Shipping attacked in Channel and east coast.
Night: South Wales and the Midlands.
Weather: Mainly fine in the north but cloudy in the east. Channel cloudy. Drizzle in Dover Straits.
Main Activity:
Around 0000 hours, a convoy was attacked by two He 115 seaplanes south of Aberdeen. One of the aircraft struck the lifeboat davit on the SS Highlander and crashed onto the deck of the vessel killing the crew of three. The second aircraft was shot down into the sea by anti-aircraft fire, again, with the loss of the crew. Later, the ship sailed into Leith harbour with its ‘prize’ on the deck.
During the morning, the armed trawler Cape Finisterre was attacked and sunk by Bf 110 fighter-bombers from ErprGr 210 off Harwich.
German Losses
Airmen: 16 | Aircraft: 7
British Losses
Airmen: 1 | Aircraft: 3
Spitfire R6799, No. 65 Squadron. Burnt out.
S/L H.C. Sawyer. Killed. Crashed on take off on night patrol and exploded in flames.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Sawyer.htm
Photo Descriptions
- A Handley Page Hampden being bombed up, 2 August 1940. © IWM (HU 104647)
- The wreckage of the He 115 seaplane, which crashed onto the deck of the SS Highlander on 2 August 1940.