Date: 18th August 1940
- Weather: Fine and fair early, cloudy for rest of day.
- Day: Massed German formations return attacking airfields in the south and south-east.
- Night: Light bombing in Bristol, East Anglia and South Wales. Minelaying.
Enemy action by day
Enemy activity resumed an extensive scale after the lull of the previous day.
Two main attacks developed in the South-East at about 1230 and 1700 hours. In the former case, the attacks spread over the South-Eastern Home Counties and in the latter case over Essex and Kent. London Central received 'Red' warnings in each instance.
Another big attack was directed on the Portsmouth-Southampton area at 1400 hours. Interceptions were effected by fighters and 126 enemy aircraft shot down.
East Coast
One raid was plotted off Great Yarmouth and at 1700 hours crossed the coast, flew inland across England to Birmingham, Worcester and Cardiff and then south Weymouth.
South and East Coasts
Between 0908 and 0935 hours, three reconnaissances were made over Dover and The Straits. Three further reconnaissances were made between 1042 and 1102 hours at about 20,000 feet to 25,000 feet up the Thames Estuary.
At 1230 hours, a heavy attack was launched between North Foreland and Dungeness and comprised some 300 enemy aircraft. It penetrated as far as South and South-East London, returning to the Calais area in scattered groups. The enemy aircraft came in three waves; the third, however, appeared to turn back near the coast. Kenley, Croydon, Biggin Hill, Manston and West Malling were attacked.
At 1430 hours, a secondary attack consisting of about 50 aircraft was directed towards Dover, but only about 12+ crossed the coast and these are reported to have attacked Dover balloons.
At 1700 hours, eight raids numbering 200 aircraft approached the coast between Harwich and Dungeness. The majority flew up Black Water and the Thames towards Rochester, Hornchurch and North Weald. The raids broke up on being intercepted and were forced out to sea by 1810 hours. The aircraft taking part in this raid assembled near St Omer and are thought to have come from Antwerp.
South and West Coasts
At 1415 hours, six raids approached the Portsmouth area and were estimated to number 150 aircraft. RAF establishments were attacked at Thorney Island, Gosport, Ford and Poling. The enemy aircraft dispersed at about 1500 hours.
By night
There was only slight enemy activity.
At 2200 hours, a single enemy aircraft approached the Thames Estuary and is reported to have dropped bombs near Dunkirk RAF Station. Between 2200 and 0100 hours, a number of small raids appeared off the East Anglian Coast and three or four raids in the Thames Estuary. Minelaying was suspected in both areas. Between 2300 and 2330 hours, three single aircraft raids penetrated inland to the Digby-Grantham area. Between 2100 and 0200 hours, about 14 raids were plotted in the South Wales and Bristol areas. A few of these penetrated as far north as Shrewsbury and Liverpool. At about 0225 hours, a single aircraft made landfall near Skegness.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 18th August 1940
- Blenheim - 50
- Spitfire - 228
- Hurricane - 396
- Defiant - 27
- Gladiator - 5
- Total – 706
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 34 Me109 4 Me109 13 Me109 26 Me110 9 Me110 8 Me110 11 Do215 5 Do215 1 He113 6 Do17 3 Do17 4 Do215 31 Ju87 2 Ju87 9 Do17 7 Ju88 1 Ju88 2 Ju87 8 He111 2 He111 1 Ju88 3 unknown 4 He111 3 unknown 126 26 45 By Anti-Aircraft Destroyed Probable Damaged 13 unknown 13 - Own:
- 22 aircraft with 12 pilots safe.
Patrols:
- Own
- 155 patrols despatched involving 914 aircraft.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 700 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain between 1800 hours on the 17th and 1800 hours on the 18th August.
Balloons:
- Flying 1459. Casualties 37 (34 repairable, 3 written off).
Aerodromes:
- Catterick, Hartlepool and Filton unserviceable.
