This Day in the Battle of Britain

[vikingBerserker]

Excellent, THANKS!!!!

[T Bolt]

Wonderful!! Your doing a brilliant job Chris

[Njaco]

UNITED KINGDOM: Though the weather was good for operations, the German attacks started in the late morning. The day was marked by three great assaults. At midday the Germans operated over Kent and the Thames Estuary; a little later they attacked objectives in Sussex and Hampshire; and in the early evening they crossed the coast almost simultaneously at four points between Harwich and the Isle of Wight. Main stream attacks were at Biggin Hill, Kenley, Croydon and the Northolt airfields. Other forces attacked Manston, West Malling, Tangmere, Gosport, Lee-on-Solent, Farnborough and Harwell. The London suburbs of Esher, Malden and Wimbledon were bombed, and other raids on Harrow and Wealdstone, Gravesend and Tilbury. Ventnor radar, although still out of action was bombed again. It was typical, however, of the weaknesses of the German plan, or German intelligence, that only three of the eight airfields attacked were used by Fighter Command.

At 1200 hours a formation of 100 Do 17s and Bf 109s headed to the Thames Estuary. This force was one of three sent to targets in the British Isles. One squadron of Spitfires and two squadrons of Hurricanes were sent to engage the bombers. At 1215 hours a larger formation of bombers crossed the coast at Kent and was intercepted by three squadrons of RAF fighters. All three fighter squadrons decided to attack together at the middle of the bomber formation in an attempt to separate the flight. Soon numerous planes were weaving about the sky as bombers and fighters mixed together. The Hurricane of RAF F/L Henry Ferris, caught up in the confusion, collided with a Dornier bomber and both aircraft crashed to the ground. The Spitfire of S/L Rodney Wilkinson of RAF No. 266 Squadron collided with the Bf 109 of Uffz. E. Buder, who baled out and was captured. S/L Wilkinson was then bounced by two Bf 109s and shot down in flames and killed. Ten Luftwaffe aircraft were lost in the combat against six fighters lost by the RAF. Hptm. Walter Oesau of 7./JG 51 shot down two Spitfires off Cap Gris Nez for his seventeenth and eighteenth victories.

KG 2 's attack coming in over Dover and the North Foreland resulted in 80 bombs falling on West Malling airfield, 66 of them exploding in surrounding farmland. Two Ju 88s attacked the aerodrome at Brize Norton and destroyed 46 training aircraft.

At 1300 hours a third large build-up of enemy aircraft was picked up by the Chain Home RDF stations setting course towards the English coast from Cherbourg. This formation of about 150 aircraft comprised a large formation of fifty-four Ju 87 (Stuka) of StG 2, Ju 88s of KG 54 and escorting Bf109E fighters of II./JG 2 and Bf 110s of III./ZG 76. When the Stukas reached the Nab Tower, east of the Isle of Wight, the leading aircraft fired off signal flares and the force split into three groups; a small group peeled off to attack the Ventnor Chain Home station, a second group set course towards Portsmouth, where later they attacked Gosport, and the largest group headed for RAF Tangmere. Challenged by Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 1, 43 and 601 Squadrons along with 602 Sqn. Spitfires tackling the escort, 17 Stukas were claimed by the RAF, the Luftwaffe admitting to losing 9. Despite being intercepted by the Hurricanes, several Stukas dropped their loads over the airfield, destroying seven Hurricane fighters, six radar-equipped Blenheim fighters of the Fighter Interception Unit and a Magister trainer on the ground. Two hangers were destroyed and three others were badly damaged as well as the workshop, fire hydrants and pumphouse, all of which received direct hits; stores, sick quarters, the officers mess and the command post were partially hit causing severe structural damage A squadron of Hurricanes got past the escort and managed to destroy eight Stukas and damaged six more before the dive-bombers headed for home with several more smoking on the return flight. 43 Squadron lost four Hurricanes on the ground, and another flown by P/O C. A. Woods-Scawen crashed on the Isle of Wight although the aircraft was destroyed, the pilot was unhurt. The Ju 87s claimed two Hurricanes shot down including one from RAF No. 601 Squadron - P/O W. Fiske. William M. Fiske, III - the first American to join the RAF was killed when he force-landed Hurricane P3358, which was then strafed and burnt. He will become the only American buried at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The inscription reads: "An American citizen who died that England might live."

