - and Bf 110s crossed the coast near Folkestone and headed to London. Six RAF fighter squadrons engaged the Bf 109s and caused them to drop their bombs early in order to take on the British Hurricanes and Spitfires. The Luftwaffe Zerstörers climbed for the clouds and disappeared while a formation of Bf 109s came down on the Spitfires. RAF No. 609 Sqd also made for the safety of cloud cover and a hasty retreat back to Warmwell. Slight damage was caused to the districts of Ashford, Maidstone and Gravesend by the German fighter-bombers. Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 claimed a Spitfire over Maidstone for his 12th victory.

At about the same time, a flight of fifty bombers were bounced by Spitfires of RAF No. 145 Sqd over the Isle of Wight. For once, RAF fighters bounced the high-flying Bf 109s out of the sun, shooting down 4. As more Spitfires from RAF No. 609 Sqd climbed to join in the battle, they were bounced by more Bf 109s creating two separate dogfights over the island and the Solent. Having a much larger force of fighters engaged than the RAF allowed several Bf 109s to break off and continue to the target at Southampton but they caused little damage. Josef Priller from 6./JG 51 claimed two Hurricanes about this time over Dover. The last daylight raid by the Luftwaffe was conducted at 1550 hours over Ashford and Maidstone.

During the afternoon, I./JG 26 and II./JG 26 encountered a number of Hurricanes east of London and downed four without loss. Maj. Adolf Galland of Stab/JG 26 got a Spitfire near Rochester for his 45th victory while Uffz. Erhardt Scheidt of 1./JG 26 claimed a Spitfire and a Hurricane.

The daytime Pirate attacks also resumed on the 15th, when Oblt. Speck von Sternburg of III./KG 55 made an abortive attempt against Filton, to be followed by three more unsuccessful efforts later in the month by the same crew. The RAF launched 41 fighters but only shot down one Heinkel bomber.

The fighters of JG 2 lost several more pilots and planes including Fw. Horst Hellriegel of I./JG 2, who was listed as Missing in Action when he failed to return from the mission. Gefr. Alois Pollach of II./JG 2 also failed to return from a sortie and he, too, went missing in action. Another Messerschmitt from II./JG 2 crashed at Beaumont-le-Roger when the pilot tried to land his damaged Bf 109 after combat with the British fighters. The pilot was unhurt but the plane was written off as 75 % damaged. But Hptm. Helmut Wick from Stab I./JG 2 downed a Spitfire over Portsmouth to reach 42 victories. Ofw. Siegfried Schnell from 4./JG 2 claimed two Spitfires over Southampton.

By nightfall, yet another raid was made on London. At 2100 hours local, 30 aircraft head for Hornchurch and central London and hit Waterloo Station and block all but 2 of the rail lines. Clear skies and brilliant moonlight allowed the Luftwaffe to return to London in force. Five main railway stations were damaged and the air raid shelter at Balham Underground Station suffered a direct hit, killing over 100 people. The Royal Docks were also hit and numerous wharves along the Thames erupted into flames. Beckton Gasworks, Battersea Power Station and the Handley Page aircraft factory suffered serious damage to their buildings. Several bombers from KG 55 attacked Yeovil and lost one He 111 that crashed near Cherbourg, France on the return flight.

The BBC lost 7 people killed when a bomb hit BBC Broadcasting House during the BBC's 2100 hours local news program whilst Bruce Belfrage read the 9 o'clock news. Despite being covered in plaster and debris, Belfrage continued with his broadcast. In London, train service was stopped at the 5 main stations and traffic for other stations were cut by more than two-thirds. The Underground (subway) was severed at 5 places and roads were blocked throughout the city and a reservoir, 3 gasworks, 2 power stations and 3 important docks were hit. There were 900 fires in London during the night and there were over 1,200 casualties including 400 killed including 64 people sheltering in Balham Underground station. Bombs destroyed the main artery of London's water supply, the 46 million Imperial gallon-a-day (55.2 million U.S. gallons or 209.1 million liters) pipeline at Enfield.

Birmingham and Bristol were attacked, as London suffered its heaviest assault of the war so far: 400 bombers and a continuous raid that lasted six hours. At 2145 hours eight Do 17s of KGr 606 along with a single He 111 of III./KG 55 dropped bombs in the Bristol area. Another 50 aircraft attacked London and at 2320 hours, attacks began in Kent and the Thames Estuary.

Still the RAF had no answer to the night raids of the Luftwaffe. They had a few Blenheims and Beaufighters that were equipped for night duties, but these were only good for attacking an odd recon plane or observation aircraft, they were not strong enough to take on a whole formation of heavy bombers. Losses for the day's actions included fourteen aircraft lost by the Luftwaffe and fifteen lost by the RAF. Among the Kanalfront Jagdgeschwader's losses for the day was Lt. Ludwig Lenz of I.(J)/LG 2, who failed to return from a sortie in his Bf 109 and was listed as missing in action.

Section Cdr George Walter Inwood (b. 1906), Home Guard, saved two men unconscious from gas in the cellar of a bombed house; he died from gas on a third rescue. (George Cross)

Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Eric Charles Twelves Wilson of the East Surrey Regiment, reported killed and awarded a VC posthumously last Saturday, was alive and a prisoner of war. The War Office informed his parents, the Reverend Cyril and Mrs Wilson of Hunsdon Rectory near Ware, Hertfordshire. Wilson was awarded his VC, the 12th of the war, for outstanding bravery while attached to the Somaliland Camel Corps. Between 11 and 15 August he kept a machine-gun post on Observation Hill in action despite being wounded and suffering from malaria. His mother said tonight that she had never given up hope.

GERMANY: A new recruit joined the Luftwaffe Military Training Regiment 10 at Neukuhurn near Koenigsberg in East Prussia. Erich Hartmann, soon to be known as the "Blond Knight of Germany" and "The Black Devil of the South", will begin his flight training as a fighter pilot.

WESTERN FRONT: General Alexander Holle was made Kommodore of KG 26 in place of Generalmajor Robert Fuchs.

 

[Njaco]

16 October 1940 Wednesday
UNITED KINGDOM: Heavy fog covering the coastlines prevented many German air operations over England and those that were flown were turned back by RAF fighters. Shortly after 0800 hours the first of two waves of bomb-carrying Bf109s swept across Kent towards the Biggin Hill, Kenley and south London areas. As this raid was turning back the second crossed over the coast at Dungeness and made for east London. Several Fighter Command squadrons were scrambled to intercept with successful engagements involving the Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41 and 92 Squadrons and Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 229, 253, 302 (Polish), 501 and 605 Squadrons.

RAF No. 302 (Polish) Squadron had a rough day against the Luftwaffe. Sgt. Wedzik was flying in "Blue" section at 20.000 ft, when he was attacked and shot down in flames by a Bf109. The aircraft crashed near Chatham but Wedzik escaped by parachute. Squadron Leader Satchell returning from enemy action, forced landed in a field in the Slough Building Estate, because of a holed petrol tank and his gauges being shot trough. Satchell was uninjured and his Hurricane (P3812) undamaged and after refuelling, flew back to Northolt. P/O Malinski forced landed in a very rough field with his under- carriage up, after suffering engine failure at 22.000 ft. The pilot was uninjured. Sgt. Kosarz was returning from a patrol when he struck a balloon cable, owing to very bad visibility, cloud and mist. The aircraft started to spin but Kosarz was able to right it and landed perfectly at Heston aerodrome.

