Shipping off the south coast attacked.
Night: Minelaying in Thames Estuary and off the Norfolk coast. Bristol area.
Weather: Heavy cloud with rain and poor visibility.
Enemy Action by Day
Heavy cloud, persistent rain and low visibility over much of Britain significantly curtailed flying operations. Nevertheless, the Luftwaffe maintained a persistent—if limited—presence across southern and coastal regions, primarily targeting Channel shipping and conducting scattered inland raids. Most formations turned back when intercepted by RAF fighters, and those that pressed on achieved only minor results.
Despite the reduced scale of operations, a significant number of enemy aircraft were plotted during the day, including formations of up to fifty aircraft. These often broke away ten to twenty miles from the coast—a sign of tentative German pressure amid worsening weather.
06:03 Hours: Inland Raid over Sussex and Kent
In the early morning, a single German aircraft crossed the coast at Beachy Head at 06:03 hours, flying an inland circuit via Uckfield, Maidstone, Crowborough, Lingfield, Sevenoaks, East Grinstead and back out over Hastings towards Abbeville. Bombs were dropped over Mayfield and Hastings, causing minor damage. Home Security reported that five houses were demolished in Hastings and gas, water and electrical services were disrupted.
Some bombs were of the ‘whistling’ type, intended to have a psychological effect. Casualties were reported to be light. RAF fighters failed to intercept the raider.
Elsewhere, a meteorological flight was observed off the Orkneys, and a separate inland raid crossed towards Glasgow, where bombs fell near Kilmarnock. No serious damage was recorded in either case.
09:00 Hours: Raids Approach Swanage
At approximately 09:00 hours, three separate raids—totalling at least twenty-one aircraft—approached the coast near Swanage. In each case, the formations turned away as RAF fighters were scrambled, remaining no closer than ten miles from the coastline.
09:45 Hours: Combat off the Isle of Wight
At approximately 09:45 hours, six Hurricanes of No. 601 Squadron intercepted Bf 109s and Bf 110s south of St Catherine’s Point. Flying Officer G.N.S. Cleaver claimed a Bf 110 probably destroyed, while Flying Officer C.R. Davis claimed a Bf 109 damaged. No corresponding German losses have been identified for either claim.
Pilot Officer P. Challoner-Lindsey was attacked and shot down by Oberleutnant Max Dobislav of 9./JG 27. His Hurricane P2753 crashed into the Channel, and Challoner-Lindsey was killed. Davis returned safely in his damaged Hurricane P2690.
11:37–12:50 Hours: Combat south of Portland
Later that morning, twelve Hurricanes of No. 238 Squadron intercepted Bf 109s of JG 27 approximately twenty-five miles south of Portland. Flight Lieutenant S.C. Walch, flying Hurricane P3618, attacked and shot down a Bf 109 of 2./JG 27. Its pilot, Feldwebel Günther Böer, was killed.
Approximately twenty other German aircraft approached the Portland area but turned back before reaching their intended targets as RAF fighters closed in.
15:30–17:11 Hours: Formations Approach the South Coast
At 15:30 hours, eight separate raids comprising approximately fifty aircraft formed over the Bay of the Seine and advanced towards the Isle of Wight. Three RAF squadrons were dispatched to patrol at altitudes between 10,000 and 20,000 feet. Their presence forced the German formation to split and withdraw before reaching the coast.
One smaller formation crossed north of Dungeness during the afternoon. Twelve Spitfires of No. 65 Squadron intercepted a Dornier Do 17P reconnaissance aircraft of 5.(F)/122 and its Bf 109 escort near Dover.
Flight Sergeant W.H. Franklin attacked and damaged the Dornier before engaging one of the escorting fighters, which he claimed destroyed. German records confirm that the Do 17P returned with slight combat damage, but no corresponding Bf 109 loss has been identified. The two claims raised Franklin’s score to ten individual victories and three shared.
17:00 Hours: Activity off Pembroke
At approximately 17:00 hours, Spitfires of No. 92 Squadron attempted to intercept one of two unidentified raids plotted off the Pembroke coast. Poor visibility prevented a conclusive engagement, and the squadron submitted no combat claim.
18:48 Hours: Final Formation Approaches Portland
At 18:48 hours, another large Luftwaffe formation assembled over Cherbourg. The force, estimated at twenty-four or more aircraft flying in layers at approximately 16,000 feet, advanced towards Portland across a front approximately ten miles wide. On nearing the coast, the formation broke apart and returned directly to France without engaging.
Combat over the North Sea
Over the North Sea, Sunderland N9023 of No. 204 Squadron, flown by Flight Lieutenant A.F. Johnson, encountered Dornier Do 18 K6+CH of 1./Küstenfliegergruppe 406. Both flying boats sustained slight damage during the exchange of fire. Leading Aircraftman J.C. Wharton was wounded aboard the Sunderland, while flight engineer Feldwebel Karl Hey was wounded aboard the Dornier. Both aircraft returned safely.
Fleet Air Arm Raid on Bergen
Skuas of No. 801 Squadron departed Hatston to attack shipping near Bergen. Severe weather prevented the crews from locating any vessels, and the formation attacked oil tanks at Bergen instead.
During the dive, two Skuas collided. Skua L2906, flown by Sub-Lieutenant J.E.H. Myers with Naval Airman S.A. Bass, crashed near Haugesund, killing both men. The second aircraft succeeded in returning to Britain but crash-landed at Sumburgh; its observer suffered a broken arm.
