This Day in the Battle of Britain

Excellent work Chris! Thank you for the work. This ties in well with the book I'm now reading entitled With Wings Like Eagles written by Michael Kordan.

Thanks! I think you can appreciate the totality of the battle when reading it day by day as opposed to a book. You can grasp the situation. Can't wait till August.

I have to agree with you, and thanks for doing this!

Tried to commemmorate yesterday here but you were off-line, so put it elsewhere.

Maybe worth a repeat?

= Tim

No1 Son says that it doesn't indicate that it was my first day on a Squadron.

PPS How DO I delete that enter a link??

Thanks for adding that timmo! I'm gonna re-size it so that it fits better.

20 JULY 1940 Saturday

UNITED KINGDOM: The weather over the Channel continued to improve and more Luftwaffe operations were flown. Fighter engagements with the Luftwaffe were on a smaller scale due to a reduction of German activity near British coasts. What activity there was, however, was almost entirely directed towards attacks on shipping. They were hoping that their efforts would draw RAF Fighter Command into combat over the open waters, but this was not to happen. Many convoys came under attack, and many dogfights took place over the channel and as close as possible to the English coast. From 0600 to 0900 hours very little activity occurred. Most Luftwaffe operations in the morning were reconnaissance for larger raids in the afternoon resulting in the loss of a Ju 88 off the Norfolk coast. The first of several raids on the convoys occurred at 0900 hours when four flights of three Luftwaffe aircraft each headed for the Kent coast. The responding RAF fighters failed to intercept the airplanes when the radar tracks confused the radar operators. Shortly after 1100 hours two raids approached Swanage and a naval unit reported having been bombed. No reports were received regarding any damage. The first major raid was an early afternoon attack on Dover Harbour resulting in two Bf 109s from 3./JG 27 being lost including the Messerschmitt of Lt. Ulrich Scherer. The RAF lost three fighters during the combat. Sgt C.Parkinson of RAF No. 238 Sqn (Middle Wallop) baled out after being shot down by a Bf109 off Swanage in Hurricane P3766, at 1315 hrs. He died of his injuries on the next day.

During a late afternoon attack, again on Dover, I./JG 27 lost its Gruppenkommandeur, Major Helmut Riegel, in action over the Island of Sark, Dover with Hurricanes of RAF No. 501 Squadron. Major Riegel had designed the Geschwader's distinctive badge of a Negro and tiger's head superimposed on an outline of Africa. Major Eduard Neumann was appointed Gruppenkommandeur in his place.

Just after 1500 hours a formation of German dive-bombers and fighters returned to the Dover harbour. In consequence, 3 fighter squadrons proceeded to investigate and intercepted an German force of 40 Ju87s, escorted by a number of Bf109s over Dover and the Channel. The British claimed destroying a "Jaguar-ME" which was reported to be camouflaged in pale and dark blue and silver. Later in the afternoon two German raids of over twenty aircraft each, approached Dover again but aborted the raids after RAF fighters were dispatched. One formation decided instead to attack the convoy "Bosom" in the Channel. At 1740 hours, the Stukas of II./StG 1 escorted by Bf 110s and Bf 109s dropped onto the convoy. Destroyer HMS 'Acheron' was bombed and damaged by near misses, 10 miles off the Isle of Wight. Patrolling British fighters tried to engage the Ju 87s but were intercepted by the Messerschmitts. A lively dogfight ensued. The battle was described in the War Diary of RAF No. 32 Squadron;

"Convoy escort, 10 miles east of Dover. At 1758 hours, with 610 Squadron, intercepted a raid on the convoy by about 50 Ju 87s and Messerschmitt Bf 110s, escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Led by S/L Worrall, the squadron shot down six of the enemy (three Me 110s, two Me 109s and one Ju 87) and damaged four others (all Me 109s). One Hurricane was lost but the pilot, F/Lt Bulmer, is reported to have baled out near North Foreland. Sergeant Higgins was slightly wounded in the face by splinters from bullets striking his protecting armour."

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In reality only two Bf 109s of II./JG 51 were shot down during the attack and no Ju 87s or Bf 110s were lost although four Stukas were very badly damaged; two crash-landing in France. The British lost three fighters. RAF No. 32 Squadron lost Hurricanes to Hptm. Horst Tietzen and Oblt. Josef Priller (who shot down the aforementioned F/Lt Bulmer, a Royal Navy sub lieutenant attached to the RAF whose body was never recovered) while a Spitfire from RAF No. 610 Squadron [P/O G Keighley had to carry out his second bale out (first on 31st May 1940)] was destroyed by Ofw. Karl Schmid of 1./JG 51. Ofw. Oskar Sicking became the 1 Staffel's first loss when he crash landed on the beach near Audinghem, France following the battle. Channel convoy CW7 was attacked by a large force of German bombers off Dover. German aircraft sank the transport SS 'Pulborough' (trawler Lady Philomena takes off 17 survivors) and damaged the destroyer HMS 'Brazen'. The Norwegian shps 'Kollskegg' and 'Nina Borthen' were also damaged. 'Brazen' was taken in tow, but later sank. 'Brazen's anti-aircraft guns claimed 3 German aircraft shot down. At 1840 hours forty-eight Messerschmitts tangled with forty Hurricanes and Spitfires for no loss to either side.

