Battle of Britain
Day 114
Weather - Overcast and rain throughout the country and the Channel.
Combat - At the time, Thursday October 31, 1940 is not known as the 'official' end to the Battle of Britain, especially by the pilots still fighting, but ironically it proves to be one of the quietest days in four months.
Throughout the day from 0730hrs until dusk, reconnaissance and scattered bombing raids are made over East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, South Wales, Hampshire and Lancashire. Bombs are dropped on the airfields of Bassingbourn, Martlesham and Poling with further targets in the Monmouth and Newport areas also being attacked.
Although several Fighter Command squadrons are scrambled to intercept or patrol during the day, there is no direct combat between the Luftwaffe and the RAF The losses on both sides are due to accidents.
During the night London and the Midlands are the targets with mines dropping off Spurn Head and the Thames Estuary.
R.A.F. Losses: 2 aircraft damaged or destroyed with 2 aircrew of Beaufighter (No: 219 Squadron) killed.
Luftwaffe Losses: 4 aircraft damaged or destroyed with no reported casualties.
NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.
[
]Battle of the Atlantic
- U-124 sinks the British steamer Rutland (1437t), a straggler from Convoy HX-82, 100 miles northwest of Rockall with the loss of her entire crew of 29.
- The British steamer Hillfern (1535t) is lost to an unknown external explosion 35 miles north-northwest of Buchanness with the loss of 8 crewmen.
| 
]The Blitz
The casualties for October: 6334 civilians killed and 8698 seriously injured.
[ | ]Britain, Home Front
Civilian casualtied in October include 6,334 killed and 8,695 injured. 643 of those killed are children under 16.
[ | ]German Raiders
The German auxiliary cruiser Widder arrives in Brest after a cruise in American waters.
[ | ]Greek-Albanian Front
The Italian supreme command announces: 'Our units continue to advance into Epirus and have reached the river Kalamas at several points. Unfavorable weather conditions and action by the retreating enemy are not slowing down the movements of our troops.' The truth of the matter is that the Italian offensive, carried out without conviction and without advantage of surprise, under a leadership uncertain and divided by personal rivalries, is already becoming exhausted. Adverse conditions at sea make it necessary to give up a projected landing at Corfu.
[]Mediterranean
The Italian submarine Scire arrives off Gibraltar with its 'cargo' of manned torpedoes. The mission, to attack the naval base, is a novel and daring one, but it meets with failure. None of the torpedoes is deployed successfully and in attempting to ditch one of the faulty machines it is left detectable to the British who promptly recover it for analysis. The design will become the master for British vessels of this type.
[ | ] Setting a Cross |
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