London and Southampton raided.
Night: Heavy raids on London and the Midlands.
Weather: Channel overcast. Haze in northern France and Dover Straits.
Main Activity:
In what seems in retrospect like a last convulsive spasm, the Luftwaffe pilots gave of their best. By 11 a.m. thirty of them were fighting it out with British fighters over Kent, although some managed to escape the net to attack Charing Cross bridge.
In the second phase of the day’s assault ninety minutes later. No. 602 City of Glasgow Squadron distinguished themselves by shooting down eight Messerschmitts in ten minutes. With three other squadrons No. 602 were given a tactical advantage by their positioning and height. Moreover, they were able to achieve greater success by working in pairs.
The encounter developed thus: No. 222 Squadron climbed to deliver an attack on the enemy from the rear. No. 602 attacked simultaneously from above, just as Nos. 615 and 229 Squadrons were climbing for height. Outmanoeuvred, the invaders turned for home, whereupon No. 602 gave chase and shot a further four down into the Channel.
While Luftflotte 3 were raiding Portsmouth with two groups of fifty and twelve machines, fifteen Italian BR.20 bombers and seventy-three Fiat fighters attacked Ramsgate.
By the end of the day Fighter Command had recovered its old ratio of victories and destroyed nineteen of the enemy for a loss of seven of its own machines.
Excerpt from The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood & Derek Dempster
German Losses
Airmen: 30 | Aircraft: 28
British Losses
Airmen: 5 | Aircraft: 12
Spitfire P7423, No. 19 Squadron
Sub/Lt.(FAA) A.G. Blake killed. Believed ‘picked-off’ by Bf 109 whilst acting as a ‘weaver’ during squadron patrol over south London.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/BlakeGA.htm
Hurricane P3066, No. 46 Squadron
Sgt. H.E. Black killed. Shot down in combat with Bf 109s and believed crashed in Hothfield Park near Ashford.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/BlackHE.htm
Hurricane P2720, No. 213 Squadron
P/O R.R. Hutley killed. Shot down in combat off Selsey Bill.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Hutley.htm
Hurricane V6852, No. 257 Squadron
Sgt. A.G. Girdwood killed. Caught taking-off during low level bombing attack on base by Bf 109s of II(S)/LG 2.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Girdwood.htm
Hurricane P3889, No. 310 Squadron
P/O E. Fechtner killed. Crashed near base following collision with P/O Maly during ‘wing’ patrol.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Fechtner.htm
Photo Descriptions:
- RAF personnel dismantle Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 (W.Nr. 5153), flown by Oberleutnant Egon Troha, Staffel Kapitan of 9./JG 3, and which crash-landed near Wootton Cross Roads, Shepherdswell, Kent on 29 October 1940. © IWM (HU 67698, HU 72993)
- Soldiers inspect the wreckage of Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/B (Werke Nr. 5562) of 4. (Schlacht) Staffel/Lehrgeschwader 2, shot down by Hurricanes of No. 249 Squadron following a bombing raid on North Weald airfield on 29 October 1940. The pilot, Feldwebel Hans-Joachim Rank, baled out but was badly burned and had received bullet wounds to his right thigh. He was taken to St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon, where he died of haemorrhaging and shock.
- A soldier looks intently at the wreckage of Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/B (Werke Nr. 5562) of 4. (Schlacht) Staffel/Lehrgeschwader 2, shot down by Hurricanes of No. 249 Squadron following a bombing raid on North Weald airfield on 29 October 1940.
- Gunners of ‘G’ Battery (Mercer’s Troop), Royal Horse Artillery, man a Lewis gun in a sandbagged revetment, 29 October 1940. © IWM (H 5113)