Reconnaissance and small raids in the south.

Night: Lesser raids on London.

Weather: Unsettled, rain in most districts.

Enemy Action by Day

Thursday, 12 September 1940, was marked by unsettled weather, with rain affecting much of Britain. The air war entered a period of reduced intensity, with operations largely limited to reconnaissance, scattered small raids, and probing attacks. The previous week’s heavy assaults on London and airfields had given way to a quieter phase, allowing RAF Fighter Command a brief reprieve. While the threat of invasion remained a pressing concern, particularly in light of the 7 September onslaught, the Luftwaffe’s failure to sustain pressure gave vital breathing space to damaged RAF sectors. By this date, most airfields were back to approximately 85 per cent operational capacity, though Biggin Hill remained below full strength.

Morning Reconnaissance and Limited Engagements

The day began with German reconnaissance aircraft ranging across broad sections of the country. A Ju 88 patrol was sighted near Swanage, prompting a section of Spitfires to scramble from RAF Warmwell, though the enemy aircraft disappeared into cloud cover before contact could be made. Another enemy patrol over the Humber Estuary was intercepted by Hurricanes from No. 151 Squadron (Digby), which succeeded in destroying one Ju 88 and damaging a second.

Over the North Sea and Channel approaches, British radar operators plotted multiple lone aircraft, most of them high-altitude reconnaissance flights. Fighter Command, recognising their limited threat, declined to intercept unless they approached inland targets. Around midday, small formations crossed the coast and dropped bombs on the radar station at Fairlight, though no serious damage was inflicted.

At 12:51 hours, a Ju 88 carried out a bombing run over Harrogate, dropping three high-explosive bombs in the vicinity of the Majestic Hotel. One nearby house was destroyed, water mains were severed, and fifteen civilians were injured. The aircraft escaped despite pursuit. At 14:40 hours, six high-explosive bombs and several incendiaries were dropped on Hastings, destroying two houses and badly damaging three others. The attacking aircraft then circled and opened fire on local rescue crews attempting to extract survivors from the wreckage.

Afternoon Raids and Fighter Engagements

Between 15:00 and 17:00 hours, Luftwaffe reconnaissance activity intensified, with aircraft reported over the Thames Estuary, Beachy Head, and Dungeness. Six small-scale raids approached South London, with targets around Beckenham, Battersea, and Wandsworth sustaining light damage. Earlier in the afternoon, three aircraft had been plotted crossing near Dover and tracking South London aerodromes.

Over the Channel between Start Point and Dungeness, there was a marked increase in enemy reconnaissance. One aircraft penetrated inland and attacked areas near Reading and Banbury, causing disruption to the Great Western Railway line. At 13:15 hours, Reading was bombed, damaging the GWR track. A short time later, an attack near Banbury aimed at the Northern Aluminium Company proved unsuccessful, though further railway damage was reported at Neston, Cheshire, around 21:00 hours.

Another reconnaissance aircraft was intercepted and damaged by No. 213 Squadron after attacking the Aldershot area, while a Ju 88 that approached Birmingham and Liverpool via Bournemouth was tracked but not intercepted. A separate aircraft surveyed the Salisbury Plain, likely searching for military concentrations.

In one of the day’s few successful fighter interceptions, No. 605 Squadron destroyed a Do 215 south of Cap Gris-Nez, and P/O O V Hanbury of No. 602 Squadron damaged a Do 17 over Beachy Head. Later in the afternoon, a small force of Ju 88s launched a short raid over Hampshire and Wiltshire. Hurricanes from No. 238 Squadron, operating from Middle Wallop, were scrambled to intercept.

The Death of Wing Commander J.S. Dewar

One of the most tragic events of the day was the loss of Wing Commander John S. Dewar, commanding officer of No. 213 Squadron. Taking advantage of the lull in operations, Dewar set out in Hurricane V7306 to fly from Exeter to Tangmere to visit friends. En route, he encountered enemy aircraft, and after bailing out, he was reportedly machine-gunned while descending by parachute. His body was later recovered, making him one of the few senior officers to be killed in such circumstances during the campaign.

