Three main attacks, largely broken up.
Night: Harassing raids.
Weather: Fine, but cooler. Haze in the Straits and Thames Estuary.
Main Activity:
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park’s orders on factory defence had been issued none too soon for on Friday the 6th Luftflotte 2 tried to attack the Hawker works at Brooklands where half the total output of Hurricanes was produced. The squadrons on patrol were able to prevent any serious damage being done.
In all there were three main attacks during the day, which cost Fighter Command twenty-three fighters, the pilots of twelve machines being saved. German losses were thirty-five, including sixteen Bf 109s and eight He 111s from KG 26.
Groups of bombers with fighter escort began to mass at 8.30 in the morning, and they fanned out over Kent trying to get at five of the sector stations around London. Their efforts were frustrated and they therefore made a second attempt at midday and a third in the early evening. No great damage was done due to successful interceptions, as was evidenced at Biggin Hill where most of the bombs overshot the target and fell on the Westerham road where the much repaired main trunk cable was once more severed. An unusual present for the RAF came on this evening in the shape of an Bf 109 which landed at Hawkinge when it ran out of fuel.
Excerpt from The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood & Derek Dempster
German Losses
Airmen: 36 | Aircraft: 33
British Losses
Airmen: 7 | Aircraft: 20
Hurricane V6612, No. 501 Squadron
P/O H.C. Adams killed. Shot down during combat and crashed at Eltham.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/AdamsHC.htm
Hurricane V6646, No. 501 Squadron
Sgt O.V. Houghton killed. Shot down during combat and crashed at Charing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/HoughtonOV.htm
Hurricane P3516, No. 501 Squadron
Sgt G.W. Pearson killed. Shot down in combat and crashed at Hothfield. Originally unidentified. Crash site now certified.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/PearsonGW.htm
Spitfire X4036, No. 234 Squadron
P/O W.H.G. Gordon killed. Shot down by Bf 109 and crashed on farm at Hadlow Down.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/GordonWHG.htm
Hurricane P3032, No. 253 Squadron
F/L W.P. Cambridge killed. Circumstances unknown. Baled out of aircraft but dead when found.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Cambridge.htm
Hurricane P3363, No. 601 Squadron
F/L C.R. Davis killed. Shot down by Bf 109. Crashed and burnt out in back garden of cottage.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/as-davis.htm
Hurricane P8818, No. 601 Squadron
F/L W.H. Rhodes-Moorehouse killed. Crashed at Southborough after combat with Bf 109s.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Rhodes-Moorhouse.htm
Spitfire X4260, No. 603 Squadron
P/O J.R Caister. Captured and made POW. Shot down by Bf 109. Force landed behind Calais.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Caister.htm
Photo Descriptions:
- Messerschmitt Bf 110C-4 (U8+CL W.Nr.2146) of 3 Staffel./Zerstoerergeschwader 26 crashed at 9:35 AM on Cannons Hill in Coulsdon, Surrey on 6 September 1940 after a brief fight with No. 111 Squadron Hurricanes during escort duty for ErproGr.210 over RAF Kenley. The pilot Unteroffizier Christoph Kiehn was killed while the wireless operator Unteroffizier Egon Neuss baled out at low level and was captured.
- P/O J.R Caister’s damaged Spitfire after force-landing in Calais on 6 September 1940. Caister can be seen with a bandaged head.
- Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 (5+I W.Nr.1506) of 7 Staffel./Jagdgeschwader 53 is hoisted into position in Sheffield for public display. The aircraft crash landed at Vincent’s Farm near Manston in Kent on 6 September 1940. The pilot Unteroffizier. Hans-Georg Schulte was captured unhurt.
- Uffz. Schulte’s Bf 109 on public display in Sheffield to raise funds.