Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 26th September 1940

• Weather: Mainly fair to cloudy.
• Day: Supermarine factory at Southampton attacked and wrecked.
• Night: Raids on London and Merseyside.

Enemy action by day

A major attack by formations totalling about 100 enemy aircraft was made on Southampton at 1630 hours. Heavy bombing resulted causing severe damage to the Supermarine Works.

Fighter Squadrons intercepted and casualties were inflicted on the enemy.

At dusk, 25 enemy aircraft, originating from the Bay of Biscay, attacked Crewe.

Reconnaissances by small formations and single aircraft were made along the South Coast and inland, increasing in intensity particularly between 1600 and 1700 hours.

During the day's operations, fighters destroyed 32 enemy aircraft (plus 10 probable and 11 Damaged), and AA claim 1 destroyed (plus 1 probable and 2 damaged). Our casualties amounted to 10 aircraft with three pilots killed or missing.

East Coast

Activity in this area was confined to the morning. Enemy aircraft approached Skinningrove and Whitby where bombs are reported to have been dropped. Harwich and Orfordness were also visited.

Intense activity took place off the Dutch Coast.

South East Coast

Reconnaissances in the Estuary and over East Kent were made during the morning and 4 aircraft operating singly, penetrated to London.

Great activity prevailed in the Straits and off the French Coast.

During the afternoon, activity increased and coastal towns were bombed by single aircraft. Landfalls were made at Harwich and Hastings, the aircraft in the former case penetrating to London via Debden and Northolt and departing via Kenley and Biggin Hill.

Interceptions were attempted without conclusive results.

South and West Coasts

Between 1500 and 1700 hours, reconnaissances were made from Selsey Bill to Cornwall.

At 1630 hours, about 40 enemy aircraft approached the Isle of Wight from Cherbourg and these were followed by a second wave of bombers and fighters amounting to about 60 aircraft.

At the same time, single aircraft approached Beachy Head possibly as a diversion. The objective was Southampton where the Supermarine Works were extensively damaged. Dive-bombing as well as high-level bombing is reported. 12 Squadrons were in the air of which 8 were engaged in the defence of Southampton. No interception was made prior to the attack. 31 enemy aircraft were destroyed (plus 10 probable and 10 damaged) as a result of combats during this attack with a loss of 8 of our aircraft (plus one probable and 2 damaged).

At about 1800 hours, a reconnaissance by 3 aircraft was made over Southampton and Middle Wallop, while a further 3 aircraft came in at Christchurch.

Midlands

At 1950 hours, 23 enemy aircraft attacked Crewe having flown from the Bay of Biscay up the Irish Sea and across Wales. After leaving Crewe, the raids split up and returned via Bristol and Poole Bay.

Night Operations - 26th/27th September 1940

Enemy activity was first widespread over the whole country South of a line Liverpool to Humber. Raids did not approach London until 2030 hours and then continued until 0300 hours. A lull until 0500 hours followed when 12 further raids visited London.

1930 to 2100 Hours

40 raids crossed our Coasts originating from the Dutch Coast, Le Havre and Cherbourg and entering between Cromer-Humber, Beachy Head - Selsey and Selsey - Swanage, respectively. Many of the raids from the Dutch Coast flew due West to the Midlands.

At 1950 hours, a convoy in the Firth of Forth reported that it was being attacked.

2100 to 0100 Hours

Hostile activity was continuous and was concentrated on the London area although some raids visited Liverpool, the Midlands, Cambridge, Mildenhall, Newmarket and Duxford, and enemy aircraft from Cherbourg flew coastwise from Lyme Bay to Start Point.

There was suspected minelaying in the Thames Estuary and off North Foreland.

0100 to 0600 Hours

Enemy raids originating from Dieppe and proceeding to the London area, mostly entered between Beachy Head and Folkestone. One raid entering at the Wash, penetrated inland to Digby and flew back over King's Lynn.

There was a lull from 0300 to 0500 hours and the Country was entirely clear for 1 hour, when about 12 raids - some of which were at first thought to be returning friendly bombers - came out of Dieppe and were plotted to London. These were all homing by 0450 hours and the Country was again clear by 0600 hours.

Statistics

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

• Blenheim - 56
• Spitfire - 203
• Hurricane - 392
• Defiant - 15
• Gladiator - 7
• Total - 673

Casualties:

• Own:
  • 10 aircraft with 3 pilots killed or missing.

Patrols:

• Own
  • During the night of 25th/26th September - 37 patrols involving 39 sorties.
  • During the day of 26th September - 120 patrols involving 417 sorties.