Ten minutes later, Tangmere airfield was again attacked, this time by Ju 88s from Luftflotte 3. This attack was far more accurate than the earlier one with every building or hanger being hit. Aircraft in the open and in hangers were damaged, totaling fourteen RAF planes destroyed on the ground. P/O Frank Carey, later Group Captain, CBE, DFC and two bars, AFC, DFM, U. S. Silver Star, summed up his part in the action:

“This was the first time that Tangmere itself was attacked – with considerable success too. We met the raid head-on over Selsey Bill. Due to our positioning, we were only able to fire on about the second wave, leaving the leaders more or less undisturbed in their bombing. However, we were very lucky that our head-on attack so demoralised the Ju 87s that they, and the successive waves behind them, broke up. Some dropped their bombs into the sea in an effort to get away.”

The German attack was not only fought in the air. Second Lieutenant E. P. Griffin of the Royal Engineers Construction Company based at RAF Tangmere, on hearing the air raid warning, went to his battle position and with his Lewis machine gun shot down a Messerschmitt Bf110. The aircraft crashed three-quarters of a mile from the aerodrome, killing the three members of its crew. A few days later his colleagues presented him with a cartoon entitled, “The Glorious 16th of August 1940”.

The Ventnor radar station, out of operation since the attack of 12 August, was attacked by five Ju 87s. After five minutes of bombing the station it was again put out of action though with considerably more damage than before. It would take until 23 September, before the station was back on-line.

More Luftwaffe action was seen over the Naval establishments of Gosport and Lee on Solent. Both these bases, although not belonging to Fighter Command, were targets for the Luftwaffe and they came under constant bombing attacks. This raid caused serious bomb damage to HMS Daedalus, three hangers and forty two aircraft were destroyed, 14 people were killed and 5 wounded. Just some of the aircraft damaged in the air raid included the DH 86 AX841 (ex G-ACZO) W9374 Percival Q.6 W9374 (ex G-AFFE) and DH 94 G-AFNY The Grange RAF Station base of Gosport suffered heavily as several buildings were damaged and a number of people killed. RAF No. 213 Squadron Exeter (Hurricanes) and 249 Squadron Boscombe Down (Hurricanes) were involved in combat over Southampton and Portland with both squadrons losing aircraft.

The determination of the British pilots was shown when at 1345 hours a flight of three Ju 88s was bounced by Spitfires over the Solent. Trying to join in the attack with his Hurricane was F/L James Nicholson of RAF No. 249 Squadron. As he turned to join the combat, his plane was hit by cannon fire from a Bf 110. A second cannon burst from the Messerschmitt hit the Hurricane’s fuel tank and engulfed the plane in flames. A third shot of gunfire cut through the length of the aircraft. Wounded in the head and leg, blinded from blood seeping into his eyes and his Hurricane burning fiercely, F/L Nicholson tried to turn away from the twin-engined fighter. As he did so, the Bf 110 overshot the Hurricane and into the gunsights of F/L Nicholson. Using his severely injured hand to fire his guns, he sent a burst into the Bf 110 which burst into flames and spiraled down into the sea. Once the Messerschmitt crashed, F/L Nicholson baled out of his burning aircraft and ended up at hospital. James Nicholson was awarded the Victoria Cross, England’s highest award and the only fighter pilot so honored by the British. After recovering from his severe burns and other injuries (other injuries included being shot in the buttock's by a trigger happy Local Defence Volunteer as he descended in his parachute), Nicholson returned to flying in April 1941 as a Squadron Leader.

On a raid on Heathrow airfield, Middlesex, bombers of KG 55 lost six He 111s, three shot down over Sussex and three more returning to France with battle damage.

