Air Operations, Europe

Aircraft from Kesselring's Luftflotte 2 attack convoy CW-8 in the Dover Straits very fiercely. They have help from German light naval forces. These are driven off during the day but return to do damage during the night. The British lose 11 of 21 ships in the convoy. 5 others are damaged along with destroyers Boreas and Brilliant.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

Italian bombers hit the naval base at Alexandria and the base at Haifa in Palestine.

Battle of Britain

Day 16

Weather - Mist in the Straits of Dover. Settled and fine over British Isles.

Combat - Luftwaffe attacks along the South and East coasts increase with small raids during the morning on shipping near Portland and Portsmouth where Spitfires of No: 152 Squadron intercept Ju-87's and Do-17's and were themselves attacked by Me-109's. It isn't until just after noon that the first big raid approaches Dover with Me-109's flying low to avoid radar. Large dogfights break out involving the raiders and Spitfires of No: 65 Squadron are the first into combat with Hurricanes of No: 32 and 615 Squadrons arriving as another large wave of over 40 Me-109's attack. Soon after another raid, by more than 60 Ju-87's of SG3, approach and Spitfires of No: 54 Squadron are scrambled from Hornchurch to intercept.

A Dornier Do-17Z refuels before a sortie over England. Some non-standard guns have appeared in an attempt to give all-round defensive cover against the eager British fighters.

A Dornier Do-17Z Refuels

At about 1430hrs 30 Ju-88's of KG4, escorted by over 50 Me-109's, are spotted by Spitfires of No: 64 Squadron from Kenley and attack whilst Hurricanes of No: 111 Squadron scramble to assist. Also Ju-88's have approached the Isle of Wight and Poole to attack shipping. Later in the afternoon another large raid attacks ships off Folkestone and Dover and Hurricanes of No: 56 Squadron attack the Ju-87's whilst Spitfires of No: 54 and 64 Squadrons engage the Me-109 escorts.

1830hrs sees another raid approach the southeast coast and is met by Spitfires of No: 610 Squadron scrambles from Biggin Hill. Smaller raids are made along this coastline up until about 2000hrs.

It becomes apparent that heavier escorts of Me-109's and more bombing raids are to encourage Fighter Command to commit more fighters, hence the decision to limit the use of Spitfires and Hurricanes to preserve the already depleting resources.

No bombing is reported during the night but mines are dropped off the Scottish, Northeast and East Anglia coastlines.

R.A.F. Losses: 11 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 5 pilots killed or missing and 1 wounded.

Luftwaffe Losses: 21 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 22 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 5 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The Finnish steamer Ester Thorden (1940t) is taken as a prize by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper on a sweep of the Barents Sea.
• The British steamers Corhaven (991t), Polgrange (804t) and Leo (1140t) are sunk by German bombing all off Dover. The British steamer Henry Moon (1091t) is also sunk by German bombing off Folkstone and the Port Slade (1091t) off Dungeness. The entire crew of the Corhaven is rescued. 2 are lost from the Polgrange. 6 are lost from the Leo, 1 from the Henry Moon and the entire crew of the Port Slade is rescued.
• During the night in German motor torpedo boat attacks, S-27 sinks the British steamer Lulonga (821t) 15 miles south of Shoreham with the loss of 1 crewman. S-20 sinks the British steamer Broadhurst (1013t) 14 miles southwest of Shoreham with the loss of 4 of her crew. S-19 sinks the British steamer London Trader (646t) 13 miles southwest of Shoreham with the loss of 1 crewman.

  A German MTB S-Boat, called E-boat (enemy boat) by the Allies. It was a nearly perfect design for it's class and very dangerous.

  A German MTB S-Boat

Switzerland

Gen Henri Guisan, the CinC, addresses all Army officers on the Rütli Meadow, the birthplace of Swiss independence in 1307. He exhorts them to be ready, at a moment's notice, to defend Swiss independence and libeties.

United States, Policy

The United States prohibits the export of oil and metal products in certain categories, unless under license, to countries outside the Americas generally and to Britain. This move is seen as an anti-Japanese measure, particularly because of Japan's need for foreign oil. From this time Japanese fuel stocks begin to decline. There are similar problems with other raw materials. Japanese attention is, therefore, drawn south from China to the resources of the Netherlands East Indies and Malaysia.