Posted on 09/15/2010 5:11:44 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Plus a special guest map from Michael Korda’s, “With Wings Like Eagles,” showing the air defenses of England and Wales, August 1940.
Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour
Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour
Michael Korda, With Wings Like Eagles: The Untold Story of the Battle of Britain
Michael Korda, With Wings Like Eagles: The Untold Story of the Battle of Britain
News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions – 16
Four Men for Britain Put Drive in the War – 17-18
Arming of the Nation is Now in Full Swing (by Hanson W. Baldwin) – 19-20
Draft Means Big Army Purchases (by Frank L. Kluckhohn) – 21
Answers to Twenty News Questions - 23
Wasn’t this the climatic day of the London Blitz where Hitler realized he could not conquer Britain, shelved Operation Sea Lion and started working on Operation Barbarossa?
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/sep40/f15sep40.htm
Luftwaffe losses mount over Britain
Sunday, September 15, 1940 www.onwar.com
Over Britain... Kesselring makes another great effort against London. He plans two main raids but they cannot be timed to catch the RAF fighters refueling because his strength is sufficiently reduced that he must send the same fighters on both occasions. He can muster 400 fighters but less than 200 bombers in the morning attack. The fighting is very heavy with the Germans being harried all the way to London, then being heavily engaged over London and all the way back to the coast. The bombers are not able to drop their loads with any accuracy at all. The afternoon shows a similar story but the fighter battles are more intense and the bombers bomb nearer to their targets as a consequence. Although the fighter combats have gone about equally the German bomber losses are very severe, bring the German loss for the day to 60 aircraft for a bag of 26 from the RAF. Many more German bombers have been damaged or have crewmen dead or wounded. Their morale suffers as they meet up to 300 RAF fighters in one raid after their leaders have told them that the RAF as a whole has less than this number. Although it is not apparent at the time or for several weeks afterward, this is the last real attempt by the Luftwaffe to destroy the resistance of Fighter Command.
USSR... The USSR modifies its conscription laws. From now on 19-20 year olds will be conscripted.
Canada... Following legislation passed in August single men between 21 and 24 are called up.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/15.htm
September 15th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM:
Battle of Britain:
RAF Bomber Command:
4 Group. 77 Sqn. Whitley P4917 crashed landing at Tholthorpe on night operations. Sgt E.E. Fenning and crew safe.
Bombing - invasion fleet at Ostend and Dunkirk - Hamburg docks - industrial targets at Berlin.
58 Sqn. Three aircraft to Berlin. All bombed alternatives. Three aircraft to Hamburg. All bombed alternatives. Three aircraft to Ostend. All bombed.
77 Sqn. Bombing - eight aircraft to Dunkirk and Ostend. One bombed and strafed Ostend docks. Two aircraft to Berlin, both bombed.
Over Belgium Sgt John Hannah (1921-47), a wireless operator and air gunner in Hampden P 1355 of No. 83 Squadron, was terribly burnt putting out a fire aboard his flak-ridden bomber, which returned to base safely after attacking Antwerp. (Victoria Cross)
RAF Fighter Command:
Largest ever German formations over London and south-east, in two big raids, but mainly broken up by 24 Fighter Command squadrons operating on this day, since known as Battle of Britain Day. An undisputed victory.
Attacks also on Portland and Southampton.
At night London and the Midlands are raided.
11 Group had by now been invigorated by rested and fresh Squadrons such as 46 and 229 which in 12 Group had not experienced much fighting but were well staffed. They were worked up in the pause granted by the switch in enemy tactics to the bombing of cities.
Shortly after 11:00 radar stations in Kent reported enemy forces assembling inland of Boulogne. Fighter Command ordered Park to prepare his squadrons for action and also warned 10 and 12 Groups. Soom after 72 and 92 Squadrons from Biggin Hill were scrambled.
On its way was much of KG3 and other bomber formations which met a huge fighter cover over France and headed for Dungeness, where around 11:30 20 Spitfires presented an unwelcome greeting. As the raiders headed for London they were harried by ever more fighters and shortly before reaching London four Hurricane Squadrons launched head-on assaults followed by Douglas Baders ‘Big Wing’ (2 Spitfire and 3 Hurricane Squadrons) broke through the flanking escort and reached the Dorniers. Over 150 fighters were soon running amok among the bombers. The raid was deflected and KG 3 did not make its objective.
Next came another wave of 150 Do 17s of KG 2 and KG 76 with the He-111s of KG 26 and KG 53 , along with Me 109s of JG 26 and JG 54 for protection. By 14:00 they were crossing into Kent on a broad front and in response the RAF managed to put up most Squadrons at full strength and 170 British fighters met them. When the Germans managed to get to London they encountered Duxford’s 12 Group ‘Big Wing’ along with six 11 Group Squadrons and two reinforcing Squadrons from 10 Group. The raid was aborted and the bombers forced to jettison their loads.
Smaller diversionary raids were attempted on Portland and the Supermarine Spitfire works at Woolston, Southampton, but both were thwarted.
Losses: Luftwaffe, 60; RAF, 26.
