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Battle of Britain Campaign
Diary
Date: 30th August 1940
- Weather: Fair.
- Day: Dummy raids on shipping then
heavy attacks on south-eastern airfields. Luton attacked.
- Night: Third raid on Liverpool. Single
raids over wide area.
Enemy action by day
The enemy delivered one major attack during the morning and three
in the afternoon in South West England. Aerodromes appeared to be
the principal objectives. Sixty-two enemy aircraft were destroyed
(plus twenty-one probable and twenty-nine damaged), and our casualties
were twenty-five aircraft and ten pilots killed or missing.
North and East
In the early morning, one hostile aircraft was reported over Leicester
and crossed the coast near Cromer. Interception was not successful.
A small raid reconnoitred over a convoy off Cromer.
South East
Between 0740 hours and 0820 hours, two raids of twenty plus each
cruised in the Straits and Calais areas. Two squadrons sent up over
the Straits did not sight either raid. Hostile patrols remained active
in the Calais - Boulogne area.
At 1106 hours, one hundred plus enemy aircraft passed over Dungeness
and Dover, quickly followed by another wave of one hundred plus.
These formations split up over Kent and Surrey, sub-divisions attacking
targets in the Estuary and the aerodromes at Biggin Hill and Eastchurch.
At 1200 hours, another wave of one hundred plus came in over Dover
but did not penetrate far inland. Throughout the attack numerous
hostile aircraft patrolled the Channel and French Coast, evidently
waiting to cover retreating bombers.
Sixteen fighter squadrons met the attack and destroyed twenty-seven
enemy aircraft plus three by anti-aircraft at a cost of ten aircraft
and five pilots, and by 1230 hours all raids had been driven off.
At 1420 hours, sixty plus enemy aircraft crossed the coast between
Dover and Dungeness and some flew towards Kenley and Biggin Hill.
Four squadrons were sent up and by 1500 hours all raids had retreated
out to sea. Two enemy aircraft were destroyed plus one by anti-aircraft.
At 1555 hours, about three hundred aircraft entered Kent, some crossing
the Estuary to Essex. The concentration remained greatest over East
Kent but formations of ten to twenty aircraft each spread to Kenley,
North Weald, Hornchurch, Debden, Sheerness, Harwich, Bentley Priory
and as far west as Oxford at an average height of 10,000 feet. Lympne,
Detling and Biggin Hill were attacked.
Thirteen squadrons destroyed twenty-nine hostile aircraft and by
1715 hours had cleared the sky.
At 1800 hours, about seventy enemy aircraft flew up the south side
of the Thames Estuary. Some turned south and south-east over Kent
and one formation of twelve passed over Biggin Hill at 7,000 feet.
By 1830 hours, raids had dispersed.
By night
Activity was again heavy. Dusk raids crossed into Cornwall apparently
searching for aerodromes. Main objective of the night was industrial
Midlands up to Liverpool and as far as Bradford and Leeds. South
Wales received less attention than usual.
With few exceptions, raids (mostly one aircraft but some of three
plus) again crossed the coast in a continuous stream between Beachy
Head and Lyme Bay, some of those which flew over the Bristol area
carrying on to the Midlands.
Raids passing to and fro over London Central kept it at 'Red' between
2110 and 0345 hours. The East Coast was largely neglected. Only a
few raids crossed inland over East Anglia and some minelaying is
suspected in the Humber.
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 30th August
1940
- Blenheim - 52
- Spitfire - 234
- Hurricane - 410
- Defiant - 14
- Gladiator - 7
- Total - 717
Casualties:
| Enemy Losses |
| By Fighters |
| Destroyed |
Probable |
Damaged |
| 10 Me109 |
4 Me109 |
3 Me109 |
| 20 Me110 |
6 Me110 |
15 Me110 |
| 23 He111 |
7 He111 |
10 He111 |
| 2 Do17 |
2 He113 |
1 Ju88 |
| 2 Do215 |
1 Do17 |
|
| 1 Ju88 |
1 Do215 |
|
| 59 |
21 |
29 |
| By Anti-Aircraft |
| Destroyed |
Probable |
Damaged |
| 2 Me109 |
|
|
| 1 Do17 |
|
|
| 1 Me109 |
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
- Own:
- 25 aircraft (10 pilots killed or missing).