At 1130 hours another wave of raids crossed the Kent coast and headed for the areas of Hornchurch, Gravesend and the Thames Estuary. The Bf109s were met by Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 46, 253, 257 and 501 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF Nos. 66 and 92 Squadrons. RAF Ternhill was bombed, destroying a hangar and damaging others.

Whilst battles raged over Kent, a raid was made by He111s, Bf110s and Bf109s attacked the area of Southampton and the Isle of Wight. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 145 and 213 Squadrons, both scrambled from Tangmere, intercepted the raiders over Christchurch and Swanage areas.

Further down the coast off Falmouth, Spitfires of RAF No. 234 Squadron, scrambled from St. Eval and Hurricanes of RAF No. 601 Squadron from Exeter, intercepted a small raid of Ju88s as they approached.

Just before 1600 hours, two raids of He111s and Bf109s crossed over Kent and made for areas of east London. Bombs were also dropped, by this raid, on the main rail lines in Ashford. Spitfires of RAF Nos. 92 and 222 Squadrons managed to intercept some of the raiders before they turned back for home.

The weather was not that much better during the evening but at least 200 bombers chanced the mist and drizzle to raid the British Isles. The night raids started early, at about 1830 hours, with bombs dropped on London, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Mines were dropped in the Thames Estuary, the Bristol Channel and off East Anglia. Only one bomber, a Do 17 of KGr 606, flew a mission over Bristol while the rest of the bomber Gruppe raided Liverpool a few minutes after 2100 hours. 2 German bombers crashed of unknown causes around 1930 hours, 1 near Bishops Stortford and another near Denbigh.

The Luftwaffe lost five aircraft while the RAF have none lost to combat missions throughout the day.

Siegfried Bethke of the Luftwaffe was ruminating in his diary about the general situation. He now realised that destroying the RAF in a few days, as Göring was still claiming, was a fool's dream. "The English seems to be putting up with things quite well," he jotted then added, "Important things did not happen." Ulrich Steinhilper, on the other hand, was shot down over England at the end of October, by which time he was mentally and physically completely exhausted."There is no doubt in my mind," he said, "that the RAF broke the back and the spirit of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain."

Sqdn Ldr Townsend accompanied by Fg Off T.J. Molony, motored to Speke to sit on court of enquiry.

Despite official denials, rumours persist that the Germans attempted an invasion in the late summer and perished disastrously. Large numbers of dead Germans are believed to have been washed ashore on the south coast between the Isle of Wight (where the "invasion" was aimed) and Cornwall. One story is that the corpses were charred, because the sea was set on fire. A further theory is that the Germans held an ill-fated rehearsal of the invasion and that the barges were sunk in storms. No-one has seen the bodies, but that is explained by the authorities concealing them. In fact, any bodies washed up are of German airmen shot down.

GERMANY: Reichsmarschall Göring promoted Oberst Josef Kammhuber to Generaloberst and nameed him to the new position of General der Nachtjägd. Generaloberst Kammhuber's headquarters was based in Utrecht, Holland as he began to organize the night-fighter force into mainly two different branches: the defense of the Reich's territory and the long range night attacks on RAF bases.

 

[Njaco]

17 October 1940 Thursday
"Retirement"
UNITED KINGDOM: Perhaps for no one did the Battle of Britain have a more unexpected end than for Dowding himself. As the battle continued throughout the rest of September, and the German aircraft ranged farther north over London, instead of concentrating their attacks against No. 11 Group's airfields south of the capital, Leigh-Mallory's No. 12 Group was drawn increasingly into the fighting, rather than being used merely when Park called for fighter protection over his Sector airfields. A consequence of this change in the balance of British forces was that Douglas Bader's "Big Wing" began to play a larger role in the battle, despite Park's doubts about its wisdom and his preferences for "squadron strength" attacks, which had in any case hitherto been accepted dogma for fighter operations. Bader did not hide his anger at Park's reluctance to use his big wing as he saw fit, and one of his pilots, who happened to be a member of Parliament, passed this growing dispute about Fighter Command tactics on to the Undersecretary of State for Air and, more disturbingly, to the prime minister. The fat was now in the fire, and with a politician's natural sense of self-preservation when faced with a sharp difference of opinion between senior officers of any service in wartime, Churchill urged the Chief of the Air Staff to arrange for a meeting of the interested parties and discuss "Major Day Tactics in the Fighter Force." Since Churchill was more than capable of intervening directly in service matters when he wanted to, he was clearly throwing a hot potato back to the air force. That there was no urgency to the matter in his mind is proved by the fact that it did not take place until October 17, more than a month after the greatest and most successful day of the battle. It may be that Dowding was simply too tired by October 1940 to perceive that he was walking into a trap, or that he put too much reliance on Churchill's promises of support (though given his long experience with politicians that seems unlikely); or perhaps he had simply had enough of repeatedly being given new dates for his retirement. Certainly, he can have had no illusions about the meeting; nor can Park — it was a grim, hanging jury of his peers that he was facing, barely disguised as an impartial inquiry into the facts. His old rival Newall, the Chief of the Air Staff, was too ill to attend, and this ought to have been a warning, since he was replaced at the meeting by Sholto Douglas, now the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, with whom Dowding had clashed many times before. Douglas was younger than Dowding, sleeker, an altogether jollier and more outgoing personality, at least on the surface, a decorated war hero, happily married, and a good mixer, and he had set his eyes long since on Dowding's job. The presence of Leigh-Mallory cannot have surprised Dowding—the whole purpose of the meeting was ostensibly to thrash out the differences between Park and Leigh-Mallory—but it must have come as a shock to realize that Leigh-Mallory had brought Bader along to represent the views of the fighter pilots. That Sholto Douglas had allowed Leigh-Mallory to introduce into the meeting a mere squadron leader (the equivalent of a major), however highly decorated and celebrated, to dispute the views of the Air Officer Commanding-in- Chief, Fighter Command, and of Air Vice-Marshal Park, who commanded No. 11 Group, would have been enough to tell Dowding that his neck was on the block. Nothing of this is reflected in the minutes of the meeting — it took place in England, after all. Everybody gave his point of view politely, making full allowance for the other fellow's point of view. Park conceded that there was something to be said for the big wing, Leigh- Mallory admitted that there were occasions when an attack by one or two squadrons might be called for, and even Bader was restrained in front of his superiors. Sholto Douglas gave an impartial summing up, and Dowding promised to increase cooperation between the two groups, though he did not suggest how he hoped to achieve this. It was all very polite and English, but there is no question that his failure to get his two principal subordinate commanders to cooperate with each other was being criticized, with some reason. The upshot was that Dowding was retired. Park was removed from his post and sent to command a Group in Training Command. The Air Ministry produced a slim pamphlet giving an account of the Battle which failed to mention Dowding or, indeed, Park. Churchill remarked that it was like an account of Trafalgar without any mention of Nelson. Air Vice Marshal Sholto Douglas then took over the command of Fighter Command. Trafford Leigh Mallory took over from Park at 11 Group. Bader was to get further promotion to Wing Commander and took over command of a wing at Tangmere.

