Plus a special guest map from Michael Kordas, With Wings Like Eagles, showing the air defenses of England and Wales, August 1940.
Date: 26th August 1940
Enemy action by day
After a number of reconnaissance flights between Harwich and Land's End, some of which penetrated inland, three major attacks by large formations developed in the following areas:
These raiders were engaged by our fighters and casualties inflicted.
East Coast
At 1252 hours, a raid plotted near Martlesham flew along the coast and was active in the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth area. A number of reconnaissance raids were plotted between the North Foreland and Cromer.
South East Coast
During the day, reconnaissance flights were plotted in the Straits and round to Beachy Head.
At 1137 hours, five raids, totalling some 100 aircraft collected in the Gris Nez area. They approached to attack objectives in the Folkestone-Dover area and inland at Biggin Hill and Kenley. By 1250 hours, the attack was dispersed.
A second attack on the South-East of England developed at approximately 1422 hours when some eight raids totalling 190+ collected in the Calais - St Omer area. They crossed the coast in waves between Lympne and the mouth of the Blackwater and appeared to have as their objectives aerodromes in South-East England from Duxford southwards. At 1540 hours, some 250 aircraft were estimated to be north and south of the Estuary between Bury St Edmunds and Dungeness.
South and West
A number of reconnaissance flights were plotted along the South Coast to Land's End. One raid penetrated towards Oxford and is reported to have had Harwell as a target. Other raids were engaged on reconnaissances of the Portsmouth - Southampton, Shoreham - Tangemere and Middle Wallop - Yeovil areas.
At approximately 1600 hours, a major raid approached Portsmouth on a 30-mile front at 15,000 feet. This was followed by two other raids, and attacks developed in the Portsmouth - Southampton area. These raids were engaged and by 1700 hours commenced to disperse. A raid of 9 aircraft, reported to consist of a flying boat with fighter escort, was later plotted on various courses south of the Isle of Wight, probably looking for casualties; a twin-engined seaplane was intercepted and destroyed by our fighters about this time.
By night
Enemy activity has been on an exceptionally heavy and continuous scale all night. The main route of enemy aircraft has been from Beachy Head, over London and on to Birmingham and Coventry, starting at about 2125 hours and continuing until after 0300 hours. During all this period, London Central was under red warning.
As the night progressed, enemy aircraft crossed from France at many other points all along the South Coast.
Although the main attacks appear to have been on Birmingham and Coventry, there have been almost continuous raids over the Midlands area generally, Devon, Bristol and South Wales. Visits to the Newcastle and Middlesborough areas are also reported.
Enemy aircraft from the Dutch coast have been repeatedly active off the East Anglian Coast, presumably minelaying, and this is also suspected off Plymouth, Whitby and Tyne, between the Orkneys and the Mainland and off Kinnaird's Head, where a convoy was attacked.
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Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 26th August 1940
Casualties:
Enemy Losses | ||
By Fighters | ||
Destroyed | Probable | Damaged |
20 Me109 | 5 Me109 | 2 Me109 |
3 Me110 | 2 Me110 | 1 Me110 |
9 Do17 | 4 Do17 | |
7 Do215 | 4 Do215 | |
5 He111 | 5 He111 | |
1 He59 | 1 Ju88 | |
45 | 7 | 17 |
By Anti-Aircraft | ||
Destroyed | Probable | Damaged |
1 Me110 | 2 Me110 | |
1 | 2 |
Patrols:
Balloons:
Aerodromes:
Organisation:
Air Intelligence Reports
Home Security Reports
Corrigendum
I just looked a little closer at that LIFE cover. We got a kid trying to butch up with a pipe handing a girl a ten dollar bill. Wonder what the sawbuck is for?