Unsuccessful attacks on London, Thames Estuary and aircraft factories.

Night: Main target is London, including the City and West End.

Weather: Scattered showers, thundery in the east. Channel fair.

Enemy Action by Day

By 9 September, a perceptible shift in Luftwaffe strategy was underway. Following the heavy daylight raids of 7 and 8 September, Fighter Command prepared for a continuation of the assault on London rather than on airfields. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, radar stations reported little activity. This lull allowed ground crews at previously damaged airfields—such as Biggin Hill, Kenley, and Hornchurch—a brief respite to restore operations. For Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park and Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, it became clear that Luftwaffe attacks on RAF sector stations were being scaled back. The focus had now turned toward industrial and political targets, with London bearing the brunt.

Limited Enemy Activity in the Morning

Scattered reconnaissance raids were plotted over the East Coast and East Anglia during the early hours. Around 06:15 hours, a lone German aircraft attacked a British trawler 25 miles east of Lowestoft. Four additional raids followed over the East Anglian coast, with one extending inland to Bury St Edmunds and two others crossing the Lincolnshire coast. Although RAF fighters were scrambled to intercept, no enemy aircraft were brought down.

A small morning raid reached Clacton, while another formation passed over Beachy Head and turned inland, eventually dispersing over Hastings. These attacks were light and failed to inflict notable damage. The last confirmed enemy presence before the main assault came around midday, when a formation of three aircraft approached the Kent coast. RAF fighters were vectored for interception but failed to make contact.

Formations Assemble Over the Channel

From 16:05 hours, British radar stations at Foreness and Rye detected major activity over Calais and Boulogne. Park’s headquarters at Uxbridge tracked multiple large formations assembling over northern France. By 16:55 hours, some 300 aircraft had begun crossing the Channel between North Foreland and Dover. The raid comprised Heinkel He 111s, Dornier Do 17s, and Junkers Ju 88s, drawn from I./KG 2, II./KG 3, Stab/KG 4, Stab, II. and III./KG 30, and III./KG 53. These bomber formations were covered by Bf 110s of V./LG 1 and III./ZG 76, while a powerful fighter screen of Bf 109s provided close and high escort. The Jagdwaffe commitment was substantial, with formations from III./JG 2, II. and III./JG 3, all three Gruppen of JG 27, I./JG 51, the full strength of JG 53 and JG 54, as well as I./LG 2. Observers reported the presence of six four-engined bombers, likely Fw 200 Condors or captured French aircraft in special roles.

This time, many Bf 109s flew in advance of the bomber stream in an apparent effort to lure RAF squadrons into early engagement. Park instructed his controllers to withhold fighters from attacking the leading 109s, waiting instead to strike the bomber stream itself. As the bombers took a familiar route toward London, Park remarked:

“When will they ever learn… same time, same course, and the same target.”

RAF Response: Full Mobilisation

In total, twenty-four RAF squadrons were scrambled. Spitfires of Nos. 66 and 92 Squadrons were sent to patrol over South London, keeping Biggin Hill and Kenley in view. Hurricanes of Nos. 253 and 605 Squadrons, together with Spitfires of No. 222 Squadron, were tasked with protecting northern Kent, while Hurricanes of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron was vectored to cover the Tonbridge–Folkestone axis. From Tangmere, Hurricanes of No. 607 Squadron moved toward Guildford to provide a defensive screen over Surrey.

Further north, No. 12 Group committed Douglas Bader’s “Big Wing” from Duxford, including Nos. 19 (Spitfires), 242 (Hurricanes), and 310 (Czech) Squadrons (Hurricanes). Though ordered to hold station between Hornchurch and North Weald, Bader instead took the Wing west of London and climbed to 22,000 feet, aiming to intercept with the sun behind them.

The Battle Over Surrey and South London

The first major contact occurred near Guildford, where No. 607 Squadron intercepted He 111s and Do 17s, supported by Bf 109s of JG 3 and JG 26. They were joined by No. 605 Squadron. One Do 17 was confirmed destroyed by No. 607, but the squadron suffered heavy losses—six Hurricanes were shot down in their first day of combat, with three pilots killed. One No. 605 Hurricane collided with a He 111 near Alton, Hampshire, destroying both aircraft; P/O G.M. Forrester was killed. Another Hurricane was hit by crossfire, but the pilot bailed out safely.

