Battle of Britain diary

[stona]

Monday 26 August

Still some cloud about but clearing in the south.

Today saw an intensification of the Battle as the Luftwaffe tried to maintain the pressure. Again, it would send bombers escorted by large fighter formations, and adopt fighter sweeps in its efforts to confuse British RDF and draw off British fighters.

John (Race) made a pertinent post about the RAF losses on the ground and today at about 11.00 a lone bomber dropped its load on Harwell airfield in Oxfordshire, killing 6 and injuring 10 more. 2 Wellingtons were also damaged. B Flight of No.616 Squadron were sent to intercept and were the only fighters in the area as a large raid developed over the Dover Straits. 12 Do 17s of KG 3 were escorted by 30 Bf 109s of JGs 3 and 51 and another 12 of JG 52. Nos. 56, 610, 264 (Defiants), 54 and 616 were dispatched. Fighting was fierce and the RAF suffered badly. This was No 616 Squadrons ‘Black Monday’, its inexperienced pilots no match for their German adversaries. No fewer than 7 of its Spitfires were shot down or damaged, 2 pilots were killed and another 4 wounded. No 264 Squadron’s Defiants fought to reach the bombers, but the limitations of the aircraft were once again revealed as 3 were shot down and another damaged. The RAF lost 11 aircraft shot down to the Luftwaffe’s 8.

At 14.45 the next raid was seen developing, approaching from Dunkirk. Three formations were plotted making their way along the north Kent coast towards the Thames estuary. Nos. 65, 615, 1 (RCAF) and 85 Squadrons were scrambled. The situation soon worsened with two more formations over Thanet, two more over the sea to the north and a fifth over Hythe. About 40 Bf 109s had crossed from Calais and swept across Kent before the main raids which were heading for airfields in Essex. Debden and Hornchurch were in fact the targets. 12 Do 17s from I./KG 2 with an escort of 50 Bf 109s were heading to Hornchurch, 21 Do 17s of II./KG 2 with an escort of 30 Bf 110s were heading to Debden. 11 Group requested assistance from 12 Group and another six squadrons, Nos 111,56, 19, 310, 54 and 501 were despatched. Once again there was fierce fighting as the RAF squadrons made their interceptions from as far north as Ipswich to as far south as Deal. 8 British fighters were shot down and several damaged, but the Luftwaffe lost 11 of their aircraft with several more damaged. Debden was bombed at 15.19, an estimated 100 bombs falling on the airfield, damaging various buildings including one hangar and the NAAFI. No bombs fell on Hornchurch airfield, but the town was bombed.

At 16.00, as the Essex raids by Luftflotte 2 withdrew, Luftflotte 3 got into the action. Clearly not following Goering’s directive to bomb only by night a force of 51 He 111s escorted by 211 Bf 109s and 66 Bf 110s were plotted approaching Portsmouth. This was another huge raid comprising 328 aircraft. Controllers in both 10 and 11 Groups scrambled squadrons to intercept. Nos. 43, 615, 602, 234, 249, 213 and 609 were despatched. The raid achieved little; Fort Cumberland was bombed, killing 8 Royal Marines and Hilsea gas works were set alight. The RAF lost 8 fighters in the fighting, but the Luftwaffe lost 11 aircraft, including 4 of the bombers. This would be the last daylight action by Luftflotte 3 for the foreseeable future, the bombers would concentrate on attacking by night, targets as far north as Liverpool.

At the end of the day the RAF had lost or written off 29 aircraft with another 19 damaged. The Luftwaffe had lost or written off 39 aircraft with a further 10 damaged.

The fate of the airmen shot down was also a factor.

Here is Sgt C F Babbage of 602 squadron, who was shot down and baled out into the sea off Bognor Regis, shortly after having been brought ashore.



Note the missing section of the pier in the background. This was an anti-invasion measure, designed to deny the pier to the Germans as a landing jetty. Babbage would shortly return to his unit.

Here, on the other hand is Oblt Ignaz Krenn, also shot down today. He made a forced landing in his He 111 at Helliers Farm at Wick, West Sussex.



Krenn is being marched to a train at Chichester railway station, which will take him to London for an interrogation. Subsequently he will spend the war in captivity.

[stillp]

Monday 26 August



[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1131842[/ATTACH]

Those were the days, first requirement - a therapeutic cigarette!
Pete

[stona]

I suppose if you've just been shot down, baled out, alighted on the sea by parachute, been rescued and brought ashore, a cigarette is the thing least likely to kill you

[stillp]

And then, after a smoke, a cup of tea, and for some a couple of days off, back into the cockpit to be shot at again! That must have taken some nerve.
Pete

[stona]

Yep, and as he was uninjured he would have returned to his unit that day. He was shot down between 16.20 and 17.00, so he probably got the rest of the day off!

