Convoy off Dover raided.
Night: Activity on a reduced scale over land.
Weather: Fair all over Britain. Thames Estuary and Dover hazy.
Enemy Action by Day
Weather conditions were generally fair across Britain, with haze affecting visibility in the Thames Estuary and Dover. These ideal flying conditions allowed the Luftwaffe to resume large-scale operations after days of intermittent attacks. The principal focus remained the Dover area and convoys operating in the English Channel, with additional reconnaissance and minelaying activity extending along the East Coast and into Scotland.
07:30–08:55 Hours: Battle over Dover
Shortly after 07:00 hours, radar stations and Royal Observer Corps posts detected several Luftwaffe formations assembling around Calais. As the separate formations crossed the Channel and converged upon Dover, observers estimated the attacking force at approximately forty Ju 87 dive-bombers protected by around fifty Bf 109s.
The Stukas came from IV.(St)/LG 1 and II./StG 1, while the fighter escort included Bf 109s of II./JG 27, I. and II./JG 51 and III./JG 52. Their principal targets were Convoy CAT off Dover and the naval vessels sheltering inside the harbour.
Fighter Command scrambled eleven Spitfires of No. 41 Squadron, eight Spitfires of No. 64 Squadron, eight Hurricanes of No. 56 Squadron and eleven Hurricanes of No. 501 Squadron. The British formations reached Dover as the Stukas began their attacks at approximately 07:30 hours, and the clear morning sky was soon filled with weaving aircraft, vapour trails, anti-aircraft bursts and falling bombs.
No. 41 Squadron initially dived upon the Stukas before becoming heavily engaged with their Bf 109 escorts. Squadron Leader H.R.L. Hood claimed a Bf 109 and a Ju 87 destroyed, while Flight Lieutenant J.T. Webster claimed a Bf 109 destroyed and a Ju 87 damaged. Pilot Officer G.H. Bennions and Sergeant R.A. Carr-Lewty each claimed another Bf 109 destroyed.
No. 64 Squadron also attacked both the dive-bombers and their escorts. Squadron Leader A.R.D. MacDonell claimed a Bf 109 and a Ju 87 destroyed, together with another Messerschmitt damaged. Pilot Officer J.J. O’Meara claimed two Ju 87s destroyed and another damaged, while Flight Sergeant A.F. Laws claimed a Bf 109 probably destroyed.
The Hurricanes of No. 501 Squadron attacked the Stukas as they prepared to dive upon the harbour. Flight Lieutenant George Stoney and Pilot Officer Basil Duckenfield attacked the same Ju 87, which exploded at close range, forcing Stoney to dive sharply to avoid the wreckage. The squadron claimed four Stukas and one Bf 109 destroyed, together with several more aircraft damaged, without suffering any serious casualties.
No. 56 Squadron engaged the fighter escort. Flying Officer P.S. Weaver claimed a Bf 109 destroyed, while Flight Sergeant C.J. Cooney claimed another probably destroyed before his Hurricane P3879 was shot down and crashed into the Channel. Cooney was killed. Pilot Officer M.H. Mounsdon returned safely in the damaged Hurricane P3612.
The four RAF squadrons collectively claimed eight Ju 87s and seven Bf 109s destroyed. The German fighter pilots submitted claims for twelve Spitfires and three Hurricanes, considerably exceeding the two RAF fighters actually destroyed during the battle.
German records confirm the loss of three Ju 87s. Two aircraft of 11.(St)/LG 1 failed to return; Leutnant Josef Fürnweger, Unteroffizier Fritz Wierse, Oberleutnant Erich Kothe and Unteroffizier Waldemar Preuss were all killed. A third Stuka from II./StG 1 ditched in the Channel, although its crew was rescued. Two further Ju 87s returned damaged with wounded airmen aboard.
Two Bf 109s were also lost. Hauptmann Erwin Aichele of Stab I./JG 51 crashed near Wissant and was killed, while Feldwebel Eduard Hemmerling of 6./JG 51 was killed when his damaged fighter crashed near Calais. Two other Messerschmitts crash-landed in France, one flown by the wounded Oberleutnant Karl Preiser, Technical Officer of II./JG 27.
No. 41 Squadron suffered heavily. Flying Officer D.R. Gamblen was killed when Spitfire N3038 was shot down and crashed into the Channel. Spitfire N3100, flown by Flying Officer W.J. Scott, crashed at Manston after its undercarriage failed following the engagement, while N3264, N3113 and N3112 returned damaged. Sergeant A.E. Binham’s Spitfire R6643 of No. 64 Squadron was also damaged.
German claims during the fighting included three Spitfires credited to Oberleutnant Hermann-Friedrich Joppien of 1./JG 51. Hauptmann Horst Tietzen of 5./JG 51 claimed his eleventh victory, while Oberfeldwebel Karl Schmid, Oberfeldwebel Fritz Beeck and Feldwebel Hemmerling also submitted claims.