No. 303 (Polish) Squadron, led by Flight Lieutenant John “Johnny” Kent, scrambled twelve Hurricanes and engaged Bf 109s near Tonbridge. Sgt. Frantisek and Zumbach both claimed victories, while F/Lt Kent downed a Bf 110. Frantisek also claimed a He 111, though it was awarded only as a probable; the bomber limped home with casualties aboard. Sgt. Wünsche was shot down and bailed out safely; Frantisek crash-landed unhurt, but his Hurricane was written off.

The Duxford Wing Intervenes

One bomber formation of around thirty-five aircraft reached central London from the east, prompting Nos. 222 and 242 Squadrons to engage. The German group included Do 17s and Bf 110s, with escorting Bf 109s from JG 27, JG 53, and JG 54. Pilot Officer Tim Vigors of No. 222 Squadron shot down a Bf 109 in flames, but was then shot down himself and made a crash-landing on allotments near Dartford in Spitfire X4059, with his left aileron and tailplane shot away and the glycol tank punctured.

Soon after, Bader’s Big Wing arrived over Kent and Surrey. Spitfires of No. 19 Squadron and Hurricanes of Nos. 242 and 310 Squadrons attacked Do 17s and Bf 110s, claiming 21 enemy aircraft destroyed. While the Wing had disobeyed orders, no formal complaint was filed, given their success.

Widespread Engagements and Damage

Fighting now spread across the Estuary and into South London. Nearly 300 German aircraft clashed with RAF fighters, including Hurricanes of Nos. 1, 242, 253, 303, 310, 605, and 607 Squadrons, and Spitfires of Nos. 19, 41, 66, 92, 222, 602, and 611 Squadrons. No. 92 Squadron lost three Spitfires during fighting near Biggin Hill, with the victories credited to Oblt. Gerhard Schöpfel of 9./JG 26. Few bombers reached their assigned targets. Many jettisoned their loads over fields in Kent, including near Canterbury. South London suburbs saw scattered damage and minor casualties.

Several Bf 109s were lost in the withdrawal. Among the captured Luftwaffe personnel was Oblt. Günther Bode, Adjutant of Stab I./JG 27, who force-landed near Mayfield after being hit in the radiator. His colleague, Oblt. Erwin Daig, Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 27, was brought down at Charity Farm near Parham after suffering fuel and cooling system damage. Both aircraft were recovered by the British and later exhibited. Uffz. Karl Born (7./JG 27) was killed in action.

Notable Luftwaffe Claims

Despite the RAF’s tactical victory, Luftwaffe pilots also submitted numerous claims. Major Werner Mölders (Stab./JG 51) scored his 35th victory over a Spitfire. His brother, Oblt. Viktor Mölders (2./JG 51), claimed his eighth. Double victories were credited to Lt. Eberhard Bock (3./JG 3), Oblt. Erich Woitke (6./JG 3), Oblt. Jakob Stoll (9./JG 53), Lt. Hans Götz (1./JG 54), and Oblt. Hermann-Friedrich Joppien (1./JG 51). Additional claims were submitted by Hptm. Günther Lützow, Oblt. Hans-Ekkehard Bob, and others.

Strategic Assessment

German Gruppe Headquarters issued a clear directive: “Break off task if fighter opposition is too strong.” Many formations did just that, with dozens of bombers abandoning their missions and jettisoning bombs over open country. Fighter Command losses totalled 17 aircraft, while the Luftwaffe lost 30 confirmed aircraft in the day’s engagements.

Enemy Action by Night

Beginning at 20:00 hours, Luftflotte 3 launched heavy bombing raids from Cherbourg and the Somme. The first wave crossed between Dungeness and the Isle of Wight, concentrating on the London area. Four or five separate streams of bombers maintained continuous pressure through the night. Fires raged across the City, particularly near St Paul’s Cathedral, Ludgate Hill, the Barbican, Cheapside, Cannon Street, Bow, and Southwark. Buildings near the Bank of England and Mansion House were badly damaged.

