Date: 4th September 1940
- Weather: Fine and warm with haze in the Channel and Straits. Occasional rain and strong winds in the north.
- Day: Two major attacks on airfields. Serious damage to the Vickers Works at Brooklands.
- Night: Further raid on Liverpool.
Enemy action by day
The enemy's main effort consisted of two attacks in East Kent and Thames Estuary areas. There was also a considerable amount of high flying reconnaissances of convoys, especially round the North and East Coasts and Wales. Our fighters destroyed 52 enemy aircraft (plus 19 probable and 22 damaged). Our casualties amounted to 17 aircraft and six pilots killed or missing.
North
At 1140 hours one Ju88 was identified in the Dunbar area although no track was plotted. At 1610 hours and 1809 hours two high altitude reconnaissance flights approached Montrose and Aberdeen. The second of these reported the position of a convoy. Fighters went up but did not intercept.
East
Some high altitude reconnaissances were flown by enemy aircraft off the Coast of Norfolk.
South East
Between 0600 and 0700 hours one aircraft at 17,000 feet was over a convoy off North Foreland. It was engaged by fighters but the result was inconclusive.
At 0915 hours activity developed into an attack by about 150 aircraft. One group of 80 flew into the Estuary and on towards Eastchurch, Hornchurch, North Weald and Debden, and the other of 70 crossed near Lympne and flew towards Biggin Hill. Most of the aircraft soon turned and by 0945 hours were recrossing the coast. During their withdrawal a force of 30 aircraft patrolled off North Foreland in addition to the usual hostile patrols in the Straits. Casualties were inflicted on the enemy.
At 1235 hours 5 hostile bombers were over Dover and at 1258 hours an attack developed. By 1305 hours some 200 aircraft crossed the coast on a wide front between Dover and Littlehampton at 20,000 feet. The bulk flew over Kent and Sussex but had commenced to disperse by 1400 hours. Some however flew over the Thames Estuary and near Gravesend but drew off at 1340 hours. A third section of about 50 aircraft flew along the Coast to West of Shoreham as if making for Kenley but quickly turned back. Damage was done at Weybridge. Fighters inflicted considerable casualties on the enemy. During the period of these raids about 80 enemy aircraft remained on patrol in the Straits.
At 1635 hours one enemy aircraft at 5,000 feet flew towards Dover. One section of fighters did not make interception. Between 1730 and 1750 hours small raids and two of six aircraft and one of 12 approached Dungeness but did not cross the coast.
South
Between 0700 and 0800 hours four hostile raids were in the Channel off the Isle of Wight, Portland and Beachy Head. At 1615 hours 2+ aircraft flew over the Isle of Wight. A section sent up did not made interception.
West
At 1132 hours a hostile reconnaissance was made over a convoy at Milford Haven.
By night
Enemy activity commenced earlier at 2000 hours and later concentrated on South Wales and the Midlands including Manchester and Liverpool whence some raids crossed to Newcastle. The number of enemy aircraft involved on the route Cherbourg-Poole-Midlands up to 2345 hours is estimated at 100.
In addition there were widespread isolated raids involving at least a further 100 aircraft over the Eastern half of the country including the London area, and at various points round the Coast indicating probable mine-laying. These raids continued to come in up to approximately 0300 hours by which time the majority of raids inland had begun to move away in a South Easterly direction.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 4th September 1940
- Blenheim - 50
- Spitfire - 218
- Hurricane - 407
- Defiant - 21
- Gladiator - 8
- Total – 704
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 8 Me109 7 Me109 2 Me109 31 Me110 9 Me110 16 Me110 6 Me110 (Jaguars) 4 Do17 3 Do17 2 Do17 3 Ju88 1 Ju88 1 He111 52 19 22
* Since the above was written 1 He111 and 1 Do17 have been claimed as destroyed at 0200 hours near Braintree, and 1 enemy aircraft (? type) was damaged at 0041 hours near Helmsley (Yorks). - Own:
- 17 aircraft with 6 pilots killed or missing.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 3rd/4th September - 27 patrols involving 34 sorties.
- During the day of 4th September - 123 patrols involving 677 sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 100 -120 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain during the night 3rd/4th September and 650 during the day of 4th September.
Balloons:
- No reports.
Aerodromes:
- Abbotsinch and Hartlepool unserviceable by night.
Attacks on Aerodromes
- Brooklands, Eastchurch, Lympne, Rochford and Rochester.
Organisation:
- Nil.
Home Security Reports
- Date: 4th September 1940
- General Summary
- During the day, two raids were made by enemy aircraft, during which bombs were dropped - the first being between 0950 and 1015 hours, when attacks were made on Eastchurch, Lympne and Bradwell-on-Sea Aerodromes and in other places in Essex and Kent. No reports have been received of serious damage or casualties resulting from these raids. In the second raid, between 1300 and 1400 hours, more serious consequences resulted. Bombs were dropped on the Vickers Armstrong Works at Weybridge and Pobjoys Factory at Rochester. At the former, considerable damage was done to the erecting shop and plant and very serious casualties occurred. The figure quoted is 55 killed and approximately 250 injured.
- During the night of the 4th/5th September, attacks were carried out in Dorsetshire, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire, London, Monmouthshire, Norfolk, Northumberland, Pembrokeshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Sussex, Worcestershire and East Lothian.
- Detailed Summary
- Weybridge: The attack on Vickers Armstong Works was carried out by an unspecified number of aircraft but from reports received it appears that five or six direct hits on buildings were made and other heavy calibre bombs dropped outside hangars causing some damage but it is considered that casualties would have been greater but for the fact that the attack was made during the lunch hour. It appears that bombs dropped before the red warning was received. The full extent of the effect on production is not yet ascertained, but it is gathered that considerable delay will occur.
- Rochester: Full reports are not yet to hand of the effect of the bombing of the Works and Aerodrome of Short Bros.
- Lympne: The Aerodrome which was attacked at 0934 hours on the 4th September, does not appear to suffered any damage of importance.
- Tilbury: A serious fire resulted from a bombing attack when the Orient Line Offices were set alight but it was reported at a later hour that the fire was under control.
- Bristol: Damage was caused to a section of the main line at Temple Meads Station.
- Bournemouth: Some serious damage was caused to houses, a railway line and a road.
- Eastchurch: Eastchurch was subjected to two attacks during the day of the 4th and Dunkirk (RAF Station) to one attack but no major damage has been reported.
- Casualties on the Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - Nil killed, Nil injured.
- To others - 67 killed, 330 injured approximately.