Date: 20th September 1940
- Weather: Fair with bright periods, showery.
- Day: One major fighter sweep towards London, otherwise reconnaissance only.
- Night: Raids concentrated on London.
Enemy action by day
One major attack at 1100 hours by a force of about 100 enemy aircraft, consisting mostly of fighters, was made on East Kent with apparently London as the final objective. The attack was broken up and casualties were inflicted. Reconnaissance flights round the Coasts were also carried out.
During operations, four enemy aircraft were destroyed (plus one probable and two damaged).
Our losses amounted to seven aircraft, four pilots killed or missing.
North and North East Coast
One raid was plotted off the Aberdeenshire Coast in the afternoon.
East Coast
A reconnaissance aircraft off East Anglia reported on a convoy at 1600 hours.
South East Coast
From 0600 hours to 1030 hours enemy aircraft made reconnaissance in the Estuary, round North Foreland, Dover and westwards to Beachy Head.
At 1040 hours enemy aircraft started to mass in the Calais area. At 1100 hours a formation of 20+ aircraft at 15,000 feet apparently led in by a single aircraft at 21,000 feet, flew inland at Dungeness. Other formations of from 12+ to 30+ aircraft crossed the coast at Dover, Lympne and Deal, between 1100 and 1110 hours. One raid flew up the Estuary without crossing the coast.
The enemy aircraft converged on East London and the attack reached Biggin Hill, Kenley, the Inner Thames Estuary and Hornchurch. 20 Squadrons were detailed to meet the attack while four Squadrons were patrolling. The enemy turned back at 1135 hours.
Between 1300 and 1700 hours, various reconnaissances were made in the Straits and in the Kent and Sussex areas, penetrating in some cases inland up to 10 miles. Throughout the day observation balloons were flying over long range guns on the French Coast.
South and West
From 0600 to 1500 hours slight activity by single aircraft took place as far West as the Lizard. Three small raids were plotted off Anglesey in the late afternoon but they did not threaten Liverpool.
By night
At 1950 hours London Central received a 'red' warning. This was occasioned by raids of single aircraft from Le Havre crossing the coast between Beachy Head and Selsey Bill. Activity was on a very much smaller scale than on the previous night.
From 2100 to 2300 hours enemy aircraft started to approach in fair numbers from Cherbourg/Calais/Ostend entering this country over Shoreham and Dungeness and North of the Thames Estuary. The number of enemy aircraft operating soon diminished and at midnight the country was clear; London was given the 'all clear' signal at 0014 hours.
Minelaying activity was fairly certain off the North East Coast, St Abb's Head to the Tees, also from the Humber to the Norfolk coast as far as Cromer.
At 0100 hours a further stream of enemy aircraft started to come over Beachy Head and Dungeness from Dieppe, and London Central received a 'red' warning at 0119 hours.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 20th September 1940
- Blenheim - 55
- Spitfire - 237
- Hurricane - 391
- Defiant - 21
- Gladiator - 7
- Total – 711
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters 2 Me109 1 Me109 2 Me109 1 He126 1 He113 4 1 2 By Anti-Aircraft 1 He? 1 Ju88 (night of 19th/20th) 2 Nil Nil - Own:
- 7 aircraft with 4 pilots killed or missing.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 19th/20th September - 12 patrols involving 16 sorties.
- During the day of 20th September - 124 patrols involving 540 sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 200 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the night 19th/20th September and 150 during the day of 20th September.
Balloons:
- No report.
Aerodromes:
- No report.
Organisation:
- Nil.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 20th September 1940
- Enemy activity again appeared to be on a reduced scale but the London area was penetrated by a few aircraft.
- Counties in the South received some attention but very little material damage is reported save for road blockages. However, it is interesting to note that in nearly every case bombing was in the vicinity of major or minor railways.
- London districts were again visited after nightfall and several serious fires were started in the South of the City including dock areas.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- Kirton: HE were dropped on the landing ground at 0213 hours. No damage reported.
- Biggin Hill: IB were dropped at 2250 hours but the resulting fires were soon extinguished.
- Sudbury: Bombs were dropped at 1019 hours near the RAF Wireless Station but no damage was reported.
- Heston: A large explosion was reported at 2300 hours on the 19th, possible caused by a mine but confirmation of damage is not to hand. At 1210 hours on the 20th, an HE bomb exploded killing 6 men of the BD Section RE and further UxBs were discovered near All Tools Factory and Firestone Tyre & Rubber Factory. Both factories have been evacuated.
- London Area
- Southwark: HE & IB were dropped at 2145 hours resulting in damage to telephone, gas and water mains.
- The railway bridge collapsed blocking Gt Suffolk Street and Pocock Street. Holborn Viaduct Station and St Paul's Southern Railway Station have been closed. Fire reported at HM Stationery Office.
- Bermondsey: Major damage reported and fires from Dock Head to London Bridge, including Kitchen's Wharf, Shad Thames.
- Camberwell: A land mine exploded at Waterloo Square, Lomond Grove, damaging a block of flats where many casualties are reported.
- Lambeth Palace: It has now been reported that the Palace has been damaged by HE.
- The following firms are known to have been affected by the fires:
- Spillers Ltd, Mill Street
- Hay's Wharf
- Scott's Wharf
- Mark Brown's Wharf, Tooley Street
- Kitchen's Wharf, Shad Thames
- Yardleys, Braddon Street
- Talbot & Lugg, Tower Bridge Road.
- Elsewhere
- Brighton: HE were dropped at 1155 hours near the viaduct on the Lewes Road. Eleven persons were killed and several injured. Water supply will be affected for a short time.
- Hastings: Several small fires were quickly dealt with and caused no damage. An unexploded bomb has stopped railway service between Hastings and Rye.
- Thames Board Milles: Suspected unexploded bomb resulted in the evacuation of the works and the main railway line has been closed.
- Skinningrove: It is reported that full production has now been resumed but the estimated loss of production, up to 0600 hours on the 20th, is - Pig-iron 460 tons and Finished Steel 1150 tons.