Date: 12th September 1940
- Weather: Unsettled, rain in most districts.
- Day: Reconnaissance and small raids in the south.
- Night: Lesser raids on London.
Enemy action by day
There was a marked increase in the number of hostile reconnaissances especially in the South-eastern and Southern areas, otherwise enemy activity was on a much reduced scale. Our fighters destroyed one enemy aircraft plus three damaged. Our Casualties nil.
East
One reconnaissance aircraft reported shipping off Spurn Head, while another over the Humber area was intercepted and damaged by No 151 Squadron.
One enemy aircraft reconnoitred Harrogate, Manchester and Liverpool and attacked a target at Harrogate.
In the afternoon, an aircraft was reported off Yarmouth and in the Wash but attempts to intercept were unsuccessful.
South East
In the morning, several reconnaissances were plotted in the Estuary and over the Coast near Dover.
Early in the afternoon, three aircraft crossed the Coast near Dover and reconnoitred South London aerodromes.
From 1500 to 1700 hours, reconnaissance aircraft were reported in the Thames Estuary and six small raids approached South London from the Estuary, Beachy Head and Dungeness. Targets near Beckenham were attacked.
South and West
In the morning, there was a noticeable increase in the number of reconnaissance aircraft in the Channel between Start Point and Dungeness. One raid penetrated inland and attacked targets near Reading and Banbury and one Ju88 which was returning from the Aldershot area, was intercepted and claimed as damaged by No 213 Squadron.
A merchant ship was attacked South of the Isle of Man.
In the afternoon, reconnaissance aircraft flew over the Southampton area, Beachy Head and Swanage. One Do215 was destroyed by No 605 Squadron South of Cap Gris Nez and No 603 Squadron damaged one Do17 over Beachy Head.
One aircraft crossed over Bournemouth and flew on to Birmingham and Liverpool, returning via Birmingham and Shoreham. Another aircraft reconnoitred the Salisbury Plain area.
By night
Night activity was also on a much reduced scale compared with recent nights.
Hostile raids which were mostly plotted as single aircraft, originated from the Channel Islands, Cherbourg and Dieppe areas. Some raids crossed the Coast between Portland and Plymouth and penetrated to South Wales, West Midlands and Liverpool areas. Others crossed the Coast between Selsey Bill and Dungeness and flew up through Sussex and Kent to the London area.
The greater number of raids left the French Coast between 2100 and 2200 hours, after which there was a gradual decrease in activity until about 0330 hours when raids ceased to approach this Country. All raids had finally withdrawn by 0415 hours.
A series of raids flying from Dieppe to London appeared for the most part to use identical tracks and several were plotted as turning at Whitehall whence they flew back on reciprocal tracks.
One enemy aircraft is reported shot down by AA guns in North London, another enemy casualty is claims by the Balloon Barrage at Newport (Monmouthshire) and a third enemy aircraft is reported to have been badly damaged by AA guns in the West Country and was last seen flying very low over the sea.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 12th September 1940
- Blenheim - 50
- Spitfire - 208
- Hurricane - 392
- Defiant - 21
- Gladiator - 8
- Total – 679
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 1 Do215 1 Ju88 1 Do17 1 Do17 or Ju88 1 Nil 3 By Anit-Aircraft 1 E/A 1 E/A 1 0 1 By Balloons 1 E/A 1 0 0 - Own:
- Nil.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 11th/12th September - 54 patrols involving 58 sorties.
- During the day of 12th September - 81 patrols involving 247 sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 125 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain during the night 11th/12th September and 50 during the day of 12th September.
Balloons:
- No report.
Aerodromes:
- Manston is unserviceable by night.
Organisation:
- No 616 Squadron from Kirton in Lindsey to Ford.
- No 264 Squadron (1 Flight) from Kirton in Lindsey to Northolt.
- No 141 Squadron (1 Flight) from Turnhouse to Biggin Hill.
- No 23 Squadron (1 Flight) from Wittering to Ford.
- No 23 Squadron (1 Flight) from Wittering to Middle Wallop.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 12th September 1940
- Enemy bombing activity during the day was on a much reduced scale, but a few localities in Yorkshire, Oxon, Berkshire, Kent, and Sussex were attacked, without however, any industrial damage of importance being caused.
- In the early evening South London was visited by a small number of enemy aircraft, and minor bombings are reported from Battersea, Wandsworth and Beckenham during this period.
- During the night of 12th/13th September, bombing, while still on a reduced scale, was more widespread than of late and attacks were made in the Midlands and in South Wales, as well as on the London areas, of which the Northern and Western Districts were singled out for attention.
- The night attacks appeared to have been quite ineffective, and apart from some damage to road and rail communications, no target of major importance was hit.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- Hornchurch - A single enemy aircraft dropped seven HE bombs at 1740 hours, one of which fell near to the emergency Operations Room, and another overturned a tender. The rest caused damage to civilian property but no casualties have been reported.
- Elsewhere
- Harrogate: At 1251 hours 3 HE bombs were dropped on and near the Majestic Hotel. Mains were damaged, a house nearby was demolished, and fifteen casualties resulted.
- Hastings: At 1440 hours, 6 HE bombs and some IB wrecked two houses and badly damaged three others. The enemy aircraft machine-gunned those who were engaged in rescue work.
- Tunbridge Wells: At 1725 hours 12 HE bombs and a large number of incendiary bombs demolished a warehouse, a private house and the casualty reception Depot of a Hospital. Damage was done to the local Headquarters of the American Ambulance and a major fire and many smaller fires were started. These are now extinguished.
- GWR: Some dislocation of traffic and damage to the GWR track was caused at Reading by HE bombs at 1315 hours, and at Banbury a little later during an unsuccessful attack on the Northern Aluminium Factory. Track damage is also reported to have been caused by bombs at Neston, Cheshire, at 2100 hours.
- Fulham: A direct hit by HE Bombs at 2140 hours on the telephone exchange caused the death of three operators, and the exchange is completely out of action.
- Kensington: At 2310 hours HE bomb fell on a small building and a water tower, which has fallen on the railway line at West Brompton Station.
- Liverpool: One HE bomb fell near Wavertree Station during last night, and two houses were wrecked, Many other bombs were dropped in the Liverpool area but little damage was done.
- Blackpool: The North Station was hit by HE during the night and superficial damage was done but no diversion of traffic is necessary.
- Casualties on the Ground by Enemy Action:
- To RAF Personnel - Nil killed, Nil injured.
- To others - 168 killed, 689 injured.