London: A survey shows that two-thirds of the capital’s population are getting under four hours sleep.
FRANCE: The Pas-de-Calais and surrounding region are put under the control of German military command in Belgium.
GERMANY: U-111 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.S.R.: Conscription laws are changed and the call-up of 19-20 year olds will begin.
CANADA: Single men aged between 21 and 24 are called up.
Corvette HMCS Orillia launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-48 attacks convoy SC3 northwest of Ireland and sinks SS Alexandros, SS Empire Volunteer and sloop HMS Dundee at 56 45N, 14 14W. Both she and Penzance, lost in August, were long endurance ships used as A/S ocean escorts for the slow and vulnerable SCs.
U-65 sank SS Hird in Convoy SC-3.
The Canadian Paterson Steamships line merchantman Kenordoc (1,780 GRT) was sunk in the North Atlantic in position 57.42N, 015.02W, by torpedoes and shellfire from U-48, KptLt. Heinrich Bleichrodt, Knight’s Cross, Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, CO. Kenordoc has been recorded as being a member of convoy SC-2. However, sources indicate that SC-2 arrived in Liverpool on 10 Sep 40 having lost two of its 53 ships, but not including Kenordoc. This probably indicates that she was a ‘straggler’. British records do not indicate convoy losses for ships that were not part of the main body of ships. There were seven casualties from her crew of 20 men. (Some sources also claim Kenordoc was a straggler from convoy SC-3 and that she was sunk by U-99, KptLt. Otto Kretschmer, CO.) (Dave Shirlaw)
When the ship City of Benares was sunk with over 100 children on board, Destroyer HMS Hurricane was the first rescue ship on the scene, arriving 18 hours to pick up survivors after the Benares had sunk. (Dave Shirlaw)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 381 September 15, 1940
Battle of Britain Day 68. With fine weather, Luftwaffe makes one last effort to cripple RAF in time for invasion to take place. Coincidentally, Winston Churchill and his wife visit AVM Park’s No. 11 Group Headquarters at Uxbridge. At 11.30 AM, 250 German bombers with fighter escorts cross the coast in 2 waves and are intercepted, about 100 bombers arriving to bomb London. At 2.30 PM, another 250 bombers attack in 2 waves and about 70 reach London. On both occasions, Douglas Bader’s Big Wing of 4 squadron rips into the bombers over London (mostly without escort fighters). At 4 Pm and 6 PM, Spitfire factory at Woolston, Southampton, is bombed with little damage. Every squadron and every airfield of No. 11 Group participate during the day. RAF loses 25 fighters (13 pilots killed) but RAF is clearly capable of mounting a vigorous defense. Germans lose 56 aircraft. Overnight, London is bombed as well as South Wales, Bristol Channel, the Midlands and Liverpool. http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/0041.html
http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/0042.html
Just after midnight 200 miles Northwest of Ireland, U-99 shells Canadian SS Kenordoc with the deck gun. 7 crew are killed and 13 more rescued by destroyers HMCS St. Laurent and HMS Amazon, which also scuttles Kenordoc. At 00.25 in the same area, U-48 sinks British sloop HMS Dundee, the only escort vessel of convoy SC-3 (12 lives lost, 83 crew rescued). U-48 continues attacking the convoy; at 1.23 AM, torpedoing Greek SS Alexandros which stay afloat on its cargo of timber (5 killed, 23 survivors are picked up by destroyer HMS Wanderer), and at 3 AM, sinking British SS Empire Volunteer carrying 7700 tons of iron ore (6 killed, 33 survivors). At 6.05 AM 180 miles West of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, U-65 sinks Norwegian MV Hird (which had evacuated 3500 Allied soldiers from Dunkirk). All 30 crew abandon ship and are rescued by Icelandic trawler Þórólfur and landed at Fleetwood, England on September 17. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/522.html
The preliminaries for Barbarossa had been going on since July. Hitler may have verbally ordered preliminary planning as early as the first half of June.
After the famous Goering telegram about replacing Hitler, and Hitler's order stripping Goering of all his offices and placing him under arrest, Hitler had Hannah Reitsch, the female test pilot [flew a V-1, held the IC 1]fly von Greim to Berlin. Wounded on the way in, von Greim was named Commander in chief of the Luftwaffe [the second and last] by Hitler. Then, over their objections Reitsch and von Greim were ordered out of the bunker, and ordered to escape. Von Greim committed suicide.
Oh, oh. Forgot the spoiler alert.
Date: 15th September 1940
Enemy action by day
The enemy delivered two major attacks on London during the day. Later smaller formations attacked both Portland and targets in the Southampton area.
Our fighters destroyed 176 enemy aircraft (124 bombers and 53 fighters) plus 41 probable and 72 damaged.
AA destroyed 7 enemy aircraft plus 4 probable.
Our casualties are 25 aircraft and 13 pilots killed or missing
Enemy patrols were plotted between 0900 and 1100 hours in the following areas:
Attempts to intercept the above were not successful. One He 111, flying west, was intercepted and destroyed near Start Point.
