Bristol and Plymouth bombed.
Night: London, North Wales and Lancashire attacked.
Weather: Fair to fine in most areas. Cool.
Enemy Action by Day
Fair to fine weather prevailed across much of southern Britain, with cooler air and generally good flying conditions. Following the indefinite postponement of Unternehmen Seelöwe (Operation Sea Lion), the German High Command shifted strategy. Luftflotte 3 was now tasked with striking Britain’s aircraft production centres in the West Country, reducing large-scale daylight raids on London in favour of targeted attacks against critical infrastructure.
Morning Reconnaissance and Eastern Probes
By 09:00 hours, British radar stations detected approximately 100 aircraft massing near Calais, but no concentrated raid followed. Instead, scattered enemy reconnaissance missions were plotted throughout the morning across East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, and the Thames Estuary. Multiple convoys were shadowed—one attacked—while lone aircraft probed targets at Luton, Northolt, Farnborough, and the southern coast. RAF fighters attempted interception where possible, with some skirmishes resulting in casualties on both sides.
Devastating Attack on Filton Aeroplane Works
At 11:48 hours, sixty-eight Heinkel He 111 bombers from Stab., I., II., and III./KG 55, escorted by fifty-two Messerschmitt Bf 110s from all three Gruppen of ZG 26, crossed the Dorset coast near Weymouth and turned toward Bristol. Flying in tight formation, their target was the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s works at Filton—a key centre of British aircraft production responsible for the Blenheim bomber and the newly introduced Beaufighter.
The bombers arrived over Filton and unleashed a 45-second saturation bombing run from 11,000 feet. A total of 168 bombs—81.5 tonnes of high explosive and 6 tonnes of oil bombs—struck the Rodney Works, the East Engine Factory, and surrounding residential areas. Eight aircraft under construction were destroyed, including two Beaufighter prototypes. Production was temporarily halted. Tragically, 132 people were killed—91 of them company workers—and over 300 others were injured. The surrounding districts of Filton village, Southmead, Westbury-on-Trym, and Chipping Sodbury also sustained heavy damage to gas and water mains, homes, and infrastructure.
RAF Fighter Command initially misjudged the raiders’ objective, scrambling Hurricanes from Nos. 229 and 238 Squadrons and Spitfires from Nos. 152, 234, and 609 Squadrons toward Yeovil, anticipating a strike on the Westland aircraft works. Once the true target was identified, the squadrons were redirected and intercepted the bombers during their withdrawal. In total, RAF fighters claimed 18 German aircraft destroyed—primarily bombers—with six more listed as probable and seven damaged. Anti-aircraft fire around Bristol accounted for an additional three confirmed kills and two damaged aircraft. One of the Bf 110s from ZG 26 was piloted by Walter Scherer, a ten-victory ace, who was shot down and taken prisoner. RAF losses included four aircraft, with one pilot dying of wounds sustained during the combat.
Portland Oil Tanks Targeted in a Secondary Dive-Bombing Attempt
During the same mission, seven Junkers Ju 88s broke away from the Filton-bound force and attempted a low-level dive-bombing attack on the Portland oil storage tanks. Diving down to 500 feet, the bombers failed to inflict serious damage and withdrew without loss. The attack was repelled with effective defensive fire, but its bold execution demonstrated ongoing Luftwaffe interest in Britain’s coastal fuel reserves.
Afternoon Raid on Plymouth and the South Coast
At 16:47 hours, a second major raid developed. Twenty-four German bombers, accompanied by twelve Bf 110s, crossed the coast at Start Point and headed for Plymouth. Hurricanes from Nos. 238 and 607 Squadrons, and Spitfires from No. 609 Squadron, were scrambled and successfully intercepted the formation inland. One bomber was shot down, two were claimed as probable, and another was damaged. No RAF losses were reported in this action.
The bombers managed to inflict serious damage in Plymouth before being dispersed. A direct hit destroyed a crane and caused an oil main to burst. Bombs damaged railway trucks, a jetty, and a carriage shed. Widespread disruption to utility lines followed, including water, power, and telephone services.
Evening Coastal Attacks and Defensive Measures
As dusk fell, a renewed wave of reconnaissance and minor bombing raids struck along the southeast coast. Towns from Margate to Worthing were targeted with indiscriminate bombing, while southeast Essex also experienced light raids. At Portland, additional bomb damage was reported to residential areas, mains utilities, and telephone lines. AA Command reported a successful interception near Rochford, with a Ju 88 brought down into the sea at 19:40 hours.
Dowding ordered No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron to relocate from Hendon to Filton to reinforce its defence against future attacks.
Enemy Action by Night
Night operations began around 19:30 hours, with formations of He 111s and Do 17s departing Le Havre and Cherbourg, heading for London. Additional raids originated from Holland, crossing over the Norfolk coast and swinging west. London was the primary target throughout the night. Fires and heavy bomb damage were reported at Kensington, Wandsworth, Edmonton, Tottenham, Hammersmith, Old Kent Road, and Westminster.
