The Battle of Britain Historical Timeline

A day-by-day chronicle of the aerial conflict in 1940 between the British Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe.

1940

10

Jul

Wednesday 10 July 1940

Convoy raids off North Foreland and Dover. Night: The east coast, home counties and western Scotland attacked. Weather: Showery in south-east England and Channel. Continuous rain elsewhere. Main Activity: At approximately 1100 hours, the convoy codenamed BREAD rounded North Foreland while heading westward. It was spotted by a Dornier Do 17 reconnaissance aircraft from 4.(F)/121, […]

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11

Jul

Thursday 11 July 1940

Convoys attacked off Suffolk. Portland harbour raided. Night: Activity over south-west England, East Anglia, Yorkshire coast and Portsmouth. Weather: Channel overcast. Cloud base 5,000ft, Visibility fair. Thunderstorms and bright intervals in the midlands and north. Main Activity: Shortly after 0700 hours, ten Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers from IV/LG 1, escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109s from […]

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12

Jul

Friday 12 July 1940

Attacks on convoy off Norfolk-Suffolk coast, shipping off the Isle of Wight and Aberdeen. Night: South Wales and Bristol areas. Weather: Mainly cloudy with early-morning fog in the Channel. Thunderstorms in many districts. Main Activity: At 0800 hours, a sizable enemy formation consisting of Heinkel He 111s from III/KG 53 and Dornier Do 17s from […]

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13

Jul

Saturday 13 July 1940

Shipping attacks off Dover and Portland. Night: Minelaying in Thames Estuary. Weather: Early morning fog in southern England clearing by mid-morning. Main Activity: At 1500 hours, twelve Hurricanes from No. 238 Squadron and three Spitfires from No. 609 Squadron were dispatched from Warmwell to patrol over a convoy in Lyme Bay. Unable to locate the […]

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14

Jul

Sunday 14 July 1940

Shipping attacks off Dover and Swanage. Night: Bristol area, Isle of Wight, Kent and Suffolk raided. Weather: Fair all day. Main Activity: At approximately 1500 hours, Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers from IV/LG 1, escorted by Bf 109s of III/JG 3 and II/JG 51, launched an attack on the convoy codenamed BOOTY off the coast of […]

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15

Jul

Monday 15 July 1940

Shipping attacked off Norfolk coast and the Channel. Yeovil bombed. Night: Minelaying. Weather: Low cloud. Main Activity: At 1130 hours, two Spitfires from No. 603 Squadron successfully intercepted and shot down a Heinkel He 111 from 2./KG 26. The bomber, dispatched from Norway to target an airfield north of the Firth of Forth, was brought […]

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16

Jul

Tuesday 16 July 1940

Very little activity. Weather: Fog in France, the Straits and south-east England. Note: On this day, Hitler issued Directive No. 16 ordering the preparation of an invasion plan to ‘eliminate the English motherland as a base from which war against Germany can be continued and, if this should become unavoidable, to occupy it to the […]

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17

Jul

Wednesday 17 July 1940

Search for shipping off Scottish and east coasts. Night: Targets attacked in south-west. Minelaying. Weather: Dull with occasional rain. Main Activity: At approximately 1400 hours, twelve Spitfires from No. 64 Squadron, patrolling over Beachy Head, were ambushed by Messerschmitt Bf 109s from 3./JG 2. In the surprise attack, one Spitfire was shot down. Later, at […]

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18

Jul

Thursday 18 July 1940

Shipping off south and east coasts attacked. Night: Very little activity. Weather: Occasional rain in southern districts. Straits of Dover cloudy. Cool. Main Activity: At 0930 hours, fifteen Spitfires from Nos. 152 and 610 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept a reported enemy raid approaching a convoy near Deal. Upon engagement, the formation was identified as […]

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19

Jul

Friday 19 July 1940

Dover raided. Defiant squadron largely destroyed. Weather: Showery with bright intervals in most cases. Channel winds light – fair. Night: Some activity between Isle of Wight and Plymouth, Thames Estuary and Harwich. Main Activity: At 1245 hours, nine Defiants from No. 141 Squadron were ambushed by Messerschmitt Bf 109s from III/JG 51 south of Folkestone. […]

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