Date: 20th October 1940
- Weather: Mainly cloudy in most districts.
- Day: Fighter-bomber raids on London and the south-east.
- Night: Heavy attacks on London and industrial targets in the Midlands
Enemy action by day
There were five main attacks during the day, all in South East England, with some penetration to London. The bulk, if not all, of the enemy aircraft engaged would appear to have been fighters and fighter-bombers.
Patrols were maintained in the Channel and Straits, and several reconnaissance flights were made.
Reports so far received indicate that our fighters destroyed seven enemy aircraft, plus five probable and six damaged. Our casualties were three aircraft (pilots safe).
Main Attacks
At 0935 hours, a raid of 20+ aircraft from Cap Gris Nez flew over Biggin Hill and Kenley to Central London and Harrow, and out again over Dover at 1035 hours. Eight Squadrons were despatched to intercept.
At 1100 hours, 50+ aircraft crossed the coast at Folkestone, flew to Maidstone and Biggin Hill and out again on a reciprocal course at 1140 hours. At the same time 30+ flew in at Lympne, on to Biggin Hill and Croydon and out again over the South Eastern route. Again eight Squadrons took off to intercept.
At 1315 hours, raids totalling 45+ aircraft came in at Dover and flew across Kent to South London. The raids split into two parts, one from South of Hornchurch going out by the Estuary and North Foreland, and the other over Kent and Dungeness, at 1350 hours.
While the latter attack was in progress further enemy aircraft were massing in the Straits, and at 1420 hours a wave of 50+ made landfall at Dover and headed for Maidstone and South East London. The attack was split up, part flying from Biggin Hill and out at Dungeness at 1450 hours, the remainder veering to Hornchurch and out by the Thames Estuary at 1445 hours.
A second wave of 40+ at 1430 hours flew behind the North Foreland into the Estuary, but did not penetrate inland and left by the same route at 1440 hours.
At 1500 hours, a raid plotted as 50+ came in near Dungeness and fanned out over Kent and the Estuary in five sections, the last finally leaving the country at 1600 hours.
Patrols
Patrols were plotted in the Channel and the Straits of Dover from 0730 hours to 0900 hours. Between 0910 and 1029 hours three small groups crossed the coast, two at Dungeness and one at Folkestone, but penetrated only a few miles inland. At 1100 hours, 6+ enemy aircraft flew in at Hastings and out at Dungeness and 3+ flew parallel with the coast from Beachy Head to Shoreham. From 1145 hours, when shipping off Dover was visited, Channel patrols were almost continuously maintained until 1730 hours.
Reconnaissances
At 0630 hours a single enemy aircraft from Le Havre flew North over the Isle of Wight, Bristol and onwards over Sealand and out into the Irish Sea. It made landfall again at Kendal turned South over Lancashire and Shrewsbury and back to Le Havre. During the morning reconnaissances were made in the North Sea to a point 60 miles East of Spurn Head. During the afternoon a single raider was plotted from 100 miles East of the Firth of Forth over the Coast into West Perthshire and out over Kinnairds Head. This aircraft is reported to have attacked one of our trainers south of Wick. Enemy reconnaissance aircraft were also active off East Anglia, Portland and the Dutch coast.
Night Operations - 20th/21st October 1940
The first enemy night raiders were plotted leaving France at 1830 hours. The main concentrations were on London and the Midlands, notably the Birmingham District. Activity was heavy, and steadily maintained until about 0100 hours, when the numbers engaged against London began to diminish rapidly. Minelayers were active off East Anglia, and from the Humber to the Tees. It is reported that by 0300 hours AA had accounted for one enemy destroyed plus two probable; additionally one Do17 was destroyed near Shaftesbury, cause unknown.
1900 Hours to 2100 Hours
The first raiders from France crossed the coast at about 1900 hours, and those from Holland at 1918 hours. During the period 45 enemy aircraft crossed the South Coast and eleven flew to the Essex Coast, of which only two appeared to penetrate inland. The majority of raids from the South went to the London area, a few, however, passing West of London to the Northampton/Bedford area. Seen raids had Birmingham and Derby as their objective. Minelayers were very active from Shoeburyness to the Tees.
2100 Hours to 0100 Hours 21/10/40
Raids from the South Coast continued, 30 flying to the London area and Northern environs, and approximately a further 30 to the Midlands, with special concentrations on Birmingham, Coventry and neighbouring towns. Between 2350 and 0100 hours about 25 raids crossed the Essex Coast and also appeared to go to North London. Minelaying enemy aircraft continued active as before.
0100 Hours to 0300 Hours
Activity over London was slight, and by 0245 hours no new incoming tracks to the Inner Artillery Zone were showing. The stream to the Midlands continued unabated, with special concentration on Birmingham and Coventry. Individual raids were also plotted in the Catterick, Peterborough, Manchester and Cambridge Districts. It is noted that raids to the Midlands flew in due North, between Portland and Selsey Bill, but many return flights were on a more easterly course, over London and Beachy Head.
