Battle of Britain Campaign
Diary
Date: 2nd October 1940
- Weather: Blue skies during the day
with cloud building up later.
- Day: Fighter sweeps on south-east
London and Biggin Hill.
- Night: London once again is the main
target. Manchester, Usworth and Aberdeen also raided.
Enemy action by day
Six sweeps by enemy fighters (Me109 and Me110) were made through
Kent towards London, and during these operations, although bombing
is reported to have taken place during some of these raids, in only
one were bombers (6) identified as taking part.
Very considerable reconnaissance activity continued throughout the
day in the Channel.
Our fighters destroyed 10 enemy aircraft (plus 1 probable and 2
damaged).
We lost one aircraft, pilot safe.
First Attack
At 0900 hours, 30 aircraft crossed the coast at Dungeness and flew
towards Central London, twelve of them penetrating to the Inner Artillery
Zone but all quickly made for home. During the raid thirty aircraft
were patrolling round Dover and joined up with the inland formation
when they recrossed the Coast at 0920 hours.
Eight fighter squadrons were sent up to intercept.
Second Attack
At 0955 hours about 50 enemy aircraft crossed the Coast at Dungeness,
the leading formation of twenty aircraft coming into the Inner Artillery
Zone. The remainder approached no further than Kenley. Meanwhile
ten enemy aircraft flew inland at Brighton northwards to Biggin Hill,
joining the other formations flying South at 1015 hours.
During the raid strong patrols were maintained in the Straits. Bombs
were dropped at Woolwich and Hastings.
Third Attack
At about 1130 hours 12+ enemy aircraft approached Maidstone. These
were followed by fifty aircraft flying towards Biggin Hill. Some
of the latter approached the Inner Artillery Zone in the Crystal
Palace area.
By 1220 all the aircraft were flying South of Maidstone returning
to France.
Eight Fighter Squadrons were detailed to this attack.
Margate and Lympne were reported to have been bombed.
Fourth Attack
At 1320, two raids totalling thirty enemy aircraft flew towards
Kenley - Biggin Hill from Dover and Dungeness, while a further fifteen
aircraft approached Sheppey. Twenty aircraft reached the East of
London.
By 1335 all the enemy aircraft were returning to France, although
until 1400 hours considerable activity continued in the Straits with
small raids penetrating into East Kent.
Bombs were dropped at various suburban places including Camberwell,
and at Rochester.
Fifth Attack
At 1455 thirty enemy aircraft flew inland from Dungeness to Biggin
Hill - Kenley but only one aircraft penetrated further towards Central
London.
By 1518 the aircraft had turned away.
During the attack five enemy aircraft flew round North Foreland
to Sheppey returning by the same route at 1520.
Camberwell was reported to have been bombed again.
Sixth Attack
At 1630 hours about seventy-five enemy aircraft following the same
route as previous raids flew to Biggin Hill where they split, one
formation of eight aircraft flying over South East London. The bulk
remained in the Biggin Hill area but by 1650 hours had turned South.
Other Activity
Reconnaissances were made off Aberdeenshire, the East, South East
and South Coasts, with very considerable activity throughout the
day in the South East. In two instances convoys were approached.
Inland flights were made over Somerset and South Wales, and in the
late evening to Nottingham and Derby from the East.
During the course of these a Do17 was shot down near Dunwich at
0840 hours and at 1830 hours an He111, which had circled Digby was
shot down near Skegness.
A Ju88 landed intact at 0630 hours at Brightlingsea (Essex Coast).
It had left Amsterdam at 0300 hours on a Meteorological and reconnaissance
flight and got lost.
At 2015 hours a convoy off Peterhead was attacked and interception
was effected with the result that one He115 was destroyed and a further
one badly damaged.
Night Operations -2nd/3rd October 1940
Enemy activity was again on a reduced scale. At about 1915 hours
the first night raids left bases between Cherbourg and Dieppe to
cross the coast between Selsey Bill and Dungeness to approach the
London area. Between 2100 and 2200 hours London and the South East
counties were clear of raids, but a steady stream originating from
Cherbourg crossed the coast between the Isle of Wight and Bournemouth
flying North to the Midlands and up to the Manchester area and in
one case as far North as Newcastle. These raids continued until about
0100 hours and returned in most cases over Wales and the Bristol
Channel.
Between 2200 and 2300 hours a fresh wave of raids approached London
after crossing the coast between Selsey Bill and Shoreham.
At 0015 hours raids originating from the Dutch Islands approached
the London area, some entering the Estuary and a few by way of the
Norfolk Coast, but all these raids had withdrawn by 0230 hours and
for a time the whole country was clear.
At 0300 hours fresh raids approached London from the Dutch Islands
and a few from the Dieppe area.
A few early raids were plotted in the Aberdeen area and one raid
was inland between Middlesborough and Newcastle. Minelaying was suspected
at various points off the North East Coast between the Firth of Forth
and the Humber.
Activity continued until 0600 hours when the last raids were leaving
the country.
