Battle of Britain
Day 41
Weather - Mainly cloudy with occasional showers in the East.
Combat - Unlike the previous day, activity is greatly reduced with a few reconnaissance raids along the South coast during the morning. The day becomes significant to the Battle of Britain as Luftwaffe High Command changes tactics insisting the Me-109's stay even closer to the bomber formations, due to recent heavy losses. This proves to be a severe error of judgement.
One raid, just after 1400hrs, of Ju-88's attack the airfield at Bibury in the South West and destroy four Spitfires of No: 92 Squadron on the ground. Meanwhile, Spitfires of No: 92 and 602 Squadrons meet another raid by Ju-88's over the Solent areas while later at around 1830hrs Spitfires of No: 19 and 66 Squadrons engage He-111's and Do-17's off the Essex coast.
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During the night mines are dropped along the coastlines of Eastern England and several raids were reported in the Midlands, East Anglia, Portsmouth, Bristol, South Wales, Liverpool, Hull, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow areas. The Admiralty oil depot at Pembroke Docks in Wales is heavily bombed and badly damaged.
The RAF raid Kiel, the Zschornewitz power stations near Leipzig and 30 airfields.
R.A.F. Losses: 9 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 3 pilots and aircrew (Blenheim) killed or missing and 1 wounded.
Luftwaffe Losses: 13 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 22 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 7 wounded.
NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.
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]Battle of the Atlantic
- U-A sinks the Hungarian steamer Kelet (4295t) southwest of Ireland. Earlier the ship had picked up 41 survivors from the Clan MacPhee, which had been sunk by U-30 on 16 August, 6 of them are lost. The 33 crew members and the remaining 35 survivors are picked up by the Norwegian steamert Varegg and landed at Galway on 26 August.
- U-48 sinks the Belgian steamer Ville de Gand (7590t) 200 miles west of Ireland with the loss of 15 of her crew. 38 survivors are rescued.
- U-101 sinks the British steamer Ampleforth (4576t) west of the Hebrides with the loss of 9 crewmen. 29 survivors are picked up by the British destroyer Warwick.
| ]East Africa
The Italians occupy Berbera, capital of British Somaliland.
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Italy, Planning
Mussolini writes to Gen Rodolfo Graziani, Governor of Libya and C-in-C of Italian forces in North Africa, about future strategic objectives. Among other things he declares: 'The invasion of Great Britain is decided on; it is now in the last stages of preparation and will be successful. It may take place within a week or in about a month. Now, on the day on which the first platoon of German soldiers lands on British soil, you too will attack. As I have said to you before, it is not a matter of marching on Alexandria, even on Sollum. All I ask is that you attack the British troops facing you. I myself accept full responsibility for this decision.'
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