At 1730 hours a formation of He 111 bombers escorted by Bf 110 twin-engined fighters attacked the Sussex area. Met by Spitfires of RAF No. 610 Squadron and Hurricanes of RAF No. 1 and 615 Squadron, the flight lost four Heinkels and two Messerschmitts with another Bf 110 crashing upon returning to France. Two Spitfires from RAF No 610 Squadron were shot down with credit going to Hptm. Horst Tietzen for his nineteenth kill and Lt. Hans-Otto Lessing for his fourth Allied aircraft. Both pilots were from 5./JG 51. Five minutes after the battle a lone He 111 was rammed by an unarmed Anson trainer causing both to crash to the ground.

[Njaco]

(16 August 1940 continued...)

The last of the day’s raids by the Luftwaffe was made at 1750 hours when seventy He 111s with fifty Bf 110s attacked targets in Essex. Flying back to Duxford from Coltishall, RAF No. 19 Squadron Duxford (Spitfires) were given mid-air instructions to proceed to a vectored position just off the east coast at Clacton-on-Sea Essex. At first there was no sign of the raiders, but it was not long before a flight made contact with the He111 and Bf110s just south of Harwich. Joined by another flight, a strong and intense battle emerged with weaving planes and long glowing lines of tracer above the coastline. One He111 was brought down over the sea, but a number of Bf110s crashed into the Essex countryside.

The Fighter Gruppen lost a few pilots during the day’s actions including a promising leader. Oblt. Karl Ebbighausen, Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26 with nine victories during the war, was killed in action. Hptm. Erich Bode was promoted to Gruppenkommandeur of the Gruppe in his place. Also lost to the Luftwaffe was the Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 2, Oblt. Walter Möckel who failed to return from a sortie over Portsmouth and was listed as missing until it was confirmed he was a prisoner of war. The ‘Richthofen’ Geschwader also lost two Bf 109s from combat with one pilot killed. Fw. Christian Hansen of 2./JG 53 ‘Pik As’ crash landed at Goshill on the Isle of Wight after battle.

Night-time brought bombers over the Filton airfield and the Avonmouth docks. For about four hours - starting at 2330 hours - Heinkels of II./KG 27 raided the two targets along with an attack on the searchlights of Bristol.

On 16 August 1940, Winston Churchill was again watching the outcome of the enemy air raids, this time with Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park at No. 11 Group Headquarters at RAF Uxbridge. On leaving that evening, he was heard to say, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” – the words he used in the famous speech he made on the Battle of Britain in the House of Commons four days later.

Losses: Luftwaffe 44 : Fighter Command 28 (Including 6 on the ground).

Changes continued at ZG 2 when Hptm. Eberhard Heinlein was removed and made acting Gruppenkommandeur of II./ZG 2 in place of Hptm. Harry Carl. At Epr.Gr 210, Hptm. Hans von Boltenstern was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of the fighter-bomber unit in place of Hptm. Walter Rubensdörffer. The Gruppe was stationed at Denain flying Bf 110s and Bf 109Es.

GERMANY: The German News Bureau reported:

"An authoritative source has informed us that in the course of this afternoon's aerial hostilities, one German aerial formation took off on a special mission. This combat group was deployed against all military and war-related targets immediately surrounding the British capital. The German Luftwaffe will offer proof that no power in the world can prevent it from dropping its bombs anywhere in England that it chooses - even, if it should be necessary over the City of London."

[Gnomey]

Great stuff Chris! Keep it coming.

[Njaco]

UNITED KINGDOM: A strange day in the middle of a vital battle for existance. The weather dawned bright and clear – perfect for air operations. RAF aircrews were tired from the last few days desperate battles and it was a perfect opportunity for the Luftwaffe to keep up the pressure on the RAF. But again, the Luftwaffe failed to take advantage of the situation. Needing rest and repair for their aircraft, the pilots and crews of the German air force were not given any missions for the day except for occasional reconnaissance flights which the RAF ignored.

The last few days had been hectic and tiring for all those that had taken part. Commented Ofw. Manfred Langer of 4./KG 3;

“Day after day we were flying operational duties. The constant run of failures to achieve our goals of destroying our targets due to being constantly intercepted by British fighters was beginning to take its toll. Time and time again we tell our commanding officers that we must destroy the radar systems because we are always being met over the Channel by Spitfires and Hurricanes. The British pilots are very clever, they seem to be able to turn us around and we are forced to return to our bases, not only with bullet holes all over our aircraft, but with dead or injured crewmen that have to be attended to on the return flight. We became tired and exhausted, each new day brought new missions and then came the night operations. Man can only take so much, he is not a machine, although I think that our commanders thought differently. When the weather is too bad for flying, it is like a dream come true.”

