London and Merseyside bombed.

Night: Heavy damage to London.

Weather: Bright and squally.

Enemy Action by Day

Operation Sea Lion, Germany’s intended invasion of Britain, had been indefinitely postponed the previous day, but there was no respite for the RAF or the British population. Luftwaffe attacks continued by day and intensified by night, with London bearing the brunt. Bright, squally weather provided windows of opportunity for multiple daylight raids, while an unprecedented level of night-time bombing marked the beginning of a more widespread and systematic nocturnal campaign.

Morning Probes and Initial Activity

Shortly after dawn, several single enemy aircraft were plotted crossing the southern and eastern coastlines. Between 07:00 and 08:00 hours, a lone reconnaissance aircraft entered via Shoreham and flew over London before departing the coastline at Dungeness. Around 08:00, another was sighted over Kent before also proceeding across London and out to sea. Radar tracked three additional aircraft off the coast of Dover. These approached Great Yarmouth and flew along the coast as far as Clacton before turning back eastward. At 16:40 hours, one RAF section was despatched to investigate a coastal convoy near Orfordness, but no engagement was recorded.

First Major Raid: Tilbury and Thames Estuary Attacked

At 09:00 hours, radar stations detected approximately 150 German aircraft forming up over Calais. By 09:27, the first wave—around fifty aircraft—crossed the coast near Hythe, followed shortly by a second wave of similar size. A third formation entered over North Foreland and advanced into the Thames Estuary. One group turned north-west across Kent but was intercepted and driven back toward East Kent. Another formation lingered over central Kent before splitting, with elements turning toward Herne Bay and Essex. Simultaneously, the formation over North Foreland also divided—one section was repelled, while the other continued across the Estuary toward Hornchurch.

Among the attackers were Bf 109s of II(Schlacht)/LG 2, which conducted a fighter-bomber raid on Tilbury Docks at 09:53 hours. Bombs fell on the rail triangle and nearby housing. German fighter formations, including those from JG 26, reached Maidstone before splitting into groups targeting Sheerness and the open waters of the Estuary. Fifteen RAF squadrons were scrambled, including Hurricanes of Nos. 17, 46, 73, 257, 501, and Spitfires of No. 603, but only six made contact between Maidstone and Chatham.

Park’s directive to avoid fighter-only engagements was generally observed, but combat became unavoidable when Bf 109s intercepted elements of Nos. 501 and 603 Squadrons. One Hurricane pilot was forced to bale out over Staplehurst. Pilot Officer P. Howes of No. 603 Squadron was shot down and killed when his Spitfire was attacked near Ashford. Oberleutnant Roloff von Aspern (4./JG 54) and Feldwebel Hermann Neuhoff (7./JG 53) were each credited with a Spitfire destroyed.

Midday Raids: Heavy Fighter Escort and Intense Engagements

At 12:15, further German formations concentrated over Calais. By 12:37, more than 100 aircraft crossed north of Dover and moved toward Maidstone. These were followed by two additional raids, bringing the total to over 200 aircraft. A second wave of 54 aircraft crossed at Dover by 12:45, leaving twelve circling over the Straits. By 13:00, aircraft from the earlier formations had reached London, with others stretching from Rye to the Thames Estuary.

Ju 88 bombers, escorted by more than 100 Bf 109s from JG 3, JG 26, JG 51, and JG 27, penetrated deep inland. The Stabschwarm of JG 26 engaged Hurricanes of No. 46 Squadron, and in the course of the action, Major Adolf Galland shot down three Hurricanes within twenty minutes, raising his confirmed victory total to thirty-five. Hauptmann Walter Oesau (Stab III./JG 51) downed his 28th victim near Ashford. German losses included Oberleutnant Rudolf Krafftschick (1./JG 27), missing in action; Unteroffizier Ernst Schulz (3./JG 1), who was wounded and captured, later died of his injuries; and Gefreiter Walter Glockner (9./JG 27), captured.

No. 1 (RCAF) Squadron lost one Hurricane in combat; Pilot Officer E.W.B. Beardmore baled out and sustained only minor injuries. No. 66 Squadron (Spitfires) also lost an aircraft when Sergeant D.F. Corfe was wounded and forced to crash-land at Perham. Meanwhile, Spitfires of No. 72 Squadron engaged a formation of Bf 109s over Sheerness, successfully turning them back toward Dover and the Channel. During the engagement, three Spitfires were damaged; two pilots were injured, while the third escaped unhurt.