Minelaying operations were increased during the night for the loss of one bomber off Margate. Severa. l raids were conducted over Hartlepool, Silloth, Rochford, Eastchurch, Swansea and Chatham. Further reports of damage by bombs which fell on Stirling at 0220 hours, state that damage was done to three sheds and some vehicles at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Forthside. A Focke-Wulf FW200C of 1./KG40 (F8+EH) was brought down by AA fire during a minelaying sortie and crashed into the North Sea between Hartlepool and Sunderland.

Losses: Luftwaffe 9 - Fighter Command 3

Now that the so-called "phoney war" was over, women all over Britain were expecting to be asked to play a larger part in the war effort - whether they wanted to or not. The reluctance felt by many women about taking jobs outside the home were reinforced by their men-folk's disapproval. There were public outcries over every new opening, however small, for women that the war has created. The Land Girls were seen as a threat to agricultural training programmes and moral standards, the women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary accused of taking the jobs not...

"for the sake of doing something for the country but for the sake of publicity."

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GERMANY: One of Reichsmarschall Göring's first orders was to reinforce his decision of 26 June 1940 and instructed Oberst Josef Kammhuber of KG 1 to organize and command a night-fighter force. By the end of the month, Oberst Kammhuber had expanded I./NJG 1, led by Oberst Wolfgang Falck, by combining I./ZG 1 and IV./JG 2 flying Bf 110Cs out of Venlo airfield in the Netherlands. The Gruppe later received two squadrons of aircraft - Do 17s from a bomber wing - to form Falck's new Intruder Group for night-fighter operations.

Göring also ordered Oberst Kammhuber to command the night air defenses of the Reich, the Nachtverteidigung (night protection of the skies). He created a night defensive line, from the Isle of Sylt to Scheldemündung, consisting of a double defensive line of searchlights and Flak artillery. Searchlights were used to illuminate bombers as night-fighters closed in for the kill. Known as the 'Kammhuber Line', this extensive network of searchlights, radar and night-fighters was based in occupied France, Belgium and Holland, covering the approaches that British bombers took to reach their targets. Oberst Kammhuber's position as Kommodore of KG 1 was taken by Generalmajor Karl Angerstein. Kammhuber gained special powers to overrule the RLM's T.A. for the choice of series production aeroplanes. This was one of Hitler's system for solving emergency situations.

As a celebration of sorts, on this night Oblt. Werner Streib of I./NJG 1 flying a night-fighter test prototype Do 17Z – the only such aircraft built - attacked a formation of RAF bombers sent to bomb the industrial center near the Ruhr. He closed in on a shadowy outline of another plane and identified it as a RAF Whitley bomber. He backed off and approached the bomber from behind. When the night-fighter was within 250 yards, the British tail gunner opened fire on Oblt. Streib but the Oberleutnant returned fire with two short bursts. Two men were seen to parachute out as the bomber turned and tried to get away. With smoke poring from the starboard engine, Oblt. Streib fired at the port wing and set it ablaze. The warplane crashed and Oblt. Streib scored the first kill by a night-fighter over Germany. Oblt. Streib would soon become known as "The Father of Night Fighting".

WESTERN FRONT: Hptm Kienitz's III./JG 3 moved yet again, this time transferring their Bf 109Es from Guines to Dortmund and Bönninghardt. In Germany, 3./JG 77 arrived at the Berlin-Tempelhof airfield for operations.

21 JULY 1940 Sunday

UNITED KINGDOM: Most of the Luftwaffe operations for the day were centered in the Channel and the Straits of Dover with convoys being the targets. A few isolated raids penetrated inland. In the morning, the Luftwaffe carried out shipping reconnaissance in the Channel and afterwards made two unsuccessful attacks on convoy "Peewit". Shortly after 0900 hours south of the Needles, bombers of KG 3 attacked the convoy "Peewit" with fighter escort provided by JG 27. The attack did little damage. One Spitfire was reported lost whilst on convoy patrol at about 0930 hours.

At 1458 hours another raid was conducted on the "Peewit" convoy but the Ju 87 bombers aborted when three RAF fighter squadrons were dispatched to intercept the force. A Bf 109 was claimed shot down. At 1520 hours nine Bf 110s of V./LG 1 made their first sortie in the fighter-bomber role, participating in another dive attack on the "Peewit" convoy, still passing south of the Needles. A flight of RAF Hurricanes were sent to Portland to intercept the raiders and chased the fighter-bombers to the French coast. One Messerschmitt was damaged by a Hurricane and crash-landed at Theville, killing one of the crew. A Bf 109 from 7./JG 27 and a Hurricane from RAF No. 43 Squadron (P/O R.A.DeMancha in Hurricane P3973) were destroyed in a collision near the battle. Both aircarft crashed in sea 5m South of the Needles.

Besides the convoy attacks, a few raids were made inland by the Luftwaffe. A flight of Bf 110s was bounced by Hurricanes and lost a Messerschmitt over Goodwood. The British also lost a Hawker Hector bi-plane to Bf 109 fighter-bombers near Old Sarum. The victorious Messerschmitt was then shot down by a fighter from RAF No. 238 Squadron. A Do 17 was shot down near Blandford by RAF Hurricanes. Again, Do 17s attacked shipping off the Scottish coast with one from 1/606 destroyed.

Raids during the night were centered on the West Country area between the hours of 2330 and 0300 hours. Two raids went as far as Barrow-in-Furness and returned via Liverpool and over Yorkshire. Other isolated raids went over Leeds, Church Fenton, Tyneside, over Norfolk and Wiltshire. Bombs were reported to have been dropped in Tyneside, near Derby, Driffield and Hornsea, but no serious damage was reported. It was reported at 0520 hours that an unsuccessful attempt was made on a convoy off the Lincolnshire coast.

