Battle of Britain

Day 57

Weather - Generally fine and warm with haze in the Channel. Occasional rain and strong winds in the North.

Combat - Once again, British airfields are the main targets for the Luftwaffe. Just after 0930hrs a raid of Do-17's and Me-109 escorts attack and successfully bomb the airfields of Eastchurch and Lympne before interceptions are made, over Kent, by Hurricanes of No: 111 Squadron, scrambling from Croydon and No: 253 Squadron, scrambling from Kenley.

At about 1300hrs a sweep is made over Kent and Sussex by Me-110's in prelude to a larger attack by He-111's, Do-17's and over 200 Me-109's. The Me-110's are heavily engaged by Hurricanes of No: 253 Squadron before Spitfires of No: 72 and 234 Squadrons join the battle. Meanwhile the main raid is attacking and bombing Rochester, Canterbury and the factory at Brooklands as Hurricanes of No: 43, 46, 79 and 601 Squadrons along with Spitfires of No: 66, 222, 234, 602 and 603 Squadrons are engaging into large dogfights over Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

Later in the afternoon, several small raids are made towards the southern coastline from Kent to Cornwall, but fail to materialise into any threats as various R.A.F. squadrons are scrambled to intercept.

During the night large raids are made on Liverpool, Manchester, South Wales and the Midlands.

R.A.F. Losses: 23 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 10 pilots killed or missing and 7 wounded.

Luftwaffe Losses: 35 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 27 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 5 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-46 sinks the British steamer Luimneach (1074t) west-southwest of the Scilly Isles. 3 of the crew are picked up by the submarine and made prisoners of are. The other 15 crew members are picked up by a French fishing boat.
• U-47 sinks the British steamer Titan (9035t) from convoy OA-207 80 miles southwest of Rockall with the loss of 6 crewmen. 89 survivors are picked up by the Canadian destroyer St Laurent and landed at Rosyth on 9 September.
• German motor torpedo boats attack convoy FS-271 northeast of Great Yarmouth. S-21 sinks the British steamers Corbrook (1729t) and New Lambton (2709t). Both crews are rescued. S-18 sinks the British steamer Joseph Swan (1571t) and the Dutch steamer Nieuwland (1075t). There is only 1 survivor from the Joseph Swan and the Nieuwland loses 8 of her crew. S-22 sinks the British steamer Fulham IV (1562t), but the entire crew is rescued.

Germany, Home Front

In a speech Hitler says: 'I have tried to spare the British. They have mistaken my humanity for weakness and have replied by murdering German women and children.' (This is a reference to the bombing of Berlin by the RAF during the nights of August 25 and 26 in which there were civilian deaths.) 'If they attack our cities we will simply erase theirs.'

North Sea

5 ships from a convoy off Great Yarmouth, North Sea are sunk by German MTBs.

Rumania

There are political upheavals following the recent losses of territory by the 'Vienna Award'. King Carol II gives General Antonescu full powers.

United States, Policy

The United States warns the Japanese government against making agressive moves in Indochina.

Vichy France

Gen Maxime Weygand's appointment as Minister of National Defense is terminated by Pétain. Weygand becomes a general delegate of the Vichy government in Africa.