Convoys attacked off Suffolk. Portland harbour raided.

Night: Activity over south-west England, East Anglia, Yorkshire coast and Portsmouth.

Weather: Channel overcast. Cloud base 5,000ft, Visibility fair. Thunderstorms and bright intervals in the midlands and north.

Enemy Action by Day

The day began with scattered raids by lone Luftwaffe aircraft along the eastern coast between Yarmouth and Flamborough Head. Around 06:30 hours, several bombs were dropped inland, including on the Royal Engineer Headquarters at Melbourne in Derbyshire. Near Bridlington, an ammunition truck was hit and exploded, causing significant damage, though no confirmed casualties were reported.

At approximately 07:00 hours, a Dornier Do 17 was detected over the coast near Walton-on-the-Naze. Spitfires from No. 66 Squadron were scrambled to intercept and succeeded in damaging the bomber, which began losing altitude as it retreated across the North Sea. One of the intercepting Spitfires sustained hits from return fire.

Shortly afterwards, around 07:30 hours, a second Do 17 was intercepted off Cromer by Hurricanes of No. 242 Squadron, led by Squadron Leader Douglas Bader. The bomber was shot down into the sea after a brief engagement. The aircraft was probably a Do 17P weather reconnaissance machine from Wekusta 26, reported missing with the loss of Uffz Karl Haase and his crew. One Hurricane was lost in the combat, but the pilot parachuted safely and was rescued.

07:45–08:30 Hours: Stuka Raid on Lyme Bay Convoy

Acting under orders from General Wolfram von Richthofen, Fliegerkorps VIII commenced offensive operations at first light. At 07:00 hours, Ju 87 Stukas of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2), led by Geschwaderkommodore Oskar Dinort, took off from Cherbourg en route to strike a British coastal convoy in Lyme Bay. The dive-bombers were escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109s from Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27).

At 07:41 hours, British radar stations tracked the raid assembling over the Cotentin Peninsula. Hurricanes of No. 501 Squadron were scrambled from RAF Middle Wallop as the first line of defence. However, they were intercepted by the Bf 109 escort before they could reach the bombers. In the ensuing engagement, Sergeant F.J.P. Dixon was shot down and killed after ditching in the sea.

Spitfires of No. 609 Squadron, operating from Warmwell, arrived moments later, just as the Ju 87s began their attack dives on the convoy. The squadron divided into two sections of three aircraft: one section attacked the Stukas, while the other engaged the escort fighters. Severely outnumbered – facing odds of nearly six to one – No. 609 Squadron was unable to break up the raid and lost two pilots in the attempt. Flight Lieutenant P. H. Barran later died of his injuries after being picked up from the sea, and Pilot Officer G. T. M. Mitchell was killed; his body was later washed ashore on the Isle of Wight. Forced to withdraw, the squadron had little further impact on the engagement.

Despite the resistance, the Stukas succeeded in hitting and sinking HMS Warrior II, a 1,124-ton former steam yacht converted for naval patrol duties. One crewman was killed in the strike. However, the remainder of the convoy escaped serious damage, thanks largely to the efforts of the RAF fighters, which disrupted the formation and forced several bombers to release their loads off target.

09:00–11:00 Hours: Sporadic Activity Amid Cloud and Haze

As weather conditions over the Channel and southern England began to deteriorate, Luftwaffe activity became more sporadic. At approximately 09:15 hours, a Dornier Do 17 was intercepted and shot down off Selsey Bill by Hurricanes from No. 601 Squadron. This aircraft was probably from 2.(F)/11 and was reported to have crashed some twenty miles south of St Catherine’s Point. Elsewhere, another Do 17 carried out a reconnaissance mission over the Welsh coast. It dropped its bomb load over Swansea before returning safely to France.

Meanwhile, S/L Peter Townsend, C/O of No. 85 Squadron, was flying Hurricane P2716 (VY-K) over the Channel when he intercepted Do 17 U5+GM (“Gustav Marie”) of 4./KG 2, flown by Oberleutnant Joachim Genzow. Earlier in the sortie, it had bombed shipping at Lowestoft, dropping ten 100-lb bombs before turning south for home. Townsend inflicted serious damage, engaging the Dornier approximately twelve miles offshore; however, his own Hurricane was hit by return fire, damaging the coolant system. Townsend baled out some twenty miles off the English coast and was rescued by HM Trawler Cape Finisterre.

Despite sustaining heavy damage and wounding members of the crew, the Dornier succeeded in returning to Arras–St-Léger, where it belly-landed with its undercarriage jammed. The crew later reported numerous hits to the engines, fuel tanks, and fuselage, but no fatalities.