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 2nd October
1940
- Blenheim - 41
- Spitfire - 224
- Hurricane - 383
- Defiant - 19
- Gladiator - 7
- Total - 674
Casualties:
| Enemy Losses |
| By Fighters |
| Destroyed |
Probable |
Damaged |
| 5 Me109 |
1 Me109 |
1 Me109 |
| 2 Ju88 |
|
|
| 1 Do17 |
|
|
| 1 He111 |
|
|
| 1 He115 |
|
1 He115 |
| 10 |
1 |
2 |
- Own:
- One Spitfire of which the pilot is safe.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 1st/2nd October - 29 patrols involving
29 sorties.
- During the day of 2nd October - 125 patrols involving 807
sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 210 enemy aircraft operated over
or near our coasts during the night 1st/2nd October and 250
during the day of 2nd October.
Balloons:
Aerodromes:
Organisation:
- No 808 Squadron has moved to Donibristle.
- No 238 Squadron from Middle Wallop to Chilbolton.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 2nd October 1940
- The enemy made several attacks during the day but it
appears that only a comparatively small number of aircraft
has been employed. The South-east Counties have received
most attention and bombs were dropped at Rochester, Margate,
Dover, Hastings, Eastbourne and Worthing. Some damage
was done to property and a few bombs were dropped in
South London.
- Night activity started at approximately 19345 hours,
and was spread over London, the Midlands and the North,
causing a number of fires at Manchester the worst of
which appears to have been at Didsbury.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations - 1st October 1940
- Ingham: Five HE were dropped on the landing ground
at 2314 hours but they caused no damage.
- RAF Stations - 2nd October 1940
- Penhros: An attack was made at 0715 hours and considerable
damage was done to the carpenters shop, armoury workshops,
drug store, fabric workshop, Clerk of Works office and
stores and transport sheds. Maintenance hangar was only
slightly affected.
- Lympne: At 1126 hours, several HE and Oil Incendiary
bombs were dropped on the aerodrome. One shelter was
hit and an Army lorry was set on fire, otherwise there
is no further damage to report.
- Rochester: An HE fell at 1330 hours on the field of
the airport but no damage was caused.
- Wembley: Further to the attack on the Beresford Avenue
Depot on the night of the 1st/2nd it is now reported
that the School of Interpretation is closed and in consequence
interpretation is temporarily slowed up.
- Cleave: At 0820 hours, a Junkers 88 bombed the aerodrome
and caused slight damage to four 'planes and also a hole
in the roof of one of the hangars.
- Factories - 1st/2nd October 1940
- Three HE were dropped on Fobel Industries Ltd (ICI)
Factory at 0424 hours at Slough, causing damage to overhead
cables, gas and water mains and the canal bridge. Full
operations are resumed today but production may be slightly
affected for a few days until stocks are replaced.
- MacMichael Radio Ltd also suffered damage to their
shop and plant but full production will be resumed within
a week.
- The Gramophone Co of Hayes have an unexploded bomb
near the aircraft production and sound locator works
which will be closed down,. Twelve shelters are out of
action.
- Owing to the low pressure of gas, production has been
affected at the Osram Works.
- H E Cow & Co of Stanmore received considerable damage
to their plant and machinery but production is not affected.
- Considerable damage was caused to a paper mill at 132
hours at Aylesford by an HE.
- An incendiary bomb caused a fire at Cook's Box Factory
in Hatfield but no further information is yet available.
- A fire broke out at Carrick & Co's Metal Works during
the night of 2nd / 3rd October in Glasgow. Production
in the affected section is likely to be suspended for
a few days.
- Factories - 2nd October 1940
- At approximately 1715 hours 2 HE were dropped near
BSA Guns at Redditch and there were two slight casualties.
The enemy machine-gunned the workers but apparently without
result and the 'plane suspected of being a French make.
- Railway Communications
- One HE one Oil Incendiary bomb fell on the railway
at Hoddesdon at 0411 hours on the 2nd October and at
least one railway line is blocked.
- Serious damage has occurred at St Marylebone as a bomb
fell at 0008 hours on the 2nd October and penetrated
the LNER tunnel and has blocked the line for approximately
30 feet.
- All traffic is suspended on the LMS railway between
Canonbury and Western Junction owing to damage caused
by a bomb which fell at 0145 hours on the 2nd October.
- An HE bomb dropped at Bayford in the early morning
on the 2nd October causing damage to both railway tracks
but traffic on one line should now be resumed.
- Weybridge - Virginia Water Railway Lines are blocked
owing to one HE having been dropped on the line West
of the Station at 2320 hours on the 1st October.
- Elsewhere
- Portland: An attack was made by a single 'plane at
0843 hours, 2nd October, and 1 HE which failed to explode
fell between four Admiralty tanks but no damage was caused.
- Surbiton Water Works: Has been damaged by an HE bomb
and there is extensive flooding. It is also reported
that one unexploded bomb is in the vicinity.
- Forest Gate Hospital: Was bombed on the night of 1st
/ 2nd October and one wing was demolished and the structure
fractured.
| Images |
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Again, many thanks to the Kent Messenger Group of Newspapers for
the photographs.
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