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.

Main Activity:

Shortly after 0700 hours, ten Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers from IV/LG 1, escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109s from III/JG 27, set out to attack a convoy passing through Lympne Bay. Three Hurricanes from No. 501 Squadron moved to intercept the Stukas but were ambushed by the escorting Bf 109s, resulting in the loss of one Hurricane. Moments later, six Spitfires from No. 609 Squadron, scrambled from Warmwell, arrived over the convoy just as the Stukas commenced their dive-bombing runs. Despite being heavily outnumbered at odds of 6:1, the Spitfires engaged valiantly but lost two aircraft. Remarkably, the convoy emerged unscathed, with no ships struck during the attack.

At 1100 hours, a second wave of Ju 87 Stukas, this time from StG 2 and escorted by Bf 110s from III/ZG 76, launched an assault on the convoy. Eighteen Hurricanes from Nos. 87, 238, 501, and 601 Squadrons scrambled to intercept the formation and met the enemy over Portland. In the ensuing battle, RAF pilots shot down four Bf 110s and two Ju 87s, while another Ju 87 sustained damage and was forced to land at St-Inglevert. Despite the RAF’s efforts, the convoy suffered a loss when the 530-ton patrol vessel HMS Warrior II was sunk.

Later, at 1715 hours, twelve Heinkel He 111 bombers from KG 51 and KG 55, accompanied by twelve Bf 110s from III/ZG 76, approached Portsmouth. Hurricanes from Nos. 601 and 145 Squadrons intercepted the formation, managing to shoot down three He 111s. However, two Hurricanes were lost, including one accidentally hit by friendly anti-aircraft fire. Several He 111s managed to evade the RAF fighters and bombed Portsmouth dockyard, sinking three barges and damaging the French destroyer Savorgnan de Brazza. Bombs also struck the city, tragically killing 19 civilians and injuring 26 others.

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.
http://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.
http://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.
http://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)