Once again four main phases of airfield attacks.
Night: Scattered raids on Liverpool, the Midlands and South Wales.
Weather: Continuing fine and warm. Early-morning mist and fog patches.
Enemy Action by Day
The day began with fine and warm weather, accompanied by early-morning mist and fog patches across southern England. As the sun rose, the Luftwaffe launched a series of heavy, coordinated assaults on key RAF airfields and industrial targets, spread out across four major waves. The evening brought scattered raids across a wide geographic area, with German bombers targeting major cities, airfields and ports well into the early hours.
Early Morning Attacks: Biggin Hill and Beyond
At approximately 07:50 hours, two formations of around thirty and forty Dornier Do 17s of KG 3 crossed the English coast over Dover and Lympne at 20,000 feet. A third, smaller group came in over Deal at 8,000 feet. These bombers were escorted closely by Bf 110s from ZG 76, while Messerschmitt Bf 109s from JG 51 and JG 53 provided high cover. The formations split inland, striking at Eastchurch, North Weald, Rochford, and Biggin Hill.
Seven RAF squadrons were ordered to intercept the incoming raid. Spitfires of No. 72 Squadron engaged the main force near the North Kent coast and pursued it inland toward Biggin Hill. Spitfires of No. 92 Squadron attempted to assist, but the airfield was struck again by low-flying Dornier bombers. However, due to the timely interception, the damage inflicted was less severe than on previous days.
Meanwhile, Spitfires of Nos. 222 and 603 Squadrons, along with Hurricanes of No. 249 Squadron, intercepted another formation near Hawkinge. One Do 17 was shot down, and another heavily damaged. P/O Richard Hillary of No. 603 Squadron claimed a Bf 109 before his aircraft sustained damage, but he returned safely.
Despite these efforts, bombs struck the Short Brothers aircraft factory in Rochester, causing extensive damage and civilian casualties. Gravesend Aerodrome was also hit around 08:05 hours by eleven high-explosive bombs, disrupting gas, electricity and communications infrastructure.
Midday Onslaught: Heavy Engagements Over Kent and the Thames Estuary
Shortly before 12:20 hours, new raids were plotted as they assembled over the French coast. By the time they crossed the Channel, the Luftwaffe force had swelled to over 225 aircraft. Two waves crossed the coast near Folkestone and North Foreland. Several RAF squadrons were scrambled to intercept the incoming Luftwaffe bombers. No. 72 Squadron was among the first to make contact, intercepting a mix of Do 17s and Bf 110s over Margate and Herne Bay. The fighting quickly escalated as over eighty Bf 109s swept in to reinforce the engagement.
During intense combat over Herne Bay, Spitfire K9938 of No. 72 Squadron was shot down by a Bf 110 and crashed at Garrington Farm near Bekesbourne, where it subsequently burst into flames. Sergeant N. R. Norfolk survived without injury. Elsewhere, No. 603 Squadron was engaged by over seventy Bf 109s near Sheerness. Despite being outnumbered, the RAF pilots fought fiercely. One Bf 109, flown by Oblt. Ekkehard Schelcher, was shot down near Chilham—likely by P/O J.S. Morton. Schelcher’s remains would not be recovered until 1977.
Pilot Officer C.A. Woods-Scawen of No. 43 Squadron was shot down during combat with Bf 109s and attempted to bail out, but his parachute deployed too late and he was killed. His Hurricane, V7420, crashed at Fryland near Ivychurch. Tragically, his older brother, Patrick, had been killed just the day before. The Woods-Scawen brothers were the only siblings killed in action during the Battle of Britain. Both were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for their service.
Inland, a separate formation bombed Brooklands, damaging facilities used for Vickers Wellington production. Meanwhile, other groups struck Cuxton, where the Shorts Aircraft Works suffered damage to its drawing offices.
Late Afternoon Raids: Debden, Detling, Eastchurch and Beyond
At 16:12 hours, roughly 250 German aircraft crossed the coast near Dungeness and Deal. Bombers and their escorts fanned out across Kent and Essex. One formation attacked Hornchurch at 16:40 hours—six bombs hit the airfield, but with minimal structural damage. Nearby, AA Brigade Headquarters suffered some impact. Other targets included Detling and Eastchurch.
At Debden, severe damage was inflicted, forcing the establishment of an emergency operations room in a chalk pit outside Saffron Walden. Eastchurch sustained multiple raids. A dump containing 350 250-lb bombs exploded during the first attack, damaging administrative buildings, destroying the NAAFI, and rendering most of the airfield unusable. A later raid further damaged another hangar. Eastchurch was declared non-operational and evacuated.
No. 603 Squadron was redeployed to protect Hornchurch during these attacks. Although many bombs missed the target, damage was still inflicted. No. 72 Squadron, after repeated sorties, returned to action once more, describing the day in their logbook simply as:
“…a hell of a day.”
Evening Attacks and Final Assaults
At 17:20 hours, another major raid crossed the Channel from Calais. The formation fanned out over East Kent and the Thames Estuary. Thirty bombers struck Detling, causing extensive damage—an estimated 100 bombs were dropped. The ‘C’ Flight hangar was destroyed, and the airfield was rendered inoperable for three hours. Eastchurch was hit again shortly thereafter.
