Fighter sweeps on south-east London and Biggin Hill.
Night: London once again is the main target. Manchester, Usworth and Aberdeen also raided.
Weather: Blue skies during the day with cloud building up later.
Main Activity:
The first warning came through at 8.30 a.m. when aircraft of Luftflotte 2 began to mass over Cap Gris Nez. Climbing to between 20,000 and 30,000 feet the German machines attacked Biggin Hill and south-east London from 9 a.m. until lunch-time. Seventeen formations, ranging from one aircraft to more than fifty, penetrated inland in a continuous stream. They were back in smaller numbers during the afternoon, a few of them penetrating as far as the centre of London. Eight of the day’s raiders fell in combat to some of the 154 patrols sent up by Fighter Command. Altogether seventeen German aircraft were lost against only one British fighter.
Excerpt from The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood & Derek Dempster
German Losses
Airmen: 24 | Aircraft: 18
British Losses
Airmen: 0 | Aircraft: 2
Photo Descriptions:
- The remains of Dornier 17s and a Junkers Ju 87 in a scrapyard in Britain, 2 October 1940.
- Hawker Hurricanes of No. 1 Squadron based at Wittering, Cambridgeshire, followed by a similar formation of Supermarine Spitfires of No. 266 Squadron, during a flying display for aircraft factory workers, October 1940. © IWM (CH 1561)