Date: 15th August 1940
- Weather: High pressure giving fine, warm weather although some cloud remained in the Channel area.
- Day: Decisive raids by German aircraft during their most intensive period of the battle to date. Seventy-five aircraft are lost during the day with airfields as their main targets.
- Night: Little activity.
Enemy action by day
There were five major actions as follows:
- i. At 1100 hours over the coast between Dover and Hawkinge where about 100+ enemy aircraft were involved.
- ii. At about 1200 hours in the Newcastle - Sunderland - Driffield area where 70+ enemy aircraft were involved.
- iii. At 1430 hours over Martlesham, Dover, Deal and Lympne involving 200 enemy aircraft.
- iv. From 1720 to 1810 hours in the Portsmouth, Weymouth and Middle Wallop areas involving 300 - 400 enemy aircraft.
- v. From 1810 to 1930 hours from Dungeness to Kenley and Biggin Hill involving 60 to 70 enemy aircraft.
Aerodromes appeared to be the principal objectives. Industrial targets and coastal towns were also attacked. In the combats resulting from the above actions the number of enemy aircraft destroyed reached the record figure of 161.
North and East Coasts
From 0751 to 0900 hours, a hostile reconnaissance was plotted east of the Wash. This aircraft circled for some time over a position about 30 miles north-east of Cromer. At 1300 hours about 64+ enemy aircraft crossed the coast near Newcastle and attacked the aerodrome at Newcastle and targets in Sunderland. At the same time, 17 aircraft flew in from Flamborough Head and attacked Driffield RAF Station. In ensuing combats, our fighters destroyed about 40 enemy aircraft including 10 Ju88s. These latter aircraft were destroyed out to sea off Flamborough Head soon after the termination of the attack on Driffield.
South East and East Coasts
A hostile reconnaissance of the Thames Estuary was followed at 100 hours by two reconnaissances of the Dover Downs area. No contact was effected. At 1100 hours, about 100 aircraft attacked Hawkinge aerodrome. RAF wireless stations in this area were out of action for a time owing to the electric mains having been cut by enemy bombs. At about 1430 hours, some 200 enemy aircraft concentrated in the Calais - Boulogne area and at 1500 hours simultaneously attacked the RAF Station at Martlesham, RAF establishments at Bawdsey, Dover, deal and Lympne, but with comparatively little success. Eight squadrons met this attack and 15 enemy were destroyed.
At about 1800 hours, four raids of 70+ aircraft crossed the coast at Dungeness and attacked targets at Rochester and RAF stations at West Malling and Croydon. Seven squadrons intercepted and destroyed about 17 enemy aircraft.
At about 2100 hours, eight raids came in from the Dutch Islands, penetrated inland to the North Weald area and are reported to have bombed Harwich.
South and South West Coasts
During the morning enemy reconnaissances were carried out in the Portland, Bristol, Cardiff and Newport areas and also in the Bristol Channel and off Falmouth, while from 1300 to 1400 hours enemy patrols were maintained in the Channel.
At about 1720 hours, formations totalling 150+ aircraft approached the Isle of Wight and Weymouth areas. These raids penetrated inland as far as Middle Wallop and were followed by other raids until enemy raids in this area totalled from 200 to 300. Targets were attacked at Portsmouth, Portland, Middle Wallop and in other scattered areas. Ten of our squadrons succeeded in destroying some 60 enemy aircraft.
Between 1800 and 2000 hours, formations totalling 100+ massed over Calais - Boulogne and flew to Dover. Of these, a number penetrated as far as Croydon and attacked. This raid, which turned London Central 'Red', cost the enemy 14 aircraft.
By night
Enemy activity was comparatively slight.
Between 2200 and 2330 hours, a number of small raids crossed the coast between The Wash and Scarborough. Attacks on aerodromes in this area are reported and one raid penetrated as far as Wittering. There were also a few raids in Somerset and the Bristol Channel.
Between 0020 and 0100 hours, diminished hostile activity was confined to the coast between Lincolnshire and the Isle of Wight.
Between 0100 and 0400 hours, some raids penetrated inland to Liverpool, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Hereford and the Leconfield area.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 15 August 1940
- Blenheim - 61
- Spitfire - 233
- Hurricane - 351
- Defiant - 25
- Gladiator - 2
- Total – 672
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters 19 Me109 4 Me109 6 Me109 38 Me110 7 Me110 11 Me110 4 He111 3 He113 1 He111 2 He115 3 Ju87 4 Ju87 21 Ju87 13 Ju88 11 Ju88 26 Ju88 1 Do17 7 Do17 5 Do17 3 Do215 18 unknown 4 Do215 21 unknown 34 unknown 153 55 58 By Anti-Aircraft Destroyed Probable Damaged 8 unknown 6 unknown 8 6 - Own:
- 34 aircraft of which 18 pilots are killed or missing.
Patrols:
- Own
- 227 patrols despatched involving 1,320 aircraft.
- Enemy
- It was estimated that about 2,000 enemy aircraft were engaged in operations over Great Britain between 1800 hours and on the 14th August and 1800 hours on the 15th August.
Balloons:
- Flying 1472. Casualties 48 (11 by enemy action and 37 repairable).
Aerodromes:
- No reports.
Organisation:
- No 257 Squadron moved from Northolt to Debden.
