Episode2.org

Weather: dull and cloudy.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 55
• Spitfire – 228
• Hurricane – 420
• Defiant – 18
• Gladiator – 7
• Total – 728

This day the Luftwaffe flew scattered attacks and also flew a considerable number of photographic reconnaissance flights aimed at establishing what damage had been done during recent days.

It was on this day that Park let his dissatisfaction surface with regard to the lack of cooperation he was getting from the neighbouring group to the north, no 12. In a well distributed signal he contrasted the cooperation his group had been receiving from 10 Group to the west , with what he was getting from 12 Group. On two occasions, he had apparently asked for reinforcements from 12 Group to patrol airfields, including Debden, while its squadrons were fighting further south. The cooperation requested had not materialised and Debden was heavily bombed. Park was getting seriously frustrated. In his signal, he told his controllers that when they needed assistance from 12 Group they should put their request through Command at Bentley Priory. It was the start of a dispute which was to escalate into a full scale row. To start with the AOC of 12 Group, Leigh Mallory disliked Dowding and had told Park about it. He thought he should have got Park’s job when the latter had been selected as the new AOC of 11 Group. It was clearly a plum job and he thought he should have got the plum. Finally, he was jealous of the opportunity that Park had been given. 11 Group was clearly the frontline of the Battle. He resented the primacy given to Park as a result.

Furthermore, there was another problem hatching in those weeks. Douglas Bader, the famous legless pilot, was, in his way, similarly put out by the prominence being given to 11 Group pilots. Moreover, Bader had his own idea of how the battle should be fought. The airmen he modelled himself on were the aces of the First World War, men like Ball and McCudden who had taken the lead in the battles they had fought. But here he was being asked to play second fiddle to 11 Group squadrons and being ordered about the sky by disembodied voices. What he wanted to do was to meet the enemy with superior force. This meant forming a wing of several squadrons, three or even five, led, of course, by him. Park was to find this suggestion impractical. There was too little time to assemble such a force given the imminent attacks from which 11 Group squadrons were suffering. All this was to build up ahead of steam over the next few weeks.

That day, 27th August, was to be one of the last in which Luftflotte 3 was to participate. Their part in the day time battle was shortly to end. Their role then became the leader of the night time campaign by the Luftwaffe which followed the day time Battle of Britain.

54 Squadron Operational Record Book – 27 August
A day of rest. Our new squadron leader – of international fame – S/L Donald Finlay, arrived at Hornchurch.

74 Squadron Operational Record Book – 27 August, Kirton Lindsey
Mr Mansbridge RA who has been appointed by the Air Ministry to paint portraits of famous fighter pilots arrived and painted portrait of S/L Malan DFC (bar).

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 27th August 1940):

*  Enemy: 4 confirmed, 1 probable, 1 damaged
*  Own: 1 aircraft

Weather: mainly cloudy.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 60
• Spitfire – 247
• Hurricane – 373
• Defiant – 24
• Gladiator – 2
• Total – 706

The day began with a feint in the east with the real attack coming in over the west country. A substantial raid developed on Portland and Weymouth with well over 100 aircraft involved. Several squadrons intercepted. Dogfights ensued. Over 70 bombs were dropped and damage was done to property and the railway line. This was the biggest battle so far during the Battle of Britain.

Meanwhile, in the east, there was continuous activity around Dover and the Straits. 74 Squadron flew no less than four sorties from Manston. Several more squadrons were engaged before hostilities ended. It was indeed a busy day for Manston. Losses were heavy on both sides. Over 30 German aircraft were shot down in return for losses to the RAF of 27 aircraft. There had been much fighter to fighter combat, hence the losses.

Adler Tag had now been set for August 13th.

19 Squadron Operational Record Book – 11 August
New Spitfire equipped with 2 cannon and 4 Browning Guns delivered today. Is slightly overweight but in the general opinion is a step in the right direction. Possibly another step in the same direction would be the re-equipping with the old eight-gun machines.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 11th August 1940):

*  Enemy: 37 confirmed, 47 unconfirmed.
*  Own: 20 Hurricanes, 5 Spitfires

Todays’s theme: Captains and Commanders – Sir Christopher Quintin Brand

Weather: showers and bright intervals.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 66
• Spitfire – 257
• Hurricane – 370
• Defiant – 20
• Total – 713

On the previous evening a substantial convoy, code named Peewit, had set out from the Thames. As it passed through the Straits of Dover it was picked up by the newly installed Freya radar on the French coast. The Germans saw that the convoy consisted of more than 20 ships. It was soon attacked by several E-boats which sank 3 ships in the convoy and damaged several others.

A second raid was then launched on this convoy by a force of Ju87 dive bombers accompanied by fighters. They attacked the ships off the Isle of Wight. They had orders to sink the whole convoy. Despite resistance from a number of squadrons of RAF fighters, further casualties were inflicted on the ships.

Nevertheless, a third attack, this time also from Cherbourg was launched. These enemy aircraft were intercepted near Swanage by seven squadrons from 10 and 11 Groups. In an intensive and prolonged series of engagements, with some squadrons flying as many as three sorties, substantial numbers of aircraft, particularly the Ju87s, were shot down. The remains of the convoy finally made Portsmouth Harbour with only 4 out of the 21 ships undamaged. It proved to be the most intensive attack on a convoy during that summer. The RAF lost 19 aircraft as against 31 German aircraft destroyed. Churchill duly sent a congratulatory note on the day’s performance to the Secretary of State for Air.

54 Squadron Operational Record Book, 8 August, Hornchurch
No enemy aircraft seen – very quiet day.

74 Squadron Operational Record Book, 8 August
Flt Lt A G Malan DFC appointed to the rank of Acting Squadron Leader and assumes command of no. 74 Squadron. Malan awarded bar to DFC.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 8th August 1940):

*  Enemy: 52 confirmed, 14 unconfirmed
*  Own: 13 Hurricanes, 4 Spitfires, 1 Blenheim

Todays’s theme: The Planes they Flew – the JU87 ‘Stuka‘