William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
FDR - the US’ first, and hopefully only, “President for Life.”
Date: 17 July 1940
Enemy action by day
Weather hampered our fighters in their action against enemy air activity which was again on a reduced scale. Raids were plotted off the Scottish, East and South coasts, apparently searching for shipping. An attack was made on shipping off Dundee and trawlers were attcked off Beachy Head. One or two raids crossed the coast and bombs were dropped in Surrey, Kent, at Portland and in Ayrshire.
South and South-West
A number of raids apparently in search of shipping were plotted during the day and a vessel was reported attacked 13 miles from Dartmouth at 1540 hours. One raid, a Do17, crossed the coasts at 1136 hours and came inland as far as Kenley. It was intercepted and chased out to sea over Pevensey, being damaged by our fighters. This raid dropped bombs near Kenley. Two attacks were reported on trawlers off Beachy Head, and three aircraft plotted South East of this point at 1515 hours are reported to be responsible for the bombs which were dropped near Ashford and Lydd. At 1540 hours three Heinkels were reported over Portland and appeared to attack the Mere Oil Fuel Depot, dropping six bombs. Slight damage was done to a railway and cloud enabled the raiders to achieve surprise. Although our fighters encountered a Junkers 88, which they attacked, off the Isle of Wight. Two of our Hurricanes were damaged during the day and one Spitfire which was on patrol off Beachy Head is reported missing.
East Coast
Up to 2100 hours eight raids were plotted off the East Coast and a reconnaissance of a convoy was made although no subsequent attack on this convoy is reported. Two of the raids crossed the coast in the Humber area.
Scotland
Four raids were plotted off the Scottish Coast and Orkneys. One crossed from Peterhead to the west Coast and dropped bombs at Ardeer ICI factory doing little damage. Of the remainder two carried out a reconnaissance of the Orkneys at 0721 hours and were intercepted but without successful results.
French Coast
Tracks were frequently reported coming into or going out from the Cherbourg peninsular. These tracks were not seen any distance out to see. It seems probable that aircraft are going to and coming from an unknown destination in the west as the tracks frequently start or stop at short distances off the Cherbourg peninsular.
By night
At 2232 hours nine raids, which first of all proceeded towards Cherbourg, having come over the coasts of Northern France, Belgium and Holland, turned northwards heading towards south-west England. Some of the raids crossed the coast covering the Bristol Channel area. At 0026 hours a further number of raids approached South West England, some again crossing to the Bristol Channel area. Bombs are reported to have been dropped at Port Talbot, and near Swansea and near Radstock. Mine laying is suspected in the Bristol Channel and off the Plymouth coast. Between 2200 and 0235 hours some 19 raids were plotted off the east coast, of which probably seven were minelaying. None reported further north than the Wash. A few crossed the coast and bombs are reported to have been dropped at Queenborough near Rochester, Felixstowe, Harwich, Chatham, near Barking and at Gillingham. Not more than 40 in all enemy aircraft are estimated to have operated during the night.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 17 July 1940
Casualties:
Patrols:
Balloons:
Aerodromes:
Organisation:
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