Date: 8th September 1940
- Weather: Fair early morning and evening, cloudy for the remainder of the day.
- Day: Slight activity. Some small attacks on airfields.
- Night: Heavy raid on London, mainly in the east.
Enemy action by day
Two attacks were made against the South East of England, the first by some 100 aircraft, mainly on the Kentish Coastal districts with a sub-section to Central London; the second by some 30 aircraft which penetrated to the London area and was a prelude to the night attacks in this district.
Some 16 reconnaissance flights were reported round the coast between Kinnaird's Head and Start Point, few of which penetrated inland.
During engagements with the enemy, our fighters destroyed 4 enemy aircraft (plus 3 probable and 8 damaged), and Anti-Aircraft accounted for three. Our casualties amounted to 4 aircraft of which 2 pilots killed or missing.
North
At 1300 hours a raid appeared 30 miles South East of Kinnaird's Head, flew South and faded North East of the Wash.
East
A few reconnaissance flights were made off East Anglia and the Estuary. One raid at 20,000 feet flew along the coast between Sunderland and Flamboro' but fighters failed to intercept. Two other reconnaissance flights of the Wash and Flamboro' were made.
South East
After two high flying reconnaissance flights of South London and the Thames Estuary in the early morning, there was little activity until 1105. At this time a sustained attack during which some 100 aircraft crossed the coast, commenced on objectives in Kent. At first the raids remained in the Coastal district from the North Foreland to Rye but were later plotted northwards over Kent to Sheppey and the Estuary. Two splits of a raid of 20+ aircraft headed towards London area. At 1311 hours the enemy began to withdraw.
The second attack was on a smaller scale, and commencing at 1930 hours, was directed to the London area. It appeared to be the prelude to the night operations; some 30 aircraft were involved and crossed the Coast between Beachy Head and Shoreham. This was followed by two reconnaissance raids, one of which penetrated Northwards to Bedford and the other to Hornchurch and Biggin Hill.
South and South West
Activity in this area was limited to a small number of reconnaissance flights off Start Point, Portland, and Isle of Wight and Beachy Head.
By night
Enemy raids continued to penetrate the London area from dusk onwards in a steady stream, originating from Cherbourg. There were continuously about 5 raids in this area. There was a lull about 0100 hours, but by 0200 hours activity had increased, there being about 20 raids in the South Eastern counties, including the London area, also several approaching the cost. These later raids appeared to be originating from Cherbourg and Dieppe.
One enemy aircraft is reported to have been shot down by Erith Guns at about 2100 hours, but not yet confirmed.
Balloons have been reported shot down, one mile South East of Hyde Park and at Wandsworth. Gun Sites reported attacked at Dulwich and Wanstead. Very little activity over the remainder of the country. Two raids in the Liverpool area, one to the Humber, and one over the Thames Estuary and out over Lowestoft.
Enemy activity continued later than usual up to 0500 hours. Later raids appeared to concentrate on East London and the Inner Thames Estuary and then flew Eastwards on their homeward course.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 8th September 1940
- Blenheim - 50
- Spitfire - 197
- Hurricane - 381
- Defiant - 23
- Gladiator - 8
- Total – 697
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 3 Me109 1 Me109 3 Me109 1 Me110 1 Do215 2 Do215 4 Do215 4 3 8 By Anti-Aircraft Destroyed Probable Damaged 3 Do215 3 0 0 - Own:
- 4 aircraft with 2 pilots killed or missing.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 7th/8th September - 18 patrols involving 23 sorties.
- During the day of 8th September - 65 patrols involving 215 sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 230 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain during the night 7th/8th September and 170 during the day of 8th September.
Balloons:
- No report.
Aerodromes:
- Manston/Hawkinge/Biggin Hill unserviceable.
Organisation:
- No 43 Squadron from Tangmere to Usworth.
- No 79 Squadron from Biggin Hill to Pembrey.
- No 92 Squadron from Pembrey to Biggin Hill.
- No 607 Squadron from Usworth to Tangmere.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: Night of 7th/8th September (supplementary)
- A very large number of incidents are reported but the areas mainly affected were the Docks at West Ham, Poplar and Stepney on the North side of the river, where very serious fires were caused and Southwark and Bermondsey on the South side where there were many casualties. Elsewhere there was considerable damage to communications and electricity supply is partially affected. Casualties in the London area including those provisionally reported are said to number 320 killed and 349 injured.
- Date: 8th September
- Enemy air activity over this country was on a very small scale during the hours of daylight. Some bombs were dropped in Kent, particularly in rural areas near Dartford where a fire broke out at a station. Otherwise little serious damage was caused and casualties were small.
- Date: Night of 8th/9th September
- From about 2000 hours and for several hours almost continuous bombing attacks were delivered over the London area and there was some activity over the South-Eastern counties but there was little over other parts of the country.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- Detling was bombed at 1300 hours.
- West Malling. A large number of bombs were apparently directed at the Aerodrome at 1234 hours but details of damage, if any, are not to hand. In the neighbourhood telephones, water and gas services, 50 houses and the Southern Railway line were damaged and road A20 was blocked.
- Elsewhere
- Date: 8th September
- Dagenham: Some damage was done at the Ford Works but there were no casualties and production was not affected.
- Westminster: At Victoria Station a train was hit and driver killed. Failure of a part of current supply has restricted services considerably.
- Southern Railway: All tracks blocked between London Bridge and New Cross. No trains between Waterloo and Clapham Junction, all due to presence of unexploded bombs.
- Woolwich (Royal Dockyard): Two or three buildings gutted and stores lost - practically no machinery affected.
- Woolwich (Royal Arsenal): Considerable damage to plant but some sections untouched. Many HE and unexploded bombs - approximately 12 fires. Severe casualties.
- Crayford: Gas mains set on fire.
- Erith: Services badly affected.
- Bethnal Green: HE on the Columbia Market Shelter. Heavy casualties.
- Date: 8th/9th September 1940
- Several serious and major fires are reported in districts including - Commercial Road East, Twickenham (a timber yard), Borough High Street (next to Gunpowder Factory), Surrey Commercial Docks, Greenwich, Wandsworth (Vacuum Oil Co) and at Wimbledon Station (train fired).
- Major damage is reported from the City at The Minories and at Nine Elms Goods Yard, at Edmonton and Grosvenor Bridge Railway Line (Victoria).
- In London the following are reported to have been hit: County Hall, London Hospital, St Thomas' Hospital, London Fire Brigade Station (Whitechapel), LMS Junction at East Ham and a public shelter at Islington.
- No further reports to hand.
- Casualties on the Ground by Enemy Action:
- Supplementary Report for 7th/8th September.
- To RAF Personnel - Nil killed, 3 injured.
- To others - 292 killed, 1285 injured approximately.
- Casualties for 8th/9th September are not yet reported.