Date: 16th August 1940
- Weather: Mainly fair and warm with haze over the Channel.
- Day: Airfields in Kent, Hampshire and West Sussex attacked with widespread damage. Radar station at Ventnor put out of action. Other targets in Oxfordshire, Essex and Suffolk hit.
- Night: Numerous light attacks.
Enemy action by day
Enemy activity was on a reduced scale compared with that of the previous day. The main activity consisted of two attacks:-
- i. Attacks launched between 1200 and 1430 hours against Portsmouth, Kent and East Anglian areas.
- ii. A series launched between 1630 and 1830 hours against Dover and the Thames Estuary and along the South Coast between Shoreham and Selsey Bill.
Several of these raids penetrated towards London which received two red warnings.
During engagements, our fighters destroyed 72 enemy aircraft.
North and North-East Coasts
No plots were received in this area.
East and South-East Coasts
In the early morning and isolated raid was plotted in the Kirton area. At about 1240 hours, raids totalling some 250 aircraft approached between Dungeness and Yarmouth. A split of these raids proceeded up the Thames Estuary, then passed south-west towards Biggin Hill and Kenley. Another raid of 20+ approached Croydon but turned back. These raids continued until about 1430 hours.
At 1630 hours, a raid of 100+ approached the Dover area and at 1710 hours a raid of 70+ was plotted between the Isle of Sheppey and Hornchurch and on towards Debden. This raid returned down the Thames Estuary at 1730 hours and back to the Calais area.
Between 1830 and 1920 hours, enemy search patrols were active between Cherbourg and the Straits of Dover.
South and South-West Coast
Between 1000 and 1100 hours, two small reconnaissances approached the Isle of Wight area but turned back before reaching the coast.
At 1240 hours, a raid of 30+ approached Portsmouth and a raid of 50+ approached Tangmere. A further raid of 70 followed towards Tangmere at 1300. At 1315 hours, heavy raids were still reported in the Portsmouth and Tangmere areas.
At about 1700 hours, 100 enemy aircraft crossed the coast at various points between Poole and Shoreham and penetrated to Southampton, Hanwell and Guildford, returning over Beachy Head to the Cherbourg area.
By night
Enemy activity was slight. Between 2200 and 2330 hours, a few raids appeared off the East Anglian coast. Attacks were reported on Martlesham and Harwich. At about 2300 hours, two raids were reported in the Thames Estuary, and about seven small raids off the Isle of Wight, probably minelaying. There were also a few small raids in the Western area which penetrated to the Bristol Channel and South Wales. Between 0100 and 0300 hours, some raids penetrated inland to Bury St Edmunds, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Derby and North London.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 16 August 1940
- Blenheim - 64
- Spitire - 216
- Hurricane - 345
- Defiant - 24
- Gladiator - 4
- Total – 653
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 21 Me109 11 Me109 3 Me109 10 Me110 6 He111 4 Me110 8 He111 1 He113 9 He111 2 He113 6 Ju87 5 Ju87 19 Ju87 1 Ju88 1 Ju88 2 Ju88 1 Do17 6 Do17 1 Do17 3 Do215 4 Do215 3 Do215 9 unknown 6 unknown 72 29 41 By Anti-Aircraft Destroyed Probable Damaged 3 unknown 3 - Own:
- 22 aircraft of which14 pilots are safe.
Patrols:
- Own
- 163 patrols despatched involving 895 aircraft.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 600 aircraft were engaged in operations over Great Britain between 1800 hours on the 15th August and 1800 hours on the 16th August.
Balloons:
- Flying 1500. Casualties 49 (34 repairable and 15 lost due to enemy action).
Aerodromes:
- No reports.
Organisation:
- No 1 (Canadian) Squadron moved from Croydon to Northolt.
Air Intelligence Reports
- No reports.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 16th August 1940
- General Summary
- During daylight, two main attacks were made by strong forces of enemy aircraft. The first took place soon after noon when the Thames Estuary and aerodromes in Southern England were the principal targets. Some success was achieved by these raids, and much material damage was caused, though casualties were comparatively moderate.
