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Weather: improved
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 38
- Spitfire – 229
- Hurricane – 420
- Defiant – 12
- Gladiator – 8
- Total – 707
A few individual raiders and reconnaissance planes flew over Britain. This quieter day enabled Dowding to try and straighten out the difficult relations between Keith Park at 11 Group and Leigh Mallory at 12 Group. He told the former to make allowances for the latter’s difficulties when trying to send reinforcements. However, subsequent events showed it was really too late to mend these fences. Things had gone too far. The RAF flew 476 sorties resulting in 8 German aircraft being destroyed; several the result of accidents while Fighter Command lost none.
At night 50 aircraft attacked London. In the provinces, Birmingham was the main target while Basingstoke was also hit.
1 Squadron Operational Record Book – 24 October
Destruction of a Junkers 17. Red Section were ordered to intercept raid 10 at 1204 hours. Personnel: Flt Lt M.H. Brown, PO A.V. Clowes, DFM, PO A. Kershaw. E/a sighted 3,000 ft above cloud. As a result of the ensuing engagement the e/a was brought down at St. Neot. During the engagement some fire was experienced from the e/a rear gunner, and our side used up 1911 rounds. All 3 pilots expressed the opinion that the e/a did not make very good use of cloud cover before the attack and the only evasive action taken was diving into the clouds. He appeared to be an inexperienced pilot. Searchlight co-operation. Blue Section (B Flight) scrambled base, nothing sighted.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 24th October 1940):
* Enemy: 2 confirmed, 0 probable, 2 damaged
* Own: Nil.
Today’s theme: The Planes They Flew – Ju52
Weather: heavy cloud
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 47
- Spitfire – 225
- Hurricane – 412
- Defiant – 26
- Gladiator – 8
- Total – 718
The weather conditions hampered Fighter Command which only flew 90 sorties. Fighter Command lost 6 aircraft against a German figure for the day of 4 destroyed.
That night, substantial damage was done in the bombing of London. The National Gallery was hit. Scotland was also targeted, with £20,000 worth of damage being inflicted on a saw mill in Stirlingshire. Glasgow was also hit.
73 Squadron Operational Record Book – 23 October
There was operational flying during the day. The most important news to-day is that 73 Squadron is to become a night fighter Squadron immediately. There is no doubt that every pilot is disappointed and dislikes the prospect of night flying, but the CO has given each pilot the opportunity of being posted away.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 23rd October 1940):
* Enemy: 0 confirmed, 0 probable, 1 damaged
* Own: Nil.
Today’s theme: Top Gun Gallery – Werner Mölders
In effect, the issue over which the Battle had been fought had been decided back in September, during the battles over London on September 15th and September 27th. As October began, the Germans withdrew their twin-engined bombers from daylight operations over Britain. The Do17, the He111 and the Ju87 Stuka dive bomber were no longer to be seen in the skies of this country. It was the same with the invasion fleet and the barges in the French ports which were already being withdrawn. The threat of the invasion, Sealion, was over.
The fact was the RAF had thwarted the Luftwaffe in its effort to wipe out Fighter Command. The RAF had not ceded control over British airspace to the enemy. The German order had been quite clear. It had been to defeat Fighter Command so that the Spitfires and Hurricanes would no longer contest a German invasion. The German pilots understood quite clearly what they had failed to achieve. That ace pilot, Galland, had no doubt about what had happened. There had been a muddle and they had paid for it. Tactically, it was the switch from attacking Fighter Command’s airfields to the whole force attacking London which was their big mistake. We shall never know, had they not made the switch, whether their persistent attacks on Fighter Command airfields might not have forced Dowding to withdraw his forces to airfields in the Midlands. As it was the Germans lost the chance to find out.
It had been a very close run thing. The RAF hadn’t defeated the Luftwaffe and Britain was very far from knocking Germany out of the war. But what the RAF had done was to thwart German intentions. To that extent, it was a great victory.
Weather: fog and widespread rain causing poor visibility
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 40
- Spitfire – 234
- Hurricane – 402
- Defiant – 19
- Gladiator – 7
- Total – 702
Fog grounded most of 12 Group and some of 11 Group. That afternoon, a convoy off Dover was attacked unsuccessfully. Later small groups of Me109s, targeting another convoy, were plotted off the south coast. On being intercepted, dog-fights developed. As a result 11 enemy aircraft were destroyed while 6 RAF planes were lost. Despite the weather, the Luftwaffe succeeded in attacking London.
At night, Coventry was once again a major target with 200 people being made homeless. Bombs were also dropped on Windsor Great Park.
74 Squadron – Combat Report – 22 October
Patrol Maidstone at 15,000 feet in company with 92 Squadron. S/L Malan attacked the leading enemy aircraft in a fast dive and fixed bursts from 200 to 50 yds range. The enemy aircraft smoked heavily after the 2nd burst but carried on. S/L Malan continued to fire but had to break off momentarily to wipe ice off his windscreen. He then followed the enemy Me109 to the coast and saw the aircraft crash into the sea 5 miles out from the Hastings-Dungeness area.