Losses: Luftwaffe 7, Fighter Command 6

Among the squadrons of Fighter Command, No. 152 Squadron (Spitfire) moved from Warmwell to Middle Wallop and No. 253 Squadron (Hurricane) moved to Turnhouse. No. 263 Squadron (Hurricane) reported 4 aircraft only operational and No. 605 Squadron (Hurricane) had only 3 aircraft operational.

WESTERN FRONT: The II and III Gruppen of JG 26 joined the rest of the Geschwader near Calais, France on former World War I British air bases. This improved the strength of Luftflotte 2. Hptm. Siegfried von Eschwege's I./JG 52 were moved again from Neuruppin to an airfield at Bayreuth.

GERMANY: Göring conferred with the chiefs of staff of the three Luftflotten concerning the conduct of air operations prior to the intensified air war with England. Göring specified small-scale attacks; except against convoys, and expressly ordered;

"that installations needed by the German armed forces in later operations were not to be attacked".

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As an example he quoted the dock installations in south coast ports. Göring also called for the stockpiling of supplies and munitions, air defense measures and the setup of signal communications. Timing and the selection of targets Göring intended to "closely integrate" with the Luftflotten involved.

Excellent work Chris!

Thanks, Njaco - couldn't seee how to delete the existing one.

= Tim

22 JULY 1940 Monday

UNITED KINGDOM: A quiet day except for a few south coast shipping attacks and some coastal reconnaissance. In contrast to the previous day's activity, the Luftwaffe conducted few raids over England outside of convoys attacks and a few inland raids. Most of the raids were aborted when the RAF sent up squadrons of fighters to intercept the raiders. One flight of bombers flew over the Sussex coast at a high altitude, preventing any RAF fighters from reaching them. No contact was made. Two Hurricanes of RAF No. 145 Squadron attacked a lone Do 17 off Selsey Bill and it crashed into the Channel after accurate firing from F/L Boyd and P/O Weir.

Six German prisoners were killed, and eighteen injured, by high explosive bombs which fell on Duff House, Banff, at 0922 hours. The house was severely damaged.

During the night, however, the number of raids significantly increased with mines being dropped on British ports along the south and east coasts and the Thames Estuary. Bombs fell in Banffshire, where casualties resulted, in the neighborhood of Edinburgh, and in the coastal areas of Kent, Suffolk, Essex and Monmouthshire. The Stab and I./KG 51 sent its Ju 88s to bomb the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton at 2230 hours. Margate had eight high explosive bombs at 2235 hours, one house being demolished. The electricity supply failed and gas mains were fractured. About 15-20 high explosive bombs fell near Manston aerodrome at 2230 hours. Bombs which fell on a farm at Skipsea (East Yorkshire) at 0145 hours, causing damage to electricity supply, were described as a. . .

". . .supposed new type containing petrol, paraffin and other oils."

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During the night on an attack against Plymouth, Lt. Hajo Herrmann, flying a Ju 88 with III./KG 30, attempted to avoid several barrage balloons over the target. His evasive maneuver caused the bomber to lose airspeed and drop down onto one of the balloons. With both objects now falling together, Lt. Herrmann regained airspeed and managed to take-off from the balloon and continued his mission, dropping two mines in the area.

At 1735hrs. P/O J.L.Bickerdike of RAF No. 85 Sqn (Martlesham Heath) in Hurricane P3895 was killed as he crashed on approach to Castle Camps satellite airfield.

Destroyer HMS 'Beagle' reported destroying a German Junkers Ju 87 by pom-pom fire.

Losses: Luftwaffe 1, Fighter Command 1

At Wick, Sea Gladiators of RAF No. 804 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm flew their first Battle of Britain sortie under the control of 13 Group.

RAF No 301 (Polish) Squadron was formed at Bramcote, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, under authority of Air Ministry signal 0977 – 17.7.40. The flying equipment of the Unit were sixteen aircraft. The manning principle was to complete the establishment with Polish personnel but to support them with a limited number of British officers and airmen to work in a supervisory capacity.The aim was ultimately to release all British personnel from the Squadron.

Oblt. Streib flying with I./NJG 1 destroyed another RAF bomber for his second night time kill. RAF Fighter Command also recorded its first night victory. A Blenheim Mark 1F night fighter, equipped with airborne radar gained the first 'kill' when a Do 17-Z was shot down off Brighton by a Blenheim of the Fighter Interception Unit at Tangmere.

GERMANY: Göring issued a directive to seal off by mines, and attack, the ports of Dover, Plymouth, Portland and Portsmouth.

23 JULY 1940 Tuesday

UNITED KINGDOM: Again, despite the weather, few raids were conducted by the Luftwaffe. Mostly shipping off the East coast was targeted. Tactics changed on the 23rd, as the Channel was almost free of all shipping movements. Dowding had earlier suggested that convoys use the east coast route, go around the top of Scotland and head out into the Atlantic from there. The reason was that convoys were becoming to easy a target for the Luftwaffe conveniently positioned all along the French coast. The other advantage of this, was that any attacking bombers would not have the luxury of fighter escort as the distance would be too great from any of their bases. Although a number of convoys did enter the Atlantic via the Shetlands, convoys still navigated the Channel.

While patrolling a convoy off Yarmouth in the early morning, Hurricanes reportedly shot down a Ju 86. A 'help' message from a convoy some distance off Lowestoft was received at about 0809 hours but only one bomb was reported to have been dropped from a great height.

