Small raids mainly against London. Hitler in conference, discussing the German air offensive and invasion plans.

Night: Renewed attacks against London.

Weather: Unsettled.

Enemy Action by Day

With invasion planning still under review and the Luftwaffe yet to achieve air superiority, Hitler met with senior commanders in Berlin to discuss the ongoing air campaign and potential dates for Unternehmen Seelöwe. The possibility of a September invasion was increasingly undermined by worsening weather and RAF resilience. Hitler reportedly favored 24 September as a tentative invasion date, though his growing fixation on the destruction of London caused concern among his military advisers.

Meanwhile, operational activity in the air reflected the changing priorities. The Luftwaffe continued to focus on sporadic raids against London and southeastern targets, exploiting poor visibility to evade RAF interception. While fewer aircraft were involved than on previous days, scattered attacks still resulted in fatalities, destruction of property, and limited but symbolic strikes—including a direct hit on Buckingham Palace.

Day Raids Over the South East and London

Enemy air activity began at first light, with single aircraft penetrating Kent and East Sussex and heading inland toward the capital. Between 07:30 and 09:30 hours, radar detected a steady stream of small raids crossing the coast at Beachy Head and Hastings, many proceeding directly to South London before returning to bases near Dieppe. German aircraft were observed entering British airspace at a rate of nearly one every eight minutes.

Bad weather hampered RAF response efforts, but Hurricanes of No. 501 Squadron from Kenley succeeded in intercepting a formation of Heinkel He 111s over Kent. Sergeant James “Ginger” Lacey shot down one bomber before being forced to bale out himself. He landed safely near a farm in Kent.

Between 13:00 and 15:00 hours, activity intensified as scattered raids focused on targets near Biggin Hill, Maidstone, and Chelmsford. One Do 17 attacked Dover Harbour. Fighter Command scrambled multiple squadrons, including Nos. 238, 501, 607, and 609 Squadrons, to counter incoming Ju 88s and He 111s. Spitfires of No. 609 Squadron from Warmwell shot down a Ju 88 during a raid on Tangmere. A second Ju 88 crash-landed on return to France.

Meanwhile, at 14:45 hours, Heinkels struck Maidstone, demolishing nine houses and killing four civilians. At 15:35, ten high-explosive bombs were dropped in central Eastbourne, igniting a major fire at a local school and damaging utility lines. One person was killed and 19 injured.

Notable Incidents and Interceptions

A Focke-Wulf Fw 200 of I./KG 40 made an early-morning attack on the S.S. Longfort near Copeland Light, Belfast—the first confirmed enemy action over Northern Ireland. The same aircraft also strafed a smaller motor vessel and dropped incendiaries on Bangor, County Down.

In another engagement, a He 111 of KG 55 crashed in Germany following a raid on England, the result of AA fire and fighter damage. A separate He 111 from 2./KG 1 crash-landed on return after sustaining heavy damage. Barrage balloon cables brought down another Heinkel over Newport, South Wales.

During a late-morning raid, a lone German bomber dropped a stick of bombs over central London. Six high-explosive bombs straddled Buckingham Palace at 11:10 hours, damaging the chapel and shattering windows in the royal quarters. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were present during the attack but escaped injury. This marked the third direct hit on the Palace during the campaign. Nearby, incendiaries damaged Scotland Yard, the Admiralty, and the War Office.

At 10:43 hours, Ravenshill School in West Ham, which had been converted into emergency accommodation, was demolished by a direct bomb hit. Fifty people were reported killed or injured.

RAF and Luftwaffe Losses

Three RAF aircraft were lost or damaged during the day, including a Blenheim from No. 248 Squadron that failed to return from a reconnaissance mission over the Feje Island–Stadlandet peninsula area along the Norwegian coast. The aircraft was claimed by Fw. Dyck of 4./JG 77. Sergeants W.J. Garfield, A. Kay, and B.W. Mesner were all reported missing.

German losses included seven aircraft destroyed or crash-landed, with ten aircrew killed or missing and five wounded. These included aircraft from KG 1, KG 55, and Luftflotte 3 bomber units, along with Ju 88s intercepted over Wiltshire and Tangmere.

Enemy Action by Night

Luftwaffe activity resumed at 20:45 hours, as waves of aircraft were launched from Cherbourg, Calais, and Dieppe. London was again the principal target, with bombs falling in Westminster, Victoria Street, Battersea, Clapham Junction, Hammersmith, Wembley, Mitcham, and St Pancras.

The Chelsea Hospital was struck, and debris blocked key transport routes. Clapham Junction Station was temporarily closed due to unexploded bombs. At 21:40 hours, bombs fell near Mitcham Town Hall, closing London Road. A delayed-action bomb damaged the Lavender Hill GPO Sorting Office at 03:00 hours.

At 22:00 hours, another wave of bombers crossed into East Anglia from the Dutch islands. This second phase of the raid lasted until 05:25 hours, with further strikes on Cambridgeshire, Essex, Kent, and the Midlands. In Cardiff, the Pure Ice and Cold Storage Plant was gutted by fire after a direct hit, and Curran’s Works sustained light damage.

Anti-aircraft guns claimed one enemy bomber near Hendon. Another He 111H of 3./KG 4 was shot down near North Weald by Flying Officer M.J. Herrick of No. 25 Squadron (Blenheim), one of only five night-fighter aircraft airborne that night.

Hitler’s Strategy Under Scrutiny

While bombs continued to fall, Hitler convened a high-level meeting in Berlin with Göring, Milch, Kesselring, and Jodl. Though he emphasized the supposed success of the campaign against London, his failure to commit to a concrete invasion date raised doubts among his commanders. There were no new orders, only rhetoric about striking the British capital to break morale. With invasion planning stalled and the RAF still operational, Luftwaffe commanders began to suspect that Hitler’s priorities had decisively shifted away from Seelöwe.

Ground Damage and Civilian Casualties

The Air Ministry recorded widespread but moderate damage across the southeast and London. Euston Road was blocked by a direct hit near Great Titchfield Street. A Battersea library and the Borough Electricity Generating Station were damaged. The Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace suffered minor shrapnel damage.

In total, 168 civilians were killed and 689 were injured by enemy action on 13 September. Despite the scale of the raids, no RAF personnel were reported killed or wounded on the ground.

German Losses:
Airmen: 10 | Aircraft: 7

British Losses:
Airmen: 3 | Aircraft: 3

Blenheim L5491, No. 248 Squadron
Sgt W.J. Garfield Listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Garfield.htm
Sgt A. Kay. Listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/KayA.htm
Sgt B.W. Messner. Listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Mesner.htm
Failed to return from reconnaissance flight over Norwegian coast.

Photo Descriptions

1. On the morning of 13 September 1940, incendiary and high explosive bombs fell on Buckingham Palace, damaging the courtyard and the chapel. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were in residence at the time. The Victoria memorial outside the palace was damaged too. The Queen was later to comment: “I’m glad we have been bombed. Now I can look the East End in the face.”
2. Supermarine Spitfire Mk I R6800 LZ-N, flown by the CO of No. 66 Squadron, Sqn Ldr Rupert Leigh, being refuelled at Gravesend, September 1940. © IWM (HU 104507)
3. Pilots of No. 66 Squadron at Gravesend, September 1940. © IWM (HU 104508)