[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
German Fighter Range and British Radar Deployment
Marcks’ Plan, August 5, 1940
The Mediterranean Basin (Map 33)
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – The Imperial Powers, 1 September 1939

Plus a special guest map from Michael Korda’s, “With Wings Like Eagles,” showing the air defenses of England and Wales, August 1940.

[CougarGA7]

Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 11th October 1940

• Weather: Mainly fair apart from showers in coastal areas. Fog developed during the night.
• Day: Targets in Kent, Sussex and Weymouth attacked.
• Night: Raids on London, Liverpool, Manchester and Tyne and Tees.

  Enemy action by day

  There were 7 main attacks and several small raids during the day. Of the main attacks two consisted entirely of Fighters, the remainder being composed of about 75% Fighters to 25% Bombers. Only one of these raids penetrated to Central London.

  Many reconnaissances were flown today and small patrols were maintained continuously in the Straits. Three convoys were reconnoitred.

  Reports so far received indicate that our Fighters destroyed 8 enemy aircraft, plus 4 probable and one damaged. We have lost 7 aircraft and 2 pilots by enemy action, plus 2 aircraft and one pilot in collision.

  Main Attacks

  At 0720 hours 6+ enemy aircraft penetrated to Central London from Dover and left by the same route.

  At 1020 hours a wave of 36+ aircraft formed over the Gris Nez area. This was followed by a second wave of 90+ at 1050 hours, a third wave of 38+ at 1100 hours and a fourth wave of 29+ at 1130 hours. The first penetrated into Kent, the second flew to

  Dungeness and Dover, the third to Hastings, Dover and the North Foreland, and the fourth to Dover, the Thames Estuary and Whitstable. There were, in addition, several tracks of 1+ and 2+ aircraft in this area.

  At 1138 hours 2 raids of 55+ crossed the Coast at Poole from Cherbourg but only penetrated a short distance inland and appeared to have been dispersed.

  At 1150 hours a raid of 50+ aircraft crossed the Coast at Hastings and split up inland. One split went to Biggin Hill, the remaining aircraft retired after flying only a few miles inland.

  At 1420 hours raids started to form in Northern France and at 1430 hours 60+ were plotted in the Calais/Cap Gris Nez area and crossed the Coast between Deal and Dungeness. Flying North-west towards London. Only one raid flew further West than a line from Hornchurch to Biggin Hill, and penetrated about 5 miles westward of this line. 12+ of these aircraft were plotted up the Thames Estuary and one of them, a four-engined Dornier, flew from Clacton to near North Weald and then South-east over the Estuary and out by Dover. No 11 Group detailed 13 Squadrons to meet this attack and No 12 Group patrolled from Eastchurch to Canterbury with 3 Squadrons.

  At 1435 hours 50+ enemy aircraft from Cherbourg flew North and then veered North-westwards to Portland and penetrated about 10 miles inland. No 10 Group despatched 5½ Squadrons to intercept this raid.

  At 1600 hours a raid of 25+ approached Dungeness, and splitting up, went towards the Hornchurch, Biggin Hill, and Kenley areas.

  Small attacks

  At 0632 hours 3 raids, two of 3+ and one of 1+ aircraft flew inland for 10 miles between Dover and the North Foreland.

  At 0900 hours 3 aircraft flew up the Thames to the South of North Weald.

  At 1340 hours a raid of 9+ went inland near Foreness and returned almost immediately to the Calais area. Two Squadrons were up from Biggin Hill to meet this raid.

  Reconnaissances and Patrols

  Between 0500 and 0650 hours a reconnaissance was made from Swanage, eastwards to Sherbourne and out over Portsmouth.

  At 0632 hours one enemy aircraft patrolled the outer Thames Estuary and from then on patrols were active in the Straits of Dover. Several patrols passed over two convoys off Dover and Deal.

  At 0900 hours, two single aircraft reconnoitred off Selsey Bill, another flew to North Weald, Stanmore and Hornchurch, and a fourth entered at Orfordness and went via Martlesham, Debden, Southend, Rochester, and Brighton to Dungeness and out at Dover at 1000 hours.

  At 0940 hours, one aircraft flew over Dungeness and Hastings and another over a convoy off the North Foreland.

  During the afternoon, one aircraft reconnoitred East Anglia and two towards Newcastle from Denmark. One crossed the Coast at Beachy Head at 1735 hours and recrossed at 1740 hours. A section was despatched from Tangmere.

  At 1845 hours, a reconnaissance was flown 100 miles East of Aberdeen by 3 aircraft and at 1900 hours 2+ aircraft crossed the Coast of Aberdeen and patrolled the vicinity for 45 minutes.

  At 1945 hours one aircraft entered the Firth of Forth, went North and left the Coast at 1954 hours.

  Night Operations - 11th / 12th October 1940

  1900 Hours to 2100 Hours

  Night raids commenced at 1835 hours, and between that time and 2100 hours approximately 55 raids from Cherbourg, Le Havre, Dieppe and Belgian and Dutch Coasts crossed the Coast towards London, which was again the main objective.

  Other raids appeared over Liverpool during the period and attacks on this area were maintained. Enemy aircraft were also plotted over Aberdeen and the Firth of Forth. Minelaying probably took place between Flamborough Head and Berwick.

