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Statistical summary, Week 9:
- Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1558 planes
- Strength: 1381 planes
- Balance: understrength 177 planes
- Losses: 74 Hurricanes (+ 34 damaged), 52 Spitfires (+31 damaged), 4 Blenheims
- Aircraft Production: 5 Beaufighters, 11 Defiants, 54 Hurricanes, 36 Spitfires
Throughout that summer of 1940, the threat of German invasion was always present in British minds. Ostensibly, the air battle against the RAF was the prelude to that invasion. For Germany, the air battle was necessary to remove the danger of the RAF carrying out air attacks on German forces as they crossed the Channel and, particularly, as they landed on the British coast. While the intention of invasion was real enough what could not be predicted was whether the RAF would meet final defeat that autumn and whether the weather would permit the launch of the invasion, particularly if this had to be in late September.
The answer to the conundrum was, had the conditions been met, they might indeed have come.
Had Goering not switched the Luftwaffe attack from the airfields of 11 Group to London itself, they might indeed have come. What then? For instance, had 11 Group been forced to withdraw from its airfields south of London and had the RAF been unable to contest control of the air over Sussex and Kent, the Fuhrer would surely have been tempted to land a force of Ju52 troop carrying aircraft. on airfields such as Manston. The point is that, had Fighter Command been overwhelmed, the Luftwaffe would have had all kinds of options open to them. They could, for instance, have adopted the policy which had proved so successful against Poland and Holland, namely the destruction of Warsaw and Rotterdam. Alternatively, they could have begun by wiping out large towns such as Guildford and Ashford. There was nothing the Navy or the Army could have done to stop them. It was only the continued existence of Fighter Command that prevented this kind of terror bombing. Without the RAF to protect it, holding Britain against the power of an unopposed Luftwaffe would have become impossible. Had Britain been subjugated Sealion would have become a formality. The Royal Navy in all its power would not have prevailed against the Luftwaffe. We were to see this in the Battle of Crete the following spring.
Weather; cloudy with some rain
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 47
- Spitfire – 225
- Hurricane – 375
- Defiant – 21
- Gladiator – 8
- Total – 676
The day featured scattered attacks often by single aircraft, usually Me109s, carrying a single bomb. These attacks by Luftflotte 3 on airfields such as Tangmere and West Malling occurred in the late afternoon. Single aircraft attackers also came over from Luftflotte 2 hitting airfields in Kent.
The RAF shot down 2 enemy aircraft and lost none of its own.
That night St. Katherine’s Dock was attacked resulting in a devastating fire. In all over a thousand incendiary bombs were dropped during the night raid on London.
Cyril Shoesmith, 14 years old, Bexhill-on-Sea, Diary – Tuesday 10 September
Had an air raid from 12.25pm-1.25. At 5.10pm-6.40 there was a 2nd raid. Planes were heard. At 6 a big plane came over. There was machine gun fire. The plane was a bomber. We heard a queer humming sound. Then the plane was seen approaching from the town. It had been turned back by the Lewis guns. We heard about 2 loud explosions and machine guns. The plane came over our houses and I saw that it had 2 engines. I heard a whistling noise and then a very loud explosion. 8.25pm-4.45am – air raid.
73 Squadron Operational Record Book – 10 September – Castle Camps
Debden sent up a band at 1900 hours which played good dance tunes outside the Mess and highly delighted an enthusiastic audience with ‘request’ numbers. The CO and F/L Beytagh to Debden for supper and a discussion on tactics with OC 17 Squadron. Majority of those pilots left at F1 [Freddie 1 – satellite camp to Debden] repaired to an hostelry in the neighbourhood which was unanimously voted the best of its kind yet found locally. The stopping of the clock in the bar added to the enjoyment as the landlord did not notice the sabotage until 2255 hours.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 10th September 1940):
* Enemy: 2 confirmed, 1 probable, 0 damaged
* Own: 1 Spitfire, pilot safe.
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