Loss of a Dutch Coastal Command Aircraft
No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron suffered its first aircraft loss when Fokker T.VIIIW AV964, TD-R, crashed into the Irish Sea while escorting a convoy. The aircraft came down approximately seven miles south-east of St Govan’s Head.
The bodies of Lieutenant Klas Martare and Korporaal Jan Ras were recovered by the Dutch vessel Prima and taken to Pembroke Dock. Lieutenant Jan den Hollander and Sergeant-Major A. de Knegt were not found.
Shipping Losses
The 963-ton Norwegian cargo vessel Balzac struck an aerial mine while approaching Sunderland, broke in two and sank within minutes. Eleven survivors were recovered by a pilot vessel, but nine members of the crew were lost, including the master, Captain Knut Johansen, and two British naval gunners.
The 1,189-ton British steamer Haytor, sailing from London to Blyth, also struck a mine and sank with the loss of one crewman.
Luftwaffe Coastal Activity from France
Throughout the day, German aircraft conducted reconnaissance flights along the French coast. As conditions worsened, few ventured far out to sea, and many inland-bound raids either aborted before reaching the English coastline or withdrew when Fighter Command patrols approached.
Enemy Action by Night
Nightfall brought a marked increase in Luftwaffe activity.
At 21:28 hours, a single enemy aircraft crossed the coast south of Dunkirk and continued through North Foreland, Shoeburyness and Hornchurch, reaching within eight miles of North Weald. It later crashed into the sea off Brightlingsea after reportedly dropping bombs over Kent and Essex.
The aircraft may have been Dornier Do 17Z of 3./KG 76, which failed to return from a night attack against Rochford aerodrome. Unteroffizier Friedrich Hartz, Unteroffizier Heinrich Bungardt, Oberfeldwebel Bernhard Ballowitz and Feldwebel Heinrich Kopisch were killed.
At 22:05 hours, another solitary aircraft was tracked flying at 10,000 feet approximately fifty miles east-north-east of Happisburgh. This raid did not cross the coast and may have been a meteorological flight or an attempted interception of outbound RAF bombers.
A separate raid involving two or more aircraft patrolled between North Foreland and Rye, although no convoys were operating in the vicinity.
Between 22:30 and 01:00 hours, multiple raids crossed the southern coast, particularly near Portland, with tracks extending north-north-east towards the Bristol area. Bombs were reported across a wide area, but no serious damage was recorded.
Ten enemy tracks were plotted in the Thames Estuary between Deal and Harwich, most consistent with minelaying sorties. Further minelaying activity was suspected near the Tyne, where three aircraft operated close to two coastal convoys.
Seven raids were plotted near Aberdeen. Several passed over nearby convoys, and some were believed to be laying mines. Bombs were dropped on Dyce aerodrome at 00:30 hours, but no damage was reported. Additional activity occurred at Rosehearty and south of Fraserburgh, while Peterhead was reportedly machine-gunned by low-flying aircraft.
Other enemy tracks between the Humber and Whitby may also have been engaged in minelaying.
Shortly before 01:00 hours, Heinkel He 111H-4 5J+AH of 1./KG 4 was laying mines in the Bristol Channel when it was intercepted over East Portishead Point by Pilot Officer J.R. Cock of No. 87 Squadron, flying Hurricane P3394.
Cock attacked the Heinkel and claimed it probably destroyed. The bomber subsequently crashed at Longfield Farm near Honiton at approximately 00:55 hours, confirming the victory.
Oberfeldwebel Hermann Kessler, Unteroffiziers Wilhelm Sommer and Gerhard Hähnel and Gefreiter Helmut Grabke were killed. The wounded pilot, Unteroffizier Georg Strickstrock, baled out and was captured at Middle Luxton Farm.
Severe Thunderstorms over Bristol
Severe thunderstorms struck the Bristol area during the night. Between 00:30 and 00:47 hours, twenty-eight barrage balloons were struck by lightning and destroyed by fire. No. 947 Balloon Squadron lost nineteen balloons at Avonmouth, No. 935 Squadron lost four at Filton and No. 951 Squadron lost five at Bristol. No Balloon Command personnel were injured.
British Night Operations
Despite the poor weather, Bomber Command dispatched Hampdens and Whitleys against targets in France and Germany. Whitley N1377 of No. 102 Squadron failed to return. Pilot Officers R.F. Beauclair and J.W. Bushell and Sergeants E.A. Caloway, C. Wood and K.J. Read survived and were taken prisoner.
Strategic and Operational Developments
No. 1 (RCAF) Squadron arrived in Britain equipped with Canadian-built Hurricanes, marking an important expansion of Commonwealth participation in the air campaign. The unit replaced No. 43 Squadron at Tangmere.
Meanwhile, the Admiralty issued an order prohibiting the daylight passage of ships off Dover because of the increasing threat from German aircraft. Air Intelligence reported that RAF night bombing raids on Germany were causing notable concern within the German High Command. Reports from German sources indicated that delayed-action bombs were creating prolonged disruption even when the primary targets were not destroyed.
German Losses:
Airmen: 9 | Aircraft: 5
British Losses:
Airmen: 1 | Aircraft: 1
Hurricane P2753, No. 601 Squadron. Aircraft lost.
P/O P. Challoner-Lindsey. Posted missing. Shot down by Bf 109 over Channel and crashed into sea.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Lindsey.htm
Photo Description
- Refuelling and rearming Hawker Hurricanes of No. 601 Squadron at RAF Tangmere, 1940.