Weather: cloudy with some bright intervals.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

  • Blenheim – 56
  • Spitfire – 240
  • Hurricane – 408
  • Defiant – 18
  • Gladiator – 6
  • Total – 728

This was to be a day of heavy attacks on Fighter Command. The day began with an attack aimed first at Dover and Folkestone which was bombed, but with the main targets being Biggin Hill and Kenley, the airfields just south of London. The raiders had come over from Lille and St Omer. In the afternoon a second large 100 plus raid came in. They appeared to be aiming at airfields in 12 Group. Hawkinge and Debden were bombed. At Debden, 3 people were killed and there was a direct hit on a hangar. This was followed in the late afternoon by further raids by Luftflotte 3 on Portsmouth. 43, 615 and 602 Squadrons were involved in the fighting with He111s, Me109s and Me110s. This last attack was contested by RAF squadrons in the area. This led to a bitter fight. No less than 26 RAF fighters were lost that day. This was against a figure of 41 casualties inflicted on the enemy. Fighter Command flew 787 sorties that day. The RAF’s loss of pilots seemed to be increasing each day. The trend was ominous.

That night bombs were dropped over West Hartlepool, Sunderland, Lincolnshire, Plymouth and Birmingham. Ten people were killed in the raid on Birmingham.

73 Squadron Unofficial War Diary – 26 August
The Squadron had its first dawn scramble today with great enthusiasm. “B” Flight set off and carried out a successful interception only to discover that the incoming “raid” was our own bomber boys on their way back from Berlin. The Flight returned feeling somewhat peeved at having been disturbed at such an ungodly hour for a wild goose chase.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 26th August 1940):

*  Enemy: 46 confirmed, 7 probable, 19 damaged
*  Own: 28 aircraft with 4 pilots and 2 air gunners killed or missing.

Todays’s theme: Unsung Heroes – The AA Batteries