Date: 12th October 1940
- Weather: Widespread mist and fog during the day, clearing later.
- Day: London and suburbs are again the main targets.
- Night: Generally quiet, but some damage to the National Gallery
Enemy action by day
There were seven main attacks during the day of which five penetrated, via Kent, to London; the sixth flew as far North as Hatfield and the seventh raid was confined to Kent, South of Biggin Hill. The first raid consisted entirely of fighters and the others employed about 75% fighters to 25% bombers. There was continuous activity over the Kent Coast between 1300 and 1700, but during the morning, large numbers of aircraft which flew into the Straits at various times, faded without crossing the Coast.
Reconnaissances were active between 0650 and 0900 hours, three of them visiting convoys in the Channel.
Reports so far received indicate that our fighters destroyed 10 enemy aircraft plus 11 probables and 7 damaged. Our casualties were 10 aircraft and 4 pilots. In addition, AA guns shot down one enemy aircraft.
Main Attacks
At 0900 hours, 20+ aircraft crossed the Coast at Dungeness and were followed at 0913 hours by 9+ which entered at Lympne. These two raids flew as far as Biggin Hill.
At 0955 and 1000 hours, two raids totalling 80+ crossed the Coast At Dungeness and at 0958 hours another raid of 20+ crossed the Coast at Lympne. These raids flew into Kent and some penetrated to Central London.
At 1055 hours, 64+ aircraft from Cap Gris Nez passed over Lympne to London-Biggin Hill-Hornchurch areas. 18 of these reached Central London.
At 1204 hours, 80+ aircraft crossed the Coast at Hastings and flew towards London, some aircraft entering the Inner Artillery Zone.
At 1255 hour, a raid of 30+ split over Deal and 20+ of them penetrated as far as Hatfield via Kenley and Biggin Hill, returning on a reciprocal course.
At 1400 hours, some 100 raiders penetrated to South London from the Kent Coast.
At 1615 hours, 150 aircraft entered near Dover. Of these, 50 flew North to the Isle of Sheppey whence they turned up the Estuary to Gravesend and went out Eastwards. The remainder flew to Biggin Hill and to the South-East of the IAZ, but quickly withdrew and were flying towards the Coast by 1630 hours. At 1640 hours, a second wave of 50 passed near Biggin Hill to South London where they turned South and left via Beachy Head at 1655 hours. During this attack, small raids, totalling about 100 aircraft, were active over South-East Kent between Dover and Dungeness. These small raids persisted until 1715 hours.
Other Incidents
Between 0845 and 0941 hours, about 150 enemy aircraft assembled in the Calais/Boulogne area but did not cross the Coast.
At 1190 hours, 4 aircraft flew along the Coast between Dover and Lympne but did not penetrate inland.
At 1312 hours, a raid of unstated size flew from Cherbourg to St Albans Head, going inland at Portland to Yeovil and out by Lyme Bay at 1358 hours.
Reconnaissances
At 0650 hours, one aircraft from Antwerp reconnoitred the Thames Estuary and the Isle of Sheppey, and five aircraft reconnoitred the Straits, three of them visiting two convoys.
At 0700 hours, three reconnaissances were made from Cherbourg to Selsey Bill and Beachy Head and at 0702 hours, another flew to Southwold, Sheerness and the North Foreland.
Between 0800 and 0900 hours, five reconnaissances were flown from Holland to the Norfolk coast, one of which was reported to be a Ju88. Fighters went up from Coltishall.
At 1710 hours, one enemy aircraft flew parallel to and 10 miles off the Coast from Dungeness to the Thames Estuary. This aircraft - an Arado 95 - was destroyed 12 miles South of St Catherine's Point at 1725 hours.
Addendum to Summary of 11th October 1940
During the evening of 11th October, enemy aircraft attacked the Liverpool area and of these 3 Do17s or Do215s were destroyed by No 611 Squadron over Anglesey and the same Squadron probably destroyed 2 more over Point of Air. Our casualties were one aircraft, and one pilot wounded.
Night Operations - 12th / 13th October 1940
1900 Hours to 2100 Hours
At 1840 hours, several raids were plotted leaving the Dutch Islands, and shortly afterwards, the leading aircraft from the Dieppe area left the French Coast. No raids came from Cherbourg to the London area during this period.
At about 2030 hours, a strong force (15 tracks) of raiders appeared from Cherbourg, flying North. They continued on this course until South of Bristol when they fanned out North and North-east. The tracks finally led to the Birmingham - Coventry area which appeared to suffer a severe attack.
