Battle of Britain

Day 3

Weather - Mainly cloudy everywhere with early morning fog in the Channel. Thunderstorms in many areas.

Combat - Between 0600-0900hrs, raids are reported in the Portland area and off East coast. The largest raid, Do-17's from KG2 and He-111's from KG53, approach a convoy leaving Thames Estuary and are met by Hurricanes of No: 17, 85, 151 and 242 Squadrons and Defiants of No: 264 Squadron. Later that morning a raid off Aberdeen is met by Spitfires of No: 603 Squadron.

The afternoon brings small raids along the South Coast. These are met by Hurricanes of No: 501 Squadron off Portland at 1515hrs, Hurricanes of No: 43 Squadron between the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton at 1555hrs and Hurricanes of No: 243 Squadron at around 1640hrs when bombs are dropped on Weymouth, Falmouth and St. Eval. At 1642hrs Spitfires of No: 74 Squadron are scrambled from Hornchurch to intercept an attack off the Essex coast on a trawler.

During the night bombs were dropped on targets in South Wales and Bristol.

R.A.F. Losses: 12 aircraft damaged or destroyed and 5 pilots killed or missing.

Luftwaffe Losses: 11 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 21 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 6 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-99 sinks the Greek steamer Ia (4860t) southwest of Ireland with the loss of 3 crewmen.
• The British steamer Hornchurch (2162t) is sunk by German bombing off Aldeburgh Light Vessel. The entire crew is rescued by the British patrol sloop Widgeon.

Germany, Planning

Gen Alfred Jodl writes a memorandum giving his view on Operation Seelöwe: the practical difficulties of the action would be overcome if the invasion were treated as 'a river crossing in force on a wide front...' He adds that the role of the artillery in such an operation would be take over by the Luftwaffe, which would have to overcome the RAF before any landing on the British coast could be carried out.

Soviet Union, Home Front

Otto Kuusinen, former head of the short-lived 'Terijoki Government', (see Dec 2, 1939) is appointed President of the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Republic, in territory gained from Finland Mar 13, 1940.