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Battle of Britain Campaign
Diary
Date: 4 August 1940
- Weather: Fair to fine early. Cloudy
with bright intervals at midday, clearing in the evening.
- Day: Reconnaissance along the south
coast and Bristol Channel.
- Night: Little activity.
Enemy action by day
Enemy activity has been slight during the day, possibly because
of the bad weather conditions in various areas. A number of enemy
reconnaissances have been made over the sea, mainly along the south
coast and in the Bristol Channel area. No attacks have been reported.
Several of the raids approaching the south coast were probably concerned
with a convoy which was anchored in St Helen's Roads, Isle of Wight,
owing to fog.
Interceptions were hampered by weather conditions. One raid over
the Isle of Wight was reported by the Observer Corps to have been
intercepted.
North and East Coast
Only three raids were reported in this area during the day, two
of which were probably Zenit flights. The third was plotted 50 miles
east of Kinnaird's Head, approached to within 15 miles of the of
the coast, and then turned back.
East Coast
One raid appeared off Whitby at 1446 hours, proceeded over Thornaby,
re-crossed the coast over Flamborough Head, flew over a convoy and
faded eastwards.
South East Coast
Four raids, all of which faded on the east coast, were reported.
Fighters were despatched, and on one occasion they reported seeing
a raid but were unable to contact the enemy.
Southern Area
Several raids approached the Isle of Wight during the day, of which
four flew towards the convoy at anchor at the entrance to Spithead.
These turned back when fighter patrols were despatched. Two raids
crossed the coast; one near Poole passed over Southampton and out
to sea again over Portsmouth; the other near Bournemouth, passing
Middle Wallop and Upavon, re-crossed the coast near Poole, fading
in the Baie de la Seine.
West of England
Six reconnaissance flights were plotted across Cornwall to the Bristol
Channel and South Wales area, and five reconnaissance flights were
plotted in the Cornwall and Devon areas searching for shipping and
giving weather reports.
One unidentified aircraft was detected patrolling for an hour on
various courses between seventy and one hundred miles north east
of Dunkerry Head.
France
Patrols were detected in the Calais and Dunkirk areas during the
day.
By night
Widespread fog was reported. Less than half a dozen hostile raids
were plotted.
At about 2300 hours two raids crossed the coast near Immingham;
Hull and Grimsby were under "red" warning. At the same time two raids
crossed over Harwich, which went up through the Midlands as far as
Derby, returned near London (purple), and passed out over the Kent
coast having fired the correct signal.
A further raid crossed in over East Anglia and appeared to attempt
to locate aerodromes in the Cambridge area.
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 4 August 1940
- Blenheim - 66
- Spitfire - 249
- Hurricane - 375
- Defiant - 21
- Total - 711
Casualties:
Patrols:
- 90 patrols despatched involving 275 aircraft.
Balloons:
- Flying 1484. Casualties 30.
Aerodromes:
- Catterick is today reported to be unserviceable.
Organisation:
- Middle Wallop Sector came under the control of No 10 group at 1300
hours, 4th August. No 604 Squadron (Blenheims), No 238 Squadron (Hurricanes),
No 609 squadron (Spitfires) and No 152 Squadron (Spitfires) are therefore
now operating under No 10 Group control.
Air Intelligence Reports
- Several reports have been received of the general success of our
[bombing] raids, which are reported to have been considerably more
effective in the last week of July. The quality of our pilots and
aircraft are now being openly commented upon and the public are nervous
as to what will happen in the Spring, when we may have air superiority.
They are at present buoyed by the hope, so frequently promised, of
the rapid defeat of England, and if this should not happen, the patience
of the public, already sorely tried, may well become exhausted and
internal difficulties follow. It is reported that the raids have
been particularly felt at Kiel and Aachen.
- A highly placed neutral passing through Berlin reports that the
indifference of the population to the German victories has to be
seen to be believed.
- In Holland, a highly placed neutral reports that our attacks on
aerodromes have been most effective and the inhabitants of Amsterdam
got no sleep at all towards the end of June.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 3rd/4th/5th August 1940
- General Summary
- Shortly before midnight on the 3rd August enemy aircraft
visited Gloucestershire and in the early hours of the
morning of the 4th August South Wales and Scotland.
- There was no activity during the day of the 4th August
but at about midnight and in the early hours of 5th August
enemy aircraft were active over Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire
and Leicestershire.
- Detailed Summary
- At 0014 hours on the morning of the 5th August the
military camp at Kennett (Cambridgeshire) was bombed
which resulted in one soldier being killed and twelve
being injured.
- Further leaflets of Hitler's speech were dropped during
the early morning of the 4th August at Langstone, Raglan,
Glais (near Swansea), Helmsley, Wass (Yorkshire), Elan
Valley (South Wales), Clydach (Glamorgan), Rogerstone
and Christchurch (near Newport, Monmouthshire).
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