An inland raid by the Luftwaffe went as far as Kenley before approaching RAF fighters forced the formation to return to base. At 1120 hours six Luftwaffe aircraft bombed trawlers off North Foreland. Two RAF squadrons were dispatched but failed to find the bombers. In the afternoon at 1530 hours nine German bombers attacked a British naval ship near Harwich. No RAF fighters appeared. Ten minutes later RAF Spitfires shot down a Do 215 during a raid near Kinnaird's Head. At 1640 hours a formation of Luftwaffe bombers dropped their loads on Pulham Market and evaded the intercepting RAF fighters by using the heavy cloud cover. Another raid over North Scotland was turned back when RAF fighters were sent to engage at 1800 hours.

Luftwaffe activity at night was again at somewhat on a lesser scale and almost exclusively confined to coastal flights, presumably minelaying. The chief activity was along the east coast from Dover to the Tyne and Forth Estuary, with one or two raids as far north as Kinnaird's Head and considerably less concentration in the Thames Estuary and the South Coast. It was reported that one He111 was shot down for certain at 0040 hours by a Spitfire near Dunbar. Montrose aerodrome reported one HE bomb which fell in the landing ground at 0043 hours without causing damage or casualties.

Losses: Luftwaffe 6, Fighter Command 0 - (the first day of the Battle proper when no British planes or pilots were lost.)

RAF No. 43 Squadron (Hurricanes) moved from Tangmere to Northolt while RAF No. 1 Squadron (Hurricanes) moved from Northolt to Tangmere. No. 264 Squadron (Defiants) moved from Duxford to Kirton in Lindsey. No. 141 Squadron (Defiants) arrived at Prestwick and were non-operational.

RAF No. 301 Squadron recieved 4 Battle aircraft allotted to the Squadron from Maintenance Units and delivered by ferrying pilots from RAF Station, Shawbury.

WESTERN FRONT: A Stab was added to Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 108.

Submarine minelayer 'Narwha'l (instructed to proceed on the surface) was attacked and sunk by a Dornier flying boat in the Norwegian Sea at 55 30N 01 10E. All crew of 59 were lost.

Great work Chris!

I agree, outstanding!

24 JULY 1940 Wednesday

BATTLE OF THE THAMES ESTUARY
UNITED KINGDOM: German bombing attacks took place at a number of British towns on the 24th. Houses were damaged in the usually quiet suburb of Walton-on-Thames, the aircraft factories at Weybridge were attacked as was Brooklands airfield by a Ju 88 pretending to come into land. The Ju 88 circled the airfield for seven minutes, finally lowering its undercarriage while following several British planes coming in to land. As the Junkers crossed over the airfield buildings, it dropped twelve bombs and flew off. Slight damage was caused.

An early morning raid on shipping in the Bristol Channel by Ju88s resulted with a few ships damaged. Soon after Welsh-based RAF No. 92 Sqn. Spitfires (K9998, N3167, N3297)intercepted and engaged a Ju88 of KG51 over Porthcawl. The Junkers was later shot down by RAF No. 87 Sqn. P/O R.P. Beamont near Lynton, Devon.

But the day will be remembered as the day that the seaside town of Margate had a grandstand view of the Battle of Britain. At 0755 hours, a German formation had been detected coming in from the German coast and heading towards a convoy in the Thames Estuary. Fighter Command scrambled RAF No. 54 Squadron (Spitfires) at 0815 hours to make an interception. RAF No. 64 Squadron (Spitfires) also intercepted. Six Spitfires of RAF No. 54 Squadron attacked a number of the Dorniers who were attacking the convoy in the Straits of Dover but the squadron had to break up to send a couple of flights to the Thames Estuary where another convoy was under attack, but they could claim no victories except to spoil the aim of the bombardiers on the Dorniers. No German aircraft were shot down, but RAF No. 54 Squadron had three Spitfires shot down by accurate gunfire from the Dorniers.

At about 1100 hours, another Luftwaffe formation was detected heading for the Thames Estuary. 18 Do17s escorted by JG 52 along with JG 26 attemptted to bomb a convoy. Again, RAF No. 54 Squadron was dispatched. Thus ensued what RAF No. 54 Sqn called 'The Battle of the Thames Estuary'. The British fighters were understrength as they split their force to attack the two German formations. A ship was forced to run for shallow water and RAF No. 54 Sqn had their 'biggest fight since Dunkirk.' So furious and confused was the fight over Margate that RAF No. 54 claimed 16 '109s. This day was the last day for 54 Sqn at Rochford - they had been there for a month and were to be posted back to Hornchurch. The Operational Record Book of 54 Sqn shows "B" Flight intercepted a formation of Do215s off Dover and Green Section under P/O Dorian Gribble managed to break up the formation forcing them to jettison their bombs and turn back across the Channel.