A women’s hospital was hit, causing multiple casualties. In the East End, homes and temporary shelters were destroyed. Railway lines were blocked at Broad Street and St Pancras. Fulham Power Station was set ablaze. Severe flooding struck Stoke Newington. Delayed-action bombs disrupted Battersea’s rail lines, and unexploded ordnance was found in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The Luftwaffe also struck industrial targets: the Lindley Aircraft Company and Metal Box factory at Southgate were hit, disrupting government contracts. Desoutter’s and Osram’s works reported gas pressure failures due to bomb damage.

Outside London, bombs fell in Richmond, Barnes, Purley, Kingston, Surbiton, and Wandsworth. Fulham and Chelsea suffered scattered damage. Elsewhere, raids reached Liverpool, Derby, Birmingham, and Nottingham. I./KG 27 attacked Liverpool from Tours, damaging a blast furnace at the Lancashire Steel Corporation.

From 02:30 hours, fresh bomber streams arrived via the Dutch islands and the Thames Estuary, returning via Dungeness. The last aircraft cleared the London area shortly after 04:30, and by 04:55 hours the country was quiet.

Infrastructure Damage Across the Capital

Across the capital, vital infrastructure sustained widespread damage. The Nine Elms Goods Yard and the Thames Embankment were severely hit, while a school in Stepney, repurposed as a shelter, collapsed. Fires broke out at both Madame Tussaud’s and the Natural History Museum, threatening cultural landmarks. The toll on morale was profound, yet Londoners once again took to shelters with remarkable resilience, as emergency services operated under extraordinary and unrelenting pressure.

German Losses:
Airmen: 38 | Aircraft: 30

British Losses:
Airmen: 6 | Aircraft: 17

Hurricane P2728, No. 607 Squadron
P/O G.J. Drake killed. Engaged combat with enemy aircraft and shot down over Mayfield.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/as-drakegj.htm

Hurricane L2059, No. 605 Squadron
P/O G.M. Forrester killed. Caught in enemy crossfire and collided with He 111 losing part of wing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Forrester.htm

Hurricane P3574, No. 607 Squadron
P/O S.B. Parnall killed. Shot down during combat with Do 17s and Bf 109s. Crashed at Cranbrook.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/ParnallSB.htm

Hurricane P3888, No. 310 Squadron
F/O J.E. Boulton killed. Collided with Hurricane of No. 310 Sqn during attack on enemy aircraft.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Boulton.htm

Hurricane P3117, No. 607 Squadron
P/O J.D. Lenahan killed. Shot down by Bf 109 during attack on Do 17. Crashed at Cranbrook.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Lenahan.htm

Hurricane P3087, No. 242 Squadron
P/O K.M. Sclanders killed. Shot down in combat with Do 17s and Bf 110s. Crashed at Caterham Surrey.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Sclanders.htm

Photo Descriptions

1. Messerschmitt Bf 109E3 (W.Nr. 972 “Yellow 9”) of 9./JG 54 in France, 9 September 1940.
2. The wreckage of Junkers Ju 88A-1 (W.Nr. 0274, 4D+AA) of Stab/KG 30, shot down on 9 September 1940 at Newells Farm, Nuthurst, West Sussex, where it had been substantially ‘got at’ by souvenir hunters when this photograph was taken.
3. A bus is left leaning against the side of a building in Harrington Square, near Regents Park after a German bombing raid on London in the first days of the Blitz, 9 September 1940.
4. Firemen spray water on damaged buildings, near London Bridge, in the City of London on 9 September 1940.
5. Blenheim Mark IV, R3612 BL-V, of No. 40 Squadron RAF based at Wyton, Huntingdonshire, in flight. R3612 previously served with the Photographic Development Unit. It was lost with its entire crew on 8/9 September 1940 during a night raid on invasion barges at Ostend. © IWM (CH 787)