Airfield attacks in two phases. Park (CinC No 11 Group) orders special cover for fighter factories.
Night: Continuous activity over southern England.
Weather: Continuing fine and warm with cloud developing later.
Main Activity:
As on previous days, the Luftwaffe effort was divided up into two major attacks, the sub-formations breaking away and heading for their targets after crossing the coast, in order to confuse the defences.
About 1000 hours raids developed over Kent heading for Croydon, Biggin Hill and Eastchurch, while others concentrated on North Weald and Lympne. Fourteen RAF squadrons joined the fight and most of the raiders were diverted before reaching their targets as occurred at Biggin Hill where No. 79 Squadron successfully intercepted.
Just after lunch radar began to track several formations over France, but many came in so high that they were missed by the Observers on the ground and were not plotted on the operations tables. The oil-tanks at Thameshaven were set on fire while Biggin Hill and Detling received further attention.
The bombers dispersed at two o’clock and swarms of Bf 109s patrolled the Channel to see them home, as German losses through being shot down into the sea were becoming too frequent to be ignored.
Excerpt from The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood & Derek Dempster
German Losses
Airmen: 36 | Aircraft: 27
British Losses
Airmen: 8 | Aircraft: 20
Spitfire P9432, No. 19 Squadron
S/L P.C. Pinkham killed. Shot down by Bf 109 while in combat over Channel. Pilot went down with aircraft.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Pinkham.htm
Spitfire N3093, No. 72 Squadron
Sgt M. Gray killed. Crashed after combat with Bf 109s. Aircraft seen to crash into Eltham Park Wood.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/GrayM.htm
Spitfire X4013, No. 72 Squadron
P/O D.C. Winter killed. Shot down by Bf 109 and tried to abandon aircraft at too low an altitude.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/WinterDC.htm
Spitfire R6635, No. 41 Squadron
F/L J.T. Webster killed. Collided with P9428. Pilot baled out but killed. Aircraft crashed at Laindon, Essex.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/WebsterJT.htm
Spitfire P9428, No. 41 Squadron
S/L H.R.L. Hood listed as missing. Collided with R6635. Aircraft disintegrated over Wickford.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Hood.htm
Hurricane P3234, No. 73 Squadron
Sgt A.L. McNey listed as missing. Shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed at North Fambridge.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/McNay.htm
Spitfire R6885, No. 66 Squadron
F/O P.J.C. King killed. Shot down by Bf 109s. Pilot baled out but parachute failed to open.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/KingPJC.htm
Photo Descriptions:
- Interior of the Sector ‘G’ Operations Room at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, September 1940. The callsigns of fighter squadrons controlled by this Sector can be seen on the wall behind the operator sitting third from left. The Controller is sitting fifth from the left, and on the extreme right, behind the Army Liaison Officer, are the R/T operators in direct touch with the aircraft. © IWM (CH 1401)
- Two Royal Air Force sergeant aircrew inspect the fuselage of Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 (W.Nr 1480), piloted by Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the adjutant of II/JG3 “Udet”, which crash-landed on 5 September 1940 at Winchet Hill, near Marden in Kent. © IWM (HU 73426)
- A sergeant air gunner inspects the ‘kills’ painted on the tail fin of shot-down Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 (W.Nr 1480) in an RAF hangar. This was the aircraft piloted by Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the adjutant of II/JG3 “Udet”, which crash-landed on 5 September 1940 at Winchet Hill, near Marden in Kent. © IWM (HU 106341)
- An RNVR officer of the Medway River Patrol inspects the wreckage of a Spitfire that came down on mudflats in early September 1940. Although not positively identified, the aircraft may have been a No. 66 Squadron machine, shot down by Bf 109s over the Medway on 5 September. Pilot Officer P. King baled out, but his parachute failed to open. © IWM (A 704)