Heavy attack on Portland, feints by fighter formations over Dover. Convoy attacks in Thames Estuary and off East Anglia.
Night: Harassing attacks on Merseyside. Minelaying.
Weather: Fair in morning, cloudy for most of the day.
Main Activity:
At 0830 hours, seventeen Bf 110 fighter-bombers from Erprobungsgruppe 210 crossed the Channel and bombed Dover Harbour. Little damage was done but three barrage balloons were shot down by the Bf 109 escort. Spitfires of No. 74 Squadron were vectored to the scene and met Bf 109s from JG 51 head-on. One Spitfire was lost in the engagement. Meanwhile, Spitfires of No. 64 Squadron engaged Bf 109s of I/JG 2 over Bognor Regis and destroyed two German fighters for no loss.
At about 1030 hours, a large formation comprising fifty-four Ju 88s from I & III/KG 54 and twenty Heinkel He 111s of KG 27, escorted by sixty-one Bf 110s from I & II/ZG 2 and about thirty Bf 109s of III/JG 2, approached the Royal Navy base at Portland and Weymouth. Hurricanes from Nos. 1, 145, 87, 213, and 238 Squadrons along with Spitfires from Nos. 152 and 609 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept. In the ensuing combat, eighteen German aircraft were destroyed for the loss of seventeen British fighters. Two oil storage tanks at Portland were bombed and set on fire. Several ships were also damaged.
At 1148 hours, Bf 110 fighter-bombers from Erprobungsgruppe 210 and Do 17s from 9./KG 2, escorted by Bf 110s of ZG 26, attacked the convoy codenamed BOOTY off Harwich, hitting two freighters. Hurricanes of Nos. 17 and 85 Squadrons together with Spitfires of No. 74 Squadron intercepted the raid, shooting down four German aircraft and damaging several others. Three British fighters were also lost and another damaged. As the enemy aircraft withdrew, another raid comprising Do 17s from II & III/KG 2 and Ju 87s from II/StG 1 & IV/LG 1, escorted by Bf 109s of JG 26, attacked a convoy in the Thames Estuary, damaging several ships. Hurricanes of No. 111 Squadron and Spitfires of No. 74 Squadron were scrambled to intercept. A Ju 87 and Bf 109 were shot down for the loss of five Hurricanes.
German Losses
Airmen: 48 | Aircraft: 38
British Losses
Airmen: 25 | Aircraft: 28
Hurricane P2951, No. 145 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
F/O G.R. Branch. Missing in action. Believed shot down by Bf 109s off coast.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Branch.htm
Hurricane V7294, No. 145 Squadron. Aircraft crashed on Isle of Wight.
F/O A. Osterwicz. Killed. Shot down by Bf 109s off Swanage coast. Not seen to bale out.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Ostowicz.htm
Hurricane P2978, No. 238 Squadron. Aircraft lost at sea.
Sgt G. Gledhill. Killed. Shot down over Channel during combat with unknown enemy aircraft.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Gledhill.htm
Hurricane V7231, No. 87 Squadron Exeter. Crashed into sea.
F/L R.V. Jeff. Missing in action. Last seen in combat over Channel, failed to return to base.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Jeff.htm
Hurricane R4097, No. 238 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
F/L S.C. Walch. Missing in action. Shot down in combat over Channel two miles E of Weymouth
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Walch.htm
Hurricane P3885, No. 601 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O J.L. Smithers. Killed. Shot down by unknown enemy aircraft. Buried at St Marie Le Havre, France.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Smithers.htm
Hurricane P3819, No. 238 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
F/O M.L. Steborowski. Killed. Shot down by unknown enemy aircraft over Channel.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Steborowski.htm
Hurricane P3222, No. 238 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O F.N. Cawse. Killed. Shot down in combat by Bf 109 off coast.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Cawse.htm
Hurricane R4092, No. 601 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
F/O R.S. Demetriadi. Killed. Shot down by enemy aircraft over Channel. Buried at Cayeuz ser Mer, France.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Demetriadi.htm
Hurricane P3783, No. 601 Squadron. Failed to return to base.