0300 Hours to 0600 Hours
The London area was practically clear throughout this period. Activity in the Midlands continued on a gradually lessening scale until 0530 hours, when the last raider left. In addition to Wolverhampton and Coventry, some activity was plotted over Manchester, Merseyside, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leicester. ________________________________________
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 20th October 1940
- Blenheim - 44
- Spitfire - 226
- Hurricane - 411
- Defiant - 20
- Gladiator - 7
- Total – 708
Casualties:
Enemy Losses By Fighters – By Day Destroyed Probable Damaged 6 Me109 5 Me109 5 Me109 1 Me110 1 Ju88 7 5 6 By Anti-Aircraft – By Night 1 E/A 2 E/A 1 Do17 (cause unknown) 2 2 Nil - Own:
- Three aircraft. Pilots safe.
Patrols:
- Own
- During the night of 19th / 20th October - 15 patrols involving 18 aircraft.
- During the day of 20th October - 87 patrols involving 457 aircraft.
- Enemy
- It is estimated that about 300 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the day of 20th October.
Balloons:
- No report.
Serviceability of Aerodromes:
- No report.
Organisation:
- No report.
Air Intelligence Reports:
- Italy: Indications that Italian aircraft now in Belgium may soon operate over South East England. Types include BR20 bombers, G50 Fighters and CR42 fighters. Small number of Cant Z1007 long range bombers also believed to be in Belgium.
Home Security Reports
- General Summary
- Date: 20th October 1940
- During the day, bombs were again dropped in the London area but only a few casualties occurred, and property, mostly private, was little damaged. A number of incidents are reported in Surrey, Sussex, Essex and Kent, and although widespread, did not on the whole cause much damage.
- Eastbourne & Hove were machine-gunned by an enemy aircraft.
- As is now customary, London was attacked as soon as darkness fell and the surrounding suburbs were again bombed indiscriminately but not so heavily as on the previous night. Several districts in the Midlands were attacked and Coventry was again the primary objective.
- Dover was shelled during the day and considering the number of shells fired the results were mediocre.
- Detailed Summary
- RAF Stations 20th October 1940
- Lindholme: It is reported that at 0015 hours on the 21st a magnetic mine was discovered on the Aerodrome preventing five aircraft of No 50 Squadron taking off.
- Other damage
- Coventry: Severe raids commenced at 2252 hours on the 20th and were at least as heavy as the night of 19th/20th. A number of fires were caused and considerable damage done. Rescue parties are being heavily tested as several people are known to be trapped.
- Damage is reported at Singer Motors, Armstrong Siddeley Mechanisation & Aero Ltd, Motor Fittings (Gosford Street), Alfred Herbert's and Coventry Transport Depot. A slight fire is reported at Courtaulds but a severe fire is still raging at the Ordnance Works together with another of major character at Gosford Green, LMS Railway Wharf. An infants' school containing a Warden's Post was badly damaged and over the whole area casualties so far are reported as 20 dead, 78 injured with at least 15 trapped.
- Birmingham: Raids commenced at 2230 hours and have been on a small scale. Erdington Institution, where children evacuated from London are installed, was hit and of the 20 casualties it is reported that no children are injured.
- Wanstead: Two HE fell on the Royal Wanstead School which is occupied by the Military. One fell near the Officers' Mess causing only minor injuries to men. The other fell on the quarters occupied by other ranks of the Royal Corps of Signals resulting in five dead and a number of wounded.
- Eastbourne: An enemy aircraft cruising over the town about midnight machine-gunned the town and dropped one incendiary bomb - one AFS mar was wounded. About the same time, Hove was also machine-gunned with negligible results.
- Railways
- London
- Addison Road: Three craters on GWR track dislocating four running roads. Booking hall, parcels office and other buildings damaged.
- Willesden: permanent way of Metropolitan Railway blocked by debris and power cable displaced near Neasden Station.
- Brentford: Track and station at Turnham Green damaged. Bridge over Turnham Green Terrace partially collapsed blocking road.
- Enfield: HE on tracks at Painters Lane - train service suspended.
- Lambeth: Bridge and track damaged on the St Paul's to Herne Hill line.
- Sundry Damage
- Upminster Electric Railway blocked.
- Brentwood Station unserviceable.
- HE on SR just South of Morden Tube Station.
- Unexploded bomb near signal box of Uxbridge Road Station.
- Country
- Damage to up-line between Tadworth tunnel and Kingswood Station.
- HE on track near Barracks. Up and down line between Maidstone and Rochester blocked.
- Debris on track between West Hallam Station and Morley Tunnel (Derby).
- Enemy Shelling
- Of 51 shells which fell in the Dover area between 1108 and 1310 on the 20th only 15 exploded on land. One shell hit a garage adjoining an auxiliary fire station and damaged a 5,000 gallon dam. One man is reported killed and two seriously injured.
- It is also reported that at 1805 hours shells fell, without causing any damage, at St Margarets.