Here is part of Babbage's Combat Report.

He had already engaged a Bf 109 which was itself engaging another Spitfire, he claimed the Bf 109 as 'probable'.

"...I then attacked centre aircraft of 3 Do 215s in vic formation which was one of several such formations making out to sea, adopting dead astern attack opening 300 yards and firing until all my ammunition was exhausted. I saw my bullets hitting this E/A but observed no other damage. Heavy cross fire was experienced from all three bombers, and as I broke away downwards to the left I was struck by a cannon shell probably from an Me 109 and had to bale out because aircraft was on fire."

Officially:
'602 Sqn Spitfire X4188 Sgt C F Babbage - Safe. Shot down in flames by Me 109s over Selsey Bill. Crashed in sea 300 yards off Pagham, West Sussex. Pilot baled out and rescued from sea.'

Babbage may have been helped by fellow 602 squadron pilot Sgt B E P Whall who had chased a bomber out to sea before claiming it destroyed ten miles off the coast. In his Combat Report he wrote.

'I then returned to land at Westhampnett, pausing to circle round pilot of friendly fighter in water.'

Babbage was not far off shore and had probably been spotted by his rescuers, descending in his parachute, but a circling Spitfire was a sure indication of his location.

[BattleshipBob]

Words cannot fully describe enough these wonderful pilots

We can NEVER repay the debt we all owe them and the thousands of others

[stona]

I did a little more digging on Babbage.

Here's another picture of him coming ashore. Why the armed soldiers? I don't know, maybe they did not know that they were going out to a friendly pilot.



It turns out that he went to hospital, returning to his unit on the 28th, so he did get a day off. He had a long and successful career in the RAF, surviving both the Battle of Britain and the war.

From http://www.bbm.org.uk

'Back with the squadron, Babbage engaged in combat with Me110’s over Selsey Bill on 11th September. He shot one down and returned to Westhampnett in Spitfire X4269 which had a damaged starboard wing.
On the 15th Babbage damaged a Do17, on the 26th he shot down a He111 and on the 27th, after destroying a Ju88 off Dungeness, he returned to Westhampnett in Spitfire X4160 after himself being damaged by Me109’s. In another engagement on the 27th, Babbage claimed a Me109 as probably destroyed. Over the Channel on 12th October 1940 Babbage shared in destroying a Ju88. His Spitfire, X4541, was damaged by return fire and he overturned when he made a forced-landing at Iford Farm, near Lewes. He was unhurt.
Babbage was awarded the DFM (gazetted 25th October 1940) and commissioned in late November. In June 1941 he was posted to 41 Squadron at Merston, which began 'Rhubarb' operations over the Continent. On 19th September Babbage shot down an unidentified aircraft, now known to be an early model Fw190. Its pilot, German ace Hauptmann Walter Adolph, was killed. On 14th October 1941 Babbage damaged a Me109.
Later in the war Babbage did an operational tour on Mosquitos, during the course of which he was twice shot down. He remained in the RAF after the war and was a Qualified AI Instructor*, having completed the course at CFS*.
Babbage retired from the RAF on 25th June 1964, with the rank of Wing Commander.
He died on 24th November 1976 at his home in Larkhall, Bath.'

*Aircrew Instructor
*Central Flying School

[stillp]

Probably standing orders to have armed soldiers on board. There must have been many rescues when they weren't 100% sure of the nationality of the person.
Pete

[stona]

Tuesday 27 August

Cloud and haze over the Channel cleared later. Heavier cloud and rain over the Midlands and North of the country.

After the effort of the last three days the Luftwaffe paused for breath. As Tim (Marlow) mentioned, there is an impression, mostly gained from a certain well-known film, henceforth referred to as that film*, that there were 18 hours of sunshine a day and bombers came in large waves, day after day throughout the Battle. To be fair to the film makers, they had to condense a campaign lasting months into a couple of hours, and twenty minutes of RAF pilots standing watching the rain was hardly likely to add to the suspense and excitement of the film. It was made as entertainment, not as a documentary. No air force could sustain the effort that the Luftwaffe had made over the last few days, and it didn’t.

In the early hours Luftwaffe bombers ranged over Britain and many isolated bombing incidents were reported. Plymouth reported 50 bombs and incendiaries fell all over Cornwall!

Daytime combat today was between pairs, sections or flights of fighters and Luftwaffe reconnaissance or bomber aircraft.

10.20 two Hurricanes of No 238 Squadron shot down a Do 17 of 3(F)31. The aircraft made a good forced landing at Hurdwick Farm, Tavistock, Devon. It was an unusual and exotic visitor to these parts and certainly brought out the locals.



This aircraft was recovered to Farnborough for examination and later displayed in Salisbury and Bournemouth.