F/O J. Gillan. Missing in action. Believed shot down over Channel during combat.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Gillan.htm
Hurricane L2057, No. 601 Squadron. Failed to return to base.
P/O W.G. Dickie. Missing in action. Last seen in combat over the Channel.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Dickie.htm
Spitfire R6614, No. 152 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O J.S.B. Jones. Killed. Shot down by Bf 109 in mid Channel. Buried at Le Havre France.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/JonesJSB.htm
Hurricane P2650, No. 213 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
F/L R.D.G. Wight. Killed. Shot down in combat with enemy aircraft. Believed buried at Cayeux sur Mer.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Wight.htm
Hurricane P3789, No. 213 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
Sgt S.I. Butterfield. Killed. Shot down by unknown enemy aircraft over Channel.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Butterfield.htm
Hurricane P3172, No. 1 Squadron. Aircraft destroyed.
P/O J.A.J. Davey. Killed. Hit by gunfire after combat with Bf 110. Attempted forced landing, aircraft burnt out.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/DaveyJAJ.htm
Spitfire R6630, No. 610 Squadron. Failed to return to base.
Sgt W.J. Neville. Missing in action. Shot down while on patrol over French coast.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Neville.htm
Spitfire R6918, No. 610 Squadron. Failed to return to base.
F/Sgt J.H. Tanner. Killed. Shot down off French coast. Buried at Calais, France.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Tanner.htm
Hurricane P3760, No. 17 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O K. Manger. Missing in action. Crashed in sea after combat with Bf 110 off Suffolk coast.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Manger.htm
Spitfire R6962, No. 74 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O D.N.E. Smith. Killed. Crashed into sea 30 miles off Harwich after combat with Bf 110.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/SmithDNE.htm
Spitfire R6757, No. 74 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O D.G. Cobden. Killed. Engaged combat with Bf 110 off Harwich, believed shot down.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Cobden.htm
Hurricane N2667, No. 56 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
Sgt R.D. Baker. Killed. Mistakenly shot down by unknown Spitfire while on convoy patrol.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/BakerRD.htm
Hurricane P3105, No. 111 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O J.H.H. Copeman. Killed. Shot down in combat with enemy aircraft over Thames Estuary.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Copeman.htm
Hurricane P3942, No. 111 Squadron. Presumed crashed into sea.
Sgt R.B. Sim. Missing in action. Failed to return after combat with Bf 109 escorts.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Sim.htm
Hurricane P3922, No. 111 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O J.W. McKenzie. Missing in action. Shot down by Bf 109 over Thames Estuary.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/McKenzieJW.htm
Hurricane P3595, No. 111 Squadron. Crashed into sea.
P/O R.R. Wilson. Missing in action. Last seen attacking Bf 109 escorts over Thames Estuary.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/WilsonRR.htm
Photo Descriptions:
- Messerschmitt Bf 110C-6 (2N+ SH) of 1./ErprGr 210. During 1940, Erprobungsgruppe 210 was the only Bf 110 unit to operate the C-6, the version that carried a 30mm MG 101 Kanone in place of the standard 2x20mm weapons.
- Oberleutnant Theodor Rossiwall of Zerstörergeschwader 26 at the cockpit of his Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter, Western France, Summer 1940. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-341-0496-33 / Folkerts / CC-BY-SA 3.0.
- Messerschmitt Bf 110C (A2+AL) of 6./ZG 2 over the south coast of Britain, 1940.
- Soldiers guarding a crash-landed Junkers Ju 88A-1 of Stab II/KG 54 at Portland Head in Dorset, shot down by a No. 213 Squadron Hurricane over Portland Harbour, 11 August 1940. The censor has obscured the background. © IWM (HU 104714)