11:00–13:00 Hours: Main Raid on Portland

At 11:10 hours, British radar operators detected a substantial enemy formation crossing the Cherbourg Peninsula. The raid consisted of Ju 87 Stukas from III./StG 2, heavily escorted by approximately forty Messerschmitt Bf 110s of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76). Owing to the distance involved, the Luftwaffe had replaced the usual Bf 109 escorts with the longer-range Bf 110s. The main formation was not detected early enough, and the initial RAF response—Hurricanes from No. 601 Squadron—was misdirected toward a lone reconnaissance contact near Poole.

By chance, No. 601 Squadron encountered the main force head-on and immediately engaged. In the opening moments of the encounter, the Hurricanes succeeded in shooting down two Ju 87s before the escorting Bf 110s intervened. At the time, most squadrons in the Middle Wallop sector were refuelling and rearming, but six Hurricanes of No. 238 Squadron, along with elements from Nos. 87, 213, and 501 Squadrons, were hastily scrambled. Though they were too late to prevent the bombing run, which struck Portland Harbour at 11:53 hours, they contributed to the fierce dogfight that followed.

Intense aerial combat unfolded over Dorset. No. 87 Squadron attacked from altitude, with Squadron Leader John Dewar leading a dive from the sun to strike the Bf 110 of Staffelkapitän Oberleutnant Gerhard Kadow. Kadow crash-landed near Wareham and attempted to destroy his aircraft, but was shot and captured by British troops. Among the Luftwaffe losses was Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Göring—nephew of Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring—who was killed alongside his rear gunner when their Bf 110 crashed into the cliffs at Verne Citadel. In total, four Bf 110s from 9./ZG 76 were destroyed with all crews lost. Despite the heavy escort, another Ju 87 was shot down, and one more was forced to make a crash-landing due to damage. One Hurricane sustained friendly fire damage, but its pilot survived uninjured.

Damage to Portland was limited, though several merchant vessels in the harbour were struck. The British freighters SS Kylemount (704 GRT), City of Melbourne (6,630 GRT), SS Peru (6,961 GRT), and Eleanor Brooke (1,037 GRT) were all hit. The Dutch cargo vessel SS Mies (309 GRT) also suffered damage off Portland Bill.

13:00–17:30 Hours: Continued Attacks on East Coast Convoys

During the early afternoon, the Luftwaffe continued its efforts to strike at shipping along the East Coast. Several formations approached convoys off Suffolk, but persistent RAF patrols forced most bombers to jettison their loads prematurely or abandon their missions. No British ships were reported hit.

Ju 87s of III./StG 1 under Hptm Helmut Mahlke also attempted attacks but were thwarted by violent and shifting winds at lower altitude, which repeatedly disrupted dive angles and bomb aim.

A German reconnaissance aircraft was tracked flying deep inland over Aldershot, Upper Heyford, and onward toward Norfolk before turning back and escaping interception. Shortly afterward, a Heinkel He 59 seaplane, marked with Red Cross insignia, was observed operating over the Channel in company with a strong escort of twelve Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Spitfires of No. 54 Squadron, operating from RAF Hornchurch, made contact with the formation, and a sharp engagement followed. During the fighting, Pilot Officer Alan Deere of No. 54 Squadron collided with a Bf 109 and was forced to crash-land near Manston. Two Spitfires and two Messerschmitt fighters were lost in the engagement. The Heinkel He 59 was eventually destroyed over the Goodwin Sands by Pilot Officer J. L. Allen, bringing the action to a close.

17:44 Hours: Raid on Portsmouth

At 17:44 hours, a large formation of Heinkel He 111 bombers from 2./KG 55, escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 110s of ZG 76, launched a concentrated raid against Portsmouth Harbour. RAF Fighter Command scrambled Hurricanes from Nos. 601 and 145 Squadrons to intercept the incoming force, while ground-based anti-aircraft batteries also opened fire as the enemy approached.

During the ensuing dogfights, No. 601 Squadron claimed four He 111s and one Bf 110 destroyed, with additional enemy aircraft listed as probable or damaged. No. 145 Squadron reported the destruction of three more He 111s and another Bf 110. Two Hurricanes were lost in the engagement. Sergeant Arthur Woolley’s Hurricane P3681 was set alight when a bullet struck the gravity tank during an attack on He 111s over the Channel off Selsey; he bailed out, wounded and burned, and the aircraft crashed at Cranmore on the Isle of Wight. Squadron Leader John Peel of No. 145 Squadron was shot down by return fire and ditched off Selsey Bill in Hurricane P3400; he was rescued semi-conscious by the Selsey lifeboat five hours later. Of the German formation, three bombers were confirmed destroyed: one crashed inland in Sussex, another came down in the English Channel, and a third failed to return to its base at Villacoublay.

Portsmouth suffered significant damage during the raid. Bombs struck the city’s gasworks, igniting extensive fires and resulting in civilian casualties. RAF pilots reported that several German aircraft dropped bundles of metallic debris—twisted wire, shredded metal turnings, and thin plates—possibly intended to interfere with Chain Home radar signals or to disrupt the accuracy of British anti-aircraft fire.

