Posted on 09/14/2010 4:56:00 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Plus a special guest map from Michael Korda’s, “With Wings Like Eagles,” showing the air defenses of England and Wales, August 1940.
William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour
Michael Korda, With Wings Like Eagles: The Untold Story of the Battle of Britain
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/sep40/f14sep40.htm
Blitz on London continues
Saturday, September 14, 1940 www.onwar.com
Over Britain... The daytime attacks on London are repeated again after two quieter days. The night attacks have been continuing without respite. The fighting goes well for the Luftwaffe with 14 planes lost on either side. With some justification it appears to the Luftwaffe leaders that the RAF is almost beaten.
In Berlin... Hitler decides that Goring needs four or five consecutive days of fine weather to hammer home his advantage. Accordingly he defers his decision on the invasion once more, until September 17th, which in turn means that the invasion cannot take place until September 27th. This is a final date because October 8th might be the only day when conditions will be suitable for the landing; this is dangerously near winter for the exploitation stage of the invasion. There can almost certainly be no further postponement.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/14.htm
September 14th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM: Battle of Britain:
RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group. 10 Sqn, Whitley P4966 ditched off Spurn Head. Sqn Ldr K.F. Ferguson and Sgts C.S. Rogers, W. Fraser, E. Cummings and M. Niman all rescued by HMS Kurd.
78 Sqn. N1478 missing from Antwerp, Plt Off C.S Robson and Sgts L.J. Furze, R.M. Heyworth, J. Kelly and J.C. Grieg all killed.
Bombing - invasion fleet at Antwerp.
10 Sqn. Ten aircraft. All bombed causing fires. One fighter seen, but did not attack. One ditched, crew rescued.
51 Sqn. Twelve aircraft. One bombed due to severe weather and electrical storms.
78 Sqn. Eight aircraft. None bombed, one FTR.
The French coast is now so well lit up by burning barges that it has become known as “Blackpool Front” to the RAF bomber pilots.
RAF Fighter Command: During the day south London and radar stations are attacked. At night London and south Wales are bombed.
The Luftwaffe broke through the London defences today and again set fire to the docks. They are an easy target, a sprawling mass of warehouses packed with combustibles, found easily by the Germans who simply flew up the Thames.
The RAF response to the raid was weaker than usual, and the German pilots thought that at last they detected signs of the promised collapse of Fighter Command.
Losses: Luftwaffe, 14; RAF, 14.
The work of the London docks is transferred to the Clyde in Scotland.
Corvette HMS Honeysuckle commissioned. Destroyers HMS Matchless and Meteor laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
FRANCE: The financial penalties imposed by Germany upon France for the privilege of paying the costs for the army of occupation are far steeper than reparations imposed on Germany after the Great War.
Under the armistice signed at Compiegne in June France must pay 20 million Reichsmark a day, or RM7.3 billion a year, almost three times what Germany had to pay under the Dawes plan of 1924 - one billion a year rising after four years to 2.5 billion.
GERMANY: Berlin: Hitler brings the invasion of Britain forward to 17 September on advice from Göring that the Luftwaffe is close to success.
U-96 commissioned. U-109, U-551 and U-552 launched.
(Dave Shirlaw)
CANADA: Corvettes HMCS Chilliwack and Matapedia launched in North Vancouver and Quebec City respectively. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: The Congress passes the Selective Service Act authorizing the first peacetime draft (conscription) in U.S. history. (Jack McKillop)
New United States naval policy called for a two-ocean navy. Destroyer USS Eberle launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: A US destroyer, part of Task Force 15, en route to Iceland, spots a submarine emerging from the fog. The sub submerges and 3 destroyers drop depth charges. (Jack McKillop)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 380 September 14, 1940
Battle of Britain Day 67. Again, the weather is cloudy and rainy. Hitler postpones any German invasion of Britain until September 17 to give Luftwaffe more time to tame RAF. However, the lull in fighting since September 9 allows RAF to return to operational strength with newly-manufactured and repaired fighters. They also repair airfields & radar stations and integrate newly trained pilots with rested veterans. AVM Park has reshuffled squadrons so that Hurricanes (to attack bombers) and Spitfires (to attack the fighter escorts) work in pairs. 150 German aircraft cross the coast to bomb London at 3.30 PM and another 100 attack London and some airfields at 6 PM. Most bombers do not get through to their targets. RAF shoots down 4 German bombers and 11 Messerschmitt fighters but RAF loses 12 fighters also (4 pilots killed). Despite good weather overnight, there is little bombing of London. Leicester is also bombed.
Operation Menace. Prior to landing Free French troops at Dakar, French sloops Commandant Domine and Commandant Duboc, British battleships HMS Barham and HMS Resolution and several British destroyers arrive at Freetown, Sierra Leone, to refuel. Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal and cruisers HMS Devonshire and HMAS Australia are 300 miles North, patrolling off Dakar to prevent the arrival of 3 Vichy French cruisers which are suspected of reinforcing Vichy troops holding Dakar. However, the French cruisers are already there, dealing a critical blow to the operation.
Egypt, North Africa. Italian troops make slow inroads into Egyptian territory. As the main British force prepares defenses at the railhead at Mersa Matruh (which is the expected target of the Italian advance), covering forces harass the Italians without becoming seriously engaged as they fall back. Italian intelligence becomes conviced they are facing many more British troops than in reality.
German antisubmarine trawler Hinrich Wesselhoft is a total loss after running aground in the Hardangerfjord near Bergen, Norway. 500 miles West of Porto, Portugal, Italian submarine Emo torpedoes and shells British steam tanker Saint Agnes en route from Vizagapatam, India to Hull.