Rail infrastructure was particularly targeted. The LMS line near Kensington was blocked by debris after HE detonations. Bridges and track near Chiswick, Ruislip Gardens, and Acton sustained serious damage. One unexploded bomb was reported near North Weald aerodrome.
Other towns and regions also came under attack. Liverpool was visited by a series of raids, as was the Bristol Channel area, Derby, and South Wales. Bombs damaged the British Oxygen Company plant at Edmonton and caused fires at the GWR sheds in Hammersmith. A Hurricane from No. 43 Squadron (Usworth) crash-landed wheels-up near Hetton le Hole after a fuel mismanagement issue; the pilot, P/O C.E. Langdon, was unharmed.
At 01:15 hours, a fresh wave of twenty aircraft from Holland approached the Thames Estuary, some possibly involved in minelaying. By 05:30 hours, the last raiders had withdrawn across the south coast.
The night’s bombing caused 60 fatalities and 150 injuries at the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s Rodney Works. Civil defence authorities recorded the highest number of civilians sheltering in London Underground stations to date.
Casualties and Losses
Fighter Command losses on 25 September totalled six aircraft, with five pilots killed or missing. Luftwaffe losses were at least 16 aircraft confirmed destroyed by RAF fighters, with eight probable and ten damaged. Anti-aircraft batteries accounted for an additional three enemy aircraft destroyed and two damaged. Luftwaffe aircrew losses included 25 killed or missing and six wounded.
German Losses:
Airmen: 25 | Aircraft: 16
British Losses:
Airmen: 5 | Aircraft: 6
Spitfire P9463, No. 152 Squadron
Sgt. W.G. Silver killed. Failed to return from a combat over the Portsmouth area.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Silver.htm
Spitfire N3173, No. 152 Squadron
Sgt. K.C. Holland killed. Shot down by return fire from He 111. Crashed near Church Farm, Woolverton.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/HollandKC.htm
Blenheim L8639, No. 23 Squadron
Aircraft stalled and crashed manoeuvring to land with flaps and undercarriage lowered.
P/O E. Orgias killed.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Orgias.htm
Sgt. L.R. Karasek killed.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Karasek.htm
AC2 R.I. Payne killed.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/PayneRI.htm
Photo Descriptions
- A still from camera gun film shows tracer ammunition from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by Flight Lieutenant J H G McArthur, hitting a Heinkel He 111 on its starboard quarter. These aircraft were part of a large formation from KG 55 which attacked the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s works at Filton, Bristol, just before midday on 25 September 1940. © IWM (CH 1823)
- A still from camera gun footage taken from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF flown by Pilot Officer R F G Miller, showing a Heinkel He 111 of KG 55 taking hits in the port engine from Miller’s machine guns. The aircraft was one of a force which bombed the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s factory at Filton, Bristol on 25 September 1940. Miller was killed two days later when he collided head on with a Messerschmitt Bf 110 of III/ZG 26 over Cheselbourne, Dorset. © IWM (CH 1830)
- A still from camera gun footage taken by a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by Pilot Officer M E Staples, showing a Messerschmitt Bf 110 banking steeply to port as it tries to avoid Staples’ gun fire. This aircraft belongs, either to Erprobungsgruppe 210, which bombed the Parnall aircraft factory at Yate, north-east of Bristol, or to III/ZG 76 which was providing fighter cover for Heinkel He 111s of KG 55 which attempted to attack the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s factory at Filton on 25 September 1940. © IWM (CH 1834)
- Heinkel He 111 H-1 coded G1+BH (White B) W. Nr 6305 of 1./KG 55 was shot down by RAF fighters during a Luftwaffe air raid on the Bristol Aircraft Company’s plant at Filton on 25 September 1940, and crashed at Westhill Farm, Studland near Swanage in Dorset. Of the crew of five, four were captured, including the pilot Fw. Fritz Jürgens and navigator Hptm. Karl Köthke. The flight engineer, Uffz Josef Altrichter, was severely injured and succumbed to his wounds.
- Heinkel He 111 H-1 coded G1+BH (White B) W. Nr 6305 of 1./KG 55 shot down by RAF fighters on 25 September 1940 during a raid on the Bristol Aircraft Company at Filton.
- Soldiers inspect the wreckage of Heinkel He 111 G1+DN of II./KG 55, brought down by anti-aircraft fire at Racecourse Farm, Failand, on 25 September 1940.
- On 25 September 1940, the fuel tank of Spitfire Mk I ‘UM-A’, flown by Squadron Leader Peter K. Devitt of No. 152 Squadron, was struck by return fire from a He 111 during an engagement west of Bristol. Devitt made a forced landing at Skew Bridge near Bath.