Category Archive

Weather: cloudy with some rain.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 58
• Spitire – 239
• Hurricane – 400
• Defiant – 25
• Gladiator – 7
• Total – 729

The bad weather led to the Luftwaffe adopting harassing tactics using small groups or even single aircraft. Attacks took place on the Scilly Isles which were bombed and strafed by machine gun fire.

Fighter Command flew 599 sorties. However, 13 German aircraft were destroyed and only one RAF fighter shot down. 4 Blenheims on the ground were destroyed.

19 Squadron Operational Record Book – 21 August
P/Os Dolezal and Huadil, Sgts. Plzaxk and Marek of 310 Squadron attached to us to-day. All Czechs and very keen and eager to have a crack.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 21st August 1940):

*  Enemy: 13 confirmed, 2 probable, 2 damaged
*  Own: 1 Hurricane

Todays’s theme: Top Gun Gallery – Douglas Bader

Adler Tag (Eagle Day)

Weather: Fine; some patchy cloud over Channel.

Adolf Hitler, Directive No. 17 (1st August, 1940)
The Luftwaffe will use all the forces at its disposal to destroy the British air force as quickly as possible. August 5th is the first day on which this intensified air war may begin, but the exact date is to be left to the Luftwaffe and will depend on how soon its preparations are complete, and on the weather situation.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 71
• Spitfire – 226
• Hurricane – 353
• Defiant – 26
• Gladiator – 2
• Total – 678

There was some mist at first but this later cleared. Early in the morning, a large force of Do17s had taken off under the leadership of Commander Johannes Fink. But the fighters who were meant to accompany the bomber stream had turned back. Goering, back in Karinhall, had been told that the weather wasn’t, after all, all that good. He decided to postpone the opening of the new campaign, that had been scheduled for today, codenamed ‘Adler Tag’, or ‘Eagle Day’.. He personally ordered those aircraft, which had already taken off, to be recalled. The recall signal reached the fighters, but not the bombers. The former turned for home, leaving the bombers to forge on alone.

However, the bombers’ target was an RAF station in Surrey, Eastchurch. This wasn’t a fighter command station at all, as it belonged to Coastal Command, although 266 Squadron Spitfires were there having just been moved down from the Midlands. No fighters were permanently stationed there. The raid on Eastchurch turned out to be very damaging and destructive, wrecking a number of aircraft, killing several personnel, and it gave the impression to Fink and his men that they had completely destroyed a fighter command station, together with 10 Spitfires. In fact, only 1 Spitfire was destroyed, although 16 ground crew were killed and 5 Blenheims were destroyed. Despite this damage, the station was back in service the next day.

On the way home, flying across Kent, five Do17s of Fink’s group were shot down with several more being damaged by 111 and 151 Squadrons. On return to base Fink was furious. What had happened to his fighter escort?

Yet the most serious error made that day was mistaking Eastchurch, a coastal command station for a fighter command one.

A second German group had not received details of Eagle Day’s postponement and a sizeable force of Ju88s was heading for Odiham and the research establishment at Farnborough. But they were intercepted by 601 Squadron and forced to return to their base.

In the afternoon came a series of raids from Luftflotte 3 from the Cherbourg peninsula which were aimed at Portland and other south coast ports including Southampton. Several interceptions were made by RAF squadrons on this latest incursion. However, several German aircraft managed to get through to Southampton and did serious damage.

At the same time, Luftflotte 2 were also in action. Detling was hit and the Commanding Officer was killed. The day had given Fighter Command a taste of the much more intensive battle which was about to take place over the next few weeks. Cumulatively, it was to put the Command under severe strain. The RAF lost 13 aircraft with the Germans losing 45.

That night the Nuffield works near Birmingham were hit.

54 Squadron Operational Record Book, 13 August
A respite with only 1 patrol over Hornchurch for an hour early in the morning.

19 Squadron Operational Record Book – 13 August – Eastchurch
Eastchurch Aerodrome (and “B” Flight) most thoroughly bombed. Approximately 220 bombs dropped in 20 minutes. The personnel were also machine-gunned by low-flying enemy aircraft. Fortunately “B” Flight sustained no damage or injuries. The dispersal of the aircraft would help considerably to this end.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 13th August 1940):

*  Enemy: 78 aircraft destroyed, 33 probable, 49 damaged.
*  Own: 11 Hurricanes, 2 Spitfires

Todays’s theme: Historical Documents – Hitler’s Sea Lion Directives and Invasion Plans

Weather: mainly cloudy.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 60
• Spitfire – 247
• Hurricane – 373
• Defiant – 24
• Gladiator – 2
• Total – 706

The day began with a feint in the east with the real attack coming in over the west country. A substantial raid developed on Portland and Weymouth with well over 100 aircraft involved. Several squadrons intercepted. Dogfights ensued. Over 70 bombs were dropped and damage was done to property and the railway line. This was the biggest battle so far during the Battle of Britain.

Meanwhile, in the east, there was continuous activity around Dover and the Straits. 74 Squadron flew no less than four sorties from Manston. Several more squadrons were engaged before hostilities ended. It was indeed a busy day for Manston. Losses were heavy on both sides. Over 30 German aircraft were shot down in return for losses to the RAF of 27 aircraft. There had been much fighter to fighter combat, hence the losses.

Adler Tag had now been set for August 13th.

19 Squadron Operational Record Book – 11 August
New Spitfire equipped with 2 cannon and 4 Browning Guns delivered today. Is slightly overweight but in the general opinion is a step in the right direction. Possibly another step in the same direction would be the re-equipping with the old eight-gun machines.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 11th August 1940):

*  Enemy: 37 confirmed, 47 unconfirmed.
*  Own: 20 Hurricanes, 5 Spitfires

Todays’s theme: Captains and Commanders – Sir Christopher Quintin Brand