Date: 14th September 1940
- Weather: Showers and local thunder. Cloud in the Straits, Channel and Thames Estuary.
- Day: Hitler postpones the German invasion until September 17th. Fighter-bomber attacks during the afternoon on London.
- Night: Reduced activity but main attacks against London.
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
- Blenheim - 52
- Spitfire - 215
- Hurricane - 403
- Defiant - 16
- Gladiator - 7
- Total – 693
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 - Own:
- 12 aircraft with 4 pilots killed or missing.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 13th/14th September - 51 patrols involving 55 sorties.
During the day of 14th September - 172 patrols involving 860 sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 175 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain during the night 13th/14th September and 400 during the day of 14th September.
Balloons:
- No report.
Aerodromes:
- No report.
Organisation:
- No 609 Squadron from Middle Wallop to Turnhouse.
- No 3 Squadron from Castletown to Turnhouse.
- No 141 Squadron (B Flight) from Turnhouse to Biggin Hill.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 14th September 1940
- With the exception of a bombing incident at Warrington, Lancashire, where 57 casualties were caused daylight raiding was again confined to the London area, and various towns in Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and East Anglia.
- The principal attack on London was made at 1600 hours when bombs were dropped in Camberwell, Lambeth and in Battersea, where a gasometer was hit and slight damage was done to the Power Station.
- After dark, bombs were dropped in many districts in the Southern half of England, but the night raids were on a small scale and no serious damage or casualties have been reported.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- Cottesmore: At 2350 hours on 13th September, four HE bombs were dropped on the Sports Field near the Officers' Mess. No damage was done to RAF Property.
- London Area
- Lambeth: At 1603 hours Camberwell New Road was blocked by flooding from a burst water main, and the LCC Main Sewer was damaged, as a result of HE bombs.
- Battersea: At 1600 hours a gasometer was hit and set on fire, and the Southern Railway Bridge between Victoria and Clapham Junction was penetrated by an HE bomb; a hit was also registered on the Battersea Power Station but only minor damage was caused. A further attack was made at 1820 hours when major damage was done to a flour mill.
- Elsewhere
- Southampton: At 1510 hours bombs fell in the Woolston District and caused damage to property and to a local railway, which was soon repaired.
- Warrington: At 1705 hours two HE bombs were dropped at the Recreation Ground of the Thames Board Paper Mill, where a gala was in progress. One bomb fell in the canteen and 150 people were buried in the wreckage, of these 14 were killed and 21 seriously injured.
- Eastbourne: Two attacks were made on the town with HE bombs, at 1330 and 1514 hours, in the first of which extensive damage was done to property and three deaths caused.
- Brighton: At 1550 hours twenty-one HE bombs and some incendiaries fell in the Old Borough, and some of these hit a cinema causing 35 deaths and many injuries.
- Leicester: At 2020 hours seven HE bombs were dropped in the City and four houses were demolished.