Thanks again Homer.
September 15th 1940 tomorrow. A day to remember.
This is interesting stuff, isn't it? (If I do say so myself.) Tomorrow is a big day, all right. We have a ton of stuff to go through. I hope you can spend some time here.
Date: 14th September 1940
Enemy action by day
Two attacks were directed against London via Kent and the Thames Estuary. In the first, 150 enemy aircraft operated, some of which penetrated the Inner Artillery Zone. In the second attack, about 100 aircraft were involved and the Inner Artillery Zone was again penetrated by certain elements. Successful interception was made by fighter Squadrons and casualties were inflicted.
Other activity consisted of Coastal Reconnaissance which were more numerous than of late, and a few patrols inland. Some of these reconnaissances were intercepted with successful results.
During the Day's operations, the total number of enemy aircraft destroyed was 16 (plus 3 probably destroyed and 12 damaged).
North and North-East
A reconnaissance by single aircraft was made from Duncansby Head to Firth of Forth at 1300 hours.
East
The coast from the Wash to Cromer was reconnoitred six times during the day and interception was effected in one instance with inconclusive results. At about 1900 hours, six enemy aircraft appeared off Cromer, flew to the Humber and then to Liverpool. On two occasions convoys were inspected.
South East
From 1000 to 1500 hours, reconnaissances were made in the Estuary, the Straits and Westwards to Beachy Head. At 1000 hours, an He111 flew over North-east Kent and towards South London and was eventually shot down. Another aircraft is believed to have been successfully intercepted off Selsey Bill.
There was considerable activity from 1300 to 1500 hours in the Beachy Head - Dungeness area.
Between 1520 and 1545 hours, the Coast was crossed between Deal and Dungeness by some 150 enemy aircraft. One formation attacked London via the Estuary and another from the South-east. Fighters intercepted and inflicted casualties.
Second attack commenced at 1810 hours, and seven formations of between 12 and 30 aircraft successively crossed the coast at Dover and Lympne until 1835 hours. The objectives appear to have been Kenley, Biggin Hill, Hornchurch, Northolt ad London. In the last case the attack was made from the South-west. Ten fighter Squadrons were in the air when the first part of this attack crossed the Coast and the enemy suffered casualties. No hostile reserves were maintained in the Straits during this attack.
Between 1900 and 2000 hours, five raids of one or one plus aircraft were made over East Kent, Thames Estuary and South Essex.
South and West
From 0700 to 1700 hours, there were some ten reconnaissances from the Isle of Wight westwards. An enemy aircraft at 0900 hours made a long reconnaissance from Portsmouth inland and flew easterly to London, Detling, Rochester and out by North Foreland.
Reconnaissances were made in the South Wales area during the day.
By night
Enemy activity was slight in spite of favourable weather conditions.
Between 2000 and 2200 hours, several small raids originating from the Dieppe and Le Havre areas, flew erratic courses over Sussex and Kent and penetrated to London and North of the Thames Estuary. One raid of 6 plus aircraft approached from the North Sea to Cromer and flew North-west. This raid split and sections penetrated to the North Midlands.
Between 2200 and 0100 hours, raids of single aircraft were plotted in the Thames Estuary, some approaching London and others penetrating into Essex. About three raids crossed the coast between the Wash and the Humber, and appeared to be active over Lincolnshire.
Raids suspected of minelaying, were plotted off Aberdeen, Firth of Forth, Holy Island and Hartlepool.
Minelaying is also believed to have taken place off the Humber, Milford Haven and in the Bristol Channel.
A few enemy aircraft were operating in the London area until about 0300 hours. There was some activity in East Anglia where enemy aircraft in ones and twos attempted to penetrate in company with our returning bombers. By 0400 hours the Country was clear.
________________________________________
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 14th September 1940
Casualties:
| Enemy Losses | ||
| By Fighters | ||
| Destroyed | Probable | Damaged |
| 11 Me109 | 2 Me109 | 6 Me109 |
| 1 Me110 | ||
| 1 Do17 | ||
| 2 Ju88 | 3 Ju88 | |
| 2 Do215 | ||
| 1 He111 | 1 He111 | |
| 15 | 3 | 12 |
| By Anti-Aircraft | ||
| 1 E/A | ||
| 1 | Nil | Nil |
Patrols:
During the day of 14th September - 172 patrols involving 860 sorties.
Balloons:
Aerodromes:
Organisation:
Home Security Reports
“Egypt, North Africa. Italian troops make slow inroads into Egyptian territory. As the main British force prepares defenses at the railhead at Mersa Matruh (which is the expected target of the Italian advance), covering forces harass the Italians without becoming seriously engaged as they fall back. Italian intelligence becomes conviced they are facing many more British troops than in reality.”
Italian intelligence officers should read the New York Times; they have an over 10:1 superiority over the British in the Western Desert. I don’t think the British have a chance against such long odds....
Have there been any articles recently giving estimates of British numbers in Egypt? I don't see any in today's issue.
Today’s issue, which I may have misread, stated the British have recently landed “thousands” of reinforcements for their 60,000 man army in Egypt, which appears to be supplemented by 20,000 “British trained” Egyptian soldiers. It still appears that the Italians have a very large superiority with their 240,000 troops in Libya.
The Italian problem is that they have virtually no motor transport, and are the traditional foot-powered infantry. We will soon see that in the desert wastes, motor transport is everything.
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