[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

18 July 1940.

In the late afternoon of the 18th three sections of XV Squadron and three sections of 40 Squadron with a fighter escort were detailed to attack enemy shipping in Boulougne harbour. Attacks were made on harbour installations and factories and warehouses were set alight. During the attack 110 photographs were taken. 40 Squadron was led by Flt Lt Stevenson and crew in L9326. In spite of intense accurate flak, considerable damage was done to the harbour and its installations, all our aircraft returned safely, although some of them had a few shrapnel holes. Flt Lt George* of XV Squadron:

"I led a large formation of two squadrons of Blenheims (XV and 40) with a fighter escort in a high level attack on the harbour at Boulougne, where there was said to be a concentration of shipping, though when we got there this turned out to be duff gen. We plastered the dock installations instead and scored direct hits on a factory. This raid was notable for the fact that I did a lot of no good to a pair of Do 18s which were moored close to one another, by dropping a 250lb bomb between them, having reserved it on the run in for that purpose. This caused much merriment on the way home. This was a daylight raid of three hours including one hour in cloud."

* 40106 F/L William Hubert GEORGE RAF, later DFC, LG:22/10/1940 - XV Sqn.

See:
Attack! Blenheim Operations - June-October 1940.
Bingham,Victor.
Hailsham:J&KH Publishing,2002.
p.33.

Col.