Quiet.
Night: Limited attack on London by single aircraft.
Weather: Fog widespread in Germany and France. Wet and misty night.
Enemy Action by Day
Wednesday, 16 October 1940, marked a day of reduced but persistent Luftwaffe pressure on the United Kingdom, constrained in scale by widespread fog and poor visibility across occupied Europe. While large-scale attacks were largely prevented during daylight hours, several small formations of bomb-carrying Bf 109s and reconnaissance flights crossed the Channel into southeast England. Fighter Command remained on high alert throughout the day, and scattered air combat continued, particularly over Kent and East London.
By nightfall, Luftwaffe bomber activity surged once more, with concentrated bombing raids across London and major urban centres including Birmingham, Liverpool, South Wales, and as far north as Perth. Though not the most destructive night of the campaign, the raids introduced a new type of light, high-penetration bomb and continued to test Britain’s civil defences and infrastructure.
Daylight Operations: Fighter-Bomber Raids and Airfield Attacks
The first Luftwaffe action of the day began shortly after 08:00 hours, when two waves of Bf 109 fighter-bombers crossed from the Pas-de-Calais into Kent. The first wave targeted the southern outskirts of London, particularly the Biggin Hill and Kenley areas. The second formation came inland over Dungeness, making for East London. Despite limited visibility, RAF Fighter Command scrambled in response. Spitfires from Nos. 41 and 92 Squadrons and Hurricanes from Nos. 229, 253, 501, and 605 Squadrons engaged the attackers in a series of running battles over Kent and the Thames Estuary. These brief but intense dogfights forced several Messerschmitts to jettison their bomb loads early, limiting the impact on urban targets.
At 11:30 hours, another wave of Bf 109s crossed the Kent coast, heading for Hornchurch, Gravesend, and the surrounding areas of the Thames Estuary. These were met by Hurricanes from Nos. 46, 253, 257, and 501 Squadrons, along with Spitfires of Nos. 66 and 92 Squadrons. Though a handful of enemy aircraft penetrated toward East London, RAF interception was largely successful. One enemy aircraft was damaged near Ashford. RAF losses were limited to one fighter lost in combat, though the pilot survived.
Meanwhile, at 07:21 hours, RAF Ternhill in Shropshire was bombed by a small formation, likely Heinkel He 111s operating under poor visibility. The raid destroyed one hangar, damaged two others, and severely affected adjacent buildings. Eight Avro Ansons were destroyed on the ground, along with two Bristol Blenheims damaged. Five casualties were reported, including one seriously injured civilian.
Further south, Southampton and the Isle of Wight came under attack by a mixed formation of He 111s, Bf 110s, and Bf 109s. These raids were intercepted over Christchurch and Swanage by Hurricanes of Nos. 145 and 213 Squadrons, scrambled from Tangmere. Engagements over the Channel and coastal waters continued throughout the morning.
Later that day, off the coast near Falmouth, Ju 88s were intercepted as they approached from the southwest. Spitfires from No. 234 Squadron, scrambled from RAF St. Eval, and Hurricanes of No. 601 Squadron from Exeter engaged the enemy, disrupting the raid. While no confirmed losses were recorded, the enemy formation was forced to abort its bombing mission prematurely.
At approximately 16:00 hours, a final pair of raids crossed Kent, involving He 111s escorted by Bf 109s. Targets included railway lines in the Ashford area and sites in East London. Spitfires from Nos. 92 and 222 Squadrons intercepted part of the force, successfully engaging several enemy aircraft before they returned to France. Bombs were dropped on the Ashford rail junction, though the extent of damage was not immediately clear.
RAF Station Damage and Domestic Impact
Aside from RAF Ternhill, other RAF installations also came under pressure. At 03:00 hours, North Weald was bombed with a mixture of high-explosive, incendiary, and oil bombs. An unexploded bomb (UXB) was left near the Cable and Wireless station east of the airfield, forcing temporary landing restrictions. No direct damage to station buildings was reported.
Isolated reconnaissance flights and single-aircraft raids occurred throughout the day over the South and East Coasts, into East Anglia, and as far north as Arbroath and Liverpool. An interception attempt near Arbroath failed due to poor visibility.
Enemy Action by Night
After dark, the Luftwaffe resumed widespread night bombing operations despite lingering mist and rain. Beginning around 18:30 hours, raids originated from Luftflotte 2 and Luftflotte 3 airfields in Holland and northern France, with more than 200 aircraft penetrating British airspace between 19:00 and midnight.