Addendum to report for August 29th
- At about 2350 hours, on 29th August, one Spitfire of No 92 Squadron
intercepted and shot down a He111 near Yatesbury (Wiltshire). This
casualty was not included in the casualty totals.
Patrols:
- Own
- 208 patrols involving 1,054 aircraft.
- Enemy
- By night 29th/30th August - 250 aircraft. By day 30th August
- 600 aircraft.
Balloons:
- Flying 1,552, casualties 66 (44 repairable, 2 written off, 20 by
enemy action).
Aerodromes:
- Manston unserviceable for fighters.
- Biggin Hill - serviceability unknown.
Attacks on Aerodromes
- Biggin Hill, Detling, Luton, Lympne.
Organisation:
- No 145 Squadron moved from Drem. 'A' Flight to Montrose, 'B' Flight
to Dyce.
- No 141 Squadron moved to Turnhouse. 'A' Flight from Montrose, 'B'
Flight from Dyce.
Air Intelligence Reports
- Neutral attaches leaving Belgium were taken in a car to Switzerland
by a roundabout route of 1,100km instead of the direct route of 600km,
as the direct route might have permitted then to see too much of
the damage caused by in the Rhein-Ruhr area.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 29th August 1940
- General Summary
- During the day, enemy aircraft made a series of raids
in considerable numbers over South East England including
the Thames Estuary and also Luton and Dunstable. A few
aircraft reached the London region.
- At about 2100 hours, activity was renewed and was principally
concentrated on the industrial Midlands as far north
as Liverpool and across country to Bradford and Leeds.
London was also revisited.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- 28th August
- Eight HE unexploded bombs were dropped
1200 yards south of the hangar at Staverton.
The main water supply was cut but it is anticipated
that the supply will be partially restored
in 36 hours.
- 30th August
- RAF Hospital at Ely was attacked early
in the morning, one small incendiary bomb
being dropped which was quickly extinguished.
- A type of paraffin incendiary bomb was
dropped on the parade ground at West Kirby
causing slight damage to drill shed.
- At 1735 hours, 60 HE bombs were dropped
on Detling Aerodrome causing many craters.
- Biggin Hill Aerodrome was attacked at 1245
hours and again at 1815 hours. During the
second attack, heavy calibre bombs were dropped
on the camp, but not on the landing ground,
causing major damage and fires. Some aircraft
are believed to have been destroyed.
- Nine bombs were dropped at Lympne Aerodrome
destroying a hangar and an air raid shelter.
There were five civilian casualties but the
aerodrome is reported to be serviceable.
- Seaplanes
- It is reported that one or more seaplanes
landed on the water off Mablethorpe during
an air raid on 30th August and took off again
at 2233 hours. The time of the landing is
unknown but the aircraft are believed to
have remained on the water for a considerable
time. As it took off a verey light was seen
out at sea.
- Factories
- 30th August
- At 2250 hours, the factory of Messrs
Hobson (aircraft motor components)
at Oldham was hit by incendiary bombs
but there was no damage to the plant.
- Messrs Stewart and Lloyd's factory
at Bilston was bombed causing some
casualties, numbers not yet known.
Water mains and electric light cables
were affected and there was some damage
to a locomotive shed.
- At about 1643 hours, Messrs Vauxhall's
Motor Factory at Luton was bombed causing
considerable damage and many casualties.
Eight fires were started in the district.
- London Area
- During the night of 30th/31st August, the
following parts of London were bombed:- Pimlico,
Belgravia, Finchley, Hornsea, Paddington,
Highgate, Hendon and Willesdon. Little news
of damage is so far available, but an unexploded
bomb is reported to have dropped at 0205
hours in the Bank close to Brondesbury Park
Station on the Hampstead Branch. The Kilburn
High Road is also reported blocked.
- Hull
- Bombs were dropped causing damage to the
permanent way and some sheds at Victoria
Docks and also a wooden quay.
- Casualties on Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - nil killed, 5 injured.
- To others - 68 killed, 327 injured.
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