Sporadic raids on London, Liverpool and the West Country.
Night: London, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Birmingham and Liverpool bombed.
Weather: Mainly cloudy with fog and intermittent rain. Poor visibility.
Enemy Action by Day
Enemy operations on 21 October were limited in scale, largely due to adverse weather conditions across southern England and the Channel. Persistent fog and low cloud rendered many RAF airfields temporarily unserviceable during the morning. However, by late morning, squadrons were once again operational from Kenley, Biggin Hill, Tangmere, and Speke. Luftwaffe raids were sporadic and widely dispersed, consisting primarily of small-scale bombing and reconnaissance missions launched by Luftflotten 2 and 3.
In the southeast, intermittent raids began at dawn. Between 07:00 and 11:00 hours, approximately eight single enemy aircraft entered the area bounded by North Foreland, Beachy Head, and Hornchurch, with several appearing to reconnoitre the Thames Estuary. One aircraft flew directly over southern and western parts of London. After 11:00 hours, enemy activity increased noticeably, with around 60 aircraft crossing from Calais and Le Havre, penetrating toward London. Some continued further inland, reaching Bedford, Northampton, Cambridge, and Duxford.
At approximately 13:00 hours, a significant formation of Ju 88s and Do 17s was plotted over Kent. Hurricanes from No. 253 Squadron, scrambled from Kenley, intercepted the force. Though engagement details remain limited, this appears to have been the only large-scale daylight raid of the day.
Losses on the British side included Pilot Officer W.S. Williams of No. 266 Squadron, who was killed in an accident at Stradishall. After refuelling, he took off in Spitfire X4265, flew low over the airfield, and stalled fatally into the ground.
Later in the afternoon, a Ju 88—masquerading as a Blenheim and flying at tree-top height—conducted a low-level strafing run on Old Sarum airfield in Hampshire. Spitfires of No. 609 Squadron from Warmwell intercepted the raider over Dorset. In a dramatic pursuit through the trees, Flight Lieutenant F.J. Howell and Pilot Officer S.J. Hill brought the aircraft down near Lymington. The German gunner reportedly attempted to signal surrender using smoke cartridges prior to the final engagement.
Other raids in the West Country and the Midlands were smaller in scale. A few single enemy aircraft reached Liverpool, Blackburn, and Derby, while another flew over Portsmouth and Gloucester before being intercepted and destroyed near Old Sarum.
By dusk, RAF fighters had destroyed one confirmed enemy aircraft and damaged three others. Anti-aircraft fire brought down an additional bomber over Harwich. No RAF fighters were lost in combat throughout the day.
Enemy Action by Night
After nightfall, the Luftwaffe launched a renewed and substantial bombing effort directed primarily at London, Coventry, Birmingham, and Liverpool. Bombers from both Luftflotten 2 and 3 crossed the Channel and the North Sea beginning at 19:00 hours. Dieppe, the Baie de la Seine, and Cherbourg served as key launch points for many of the raiders. Thirty-nine aircraft departed from Dieppe alone in the early wave, while others from Belgium and the Low Countries approached via the Thames Estuary.
Between 21:00 and 01:00 hours, the industrial Midlands were heavily targeted. Coventry came under a destructive bombardment beginning at 19:45 hours. The Dicken Leather Works, Morris Bodies, Cheylesmore Schools, and the GEC Stores were all set ablaze. Significant damage was also reported at Alfred Herbert’s and Armstrong Siddeley’s plants. Railway infrastructure and several cinemas sustained direct hits, resulting in 41 casualties and more than 20 minor roads being blocked. As many as 500 civilians were rendered homeless.
Liverpool endured its 200th air raid of the war. Do 17s of KGr 606 and He 111s of III./KG 27 bombed the city at 22:45 hours. In Weymouth, bombs fell near the railway station around midday, damaging the South National Bus Depot and several buses. Four high-explosive bombs were also dropped into Portland Harbour.
London suffered widespread damage. A bomb struck the edge of an underground shelter on New Kent Road, killing three of the 26 people inside. In St Pancras, a large high-explosive bomb created a 40-foot crater at the junction of Eversholt Street and Phoenix Road, fracturing a water main and flooding part of the Northern Line 50 feet below. At 20:40 hours, an explosion at Euston disrupted Northern Line services. Later, a delayed-action bomb detonated near Bank station, forcing the closure of the area.
Mines were laid extensively in the Thames Estuary, Swansea Bay, and along the Humber-to-Tees coastal corridor. A parachute mine fell in Beverley, near Hull, damaging hundreds of homes and causing numerous casualties.
Summary
Despite poor visibility, the Luftwaffe sustained pressure with probing daylight operations and another destructive night of bombing against key urban centres and industrial targets. The toll on British industry and civilians—particularly in Coventry and Liverpool—was substantial. Nevertheless, RAF fighter response remained effective, and despite some tragic accidents, Fighter Command did not suffer a single combat loss on this day.
German Losses:
Airmen: 10 | Aircraft: 7
British Losses:
Airmen: 2 | Aircraft: 2
Hurricane P3657, No. 245 Squadron
Sgt. E.G. Greenwood missing. Dived into Loch Neagh and exploded. Cause unknown.
Spitfire X4265, No. 266 Squadron
P/O W.S. Williams killed. Landed at Stradishall to refuel and crashed on take-off.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/WilliamsWS.htm
Photo Descriptions
- An RAF sergeant introduces Czech fitters to the inner workings of a Hurricane Mk I of No. 310 Squadron at RAF Duxford in October 1940. The gravity fuel tank in front of the instrument panel provided no form of protection for the pilot and was the cause of cockpit fires if ignited during combat. The Hurricane Rash was of such concern that Hawker was made to retrofit the fuselage tanks with a self-expanding rubber coating called Linatex. © IWM (CH 1433)
- Accordion players and singers playing at the Aldwych tube station on 21 October 1940. The troupe traveled from station to station each night.