Shipping off the south coast attacked.
Night: Minelaying the whole length of the eastern seaboard.
Weather: Straits fair; Channel cloudy. Light westerly winds in both. Bright intervals between showers in the east.
Enemy Action by Day
Weather across the operational areas was mixed. The Straits of Dover experienced fair conditions, while the Channel was mostly cloudy. Light westerly winds prevailed in both areas, with bright intervals breaking through intermittent showers over eastern England.
Morning Activity: Coastal Raids and Interceptions
Enemy activity by day was limited in scale but still posed persistent threats to shipping along the south and east coasts. At approximately 05:00 hours, two convoys off the East Coast came under attack by enemy aircraft. While one of these engagements had been initially attributed to 21 July, subsequent reports confirmed that RAF fighters were scrambled in response and intercepted the attackers. During the action, a Dornier Do 17 was engaged and later assessed as a probable loss.
By mid-morning, Luftwaffe reconnaissance flights increased. At 09:22 hours, tragedy struck in Scotland when high-explosive bombs fell on Duff House, Banff, which had been requisitioned as a prisoner-of-war camp. Six German POWs were killed and eighteen others wounded. The house itself was severely damaged.
Shortly afterwards, isolated Luftwaffe raids continued probing along the southern coast. Two Hurricanes of No. 145 Squadron intercepted and engaged a lone Dornier Do 17 flying near Selsey Bill. After accurate fire from Flight Lieutenant A.H. Boyd and Pilot Officer A.N.C. Weir, the aircraft was destroyed and crashed into the Channel. Another flight of German aircraft was plotted 10 miles off Selsey Bill but withdrew before further contact could be made, and no combat reports were filed.
A separate high-altitude bomber formation passed over the Sussex coast around mid-day. The aircraft flew too high for RAF fighters to intercept, and no damage or casualties were reported. Elsewhere, convoy and coastal protection patrols were flown consistently by RAF fighters, which may have contributed to the Luftwaffe’s apparent reluctance to engage targets with force.
At 17:35 hours, Pilot Officer J.L. Bickerdike of No. 85 Squadron crashed during approach to Castle Camps satellite airfield. Flying Hurricane P3895, he was killed in the accident.
Naval Defence and Anti-Aircraft Action
In addition to RAF operations, naval anti-aircraft crews remained active. The destroyer HMS Beagle reported downing a German Ju 87 dive-bomber using pom-pom fire while patrolling the Channel. No other shipping damage was recorded during daylight hours.
Enemy Action by Night
Nightfall brought a sharp escalation in enemy operations. Beginning shortly after 21:00 hours, Luftwaffe aircraft flying from the Boulogne–Calais area and from Cherbourg initiated minelaying sorties and inland bombing raids. Aircraft were observed turning northward off Cherbourg toward the English coast, indicating likely mine deployment routes near Portland, Land’s End, and the Bristol Channel.
From 22:00 to 02:00 hours, a significant number of raids were plotted approaching the northeast, east, and southeast coasts. Many of these were presumed to be minelaying operations, particularly in the Thames Estuary, the Humber, the Tyne, and off the Norfolk coast. Additional groups—believed to originate from Norway—reached as far north as Edinburgh and Drem.
Bombs were reported in multiple districts, including North Kent, South Essex, Norfolk, Kidderminster, Welshpool, Brough, and South Wales. At 22:30 hours, between fifteen and twenty high-explosive bombs fell near Manston aerodrome. Five minutes later, Margate suffered a concentrated attack, with eight bombs striking the area. One house was demolished, gas mains were ruptured, and the electrical supply was disrupted.
At 22:35 hours, Ju 88 bombers from Stab and I./KG 51 targeted the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton. The exact damage from this raid was not immediately clear. Around the same time, Luftwaffe aircraft dropped bombs on Maldon in Essex and Skipsea in East Yorkshire. The latter attack caused damage to a farm’s electricity supply. Uniquely, the ordnance dropped was described as a “supposed new type containing petrol, paraffin, and other oils.”
Just before midnight, a Dornier Do 17 was intercepted and shot down off Selsey Bill. This marked one of the first successful night interceptions by RAF night fighters and followed increasing investment in airborne interception radar. During the same night, a Blenheim Mk IF night fighter of the Fighter Interception Unit based at Tangmere achieved RAF Fighter Command’s first confirmed radar-assisted night kill, downing another Do 17 off Brighton.
Other reports came from Edinburgh, where a fire damaged storage buildings, and from Leith, where four high-explosive bombs and many incendiaries caused substantial damage to a fire station and a pressure main. A 1,000 lb bomb fell near the Albert Dock, damaging rail sidings and water mains. One person was killed and six others injured.
In one notable incident, Leutnant Hajo Herrmann of III./KG 30, flying a Ju 88 on a minelaying mission over Plymouth, struck a barrage balloon during evasive manoeuvres. Despite the impact, Herrmann managed to regain control and completed the mission, dropping two mines in the area before returning safely.
Coastal Defence and Airfield Disruption
Elsewhere, slight damage was reported to Sheerness Pier at 01:28 hours on 23 July, while bombs were also dropped at Milford Haven, Emsworth, and Cleethorpes. These did not cause casualties or major structural damage.
Manston aerodrome remained operational despite the nearby bombing, and no major installations were reported destroyed.
Unit Movements and Operational Updates
No. 804 Squadron, operating Sea Gladiators, flew its first Battle of Britain sortie from Wick under No. 13 Group’s control. Meanwhile, No. 301 (Polish) Squadron was officially formed at Bramcote, Warwickshire, with Polish personnel supported by a limited number of British supervisory officers and airmen. The unit was equipped with sixteen aircraft and marked a further integration of Polish forces into Fighter Command’s structure.
Göring’s Directive and Strategic Developments
On this same day, Göring issued a directive mandating the mining and bombardment of key British ports including Dover, Plymouth, Portland, and Portsmouth. He instructed that installations deemed necessary for future German military use should not be attacked. He emphasised small-scale attacks and ordered better integration of Luftflotte resources, signalling the increasing strategic refinement of the Luftwaffe’s operations.
German Losses:
Airmen: 6 | Aircraft: 4
British Losses:
Airmen: 1 | Aircraft: 2
Hurricane P3895, No. 85 Squadron. Aircraft destroyed.
P/O J. L. Bickerdike killed. Crashed on approach to Castle Camps satellite airfield.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Bickerdike.htm
Photo Descriptions
- Hawker Hurricane Mk I, serial unknown SO-E, of No. 145 Squadron, 1940.
- Spitfire Mk I GR-A after a landing accident at RAF Pembrey on 22 July 1940. The pilot, Sgt. Ronald H “Ronnie” Fokes, was returning from a night sortie when the port undercarriage leg collapsed. At the time, No. 92 Squadron used the code GR when based at the airfield and QJ when stationed at RAF Biggin Hill.
- Hawker Hurricane Mk I, P2923, VY-R, flown by Pilot Officer A G Lewis of No. 85 Squadron, landing at Castle Camps, RAF Debden’s satellite airfield, July 1940. This aircraft was lost in action on 25 August 1940. © IWM HU 54416