Extract from the operational record book of 54 Sqn:

125 hrs: The whole squadron took part in what they termed as "The Battle of the Thames Estuary" when a whole convoy was attacked by 18 Do215s, two squadrons of Bf109s and unknown number of He113s. The squadron accounts for 2 destroyed (confirmed) by P/O Colin Gray and Sgt George Collet, and four destroyed (unconfirmed) by F/Lt Alan Deere, F/O Desmond McMullen, P/O Edward Coleman and P/O Douglas Turley-George. Eight enemy aircraft were claimed as probably destroyed by F/O Desmond McMullen (2), P/O Dorian Gribble (2), P/O Colin Gray, F/Sgt Phillip Tew and P/O Douglas Turley-George. Two were damaged by P/O Edward Coleman and P/O Henry Matthews. Sadly, P/O John Allen DFC was lost in this encounter when he was attacked by a Bf109 off the coast near Margate and was seen coming down with the engine of his aircraft stopped, although it appeared that he seemed to be in full control. Suddenly his engine came to life and he appeared to be making for a landing at Manston, but the engine cut again and he appeared to turn the aircraft in the direction of Foulness. The aircraft stalled over the coast and the Spitfire went into an uncontrollable spin. P/O Allen did not bale out, and the aircraft crashed in flames near the Olde Charles Inn at Cliftonville near Margate.

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On reaching the formation, F/L A.L. Deere leading one of the sections reported back to his sector controller that the formation consisted of about eighteen Do 17s and forty plus Bf 109s and requested immediate assistance. RAF No. 64 Squadron (Spitfires) was scrambled to assist as was RAF No.610 Squadron (Spitfires) that was based at Gravesend. A hectic battle followed, the Bf109s trying desperately to cover the Dorniers, but over the Thames Estuary, the Bf109s had to keep an eye on their fuel. The ensuing battle in the skies took place almost over the town of Margate. Dorniers diving low and pulling out at almost sea level attempting to avoid the Spitfires, almost touching the rooftops of seaside hotels, Spitfires being chased by Bf 109s weaved about in all directions in the sky above. The Messerschmitts were from JG 26 flying from their new bases in France. Their first mission would end disastrously.

III./JG 26, under strength with only ten Bf 109s, was to sweep ahead of the bombers while III./JG 26 would be the close escorting flight. II./JG 26 aborted the mission when the nine Spitfires of RAF No. 610 Squadron appeared. The Bf 109s from III Gruppe followed and engaged RAF No. 54 Squadron and RAF No. 65 Squadron. A Bf 109 of 8./JG 26 was shot down by one of the Spitfires and its pilot, Lt. Josef Schauff baled out but his parachute failed to open and his pilotless aircraft smashed into a quiet avenue in residential Margate. Another Bf 109 of III./JG 26 was hit and had to make a forced landing just outside the town. The pilot, Oblt. Werner Bartels, the popular Third Gruppe Technical Officer was seriously injured and taken prisoner. His Bf 109E-1 was salvaged by the British and used by the Red Cross in England for fund raising the next several years. A Spitfire of RAF No. 54 Squadron was hit by gunfire from a Bf 109 and nearly crashed into the town centre of Margate, but the pilot managed to regain a little height and clear the township, but crashed in a ball of flame at nearby Cliftonville. Two other Spitfires, both from RAF No. 54 Squadron crashed after being hit by gunfire from German fighters. Pilot Officer Allen (R6812) engaged a 109 near Margate, then his engine stopped. When it came to life again he attemptted to reach RAF Manston, but instead his aircraft spun in and crashed on an electricity sub-station in Omer Road, Cliftonville. Sergeant G.R. Collett (N3192) chased a Bf109 for a considerable distance, only to run out of fuel and crash at Sizewell, Suffolk.

JG 26 lost three pilots. Lt. Josef Schauff, Oblt. Werner Bartels and Hptm. Erich Noack, Gruppenkommandeur of II Gruppe. Karl Ebbinghausen was promoted to Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26 in place of Oblt. Noack, who crashed while attempting to land back at Marquise. Three Dorniers were shot down over the Estuary. III./JG 52 lost four aircraft, including that of the Gruppenkommandeur, Hptm. Wolf-Heinrich von Houwald, who was killed attempting to land at Marquis-East. The total German losses for this action were three fighters from JG 26, one from III./JG 27 and four from III./JG 52. Another Messerschmitt from 5./JG 51 was written off after returning to St. Inglevert damaged. It was a disastrous period for the Luftwaffe. Four days earlier, Major Riegel Gruppe Kommandeur of I/JG 27 was killed, as was Staffelkapitaen Oblt Keidel of 8/JG 52, then Major Werner Molders was shot down, and severely wounded and was hospitalized for over a month.

This was a rough combat for Hptm. Adolf Galland of III./JG 26, who claimed a Spitfire and he later commented;

"We were no longer in doubt that the RAF would prove a formidable opponent."

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Off Dover at 1727 hours three German bombers attacked ships in the Channel. Fighters from RAF No. 74 Squadron shot down one Do 215 off Manston. The British lost two Spitfires and two trawlers were sunk.

Poor weather at night curtails most activity. Searchlight crews illuminated one He 111 which fired back upon their sites at New Brighton. That, or another He-111 was then illuminated again and held for three minutes. Coastguards at Hoylake and Formby Point independently claimed that it crashed into the sea as a result of dazzle.

A low-flying single He-111 dropped HE and incendiaries onto Glasgow's Hillington Industrial Estate, damaging a printing works, a sugar and oil cake factory and injuring 18 people.

Losses: Luftwaffe 13: Fighter Command 3.

WESTERN FRONT: Hptm. Siegfried von Eschwege moved his crew and the Bf 109s of I./JG 52 from Bayreuth back to the airfield at Zerbst which they left on the 18 July 1940.

