London is the main target with additional raids on Southampton and Portsmouth.
Night: London, Liverpool and Manchester are the main targets.
Weather: Mainly fair, but generally cloudy.
Enemy Action by Day
The weather across southern Britain on 1 October 1940 was generally cloudy but fair. Although visibility was moderate, the Luftwaffe maintained pressure on RAF infrastructure and coastal shipping while shifting its daylight strategy to include high-speed fighter-bomber attacks. German aircraft losses continued to rise, yet the Luftwaffe persisted with raids over southern England, now increasingly relying on the fast Jabos—Messerschmitt Bf 109s carrying light bombs—to harass targets before reverting to fighter escort roles.
Early Raids and Coastal Reconnaissance
The day began with an early strike at 06:55 hours, when two German aircraft bombed RAF Carew-Cheriton. One hangar was destroyed, two more slightly damaged, and one defence post and a hut were demolished. Two Avro Ansons were destroyed by fire, and nine unexploded bombs were reported. One RAF airman was killed and ten were injured. Shortly afterwards, isolated enemy reconnaissance sorties were plotted along the Aberdeenshire coast and over the Moray Firth between 09:00 and 13:00 hours.
Throughout the early morning, individual enemy aircraft conducted raids along the Thames Estuary and round the coast as far west as Beachy Head. At 06:13 hours, one of these aircraft flew inland from Sheppey, dropping bombs and strafing Croydon. Later in the day, between 16:30 and 17:30 hours, further reconnaissance activity was plotted off the Norfolk coast, including aerial observation of convoy movements.
Isolated Raids Across Southern England
Around 10:45 hours, twenty enemy aircraft were plotted over Swanage, Poole, and parts of inland Dorset. These aircraft were engaged by three squadrons from No. 10 Group and withdrew by 11:00 hours. A concurrent formation of fifty aircraft approached the Needles but was intercepted at sea and turned back. In western England, a single German aircraft flew from North Wales into the Bristol Channel and on toward Exeter and St. Malo. In the late afternoon, another aircraft flew from north-northwest of Land’s End toward Milford Haven.
Southampton, Portsmouth, and the Fighter-Bomber Offensive
By late morning, eighty Messerschmitt Bf 109s of JG 2 and JG 53, and thirty-two Bf 110s from ZG 26 made a coordinated sweep across the south coast, approaching Portsmouth and Southampton in two distinct waves. These Jabos carried 250-kg bombs and flew at high altitudes to evade interception. At around 10:30 hours, they were met over Swanage and the Isle of Wight by Hurricanes from No. 238 Squadron (Middle Wallop), No. 607 Squadron (Tangmere), and additional squadrons from No. 10 Group. Four Luftwaffe aircraft were confirmed destroyed, although both 238 and 607 Squadrons lost two aircraft each in the action. One Hurricane from No. 238 Squadron, flown by Flight Commander Robert Doe, successfully downed a Bf 109 by attacking from below after pulling up from a dive.
A second wave of fifty German aircraft simultaneously approached the Needles but turned back before crossing the coast when intercepted by five squadrons from No. 11 Group. Despite these efforts, the Luftwaffe claimed several victories. Hauptmann Helmut Wick of Stab I./JG 2 brought his tally to thirty-six with two Spitfires claimed, while other claims were made by Ofw. Rudolf Taschner (1./JG 2), Lt. Franz Fiby (Stab I./JG 2), Uffz. Josef Keil (8./JG 3), and Hptm. Karl-Heinz Greisert (Stab II./JG 2).
Attacks on London: Three Successive Waves
Shortly after 13:00 hours, the Luftwaffe launched the first of three main attacks against the London area. The opening wave, comprising around fifty aircraft—mainly Bf 109s and Bf 110s—crossed the coast at Dover. Thirty of these headed inland toward Maidstone and Biggin Hill. Eleven RAF squadrons were scrambled in response, including Nos. 41, 72, 92, 253, 303 (Polish), 501, 603, and 605 Squadrons. Spitfires of No. 41 Squadron and Hurricanes of No. 303 Squadron achieved successful interceptions.
Major Adolf Galland led JG 26 in escorting the Jabos. As the formation passed over Brighton, a lone Hurricane from No. 303 Squadron attacked II./JG 26 from above, shooting down Uffz. Hans Bluder of 4./JG 26, who failed to escape his aircraft. RAF losses totalled four fighters during the action.
At 14:03 hours, a second wave of approximately fifty enemy aircraft flew northwest toward Biggin Hill. A second formation of similar size followed but withdrew before engagement. Though some aircraft dropped bombs over the Romney area, most returned to France shortly after, while others maintained patrols over Kent and Surrey until 15:20 hours. Thirteen RAF squadrons were involved in intercepting these formations.
At 16:10 hours, seventy German aircraft in three waves headed toward Kenley, flying at approximately 20,000 feet. Forty approached the southeast edge of the Inner Artillery Zone before turning away. The remainder, including thirty-eight Bf 109s of II(Schlacht)./LG 2 with escort from JG 26 and JG 51, pressed on toward central London. Although RAF fighters intercepted and disrupted the formation, several aircraft managed to release their bombloads over London’s southern outskirts. Unteroffizier Garnith of 1./JG 51 was shot down during the engagement and taken prisoner after bailing out over England.
