This day during The Battle of Britain, Day 2.
By R.T. Bickers
Thursday, July11:
Overcast in south, bright intervals and thunder elsewhere.
Day: Early morning, radar reported three formations approaching convoy off Dorset. Six Hurricanes ordered to intercept while six Spitfires covered ships. None sunk. Late morning, Douglas Bader scored his 2nd victory, his first in the Battle of Britian. Taking off in the rain and poor visibility to investigate an unidentified aircraft, he found it, recognised it as a Dornier 17, opened fire and last saw it disappear into cloud. Five minutes after he landed, the Observer Corps reported having seen the Do 17 crash into the sea. Early afternoon, six Hurricanes arrived at portland while 15 Ju 87s, escourted by 30-plus Bf 110s, were bombing. Two Bf 110s destroyed. Afternoon, six Spitfires intercepted 12 Bf 109s off Deal, escorting Heinkel 59 seaplane, with Red Cross marking, on air-sea rescue, and shot down the He 59, which beached near Deal. Two Bf-109s and two Spitfires shot down. Afternoon, six Hurricanes attacked 12 He 111s and 12 Bf 110s over isle of Wight.
Night: Bombs on Portsmouth, eastern and north-western England.
Aircraft Losses: RAF 4, luftwaffe 11.
Another account:
From Battle-of-Britain.com
Weather Forecast
Southeast & Channel overcast. Showers & thunderstorms with bright intervals elsewhere.
Combat Report
Between 0600hrs & 0900hrs small raids were reported. Along the East coast they were met by a single Hurricane (flown by Sqn. Ldr. Douglas Bader) of No: 242 Squadron off Cromer, Hurricanes of No: 85 Squadron off Harwich and Spitfires of No: 66 Squadron off Great Yarmouth. Along the South coast Hurricanes of No: 501 Squadron and Spitfires of No: 609 Squadron were scrambled.
1100hrs and the bad weather subsided enabling a large raid, of 50 plus Ju87's & Me110's, to attack Portland and a convoy off the coast. Hurricanes of No: 601 Squadron, scrambled from Tangmere and Spitfires of No: 609 Squadron from Warmwell, met the raiders.
Later that day, 1745hrs, No: 601 Squadron were involved again with Hurricanes of No: 145 Squadron, when a raid, consisting of He111's and Me110's, attacked & bombed Portsmouth.
After 2100hrs raids were reported and bombs were dropped in South Wales, Somerset, Bristol, Portland, Dorchester, Plymouth, Hull, Ipswich, Harrogate, Doncaster, Colchester and Harwich areas.
Statistics
R.A.F. Losses: 8 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 3 pilots killed or missing and 1 wounded.
Luftwaffe Losses: 25 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 28 pilots & aircrew killed or missing and 10 wounded.
NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.
From R.T. Bicker's BOB
American Musketeers
Shay
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