25 JULY 1940 Thursday

RAF NO. 54 SQUADRON BLACK THURSDAY
UNITED KINGDOM: Luftwaffe activity by day was again concentrated with attacks on shipping and convoys in the Channel as the Germans now had some radar on the French coast. The weather had improved enough during the early morning for German Stuka and E-boat attacks on a convoy working its way through the Dover Straits. Newly installed radar and wireless intercept stations at Wissant allowed Oberst Fink to track and hit the convoys at their most vulnerable. By early morning he had ordered his planes aloft.

The first attack was a formation of sixty Ju 87s of II./StG 1 and IV(Stuka)./LG 1 in three waves vectored on the Channel convoy CW8 "Peewit" followed by flights of forty or more aircraft. Defence rested with AA gunners, Dover Site D1 claiming a JU87 before frantic calls brought along Spitfires of 54 Sqn and 65 Sqn upon which a hoard of Bf109s pounced. But the Luftwaffe changed its tactics when it sent strong fighter formations forward to sweep the target of British fighters before the bombers arrived. Each wave of Stukas was escorted forward by one Gruppe of fighters from JG 26. The escorting Bf 109's came in at sea level to meet the Spitfires and Hurricanes while the Ju 87 Stukas came out of the sky the dive bomb the convoy.

Starting at 1127 hours the convoy was off Dover harbour and the target of the attacking Luftwaffe aircraft. RAF No. 54 Sqd with five Spitfires was on patrol over Dover when the first German formation appeared over the convoy. RAF No. 54 Sqn. called this 'Black Thursday'. Diving to attack the Stukas, the Spitfires were immediately set upon by Messerschmitts from Major Adolf Galland's III Gruppe. Like the previous day, RAF No.54 Squadron was to suffer badly, but with one Spitfire to every five Bf 109's, they were lucky not to lose more than three aircraft. The small British flight was overwhelmed and one Spitfire was shot down by Major Galland. Waiting for the Stukas to come out of their dives were Spitfires from RAF No. 64 Squadron. The Spitfires managed to engage the Stuka formation as they came out of their dives and shot down two Ju 87s of II./StG 1 before the Bf 109s of 7./JG 26 intercepted. The RAF lost a total of five Spitfires at no loss to JG 26. RAF No. 54 Sqn's 'B' Flight Commander, Flt. Lt. BH Way, was killed. Oblt. Georg Beyer's 7./JG 26 claimed four Spitfires without loss. RAF No.32 Squadron (Hurricanes) and RAF No.615 Squadron (Hurricanes) came in to assist the sea level dogfight against the fifty Bf 109's but with no luck. Plt. Off. V.G.Draw of 32 Sqn mixed with six Bf 109s received leg wounds and force landed a badly damaged P3677.

The fighter sweeps succeeded as the Stukas arrived over the convoy mostly unmolested. It was a disaster for the convoy as they were pounded by heavy guns from the French mainland as well. Eleven merchant coal ships out of twenty-one were sunk and another seven were damaged in the Straits as well as two Royal Navy destroyers, HMS 'Boreas' and HMS 'Brilliant'. The two destroyers, along with two motor torpedo boats, had left Dover to attack E-boats leaving Boulogne. Ju87s dive-bombed the destroyers which were also the targets of shore-based artillery from the French coast. HMS 'Boreas' was hit and called for smoke and tugs. Both damaged destroyers headed back for Dover, whose No.4 LAA gunsite claimed a Stuka. More Spitfires of 54 and 64 Sqns tried to protect the warships, along with Hurricanes of RAF No. 56 Sqn even though they were challenged by over 100 enemy aircraft. Just as the destroyers came under further attack RAF No. 610 Sqns Spitfires arrived to bag two Bf 109s and damage several more without loss.

As reported by Pilot Officer D.R.Turley-George of RAF No.54 Sqn:

The 109s coming at us from above as we still struggled for height F/L B.H.(Wonky) Way being hit and falling away out of sight [he was dead]. I remember the 109 attacking me from the port side, my trying to turn in towards him, the loud bangs of his cannon-shells striking my Spitfire as he hit me from an almost full deflection angle; and even through the pounding fear that I felt, admiring his marksmanship. A few seconds later, with my aeroplane miraculously still answering apparently normally to the controls, finding myself behind two Me 109s, aligning my sight on one, pressing the gun button — and the guns failing to fire; then diving out of the fight to return to base.

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(P/O D.R.Turley-George had joined No 54 Squadron on the 15th of July 1940. He was shot down twice by Bf 109's during the Battle, the first time was on the 25th of July 1940 when he crash landed his Spitfire P9387 near Dover after combat with Bf 109s at 15:00hrs.)

At 1430 hours, with the convoy only just past Folkestone, the Luftwaffe sent another forty Ju 88s with an escort of over fifty Bf 109s to make a final attack on the convoy. Only eight Spitfires of RAF No.64 Squadron were scrambled to meet the ninety German fighters and bombers, along with twelve Spitfires of RAF No.54 Squadron and a flight of Hurricanes from RAF No.111 Squadron. The Hurricanes and Spitfires were vastly outnumbered by five to one, almost impossible odds, but the RAF pilots were equal to the task. When the eight Spitfires of 64 Sqn arrived they faced 30 Ju 88s of III./KG 4 accompanied by more than 50 Bf 109s. Three more 64 Sqn Spitfires arrived along with 12 Hurricanes of RAF No. 111 Sqn. Despite engaging the bombers they could not prevent the sinking of two more ships. One Spitfire was lost. Flt. Sgt. Franklin, manoeuvring extremely low in N3164 caused a Bf109 to plunge into the sea.

