Date: 30th August 1940
- Weather: Fair.
- Day: Dummy raids on shipping then heavy attacks on south-eastern airfields. Luton attacked.
- Night: Third raid on Liverpool. Single raids over wide area.
Enemy action by day
The enemy delivered one major attack during the morning and three in the afternoon in South West England. Aerodromes appeared to be the principal objectives. Sixty-two enemy aircraft were destroyed (plus twenty-one probable and twenty-nine damaged), and our casualties were twenty-five aircraft and ten pilots killed or missing.
North and East
In the early morning, one hostile aircraft was reported over Leicester and crossed the coast near Cromer. Interception was not successful.
A small raid reconnoitred over a convoy off Cromer.
South East
Between 0740 hours and 0820 hours, two raids of twenty plus each cruised in the Straits and Calais areas. Two squadrons sent up over the Straits did not sight either raid. Hostile patrols remained active in the Calais - Boulogne area.
At 1106 hours, one hundred plus enemy aircraft passed over Dungeness and Dover, quickly followed by another wave of one hundred plus. These formations split up over Kent and Surrey, sub-divisions attacking targets in the Estuary and the aerodromes at Biggin Hill and Eastchurch. At 1200 hours, another wave of one hundred plus came in over Dover but did not penetrate far inland. Throughout the attack numerous hostile aircraft patrolled the Channel and French Coast, evidently waiting to cover retreating bombers.
Sixteen fighter squadrons met the attack and destroyed twenty-seven enemy aircraft plus three by anti-aircraft at a cost of ten aircraft and five pilots, and by 1230 hours all raids had been driven off.
At 1420 hours, sixty plus enemy aircraft crossed the coast between Dover and Dungeness and some flew towards Kenley and Biggin Hill. Four squadrons were sent up and by 1500 hours all raids had retreated out to sea. Two enemy aircraft were destroyed plus one by anti-aircraft.
At 1555 hours, about three hundred aircraft entered Kent, some crossing the Estuary to Essex. The concentration remained greatest over East Kent but formations of ten to twenty aircraft each spread to Kenley, North Weald, Hornchurch, Debden, Sheerness, Harwich, Bentley Priory and as far west as Oxford at an average height of 10,000 feet. Lympne, Detling and Biggin Hill were attacked.
Thirteen squadrons destroyed twenty-nine hostile aircraft and by 1715 hours had cleared the sky.
At 1800 hours, about seventy enemy aircraft flew up the south side of the Thames Estuary. Some turned south and south-east over Kent and one formation of twelve passed over Biggin Hill at 7,000 feet. By 1830 hours, raids had dispersed.
By night
Activity was again heavy. Dusk raids crossed into Cornwall apparently searching for aerodromes. Main objective of the night was industrial Midlands up to Liverpool and as far as Bradford and Leeds. South Wales received less attention than usual.
With few exceptions, raids (mostly one aircraft but some of three plus) again crossed the coast in a continuous stream between Beachy Head and Lyme Bay, some of those which flew over the Bristol area carrying on to the Midlands.
Raids passing to and fro over London Central kept it at 'Red' between 2110 and 0345 hours. The East Coast was largely neglected. Only a few raids crossed inland over East Anglia and some minelaying is suspected in the Humber.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 30th August 1940
- Blenheim - 52
- Spitfire - 234
- Hurricane - 410
- Defiant - 14
- Gladiator - 7
- Total – 717
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 10 Me109 4 Me109 3 Me109 20 Me110 6 Me110 15 Me110 23 He111 7 He111 10 He111 2 Do17 2 He113 1 Ju88 2 Do215 1 Do17 1 Ju88 1 Do215 59 21 29 By Anti-Anticraft Destroyed Probable Damaged 2 Me109 1 Do17 1 Me109 3 - Own:
- 25 aircraft (10 pilots killed or missing).
Addendum to report for August 29th
- At about 2350 hours, on 29th August, one Spitfire of No 92 Squadron intercepted and shot down a He111 near Yatesbury (Wiltshire). This casualty was not included in the casualty totals.
Patrols:
- Own
- 208 patrols involving 1,054 aircraft.
- Enemy
- By night 29th/30th August - 250 aircraft. By day 30th August - 600 aircraft.
Balloons:
- Flying 1,552, casualties 66 (44 repairable, 2 written off, 20 by enemy action).
Aerodromes:
- Manston unserviceable for fighters.
- Biggin Hill - serviceability unknown.
Attacks on Aerodromes
- Biggin Hill, Detling, Luton, Lympne.
Organisation:
- No 145 Squadron moved from Drem. 'A' Flight to Montrose, 'B' Flight to Dyce.
- No 141 Squadron moved to Turnhouse. 'A' Flight from Montrose, 'B' Flight from Dyce.
Air Intelligence Reports
- Neutral attaches leaving Belgium were taken in a car to Switzerland by a roundabout route of 1,100km instead of the direct route of 600km, as the direct route might have permitted then to see too much of the damage caused by in the Rhein-Ruhr area.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 29th August 1940
- General Summary
- During the day, enemy aircraft made a series of raids in considerable numbers over South East England including the Thames Estuary and also Luton and Dunstable. A few aircraft reached the London region.
- At about 2100 hours, activity was renewed and was principally concentrated on the industrial Midlands as far north as Liverpool and across country to Bradford and Leeds. London was also revisited.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- 28th August
- Eight HE unexploded bombs were dropped 1200 yards south of the hangar at Staverton. The main water supply was cut but it is anticipated that the supply will be partially restored in 36 hours.
- 30th August
- RAF Hospital at Ely was attacked early in the morning, one small incendiary bomb being dropped which was quickly extinguished.
- A type of paraffin incendiary bomb was dropped on the parade ground at West Kirby causing slight damage to drill shed.
- At 1735 hours, 60 HE bombs were dropped on Detling Aerodrome causing many craters.
- Biggin Hill Aerodrome was attacked at 1245 hours and again at 1815 hours. During the second attack, heavy calibre bombs were dropped on the camp, but not on the landing ground, causing major damage and fires. Some aircraft are believed to have been destroyed.
- Nine bombs were dropped at Lympne Aerodrome destroying a hangar and an air raid shelter. There were five civilian casualties but the aerodrome is reported to be serviceable.
- Seaplanes
- It is reported that one or more seaplanes landed on the water off Mablethorpe during an air raid on 30th August and took off again at 2233 hours. The time of the landing is unknown but the aircraft are believed to have remained on the water for a considerable time. As it took off a verey light was seen out at sea.
- Factories
- 30th August
- At 2250 hours, the factory of Messrs Hobson (aircraft motor components) at Oldham was hit by incendiary bombs but there was no damage to the plant.
- Messrs Stewart and Lloyd's factory at Bilston was bombed causing some casualties, numbers not yet known. Water mains and electric light cables were affected and there was some damage to a locomotive shed.
- At about 1643 hours, Messrs Vauxhall's Motor Factory at Luton was bombed causing considerable damage and many casualties. Eight fires were started in the district.
- London Area
- During the night of 30th/31st August, the following parts of London were bombed:- Pimlico, Belgravia, Finchley, Hornsea, Paddington, Highgate, Hendon and Willesdon. Little news of damage is so far available, but an unexploded bomb is reported to have dropped at 0205 hours in the Bank close to Brondesbury Park Station on the Hampstead Branch. The Kilburn High Road is also reported blocked.
- Hull
- Bombs were dropped causing damage to the permanent way and some sheds at Victoria Docks and also a wooden quay.
- Casualties on Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - nil killed, 5 injured.
- To others - 68 killed, 327 injured.