Even though the 17th dawned an exceptional summers day, little wind and cloudless skies, there was not a German aircraft in sight, the skies around the south coast were empty. Radar operators at many of the stations began to suspect that their masts or receivers were faulty, not a blip could be seen on any of them. Or as Commanding Officer 32 Squadron Biggin Hill Mike Crossley commented;

"Not a single sausage, scare, flap or diversion of any description today. Amazing, heavenly day too."

While Fighter Command were asking the question "Why? Why don't they come?" Station Commanders took the opportunity to clean up their airfields. Biggin Hill, Manston, Brize Norton, Tangmere, Kenley and Hornchurch all had work to do in clearing up the mess caused by the bombing of the previous day. Although ground crews managed to repair buildings, fill in holes and craters and repair damaged aircraft, it was with pilots that replacements could not keep up with losses. Over the last five days Fighter Command had lost sixty-eight valuable pilots killed or posted as missing. As well as this some seventy had been injured or wounded and would not return to action for many weeks, some not at all.

On the brighter side, 310 Squadron made up of Czechoslovakian pilots became operational. They were posted to Duxford. RAF No 1 (Canadian) Squadron was now operational. RAF No 145 Squadron moved to Drem and RAF No 602 Squadron moved to Westhampnett near Tangmere.

While Fighter Command kept regular patrols without enemy contact, a Royal Navy vessel successfully shot down one raider in the Channel. One raid was plotted well out to sea in Cardigan Bay, and a ship was reported to have been sunk near Strumble Head. A raid was plotted in mid-Wales moving east and returning. It was reported that leaflets were dropped in the Welshpool area. A Junkers Ju 88 from NJG 1, briefed to intrude over the Wash, strayed and was shot down into the sea off Spurn Head at 03.00 hours by a Blenheim night fighter, crewed by P/O Rhodes and Sgt. Gregory from RAF No 29 Squadron. The Ju 88 was listed as lost together with its crew.

Despite the lack of any major operation, a few Experten still managed to claim British warplanes to add to their victory totals especially from JG 51. Heinz Bär of 1./JG 51 claimed a Hurricane for his fourth kill while Hptm. Walter Oesau of 7./JG 51 destroyed his nineteenth Allied warplane – a Hurricane off Cap Gris Nez. Another pilot from the 7th Staffel, Ofw. Arthur Dau claimed his seventh victim – a Hurricane – down over Canterbury. Not to be outdone, the rising Experte of the 5th Staffel, Hptm. Horst Tietzen, shot down a British airplane to reach the magic score of twenty kills. At 1740 hours, Hptm. Josef Fözö of 4./JG 51 downed a Hurricane from RAF No. 601 Squadron.

German bombing was negligible during the daylight hours, but about midnight 17th/18th August, the attack was renewed when Luftwaffe aircraft dropped bombs in East Suffolk, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire, notably in the Coventry and Birmingham districts. Not much damage was done in these areas but one raid reached Liverpool where damage was done in the docks area.

The Bristol Aeroplane Company and the docks at Avonmouth were again the targets for night missions by fourteen He 111s of II./KG 27 with the bombers leaving the area at 0205 hours. Damaged in the attacks were a warehouse, dry-dock and a rail yard in Liverpool. Other bombers from KG 27 dropped bombs over the city of Coventry with slight damage. Many bombs fell on open ground. At about the same time, fourteen He 111s from KGr 100 dropped bombs on Castle Bromwich near Birmingham. Despite using X-Gerat to guide them to the target, most of the bombs fell on open ground. One of the bombers suffered a mechanical failure and crashed at Dinard returning from the mission. All the crew survived.

[Lucky13]

Outstanding work Chris!