Enemy Action by Night
Enemy activity continued into the night, although on a reduced scale. The first bombers were tracked departing Le Havre and Cherbourg, crossing the Isle of Wight at 19:40 hours. Subsequent raids from Dieppe and the Somme crossed between Beachy Head and Dungeness with London as their primary target. Other formations from Cherbourg passed over Portland and scattered into the Bristol Channel, South Wales, the West Midlands, and as far north as Liverpool, Manchester, and Preston. East Anglia also experienced some penetration as far as Leicester.
A lull occurred at 21:45 hours, but renewed activity began at 23:40 when raids re-entered via the Thames Estuary. Central London experienced fresh bombing, and minelaying was suspected off the east coast. Several formations of Heinkels and Dorniers struck the capital again, while KGr 100 launched a raid on Manchester. Bristol was bombed by a lone aircraft. By 01:45 hours, Glasgow had also been targeted, though the bulk of raids remained focused on London and southeast England until operations ended at 05:28 hours.
Ground Damage and Civilian Impact
Throughout the day and night, bomb damage was reported across southern and northern England. At 06:45 hours, Bromley was bombed, followed by attacks in Camberwell, Lambeth, and Wandsworth. The Tower of London suffered minor damage at 21:18 hours, when three high explosive bombs disrupted water mains. In Tulse Hill, a fire broke out at the Telephone Exchange. In Purfleet, incendiaries caused a fire at the Anglo-American Oil Company depot.
At West Drayton, attacks on the RAF station occurred at 23:30 hours and 01:10 hours. RAF Scampton was bombed at 22:05 hours, and St Eval was hit around 23:00 hours. A bomb on the platform at Leytonstone station suspended services. Rail lines between Malden and Raynes Park were blocked by bombs at 02:35 hours, and unexploded ordnance at Shepperton and Norbiton caused service suspensions.
Further disruption was caused when the West London Extension Railway near Latchmore was damaged, and the Tottenham Line was severed by a bridge collapse. At Streatham Common, a substation was destroyed by fire. In Birkenhead, bombs struck the central district and the Mersey Tunnel entrance, killing six and injuring fifty-six. Manchester was hit between 21:30 and 22:50 hours, with more than forty fires and at least ten civilians killed. Late reports indicated bombs at Wembley’s Berisford Depot, trapping personnel.
Recognition and Innovations
The first recipients of the newly created George Cross and George Medal were announced. Among them was Thomas Hopper Alderson of Bridlington, who was honoured for his extraordinary civilian rescue work during multiple air raids. Patrick King, an air raid warden in Seaton Delaval, was similarly recognised for rescuing a blind woman trapped under a collapsed house.
On the technological front, No. 80 Signals Wing of the RAF successfully counteracted the German Knickebein radio navigation system used by Luftwaffe bombers. No. 420 Flight received its first Harrow aircraft, equipped to deploy the experimental ‘Mutton’ airborne parachute bomb—a novel device intended to disrupt enemy bomber formations using explosive-laden cables suspended from parachutes.
Final Tally
RAF Fighter Command reported the loss of seven aircraft, with corresponding Luftwaffe losses confirmed as nine. Although the scale of attacks was reduced compared to September, 1 October 1940 demonstrated that the Luftwaffe remained capable of mounting sustained pressure across both daylight and night operations. The shift toward high-speed fighter-bomber raids and increasing night raids signalled an evolving German strategy as the Battle of Britain entered its third month.
German Losses:
Airmen: 16 | Aircraft: 9
British Losses:
Airmen: 6 | Aircraft: 7
Hurricane P3599, No. 238 Squadron
Sgt. F.A. Sibley. Reported ‘Missing’ after combat with enemy fighters over Poole Harbour.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Sibley.htm
Blenheim R3626, No. 248 Squadron
Failed to return from a reconnissance operation to the Norwegian coast.
P/O C.C. Bennet. Listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/BennettCC.htm
Sgt. G.S. Clarke. Listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/ClarkeGS.htm
Sgt. G.B. Brash. Listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Brash.htm
Hurricane P2900, No. 607 Squadron
F/Lt. C.E. Bowen. Reported ‘Missing’ after combat with Bf 110s over the Isle of Wight.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/BowenCE.htm
Hurricane V6686, No. 607 Squadron
N. Brumby killed. Shot down in combat with Bf 110s over the Isle of Wight.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Brumby.htm
Photo Descriptions
- At the end of September an instruction was issued within Luftflotte 2 that each Jagdgeschwader was to fit one Gruppe with bomb racks. These fighter-bombers came over the coast at high altitude and Fighter Command found them difficult to intercept. Here German ground crew bomb up a Bf 109E (Jagdbomber) Jabo.
- The wreckage of a Messerschmitt Bf 109 of 4./JG 26, which dived vertically into the South Downs at Falmer, near Brighton on 1 October 1940. No trace was found of its pilot, Uffz Hans Bluder. Here soldiers scour the fields and pile wreckage in a convenient heap around the smashed engine ready for collection by a salvage party.