Between 19:00 and 21:00 hours, bombers from the Dutch coast entered via the Thames Estuary and approached London from the north. Other formations, likely from the Somme and Baie de la Seine regions, crossed the coast near Beachy Head and Shoreham. Raids from Cherbourg reached as far as Bristol, South Wales, the Midlands, and Liverpool. Two aircraft crashed around 19:30 hours under unknown circumstances—one near Bishops Stortford, the other near Denbigh.
From 21:00 to 23:00 hours, activity intensified. More raids approached London from East Anglia, with some aircraft suspected of minelaying off Harwich. A single bomber from Norway or Denmark crossed near Leuchars, circled Perth, and returned via Montrose.
After 23:00 hours, the number of incoming raids decreased, but the capital remained under pressure. From 01:00 to 05:00 hours on 17 October, a few isolated aircraft continued to approach London. By 06:00, only three enemy tracks remained, all departing eastward from the Inner Artillery Zone.
Damage Assessments and Civilian Impact
While not as devastating as earlier raids, the bombing of London and regional targets caused significant disruption. In central London, the Great Western Railway Goods Depot at Lambeth was struck by a new type of high-penetration, lightweight explosive bomb. These weapons caused low-level fragmentation damage and fires, combining high-explosive and incendiary effects. In Dagenham, multiple fires broke out at the Ford Motor Works, Mays & Baker, Briggs Motor Bodies, and Pritchard Gold & EPS Company. Gas supply interruption forced the Non-Ferrous Die Casting Company to cease production.
At Ritchings Park, the Air Ministry Intelligence Section suffered structural damage from a mine, with a second unexploded device reported nearby. In North London, an unexploded high-explosive bomb embedded in the Caledonian Market slaughterhouses threatened to cripple meat distribution across the region.
Enemy aircraft strafed residential areas in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, and machine-gunned a goods train at Yockleton near Shrewsbury. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Bomb damage disrupted rail and road traffic across London and the suburbs. Transport was suspended or diverted in St Pancras, Crayford, Chadwell Heath, Sutton, Wimbledon, and East Ham, where an unexploded bomb was found at Beckton Gas Works.
Morale, Strategy, and Notable Developments
Though the Luftwaffe continued to launch raids, internal morale among German airmen was visibly eroding. Oberleutnant Siegfried Bethke of JG 2 recorded growing disillusionment in his diary, noting that “important things did not happen” and expressing doubt about Göring’s repeated claims that the RAF was near collapse.
Luftwaffe pilot Ulrich Steinhilper—shot down later in the month—would later reflect that the psychological and operational toll of sustained combat had broken the back and spirit of the Luftwaffe in Britain.
At home, rumours persisted among the British public of a failed German invasion attempt earlier in the summer, fuelled by alleged sightings of bodies washed ashore along the south coast. While no credible evidence supported these claims, such speculation reflected the psychological undercurrents of a nation under siege.
German Losses:
Airmen: 34 | Aircraft: 15
British Losses:
Airmen: 2 | Aircraft: 3
Spitfire R6714, No. 65 Squadron
Sgt. I. Pearson killed. Crashed following flying accident over Gateside.
Hurricane P3143, No. 310 Squadron
Sgt. S.J. Chalupa killed. Crashed near Ely during routine training flight. Cause unknown.
http://bbm.org.uk/airmen/Chalupa.htm
Photo Descriptions:
- The remains of Morley College on the Westminster Bridge Road in Central London, destroyed by a 1,000kg high-explosive bomb at 7.55pm on the night of 15 October 1940. The college was being used as a rest centre for people who had been bombed out of their homes. Nearly 300 people were taking refuge when the high-explosive bomb fell on the main building, ripping it apart. Of the 194 people known to have been in the building, 84 came out unhurt, 55 were killed, and 54 were sent to hospital, two of whom later died. More may have been buried under the debris, their bodies never recovered.
- Handley Page Hampden of No. 61 Squadron at Hemswell, starting engines before a raid, 16 October 1940. © IWM (HU 104632)
- Hampden bomber crews of No. 61 Squadron at Hemswell putting on flying kit, 16 October 1940. © IWM (HU 104630)
- Handley Page Hampdens of No. 61 Squadron at Hemswell prepare to take off on a raid, 16 October 1940. © IWM (HU 104631)