Date: 17th August 1940
- Weather: Fine in the Channel, haze and some cloud in the east.
- Day: Activity limited to reconnaissance sorties. Fighter Command faces pilot shortage.
- Night: Light raids on the Midlands, Merseyside and South Wale
Enemy action by day
Apart from a few isolated reconnaissance flights on the South and East Coasts, and over one or two aerodromes, there has been little enemy activity over Great Britain today.
East Coast
Reconnaissance flights were plotted from Calais to North Foreland and along the coast to Yarmouth over convoys. At 1305 hours, one hostile raid crossed the North Sea 30 miles off the East Anglian Coast within sight of two convoys, but did not attack. At 1508 hours, one hostile reconnaissance was plotted near a convoy, but faded going south to Dunkerque. At about 1700 hours, a raid of 1+ aircraft appeared in the Thames Estuary where anti-aircraft guns opened fire. This raid entered the Central London area, and bombs were reported near Hornchurch. At 1820 hours, a hostile reconnaissance was reported over the Thames at 35,000 feet.
South Coast
In the very early morning and enemy aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire at Southampton.
After 0900 hours, reconnaissance flights were plotted along the coast to south of Newhaven and to Bembridge, Isle of Wight. At 1204 hours, 3+ aircraft appeared flying north towards Portsmouth, but turned away on sighting our fighters. At about 1230 hours, six enemy aircraft appeared flying from Shoreham towards Selsey Bill. Fighters were despatched but no interception was reported.
Between 1300 and 1600 hours, about 3 small raids of 1 aircraft made reconnaissance flights between Thorney Island and Isle of Wight. One raid of 8+ aircraft flew from Cherbourg towards Isle of Wight but turned back on sighting our fighters.
Between 1700 and 1800 hours, four high-level reconnaissance flights were plotted near the coast between North Foreland and Selsey Bill.
West Coast
One raid was plotted well out to see in Cardigan Bay, and a ship is reported to have been sunk near Strumble Head. A raid was plotted in mid-Wales moving east and returning. It is reported that leaflets were dropped in the Welshpool area.
By night
Enemy activity was slight during the early part but increased later. At about 2100 hours, a raid of 3+ flew north to Isle of Sheppey. Between 2100 and 2300 hours, a few single aircraft were active off the Norfolk Coast. At about 2130 hours, a single aircraft flew up the Thames Estuary and out across the Essex Coast near Southend.
Between 2300 and 0100 hours, there was rather more activity in the Western region. About 7 raids went north to Wales and the Midlands and some penetrated to Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Chester. Between 2330 and 0030 hours, raids were plotted near Lyme Bay and between Beachy Head and Hastings. At 0042 hours, a raid over the Mersey area flew to Crosby, Oswestry, Birmingham, Nottingham and then south to Poole, crossing the coast at 0253 hours. At 0115 hours, a raid penetrated to Reading, Windsor and Henley. At 0244 hours, a raid was plotted near Hucknall then to Newark and Lincoln and out to sea where it was shot down by a Blenheim.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 17th August 1940
- Blenheim - 50
- Spitfire - 208
- Hurricane - 345
- Defiant - 28
- Gladiator - 0
- Total – 631
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 1unknown 1 By Anti-Aircraft Destroyed Probable Damaged 1 unknown 1 - Own:
- Nil.
Patrols:
- Own
- 100 patrols despatched involving 303 aircraft.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that probably not more than 115 aircraft operated over Great Britain between 1800 hours on the 16th and 1800 hours on 17th August.
Balloons:
- Flying 1484. Casualties 42 (28 repairable, 1 written off and 7 by enemy action).
Aerodromes:
- No reports.
Organisation:
- No 1 (Canadian) Squadron is now operational.
- No 145 Squadron has moved to Drem.
- No 602 Squadron has moved to Westhampnett (Nr. Tangmere).
Air Intelligence Reports
- No reports.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 17th/18th August 1940
- General Summary
- Enemy bombing was negligible during the daylight hours, but about midnight 17th/18th August, the attack was renewed when hostile aircraft dropped bombs in East Suffolk, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire, notably in the Coventry and Birmingham districts. Not much damage was done in these areas but one raid reached Liverpool where damage was done in the docks area.
- Detailed Summary
- Aerodromes.
- Brize Norton Aerodrome. Additional information on the bombing reported in yesterday's report indicates that 2 hangars were gutted by fire, and 47 aircraft were destroyed. Three petrol bowsers were damaged and the electricity and water supplies interrupted and slight damage was done to other buildings. No service casualties were reported.
- Harwell Aerodrome. Additional information on the bombing reported yesterday show that three Wellington aircraft were destroyed by fire and other rendered unserviceable. Three tractors and two bowsers were destroyed but the aerodrome itself is not affected.
- Further information of damage at Stanton Harcourt satellite aerodrome which is not yet occupied, shows that 30 small bombs were dropped at 1740 hours, 16th August, causing small craters mostly near or outside the boundaries. Casualties to staff were 5 killed and 6 injured.
- 17th August, 1940
- At 0130 hours, ten HE bombs fell at Swansea causing some damage to property and 10 minor casualties. The town electricity supply was interrupted for 20 minutes.
- At 0450 hours, incendiary bombs dropped across Hullavington Aerodrome but further details have not yet been reported.
- Seven HE bombs were dropped in the Hodge Hill Common area of Birmingham at about 2345. Several houses were damaged, as were gas and water mains, but only two casualties were caused.
- 18th August
- At 0032 hours, bombs dropped in the residential area of Aberavon causing damage to house property. There were no casualties.
- Coventry reports that 8 HE bombs dropped on the south east of the city at 0040 hours. A few houses were damaged, but there were no casualties.
- Liverpool. At 0041 hours, 4 HE bombs caused considerable damage to Yeoward's Coburg Avenue Shed, Queen's Road No 1 Graving Dock, East Brunswick Granary and to East Brunswick Avenue railway siding. Only one casualty is reported.
- Woodley Aerodrome is reported to have been bombed at 0125 hours but no details are available.
- Casualties on Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - 13 killed, 15 injured.
- To others - 10 killed, 66 injured