Date: 24th September 1940
- Weather: Early morning fog in northern France. Channel cloudy with haze in the Straits and Thames Estuary.
- Day: Tilbury and Southampton raided.
- Night: Continued bombing of London and Merseyside.
Enemy action by day
During the morning, the enemy made two major attacks over Kent and the Thames Estuary.
In the afternoon, two smaller attacks were carried out against objectives in the Southampton district.
During the day, our fighters destroyed seven enemy aircraft (plus eight probable and thirteen damaged), while our losses were five aircraft of which two pilots are killed or missing.
First Major Attack
At 0830 hours, the leading formations of nine raids totalling about 200 aircraft, crossed the coast between Dover and Dungeness. The main body flew across Kent to attack objectives at Tilbury and Gravesend, while a diversion of fighters crossed East Kent to the Isle of Sheppey.
Fifteen Squadrons were sent up in connection with this attack and one enemy aircraft was destroyed (plus five probable and seven damaged). Weather conditions were very hazy. The proportion of enemy fighters to bombers was approximately two to one.
Second Major Attack
At 1115 hours, a primary wave of about one hundred enemy aircraft flew in over the Dover Area. A secondary wave of eighty aircraft came in over the Estuary and turned South into Kent. Objectives were towns on the South East Coast and in the middle of Kent.
Eighteen Squadrons were sent up but interceptions were few, probably due to weather conditions. Again there were approximately two enemy fighters to each bomber.
First Southampton Attack
At 1320 hours, fifty enemy aircraft of which about half were bombers, approached the Isle of Wight and attacked Woolston in the Southampton area.
Six Squadrons were despatched but failed to effect any conclusive interceptions.
Second Southampton Attack
At 1610 hours fifty enemy aircraft (half of which were again bombers) flew in over the Isle of Wight and penetrated inland to the borders of Oxfordshire.
Seven Squadrons were sent up and four enemy aircraft were destroyed (plus two damaged).
Reconnaissances
During the day, hostile reconnaissances were plotted over East Anglia (four), Kent, Biggin Hill, and the RAF Station at Rye and along the coast from Beachy Head to Shoreham.
In the West of Scotland, a target at Oban was attacked.
Escorts
Three Squadrons were detailed to escort one Squadron of Blenheims which attacked enemy shipping in the Channel. In an attack by enemy fighters, two Spitfires were lost.
Night Operations - 24th/25th September 1940
At 1930 hours, raids started coming out of Le Havre making for Shoreham and London. These were followed by a sequence of other raids on the same course which were not, however, as numerous as usual. At about the same time, raids from the direction of Holland crossed the North Norfolk coast and for the most part remained in East Anglia except for two which penetrated more deeply Westwards. None of these raids appeared to proceed to the London area.
At about 2230 hours, there was a temporary lull and after 2300 hours owing to returning friendly bombers, it became difficult to distinguish hostile tracks. However, enemy activity in the London area continued and appeared to increase after 0300 hours. The approach was mainly from the South Coast but a few raids flew in from East Anglia.
Early in the evening, several raids proceeded up the Irish Sea in the direction of Liverpool but turned away South East across Wales. One raid remained in the Anglesey area for a considerable time.
Later in the night, Liverpool was visited by several raids and there was also some activity in the Dundee area, the Midlands and South Midlands.
In the London area, activity further increased after 0400 hours and only at 0538 hours had the last raid recrossed the coast.
________________________________________
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 24th September 1940
- Blenheim - 58
- Spitfire - 233
- Hurricane - 380
- Defiant - 19
- Gladiator - 8
- Total - 698
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damanged 2 Me109 6 Me109 5 Me109 1 Me110 1 Me110 1 Ju88 1 Ju88 1 Ju88 1 Do215 2 Do17 5 Do17 1 He111 1 He111 7 8 13 - Own:
- Five aircraft with two pilots killed or missing.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 23rd/24th September - 70 patrols involving 70 sorties.
- During the day of 24th September - 126 patrols involving 880 sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 225 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the night 23rd/24th September and 530 during the day of 24th September.
Balloons:
- No report.
Attacks on Aerodromes:
- No report.
Organisation:
- No report.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 24th September 1940
- During the day enemy activity was on a far larger scale than yesterday, and bombs were dropped in the dock areas, but damage was not large and casualties were few. Sussex and particularly Kent were subjected to widespread bombing and the objectives appeared to be Aerodromes, but very little damage was done.
- During the night London was again the chief target and was continuously bombed from nightfall onwards. Many fires were started and hits obtained on railways. A certain amount of indiscriminate bombing was observed in Essex and Surrey, but these particular raids do not appear to have caused much damage or casualties.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations
- Wittering: Attacked on the night of the 23rd, and one UXB was discovered on the Aerodrome, but no damage was done. Two further craters were found 2 miles South West of Aerodrome near road A47.
- Hemswell: At 0230 hours on the 24th, the flare path was machine-gunned just after the flares were extinguished. Shortly after midnight a Hampden aircraft crashed whilst taking off, and a bomb exploded injuring (1 fatal) six members of the picket who were in attendance.
- Feltwell: Several HE were dropped at 0314 hours and slight damage was done to walls and windows of one hangar. One Wellington aircraft was burnt out and another was damaged.
- Lympne: 25 HE, some of which were unexploded, were dropped at 1145 hours, but no damage was reported.
- Luton: At 0030 hours on the 25th, HE were dropped but damage not yet known. Urgent flying cancelled pending further investigation, probably due to 5 IB dropped across the flare path.
- Attacks were made in the vicinity of the following:
- Cranfield
- Ramsgate
- Shoreham
- London Area
- Kensington: At 2100 hours IB fell on the Sunbeam-Talbot Motor Works, the offices of which were damaged by fire but production is not likely to be affected. It is reported that Warwick Road is blocked and Earls Court Railway Station closed.
- Westminster: Bombs are reported near the West End Central Police Station - fires at Boyle Street and Saville Row. It is also reported that the Hungerford Bridge and Signal Box is on fire, together with St Margaret's, Westminster.
- Battersea: Bombs dropped on the SR track at Broughton Street, and the line from Battersea to Clapham Junction is blocked.
- Lambeth: Major damage is reported at No 10 Platform Waterloo Station, involving approximately 30 casualties.
- Edmonton: IB are reported to have fallen on the West Wings of the North Middlesex and St David's Hospitals.
- Ilford: At 2115 hours HE slightly damaged Plessey & Co's. There were no casualties, but effect on production is not yet ascertained.
- City: Major damage at 0217 hours on the 25th was reported at Blackfriars Station, 'Times' Office, Queen Victoria Street, and Upper Thames Street.
- Further bombings are reported at Hammersmith, Wood Green, Hendon, Tottenham, Wimbledon, Hornsey, Wandsworth, Richmond, Barnes, Southall and Ealing.
- Elsewhere
- Southampton: Bombs were dropped on and near the City at 1330 hours and at 1626 hours. One direct hit was made on a shelter of the Supermarine Aviation Works, resulting in heavy casualties, but it is reported that production has only been slightly affected. Major damage is reported to Railway between Bitterne and Woolston.
- Brighton: 3 HE and 1 oil bomb were dropped at 1545 hours, causing approximately 50 casualties and seriously damaging 100 houses. In addition damage was done to telephone, electric light, gas and water mains.
- Luton: At 0027 hours on the 25th, HE caused several fires in the town, and many casualties are reported. An unexploded mine is reported to be inside the Percival Aircraft Factory, and it should be noted that there are several other key points. In the vicinity.