The tactic here was to meet the bombers head on at full throttle then as they dispersed they pulled upwards to meet the oncoming Bf 109's. The tactic worked, and both fighters and bombers withdrew. With RAF No.64 Squadron and RAF No.111 Squadron returning to refuel, the German formation, strengthened by another staffel circled and returned to the convoy. Here they sank a further five merchantmen and seriously damaged four others. Only two out of twenty-one ships of convoy 'CW 8' were to reach their destination of Portland. Fw. Bernhard Eberz of 9./JG 26 was shot down, the only loss of the day for the Geschwader. Other Geschwader were not so lucky. In the convoy battle off Folkestone, the Jagdwaffe lost six warplanes, one from III./JG 27 and four from III./JG 52, who lost its newly appointed Staffelkapitän of the day before, Wilhelm Keidel who had a total of five victories. The sixth fighter was a Bf 109E-4 from 5./JG 51 which was so badly damaged returning to St. Inglevert that it was written off.

After this days fighting, RAF No. 54 Squadron Hornchurch headed north for a brief rest. They had been constantly in action for the past three weeks, had flown in excess of 800 flying hours, had 506 operational sorties to their credit, had lost five experienced pilots and had twelve of their aircraft destroyed.

The last of the raids began at 1930 hours when several flights of twelve to thirty aircraft flying at 15 minute intervals attacked another convoy off Dover. The British lost four Spitfires to the Messerschmitts of JG 51 during the activity over the Dover straits with the British claiming fourteen Luftwaffe aircraft shot down. The four Spitfire kills were credited to Uffz. Paul Obst, Hptm. Walter Oesau, Hptm. Horst Tietzen and Lt. Hans-Otto Lessing of the II Gruppe of JG 51.

Earlier two Luftwaffe flights of thirty and twelve aircraft approached Portsmouth then turned toward Portland. At 10:40 Ju87s of III./StG1 tried to attack Portland but were intercepted by three squadrons of RAF fighters, six German bombers were shot down along with a RAF Spitfire. A Stuka from III./StG 1 was shot down off Cherbourg after being chased across the Channel. Another Stuka was badly damaged in the same encounter. Two raids of single German aircraft resulted in a RAF Hurricane being shot down by a Ju 88 which in turn was itself destroyed by other British fighters. The aircraft in the other solitary flight was destroyed by anti-aircraft fire. RAF No.32 Sqn Hurricanes joined RAF No. 615 Sqn in another battle.

RAF No.152 Sqn destroyed a Do 17M west of Eastfleet and a Ju 87.

By night, several raids started from the Cherbourg district and crossed the coast of Dorset en-route for the Bristol Channel and South Wales but no bombing has been reported from this area. AA claim an German aircraft shot down in flames near Milford Haven. There was considerable minelaying activity in the Firth of Forth (where some 28 were also dropped into the sea) and the Newcastle area. Harwich and Lowestoft were also visited by raiders, bombs being dropped at Bungay (Norfolk) and near Harlestown. Minelaying was also being carried out in the Thames Estuary and the Downs by approximately ten aircraft.

Lt. Günther Rall was given command of 8./JG 52.

Losses: Luftwaffe 16: Fighter Command 8.

I must say that these postings go beyond the normal, giving not just the detail but a sense of the desperate fighting that went on and the tactics that were used.

Best thread for some considerable time. Many thanks

26 JULY 1940 Friday

UNITED KINGDOM: The weather was disastrous. Low dark cloud and heavy rain all over Britain made any flying almost an impossibility, but still the Luftwaffe persisted with spasmodic bombing attacks by Fliegerkorps VIII. But of the raids that were conducted, most were aborted when RAF fighters were sent to intercept. Their targets were Channel shipping south of the Isle of Wight. At 0603 hours a single German plane succeeded in evading any RAF fighters and bombed Mayfield and Hastings. A number of bombs were dropped and casualties were recorded. At 0900 hours, three raids of more than twenty-one aircraft each approached Swanage. At 0945 hours a formation of Bf 109s flying off the Isle of Wight were bounced by Hurricanes of RAF No. 601 Squadron and although several Messerschmitts were damaged, they managed to destroy one of the British fighters, a Hurricane flown by P/O P.Challoner-Lindsey, the only casualty for the RAF. Another flown by F/O J.H. Riddle was damaged by gunfire but managed to return to base. RAF No. 601 Squadron managed to shoot down two German bombers.

Around noon a flight of some twenty Luftwaffe aircraft approached Portland but as in the other actions, the bombers turned and retreated when RAF fighters were dispatched. RAF No. 238 Sqn. tangled with JG 27 off Portland. A Bf 109 from 2./JG 27 was caught and shot down south of Portland by a Hurricane of Flt. Lt. S.C. The German pilot, Fw. Günther Böer, went missing in action. Plt. Off. Goodman in a Hurricane downed a Bf 109 of III./JG 27.

Even though the morning raids produced negative results, the Luftwaffe tried one more time for the day with a large raid. At 1530 hours several formations of about fifty aircraft headed to the Isle of Wight. Three RAF fighter patrols flying at between 10,000 and 20,000 feet went for the formations. The German flight split and returned to friendly airspace. One flight did manage to continue to the coast at Dungeness where fighters from RAF No. 65 Squadron shot down a Bf 109 off Dover.

Another Luftwaffe raid attempted at 1848 hours with a flight of more than twenty-four aircraft made it nearly to Portland before breaking up and returning to Cherbourg. Three steamers were sunk in the Channel and the motor-lifeboats 'Rosa Woodd' and 'Phyllis Lunn' went out after survivors. RAF No 92 Squadron whilst on patrol off the Pembroke coast at 1700 hours, claimed to have shot down one Ju 88 (unconfirmed).

