Plus a special guest map from Michael Kordas, With Wings Like Eagles, showing the air defenses of England and Wales, August 1940.
Excellent as always, Professor. I’m sorry I don’t always remember to tell you.
And did you see that little dandy in the middle of the front page about unions requiring initiation fees for non-union laborers? Some things never change ...
Roosevelt Lied People Died...
No Blood for oil...
Germany and Japan had no WMDs...
[/DNCspeak]
Date: 31st October 1940
Enemy action by day
Hostile activity was very reduced in the morning. In the afternoon it was a little more marked and this increased in the late afternoon to flights inland especially in East Anglia. The objective would appear to have been reconnaissance of aerodromes. The activity resembled night operations on a reduced scale.
There were no interceptions and no casualties to the enemy or ourselves.
North and North East Coast
At about 1100 hours a ship off Rattray Head and the Bell Rock Lighthouse were machine-gunned. While this ship was being salvaged in the afternoon it was again attacked.
East Coast
Between 1300 and 1700 hours, five tracks were plotted of single aircraft in the East Anglian area. Between 1700 and 1800 hours one aircraft flew inland at Mablethorpe to Kirton-in-Lindsey, and a second at 10,000 feet from Cromer to Spurn Head, Driffield and Hull thence South again to Kirton-in-Lindsey. Four other single aircraft made flights in the neighbourhood of Lowestoft, Norwich, Dereham, Mildenhall, Downham Market and Bassingbourn, the last named is reported to have been bombed at 1300 hours. Reconnaissance of or attacks on aerodromes may have been the objective.
South East Coast
At 0720 hours one aircraft flew inland from Dover to Detling and is reported to have dropped bombs at Martlesham. Other reconnaissances took place in the Straits up to 0900 hours. Between 1300 and 1700 hours, three raids were plotted inland to Hornchurch, Debden and Kenley areas.
South and West Coast
At 1145 hours one aircraft crossed the coast at Worthing and flew to Bristol, Monmouth and Newport. Glascoed is reported to have been bombed.
At 1230 hours one aircraft flew along the coast and bombed an RAF Station at Poling. At 1235 hours an enemy aircraft was plotted over Liverpool.
Between 1300 and 1700 hours, eight raids crossed the coast to Wittering, Spurn Head, Nottingham and East Anglia. In addition other raids were plotted from the Isle of Wight to Salisbury and Swindon, to Middle Wallop - Warwick and then South East to London.
Night Operations - 31st October/1st November 1940
Enemy activity was divided into two phases, one in the early evening and the other in the early morning. Adverse weather conditions accounting for intervening absence of any enemy operations.
First Phase - 1825 Hours to 2100 Hours
At 1825 hours the first night raiders (approximately 30) were leaving Dieppe on the usual North Westerly route. Strong westerly gales blew them off course so that landfalls were made in the Hastings/Dungeness area. These raids were joined by two from Calais and all proceeded towards West and Central London, though only a few achieved their objective.
In addition two raids were suspected of minelaying off Spurn Head. All raids returned on reciprocal courses.
By 2020 hours the London area was quite clear and by 2100 hours no enemy raiders were plotted in or near the country.
The "All Clear" was sounded at 2100 hours.
Second Phase - 0245 Hours to 0600 Hours 01/11/40
Two attacks developed with London and the Midlands as their respective objectives. The Midland raids of approximately six aircraft made landfall in the Weymouth area, the majority proceeding to Birmingham and in one or two cases further North. Approximately 25/30 raids from Dieppe/Le Havre Coast were concerned in the London attack. At 0500 hours the attack on London began to slacken and the last raids on the Midland area were leaving the country. A few raids were still active at the close of this report.
________________________________________
Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 31st October 1940
Casualties:
Patrols:
Balloons:
Serviceability of Aerodromes:
Organisation:
Home Security Reports