Despite the determined defence, several Stukas penetrated the fighter screen and attacked Dover Harbour in steep dives. Anti-aircraft batteries opened an intense barrage, while unrotated-projectile batteries fired parachuted cables into the paths of the approaching dive-bombers. At least one Stuka appeared to become entangled in the barrage, although it was impossible to establish whether the ground defences or RAF fighters had brought it down.
The Danish steamer SS Gronland, already damaged during the fighting on 25 July, was bombed and sunk in the outer harbour with the loss of nineteen members of her crew. The Royal Navy patrol yacht HMS Gulzar was also sunk, although her crew was saved.
HMS Sandhurst was struck and badly damaged, causing fires and flooding that left the depot ship settling in the harbour. A ruptured oil pipeline spread burning fuel across the water, while explosions and flying debris damaged buildings along the seafront.
12:50–14:35 Hours: Interceptions off Sandgate and Selsey Bill
Between 12:50 and 13:35 hours, six Spitfires of No. 610 Squadron intercepted a Dornier Do 17 of Stab/KG 2 north-east of Sandgate. The Dornier escaped across the Channel but force-landed at St-Inglevert with severe damage; its pilot, Leutnant Heinrich Hunger, was wounded.
Further west, nine Hurricanes of No. 145 Squadron intercepted a Ju 88 of 4./KG 76 approximately five miles south of Selsey Bill. The bomber was shot down, killing Leutnant Martin Nier, Major Walter Donaubauer, Unteroffizier Gerhard Cordes and Unteroffizier Wilhelm Peters.
Three Hurricanes of No. 85 Squadron also encountered a Dornier Do 17 of III./KG 76 off Felixstowe. Flying Officer P.P. Woods-Scawen, flying Hurricane P3150, claimed the Dornier probably destroyed, but the damaged bomber succeeded in returning to France. Oberstleutnant Adolf Genth, Gruppenkommandeur of III./KG 76, was mortally wounded during the engagement and subsequently died in hospital. Woods-Scawen’s Hurricane was also damaged but returned safely.
14:40–15:25 Hours: Heinkel Attacks off Harwich
At approximately 14:40 hours, Spitfires of No. 66 Squadron intercepted a Heinkel He 111 of 2./KG 53 east of Harwich. Flying Officer Bobby Oxspring led Pilot Officers Peter Studd and H.B. “Pickles” Pickering in a succession of attacks that left the bomber with both engines burning before it ditched in the North Sea. Leutnant Otto Kliffken and the remaining members of his crew were killed.
A second He 111, belonging to 3./KG 53, was attacked jointly by Spitfires of No. 66 Squadron and Hurricanes of No. 17 Squadron approximately thirty miles east of Harwich. The bomber was brought down in the sea, killing Unteroffizier Alexander Angermeir, Leutnant Wilhelm Schatka, Feldwebel Friedrich Prütting, Unteroffizier Ernst Jendricke and Unteroffizier Richard Kotz.
18:15 Hours: Fighter-Bomber Attack off Orfordness
At approximately 18:15 hours, eleven bomb-carrying Bf 110s of Erprobungsgruppe 210 attacked Convoy CAT north of Orfordness. The striking force comprised eight Bf 110s of 2./Erprobungsgruppe 210 and three cannon-armed Bf 110C-6s of 1./Erprobungsgruppe 210, protected by approximately thirty Bf 110 fighters of III./ZG 26.
Several RAF squadrons were scrambled, but only nine Hurricanes of No. 151 Squadron succeeded in engaging the German formation. Flying Officer K.H. Blair claimed one Bf 110 probably destroyed, while Flying Officer A.D. Forster and Pilot Officer R.M. Milne each claimed another damaged.
German records confirm that Bf 110 S9+RH of 1./Erprobungsgruppe 210 was severely damaged. Its pilot, Leutnant Erich Beudel, managed to return to St Omer despite extensive damage to the aircraft, while his radio operator, Obergefreiter Heinrich Diemer, was wounded.
Two Hurricanes of No. 151 Squadron were damaged by return fire. Milne force-landed at Rochford, while Flying Officer C.D. Whittingham brought his damaged Hurricane down at Martlesham. Although the Bf 110 pilots claimed several Hurricanes destroyed, no RAF fighter was lost during the engagement.
Pilot Officer Leon Collingridge of No. 66 Squadron crashed into the sea off Lowestoft while responding to the raid. He was rescued, but his Spitfire was lost.
19:25 Hours: Loss of HMS Delight
At 15:00 hours, the destroyer HMS Delight, commanded by Commander M. Fogg-Elliot, DSO, departed Portsmouth on passage to the Clyde. Her daylight movement through the Channel contravened standing instructions and exposed the ship to German observation. A Freya radar installation near Cherbourg detected the destroyer and reported her position to the Luftwaffe.