On the battle-front bomb-carrying Bf109s made renewed raids on London and targets in the southeast. The first crossed the coast at about 0830 hours and was followed by a larger raid just after 0900 hours, which also included Do17s crossing over East Anglia. 90 Bf 109s and Bf 110s attacked Margate, Broadstairs and Stanmore. Many squadrons were scrambled to intercept these raids but poor visibility made this task difficult. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 46, 242 and 302 (Polish) Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF No. 266 Squadron succeeded in finding and engaging the enemy.

Just after 1300 hours another raid was plotted approaching Gravesend with a second wave of four raids just before 1500 hours. The largest raid of about 80 aircraft was met over East London, Kenley and Biggin Hill by 14 RAF squadrons, which shoot down 4 Bf109s. Over the next two to three hours' dogfights raged high over Kent and southeast England involving Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 46, 229, 242, 249, 253, 302 (Polish), 303 (Polish), 501 and 605 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41, 66, 72, 92, 222 and 603 Squadrons. Bombs were dropped on central London and the airfield at Kenley.

At 1700 hours a raid of Bf109s swept across Kent and Sussex. Interceptions were made by the Tangmere Hurricanes of RAF No. 213 Squadron and Spitfires of RAF Nos. 603 and 609 Squadrons.

During the night raids were made on London, Liverpool, Birmingham, the Midlands and East Anglia. Mines were dropped off the Suffolk coast and the Thames Estuary. German bombing has killed 1,567 people in the week up to today, much of the air raid damage due to new German land mines. In London, a bomb destroyed automatic signalling equipment at Waterloo Station however, people using flags kept the trains rolling.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 15; RAF, 3.

Sub-Lt Jack Maynard Cholmondeley Easton (b. 1906), RNVR, and AB Bennett Southwall (b. 1913), RN, tackled a mine dangling six inches from the floor of a house. It slipped and both men ran for cover, but the huge blast killed AB Southwell and badly injured Sub-Lt Easton. (George Crosses)

2nd Lt Alexander Fraser Campbell (b. 1898 ), 9 Bomb Disposal Coy Royal Engineers, lay alongside a bomb in case it began ticking as it was taken from a factory. He defused it but died the next day along with six men of the Royal Engineers when another bomb exploded while he was trying to defuse it. (George Cross).

WESTERN FRONT: 4 German destroyers and 6 torpedo boats left Brest, France, to attack shipping in the Bristol Channel but they were spotted by British reconnaissance aircraft at 0719 hours. British cruisers HMS 'Newcastle' and 'Emerald' and 5 destroyers left Plymouth at 1100 hours and sighted the German ships at 1600 hours. After an exchange of shellfire at a distance of 11 miles lasting until 1800 hours, both sides retired with no damage reported.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Wow, the bomb defusers never get the credit they deserved, thanks for posting.

 

[Njaco]

18 October 1940 Friday
UNITED KINGDOM: The weather and visibility was poor and prevented any large scale Luftwaffe missions during the day and night. Most Luftwaffe flights were reconnaissance and those that did try to conduct raids were turned away by RAF fighters. One successful interception for Fighter Command was by the Hurricanes of RAF No. 229 Squadron, scrambled from Northolt, who intercepted some Ju88s over Kent as they approached London. Between lunch and tea, thirty-five raids were counted flying high over East Anglia. Forty-five RAF fighter patrols were flown. Some intercepted and shot down 4 Luftwaffe machines.

The poor weather conditions created many accidents for both sides as pilots and crews became disorientated in the fog. One tragic incident involved the Polish pilots of RAF No. 302 Squadron. Whilst on patrol they became lost over Surrey and ran out of fuel forcing emergency landings, subsequently losing four Hurricanes and pilots. The most serious of the day's losses for the Luftwaffe was visited upon JG 2 when two pilots were killed. Fhr. Hans-Eduard Siebold of I./JG 2 was killed when he crash landed his Bf 109E at St. Brieuc. 8./JG 2 lost its Staffelkapitän when Oblt. Walter Palting was killed, crashing his Messerschmitt at Grandcamp for unknown reasons.

During the night raids were made on London, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Southampton and East Anglia. All 160 bombers participating had returned to their airfields by 0145 hours local. Mine laying was carried out around the Thames Estuary areas. In the early evening a formation of Heinkels of II./KG 27 attacked Birkenhead with one of the bombers raiding Bristol at 2015 hours.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 15; RAF, 4.

Göring praised his fighter pilots for inflicting such terrible losses on Fighter Command, and his bomber pilots for having;

"reduced the British plutocracy to fear and terror."

Sgt Michael Gibson (b. 1906), Royal Engineers, and 2nd Lt Campbell (see yesterday's entry), after a night of very dangerous work, were both killed by a bomb they were trying to defuse. (George Cross).

A second evacuation of the half a million children in the London area is under way. They are leaving at the rate of 2,000 a day in small parties under a "trickle" evacuation scheme. Over 20,000 left in September. A further 89,000 mothers and young children are being assisted to leave this month. When the heavy bombing began on 7 September, thousands of East Enders fled from the devastation. Some 5,000 trekked to Epping Forest and camped there. Others took lorries to the Kent hopfields where they bedded down on straw in the hop-pickers' huts. About 10,000 Londoners and local people are now living in the Chislehurst caves in Kent. They are equipped with electric light and a canteen and sick bay. Families have taken over individual caves and installed bed and furniture. Some 25,000 went to Paddington and took trains to places such as Reading, Basingstoke and Oxford, which alone billeted 15,000 refugees. Most of these "trekkers" have now returned. East Enders clearly hate leaving their familiar neighbourhoods or being placed in West End billets - even when they are bombed out.

WESTERN FRONT: Night-fighting Do 17Z-10s of 4./NJG 1 score the Nachtgeschwader's first kill by shooting a RAF Wellington into the Zuider Zee.

Hptm. Radusch's place as Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 1 was taken by Major Werner Streib.

 

[Njaco]

19 October 1940 Saturday
UNITED KINGDOM: Cloudy weather in the Channel and swirling mists in northern France gave the Germans an easy morning. The morning was relatively quiet with scattered reconnaissance raids being plotted over the Channel and coastal areas. One bomber sent out in the morning was shot down over Kent. Around noon a single bomb was dropped on Coventry, destroying a few houses but not much else. An attack on the Bristol Aeroplane Company in the afternoon by a single He 111 of III./KG 55 was aborted soon after take-off in France. One bomber sent out was brought down over Kent.

Around 1400 hours fourteen Bf109s had assembled over the Pas de Calais for a sweep on England. They steered for London unopposed but dropped no bombs. Only one main raid totalling abut 60 aircraft materialised just after 1500 hours, by Ju88s, Do17s and Bf109s crossing the Kent coast at Dungeness and made for London. Spitfires of RAF Nos. 66, 92 and 222 Squadrons and Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 253 and 605 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept. A dog-fight over Beachy Head developed and two British fighters were shot down.

