Daily Archive

Weather: fine but cloudy in the Channel.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 55
• Spitfire – 225
• Hurricane – 413
• Defiant – 23
• Gladiator – 7
• Total – 723

German attacks that day came in three phases. The first in the morning consisted of around 100 aircraft, made up of slightly more fighters than bombers. Once across the Channel, one section headed for Eastchurch while another flew to Rochford. The RAF made desperate attempts to break through the fighter screen and get at the bombers but without success. Losses were heavy. 4 Defiants from 264 Squadron were shot down. In consequence, Eastchurch suffered yet another attack with some aircraft destroyed on the ground and a number of craters in the runway.

The second attack fell on Rochford near Southend. Again the RAF had tried to get at the bombers but the defensive screen had been too strong. However, little damage was done but during the fighting Al Deere was shot down.

In the afternoon the third attack consisted of a large scale visitation of Me109s over Kent looking for targets.

That afternoon the Prime Minister visited Manston and the south coast to see the damage for himself.

The score for the day had taken a toll of 11 Group fighters, namely 20 shot down. This compared with 31 enemy aircraft destroyed. The problem was that Park’s policy of avoiding fighter to fighter combat and preference given to only attacking the bombers had not been followed. This was partly because of the increased proportion of fighters now being flown by the Germans. This was the last time Defiants were used as day fighters.

That night Coventry and London were bombed and there was a major attack on Liverpool.

54 Squadron Operational Record Book – 28 August 12:13 hours
Patrol over Manston. Flt Lt Deere got a probable Me 109…later in combat Flt Lt Deere had to bale out; this is an art in which he is rapidly becoming expert!!

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 28th August 1940):

*  Enemy: 28 confirmed, 14 probable, 10 damaged
*  Own: 20 aircraft. Seven pilots and three air gunners killed or missing.

Todays’s theme: Top Gun Gallery – Richard Hillary