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Two RAF pilots from
Fighter Command return from their latest encounter with the Germans
unscathed |
1940: Luftwaffe launches Battle of
Britain |
England have
The German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, has mounted a series of attacks on
shipping convoys off the south-east coast of England.
It is the first major assault by the Luftwaffe and is being seen as
what the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, dubbed in a speech three weeks
ago as the beginning of the "Battle of Britain".
Although heavily outnumbered, the British fighter pilots put up a
fierce fight and succeeded in driving off the attackers.
The Air Ministry says they inflicted "the greatest damage on the German
air force since bombing raids on this country began".
In total the Air Ministry says 14 enemy aircraft were shot down and 23
more were severely damaged.
Two British fighters were lost, but the pilot of one survived and is
safe.
The bombing raids began at dawn hitting airfields along the south and
east coasts of England.
But the main attacks took place offshore later in the day, when two
shipping convoys were targeted. The first was at 1100 hours off Manston
and at 1325 hours a large force of about 120 enemy aircraft approached a
convoy between Dover and Dungeness.
Spitfire pilots went into the attack shooting down a number of
Messerschmitt 110s and 109s. Exact numbers are difficult to verify but it
seems at least nine planes were shot down.
On landing the Spitfire pilots said when they made their last attack
and came round again to carry on the fight the sky was clear of German
aircraft.
Towards evening Hurricane pilots sighted nine Heinkel bombers protected
by more than 50 fighters attempting to attack shipping off the east coast.
The bombers were surrounded by two rings of Messerschmitts - but the
Hurricanes broke through and attacked the bombers shooting down at least
two.
People watching from the south-east coast say the first sign of the
attack was when a wave of about 20 German bombers with a similar number of
support fighters dived out of the clouds.
They rained bombs down on a convoy of ships, but did not hit. A second
wave of bombers and fighters followed but before a second load of bombs
could be released, the ships opened fire with their anti-aircraft guns.
At this moment, a flight of Spitfires appeared and flew straight into
the middle of the German formation - hitting one bomber which crashed into
the sea.
It appears the intensity of the attack took the Germans by surprise and
completely destroyed their formation.
One eye-witness told The Times newspaper: "I saw 10 machines crash into
the sea, they included bombers and fighters. The range of operations was
too extensive to see everything, for it was over land and sea.
"The British fighters were fewer than the Messerschmitts sent to
protect the bombers, but the superiority of our airmen and machines was
most convincing."