73 Squadron Operational Record Book – 22 October
Thick fog until 1200 hours. Nothing was done in the morning except to walk Hon. Group Captain ‘Stefan’ across the aerodrome in the hope of setting up a hare. In this F/C Hoole and P/O McFadden were successful, but Hon. G C ‘Stefan’ having sighted the hare did not make any attempt to chase. In good time he will undoubtedly realise what his duties to the mess are. There was no flying throughout the day.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 22nd October 1940):
* Enemy: 3 confirmed, 1 probable, 1 damaged
* Own: 6 aircraft with 4 pilots killed or missing.
Statistical summary, Week 15:
* Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1700 planes
* Strength: 1737 planes
* Balance: over strength 37 planes
* Weekly Aircraft Production: 6 Beaufighters, 8 Defiants, 55 Hurricanes, 25 Spitfires
Training the Aces
Derby winners are the product of trainers. So are successful fighter pilots. All pilots who fly in war or peace are the product of instructors who have taught them to fly. The RAF, at the time of the Battle of Britain and now, pays a great deal of attention to the training of their air crew. Pre-war training of pilots tended to take place at a somewhat leisurely pace. Directly the country went to war, there was a speeding up of the process. Anybody interested in finding out what it was like could do no better than to read Geoffrey Wellum’s book, “First Light”, in which he describes his experience of joining the RAF just before war broke out in September 1939 and the conclusion of his training when he joined 92 squadron flying Spitfires in May 1940.
There were two parts in the process of training: flying training and the intellectual task of learning what flying was about. You had to pass both to qualify.
The flying took the form of three stages. The first was the gentle art of learning to fly a really simple training plane. In 1939 it was the De Havilland Tiger Moth, a very light two-seater bi-plane. This is the aircraft in which the trainee pilot first got his experience of going solo which usually occurred after doing some 7 or 8 hours of instruction.
The next stage was, in those days, when the pilot graduated onto the Harvard. This was an American built and designed two-seater trainer which was a monoplane with a good deal more powerful engine than that of the Moth. It had some of the characteristics of a fully fledged fighter aircraft. In it the trainee pilot was moved from the simple aerodynamics of the Tiger Moth to the more demanding performance resembling that of a Hurricane or Spitfire.
Then came the third and most demanding stage of the training when the trainee was subject to the real test, both of skill and nerve of flying a real fighter, which in those days meant the Spitfire. This last stage was when the trainee really had to learn his stuff.
It was at this stage that the relationship between the instructor and his pupil became really crucial. Wellum’s description of his instructor tells the story. When Wellum, the newly commissioned trainee, met his instructor for the first time, he addressed him as “Sir”. The answer came back, “You don’t call me, “Sir”, Sir. You call me Flight Sergeant or Flight”. What this hardened instructor, in his late twenties, with sharp bright blue eyes and thin lips wanted was perfection. He was a hard task master and kept Wellum at it until he was satisfied. But he was probably responsible for Wellum’s survival when it came to the Battle that summer. The skills he had taught Wellum lasted him, not only through the Battle, but for two long years afterwards until Wellum came home from Malta at the end of his third tour. He owed his life to that instructor.
Throughout the Battle the RAF turned out pilots at an increasing rate to fill the gaps caused by operations, on the squadrons. The service never ran short of pilots, but there was undoubtedly a diminution in the performance of the newly qualified pilots as a result of the time pressure Training Command was under to get them onto the front line. It meant that the squadrons were having to rely on younger and less experienced pilots than they had started with. It was inevitable but regrettable.
Weather: cloudy with fog and rain
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 32
- Spitfire – 227
- Hurricane – 410
- Defiant – 13
- Gladiator – 7
- Total – 689
There were sporadic raids by single or small groups of Me109s over much of the southern counties and the Midlands, with some reaching as far north as Lancashire and Liverpool. Interception was difficult on account of the weather. The RAF flew 275 sorties but lost no aircraft, yet shooting down 6 enemy planes. One of these was a Ju88 which had tried to disguise itself as a Blenheim. The ruse did not work and the enemy aircraft was shot down on its way back to the coast.
At night Coventry suffered heavy raids, considerable damage being done to the Armstrong-Siddeley works. There were also raids over London, Birmingham and Liverpool.
245 Squadron Operational Record Book – 21 October
One operational flight called for at 14:20 by 1 section. Dog fighting. Formation and attack exercises carried on throughout the day. 1 section took off at 12.05 for Sydenham to meet and escort the aircraft conveying HRH the Duke of Kent, who visited Aldegrove station in the course of his Ulster tour of inspection. After lunch and an inspection of the station, a section of Hurricanes escorted HRH back to Sydenham. Hurricane P3657 piloted by Sgt E G Greenwood did not return from battle climb. News later received from the police at Toombridge that the a/c was observed to dive into Lough Neagh at high speed, exploding on impact.