[Njaco]

"THE HARDEST DAY"
UNITED KINGDOM: Despite the devastation of 15 August, the Luftwaffe would face its toughest test this day over England when careful plans and tactics were dismantled and English ingenuity and desperation were successful. It would be remembered as one of the harshest days the Luftwaffe had ever had to face over the British Isles, as three major attacks were planned against airfields and radar units along the coast. But despite ingenuous plans and execution from the German Air Forces by the end of the day, only one British sector station would be out of action and the RAF airfields damaged for only a few hours while the Luftwaffe realized the folly of using Stukas against British fighters and the difficulties of coordinating large formations.

First Luftwaffe intruders of the day were six reconnaissance aircraft including a Bf 110 of LG 2 which was shot down at 31,000 feet over Manston. The first loss of an aircrew for the Luftwaffe occurred during the early morning hours when a Ju 88 from NJG 1 on an intruder mission, was attacked by a RAF Blenheim. Hit numerous times, the Junkers crashed and killed the entire three man crew.

The plans called for Dornier Do 17s, Junkers Ju 88s, and Heinkel He 111s to attack the airfields at Kenley and Biggin Hill for the first major assault. While the majority of the bombers were to attack in a conventional bombing run; at about 12,000 feet, one Staffel of Dorniers was to fly tree-top level to each target and attack a few minutes after the main forces. The second attack was to be made by Stukas on the airfields at Ford, Gosport and Thorney Island along with the radar site at Poling. The last major assault of the day was for more bombers to attack the airfields at Hornchurch and North Weald. All of the attacks were to be escorted with almost all the Fighter Geschwader of Luftflotte 2 and Luftflotte 3.

The RAF airfield at Kenley was the first targeted for attack by the bombers of KG 76, one of the most experienced Kampfgeschwader in the Luftwaffe. The attack was to be in three phases. First, twelve Ju 88s of II./KG 76 escorted by twenty Bf 109s from JG 51 were to dive-bomb the airfield, attacking the hangers and installations. Five minutes later, twenty-seven Do 17s from I./KG 76 and III./KG 76 escorted by twenty-five Bf 110s from ZG 26 would bomb from 12,000 feet in an attempt to destroy the runway and airfield defenses. Five minutes after this action, nine Do 17s from 9./KG 76 were to run in, unescorted, at low altitude and finish off the attack. The first two attacks were to come in from the south-east while the last tree-hopping attack was to come from the south. At Biggin Hill, the assault was to be made by sixty He 111s of KG 1 at the same time as the Kenley raid with escort provided by forty Bf 109s from JG 54. The whole attack would be preceded by a freie jagd of sixty Bf 109s from JG 3 and III./JG 26. The fighters from JG 26 were led by Oblt Gerhard Schopfel while Major Adolf Galland was at Karinhall on a visit to Göring.

Shortly before noon, the first two attacking formations began to take off and reach altitude. With cloud building up, the bomber formations were given the all clear to take off, some three hours behind the planned commencement of operations. Bombers of KG 1 got away as scheduled and over the French coast met up with their escorts. But heavy cloud cover forced a delay in the rendezvous as several bombers circled the airfields waiting for formations to emerge from the clouds. The Do 17s and Ju 88s of KG 76 had problems with the cloud and found it difficult meeting up with their escorts. Several minutes later the bombers of 9./KG 76, led by Staffelkapitaen Hptm. Joachim Roth took off and flew almost a direct route to the target, first at an altitude of 500 feet but dropping to 60 feet as they approached the Sussex coast, avoiding the British radar. Relatively free of any defensive fire from the British, the Dornier formation approached the airfield at about 1320 hours only to find, not pillars of smoke from the preceding attacks, but clear skies. The problem was that the delay that had occurred with the Ju 88s and Do 17s in negotiating the cloud base on take off, coupled with the fact that flying time was slower than expected, they were running up to ten minutes behind schedule while the nine low flying Do 17s crossing near Beachy Head were on time. Instead of being the third to arrive the nine bombers of 9./KG 76 were the first to arrive at the airfield and were alone.

