Episode2.org

Weather mixed: cloudy with some rain.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 63
• Spitfire – 242
• Hurricane – 331
• Defiant – 24
• Gladiator – 8 (1 Flight only)
• Total – 668

German operations that day started with an attack on convoys off Portland and Swanage. A little later that day two convoys off Harwich were attacked. In the course of this confrontation 2 Royal Navy destroyers were sunk, one of which was HMS Wren. Dover harbour also came under attack and yet another RN destroyer, HMS Codrington, was damaged and destroyed. In response, the Admiralty decided to close Dover as an advance base for destroyers. The RAF was consequently left to assume major responsibility for the defence of the Channel. That day the RAF flew 496 sorties, lost 1 aircraft, but destroyed 4 enemy planes.

266 Squadron Operational Record Book, 27 July
Average temperature, heavy rain showers during the day. Visibility poor, improving to good early evening. Flying 19 hours. Ac Flight at readiness, B Flight available. Practices included cine camera gun, interception with aircraft of no. 23 (Blenheim) Squadron and no. 229 (Hurricane) Squadron, Night Flying Patrol. 2 raid investigations carried out during day. PO H.M.T. Heron attached to St Athan for Fighter 3 weeks Navigation Instructors Course.

Today’s theme: The Airfields They Flew From – Manston

Weather: cloudy with rain over much of the Channel.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

• Blenheim – 56
• Spitfire – 238
• Hurricane – 294
• Defiant – 15
• Total – 603

In sustained fighting over two convoys, one over the Thames Estuary and the other off Dover, the RAF lost 2 aircraft whilst the Luftwaffe lost 5 aircraft. 561 sorties were flown. The day also saw Luftwaffe attacks on industrial targets in the Glasgow area.

54 Squadron Operational Record Book, 24 July, Rochford
08:12 hours
The biggest and most successful day since Dunkirk. 2 early patrols were followed by a third in which B Flight distinguished themselves. 12 Do 215s in two waves of 6 attempted to bomb a convoy off Dover. The first 6 reached, but missed their target. A determined attack by Green section under PO Gribble forced the e/a to jettison their bombs before reaching the target and to scurry home… This is the first instance in which coils of trailing wire (probably 50 ft in length) have been thrown out by enemy bombers as our planes pursued them.

11.25 hours
For over an hour the whole Squadron took part in the “Battle of the Thames Estuary”. 18 Do 215s escorted by at least 2 squadrons of Me109s and an unknown number of He113s attacked a convoy in the estuary. In this, their biggest fight since the 2nd day of Dunkirk and in the face of these considerable odds, the casualties inflicted on the enemy by the squadron (including 3 new pilots) can be considered eminently satisfactory and most encouraging:

2 destroyed confirmed (PO Gray and Sgt Collett)
4 destroyed unconfirmed (Flt Lt Deere, FO McMullen, PO Coleman, PO Turley-George)
8 probably destroyed (FO McMullen, Flt Lt Way (2), PO Gray, PO Gribble (2), FS Tew, PO Turley-George)
2 damaged (PO Coleman and PO Matthews)

Today’s theme: Top Gun Gallery – Bob Doe