- The second attack was delivered at about 1730 hours when hostile aircraft penetrated to the South London districts and caused damage to property and loss of life in the Wimbledon district.
- Bombs were also dropped during this period at several points in Essex, Suffolk, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight and aerodromes again appeared to be the main targets.
- During the night August 16th/17th bombs have been reported in many districts including South Wales, Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire, Kent and Suffolk and in the Isle of Wight, but the damage appears to have been comparatively slight and fires caused by incendiary bombs have been quickly extinguished.
- Detailed Summary
- At 0145 hours, bombs fell on the landing ground at Brough, but the only damage reported was to telephone communications.
- Filton, Bristol, was attacked when 13 HE bombs dropped at 0332 hours and demolished 3 houses, damaging 10 others. No industrial damage was reported and casualties were slight.
- At 1230 hours, 5 HE bombs were dropped at Tilbury. A vessel and the dock in which she was berthed were damaged and some casualties took place.
- At 1300 hours, Tangmere Aerodrome was heavily attacked by about 15 Ju87s which dropped about 20 bombs, scoring hits on hangars and buildings. Five Hurricanes were burnt out in their hangar and all the other hangars more or less damaged; it is estimated that about 15 aircraft in all have been destroyed. Damage was done to stores and to the sick quarters, and there are several large craters on the landing ground which should be filled in by today. Casualties are reported as 12 dead and five injured.
- At 1300 hours, a heavy dive bombing attack was made on Lee-on-Solent Naval Air Station; several hangars were destroyed and other building suffered damage by fire and blast. Some aircraft were lost and the water main cut in three places. At about the same time, Grange RAF Station, Gosport, was bombed and a series of fires destroyed one hangar and damaged two others. All fires are now under control but casualties are reported to be seven killed and fifteen injured.
- Ventnor was also bombed at about 1300 hours when five salvoes of bombs fell near pylons, and six unexploded DA bombs were reported to be near a railway tunnel.
- At 1300 hours, 10 HE bombs were dropped at Northfleet (Thames Estuary) causing heavy damage to Bowater's Paper Mills and casualties amounting to 25 killed and 32 injured.
- Thorney suffered damage when four HE bombs were dropped on No 3 Hangar and destroyed three aircraft by fire. No casualties are reported.
- At 1720 hours, HE and Incendiary Bombs were dropped at Wimbledon, Merton, Mitcham, Esher, Malden and Coombe, the principal damage being caused in the Wimbledon and Merton areas. An electric transformer was burnt out at Shannon Corner, temporarily cutting off supply to two factories. At Wimbledon a factory and sub-station were demolished and casualties are reported to be 18 dead and 57 injured.
- Bombs were dropped near Basingstoke at 1730, and some damage was done to railway tracks but single-line traffic has been arranged.
- At Eastbourne 18 HE bombs fell at 1730 hours in the residential district but damage was very slight and casualties were confined to three dead and 1 injured.
- At Farnborough two wooden structures in the Royal Aircraft Establishment were destroyed by HE bombs which were dropped at 1745 hours.
- Harwell Aerodrome near Abingdon was attacked twice, at 1750 hours and 0035 hours, August 17th. The first attack was apparently unsuccessful but in the second fires were started. Further details are lacking.
- Brize Norton Aerodrome was attacked at 1804 hours when HE and incendiary bombs caused fires at two hangars and damage to the barrack block and institute building. Five RAF personnel were wounded.
- At 1815 hours, 8 Me109s dived-bombed Manston Aerodrome and machine-gunned aircraft on the ground with incendiary. One Spitfire and two Blenheims were destroyed by fire. No casualties.
- Two HE were dropped in Central Cardiff at 2350 hours causing one fire which was quickly extinguished.
- Casualties on Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - 16 killed, 19 injured.
- To others - 72 killed, 192 injured