During the night heavy raids were made on London, Liverpool, Manchester, Coventry, Birmingham, Bristol and South Wales. Do 17s of KGr 606 and He 111s of I./KG 27 raided Liverpool shortly after 1930 hours. Bombs fell at Ludworth, Wheatley Hill, Middleton in Teesdale, Tudhoe, Winterton, Satley and Spennymoor all in Co Durham. Thirteen IBs fell in the vicinity of Ludworth and Wheatley Hill. All dropped in open country. A particularly vicious attack was launched against London and surrounding suburbs. Railway communications appeared to be the main objective and considerable damage was done. The Dockyards were attacked but damage was not as great as at first thought, owing to a large number of bombs falling either on empty sheds or on warehouses already destroyed. There were numerous fires But all were brought under control. At 2325hrs, the Gas Works in Eastbourne was attacked; thankfully there were no deaths or casualties, although the gasometer was punctured.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 2; RAF, 5.

WESTERN FRONT: Oblt. Josef 'Pips' Priller of 6./JG 51 was awarded the Ritterkreuz for achieving twenty victories.

An RAF Wellington was shot down over the Zuider Zee by a Luftwaffe Do 17 Z-10 'Kauz II' intruder, with the Infra-Red system called 'Spanner'.

 

[Njaco]

20 October 1940 Sunday
UNITED KINGDOM: Rain and cloud again restrict missions over England but some flights did occur. In total, raids were made by four waves of about thirty aircraft throughout the day. Only a few medium bomber raids were carried out but most raids consisted of fighter-bombers. During the morning bomb-carrying Bf109s made persistent attacks on targets in the southeast and on London. Bombs were again dropped in the London area but only a few casualties occurred, and property, mostly private, was little damaged. Between 0930 hours and 1130 hours Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 249, 253, 302 (Polish) and 605 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41, 66, 74 and 92 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept these raids. Around 1100 hours, JG 54 engaged the RAF and Hptm. Dietrich Hrabak from Stab II./JG 54 claimed a Hurricane over Ashford. Oblt. Hans Philipp of 4./JG 54 claimed 2 Hurricanes to reach a score of 20 victories.

Just after 1300 hours another raid of about 50 aircraft was plotted over Dover and heading for targets in London, Hornchurch and Thames areas. RAF fighters were scrambled to intercept the raiders with successful engagements made by Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41, 66, 74 and 603 Squadrons and Hurricanes of RAF No. 605 Squadron. JG 54 was up again along with Bf109s from JG 52 and JG 53. Oblt. Hans-Ekkehard Bob from 7./JG 54 claimed a Spitfire as did Fw. Albert Griener from 5./JG 52. JG 52 lost Fw. Ludwig Bielmaier of 5./JG 52 when he was shot down and captured. P/O B.V.Draper of RAF No 74 Squadron force landed his Spitfire II (P7355) after combat with a Bf 109 at 1300 hours. He escaped injury.

At about 1430 hours Spitfires of RAF No. 74 Squadron, scrambled from Biggin Hill, intercepted another raid of Bf109s over Maidstone. Sgt T.B.Kirk of RAF No 74 Squadron baled out of his Spitfire II (P7370) badly wounded after combat with some Bf 109's over Maidstone, Kent at 1455 hours. Sgt C.G.Hilken of RAF No 74 Squadron was wounded when he baled out of his Spitfire II (P7426) after combat with a Bf 109 over South London at 1500 hours.

The remainder of the afternoon saw small raids being made over Kent without little incident. Hptm. Heinz Bretnütz of II./JG 53 reached 20 kills with a Hurricane claimed at 1625 hours. Dover was again shelled by German heavy artillery in Calais but only 15 out of 50 exploded.

During the night the main raids of nearly 300 bombers were on London and Birmingham with further bombs dropped in the Midlands, East Anglia, Derby and Manchester. Activity was heavy, and steadily maintained until about 0100 hours, when the numbers engaged against London began to diminish rapidly. Birmingham and Coventry were the principle targets of Do 17s of KGr 606. In Coventry the Armstrong-Siddeley and Singer Motor Works were hit. An infants' school containing a Warden's Post was badly damaged and over the whole area casualties were reported as 20 dead, 78 injured with at least 15 trapped. Mines were dropped around much of the southern, eastern and northern coastlines. A raid was plotted over Catterick between 0100 and 0300 hours and minelaying was reported from the Humber to the Tees. Erdington Institution, Birmingham where children evacuated from London were installed, was hit and of the 20 casualties it was reported that no children were injured.

In London The British Museum Newspaper Repository building was destroyed by bombing, along with an estimated 6,000 volumes of English provincial and Irish newspapers, mainly from the late 19th century. Two temporary buildings were erected at the end of the War to provide replacement storage space, and these are still in use today. At 2040 hours there was a heavy explosion at Euston, with water reported to be percolating through to one of the southbound Northern line platforms. A Delayed Action (DA) bomb was reported 30 ft (9 metres) from the King William Street entrance to Bank station at 2117 hours. The station was closed, but exit allowed via Monument station. At 0003 hours, an HE bomb fell in Spur Road, Waterloo, and penetrated to the Waterloo City line depot.

Eleven RAF night-fighter sorties were flown but they were not successful. Dowding reported that the Beaufighter squadrons were having trouble with their airbourne interception radar equipment and aircraft. On 19 October Dowding had reported that RAF No. 219 Sqdrn had 4 Beaufighters ready for operations but by dusk all 4 were unserviceable.

Losses: Luftwaffe 14: Fighter Command 5.

For a small understanding of how the British people faced the war during the battle, please see this link:
BBC - WW2 People's War - That Fatefull Day 20th October 1940

Churchill stated the British were stronger in their will to resist due to the bombings.

WESTERN FRONT: Oblt. Helmut Wick of I./JG 2 was promoted to Major and appointed Geschwaderkommodore of the "Richthofen" Geschwader replacing Major Wolfgang Schellmann. Wick commented, "As long as I can shoot down the enemy, adding to the honor of the 'Richthofen' Geschwader and the success of the Fatherland, I will be a happy man. I want to fight and die fighting, taking with me as many of the enemy as possible."

P/O G.H.Baird was with RAF No 248 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and was on a recce sortie off the Norwegian coast flying in Blenheim IVf (P6952) when he was shot down and made a POW. Also in the crew were D.L.Burton, R.Copcutt and S.V.Wood. P/O S.R.Gane of RAF No 248 Squadron during the Battle of Britain flying in Blenheims and was on a recce sortie off the Norwegian coast flying in Blenheim IVf (L9453) when he was shot down and killed. The other members of the crew were M.D.Green N.J.Stocks. Although these were the only losses by RAF No 248 Squadron, five pilots from II./JG 77 were credited with Blenheim victories.

 

[Njaco]

21 October 1940 Monday
UNITED KINGDOM: Due to poor weather this Monday was quiet of combat apart from a few interceptions of reconnaissance and small bombing raids. Taking advantage of the overcast, single aircraft and small formations of bombers dispatched by Luftflotte 2 and 3 reached widely separated targets in England.

At 0615hrs, an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley of 58 Sqn (GE-O) which had taken off at 1900hrs the previous night, crashed into a steep hillside on return from a bombing mission on the Skoda Works, Pilsen after being shot by Hptmn Karl Hülshoff of 1./NJG2. The aircraft crashed into a hillside at Botton Head on Ingleby Greenhow Moor, North Yorkshire.