As the German bombers spread out and selected targets, the British defenses woke up and attacked. RAF No. 111 Squadron Croydon (Hurricanes) were "scrambled" and instructed to vector Kenley, and to 111 commander Squadron Leader John Thompson's surprise, he was told to maintain only 100 feet over the airfield. Quipped Thompson;

"Your bloody mad" "......I could prune trees at that height."

Came the voice over the R/T;

"I repeat, yes repeat.......vector Kenley.....patrol at 100 feet........30 plus low level bandits approaching"

The twelve Hurricanes curved in to attack the formation from above as British anti-aircraft guns opened fire. The first plane to go down was not German but British when one of the attacking Hurricanes spun and dove into the ground. The remaining British fighters pulled up and away from the flak bursts and made for the opposite side of the airfield where the German bombers would exit after attacking the airfield. Despite the murderous fire from below, the Dorniers pressed home their attacks. Soon three hangars were ablaze as bombs scored direct hits. But many of the bombers were severely damaged from the ground fire. Reaching the end of the airfield the German bombers faced another British defense, parachute-and-cable launchers. These were cables shot into the sky and held aloft by small parachutes and weighted with a drag parachute. Launched in rows of nine or more directly in the flight path of a low flying enemy airplane, the cable would create drag on the plane and play havoc with its control, finally forcing it to crash. Upon reaching the edge of the airfield, the Do 17s were greeted with the first salvo of these innovative British defenses. Most of the bombers made it through the cables but one bomber, damaged and on fire from the anti-aircraft guns, was unable to clear the wires. The cables snagged the bomber, the plane stalled and finally crashed to the ground just outside the airfield, killing all on board.

The rest of the bomber formation cleared the cables and airfield only to be bounced by the waiting Hurricanes of RAF No. 111 Sqd. Immediately, two Hurricanes set one bomber on fire and it soon crashed. The rest of the formation scattered and tried to individually make it back to France. Continuing with their attacks as the Dorniers hedge hopped across the English countryside, the Hurricanes were able to seriously damage more of the Dorniers but lost three more fighters to the bomber's defensive fire. Crossing the coast the remaining seven bombers headed to French soil, many smoking, on fire and running on only one engine. Two Dorniers crashed into the Channel on the return flight and two more crashed onto the French coast. One of the bombers that crashed on the coastline was counted to have more than two hundred holes from .303in rounds in its fuselage. Two more landed, wheels down and seriously damaged, at other airfields in France - one piloted by the navigator after the pilot had been killed in his seat. Only one bomber made it back to its airfield at Cormeilles-en-Vexin without serious damage and no injured crewmen.

While the attack by 9./KG 76 was happening, the twenty-seven Dorniers of I./KG 76 and III./KG 76 were having troubles of their own. The first RAF fighters to engage the high flying Dorniers were Hurricanes from RAF No. 615 Sqd. who became entangled with the escorting Messerschmitts of JG 3. The Bf 109s, coming out of the sun, seriously damaged three Hurricanes, killing one of the British pilots. Despite this success, the action allowed the twelve Hurricanes of RAF No. 32 Sqd. to dive and attack the bomber formations of I./KG 76, III./KG 76 and the Zerstörers of ZG 26 unmolested from the Bf 109s. The sudden attacks by the Hurricanes knocked down one Dornier and seriously damaged several others while forcing some of the bombers to miss Kenley and instead drop their loads on rail lines near the airfield and on Croydon airfield. Several Bf 110s were damaged when eight Spitfires of RAF No. 64 Sqd. joined the battle. One of the Zerstörers attacked was that of Rüdiger Proske, who, with his rear gunner wounded and his engines damaged, pretended to 'play dead' in the face of an attack by a Spitfire. Allowing the twin-engined plane to plunge 6,000 feet out of control, Proske regained control and found nobody had followed him down during his death spin. He headed for France.

Instead of being the first to arrive, the twelve Ju 88s of II./KG 76 arrived last to find the target covered in smoke and instead switched to their secondary target, the airfield at West Malling. As the formation passed Biggin Hill, the anti aircraft defense of the airfield damaged a Ju 88 and it was immediately pounced on by RAF fighters. The bomber crashed eight miles south-east of Biggin Hill.

[Njaco]

(18 August 1940 continued....)