Afternoon Assault on Port Victoria and Chatham

At 15:30 hours, radar and the Observer Corps detected renewed enemy activity assembling over Calais. Two large formations, estimated at 100–150 aircraft, crossed the coast between Dungeness and Folkestone, advancing toward Ashford and Chatham. The main bomber force consisted of Do 17s and Ju 88s of III./KG 77, with limited fighter cover.

RAF Fighter Command despatched at least ten squadrons to intercept the incoming raids. At 16:15 hours, the Medway Oil Company at Port Victoria was targeted. While the company’s main facilities escaped damage, an adjacent Admiralty fuel tank was set ablaze, though the fire was quickly brought under control. As the bomber formations advanced inland, twelve additional squadrons were scrambled, including the ‘Duxford Wing’ from No. 12 Group, which intercepted two bomber formations over the Thames near Gravesend and Northfleet.

Led by Squadron Leader Douglas Bader, Nos. 242, 310, and 19 Squadrons launched a steep diving attack, while No. 611 Squadron maintained top cover. The bombers, starkly silhouetted against the cloud base, were met with concentrated and sustained fire. The engagement quickly descended into chaos as formations broke apart and bombers scattered in all directions. Approximately sixty aircraft pressed on toward London, most releasing their payloads over the city centre. The raid began to subside by 17:30 hours. The ‘Big Wing’ claimed thirty bombers destroyed, although confirmed losses totalled nineteen.

Enemy Action by Night

At 19:55 hours, London was placed on Red Alert. Radar tracked approximately 200 aircraft approaching Dungeness—the first time such large formations were plotted at night. By 21:00, a continuous flow of bombers targeted London. Many flew from unexpected directions, with routes traced from Le Havre, Dieppe, and Dutch bases. London endured steady bombing throughout the night.

Shortly before midnight, the Thames corridor was heavily attacked. Fires restarted in buildings previously hit on earlier nights. Waves of bombers arrived in rotation. Liverpool and Manchester were also struck, with significant damage in the Merseyside docks. Isolated raids occurred across Kent, Surrey, Herefordshire, and Middlesex. Many were assessed as indiscriminate bomb drops made en route back to the Continent.

Enemy use of parachute mines increased. One landed on Westminster’s County Hall around 23:30, causing a major fire that was controlled shortly after midnight. Other notable fires occurred at Taylor’s Depository in Pimlico (30 pumps), Hackney (20 pumps), and Millwall (20 pumps). At Southall, a 30-inch coal gas main ruptured at the Gas Light & Coke Company.

Home Security Reports also noted damage to the Plessey Company Works in Ilford at 21:30 and a fire in the Cordite section of the ICI Gunpowder Factory at Waltham Holy Cross. Other incidents included unexploded HE bombs near the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield and incendiary damage at the Morgan Crucible Company in Battersea.

At 03:07 hours, London was momentarily clear, but by 03:25 fresh aircraft were detected approaching from the Le Havre/Dieppe area. A final phase of the raid developed from Ostend at 04:34. The All Clear was issued at 05:30 across the country.

The raids of 18 September inflicted significant disruption, though industrial damage was limited. Casualties included multiple civilian fatalities and injuries across Essex, Kent, and London. The Luftwaffe’s shift toward concentrated night bombing signalled a new and intensifying phase of the Blitz.

German Losses:
Airmen: 36 | Aircraft: 20

British Losses:
Airmen: 3 | Aircraft: 12

Spitfire X4323, No. 603 Squadron
P/O P. Howes killed. Shot down in combat with Bf 109s. Pilot did not bale out.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/HowesP.htm

Hurricane V7442, No. 46 Squadron
Sgt G.W. Jeffreys killed. Shot down by enemy aircraft, baled out but parachute failed to open.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Jeffreys.htm

Hurricane V6685, No. 249 Squadron
F/Lt D.G. Parnall killed. Crashed and burnt out after combat with enemy aircraft.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/ParnallDG.htm

Photo Descriptions

1. Pattern of condensation trails left by British and German aircraft after a dogfight, 18 September 1940. © IWM (H 4219)
2. Squadron Leader Douglas Bader DSO (front centre) with some of the Canadian pilots of his Squadron, 242 (Canadian) Squadron, grouped around his Hurricane fighter aircraft at Duxford, September 1940. © IWM (CH 1413)
3. Flying Officer Leonard Haines of No. 19 Squadron sits by the cockpit of his Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia at Fowlmere. On 18 September 1940, Haines shared a Ju 88 and probably destroyed a Bf 109. © IWM (CH 1373)