Minelaying was apparent from Humber to Farne Island.
2100 Hours to 2300 Hours
Enemy activity continued to be intense against the two objectives of London and the Midlands, the influx to London from the Dutch Islands being rather greater than that from Le Havre/Dieppe.
Activity in the Midlands continued in force but showed signs of diminishing over London at about 2130 hours. Slight activity was also apparent in East Anglia.
By 2245 hours, there were no enemy aircraft either approaching or in the London area, while activity over the Midlands had almost ceased.
2300 Hours to 0100 Hours 13.10.40
By 2300 hours, the Country with the exception of the London area where activity was very slight, was clear of enemy aircraft. The London activity, however, did not cease but was maintained by small numbers of aircraft throughout the period.
In the areas from Portland to the Needles, and Selsey Bill to Coquet Island, and from North Foreland to Southwold, minelaying was reported.
0100 Hours to 0300 Hours
By 0130 hours, raids over the London area were returning and the Country was clear of enemy aircraft by 0222 hours.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 12th October 1940
- Blenheim - 46
- Spitfire - 217
- Hurricane - 368
- Defiant - 16
- Gladiator - 8
- Total – 655
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters Destroyed Probable Damaged 9 Me109 10 Me109 6 Me109 1 Me110 1 Ju88 1 Ar95 10 11 7 By Anti-Aircraft 1 E/A 1 Nil Nil - Own:
- 10 aircraft with 4 pilots lost.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 11th / 12th October - 41 patrols involving 41 aircraft.
- During the day of 12th October - 144 patrols involving 756 aircraft.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 400 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the day of 12th October.
Balloons:
- No report.
Serviceability of Aerodromes:
- Caistor unserviceable by night.
Organisation:
- 12th October 1940
- No 219 Squadron left Catterick for Redhill.
- No 111 Squadron moved from Drem to Montrose.
- No 3 Squadron moved from Montrose and Dyce to Wick.
- No 600 Squadron (1 Flight) moved from Hornchurch to Catterick.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 12th October 1940
- During the daylight period, enemy forces, again composed largely of fighter aircraft carrying bombs, staged several attacks upon the South-eastern corner of England and bombs were dropped in Kent, Sussex, Surrey and the Isle of Wight, damage being slight except in Hastings. Some of the enemy penetrated to London, where incidents, none of any great importance, occurred in Mayfair, Woolwich and Deptford, and in the Dockside area.
- After dark, Greater London was attacked intermittently from 1920 hours to 2300 hours, and damage which was not heavy was mainly confined to the Railway system.
- A heavy attack on the Coventry area developed between 2037 hours and 2150 hours, and several serious fires were started; many other scattered localities, mostly in Southern England were bombed during the night, but the scale of the attack was light and no material damage was caused in these districts.
- The new explosive incendiary bomb referred to in yesterday's report, claimed a victim when a man was pouring sand over a specimen which was burning. The bomb then exploded and the man was killed.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations - 12th October 1940
- Biggin Hill: No material damage was caused when a high flying ME109 dropped 1 HE bomb in the centre of the aerodrome and four others near disused buildings.
- Throckmorton: 30 incendiary bombs were dropped at 2130 hours, but all fell in nearby fields and no damage was caused.
- Factories
- The Sterling Metal Co and Cornercroft factories at Coventry were reported to have been bombed at 2037 hours, but details of damage have no yet been received.
- Railways
- An express train from Rugby to London overturned at Wembley LMS Station, blocking both lines. The incident was not due to enemy action and it is feared that there are casualties, some fatal.
- HE bombs fell at Southall, at 2000 hours, blocking the GWR branch line to Brentford.
- HE bombs fell at 2020 hours on the Uxbridge Road Station Bridge, but the bridge is safe and single line working has commenced.
- A goods train was hit at Barnes Station, and the tracks were torn up.
- Other damage
- Hastings: Two attacks were made, at 1010 hours when 4 houses and 5 warehouses were damaged, and at 1350 hours. In the second attack a major fire was started at the Gas Works and 7 houses were wrecked.
- Coventry: Coventry was attacked twice at 2037 hours and again at 2150 hours, and there is considerable damage to property. A Gas Works, the factories of Sterling Metal Co and Cornercroft are reported hit, and the telephone system has been interrupted. Serious fires were started but the situation was said to be well in hand.
- Trafalgar Square: A HE bomb fell at 2045 hours near King Charles' Statue and penetrated to the Hall at the bottom of the escalator at Trafalgar Square Station, where it exploded, killing seven people, whilst injuring 30.