Four Ju 88s and six Do 17s were lost during the attacks on Kenley, with one Ju 88 forcing Flt. Lt. Stanford Tuck, by return fire to bale out of his RAF No. 92 Squadron Spitfire. Despite the heavy attack by KG 76, Kenley was operational again within twenty-four hours. A total of 100 bombs had fallen on the airfield with the result that ten hangers were damaged and fourteen aircraft on the ground destroyed. For the first time the operations room at Kenley was put out of action with the communications cut and nine people killed. Within three days after moving to a new location, operations were back in action.

Before the bombers arrived at Kenley, Oblt Schöpfel's fighter formation was flying twenty-five miles ahead of the Dorniers, clearing the way. As Major Schöpfel recounted;

"We were on a freie jagd. The Gruppe flew over Dover, gaining quite a bit of altitude. Suddenly I saw a squadron of English fighters climbing far beneath us. We had probably been reported and the British were looking for us. The British flew over the water in a broad arc, and then over land, in the direction of Canterbury. I led the Gruppe after them immediately. We were in a favorable position as we approached. Eight aircraft, Hurricanes, flew in front in flights of vees. Behind them was a cover flight. Its fourth aircraft was weaving - flying first left, then right. The English still had not seen us. They now had the more favorable position, since they were higher, but we attacked. I flew toward the weaving aircraft. At 100 meters I had it in front of me, and pressed the button. The fire of my cannon and machine guns literally blew the Hurricane apart. Pieces fell away, smoking and burning. The second aircraft in the cover flight was now in my sights. I repeated the same manoeuvre. I opened fire, and the Hurricane burst into flames. Undisturbed, the others continued spiraling upward. They had no inkling that there were Messerschmitts on their tails. Now I was behind the third aircraft. A short burst, and this one likewise fell apart. Number Three! The Englishmen flew onward; still they had noticed nothing. So I took on the fourth aircraft. This time, however, I approached too closely. When I pressed the button, the Englishman exploded, so near me that pieces hit my crate. It sprayed oil so thickly on the front and right side of my canopy that I could see nothing, and had to break off the battle, which had lasted two minutes."

The Hurricanes that Major Schöpfel had come across were fighters from RAF No. 501 Sqd. who, while returning from a patrol, had been ordered to station over Canterbury. Seeing that he had an advantage, Major Schöpfel ordered his Gruppe to hold course and dived on the British fighters alone. In the space of six minutes, Major Schöpfel had added four aircraft to his score. His Gruppe continued with their mission and intercepted RAF No. 17 Sqd. as they prepared to attack the returning bombers. One Hurricane was destroyed and two others crash landed with damage.

The airfield at Biggin Hill was approached by the sixty bombers of KG 1 at about 13:27 hours. Because four of the five RAF fighter squadrons available were attacking the formations over Kenley, only one British fighter squadron, RAF No. 615 Sqd with fifteen Spitfires, attempted to thwart the German bombers. The forty Bf 109s of JG 54 intercepted the Spitfires and allowed the bombers to proceed unmolested to the airfield. At the target, the anti aircraft defenses were told to hold their fire because British fighters were in the area. The Heinkels dropped their loads without any interference from the British. As the bombs dropped on Biggin Hill, the Ju 88s of II./KG 76 began dive-bombing the airfield at West Malling.

After their bombing runs, the aircraft of KG 76 and KG 1 along with their escorting fighters broke away for the return flights to France. More British fighter squadrons were called onto the retreating bombers and by 13:45 hours numerous battles were being fought over the English countryside. Hundreds of aircraft were caught up in separate battles with at one point a Bf 110 being chased by a Hurricane who was also being chased by another Bf 110 with another Hurricane on its tail. Both Messerschmitts were claimed as destroyed by the attacking Hurricane pilots.