A small raid made it to Liverpool during the morning along with several on London, Northampton, Cambridge and Duxford areas. Just after 1300 hours Hurricanes of RAF No. 253 Squadron, scrambled from Kenley, met a raid of Ju88s and Do17s over Kent.

W.S. Williams of RAF No. 266 Sqn in Spitfire X4265 was killed when he took part in an interception and after the action landed at Stradishall to refuel. As he took off at 1250 hrs he flew low across the airfield and then seemed to stall. His engine cut and unable to pull out, he crashed and was killed.

Later in the afternoon, Spitfires of RAF No. 609 Squadron, scrambled from Warmwell, intercepted and shot down a Ju88 over Dorset. The Ju 88 was posing as a Blenheim and machine gunning the airfield at Old Sarum, Hampshire from a height of about 50 feet. From the RAF No. 609 Sqdrn record book:

"F/L F.J. Howell dived to decide what it was and even after making sure that it was a Ju 88 with a big cross, was surprised to see the rear gunner signaling with smoke cartridges. Both pilots (F/L Howell and P/O S.J. Hill) attacked in turn and after an unusual chase above and below the tree-tops the enemy aircraft hit the ground and blew up near Lymington."

During the night large raids appeared over London, Liverpool and the Midlands with further raids on Sheffield, South Wales and Lancashire. Mines were dropped in the Thames Estuary and off Swansea. PMs were dropped in the Sutton and Silverdale Roads, Maybury Road, Bellfield Avenue areas. One of the mines fell at the end of Strathmore Avenue, Beverley High Road, near the River Hull, bringing extensive damage to hundreds of houses and many casualties, two of which proved fatal. The effects of blast can be strange - a man who was getting dressed in his upstairs bedroom, found himself being lifted up to the ceiling and then thrown on to the bed which was by now in the front room downstairs. The blast had stripped him of his garments.

Liverpool suffers its 200th air raid and again saw the Dorniers of KGr 606 along with the Heinkels of III./KG 27 raid the city at 2245 hours.

In Coventry the attack commenced at 1945 hrs. Dicken Leather Works, GEC Stores, Morris Bodies, and Cheylesmore Schools were all gutted. There were other fires at Courtaulds, Riley's and shops in the centre of the town. The Staff Canteen at Alfred Herberts was completely wrecked, and hits were registered on the Gaumont Cinema, King's Head Hotel, and the London Road institution, causing 41 casualties with 23 trapped. The BTH Company wias completely out of action for three days, owing to unexploded bomb and failure of gas and electric supply. Damage to Armstrong Siddeley was extensive and production delayed considerably. The Aero Finished Stores, tool stores, office and canteen were gutted; the water tower was down and the main fractured. There were 22 minor roads blocked in the district and many houses were demolished, rendering up to 500 people homeless.At Weymouth bombs were dropped near the railway station at 1215 hours on the 21st. South National Bus Depot was partially demolished and a number of buses damaged. Four HE were also dropped in Portland Harbour. In Southwark a bomb hit the edge of an underground shelter in the New Kent Road, where 26 people were sheltering, 3 were killed. At St Pancras, a heavy HE made a crater 40 feet in diameter, it fell at the junction of Eversholt Street and Phoenix Road. A large water main was fractured allowing the water to enter the Northern Line railway tube 50 feet below.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 6; RAF, 0.

The first high-altitude flight by the Vickers Wellington V reaches 20,000 feet.

WESTERN FRONT: Generalmajor Johannes Fink gave up his duties as Kommodore of KG 2 to become Inspector of Bomber and Ground Attack Flyers and General Of Bomber-Flyers with the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. Oberst Herbert Rieckhoff from KG 30 was appointed Kommodore of KG 2 in place of Generalmajor Fink. Oblt. Erich Blödorn was made Kommodore of KG 30 in Oberst Rieckhoff's place.

 

[Njaco]

22 October 1940 Tuesday
UNITED KINGDOM: Throughout the morning very little air activity was reported due to poor weather conditions. Two convoys off Dover and one in Thames Estuary were unsuccessfully attacked. Between 0750 and 0904 hours Dover was again shelled. Two shells fell on the land and one in the sea. Thirty houses were slightly damaged and four persons slightly injured. Road A259 to Folkestone was partially blocked but was available for single line traffic. Up to 1230 hours some 30 tracks were plotted round North Foreland to Beachy Head. In one case a Dornier flew low inland and over Manston. Interceptions were much hampered owing to fog and low cloud. One HE and 10 anti-personnel bombs were dropped on Eastbourne at 1025 hours, causing 18 casualties of which 2 were fatal. Five houses were demolished and other extensive damage to property was caused.

In the foggy weather, five German crashes led to the loss of several senior officers. As the fog cleared during the early part of the afternoon a raid of about 30 Bf109s crossed the Kent coast at 1400 hours and was intercepted by Spitfires of RAF No. 74 Squadron, scrambled from Biggin Hill and Hurricanes of RAF No. 605 Squadron, scrambled from Croydon. P/O J.A.Milne a Canadian of RAF No 605 Squadron was wounded after combat with some Bf 109s. He crash landed his Hurricane I (V6783) near Dorking at 1430 hours. He had a broken hip. Bombs were dropped at RAF Brockworth. One oil bomb fell on the roof of a tool shed and 3 HE fell on the airfield doing no damage. Casualties reported were 2 killed and 32 injured.

Shortly after this raid three smaller raids approached North Foreland and Hornchurch areas at about 1530 hours, one of which was met by Hurricanes of RAF No. 249 Squadron, scrambled from North Weald. The convoy "Fruit" off Dover called for help and Uxbridge diverted two squadrons to cover it.

At 1600 hours reports were received of several raids of Ju88s and Bf109s approaching different areas of the Kent coast. One raid of 18 aircraft again made landfall at Dungeness while 4 other raids amounting to 60+ aircraft remained in mid-Channel. Those crossing the coast pursued a course for Hornchurch finally turning South to Biggin Hill. JG 51 led by Major Werner Mölders were up as was JG 26 led by Major Adolf Galland. Hurricanes of RAF Nos, 46, 257, 501 and 605 Squadrons along with Spitfires of RAF Nos, 66, 74, 92 and 222 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept. F/O Peter Cape Beauchamp St John of No 74 Squadron was killed when his Spitfire II (P7431) was shot down by a Bf 109 over South Nuttfield, Surrey at 1530 hours. The Geschwaderkommodore of JG 51, Major Mölders, destroyed three Hurricanes from RAF Nos. 46 and 257 Squadrons off the English coast during the dogfights. P/O N.B.Heywood of RAF No 257 Sqdrn was killed as his Hurricane I (R4195) was hit by A.A. fire during a combat with Bf 109s over Folkestone at 1645 hours. The aircraft crashed South of Lidd in Kent. Sgt R.H.B.Fraser of RAF No 257 Sqdrn was shot down by a Bf 109 and killed in his Hurricane I (V6851) over Folkstone at 1650 hours. Sgt J.P.Morrison from RAF No 46 Sqdrn was killed when he was shot down in his Hurricane I (R4074) over Dungeness at 1650 hours. Major Mölders was credited with the victories and his score now stood at 50. But it wasn't all Hurricanes that went down. RAF No. 257 Sqdrn picked off Fw. Heinrich Arp from 2./JG 26. Arp's aircraft broke up in the air and scattered pieces along the coast southwest of Dungeness.

