Date: 1st September 1940
- Weather: Fair with cloudy patches during the morning, clearing during the afternoon.
- Day: Heavy damage to Fighter Command airfields following four major attacks.
- Night: Liverpool attacked again. Smaller raids in the Midlands and South Wales.
Enemy action by day
Enemy activity was on a reduced scale compared with the previous day and fewer aircraft were employed, but three attacks of importance developed in the East Kent area. During these and in other operations twenty-five enemy aircraft were destroyed (plus 10 probable and 24 damaged). Our casualties were 15 aircraft and six pilots killed or missing. Aerodromes again appeared to be the objectives.
North and East
Reconnaissances by single aircraft were made between Humber and Lowestoft in the forenoon, and in the latter area five plottings were recorded. There were six other reconnaissances in the Harwich - Cromer zone. In the afternoon two reconnaissances were made and in one of these the position of a convoy off Yarmouth was reported. Thick cloud prevented further action. At 1040 hours interception was made of the reports transmitted by enemy aircraft over Derby.
South East
At 1050 hours about fifty enemy aircraft crossed the coast near Dover and other raids followed. By 1100 hours about one hundred enemy aircraft were over Kent and Thames Estuary. Some penetrated to Biggin Hill, Kenley, Gravesend, Hornchurch and North Weald. Two Balloons of the Dover Barrage were shot down. Fighter squadrons intercepted and shot down several enemy aircraft.
At 1340 hours some seventy enemy aircraft crossed the Coast between Dover and Dungeness. A second wave of about eighty aircraft followed. Biggin Hill and Kenley were the objectives. Four squadrons from No 11 Group were sent to intercept; meanwhile No 12 Group provided one squadron from Duxford to patrol North Weald. Casualties were inflicted on the enemy.
At 1530 hours five raids totalling seventy aircraft again crossed the Coast between Dover and Dungeness. Of these abut twenty circled on the Coast line but others penetrated towards Maidstone and the Thames Estuary, and attacked Dunkirk. Further enemy casualties were inflicted.
As in the previous raids hostile patrols were maintained in the Channel whilst the enemy raids were in progress over England.
South West
Reconnaissance aircraft transmitted reports on our Naval Units South West of Lands End at 1050 hours. The position indicated was correct.
By night
Enemy activity was much reduced compared with that of the previous nights and the areas attacked were quite different. Only a small number of isolated raids went to the Industrial Midlands. Main raids were confined to three areas only:
- Kent
- Bristol Channel and South Wales
- Tyne/Tees
Many early raids were plotted over Kent and into the Thames Estuary. Attacks were reported on Detling Aerodrome, Dunkirk and Rye. This area was however, clear by midnight.
A continuous flow passed to the Bristol Channel and South Wales, some aircraft believed to be on mine-laying. This area appeared to be the main target of the night. A few of these raids passed North as far as the Sealand area.
Shortly after midnight a number of raids appeared off the Norfolk Coast and flew North West to the Tyne/Tees area. Mine-laying is suspected but several raids crossed inland before returning home in the direction of the Dutch Islands.
Other mine-laying is suspected off the Humber, Thames Estuary and Dungeness to Poole.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 1st September 1940
- Blenheim - 57
- Spitfire - 208
- Hurricane - 405
- Defiant - 24
- Gladiator - 7
- Total – 701
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 14 Me109 4 Me109 11 Me109 14 Me109 4 Me109 11 Me109 3 Me110 2 Me110 2 Me110 1 He111 1 He111 2 Do17 2 Do17 4 Do17 5 Do215 3 Do215 5 Do215 1 ?(type) 25 10 24 - Own:
- 15 aircraft with 6 pilots killed or missing.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 31st August/1st September - 29 patrols involving 29 aircraft.
- During the day of 1st September - 118 patrols involving 661 aircraft.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 250 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain during the night 31st August/1st September and 450 during the day of 1st September.
Balloons:
- No reports.
Aerodromes:
- Manston, Hawkinge, Rochford and Lympne are unserviceable by night due to bomb craters.
Attacks on Aerodromes
- Hawkinge, Biggin Hill, Lympne, Detling and Sherburn.
Organisation:
- No 46 Squadron has moved from Boscombe Down to North Weald.
- No 249 Squadron has moved from Digby to North Weald.
- No 56 Squadron has moved from North Weald to Boscombe Down.
- No 151 Squadron has moved from North Weald to Boscombe Down.
- No 504 Squadron has moved from Castletown to Catterick.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 1st September 1940
- General Summary
- Enemy aircraft again visited South East England, Thames Estuary and the outskirts of London during the day.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- Date: 30th August 1940
- At 0200 hours 100 incendiary bombs were dropped on Hawarden Aerodrome, slightly damaging one aircraft.
- Date: 31st August/1st September 1940
- The landing ground at Tholthorpe was twice attacked, firstly at 2245 hours on 31st August, and the second at 0230 hours on 1st September. The station is still operational although there is a crater 25 feet deep.
- Hornchurch was bombed with incendiary bombs at 1140 hours on 1st September but no damage or casualties occurred.
- At 1540 hours on 1st September Hawkinge and Lympne Aerodromes were dive bombed by 12 Me109. No buildings at Hawkinge were damaged and the aerodrome is still serviceable with care.
- Two attacks were made on Detling Aerodrome on 1st September at 1630 hours and 2300 hours, the wireless mast was damaged, Officers' Mess demolished, and the aerodrome at present is reported to be unserviceable.
- HE bombs were dropped at Newton Downs, Porthcawl Aerodrome at 2240 hours on 1st September, there is no report of damage.
- Two bombs were dropped on Hooton Park Aerodrome on 1st September.
- Elsewhere
- Date: 1st September 1940
- Llandarcy: On the night of 1st/2nd September the Naval oil depot was hit and was reported to be burning so furiously that no action could be taken until daylight.
- Tilbury: At 1105 hours on 1st September Tilbury was attacked and considerable damage was done. The railway station was hit and both up and down lines blocked; gas and water mains were broken; the premises of Harland & Wolff received a direct hit; dockside buildings and workshops were also affected; a number of private houses were demolished and 10 shops damaged. Casualties so far reported are 5 dead and 28 injured.
- Orpington: At 1405 hours on 1st September some HE and incendiary bombs fell at Orpington, slightly damaging the boiler house and nurses quarters at the Hospital. Some other property was damaged and a shelter hit. Casualties, 3 dead, 11 injured.
- Bradford: A raid commenced at 2235 hours on 31st August, and concluded at 0300 hours on 1st September. Extensive damage to property and water and gas mains occurred in the centre of the city. Considerable damage was caused to shop property and also a cinema and two large mills, also the corporation gas works at Birkshaw Lane; other property damaged included dwelling houses and the railway siding signal box. There were many casualties.
- Denton (Gravesend): A raid commenced at 1105 hours 1st September as a result of which three houses were demolished and fifty damaged. Gas and water mains were fractured and there was slight damage to the gas and electricity works but the production was reported not to have been affected.
- Casualties on the Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - 3 killed, 11 injured.
- To others - 110 killed, 585 injured.