Search for shipping off Scottish and east coasts.

Night: Targets attacked in south-west. Minelaying.

Weather: Dull with occasional rain.

Main Activity:

At around 1400 hours, twelve Spitfires of No. 64 Squadron on patrol over Beachy Head were bounced by Bf 109s of 3./JG 2. One Spitfire was shot down.

At 1530 hours, six Hurricanes of No. 145 Squadron encountered and attacked a lone He 111 of Stab/KG 27. It was claimed as damaged but failed to return.

At 1600 hours, a small formation of He 111 bombers from III/KG 26, based in Stavanger, Norway, bombed the Imperial Chemical Industries factory at Ardeer, Ayrshire. One of the bombers was intercepted and shot down by Spitfires of No. 603 Squadron 25 miles east of Fraserburgh. Two survivors were seen to take to a rubber raft. One of the Spitfires was damaged by return fire but was able to return to base.

German Losses
Airmen: 15 | Aircraft: 4

British Losses
Airmen: 1 | Aircraft: 1

Spitfire K9916, No. 603 Squadron. Aircraft lost.
F/O C.D. Peel. Certified as missing. Failed to return from an operational flight.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/PeelCD.htm

Photo Descriptions:

  1. Heinkel He 111 bombers in formation. The He 111H was the mainstay of the German bomber force in 1940, with approximately 500 aircraft serving in seventeen Kampfgruppen during the Battle of Britain. © IWM (MH 6547)
  2. This photograph was issued by the Germans with a press release on 17 July 1940. The caption read: “The British even shot at the Red Cross! The Red Crosses on the fuselage and wings can be seen from a large distance. Despite this the British again shot a German rescue seaplane while trying to rescue British crew-members who made an emergency landing at (sic) high seas.”