  2100 Hours to 2300 Hours

  There was little alteration in the scale of operations during the greater part of this period but a slackening was indicated at about 2245 hours on the London area. Enemy aircraft continued to be plotted over Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol areas. Minelaying diminished.

  2300 Hours to 0100 Hours 12.10.40

  A slackening in the attack on London was continued during the early part of this period and was confined to isolated raids operating from the Baie De La Seine. There was continued operation towards Liverpool up to 2330 hours, after which time the Country was clear except in the London area and its approaches from the South-west. Activity slightly increased later in this area.

  0100 Hours to 0300 Hours

  Raids gradually diminished in number operating towards London only and by 0220 hours, the Country was clear of enemy aircraft. Operations were doubtless curtailed on account of fog.

  

  ________________________________________

  Statistics

  Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 11th October 1940

• Blenheim - 40
• Spitfire - 240
• Hurricane - 384
• Defiant - 18
• Gladiator - 8
• Total – 690

  Casualties:

  	Enemy Losses
  	By Fighters
  Destroyed	Probable	Damaged
  4 Me109	1 Me109	1 Me109
  	1 Me110
  1 Do17
  3 Do17 or 215	2 Do17 or 215
  8	4	1

• Own:

• 9 aircraft with 3 pilots lost.

  Patrols:

• Own

• During the night of 10th / 11th October - 49 patrols involving 49 aircraft.
• During the day of 11th October - 154 patrols involving 900 aircraft.

• Enemy

• It is estimated that about 480 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the day of 11th October.

  Balloons:

• No report.

  Serviceability of Aerodromes:

• Caistor unserviceable by night.

  Organisation:

• 9th October 1940

• No 3 Squadron (1 Flight) from Turnhouse to Dyce.
• No 3 Squadron (1 Flight) from Turnhouse to Montrose.

• 11th October 1940

• No 302 Squadron from Leconfield to Northolt.
• No 303 Squadron from Northolt to Leconfield.

  Home Security Reports

• General Summary

• Date: 11th October 1940

• Raids during daylight were again mainly confined to the South and South-East coasts, where bombs were dropped on several towns causing damage to utility services and to house and shop property. Many unsuccessful attempts were made to penetrate to the London areas, but the enemy forces, largely composed of fighter aircraft, only succeeded in dropping a few bombs on the Southern outskirts of the Capital.
• The usual night attack on London was heaviest between 1940 hours and 2300 hours; the activity then died down and ceased altogether soon after midnight. Some further damage has been done to railways and public utilities, and a few fires occurred, but factories have escaped damage and casualties, except for an incident at Leyton, were small.
• Other districts visited during the night include Southampton, Portsmouth, towns in Dorset, Berkshire, Surrey, Kent and Norfolk, and parts of Scotland, but damage was all of a minor category.
• A new type of incendiary bomb is reported from Barnes. It is slightly larger than the usual 1 kilo type, and an explosion takes place after the usual burning period.

• Detailed Summary

• RAF Stations - 11th October 1940

• Cardington: At 0120 hours two HE bombs were dropped about half a mile North of the Station, causing damage to telephone wires.

• Factories

• Lever Bros Works at Port Sunlight suffered structural damage by HE bombs at 1900 hours, 10th October, but vital plant is unaffected.
• At 1935 hours HE bombs fell at the City of London Electric Light Co, Bankside Power Station, causing some damage to feeders. Further details will not be available until daybreak.
• At 2100 hours an unexploded bomb fell at the Metal Box Factory, Southgate, near the private trench shelters.

• Railways

• At 2200 hours an HE bomb fell through the SR arch (Waterloo/Vauxhall main line), causing all lines to be blocked outside Waterloo Station. Some of these may be cleared by daybreak.
• The SR service at Heston was interrupted owing to an unexploded bomb on the line between Syon Lane and Isleworth Station.

• Other damage

• HE bombs fell at Leyton at 1953 hours. A bus was hit and wrecked, property was damaged, and a 24" water main was fractured. Casualties amount to approximately 30 killed and 20 injured. Several factories nearby are without water pending repairs to the mains.
• At Hammersmith severe damage was caused to water and gas mains by HE bombs at 2125 hours. Shepherds Bush Rd and Uxbridge Rd were blocked.
• The Portsmouth Road was blocked s a result of HE bombs which fell at Esher at 2140 hours.
• A 30-pump fire was caused by incendiary bombs at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Roehampton Lane; a slight fire also took place at Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton.
• The building housing the Hop and Waterloo Telephone Exchanges was slightly damaged by HE bombs which fell at 2146 hours.

  Battle of Britain

[CougarGA7]

With another anti-aircraft regiment headed to Hawaii, the base is becoming one of the most fortified positions for the Americans in the Pacific. On the west coast only Puget Sound and San Francisco are more heavily fortified. This is why the argument that Admiral Richardson felt that Pearl Harbor was vulnerable to attack doesn’t hold water with me. Aside from the fact that he said exactly that in his testimony during the Pearl Harbor investigation, San Diego is not nearly as well defended as Hawaii is right now. If he was worried about being attacked then moving it to a weaker defensive line doesn’t make a lot of sense.