73 Squadron Operational Record Book – 21 October
There was too much mist and the weather altogether too bad for the Squadron to operate as a unit, but twice during the day a pair of Hurricanes were despatched to intercept single raiders. S/L Murray and F/L Smith patrolled over the SE coast in the morning and F/L Smith and Sergt. Price were ordered in the afternoon to patrol base at 9000 feet. No e/a was seen but a Wellington which did not appear to have the proper markings was challenged but it soon proved itself as friendly. ‘Stefan’ has arrived this afternoon and been accorded the Honorary Rank of Group Captain. ‘Stefan’ is a Borzie presented to the Squadron as a mascot by friends in Cambridge.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 21st October 1940):
* Enemy: 2 confirmed, 0 probable, 3 damaged
* Own: Nil.
Weather: cloudy with some haze
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 44
- Spitfire – 226
- Hurricane – 411
- Defiant – 20
- Gladiator – 7
- Total – 708
This day, there were raids at 9.35, 11.00, 13.15, 14.20 and 15.00 on London and the south east but a number of interceptions were made by the RAF. The RAF flew 745 sorties and lost 4 aircraft but succeeded in shooting down 14 enemy aircraft.
The coming night, London was given a hard time by a force of no less than 300 bombers which pounded the city. Coventry was also heavily bombed and many fires were started.
1 Squadron Operational Record Book – 20 October
Practice flying: fighter attacks, vector by R/T, high flying tactics. Blue section (B Flight) scrambled base, 20,000 ft, but no e/a sighted. Sgt A. Zavoral landed at Cottesmore. Sgt. H.E. Pettit posted to no. 605 Squadron, Kenley.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 20th October 1940):
* Enemy: 9 confirmed, 7 probable, 6 damaged
* Own: Three aircraft. Pilots safe.
Today’s theme: Captains and Commanders – Erhard Milch
Weather: cloudy with some mist
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 47
- Spitfire – 233
- Hurricane – 412
- Defiant – 22
- Gladiator – 7
- Total – 721
A few individual sorties were reported in the morning, mainly heading for London. In the afternoon a group of about 60 Me109s flew over Kent. They were intercepted by RAF fighters and fierce dog-fights took place in which the RAF lost 5 aircraft shooting down 2 of the enemy.
That night heavy raids took place on London and Coventry. Mile End Hospital was partly destroyed.
1 Squadron Operational Record Book – 19 October
Flying consisted of weather test by A/C. Formation, air drill, cine camera. During a scramble by Flt Lt M.H. Brown, PO Chetham and PO A.V. Clowes DFM, a Hun was sighted on top of a cloud, but he got away through the clouds before attacked.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 19th October 1940):
* Enemy: 2 confirmed, 0 probable, 1 damaged
* Own: Two aircraft. One pilot missing.
Today’s theme: The Airfields – RAF Martlesham Heath
Weather: fair. A relatively calm day
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 43
- Spitfire – 218
- Hurricane – 408
- Defiant – 16
- Gladiator – 7
- Total – 692
Sporadic attacks on London, Kent and South East coast. However, Liverpool and Birmingham were bombed that night. Luftwaffe losses amounted to 15 aircraft as against the RAF loss of 4 planes.
1 Squadron Operational Record Book – 18 October – Wittering
3 weather tests; searchlight co-operation, formation air test, air drill, camera gun and formation cloud flying.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 18th October 1940):
* Enemy:0 confirmed, 0 probable, 1 damaged
* Own: Nil.
Today’s theme: Squadrons – 266 Squadron
Weather: some bright intervals but flying conditions remained difficult
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 46
- Spitfire – 217
- Hurricane – 404
- Defiant – 17
- Gladiator – 8
- Total – 692
There was little combat this day. However, Kenley was attacked in the late afternoon. The RAF lost 3 aircraft and the Luftwaffe lost 5.
That night bombs fell on London, Birmingham and Liverpool. The Vickers Armstrong factory was seriously damaged. Park issued another stream of instructions designed to improve the rate of interceptions particularly of high flying intruders.
74 Squadron – Combat Report – 17 October
Squadron was ordered on patrol and 11 aircraft took off from Biggin Hill at 15:10 hrs on 17 October 1940. Later the squadron was ordered to intercept enemy fighters approaching London from the south. S/L Malan attacked from the sun and picked out 1 Me109. He delivered a 2 second burst with a quarter deflection from 200 yds closing to 150yds when he delivered another 2 second burst. This he followed with a 4 second burst from 100 yds which appeared to damage the elevator control of the enemy aircraft, which was seen in a vertical dive, during which time a final 4 second burst was delivered and the enemy aircraft emitted black smoke. S/L Malan could not follow the enemy aircraft as he himself ‘blacked out’ for 2 seconds.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 17th October 1940):
* Enemy: 4 confirmed, 6 probable, 5 damaged
* Own: 3 aircraft and 3 pilots killed or missing.
Today’s theme: The Planes They Flew – Bristol Beaufighter
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