Battle of Britain

Day 113

Weather - Cloudy and overcast with persistent rain.

Combat - In comparison to the past few days, enemy activity is reduced to reconnaissance and two main raids.

The first raid appears on radar at about 1130hrs when several waves of Ju-88's and Me-109's cross the Channel towards the Kent coastline. For nearly two hours dogfights rage in the skies over Kent and Sussex involving Hurricanes of No: 17, 32, 249 and 253 Squadrons and Spitfires of No: 41, 66 and 222 Squadrons. Some of the Ju-88's penetrate into East Anglia and are intercepted by Hurricanes of No: 1 Squadron, scrambled from Wittering.

At 1530hrs the second main raid of Me-109's crosses the coast near Dover and makes for the areas of Maidstone and East London. Hurricanes of No: 17, 249, 253, 501 and 615 Squadrons and Spitfires of No: 41, 66, 92, 222 and 602 Squadrons are scrambled to intercept.

During the night a major attack is mounted on London and the surrounding counties with smaller raids on the Midlands, Nottingham, Sheffield and the airfields of Duxford and Debden. Mines are dropped off Harwich and the Thames Estuary.

R.A.F. Losses: 11 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 4 pilots killed and 2 wounded.

Luftwaffe Losses: 17 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 3 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 2 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Damage at World Post Times

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-32 is sunk while attacking a convoy by the British destroyers Harvester and Highlander with the loss of 9 crewmen. 33 of her crew are picked up by the 2 destroyers.
• The British destroyer Sturdy is wrecked on Tiree Island off the west coast of Scotland with the loss of 5 of her crew.
• The Greek steamer Victoria (4202t) is sunk by German bombing in the North Sea. 29 of her crew are rescued.

Mediterranean

The Admiralty announces that Greek waters have been mined.

Vichy France

Pétain broadcasts to the French people that Hitler's principles for collaboration have been accepted.