19:13 Hours: Lone Raid Over Scotland

At 19:13 hours, a single unidentified German aircraft was tracked flying north of Glasgow before turning eastward over the Firth of Forth and vanishing out to sea. The sighting drew attention due to its resemblance to a curious radar contact logged the previous night (10–11 July), which had tracked a similar path westward before disappearing without trace.

Enemy Action by Night

After 21:00 hours, enemy activity resumed under cover of darkness. Raids struck South Wales, Somerset, Bristol, Portland, Dorchester, and Plymouth. Further attacks were recorded over Hull, Ipswich, Harrogate, Doncaster, Colchester, and Harwich, though no major damage was reported.

At 01:00 hours, nine Ju 88s of I./KG 51 struck oil tanks, searchlight positions, and AA emplacements in and around Bristol, Avonmouth, and Portishead Docks. One bomber crashed into the sea on the return leg, and another failed to make it home after crash-landing in France. Several bombs reportedly exploded in the air before reaching their targets.

RAF night fighters conducted 32 sorties but made no interceptions. Heavy cloud cover again reduced effectiveness.

Summary

Thursday, 11 July 1940 marked a clear escalation in German operations. While convoy harassment and reconnaissance continued, the coordinated raids on Portland and Portsmouth signalled growing Luftwaffe confidence. Despite this, RAF Fighter Command inflicted heavy losses—particularly on the overstretched Bf 110 Zerstörer units—and continued to blunt German attacks through well-directed fighter responses and coordinated anti-aircraft fire. The day’s engagements further exposed the Bf 110’s limitations as a close escort, a weakness that would become increasingly apparent in the weeks to come. With each passing day, the Battle of Britain moved closer to full-scale confrontation.

German Losses:
Airmen: 41 | Aircraft: 17

British Losses:
Airmen: 3 | Aircraft: 6

Hurricane P2485, No. 501 Squadron. Aircraft lost at sea.
Sgt F.J.P Dixon drowned. Hit by gunfire from Bf 109 of III/JG 27 ten miles off Portland. Baled out but search failed to find any trace of pilot.
https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/DixonFJP.htm

Spitfire L1095, No. 609 Squadron. Aircraft lost at sea.
P/O G.T.M. Mitchell drowned. Shot down in combat by Bf 109 over Channel off Portland protecting convoy. Body later washed ashore at Newport I.O.W.
https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/MitchellGTM.htm

Spitfire L1069 No. 609 Squadron. Aircraft lost at sea.
F/L P.H. Barran died of burns. Shot down in combat by Bf 109 over convoy in Channel off Portland. Baled out. Pilot was rescued but died on rescue boat.
https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Barran.htm

Photo Descriptions

1. Messerschmitt Bf 110C-4 (W.Nr: 3551 2N+EP) of 9./Zerstörergeschwader 76 lies in a field at Grange Heath, near Lulworth in Dorset, following combat over Portland at 12:10 on 11 July 1940. Surprised at 12,000 ft by Green Section of No. 238 Squadron, the aircraft force-landed after being harried by S/L John S “Johnny” Dewar of No. 87 Squadron and F/O Hugh J Riddle of No. 601 Squadron. The pilot Oberleutnant Gerhard Kadow and his gunner Gefreiter Helmut Scholz were both captured. Kadow was shot in the foot while attempting to set fire to the aircraft.
2. Military personnel inspect Messerschmitt Bf 110C-4 (W.Nr: 3551 2N+EP) of 9./Zerstörergeschwader 76 at Grange Heath, near Lulworth in Dorset.
3. RAF personnel examine the wreck of Heinkel He 111H (G1+LK) of 2./KG 55 on East Beach, Selsey in Sussex, shot down by P/O Wakeham and P/O Lord Shuttleworth of No. 145 Squadron on 11 July 1940 during a sortie to attack Portsmouth dockyards. Oblt. Schweinhagen, Ofw. Slotosch and Fw. Steiner were all captured wounded. Uffz. Mueller died on his way to hospital and Ofw. Schlueter died of his wounds the same day. © IWM (HU 72441)
4. The rear fuselage of Heinkel He 111H (G1+LK) of 2./KG 55 on East Beach, Selsey in Sussex. © IWM (HU 72440)
5. RAF personnel inspect damaged machine guns next to the wrecked tail section of Heinkel He 111H (G1+LK) of 2./KG 55 on East Beach, Selsey in Sussex.
6. The CO of No. 85 Squadron, Sqn Ldr Peter Townsend, jumps down from Hurricane Mk I P3166 VY-Q while being refuelled at Castle Camps, July 1940. On 11 July, Townsend, flying Hurricane P2716 VY-K intercepted a Dornier Do 17 of KG 2 and severely damaged the bomber, forcing it to crash land at Arras. Return fire from the Dornier hit the Hurricane coolant system and Townsend was forced to ditch 20 miles (32 km) from the English coast, being rescued by HM Trawler Cape Finisterre. © IWM (HU 104489)