At 19:25 hours, twelve Ju 87s of III./StG 2, led by Gruppenkommandeur Walter Enneccerus, attacked Delight approximately twenty miles south-south-west of Portland Bill. A bomb struck the forecastle, starting a major fire that caused a secondary explosion.
The crippled destroyer attempted to reach Portland but sank later that evening. Six members of her company were killed, while the survivors were rescued by HMS Vansittart and other vessels and local craft sent to assist.
The day also brought further shipping losses to mines. The cargo vessel SS Moidart sank while carrying cement from Greenhithe to Newcastle, killing eleven members of her crew. The fishing vessel Leach’s Romance struck another mine off the East Sussex coast and sank with the loss of all four men aboard.
12:01 Hours: Fighting off Aberdeen
Two German raids approached Aberdeen during the morning. At 12:01 hours, three Spitfires of No. 603 Squadron intercepted a He 111 approximately twelve miles east of the city. Sergeant J.R. Caister damaged the bomber before it climbed into cloud and escaped.
Coastal Command over the Bay of Biscay
Shortly after 07:00 hours, Sunderland P9602 of No. 10 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, encountered a Dornier Do 18 approximately ninety miles west of Brest while flying to Gibraltar. The Sunderland’s crew believed that they had damaged the German flying boat, but Leading Aircraftman George Booth was wounded in the thigh and chest by return fire. The damaged Sunderland abandoned its journey and returned safely to Britain.
Enemy Action by Night
After nightfall, Luftwaffe operations shifted to minelaying along the East Coast, particularly in the Dover, Thames Estuary, and Harwich areas. Seaplanes were reported by Observer Corps posts. Nine small-scale raids approached the coast between Scarborough and St. Abb’s Head, laying mines from Hartlepool to the Firth of Forth.
Bombs were dropped at Brigg, Gileston near St Athan, east of Highbridge and at Acklington. Sixteen bombs also fell near Norwich.
At approximately 00:10 hours, Ju 88 5J+ER of 7./KG 4 crashed and exploded near Great Barton, north-east of Bury St Edmunds. The cause remains uncertain, although light anti-aircraft fire or mechanical failure may have been responsible. Unteroffizier Fritz Krause, Unteroffizier Willi Böhlke, Unteroffizier Bruno Glaser and Unteroffizier Johannes Berlage were killed.
At approximately 02:00 hours, Heinkel He 111P G1+CS of 8./KG 55 was struck by anti-aircraft fire during an attack on the Bristol Aeroplane Company works at Filton. The crew abandoned the aircraft before it crashed at Fullers Lane, East Woodhay, near Newbury.
Feldwebel Theodor Metzner, Feldwebel Josef Markl, Unteroffizier Kurt Böker, Gefreiter Ernst Ostheimer and Gefreiter Heinz Morgenthal all survived. Four were captured within forty-eight hours, while Markl avoided capture for approximately a week before being detained in Newbury.
German Losses:
Airmen: 25 | Aircraft: 11
British Losses:
Airmen: 3 | Aircraft: 6
Spitfire N3038, No. 41 Squadron. Aircraft Lost.
F/O D.R. Gamblen missing. Disappeared over Dover.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Gamblen.htm
Hurricane L1955 , No. 43 Squadron. Crashed and burnt out.
P/O K.C. Campbell killed.
Hurricane P3879, No. 56 Squadron. Crashed and exploded in the Channel off Dover.
F/Sgt C.J. Cooney killed. Shot down by Bf 109.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Cooney.htm
Photo Descriptions
- Dover Harbour under air attack by Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers on 29 July 1940.
- HMS Sandhurst burning in Dover Harbour on 29 July 1940 after being bombed. Alongside is the broken wreck of HMS Codrington.
- Pilots of ‘B’ Flight, No. 32 Squadron relax on the grass at RAF Hawkinge in front of Hurricane Mk I P3522, GZ-V, 29 July 1940. From left to right: Pilot Officer R F Smythe; Pilot Officer K R Gillman; Pilot Officer J E Procter; Flight Lieutenant P M Brothers; Pilot Officer D H Grice; Pilot Officer P M Gardner and Pilot Officer A F Eckford. All survived the war except Keith Gillman who was posted missing 25 August 1940. © IWM (HU 54418)
- Three Hurricanes of No. 32 Squadron taxying for take-off at Hawkinge, 29 July 1940. The centre aircraft is N2459, normally flown by Pilot Officer ‘Grubby’ Grice. © IWM (HU 69116)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk I P3522 of No. 32 Squadron, flown by Pilot Officer Rupert Smythe, taxying at Hawkinge, 29 July 1940. © IWM (HU 54417)
- Spitfire pilots of No. 610 Squadron relaxing between sorties at ‘A’ Flight dispersal at Hawkinge, 29 July 1940. © IWM (HU 1062)
- The Bf 109E flown by Hauptmann Erwin Aichele of Stab I./JG 51, which crashed in France following the fighting over Dover on 29 July 1940.