During the night the bombing raids were reduced in scale on London, Liverpool, the Midlands, Bristol and South Wales. The first aircraft crossed the coast at 1830 hours, and 40 raiders were tracked in up to 1900 hours, coming from France and Holland; thereafter activity slackened. The majority concentrated on London, and the Birmingham-Coventry area; a few raids penetrated to the Liverpool, Bristol and South Wales areas. One attacked a convoy in the Thames Estuary. By the end of the period there were very few new tracks entering the country. At Stapleford one 750lb bomb was dropped at 2030 hours. It fell inside the perimeter 100yds from Southern boundary, causing no damage to aircraft or personnel.

At Coventry raids commenced at 1958 hours and ceased at 2155 hours causing widespread fires and considerable damage. Fires were reported at Cornercroft Ltd, Armstrong Siddeley, Morris Bodies, Smith Molesworth, Coventry Brace Co, Rotherham's Ltd, GEC, LMS Goods Yard, shops and residential property. St Mary's Hall, the Queen's Hotel, and a Public Shelter were hit by HE and a number of people trapped, but all were extricated alive. The spare parts department of the Daimler Works was hit. A further unexploded bomb was removed from Riley's and full production resumed.

Liverpool was again the target for the Do 17 bombers of KGr 606, dropping their loads on the city at 2035 hours.

Two Focke-Wulf Fw 200C-1s were lost near Ireland. One 'Condor' from 1/KG.40 was lost in the Atlantic and the bodies of the crew were found near Clifden. The second Fw 200 was reported as having been brought down by its own attack on Irish merchant vessels near Cape Clear.

At 1500 hours an officer was attempting to remove the fuse from an unexploded bomb which fell on Seal about three weeks ago, when it exploded, and no trace of him was found.

Losses: Luftwaffe 10: Fighter Command 6.

 

[Njaco]

23 October 1940 Wednesday
UNITED KINGDOM: No large raids were made on this Wednesday with only reconnaissance and occasional Bf109 sweeps crossing the coast throughout the day. A Blenheim from RAF No. 600 Squadron based at Catterick in Yorkshire, crashed into a hillside at Kirkby Malzeard, Yorkshire during practice flights through cloud at 1055 hours. P/O P.R.S. Hurst was killed and buried in Catterick Cemetery.

At 1240 hours an aircraft from Calais flew from Dover to Dungeness and Hastings, where it turned North and crossed the Inner Artillery Zone. This aircraft attacked the Stanmore before returning across the IAZ and going across Kent.

At 1323 hours a raid from Holland came into the Estuary over a convoy off Clacton, circled Harwich for ten minutes and returned to the Scheldt; this was followed at 1331 hours by another from Holland into the Estuary, over two convoys North West of Herne Bay and then to South East London and back to the Scheldt.

Hurricanes of RAF No.145 Squadron, scrambled from Tangmere during the afternoon, intercepted one raid of Bf109s over Sussex and lost two Hurricanes during the combat.

During the night the bombing of London continued with other raids dropping mines off the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coasts. A PM was dropped on the bowling green in Tynemouth Park and another in a field at Kennersdene Farm, Tynemouth near the LNER electric railway which caused craters measuring 35' x 15'. Damage to Park Cafe, Bowling Club Pavilion, Beaconsfield House AFS Station, the Grand Parade First Aid Post and many other buildings including 280 houses. There was damage also to the Princes Theatre, Russell Street, North Shields. Twelve German aircraft penetrated the Yorkshire coast from the east. These were tracked to the western seaboard and a short distance out to sea off the Lancashire coast and minelaying was suspected. An attack was made at St Pancras at 1847 hours causing considerable damage, including a large crater on the London main line, 2 holes through a bridge; also property and rolling stock suffered severely.

A He 111H of I./KG 27 was destroyed when it crashed at Tours airfield after a combat sortie. The aircraft struck a barrack block, killing all four crew (Lt. Wolfgang Wilhelm, Uffz. Ernst Bautz, Uffz. Wilhelm Forster, Uffz. Alfons Jenau) and thirteen occupants of the building, and injuring eleven others (all groundcrew of KG 27).

Losses: Luftwaffe 3: Fighter Command 2.

 

[Njaco]

24 October 1940 Thursday
UNITED KINGDOM: Luftwaffe activity was again reduced to mostly reconnaissance raids over East Anglia and southern England.

At about 1100 hours, one aircraft flew West over Southwold and penetrated to within 20 miles of Coventry before turning back. This aircraft, a Dornier Do 215, was intercepted and shot down over St. Neots by Hurricanes of RAF No. 1 and 17 Squadrons. "Red" Section of RAF No. 1 were ordered to intercept and F/L M.H. Brown, P/O A.V. Clowes, DFM, and P/O A. Kershaw sighted the Dornier 3,000 ft above cloud. As a result the Dornier was brought down at St. Neots. All 3 pilots expressed the opinion that the aircraft did not make very good use of cloud cover before the attack and the only evasive action taken was diving into the clouds.

At 1430 hours Hurricanes of RAF No. 229 Squadron, scrambled from Northolt, intercepted a small raid of Do17s over Middlesex. Bombs were dropped at Hayes and a serious fire was started at the works of the Fairey Aviation Co, where the main store was damaged.

Also during the afternoon a reconnaissance aircraft was plotted near Weston-Super-Mare and Taunton. Tragically, two Hurricanes of RAF No. 87 Squadron, scrambled from Exeter to intercept, collided in cloud and P/O D.T. Jay (Hurricane P3404) was killed. P/O Jay baled out but was believed to have hit the tailplane as he did not pull his ripcord. The other pilot, Johnny Co ck got down OK, landing at Exeter with a chewed up tail. The raider escaped.

During the night the main targets were London and Birmingham with further raids on Liverpool. German aircraft began to appear from the Dutch Islands, from the Somme area and from Cherbourg at about 1900 hours, the majority flying towards London and the remainder - about six tracks - towards St Alban's Head. At Birmingham an attack commenced during which many HE and incendiary bombs were dropped causing 90 fires, some of which were serious. New Street Station suffered considerable damage, fires breaking out on five platforms. Damage included a passenger train, 3 signal boxes, loaded parcel vans, and the roof of the station was badly affected. In London, communications and public utility services appeared to be the main targets though, as before, many bombs fell some distance from any apparent objective.

Mines were dropped in the Thames Estuary, off the Essex coast and along the coastline between the Wash and the Firth-of-Forth.

