Date: 2nd October 1940
- Weather: Blue skies during the day with cloud building up later.
- Day: Fighter sweeps on south-east London and Biggin Hill.
- Night: London once again is the main target. Manchester, Usworth and Aberdeen also raided.
Enemy action by day
Six sweeps by enemy fighters (Me109 and Me110) were made through Kent towards London, and during these operations, although bombing is reported to have taken place during some of these raids, in only one were bombers (6) identified as taking part.
Very considerable reconnaissance activity continued throughout the day in the Channel.
Our fighters destroyed 10 enemy aircraft (plus 1 probable and 2 damaged).
We lost one aircraft, pilot safe.
First Attack
At 0900 hours, 30 aircraft crossed the coast at Dungeness and flew towards Central London, twelve of them penetrating to the Inner Artillery Zone but all quickly made for home. During the raid thirty aircraft were patrolling round Dover and joined up with the inland formation when they recrossed the Coast at 0920 hours.
Eight fighter squadrons were sent up to intercept.
Second Attack
At 0955 hours about 50 enemy aircraft crossed the Coast at Dungeness, the leading formation of twenty aircraft coming into the Inner Artillery Zone. The remainder approached no further than Kenley. Meanwhile ten enemy aircraft flew inland at Brighton northwards to Biggin Hill, joining the other formations flying South at 1015 hours.
During the raid strong patrols were maintained in the Straits. Bombs were dropped at Woolwich and Hastings.
Third Attack
At about 1130 hours 12+ enemy aircraft approached Maidstone. These were followed by fifty aircraft flying towards Biggin Hill. Some of the latter approached the Inner Artillery Zone in the Crystal Palace area.
By 1220 all the aircraft were flying South of Maidstone returning to France.
Eight Fighter Squadrons were detailed to this attack.
Margate and Lympne were reported to have been bombed.
Fourth Attack
At 1320, two raids totalling thirty enemy aircraft flew towards Kenley - Biggin Hill from Dover and Dungeness, while a further fifteen aircraft approached Sheppey. Twenty aircraft reached the East of London.
By 1335 all the enemy aircraft were returning to France, although until 1400 hours considerable activity continued in the Straits with small raids penetrating into East Kent.
Bombs were dropped at various suburban places including Camberwell, and at Rochester.
Fifth Attack
At 1455 thirty enemy aircraft flew inland from Dungeness to Biggin Hill - Kenley but only one aircraft penetrated further towards Central London.
By 1518 the aircraft had turned away.
During the attack five enemy aircraft flew round North Foreland to Sheppey returning by the same route at 1520.
Camberwell was reported to have been bombed again.
Sixth Attack
At 1630 hours about seventy-five enemy aircraft following the same route as previous raids flew to Biggin Hill where they split, one formation of eight aircraft flying over South East London. The bulk remained in the Biggin Hill area but by 1650 hours had turned South.
Other Activity
Reconnaissances were made off Aberdeenshire, the East, South East and South Coasts, with very considerable activity throughout the day in the South East. In two instances convoys were approached. Inland flights were made over Somerset and South Wales, and in the late evening to Nottingham and Derby from the East.
During the course of these a Do17 was shot down near Dunwich at 0840 hours and at 1830 hours an He111, which had circled Digby was shot down near Skegness.
A Ju88 landed intact at 0630 hours at Brightlingsea (Essex Coast). It had left Amsterdam at 0300 hours on a Meteorological and reconnaissance flight and got lost.
At 2015 hours a convoy off Peterhead was attacked and interception was effected with the result that one He115 was destroyed and a further one badly damaged.
Night Operations -2nd/3rd October 1940
Enemy activity was again on a reduced scale. At about 1915 hours the first night raids left bases between Cherbourg and Dieppe to cross the coast between Selsey Bill and Dungeness to approach the London area. Between 2100 and 2200 hours London and the South East counties were clear of raids, but a steady stream originating from Cherbourg crossed the coast between the Isle of Wight and Bournemouth flying North to the Midlands and up to the Manchester area and in one case as far North as Newcastle. These raids continued until about 0100 hours and returned in most cases over Wales and the Bristol Channel.
Between 2200 and 2300 hours a fresh wave of raids approached London after crossing the coast between Selsey Bill and Shoreham.
At 0015 hours raids originating from the Dutch Islands approached the London area, some entering the Estuary and a few by way of the Norfolk Coast, but all these raids had withdrawn by 0230 hours and for a time the whole country was clear.
At 0300 hours fresh raids approached London from the Dutch Islands and a few from the Dieppe area.
A few early raids were plotted in the Aberdeen area and one raid was inland between Middlesborough and Newcastle. Minelaying was suspected at various points off the North East Coast between the Firth of Forth and the Humber.
