Plus a special guest map from Michael Korda’s, “With Wings Like Eagles,” showing the air defenses of England and Wales, August 1940.
That must have left Dracula homeless.
Date: 31st August 1940
Enemy action by day
Three major attacks developed in the East Kent and Thames area, and spread towards South and North East London. Aerodromes were again the main objectives.
70 enemy aircraft were destroyed (plus 34 probable and 33 damaged). Our casualties were 37 aircraft and 12 pilots killed or missing.
North and East
At 0600 hours one aircraft made a reconnaissance off Spurn Point. At 1155 hours a reconnaissance was made at 23000 feet over aerodromes in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and of shipping in the Thames Estuary. Between 1400 and 1530 hours three reconnaissances were made in East Anglia.
South East
At 0755 hours formations appeared in the Deal, Dover and Thames Estuary area. Some two hundred and fifty aircraft attacked in five distinct waves. Aircraft were flying at between 1500 and 20000 feet but one formation crossed the Essex Coast in a dive at 2000 feet. Dispersal commenced at about 0900 hours. Ten Fighter squadrons were detailed for these attacks and accounted for a number of enemy aircraft. The objectives were North Weald, Debden (where some damage is reported), Duxford and East Kent area. At 0845 hours Me109's shot down all (23) of the Dover Balloon Barrage.
At 0930 hours single aircraft made reconnaissances of:
At about 1100 hours ninety plus aircraft crossed the Coast at Dover but this attack was not pressed home.
At 1235 hours fifty plus aircraft approached Dover of which thirty aircraft flew inland towards Biggin Hill and Kenley at 10,000 feet. The remaining twenty turned back at Dover but reappeared at Deal as fifty aircraft and crossed the Coast in three waves followed by two smaller formations flying towards Biggin Hill and Kenley. Biggin Hill suffered some damage. At about 1320 hours fifty plus aircraft were over Hornchurch and Debden plus aircraft were over Hornchurch and Debden at 15/20,000 feet. Two further raids followed in Kent and two in the Thames Estuary. By 1350 hours the attackers began to disperse.
Successful interceptions were made and many aircraft were shot down. During this attack strong enemy patrols were maintained in the Straits until after the raids had withdrawn.
At 1630 hours a small raid reconnoitred the Thames Estuary at 15,000 feet, passed over Hornchurch, then flew to Kenley and South to the Coast. It may have been assessing damage done during previous raids.
At 1800 hours six raids crossed the Coast between North Foreland and Hastings. One of these attacked Hornchurch and the others Biggin Hill, Northolt, Kenley and other objectives in Kent. Another raid of fifty aircraft flew into the Estuary. Altogether some two hundred enemy aircraft wee involved. The raids drew off at 1900 hours.
The patrols covering the retreat of these bombers in the Straits were not so strong as usual. Fighter squadrons were again successful in destroying a number of enemy aircraft.
During the day No 12 Group moved Squadrons into No 11 Group area to assist in the battles.
By night
The enemy programme appeared to be very similar to that of the last few nights both in volume and in targets.
Dusk attacks were made on Liverpool and Birkenhead. Up to 0030 hours a stream of raids crossed the Coast between Shoreham and Lyme Bay towards the Industrial Midlands which together with Liverpool and Leeds areas seemed to be the main targets. There was comparatively little activity over South Wales. Mine-laying is suspected in the Thames Estuary, off East Anglia, Humber, Durham and Northumberland Coasts, but some raids also penetrated inland in each of these areas.
London Central was "Red" between 2150 and 2213 hours, 2225 and 2359 hours and 0057 and 0354 hours. Attacks on this area appeared to be much less severe than those of recent nights and passing to the Midlands across the South West edge of the inner artillery zone and returning across the North East edge.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 31st August 1940
Casualties:
| Enemy Losses | ||
| By Fighters | ||
| Destroyted | Probable | Damaged |
| 39 Me109 | 21 Me109 | 12 Me109 |
| 9 Me110 | 5 Me110 | 12 Me110 |
| 6 He111 | 2 Do17 | 2 Do17 |
| 1 Ju88 | 6 Do215 | 4 Ju88 |
| 5 Do17 | 3 Do215 | |
| 10 Do215 | ||
| 70 | 34 | 33 |
| By Anti-Aircraft | ||
| Destroyted | Probable | Damaged |
| 7 Me109 | ||
| 1 Me110 | ||
| 7 Do17 | ||
| 15 |
Patrols:
Balloons:
Aerodromes:
Attacks on Aerodromes
Organisation:
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