Organisation:
- No 310 (Czech) Squadron is operational at Duxford.
- No 607 Squadron is operational by day.
Air Intelligence Reports
- No reports.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 18th August 1940
- General Summary
- Two main attacks by the Luftwaffe took place during the daylight hours, the first being made by about 250 aircraft soon after noon, the second in the evening by about 400.
- In the first South London, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and the Portsmouth area were involved. Some serious fires were started at several aerodromes and damage was done to buildings and stores; some service casualties were occasioned.
- In the evening, raids activity again seems to have been confined to South East England, and many districts in Kent, Essex and Sussex report bombs, but no serious damage has been caused, most of them falling into open country.
- After dark, sporadic raids took place over Suffolk, Essex, Thames Estuary and Kent. Some hostile aircraft reached the Midlands and parts of Somerset but no material damage has been reported from any of these districts.
- A number of DA [delayed action] bombs have been reported in the last day or two, notably in the Birmingham and Wolverhampton areas. One at Hook, Hampshire, exploded when a demolition party had gone to deal with it and five were killed. Near Daventry, four bombs are reported to have been dropped on the night of 17th/18th August, either DA or HE unexploded.
- Detailed Summary
- Biggin Hill Aerodrome was attacked at 1330 hours with HE and several DA bombs which went off periodically but caused no interference with routine.
- Kenley Aerodrome was bombed at 1400 hours and serious damage was done hangars and buildings by blast and fires, one of which was still burning at 1800 hours. Twelve Service deaths were caused and many injuries. The pumping station and waterworks were also hit and temporarily put out of action.
- Ford Aerodrome was attacked by thirteen to fifteen dive-bombers at 1445 and extensive damage was done to two hangars and other buildings. About one third of the men's living huts were destroyed and a large fire was caused to the oil and petrol stores. Four Service deaths are reported as well as ten civilian casualties.
- Poling RAF Station was heavily bombed at 1445 hours. Forty-four HE bombs were dropped inside the RAF compound and forty-three outside and around the station. Two pylons were down and extensive damage to stores was caused by fire. Several houses were damaged.
- At 1252, Malling Aerodrome received some HE and incendiary bombs but no further reports have been received of this incident.
- Grange Aerodrome, Gosport. A fire in the oil tanks and buildings was caused by HE and incendiary bombs dropped at 1430 hours.
- Thorney Aerodrome. Twenty-five Junkers' approached the Aerodrome at 1430 hours, but only three were able to effect dive-bombing. A hangar was hit and fires caused. Six service casualties are reported.
- Serious fires were caused when Croydon Airport was attacked at 1330 hours, and major damage was done to Purley Way and gas mains' in the area. The Rollason Works was hit again.
- At Sevenoaks, the gas works were hit by several HE bombs at 1330 hours and the gas holder set alight, but the fire was soon under control. The gas supply was interrupted and some damage was caused to property. There were some casualties.
- At Paddock Wood, twelve railway wagons were set on fire in the goods yard and interference with the electricity supply was caused by HE bombs which fell at 1300 hours.
- Many gas and water mains as well as electricity services were damaged in the Coulsdon and Purley districts by bombs which fell at about 1330 hours and railway damage is widespread; some lines will be blocked for sometime.
- At 1802 hours, Deal was attacked by 21 Ju86s using HE and IB. A storeroom was wrecked at the Royal Marine Infirmary and many windows were broken at the barracks.
- Between 1740 and 1800 hours, HE and incendiary bombs fell on Shoeburyness and four houses were wrecked. Damage was done to water mains and a signal box on the railway as well as to the tracks.
- The residential district of Canterbury was bombed at 1835 hours but only three houses were damaged and no casualties were caused. HE bombs are reported to have been dropped in the Dorchester and Sherborne at about 2230 hours, but no further details are available.
- Casualties on Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - 16 killed, 6+ injured.
- To others - 44 killed, 108 injured