Despite the day's failures, the night brought new opportunities. Numerous raids by either single aircraft or a few bombers were conducted all over the English countryside. At 2100 hours He 111s of II./KG 55 managed to defy the weather and attacked the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton again along with a raid on Bristol itself. Again shipping in the Channel was recorded to have been hit as well as some land based areas. At 2128 hours a single bomber dropped its load on Kent and Essex before crashing into the sea of Brightlingsea. Several minelaying operations were conducted in the Thames Estuary between Deal and Harwich. Bombs fell for the first time on Brentwood, Essex.

RAF No. 1 Squadron replaced 43 Sqn. at Tangmere.

The first R.C.A.F. Squadron arrived in Britain equipped with Canadian built Hurricane's.

The Admiralty issued an order prohibiting the passage off Dover by ships during daylight hours. Air Intelligence reported that the RAF's night bombing of Germany was most effective and was worrying the German High Command. It was also reported from another source that the RAF raids were causing serious damage. The Germans were stated to be considerably worried by these raids and RAF delayed action bombs were particularly unpopular. Although not really achieving the desired effect - destruction of prime targets - Bomber Command's early venture into bombing Germany would have a completely different and welcome result in the near future.


Losses: Luftwaffe 2: Fighter Command 1.

Super work Chris!

27 JULY 1940 Saturday

UNITED KINGDOM: The summer of 1940 was as unpredictable as ever, as again the weather partially cleared although the cloud base remained over the English Channel. Fliegerkorps VIII again made attacks along the southern coast against shipping and naval units in the Straits and Dover harbour along with continued attacks on the convoy "Bacon". Beginning at 0945 hours, elements of Richthofen's Fliegerkorps VIII attacked the convoy off Swanage while two convoys near the Estuary were raided. The destroyers HMS 'Montrose' and HMS "Wren " of the 18th Destroyer Flotilla were escorting six minesweeper trawlers off Aldeburgh when they were attacked by He 111 aircraft from KG 53. The "Wren " was sunk about 20 nautical miles east of Aldeburgh and 'Montrose' was damaged. RAF No.609 Squadron was ordered to the Portland area to cover the convoy off the coast. One Bf 109 and one Ju 87 was shot down by Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 145 and 238 Squadrons respectively and another Ju 87 limped away to the south trailing smoke. RAF No.609 Squadron lost one aircraft in the combat off the coast at Weymouth, the Spitfire being credited to Oblt. Gerhart Framm of 2./JG 27. Spitfires of RAF No 234 Squadron shot down one Ju 88 (unconfirmed) off Land's End.

Dover was attacked by two separate raids with four bombs falling in the harbour and five dropping on the barracks buildings. During this second attack, the destroyer HMS "Codrington" was sunk and destroyer "Walpole" alongside the depot ship "Sandhurst" in Dover Harbour was badly damaged. With the navy losing three destroyers this day, the Admiralty decided to withdraw all naval ships from Dover and cease using the harbour as an advanced base. Although Fighter Command was now released from the burden of protecting the destroyers, based there for anti-invasion operations, it was to place a further burden on the RAF as they would have to provide additional protection of the Channel convoys though the Straits, something that Dowding and Park did not want to do. But with convoys having no destroyer protection the task was handed to the RAF. Dover itself was being hit so badly that the Air Ministry issued instructions that Fighter Command was to engage any German formations approaching the port with superior forces whenever possible. To manage this, fighter squadrons in the south-east were ordered to increase to 28 and Fighter Command was to make more use of Hawkinge and Manston.

One of the Dover attacks during the day was carried out by six Bf 109s carrying bombs on centre-section racks. This was the first report of Bf 109s being used in the Jabo role. They crossed the Straits and dropped bombs which caused damage to dock equipment. RAF Fighters chased the German aircraft towards France but did not make contact.

As the afternoon progressed the weather deteriorated and the British fighters patrolling over the convoy "Agent" were recalled. One of the last raids of the day was an attack on the city of Belfast. Five raids of one aircraft each were reported off the east coast of Scotland and the Orkneys.

At 1602 hours, one raid of 6+ Luftwaffe aircraft flew towards Dungeness, turned west and bombed a steamer (which was damaged) off Sandgate. At 1730 hours, three RAF Squadrons were sent up to patrol the Dover area and RAF No 41 Squadron shot down one He 113 (?) (confirmed) and RAF No 615 Squadron shot down one He 59. RAF No 501 Squadron lost one Hurricane.

Late at night on the 27th of July and early in the morning of the 28th July, bombs were dropped at Swansea Docks, Upton-upon-Severn and Kidwelly (Carmarthen). No damage was reported except at Swansea where a railway line was displaced. During the night there was minelaying along the east coast and around Portland.

Generalmajor Theo Osterkamp was appointed Jagdfliegerführer (Jäfu) 1 or fighter-leader of Luftflotte 2, responsible for tactical coordination of JG 3, JG 26, JG 52, JG 54 and ZG 26 and left his duties as Kommodore of JG 51. Major Werner Mölders, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53, took over as Kommodore of JG 51. Major Mölders' place as Gruppenkommandeur was taken by Hptm. Harro Harder.

Hello Chris, you didan excellent job so far. It " forces " me(LOL) to come here to read this thread.

greets from over the Channel
Thomas