Activity continued until 0600 hours when the last raids were leaving the country.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 2nd October 1940
- Blenheim - 41
- Spitfire - 224
- Hurricane - 383
- Defiant - 19
- Gladiator - 7
- Total – 674
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 5 Me109 1 Me109 1 Me109 2 Ju88 1 Do17 1 He111 1 He115 10 1 2 - Own:
- One Spitfire of which the pilot is safe.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 1st/2nd October - 29 patrols involving 29 sorties.
- During the day of 2nd October - 125 patrols involving 807 sorties.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 210 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the night 1st/2nd October and 250 during the day of 2nd October.
Balloons:
- No report.
Aerodromes:
- No report.
Organisation:
- No 808 Squadron has moved to Donibristle.
- No 238 Squadron from Middle Wallop to Chilbolton.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 2nd October 1940
- The enemy made several attacks during the day but it appears that only a comparatively small number of aircraft has been employed. The South-east Counties have received most attention and bombs were dropped at Rochester, Margate, Dover, Hastings, Eastbourne and Worthing. Some damage was done to property and a few bombs were dropped in South London.
- Night activity started at approximately 19345 hours, and was spread over London, the Midlands and the North, causing a number of fires at Manchester the worst of which appears to have been at Didsbury.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations - 1st October 1940
- Ingham: Five HE were dropped on the landing ground at 2314 hours but they caused no damage.
- RAF Stations - 2nd October 1940
- Penhros: An attack was made at 0715 hours and considerable damage was done to the carpenters shop, armoury workshops, drug store, fabric workshop, Clerk of Works office and stores and transport sheds. Maintenance hangar was only slightly affected.
- Lympne: At 1126 hours, several HE and Oil Incendiary bombs were dropped on the aerodrome. One shelter was hit and an Army lorry was set on fire, otherwise there is no further damage to report.
- Rochester: An HE fell at 1330 hours on the field of the airport but no damage was caused.
- Wembley: Further to the attack on the Beresford Avenue Depot on the night of the 1st/2nd it is now reported that the School of Interpretation is closed and in consequence interpretation is temporarily slowed up.
- Cleave: At 0820 hours, a Junkers 88 bombed the aerodrome and caused slight damage to four 'planes and also a hole in the roof of one of the hangars.
- Factories - 1st/2nd October 1940
- Three HE were dropped on Fobel Industries Ltd (ICI) Factory at 0424 hours at Slough, causing damage to overhead cables, gas and water mains and the canal bridge. Full operations are resumed today but production may be slightly affected for a few days until stocks are replaced.
- MacMichael Radio Ltd also suffered damage to their shop and plant but full production will be resumed within a week.
- The Gramophone Co of Hayes have an unexploded bomb near the aircraft production and sound locator works which will be closed down,. Twelve shelters are out of action.
- Owing to the low pressure of gas, production has been affected at the Osram Works.
- H E Cow & Co of Stanmore received considerable damage to their plant and machinery but production is not affected.
- Considerable damage was caused to a paper mill at 132 hours at Aylesford by an HE.
- An incendiary bomb caused a fire at Cook's Box Factory in Hatfield but no further information is yet available.
- A fire broke out at Carrick & Co's Metal Works during the night of 2nd / 3rd October in Glasgow. Production in the affected section is likely to be suspended for a few days.
- Factories - 2nd October 1940
- At approximately 1715 hours 2 HE were dropped near BSA Guns at Redditch and there were two slight casualties. The enemy machine-gunned the workers but apparently without result and the 'plane suspected of being a French make.
- Railway Communications
- One HE one Oil Incendiary bomb fell on the railway at Hoddesdon at 0411 hours on the 2nd October and at least one railway line is blocked.
- Serious damage has occurred at St Marylebone as a bomb fell at 0008 hours on the 2nd October and penetrated the LNER tunnel and has blocked the line for approximately 30 feet.
- All traffic is suspended on the LMS railway between Canonbury and Western Junction owing to damage caused by a bomb which fell at 0145 hours on the 2nd October.
- An HE bomb dropped at Bayford in the early morning on the 2nd October causing damage to both railway tracks but traffic on one line should now be resumed.
- Weybridge - Virginia Water Railway Lines are blocked owing to one HE having been dropped on the line West of the Station at 2320 hours on the 1st October.
- Elsewhere
- Portland: An attack was made by a single 'plane at 0843 hours, 2nd October, and 1 HE which failed to explode fell between four Admiralty tanks but no damage was caused.
- Surbiton Water Works: Has been damaged by an HE bomb and there is extensive flooding. It is also reported that one unexploded bomb is in the vicinity.
- Forest Gate Hospital: Was bombed on the night of 1st / 2nd October and one wing was demolished and the structure fractured.