Dover, Folkestone and airfields in Kent and Essex attacked. Lesser raids in the Solent.
Night: Widespread raids, Industrial areas and airfields the main targets.
Weather: Mainly cloudy but dry. Brighter in the south.
Enemy Action by Day
From first light, reconnaissance patrols by the Luftwaffe were detected along the Kent and Sussex coasts. Although 11 Group initially assessed these flights as photographic missions, by late morning it became clear that major operations were underway.
First Wave: Kent and the South-East (1137–1250 hours)
At 1137 hours, five large raids totalling approximately 150 aircraft, including bombers and fighters from Luftflotte 2, were detected approaching from Lille. The force targeted East Kent, with additional strikes inland on Biggin Hill and Kenley.
RAF Fighter Command scrambled around 70 fighters, including Spitfires from No. 616 Squadron, which were caught at a disadvantage. Seven of their aircraft were destroyed, with two pilots killed and five others crash-landing or bailing out. Notable Luftwaffe pilots such as Kommodore Werner Mölders and Hauptmann Josef Fözö of JG 51 claimed multiple kills in this engagement.
No. 264 Squadron (Defiants) attempted to intercept Do 17s from KG 3 near Herne Bay. Despite assembling in battle formation, the squadron was overwhelmed by Bf 109s. All the Defiants were shot down, but not before they managed to destroy six Dorniers and one fighter. The bombers struck Dover, Folkestone, Margate, and Broadstairs, and some continued to attack Biggin Hill and Kenley before being turned back by persistent RAF resistance.
By 1250 hours, the German formation had dispersed and begun withdrawing across the Channel.
Second Wave: Essex, Thames Estuary and Debden (From 1300 hours)
Shortly after 1300 hours, eight additional raids were detected assembling near Lille. These included 78 Do 17s of II./KG 2 and III./KG 3, escorted by approximately 120 Bf 110s and Bf 109s from ZG 26, ZG 76, JG 3 and other units. They advanced in two main streams – one curving up past the Thames Estuary toward Harwich, the other following the Thames directly.
Ten RAF squadrons were scrambled. Among the first to engage were RAF No. 310 Squadron (Czechoslovak pilots) from Duxford, RAF No. 56 Squadron (North Weald), and RAF No. 111 Squadron (Debden). Fierce fighting took place over Clacton and Colchester, with RAF fighters claiming several Bf 109s and Bf 110s. Despite losses, some Dorniers broke through and bombed Debden airfield, causing significant structural damage and six fatalities.
No. 1 (RCAF) Squadron (Northolt) fought its first engagement with 11 Group. One of its pilots, Flying Officer R.L. Edwards, was killed during the attack on Debden – the first Canadian fighter pilot serving in a Canadian squadron to die in the war. His CO, S/L E. McNab, was seriously wounded but survived.
Simultaneously, No. 85 Squadron (Croydon) and No. 615 Squadron (Kenley) intercepted another stream of bombers over the Thames. P/O G. Allard of 85 Squadron downed a Dornier which belly-landed at Rochford aerodrome. British fighters continued to harass the enemy back across the Channel.
Third Wave: Portsmouth and Southampton (from 1600 hours)
In the afternoon, the final large-scale operation was launched by Luftflotte 3, consisting of around 50 He 111 bombers from I. and II./KG 55, escorted by over 100 fighters including Bf 109s and Bf 110s from JG 2, JG 27, and JG 53. The formation skirted the Isle of Wight and advanced toward Portsmouth at 15,000 feet.
Due to miscommunication, British fighter squadrons were initially out of position. However, No. 43 Squadron (Tangmere), No. 602 Squadron (Westhampnett), No. 234 Squadron (Middle Wallop), No. 152 Squadron (Warmwell), and No. 213 Squadron (Exeter) were dispatched. Despite worsening weather, RAF fighters managed to break up the formation.
