Small raids on airfields in the east and south.
Night: Slight activity including Scotland.
Weather: Cloudy, occasional rain.
Main Activity:
The bad weather continued throughout the day, and the Luftwaffe resorted to ‘tip-and-run’ raids round the east and south coasts. Instead of mass attacks, small formations or single aircraft were used in some cases, while others had groups of three divided into two at low level and one stepped up.
Fighter Command had difficulty in meeting this type of attack but 599 sorties yielded thirteen German aircraft destroyed for the loss of one British fighter.
Airfields attacked or threatened were Exeter, St. Eval, Horsham, St. Faith, Bircham Newton, Ford, Coltishall, Stradishall and Watton. Bombs were also dropped on Grimbsy, Norwich, Canterbury, Southampton, Newmarket, Bournemouth and Pembroke.
Excerpt from The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood & Derek Dempster
German Losses
Airmen: 29 | Aircraft: 14
British Losses
Airmen: 0 | Aircraft: 4
Photo Description:
- Troops and civilians pose with Junkers Ju 88A-1 (B3+BM) of 4./KG 54, which belly-landed on Marsh Farm, Earnley, Sussex, on the evening of 21 August 1940. It had been intercepted by No. 17 Squadron Hurricanes during an attack on RAF Brize Norton. © IWM (HU 73745)