Air Operations, EuropeKesselring sends 50 Stukas to attack Convoy 'Bacon' in the English Channel. The destroyer Codington is sunk off Dover and the destroyer Wren off Aldeburgh, Suffolk. 1 other destroyer is damaged. [ | ]Battle of BritainDay 18Weather - Fair in Dover Straits, cloudy in Channel. Rain over most of country. Combat - Just after 0800hrs a raid of Ju-87's and Me-109's approach Portland and Swanage and is met by Hurricanes of No: 145 and 238 Squadrons. At about 0930hrs, a convoy is bombed off Lowestoft. Another raid on Swanage at about 0945hrs is met by Spitfires of No: 609 Sqaudron and Hurricanes of No: 145 Sqaudron. Later, Spitfires of No: 234 Squadron engage Ju-88's off Lands End.
Into the afternoon and Dover is bombed at about 1430hrs by Me-109's. This is the first time during the battle a fighter has been used to bomb a target. Another small raid attacks ships off Dungeness at 1600hrs. Neither of these raids is intercepted. Between 1700hrs and 1830hrs two small raids are intercepted, with success, off Dover; one by Spitfires of No: 41 Squadron and the other by Hurricanes of No: 615 Squadron. A third raid succeeds in bombing a Navy destroyer, which sinks, off the Suffolk coast at Aldeburgh. During the night no bombing raids are reported, but raids are plotted around the British coastline, probably mine-laying. R.A.F. Losses: 6 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 1 pilot killed and 1 wounded. Luftwaffe Losses: 8 aircraft damaged or destroyed and 15 pilots and aircrew killed or missing. NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents. [ | ]Battle of the Atlantic
Diplomatic Relations
East AfricaFrench troops abandon the vital Jirre pass which opens British Somaliland to a possible Italian invasion. [ | ]JapanJapanese secret police begin arresting foreign national on various charges vaguely associated with alleged spying activities. [ | ] |
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[ July 26th - July 28th] |