Air Operations, Mediterranean

Italian bombers attack Malta.

Battle of Britain

Day 51

Weather - Unsettled with occasional showers and bright intervals. Cloudy over most of the Channel.

Combat - The morning is relatively quiet of air activity with mainly reconnaissance raids appearing over southern England. It is not until mid-afternoon, at about 1500hrs, that a large raid is reported approaching the Sussex coast near Beachy Head. The raid consists of a small number of He-111's and Do-17's with a massive fighter escort of about 500 Me109's, from JG 3, 26, 51, 52 and 54 and 150 Me-110's from ZG 26 and 76. The aim of this is to engage Fighter Command in larger numbers and inflict decisive losses. This tactic fails as only the Hurricanes of No: 85 Squadron and Spitfires of No: 610 Squadron briefly engage the raiders before breaking away.

The Luftwaffe again tries to encourage more R.A.F. fighters into the skies with several small raids across southern England at about 1830hrs. The Me-109's are intercepted by Hurricanes of No: 85, 151 and 501 Squadrons along with Spitfires of No: 603 Squadron.

During the night bombing raids increase across the country with the main areas targeted being; South Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia, Manchester, Liverpool, the Tees and Tyne area. Mines are also dropped off Plymouth and Portsmouth.

R.A.F. Losses: 9 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 2 pilots killed and 3 wounded.

Luftwaffe Losses: 32 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 44 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 6 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-100 attacks convoy OA-204 sinking the British steamer Dalblair (4608t), the British steamer Astra II (2393t), the Swedish steamer Alida Gorthon (2373t) and the British steamer Empire Moose (6103t) about 140 miles northwest of Bloody Foreland. 4 crewmen are lost from the Dalblair, 17 survivors are picked up by the British corvette Clematis and 20 are picked up by the Alida Gorthon but are lost when she is sunk. 31 crewmen are lost from the Alida Gorthon but there are 13 survivors. 5 are killed from the Astra II, but 20 survivors are picked up by the British minesweeper Gleaner. All 36 of the crew of the Empire Moose land at Killybags, County Donegal.

East Africa

The South African Air Force launches raids on Italian Somaliland.