- No 74 Squadron moved from Eastchurch to Wittering.
- No 249 Squadron moved from Church Fenton to Boscombe Down.
Air Intelligence Reports
- It is reported that work in Essen factories continues during the air raids but that off-duty men arrive late in the morning owing to lack of sleep. It is also stated that lack of nourishment and nervous strain are telling on production. (Source: H.M. Minister, Belgrade)
- The 'Kolnische Zeitung' of 3/8/40 publishes the fact that those who lose wages through air raid warnings and cannot make up for this by putting in overtime must make efforts under the ordinance of 6th July to avoid such loss of wages by employing themselves in salvage and reconstruction work. It states that this work may be undertaken at their own place of employment or elsewhere.
- The following information is from a RAF Officer captured by the Germans in France towards the end of May who subsequently escaped:
- "I was most impressed by the work of the night bombers. I formed the opinion that they must on occasions have found their objectives and their operation throughout the night must have detrimental effect on German morale. I had an opportunity of inspecting a railway station and marshalling yard on the Somme shortly after it had been bombed and there is no doubt the damage was terrific. Trucks and engines had been lifted bodily off the track, thrown on their sides, many of them had been set on fire and the permanent way had been torn up, railway lines buckled and point communication broken. The general appearance was utter chaos and confusion and reminded one of H.G. Wells' film 'Things to Come'."
Home Security Reports
- Date: 15th/16th August 1940
- General Summary
- During the day large forces of enemy aircraft were active over the coastal districts of Southern England, and some raids penetrated inland to drop bombs on aerodromes and industrial targets.
- The north-east coast was visited, but apart from some success attacking aerodromes, no military and very little industrial damage was caused, though there were some casualties.
- During the night of 15th/16th August, bombs were dropped in Essex, Suffolk and the Birmingham and Bristol districts where scattered damage to property was caused but as yet there are no reports of serious industrial damage.
- South Wales experienced raids during this period but these appear to have been ineffective.
- Some reports of parachutists have been received during the period under review, but these lack confirmation and it is thought that in many cases the observers have seen crews of aircraft baling out.
- Detailed Summary
- Hawkinge Aerodrome was attacked at 1130 hours, 15 to 20 bombs being used. Some damage was done to hangars and buildings and a few fires started which soon came under control.
- At Lympne Aerodrome, heavy calibre bombs were dropped at 1130 hours causing considerable damage to hangars and hutments. Water supply, telephones and electric supply are affected.
- Driffield Aerodrome was bombed at 1330 hours by 17 enemy aircraft which dropped about 32 HE bombs causing extensive damage to four hangars and three blocks of buildings. Fires were started, seven Whitleys and one Magister were destroyed, with damage to a further five Whitleys. A farmhouse nearby was partially demolished. Casualties to RAF personnel were six killed, twenty injured.
- Martlesham Aerodrome was attacked by enemy dive-bombers at 1515 hours, and a number of HE bombs caused damage to hangars, the Officer's Mess and to some aircraft on the ground. Fires were started but these were quickly extinguished. Eight Service casualties are reported.
- At Rochester very severe damage was caused when 20 enemy aircraft made a dive-bombing attack at 1558 hours. Pobjoy's Aircraft Factory and Short's Works were hit and a fire was caused at the latter by HE bombs. Serious damage to the plant and office buildings and to aircraft under construction took place and production is likely to be seriously affected.
- At Worthy Down Aerodrome about six bombs were dropped between 1730 and 1830 hours but no casualties were caused and no damage has been reported.
- Middle Wallop Aerodrome was attacked by four Ju88s at 1800 hours, about 24 bombs causing damage to two hangars and destroying one aircraft, damaging five others.
- At 1905 hours, a bombing attack was made upon Croydon Aerodrome which resulted in the destruction of the H.E. Rollason Aircraft Works and severe damage to the British N.S.F. Factory. The terminal airport buildings were partially destroyed but no damage was caused to the aerodrome surface or to aircraft on the aerodrome. Casualties to RAF personnel were five killed and a number of injured not yet assessed.
- Twenty-four houses at Sunderland were demolished when sixty HE bombs fell soon after noon. Many other houses were damaged but no industrial premises were hit.
- At 1300 hours, HE bombs caused fires near an ammunition dump at Burton Agnes near Bridlington. Some ammunition was ignited and a few army cars were destroyed.
- In the Folkestone, Cheriton and Sandgate district serious damage was done to property and mains at about 1540 hours. Some casualties took place and there was a failure of the electricity supply.
- At Easington (180 degrees Seaham harbour, 4 miles) HE bombs fell on the fever hospital. Electric mains were blocked at Easington Colliery and a road was blocked. Only 10 minor casualties were caused.
- At Marsden near South Shields, 10 HE bombs caused serious damage to the Coastguard's hut and to telephone communication. One HE bomb was reported at the Bristol Aeroplane Company's works but as far as can be ascertained no serious damage resulted. The time of the occurrence was 0025 hours on 16th August.
- At 0149 hours, 16th August, damage is reported from Saltley, Birmingham, where bombs fell in close proximity to the Morris Commercial Car works. Overhead cables are down and mains damaged but further details are not yet available.
- Casualties on Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - 7 killed, 25 injured.
- To others - 25 killed, 145 injured