Battle of Britain
Day 112
Weather - Low cloud and haze throughout most areas. Overcast in the Channel.
Combat - The Tuesday is to be a testing day for Fighter Command with an increase in daylight raids on southern England.
From 0800hrs reconnaissance raids are made at regular intervals until just after 1030hrs when radar detects a formation of Me-109's crossing the Channel toward the Kent coast at Deal. Whilst the Spitfires of No: 66, 74 and 92 Squadrons are occupied with the raiders, a small section of bomb-carrying Me-109's break away and successfully bomb targets in central London.
Just after midday the Hurricanes of No: 1 Squadron are scrambled from Wittering to intercept a small raid of Do-17's.
At about 1300hrs, a large raid of over 100 Me-109's crosses the Kent coast in several waves and heads for the areas of Biggin Hill, Hornchurch, Maidstone, west and central London. Hurricanes of No: 249, 253, 501 and 615 Squadrons along with Spitfires of No: 66, 74, 92, 222 and 602 Squadrons havealready been scrambled to intercept. The Me-109's of JG 51 get caught and suffer heavy losses to the Spitfires, especially those of No: 602 Squadron from Westhampnett.
As the dogfights over Kent and Sussex are subsiding another raid of Ju-88's and Me-109's is plotted approaching Portsmouth at 1430hrs. Hurricanes of No: 145 and 213 Squadrons both scrambled from Tangmere and are joined by the Spitfires of No: 609 Squadron from Warmwell.
Late afternoon is to witness several successful attacks by fighter-bomber Me-109's on airfields across East Anglia, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire. The first materializes at 1645hrs when North Weald is bombed during the scramble of both Hurricane Squadrons, No: 249 and 257. Over the next hour targets are attacked at Wattisham, Honington, Leeming, Newmarket, West Raynham and Linton-on-Ouse. Involved in engagements with the raiders are the Hurricanes of No: 1, 17, 46, 219, 249, 253, 257, 302 (Polish), 310 (Czech) and 501 Squadrons along with Spitfires of No: 19, 41 and 222 Squadrons.
During the night the main targets are London, Birmingham and Coventry with scattered raids made on Liverpool, Oxford and Reading areas. Mines are dropped in the Thames Estuary and off Hartlepool.
R.A.F. Losses: 18 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 5 pilots killed and 3 wounded.
Luftwaffe Losses: 31 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 34 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 3 wounded.
NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.[
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]Battle of the Atlantic
The British sludge vessel G. W. Humphreys (1500t) sinks on a mine southeast of Oaze Buoy.
[ | ]Britain, Home Front
Gen Paul Legentilhomme joins Gen de Gaulle in London.
[ | ]China
Japanese troops are forced to withdraw south into Indochina after losing Nanking to the Chinese.
[ | ]Crete
British troops land on the Greek island.
[]War At Sea
Allied shipping losses for the week total 198,000 tons, the heaviest since the war began.
Japan's Home Fleet |
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