Italian aircraft based in Belgium, made their first attack with a raid on Harwich in a joint mission with Lufthlotte 2. The Italian pilots had slowly transferred to Belgium through the end of September and early October, finally being declared ready by 22 October. The Generale sa Corso Fougier installed his HQ in Petite Espinette of Rhode-St-Genesis (between Brussels and Waterloo) and the technical services were established on the aerodrome of Evere. Once established in their new bases the units had less than a month to become accustomed to strange airfields and language, northern weather conditions and integration into the Luftwaffe structure. II Fliegerkorps was to be the controlling formation and to facilitate control and communications. The worthwhile targets were along the coast between the Thames and Harwich including the estuaries of the Orwell and Stour. A few days after arrival the Italian's funny cork-stripped life-vests (nicknamed "sausages") were replaced with German-supplied inflatable rubber vests fitted with a fluorescing bag to facilitate being located on the sea. A number of modifications were made to the equipment and a special grey-blue uniform was created for the troop, eliminating knickerbockers and puttees of World War 1 vintage. The airfields in Belgium received codenames. Known names are "Dedalo" (Melsbroeck) and "Icaro" (Chièvres). The arrival of the Italian task force in Belgium resulted in that the exiled Belgian government in London declared war on Italy. Operations commenced on 24 October with a night bombing raid on Felixstowe and Harwich, twelve BR.20Ms of 13o Stormo and six from 43o Stormo taking part. The first aircraft, flown by Capitano Bassi of 43o Gruppo, took-off at 2035 hours and was quickly followed by the ones flown by Capitano Gastaldi and Tenente Albertini. At 2050 hours MM21928 (5-8 ) of 5a Squadriglia flown by Capitano Carlo Pagani took-off. A few minutes later this aircraft crashed close to the church at Houtem, killing Pagani together with his crew. Ten of the aircraft from 13o Stormo managed to locate Harwich and dropped their bombs from an altitude of 5000 to 5500 meters. When returning MM21895 (Capitano F. Bassi) of 3a Squadriglia and MM22624 (Tenente M. Pesso) became lost. Bassi's crew baled out near Cambrai and Pesso's between Namur and Charleroi, while his aircraft (MM22624) crashed in Lustin. The evacuation of the two aircraft went well and only the radio operator 1o Avieri Armando Paolini was wounded in a foot. During the return a third bomber flown by Capitano U. Machieraldo had to force-land at Lille-Epinoy and the aircraft was damaged. The remaining eight aircraft from 13o Stormo landed at Melsbroeck between 2350 and 0035 hours. For the 22% loss of aircraft or seriously damaged, the bombing results were poor. Contrary to wartime propaganda by the Italian news media the bombing carried out by the CAI was comparatively ineffectual and expensive in crews and aircraft.

Sgt D.R. Stoodley of RAF No. 43 squadron (Usworth) was killed in Hurricane V7303, in a dusk-flying accident at base. He had made six attempts to land cross-wind, and finally stalled at 250 ft.

P/O J Bury-Burzymski of RAF No. 303 squadron (Leconfield) was killed in Hurricane V6807, which crashed during dog-fight practice, at 17.20 hrs.

This quieter day enabled Dowding to try and straighten out the difficult relations between Keith Park at 11 Group and Leigh Mallory at 12 Group. He told the former to make allowances for the latter's difficulties when trying to send reinforcements. However, subsequent events showed it was really too late to mend these fences. Things had gone too far.

RAF No. No 71 (Eagle) Squadron received 3 Brewster Buffaloes.

Losses: Losses: Luftwaffe, 8; RAF, 4.

 

[Njaco]

25 October 1940 Friday
UNITED KINGDOM: Fighter-bomber raids developed high over Kent and London, bringing a return of dogfights and bombs released indiscriminately. All day Bf 109 formations of up to Gruppe strength from JG 27, JG 51, JG 53, JG 54, JG 26 and II(Schlacht)./LG 2 each flew three missions against the overall city area of London and were escorted by usually twice as many fighters. In one of their now rare appearances in daylight, twin-engined medium bombers attacked a total of 16 RAF stations, being joined by Bf 109s which bombed Martlesham and Hawkinge. Just after 0900 hours several waves of Bf109 raids, mainly from JG 26 and JG 51, were crossing the Kent and Sussex coasts and heading for targets around southern London, Kenley and Biggin Hill. While this attack was in progress two other formations flew inland - one of 12 aircraft at Dungeness and the other of 40 aircraft at Hastings. At 0920 hours, the raids, increasing to 65 aircraft concentrated towards Biggin Hill but a split of some 20 aircraft flew to Central London. Of the several Fighter Command squadrons scrambled to intercept, heavy engagements were made by the Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41 and 66 Squadrons. JG 54 was one of the escort Geschwaders flying at 26,000 ft and JG 26 was escorting the Bf 109s of II./LG 2. Near Biggin Hill, the JG 54 formation was attacked by ten Spitfires from RAF No. 41 Sqdrn. On the first pass, Oblt. Joachim Schypek of 6./JG 54 was hit by P/O Peter Brown and forced to crash land at Broom Hill near Lydd. Maj. Werner Mölders from Stab/JG 51 claimed a Spitfire near Dover while Lt. Heinrich Tornow of 4./JG 51 was credited with a Hurricane over London.

Returning from the morining mission, II./JG 26 and III./JG 26 were attacked by RAF No. 603 Sqdrn Spitfires over Maidstone and shot down three. Hptm. Walter Adolph of Stab II./JG 26, Lt. Karl Borris of 4./JG 26 and Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Westphal from 7./JG 26 were given credit for the kills. F/O Robert Wardlow 'OXO' Oxspring was on patrol leading a flight from No 66 Squadron when they were bounced by 6 Bf 109s. Oxspring bailed safely out of his blazing Spitfire I (X4170) over Tonbridge after the combat at 0900 hours. Oblt. Kurt Eichstadt of 5./JG 26 was hit from above by a Spitfire, possibly from RAF No. 66 Sqdrn. Eichstadt's Bf 109 broke up in the air and he was thrown clear but his chute failed to open.

At 1200 hours more raids were crossing over Kent towards Maidstone, Biggin Hill and Hornchurch areas. German aircraft numbering 100 crossed the coast near Dover at 20,000 feet and flew on a Westerly course past Maidstone. The formation split into many small sections and covered the South East from Hornchurch to South of Biggin Hill. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 249, 257, 302 (Polish) and 310 (Czech) Squadrons were directed to the area along with Spitfires of RAF Nos. 19, 222 and 603 Squadrons. Three Squadrons from 12 Group which were in the air at Duxford were sent to the Maidstone patrol line. 3./JG 77 were on a mission to London escorting Bf 109s from 1./JG 77 and 2./JG 77. Approaching the target area, a great number of Spitfires and Hurricanes were waiting the German formation. However the bombs were dropped and the whole formation was on the return journey when the British fighters attacked. Gefr. Karl Raisinger of 3./JG 77 was hit and crash landed at Harvey's Cross near Brighton. Sgt J.M.Beard of No 249 Squadron was wounded when he baled out of his stricken Hurricane I (P3615) after combat with a Bf 109 over Linton, Kent. P/O P.Olver of RAF No. 603 Squadron was injured when he baled out of his Spitfire I (P7365) after combat with Bf 109s near Chartham, Kent at 1015 hours.

P/O W.B. Pattullo of RAF No. 46 squadron, (Stapleford) was killed in Hurricane V6804, when he crashed into a house in Woodstock Avenue, Romford, at 1207 hours, following a routine patrol. P/O Pattullo was taken from the wreckage, and admitted to Oldchurch Hospital, but died the next day.

