Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 12 August 1940

• Weather: Fine with some mist patches.
• Day: Heavy raid on Portsmouth. Convoy in Thames Estuary, radar stations and coastal airfields attacked.
• Night: Widespread harassing raids.

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Enemy action by day

Great activity was experienced, the main features of which were a heavy attack on Dover between 0720 and 0840 hours; attacks on convoys in the Thames Estuary at about 1100 hours; a strong attack on the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton at noon; an attack on Manston Aerodrome at 1245 hours; an extensive search in force off the mid-Straits of Dover at about 1400 hours; a further attack on Dover and also on Hawkinge and Lympne at about 1730 hours.

Thames Estuary

At 1101 hours, two raids were plotted approaching Deal. They combined to form a raid of 25+ aircraft which turned north and entered the Thames Estuary where two convoys were attacked. The enemy were intercepted by our fighters and casualties were inflicted.

Attack on Manston Aerodrome

At 1245 hours, the aerodrome at Manston was attacked by 50 enemy aircraft and damage done to the aerodrome and hangars. Four squadrons and one section of fighters engaged the enemy.

Dover Area

At 0720 hours, a large-scale attack began to develop on Dover and continued until about 0840 hours. There were 11 raids in all, consisting of about 200 aircraft, some of which are reported to been camouflaged in a manner similar to our fighters. RAF establishments at Dover, Rye and Pevensey were attacked but not seriously damaged. The four squadrons sent up to intercept shot down several enemy aircraft. Our own casualties were extremely slight.

From 1400 to 1500 hours, a strong reconnaissance was plotted in the Straits of Dover and carried out and extensive search without approaching the English Coast.

From 1700 hours onwards, about 17 raids were concerned in a further attack on Dover and district. A considerable battle developed during which enemy aircraft were active over Hawkinge and Lympne. Our fighters again intercepted and destroyed many enemy aircraft.

During the period of these attacks on the South East Coast, two patrols of about 20 aircraft each were maintained by the enemy in the Straits about 10 miles south of Dover.

Portsmouth Area

Shortly after 0930 hours, one raid unsuccessfully attacked an RAF establishment at Poling.

At 1151 hours, a raid of 150+ aircraft was plotted 30 miles north of Cherbourg. This raid split into a number of smaller raids which approached on a wide front. Some reached Portsmouth and Southampton where damage was done. Others flew over convoys off the Isle of Wight but no damage to shipping is reported. An RAF establishment at Ventnor was bombed and damaged at about 1300 hours.

In the above raids the enemy were engaged by our fighters and suffered further losses.

Reconnaissances

There have been a number of reconnaissances searching for shipping off the East Coast. The was one reconnaissance from Shoreham up to Northolt and one over South Wales and Somerset and it is reported that one aircraft flew over the north of Scotland to 250 miles out into the Atlantic thence down the West Coast of Ireland.

By night

Widespread raids in small numbers occurred over the country. Minelaying was suspected off the North East and East Coasts and in the Thames Estuary and Bristol Channel. Enemy aircraft were active near Bircham Newton, towards Nottingham and in the Blackpool district. About 6 raids approached Norwich but did not appear to penetrate far inland.

Statistics

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 12 August 1940

• Blenheim - 60
• Spitire - 248
• Hurricane - 363
• Defiant - 24
• Gladiator - 4
• Total - 699

Casualties:

• Own:
  • No 501 Squadron - 2 Hurricanes, 1 pilot safe
  • No 145 Squadron - 3 Hurricanes
  • No 257 Squadron - 2 Hurricanes
  • No 266 Squadron - 1 Spitfire
  • No 152 Squadron - 2 Spitfires
  • No 213 Squadron - 2 Hurricanes
  • No 64 Squadron - 3 Spitfires

Patrols:

• 196 patrols despatched involving 798 aircraft.

Balloons:

• Flying 1466. Casualties 44.

Aerodromes:

• No reports.

Organisation:

• No 607 Squadron operational by day only.

Air Intelligence Reports

• No reports.

Home Security Reports

• Date: 12th/13th August 1940
  • General Summary
    • The raids on the 12th August were on a considerably larger scale than any yet attempted on this country.
    • Apart from those during the night of 11th/12th August, of which there are further particulars in yesterday's report, the main objectives appear to have been aerodromes, RAF establishments, Portsmouth Harbour and in particular the county of Kent has received much attention from the enemy, not only in aircraft attacks but by shelling.
    • Considering the extent of the raids, casualties, although fairly serious, were not actually numerous. Portsmouth in this respect suffered rather heavily
    • In the Isle of Wight widespread damage was done but as so far reported, not of a major nature. In this area, machine-gunning was reported in addition to a large number of bombs being dropped.
    • Amongst the aerodromes attacked, Manston and Hawkinge appear to have suffered the most.

  • Detailed Summary
    • In the south-eastern region, Lympne Aerodrome was attacked on two occasions on the 12th and considerable damage was done to hangars and premises.
    • Hawkinge Aerodrome also suffered considerable damage from an attack at 1743 hours when seven hangars and several lorries, services and telephone phones, quarters and buildings were seriously affected.
    • Manston Aerodrome was also visited by the enemy when two hangars were damaged and the aerodrome rendered temporarily unserviceable by a number of craters. Workshops were also damaged and it was reported that various offices and quarters were affected. Casualties are said to be four dead killed and eight injured.
    • Four bombs were reported on Bircham Newton Aerodrome at 2215 hours.
    • Other attacks on or near aerodromes and RAF establishments include:- Pevensey, Dunkirk (Kent), Brookland (Sussex), Poling (sussex), near Thorney Island, at Bosham, near Canterbury, at Bekesbourne, at Ipswich airport, north-west of Martlesham, east of Coltishall, near Wattisham and south of Sutton Bridge.
    • With reference to the Canterbury area, it is reported that between 2250 and 2310 hours on the 12th, over 200 HE and 3 DA as well as some IB bombs were dropped and the main Dover line is blocked. Further details not yet to hand.
    • Other areas which have been visited by enemy aircraft are somewhat widespread in the counties of Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Somerset, Devonshire and in South Wales at Cardiff and Neath.

    • Portsmouth
      • At about 1201 hours on the 12th August, a raid by a large number of enemy aircraft was made on Portsmouth and district. The harbour railway station was badly damaged, the pier was demolished, a pontoon dock holed and badly strained and fires, which we later got under control, broke out in several buildings including a brewery in the old town. Casualties are reported to number eight killed and seventy-five injured.
      • Gosport district was also bombed and although details of the full extent of the damage are lacking, casualties are reported to amount to fifteen killed and twenty-four injured, including twelve RAF personnel killed.
      • In the Isle of Wight bombs were dropped at approximately midday on the 12th in the Ventnor area and a total number of 72 HE and 10 DA are reported. Damage was done to houses in Ventnor and Bonchurch and the railway line at Shanklin and Wroxhall was damaged. The number of injured is reported as six.

    • Enemy Attacks by Shell-fire
      • Reports have been received of shells falling on the South East Coast between 1020 and 1115 hours on the 12th when the railway line near Sandwich was damaged, some house property and telephone wires at Dover, houses demolished and damaged at Folkestone and barracks hit and minor damage to property at Deal and Walmer.

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