Battle of Britain

Day 88

Weather - Generally bright with occasional showers and light winds.

Combat - Just before 0900hrs, a reconnaissance Ju-88 is attacked by Hurricanes of No: 253 Squadron, off Beachy Head.

At 0930hrs a large raid of Me-109's attack Dover at low level and most have returned before the scrambled Spitfires of No: 72 Squadron from Biggin Hill arrived.

Another raid of Me-109's sweep across Kent at about 1100hrs and is intercepted by Spitfires of No: 41, 66, 72, 92 & 603 Squadrons.

As the fighter sweeps are withdrawing, Me-110's cross over Kent towards Maidstone and are met head-on by the Polish Hurricane Squadron, No: 303, scrambled from Northolt.

Shortly before 1400hrs a large raid of Ju-88's and Me-109's approach the Dorset coast and proceed to attack Southampton. Hurricanes of No: 238 and 607 Squadrons scramble to intercept but make little impact on the bombers due to the Me-109 escorts.

As this raid was in progress, another Me-109 sweep across Kent is made with interceptions made by Spitfires of No: 41 Squadron, scrambled from Hornchurch. By 1600hrs only the occasional reconnaissance raid is plotted.

During the night London is repeatedly bombed with further raids on Liverpool, Leicester, Northampton, the Midlands and East Anglia. Mines are dropped in the Thames Estuary.

R.A.F. Losses: 15 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 2 pilots killed and 3 wounded.

Luftwaffe Losses: 27 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 29 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 8 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

The Dutch steamer Ottoland (2202t) sinks on a mine off Hartlepool. The entire crew is rescued.

The Blitz

London is attacked by German bombers damaging the Tower of London.

Women, girls and babies (lying on the shelf) wait in an air raid shelter run by the Salvation Army in Clapton, east London, during the Blitz.

Sheltering from the Blitz

Japan

Prime Minister Konoye says a war between Japan and the U.S. is inevitable if the U.S. sees the Axis alliance as 'hostile'.

United States, Politics

The Tripartite Pact is condemned by Navy Secretary Frank Knox and he announces that he is calling up some of the naval reserve.