Enemy Action by Night

Luftwaffe activity during the night of 12/13 September was lighter than on previous nights, though geographically more dispersed. Most raids were conducted by single aircraft departing from Cherbourg, Dieppe, and the Channel Islands, between 21:00 and 22:00 hours. Some approached from the west between Portland and Plymouth, penetrating inland toward South Wales, the West Midlands, and Liverpool. Others flew in from Selsey Bill and Dungeness, moving up through Sussex and Kent to target the London area.

In South London, minor bombing was reported in Battersea, Wandsworth, and Beckenham. In the Hornchurch sector, a single enemy aircraft dropped seven high-explosive bombs at 17:40 hours, with one landing near the emergency Operations Room and another overturning a vehicle tender. While civilian property was damaged, no casualties were recorded.

A particularly damaging attack occurred at Tunbridge Wells at 17:25 hours, where twelve high-explosive bombs and numerous incendiaries demolished a warehouse, a private house, and the casualty reception depot of a hospital. Fires spread to the local American Ambulance Headquarters, but were brought under control before further destruction could occur.

The heaviest night bombing focused on central and northern districts of London. Bombs fell in Aldgate, Mansion House, and Holborn, but caused only minor damage. However, one high-explosive, delayed-action bomb fell just north of St Paul’s Cathedral, posing a major threat. Two Royal Engineers—Lieutenant R. Davies and Sapper J. Wylie—successfully defused the device and became the first military personnel to be awarded the George Cross for gallantry.

In Fulham, a direct hit on the telephone exchange at 21:40 hours killed three operators and rendered the facility inoperative. At 23:10 hours, a high-explosive bomb struck a small building and water tower in Kensington, which collapsed onto the railway line at West Brompton Station, causing further disruption.

Beyond London, Liverpool was again a target, though the scale of bombing was smaller than previous nights. A high-explosive bomb fell near Wavertree Station, wrecking two houses. In Blackpool, the North Station sustained superficial damage, but rail operations were not affected.

Enemy Losses and AA Defence

Despite the reduced scale of attacks, British anti-aircraft defences continued to inflict losses. One German aircraft was reported shot down by AA guns over North London. Another was claimed by the Balloon Barrage at Newport in Monmouthshire, and a third was heavily damaged by ground fire in the West Country, last seen flying low over the sea, trailing smoke.

Only around 50 German bombers crossed the Channel during the night—far fewer than the 200–300 commonly seen in earlier raids. The Luftwaffe formations included aircraft from III./KG 51, I./KG 54, and three He 111s from III./KG 27, which targeted Liverpool. While bombs were dropped in several commercial and residential districts, no critical military or industrial facilities were hit.

Ground Damage and Casualties

Enemy bombing on 12 September caused scattered damage across Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Kent, Sussex, and parts of the Midlands and South Wales. No industrial targets of strategic importance were seriously affected. However, cumulative civilian casualties for the day were significant: 168 killed and 689 injured, with most deaths occurring in residential areas as a result of indiscriminate or poorly targeted bombing.

Despite the scale and distribution of the day’s raids, the impact remained limited. For Fighter Command, the quieter day offered further time to regroup and repair. For British civilians, the sporadic terror from above continued without pause, but without the devastating concentration seen in previous days.

German Losses:
Airmen: 14 | Aircraft: 7

British Losses:
Airmen: 1 | Aircraft: 1

Hurricane V7306, No. 213 Squadron
W/Cdr. J.S. Dewar killed. Circumstances not known. Body washed ashore at Kingston Gorse Sussex 30/9/40.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/DewarJS.htm

Photo Descriptions

1. St Thomas’s Hospital in Lambeth which was badly damaged in an air raid during September 1940. © IWM (HU 59004)
2. A late-production Spitfire Mk I (X4382) of No. 602 Squadron, flown by Pilot Officer Osgood Hanbury, photographed at Westhampnett, September 1940.
3. WAAF telephone operators in the Sector ‘G’ Operations Room at RAF Duxford, receiving reports of enemy aircraft plots from Observer Corps posts, September 1940. © IWM (CH 1404)