First Major Attack
At 1100 hours enemy aircraft began to mass in the Calais/Boulogne area and at 1130 hours the leading wave of about 100 aircraft crossed the coast between Dover and Dungeness, followed by a second wave of 150 aircraft. Objectives appeared to be in the London district.
No 11 Group sent up 16 Squadrons to meet the attack, and No 12 Group provided 5 Squadrons to patrol Debden and Hornchurch.
Approximately 100 enemy aircraft succeeded in reaching Central London.
Second Major Attack
At 1400 hours a wave of approximately 150 enemy aircraft crossed the coast near Dover, followed by a second wave of 100 aircraft. These formations spread over South-east and South-west Kent and the Maidstone area, and about 70 penetrated Central London.
No 11 Group sent up 16 Squadrons and No 12 Group 4 Squadrons. Targets in South London and railways in London and Kent appeared to be the chief objectives.
Attack on Portland
At 1530 hours a formation of 25 enemy aircraft attacked Portland. It was engaged and successfully driven off by our fighters.
Attack on Southampton
At 1725 hours about 50 enemy aircraft flew over the Isle of Wight and attacked objectives in the Southampton district. This formation was intercepted and driven off by 6½ Squadrons.
By night
The first hostile raids were plotted leaving the French Coast at Le Havre at about 2000 hours. They crossed the Coast at Shoreham and penetrated to the London area which appeared to be the main objective throughout the night. At about 2230 hours raids to London started to come from the Dieppe area crossing the coast between Selsey Bill and Dover. Between 0100 and 0300 hours raids were coming in via the Thames Estuary and Essex. About fifteen raids were plotted out of the Cherbourg area to South Wales and the Bristol Channel, some of which penetrated to the Midlands and others to Liverpool. By 0130 hours these raids had withdrawn by the activity over London and the South-east continued until about 0500 hours.
Two raids were plotted in the Digby and Church Fenton areas and two were plotted in the Irish Channel. Some ten raids were suspected of minelaying between Montrose and Flamborough Head.
During the night on He111 was destroyed (plus one probable) by a Defiant of No 141 Squadron.
________________________________________
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 15th September 1940
Casualties:
| Enemy Losses | ||
| By Fighters | ||
| Destroyed | Probable | Damaged |
| 38 Me109 | 8 Me109 | 9 Me109 |
| 10 Me110 | 2 Me110 | 3 Me110 |
| 31 Do215 | 10 Do215 | 19 Do215 |
| 46 Do17 | 8 Do17 | 16 Do17 |
| 7 Do? | 1 Do? | 4 Do? |
| 2 Ju88 | ||
| 26 He111 | 9 He111 | 13 He111 |
| 21 (?) Type | 4 (?) Type | 6 (?) Type |
| 179 | 42 | 72 |
| By Anti-Aircraft | ||
| 7 (?) Type | ||
| 7 | Nil | Nil |
Patrols:
Balloons:
Aerodromes:
Organisation:
Home Security Reports
BBC - Alvar Liddell Reports 175 German Aircraft Destroyed
(begin transcription)
Here is the midnight news and this is Alvar Liddell reading it. Up to 10 o’clock, 175 German aircraft have been destroyed in today’s raids over this country. Today was the most costly for the German Air Force for nearly a month. In daylight raids, between 350 and 400 enemy aircraft were launched in two attacks against London and Southeast England. About half of them were shot down. It was officially announced that by 10 o’clock tonight 175 raiders were known to be destroyed by our fighters and anti-aircraft gunners.
(end transcription)
Next is a VERY interesting report on heavy German artillery firing on a convoy in the Channel.
BBC - Robin Duff on Convoy Attack off Dover
(begin transcription)
At the moment we can see two bright flashes, three flashes from the other side of the Channel, and three great puffs of smoke, and now four. At any moment now the shells will be arriving over this side. Four columns of smoke going up on the far side as the convoy goes past us here. And there’s the f… (loud bang) first explosion; and the second. Just a very short front… way in front of us in the sea here, tremendous column (loud bang) of water goes up as a third bomb just comes down now and there’s one…rather (loud bang) one more to come and there it is. All those four completely wide of the convoy as they’ve all been so far as the convoy steams past us slowly here. Needless to say we have heard those tremendous explosions and a great swirl of water goes up a cloud of smoke and spray in the air still. The extraordinary thing is you see the flash right over on the far side of the coast, then the little column of smoke goes up from it and then a wait for the explosion over on this side.
(end transcription)
Excellent post!
Last July's issue of Popular Mechanics has a very interesting article on the atom smasher. It also goes into Lawrence's cyclotron as well as the use of the mass spectrometer to separate isotopes of uranium. Eventually these last two items will be wedded to make the calutron which will be used to enrich uranium. I also like the mention at the end of this article of the potentially large explosive weapon that could be created by "exploding" uranium 235. Seems like the potential to make a game changing weapon by splitting the atom was pretty much public knowledge in 1940.
Oh, and one little added bit. The good Dr. Condon hails from Alamagordo so I guess in a way he will come full circle.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.