Reconnaissance along the south coast and Bristol Channel.
Night: Little activity.
Weather: Fair to fine early. Cloudy with bright intervals at midday, clearing in the evening.
Enemy Action by Day
Luftwaffe activity on 4 August 1940 remained relatively limited, likely restrained by weather conditions affecting both the Channel and northern France. During daylight hours, German aircraft conducted a number of reconnaissance flights, focusing primarily on the south coast, the Isle of Wight, and the Bristol Channel. These missions appeared aimed at observing convoy movements, weather conditions, and RAF responses.
A convoy was anchored in St Helen’s Roads, Isle of Wight, due to dense fog, likely drawing the attention of multiple Luftwaffe patrols. Four separate raids approached the convoy during the day, but all turned back upon the arrival of RAF fighter patrols. Interceptions were attempted, but visibility and low cloud hampered effective engagements. The Observer Corps reported that at least one raid over the Isle of Wight may have been intercepted, although there is no record of an engagement.
Two further raids crossed the southern coast during the day. One passed inland near Poole, tracked over Southampton, and exited to sea again over Portsmouth. The second entered near Bournemouth, flew over Middle Wallop and Upavon, and exited over Poole, fading out in the direction of the Baie de la Seine.
Enemy incursions on the east coast were few. At 14:46 hours, a single aircraft was plotted off Whitby, flying inland over Thornaby, then back out to sea over Flamborough Head, where it passed above a convoy before fading. Elsewhere, only four raids were reported along the southeast coast, including brief appearances off Pevensey and Dover, but none penetrated inland.
Further north, three raids were plotted—two likely being Zenit meteorological flights. One reconnaissance flight, potentially by a Heinkel He 111, approached to within 15 miles of Kinnaird’s Head before turning back. Off the West Country, six reconnaissance tracks crossed Cornwall toward the Bristol Channel and South Wales, with five more flights probing shipping lanes along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall.
One unidentified enemy aircraft loitered between 70 and 100 miles northeast of Dunkery Beacon, flying on various courses in what appeared to be a prolonged search or reporting patrol.
RAF fighter patrols were scrambled several times in response to coastal sightings, but again, the weather hindered most interception efforts. No confirmed combats were recorded during the day.
At 13:00 hours, Middle Wallop Sector officially came under the command of No. 10 Group, as part of Fighter Command’s ongoing structural adjustments. With this change, No. 238 Squadron (Hurricanes), No. 604 Squadron (Blenheims), and Nos. 152 and 609 Squadrons (Spitfires) came under No. 10 Group operational control.
A tragic loss occurred during a routine training exercise. Sergeant J.P. Walsh of No. 616 Squadron was killed near Kirton in Lindsey when his Spitfire, N3271, entered an unrecoverable spin from 5,000 feet during a practice dogfight. The cause remains unknown. Walsh was only 20 years old and is buried in Harrow Cemetery, Middlesex.
Enemy Action by Night
Fog settled heavily across southern England overnight, significantly limiting Luftwaffe operations. Fewer than six raids were plotted, with the majority being small, single-aircraft flights.
At around 23:00 hours, two raids crossed the coast near Immingham, triggering air raid warnings over Hull and Grimsby. Simultaneously, two further aircraft passed inland over Harwich, tracking northwest into the Midlands as far as Derby, then returning via London and exiting over the Kent coast.
A third raider flew into East Anglia, seemingly in search of RAF aerodromes near Cambridge, though no bomb damage was reported. At 00:14 hours, a bomb struck the military camp at Kennett, Cambridgeshire, killing one soldier and injuring twelve others.
Despite the reduced activity, widespread concern was caused by the renewed German leaflet campaign. Propaganda packets containing Hitler’s 19 July “Appeal to Reason” speech were dropped at various locations across Wales, Yorkshire, and the West Country, including Langstone, Raglan, Glais, Helmsley, Wass, Elan Valley, Clydach, Rogerstone, and Christchurch (Monmouthshire).
German Losses:
Airmen: 2 | Aircraft: 2
British Losses:
Airmen: 1 | Aircraft: 1
Spitfire N3271, No. 616 Squadron. Aircraft destroyed.
Sgt J.P. Walsh. Killed. Spun out of control from 5,000 ft during combat practice.
Photo Description
- A Junkers Ju 88 bomber, Channel Islands, 1940. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-402-0270-05A / Bachor / CC-BY-SA 3.0.