• Enemy
  • It is estimated that about 275 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the night 25th/26th September and 200 during the day of 26th September.

Balloons:

• No report.

Aerodromes:

• Grangemouth is unserviceable by night.

Organisation:

• No 504 Squadron has moved from Hendon to Filton.
• No 25 Squadron - whole Squadron now at North Weald.

Home Security Reports

• General Summary
  • Date: 26th September 1940
    • During the day, there was no enemy air activity over the Capital but other parts of the Country were visited, the most important attacks being made on Southampton, the South Coast from Chatham to Shoreham and in the North of England at Skinningrove.
    • Night activity commenced at 1945 hours and was widespread over the whole country South of Liverpool.
    • London received the "Red" warning at 2030 hours and the "All Clear" at 0355 hours, but the warning was renewed about an hour later.

• Detailed Summary
  • RAF Stations - 25th September
    • Northolt: At 2315 hours, about 5 bombs were dropped on the North-East corner of this Station. Two or three fell very close together near Barrack Block 1. The water main was broken. Another hit the North-East wall of Block 1 and at a very steep angle passed through both floors into the ground. No aircraft were damaged or destroyed.
    • Pembrey: At 2100 hours, a stick of incendiary bombs fell across the perimeter of the aerodrome - approximately from North-East to South-West. Fires were extinguished. Three HE were also dropped on the landing ground making craters 15 ft by 6 ft deep. One delayed action bomb exploded at 0530 hours on the 26th September. The craters have been filled in and no other damage was sustained.

  • RAF Stations - 26th September
    • Henlow, Cranfield, Harwell, Uxbridge, West Malling, Leighton Buzzard, Bramcote, Shawbury and Northolt were all attacked but in no case is any damage of importance reported.

  • London Area
    • Reports so far received indicate the damage in the London area is not so severe as on the previous night, but railway communications are affected at Carlton Hill and part of the track between Park Avenue and Palace Gate Stations is damaged. Castlehaven Road Railway Bridge is badly damaged and there is also a large fire on the Southern Railway Crystal Palace line.
    • In the Westminster district, one bomb fell outside the Houses of Parliament and another in front of the steps leading from King Charles Street to St James Park.

  • Elsewhere - 26 September
    • Coventry: At 1734 hours, HE and IB were dropped causing a fire and damage to the Works of the Standard Motor Co, but aircraft production will not be affected. There were 20 casualties.
    • Southampton: At 1628 hours, enemy aircraft attacked the town and scored direct hits on the Works of the Supermarine Aviation Co, Messrs Vickers Armstrong and the premises of the Gaslight & Coke Co. A grain warehouse on the docks was also hit.
    • At the Supermarine Works, there was a direct hit on two shops and production is indefinitely suspended. The casualties are estimated at 10 killed and 30 injured.
    • The production of the Gas, Light & Coke Co was totally suspended for a number of hours.
    • A warehouse full of grain was destroyed.
    • Portsmouth: At 0930 hours, a fire not caused by enemy action, broke out at the Works of Messrs Vosper in which a motor torpedo boat was involved causing 1,500 gallons of petrol to explode. The damage to the boat is estimated at £5,000.
    • Dover: At 1435 hours shell fire caused considerable damage which included 100 houses and shops. The casualties are 2 killed and 13 injured.
    • Enfield: At 2336 hours, a large number of incendiary bombs were dropped on the Royal Small Arms Factory causing several fires. No estimate of the extent of interference with the production has yet been reported.
    • Skinningrove: Four HE bombs were dropped on the Skinningrove Iron Co's Works causing damage to part of the Plant which may reduce production of pig iron by 33%.
    • Crewe: At about 1952 hours, HE and IB were dropped causing damage to property and Coppenhall Junction. At the latter, all four lines are reported out of action.
    • Birkenhead: At about 1945 hours, incendiary bombs were dropped between Central Station and Morpeth Docks and fires were started at the Great Western Railway warehouse, the Customs Offices, a theatre and shop property. The tunnel between Birkenhead Park Station and Hamilton Square Station has been damaged by a bomb.
    • Liverpool: At 2100 hours, HE and IB were dropped causing very considerable damage to property and starting severe fires in the Dock areas where ships and warehouses are burning. There would appear to be considerable loss of stocks of food, copra and palm kernels.

Images

[ Roll of Honour | Daily Reports | Air Power | Links ]
[ Background | Commanders | Units and Stations | Gallery ]

[ Home ]
[ Return to the RAF Site ]

© Crown Copyright 2004 and © Deltaweb International Ltd 2004