Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 26th August 1940

• Weather: Mainly cloudy but dry. Brighter in the south.
• Day: Dover, Folkestone and airfields in Kent and Essex attacked. Lesser raids in the Solent.
• Night: Widespread raids, Industrial areas and airfields the main targets.

Enemy action by day

After a number of reconnaissance flights between Harwich and Land's End, some of which penetrated inland, three major attacks by large formations developed in the following areas:

• i. Dover - Folkestone area at 1137 hours.
• ii. Kent and north of the Thames Estuary at 1422 hours.
• iii. Portsmouth - Southampton area at 1600 hours.

These raiders were engaged by our fighters and casualties inflicted.

East Coast

At 1252 hours, a raid plotted near Martlesham flew along the coast and was active in the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth area. A number of reconnaissance raids were plotted between the North Foreland and Cromer.

South East Coast

During the day, reconnaissance flights were plotted in the Straits and round to Beachy Head.

At 1137 hours, five raids, totalling some 100 aircraft collected in the Gris Nez area. They approached to attack objectives in the Folkestone-Dover area and inland at Biggin Hill and Kenley. By 1250 hours, the attack was dispersed.

A second attack on the South-East of England developed at approximately 1422 hours when some eight raids totalling 190+ collected in the Calais - St Omer area. They crossed the coast in waves between Lympne and the mouth of the Blackwater and appeared to have as their objectives aerodromes in South-East England from Duxford southwards. At 1540 hours, some 250 aircraft were estimated to be north and south of the Estuary between Bury St Edmunds and Dungeness.

South and West

A number of reconnaissance flights were plotted along the South Coast to Land's End. One raid penetrated towards Oxford and is reported to have had Harwell as a target. Other raids were engaged on reconnaissances of the Portsmouth - Southampton, Shoreham - Tangemere and Middle Wallop - Yeovil areas.

At approximately 1600 hours, a major raid approached Portsmouth on a 30-mile front at 15,000 feet. This was followed by two other raids, and attacks developed in the Portsmouth - Southampton area. These raids were engaged and by 1700 hours commenced to disperse. A raid of 9 aircraft, reported to consist of a flying boat with fighter escort, was later plotted on various courses south of the Isle of Wight, probably looking for casualties; a twin-engined seaplane was intercepted and destroyed by our fighters about this time.

By night

Enemy activity has been on an exceptionally heavy and continuous scale all night. The main route of enemy aircraft has been from Beachy Head, over London and on to Birmingham and Coventry, starting at about 2125 hours and continuing until after 0300 hours. During all this period, London Central was under red warning.

As the night progressed, enemy aircraft crossed from France at many other points all along the South Coast.

Although the main attacks appear to have been on Birmingham and Coventry, there have been almost continuous raids over the Midlands area generally, Devon, Bristol and South Wales. Visits to the Newcastle and Middlesborough areas are also reported.

Enemy aircraft from the Dutch coast have been repeatedly active off the East Anglian Coast, presumably minelaying, and this is also suspected off Plymouth, Whitby and Tyne, between the Orkneys and the Mainland and off Kinnaird's Head, where a convoy was attacked.

Statistics

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 26th August 1940

• Blenheim - 56
• Spitfire - 240
• Hurricane - 408
• Defiant - 18
• Gladiator - 6
• Total - 728

Casualties:

• Own:
  • 28 aircraft with 4 pilots and 2 air gunners killed or missing.

Patrols:

• Own
  • 197 patrols involving 828 aircraft.

• Enemy
  • Estimated during the night of 25th/26th August - 300 aircraft. Estimated during the day of 26th August - 400 aircraft.

Balloons:

• Flying 1578, casualties 30 (27 repairable, 1 written off, 2 by enemy action).

Aerodromes:

• No reports.

Organisation:

• No changes.

Air Intelligence Reports

• Nil.

Home Security Reports

• Date: 25th/26th/27th August 1940
  • General Summary
    • During the day, a raid was made on Folkestone, but damage was not extensive. Further raids were made on areas in the South.
    • It is apparent that heavy attacks have been made in the Midlands, and particularly the Birmingham district. London suburbs have also been bombed.

  • Detailed Summary
    • 25th August
      • At 1348 hours, one aircraft attacked Llanreath oil tanks. Bombs were dropped in the vicinity causing no further damage. The fire which has been burning since the 19th August is more under control, and it is reasonable to hope that it will be extinguished by tomorrow.

    • 26th August
      • RAF Stations
        • Harwell was attacked at about 1100 hours. Four HE were dropped damaging a building in the course of construction. Casualties are 6 killed and 10 injured. Two Wellington aircraft were damaged.
        • Cottesmore was bombed at 0031 hours and slight damage was done to the road north-east of camp and to three Hampden aircraft.
        • Debden was bombed at 1519 hours. The end of the NAAFI building was and MT workshops wrecked. A direct hit was obtained on one hangar and another one damaged. One Hurricane in flames on the ground.
        • Cleave Camp, Bude was machine-gunned at 0850 hours and huts and eight buses received damage.
        • St Eval was bombed at 2130 hours and 2158 hours.
        • Hawkinge was bombed at 1600 hours. No damage to report.
        • Middleton St George was bombed at 0145 hours and Feltwell at 0015 hours, but little damage in both cases.

      • Elsewhere
        • Folkestone was bombed at 1151 hours. Railway and private property damaged and a laundry demolished. Casualties - 2 killed and 22 injured.
        • Scilly Isles were attacked and machine-gunned at 1455 hours. No casualties reported and the fires caused yesterday are now under control.
        • Stockton-on-Tees was attacked at 0254 hours and damage was done to an engine shed, locomotives, food store and small munitions factory. At Thornaby on the other side of the river, damage was done to property and Dorman Long's Cleveland Works, but there is no interruption of production.
        • Portsmouth was bombed at 1600 hours. Fort Cumberland was damaged and small fires at Hilsea gas works are believed to have been extinguished.

    • 27th August
      • London. It is reported that the following districts have been bombed: Wood Green, Tilbury, Dartford East, Wormwood Scrubs and Tottenham. The damage at these places is not yet known, but at Southgate it is reported to be serious.
      • Birmingham. Very severe damage has been caused during the night and it is reported that Bordersley Junction, GWR marshalling yard, is very badly damaged. A large fire is blazing in the Smallheath Goods Yards and in an adjacent timber yard. BSA Tools Ltd, Montgomery Street, is reported to be burning fiercely. The Nuffield Factory at Castle Bromwich has also been hit again, but the damage is not known as yet.
      • It is reported that West Hartlepool, Sunderland and Lincolnshire have been bombed, but the damage has not yet been ascertained.
      • Driffield. It is reported that the RAF station was bombed at 0204 hours, and that Bicester and North Coates also attacked, but no reports of damage have been received.

    • Casualties on Ground by Enemy Action:
      • To RAF Personnel - 4 killed, 19 injured.
      • To others - 21 killed, 72 injured.

Corrigendum

• With reference to yesterday's report (25th August), bombs were not dropped at White Waltham Aerodrome.

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