Relatively quiet.
Night: Raids on a reduced scale.
Weather: Fog in Straits of Dover and Thames Estuary. Visibility poor.
Main Activity:
After a fairly busy night the morning was unusually quiet. 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 four Luftwaffe machines. Total German losses were fifteen. The British lost four.
It is clear from an address to his aircrews that Göring did not realise what little impression his night bombers were making on British morale. In the past few days and nights [he said] you have caused the British world enemy disastrous losses by your uninterrupted destructive blows. Your indefatigable, courageous attacks on the heart of the British Empire, the City of London, with its eight and a half million inhabitants, have reduced British plutocracy to fear and terror. The losses which you have inflicted on the much-vaunted Royal Air Force in determined fighter engagements are irreplaceable.
Excerpt from The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood & Derek Dempster
German Losses
Airmen: 19 | Aircraft: 14
British Losses
Airmen: 5 | Aircraft: 6
Spitfire R6607, No. 152 Squadron
Sgt. E.E. Shepperd killed. Crashed at Tadnoll Mill near Dorchester during afternoon. Exact circumstances not recorded.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/ShepperdEE.htm
Hurricane P3872, No. 302 Squadron
P/O S. Wapniarek killed. Crashed attempting forced landing on Nutwood Farm, Thames Ditton on return from patrol in bad weather conditions.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Wapniarek.htm
Hurricane V6571, No. 302 Squadron
P/O A. Zukowski killed. Ran out of fuel having lost bearings in deteriorating weather conditions after routine patrol.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Zukowski.htm
Hurricane P3931, No. 302 Squadron
F/O P.E.G. Carter killed. Crashed at Kempton Park Race Course returning from routine patrol in deteriorating weather conditions. Pilot baled out at 50ft.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/CarterPEG.htm
Hurricane P3930, No. 302 Squadron
F/O J. Borowski killed. Crashed and burned out at Kempton Park Race Course returning from patrol in deteriorating weather conditions. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Borowski.htm
Photo Descriptions:
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk IA, P9368 ‘QV-K’, of No. 19 Squadron, being rearmed between sorties at Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire. P9368 was often flown by the Commanding Officer, Squadron-Leader B J E ‘Sandy’ Lane, and was also the preferred aircraft of ‘A’ Flight commander Flight-Lieutenant W J ‘Farmer’ Lawson. © IWM (CH 1367A)
- A huge pile of brick rubble and a large hole is all that is left of this house on Watery Lane in Birmingham following an air raid on 18 October 1940. Amazingly, the houses behind appear unscathed. © IWM (D 4113)
- Universal carrier Mk I of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry on the Sussex Downs, 18 October 1940. The crew demonstrate the use of the 2-inch mortar and Bren gun on an anti-aircraft mounting. © IWM (H 4953A)