12.10 all six Hurricanes of A Flight No. 501 Squadron chased a Do 17 from 3(F) 10 across the Channel, finally shooting it down into the sea off Cap Gris Nez. One Hurricane was damaged by return fire and lucky to make it home, reinforcing Park’s earlier advice about venturing too far off the coast.

12.20 and three Spitfires of No 152 Squadron chase a Ju 88 from 7./KG 54 out to sea, finally shooting it down 15 miles SW of Portland. P/O W Beaumont was hit by return fire from the bomber, abandoning his aircraft about 8 miles of Portland and was fortunate to be picked up.

Tonight an estimated 225 enemy bombers operated over Britain. Gillingham was heavily bombed, at least nine people being killed. An He 111 of Stab III./KG 1 suffered an engine failure over its target. The crew eventually bailed out and the aircraft crashed on Manor Avenue, Caterham, Surrey and burnt out. It made a mess of someone’s home, though I can’t find a report of any casualties on the ground.



The substantial beam like structure in the foreground must be what remains of the Heinkel’s main spar.

At the end of the day the RAF had suffered just 2 operational losses with one more aircraft damaged. The Luftwaffe had lost 6 aircraft with another 4 damaged.

*Any future references to ‘that film’ are entirely good natured. Everyone will know to which film I am referring. It is highly recommended, if only for Section Officer Maggie Harvey in her undies

[colin m]

Thanks again for all the great effort in compiling this diary.

[colin m]

Something that surprised me at this stage of the battle are the huge numbers of aircraft involved. With these numbers, it would seem, this stage of the war would last forever.

[stona]

Something that surprised me at this stage of the battle are the huge numbers of aircraft involved. With these numbers, it would seem, this stage of the war would last forever.

The Luftwaffe could send raids of 300+ aircraft two or three times a day, for a limited period. A few days of operations at such intensity would inevitably lead to a period of recuperation. It was a problem for the Germans, who struggled to maintain pressure, and a self evident relief for Fighter Command which could repair damaged infrastructure and shuffle squadrons and aircrew.
You can see from the numbers that Fighter Command would sometimes commit 10 or more squadrons to the defence. This might be 120-150 fighters at this stage, when the squadrons could almost invariably field a full complement of 12 aircraft. There were occasions when even more were committed. The Germans never met 150 fighters in one go. Park's tactics meant that they were harassed from the coast until they were either turned back or reached their targets, they were then harassed back to the coast and out to sea. His basic tactical unit was a single squadron. It would be unusual for more than two or three squadrons to be engaged with an enemy raid at any one time, which is why in British accounts the pilots always feel that they were hugely outnumbered. These tactics definitely affected German morale. It seems to have given the impression that the RAF had an almost limitless supply of aircraft which just kept coming at the bombers.
It was entirely possible that more than 500 aircraft could be involved on two or three occasions on the same day.

The problem was that despite the numbers the Germans were not destroying enough British Fighters. By far the best way to destroy an air force is on the ground and avoiding this was one of the great advantages of Dowding's system. You can see that the occasions in which a FIGHTER Command squadron was caught on the ground were rare. I haven't read back through the posts, but so far I think it has happened just twice. German doctrine did not really encompass a long slog, a battle of attrition, but sought a decisive blow, or series of blows, to settle the issue. Unfortunately for them, by this stage the Battle of Britain had become a battle of attrition.
The Germans had started off trying to destroy British aircraft, not least because they underestimated their numbers and the capacity of the British aircraft industry. The British problem was not aircraft, it was always pilots. This would come to a head in early September. The German problem was that they were trying to conserve their strength for future operations but were losing aircraft and aircrew at an unsustainable rate.

Even without hindsight it is clear that that the decisive phase of the contest was being fought. The Germans had obvious time constraints, barely two weeks until the proposed invasion. Both sides were suffering losses that were worrying the respective commanders. The question was, who would crack first?

[colin m]

The British problem was not aircraft, it was always pilots.

I wish I could remember which book I read when the author (pilot) noted that aircraft was never a problem. I think he was even surprised at how quickly new aircraft appeared to replace lost / damaged aircraft. So, if we could build them this quickly, what was wrong with the Germans ? Then again, we were mainly replacing small fighters, the Germans were dealing with loosing larger aircraft, which just take longer to produce.

[Tim Marlow]

It would be interesting to see the production figures for the main types during this period....I seem to remember that Germany was not at war production until about 1942.

[BattleshipBob]

German industry was very inefficent, no women brought in, factories still making luxury goods, people still having servants. Hitler thought women should be at home and producing children, he also did not want to lower living standards. I think the UK outbuilt Germany on everything apart from rifles!

When Albert Speer took over he found one plane had over 3000 different types of nuts an bolts etc!