A third main wave of Bf109 raids approached Dungeness just after 1300 hours and interceptions were made by Spitfires of RAF Nos. 92 and 222 Squadrons and Hurricanes of RAF No. 46 Squadron over Kent. 50 aircraft flew inland at Dungeness followed by 20 others. A split remained near Dover while the main body flew to Central London at 1330 hours splitting into small formations en route. The Air Provost Marshal's department at Westminister was hit by an HE bomb at 1330 hours, killing four RAF personnel and injuring eight. A huge bomb landed on the Blackfriars Road destroying some trams which were trying to temporarily shelter from the onslaught. On the other side of the road, on the corner with Union Street, a building, known originally as the Surrey Chapel but subsequently as the Blackfriar's Ring, was also very badly damaged. Returning from this mission, III./JG 26 were set upon by nearly two dozen Spitfires from RAF No. 92 and 603 Squadrons. Lt. Hermann Ripke of 8./JG 26 fell victim to P/O Tom Sherrington of RAF No.92 Squadron high above Sevenoaks, Kent. Lt.Ripke's Bf 109E crashed at Riverhill House, Sevenoaks. His wingman Fw. Joseph Gartner was shot down by RAF No.92 Squadron's F/O "Pancho" Villa. Gartner's aircraft crashed at Congelow Farm, Yalding. Oblt. Joachim Müncheberg of 7./JG 26 forced one of the Spitfires to crash land. Hptm. Wolfgang Lippert of Stab II./JG 27 made a claim for two Hurricanes at this time near London.

During these aerial conflicts over Kent, Spitfires of RAF No. 72 Squadron intercepted and shot down a patrolling Bf110 off the Great Yarmouth coast.

F/Lt F.Jastrzebski of RAF No 302 Squadron was KIA when he failed to return after a patrol over the Channel in his Hurricane I (V7593). He was seen to leave the formation and glide towards France.

 

[Njaco]

(25 October 1940 continued....)

Shortly after 1500 hours another large wave of sweeping raids crossed the Kent coast and split into formations heading for London, Kenley and areas of Sussex. Several RAF squadrons were scrambled to intercept but only the Hurricanes of RAF No. 501 Squadron, from Kenley, succeeded in engaging the Bf109s. The Hurricanes suffered heavily at the hands of JG 51 and subsequently lost 4 aircraft and 1 pilot. P/O V.Goth was killed when his Hurricane I (P2903) collided with P/O K.W.Mackenzie's Hurricane (V6806) during combat with Bf 109s over Tenterden, Kent. MacKenzie baled out of his Hurricane safely while P/O V.Goth crashed in Bridgehurst Wood, Marden. P/O Vivian R. Snell shot down a Bf109E and was then shot down himself while flying Hurricane P2903. He baled out and watched his Hurricane crash into a field at Brenchley near Tonbridge in Kent.

Whilst RAF No. 501 Squadron were experiencing heavy combat over Kent, a patrolling Hurricane of RAF No. 79 Squadron, scrambled from Pembrey, was thought to have been shot down by a reconnaissance aircraft plotted in the area. P/O S. Piatkowski was killed when he crashed his Hurricane, N2728, near Carew Cheriton after a routine patrol over Linney Head. Pilots of RAF No.79 Squadron were involved mostly in patrolling the coast and their base at Pembrey with the chance for a kill rarely presenting itself. The fruitless patrols and the boredom of waiting were sometimes interrupted by well remembered events. Donald Stones relates a story about Sgt. Wlodzimierz Mudry in his book 'Poles in Defence of Britain';

"We had two artists in the squadron now. John Parker, who was already established as the keeper and illustrator of our unofficial Squadron diary, and Sergeant Mudry, one of three newly acquired Polish pilots... Parker and Mudry decorated the walls of our mess with exciting drawings in coloured chalk of near-nude chorus girls and caricatures of aerial battles in which 79 Squadron always came off badly. Of the girls, one magnificent specimen with much leg and what we call an air-cooled chest, wore only a short pair of black French knickers, attached by drawing pins to the wall. A visiting VIP of high rank fell into the trap and through unendurable curiosity, casually lifted the knickers, to be confronted with a card bearing the message: 'You have a dirty mind. Put 2s 6d in the beer kitty.' "

The Luftwaffe attacked the airfield at Montrose (Scotland) in the late afternoon by four He111s of the KG 26 based in Norway. During the low-level attack, machine gun bullets bounced off the High Street and bombs rained down on the air station. Five men were killed and 21 wounded and extensive damage was done to buildings and aircraft. Defences were caught off guard by the low-level attack and the Hurricanes of RAF No. 111 Squadron were destroyed on the ground. Other towns in Angus and Fife were also hit, with bombs dropped on Cellardyke and Arbroath.

At 1740 hours some 20 enemy aircraft in two formations were in the vicinity of a convoy off North Foreland and at 1744 hours the convoy was attacked. In response to a 'help' message, four Squadrons were despatched but no interception were made. This may have been the thirteen Bf 109s of JG 27 who were on their fourth mission of the day when they attacked a convoy of 35 ships near Ramsgate and claimed one merchant vessel sunk with a direct hit.

P/O Robert Duncan Yule of RAF No. 145 Sqdrn was shot down by Bf 109s in a combat over Kent and was admitted to hospital with leg wounds after making a forced landing which completely wrote off his Hurricane I (P3926). (While rehearsing for the Battle of Britain fly past over London on the 11th of September 1953, Yule collided with another jet aircraft. Faced with a densely-populated area, Yule steered his aircraft towards Woolwich Arsenal and crash-landed between rows of buildings. Some workers were injured and Yule was killed. His selfless action undoubtedly saved many lives.)

P/O S.F.Soden from RAF No. 606 Squadron was shot down in a Spitfire I (P7635) by a Bf 109 baling out near Chartham, Kent and badly injuring a leg on landing.

During the night raids were made on London, the Midlands, South Wales, Liverpool and the airfields of Wittering Middle Wallop. Mines were dropped off Aberdeen, Liverpool, East Anglia and the northeast coastline. The attack on London commenced at about 1830 hours from the mouth of the Scheldt and from Dieppe in moderate strength. Raids also appeared from Cherbourg flying Northwards. Meanwhile, 45 raids approached London from the East and South and the attack was sustained, although in gradually diminishing strength, throughout the period. Many gas and water mains were damaged, and at Bordesley the Great Western Railway and the lines were flooded. House property and the Municipal Bank suffered damage. A formation of Ju 88s of I./LG 1 raided Birmingham at 2010 hours. Later at 2235 hours He 111s of III./KG 27 attacked Liverpool and Bristol.

RAF No.601 squadron, (Exeter) lost two Hurricanes during a training flight. Sgt L.D. May in Hurricane V6917 and Sgt F Mills-Smith in Hurricane P3709 both died in a mid-air collision and crashed in the sea off Exmouth, at 1500 hours.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 20; RAF, 10.

A British Air Ministry announcement demonstrated the diversity and numerical strength of the flying personnel available to it. Airmen from Poland, France, Belgium, Holland and Czechoslovakia were being deployed and still more were in training. The Eagle Squadron of American volunteers was also growing.

 

[Airframes]

Good work yet again Chris. Is it me, or does the 602 Sqn Spitfire in post# 295 seem to have the nose, windscreen, and part of the canopy of a Hurricane, and part of the wing root too ?!
I wonder if that's some sort of composite photo?