Three Heinkels were destroyed, and many others jettisoned their bomb loads over the Channel. However, Portsmouth suffered severe damage. The destroyer HMS Acheron had her stern blown off; two ratings were killed. HMS Bulldog, moored nearby, sustained splinter damage that fatally wounded her commanding officer, Commander J.P. Wisden. Fort Cumberland was destroyed, Hilsea gasworks was set ablaze, and HMS Vernon (the Royal Navy’s torpedo school) was badly damaged.
Notable aerial victories included Oblt. Werner Machold of 1./JG 2 claiming his thirteenth kill, while JG 53 lost multiple aircraft and pilots over the Channel. An He 59 rescue seaplane attempting to locate downed pilots south of the Isle of Wight was intercepted and shot down.
Enemy Action by Night
Beginning at 2125 hours and continuing past 0300, the Luftwaffe launched sustained night raids. London remained under red alert for hours as German bombers flew a direct path from Beachy Head to Birmingham and Coventry. These cities suffered significant bombing, with further attacks reported across the Midlands, Bristol, Devon, and South Wales.
Additional enemy activity occurred over the North East, targeting Newcastle and Middlesbrough, while East Anglia saw suspected minelaying by aircraft from the Dutch coast. Similar activity was observed off Plymouth, Tyne, Whitby, the Orkneys, and Kinnaird’s Head, where a convoy was attacked.
German Losses:
Airmen: 44 | Aircraft: 42
British Losses:
Airmen: 7 | Aircraft: 29
Spitfire R6633, No. 616 Squadron
Sgt. M. Ridley killed. Hit by gunfire from Bf 109 over Kent coast. Crashed near town.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Ridley.htm
Spitfire N3275, No. 616 Squadron
F/O G.E. Moberley killed. Shot down over Channel by B109. Pilot did not bale out of aircraft.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Moberly.htm
Defiant L6985, No. 264 Squadron
Sgt. B. Baker listed as missing. Crashed into Thames Estuary after hit by gunfire from Bf 109. Pilot safe.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/BakerB.htm
Defiant L7025, No. 264 Squadron
Sgt. W. Maxwell listed as missing. Crashed into Thames Estuary after hit by gunfire from Bf 109. Pilot safe.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/MaxwellW.htm
Spitfire R6595, No. 610 Squadron
P/O F.K. Webster killed. Badly damaged by Bf 109. Crashed in flames attempting to land at Hawkinge.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/WebsterFK.htm
Hurricane P3874, No. 1 (RCAF) Squadron
F/O R.L. Edwards killed. Shot down by gunfire from Do 17 during attack on Debden Airfield.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/EdwardsRL.htm
Photo Descriptions
- A Wellington bomber and crews of No. 149 Squadron after their return from Bomber Command’s first attack on Berlin on the night of 25-26 August 1940. © IWM (HU 104669)
- German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels inspects a bomb damaged street in Berlin following the first RAF raid on the city. © IWM
- RAF personnel examine bullet holes in the cockpit of Heinkel He 111P (Werke Nr. 2124 G1+DM) of 4 Staffel./Kampfgeschwader 55, shot down by Sgt B. E. P. Whall of No. 602 Squadron during an attack on Portsmouth Harbour on 26 August 1940.
- Heinkel He 111P (Werke Nr. 2124 G1+DM) of 4 Staffel./Kampfgeschwader 55, shot down by Sgt B. E. P. Whall of No. 602 Squadron during an attack on Portsmouth Harbour on 26 August 1940.
- Sergeant Cyril Frederick Babbage of No. 602 Squadron makes land by Bognor Regis Pier in West Sussex after bailing out of his Spitfire Mk I (X4188) LO-M from RAF Westhampnett on 26 August 1940. Picked up by local fishermen, he was sent to the local hospital. Babbage had downed a Bf 109 over Selsey Bill before being shot down.
- Two crew members of Bristol Blenheim Mark IV, R3811 ‘BL-G’, of No. 40 Squadron RAF enjoy the fresh air while waiting to take off from Wyton, Cambridgeshire. On 26 August 1940, R3811 failed to return from a night intruder sortie over Querqueville and Maupertus airfields in France, all the crew being killed. © IWM CH 717