In the largest attack by Stukas, one hundred and nine Ju 87s from StG 3 and StG 77 accompanied by 24 Ju 88s of KG 54 and escorted by 150 Bf 109s, mounted an attack on the RAF airfields at Gosport, Ford and Thorney Island along with the radar station at Poling shortly after 14:00 hours. Crossing the coast the escort fighters split into two groups . . . one to stay above with the dive-bombers on their bombing run and the second diving below to assist when they pulled out of their dives. Poling CH radar station lost two pylons, disabling the station for a week, Ford naval air station was raided losing two hangars destroyed, a third of the quarters and killing 14, Gosport and finally Thorney Island where a hangar was bombed and started a fire. It was at this moment when the RAF struck at the German formations. Eighteen Hurricanes of RAF Nos 43 and 601 Squadrons burst into the formations of dive-bombers from I./StG 77 just as the Stukas were about to dive onto Thorney Island. Several bombers were shot down as the British fighters tagged onto the Ju 87s and followed them through their dives, showering the Junkers with gunfire. More British fighters from RAF Nos. 152 and 602 Squadrons with 234 Squadron taking on the top cover, joined the battle until approximately 300 aircraft were fighting above the English coastline. When the fighting finally subsided, numerous Stukas and crew were destroyed or damaged, a total of thirty dive bombers, nearly 21% of the total force committed in the day's actions. Ten Stukas were destroyed and five seriously damaged out of twenty-eight aircraft from I./StG 77 alone, including the dive-bomber of the GruppenKommanduer Hptm. Herbert Meisel, who was killed. Six bombers were shot down and two seriously damaged from the other three Gruppen involved. The RAF lost four Spitfires and two Hurricanes.

As the German bombers and fighters head out over the Channel, sixteen Bf 109s from I./JG 52 were sent near the Straits of Dover as cover for the returning formations. Led by Oblt. Wolfgang Ewald, the Messerschmitts failed to engage any British fighters. Having plenty of fuel left, Oblt Ewald guided his fighters to the airfield at Manston and strafed the RAF airbase at 15:30. After two passes, two Spitfires were left burning and six others damaged. A Hurricane that was refueling was also destroyed. Two hours later 8 raids crossed over the Essex coast via the Blackwater and Thames estuaries. RAF Nos. 54 and 151 Squadrons came into action to hinder the bombing of North Weald and Hornchurch.

Fourteen victory Experte Lt. Walter Blume of 7./JG 26, was shot down and captured, becoming a prisoner of war as was Oblt. Helmut Teidmann of 2./JG 3, ending the war as a prisoner after having achieved seven victories against the Allies. The 7./JG 26 also lost Lt. Gerhard Müller-Dühe when he was killed in action The most grievous loss for the Luftwaffe this day was the loss of the Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 51, Hptm. Horst Tietzen, when he was reported missing over the Thames Estuary. It is believed that Hptm. Tietzen was shot down by S/L Peter Townsend of RAF No. 82 Squadron. Hptm. Tietzen became the first recipient of the Ritterkreuz to be awarded posthumously.

In air battles over Portsmouth, JG 2 lost three fighters including the Messerschmitt of Oblt. Rudolf Möllerfriedrich of 6./JG 2 who was listed as missing after failing to return from the mission. Two more Bf 109s crashed at Cherbourg returning from combat with both pilots wounded. A Heinkel He 111 from KGr 100, a pathfinder unit working during daylight for the first time, was also destroyed.

In the heaviest day of fighting so far, the Luftwaffe lost 69 planes to the RAF's 33; another 29 RAF machines were wrecked on airfields.

Due to heavy losses, the fighters of II./JG 52 led by Hptm. Hans-Günther von Kornatzki was pulled out of action from Peupelinge and transferred to Jever on the German Bight and start flying defensive missions.

During the night He 111s from KG 27 fly missions to airfields and harbours in the Bristol area.

[T Bolt]

This thread is a grand achievement Chris! I have been copying and pasting it to a word document so I can file it for future reference and as of todays post it's 94 pages and 45,421 words. Incredible!

[Njaco]

cool!

[Crimea_River]

Well done Chris.

Anyone wanting to read a good book on this day in the BoB, check out "The Hardest Day" by Alfred Price.

[Glider]

And anyone wanting a good history of the BOB, read this

[Grunherz]

I am absolutely in awe of this thread! Great read, great research and a great effort. Well done!

[rochie]

great work Chris, thought todays post might be a big one !