East and south coast shipping attacked.

Night: South Wales and midlands targets. Minelaying in Thames Estuary and north-east coast Scottish coast.

Weather: Fair in most districts with Straits and Channel overcast. Low cloud dispersing during the day. Warmer.

On this day, Hitler issued Directive No. 17 ordering the Luftwaffe ‘to overpower the English Air Force with all the forces at its command, in the shortest time possible.’

Main Activity:

At about 1300 hours, Hurricanes from No. 607 Squadron and Spitfires from No. 616 Squadron were scrambled to intercept enemy bombers attacking shipping off the Yorkshire coast. A Do 17 was claimed damaged and a Ju 88 was claimed destroyed. One Spitfire was damaged by return fire but landed safely back at base.

At 1450 hours, a section of Hurricanes from No. 145 Squadron intercepted and damaged a Ju 88 in the Beachy Head area, while another section engaged and shot down an Hs 126 reconnaissance aircraft from 4.(H)/31, ten miles south of Hastings. One Hurricane was hit by return fire and crashed into the sea.

At 1512 hours, a lone Ju 88 attacked the Boulton Paul Aircraft factory at Norwich. Both the factory and nearby Thorpe railway yard were damaged. Fifteen civilians were killed and almost sixty injured during the raid.

At 1855 hours, Hurricanes of No. 242 Squadron intercepted a formation of Ju 88s from III/KG 4 attacking the convoy codenamed PILOT off the Norfolk coast. One bomber was shot down.

German Losses
Airmen: 19 | Aircraft: 13

British Losses
Airmen: 5 | Aircraft: 1

Hurricane P3155, No. 145 Squadron. Lost at sea.
Sub/Lt I.H. Kestin. Missing. Shot down by gunfire from Hs 126 and crashed into Channel.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Kestin.htm

Blenheim IV N3601, No. 236 Squadron. Aircraft destroyed.
S/L P.E. Drew and F/O B.Nokes-Cooper. Both killed. Shot down on bomber escort by ground fire.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Drew.htm
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Nokes-Cooper.htm

Blenheim IV R2774, No. 236 Squadron. Aircraft destroyed.
P/O B.M. McDonough and Sgt F.A.P.Head. Both killed. Shot down on bomber escort by ground fire.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/McDonough.htm
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/HeadFAP.htm

Photo Descriptions:

  1. No 264 Squadron’s CO, Squadron Leader Philip Hunter, leads a ‘vic’ of Defiants up from Kirton-in-Lindsey, early August 1940. © IWM (CH 885)
  2. Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 242 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, 1940. © IWM (CH 1430)