At 17:25 hours, another wave targeted Hornchurch, comprising approximately fifty bombers, escorted by around forty Bf 109s. No. 303 (Polish) Squadron intercepted the retreating formation near Dover. Sergeant Rogowski downed a Bf 109, which crashed into the sea ten miles off the French coast, while Flight Officer Henneberg and Sergeant Frantiszek pursued additional aircraft across the coast, scoring hits but breaking off due to intense anti-aircraft fire.
The final daylight raid occurred at 18:00 hours, with eighty aircraft patrolling between North Foreland and Dungeness. This force did not penetrate inland and returned to France by 18:30 hours. Strong Luftwaffe patrols continued over the Channel.
Losses and Fighter Engagements
RAF Fighter Command lost fourteen aircraft, with four pilots killed. The Luftwaffe lost thirty-seven aircraft—many of them Bf 110s from Epr.Gr 210. A downed bomber was found carrying hand grenades, apparently intended for use against pursuing fighters.
Among the German Experten scoring kills on 2 September were Fw. Rudolf Täschner of 1./JG 2, bringing his total to six victories; Ofw. Erich Rudorffer of 2./JG 2, who reached fourteen; Fw. Heinz Bär of 1./JG 51 with eight; Hptm. Wolfgang Lippert of 3./JG 53, whose tally rose to eleven. Fw. Erwin Leykauf of 7./JG 54 with five; and Oblt. Wilhelm Herget of 7./ZG 76, who also added to his score. Ofw. Erich Kuhlmann of 3./JG 53 achieved his fourth victory before being shot down.
Enemy Action by Night
German night activity was widespread and less focused than in recent nights. By dusk, bombers were active along the East Coast from the Wash to the Tyne (mostly mine-laying), while others struck Derby, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, and Swansea. From 22:00 to 00:30 hours, multiple waves crossed the coast between Beachy Head and Swanage.
Bristol and Liverpool were attacked by He 111s of II./KG 27 and II./KG 55. In Swansea, 134 high-explosive and numerous incendiary bombs caused extensive damage, including the destruction of the Great Western Railway station and four grain warehouses.
A convoy off Kinnairds Head called for help at 22:40 hours after German aircraft damaged two steamers.
Göring’s Visit and a Captured Spitfire
Meanwhile, at a Luftwaffe airfield on the continent, Reichsmarschall Göring berated his fighter leaders—including Galland and Mölders—over the bombers’ mounting losses. When asked what they needed, Mölders requested better engines for the Bf 109. Galland famously quipped:
“Ich bitte um die Ausrüstung meines Geschwaders mit Spitfire.” (“I should like an outfit of Spitfires for my squadron.”)
Coincidentally, that same day, Sgt. Alfie Summers of No. 603 Squadron mistakenly landed his Spitfire (P7351) in France after getting disoriented in combat. The aircraft was captured intact and sent by Göring to Galland with ironic intent:
“Here is your first Spitfire—let us see what Galland will do with it!”
Galland, undeterred, painted it in his unit’s markings.
Ground Damage and Civilian Casualties
At Cuxton, the Shorts Aircraft Works sustained damage to its drawing offices, while at Tilbury, bombs struck the New Dry Dock and surrounding facilities, causing further disruption. In Maidstone, a bombing raid around 13:00 hours resulted in widespread destruction and prompted the evacuation of twenty-five families. Incendiary bombs caused fires in the Import Dock at Blyth, and at Catterick, an unusual 100-kg incendiary device resembling an oil drum was dropped near the aerodrome. Civilian casualties for the day totaled 51 killed and 247 injured, though no RAF personnel were reported to have been killed or wounded on the ground.
German Losses:
Airmen: 31 | Aircraft: 37
British Losses:
Airmen: 4 | Aircraft: 14
Hurricane P3875, No. 111 Squadron
Sgt. Sgt W.L. Dymond. Listed as missing. Shot down while in combat. Body never found.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Dymond.htm
Hurricane V7420, No. 43 Squadron
P/O C.A. Woods-Scawen killed. Aircraft caught fire after combat with Bf 109 and pilot baled out too low.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Woods-ScawenCA.htm
Hurricane L1578, No 501 Squadron
F/O A.T. Rose-Price. Listed as missing. Failed to return to base after combat action.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Rose-Price.htm
Hurricane P3067, No. 46 Squadron
P/O J.C.L.D. Bailey killed. Shot down while engaged in combat with enemy. Was not seen to bale out.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/BaileyJCLD.htm
Photo Descriptions
- Spitfires of Nos. 222 and 603 Squadrons at RAF Hornchurch, September 1940.
- A formation of Dornier Do 17Z bombers in flight during the Battle of Britain.
- Heinkel He 111 bombers over the English Channel, 1940. Bundesarchiv, Bild 141-0678 / CC-BY-SA 3.0.
- Bruno Loerzer, Hermann Göring, and Adolf Galland during an inspection of a Luftwaffe airfield, September 1940. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-343-0674-16 / Boger / CC-BY-SA 3.0.