[John Vasco]

Chapter 14 read

Four pages about continued planning post-17th September 1940. Mention of the SS Einsatzgruppen and their role in an invasion, as well as commando units. Accommodation to be provided for troops near the jump-off areas for the invasion, and dressing/medical packs that included seasickness pills, and pervitin. So many pages of behind-the-scenes planning. Galland’s five phases of the Battle are mentioned, including ‘Phase 4 the opening of the Blitz, which saw a mix of daylight and night-time Luftwaffe raids mainly concentrated on London (7th September - 20th October)’, and ‘Phase 5 the ‘Night Blitz’ offensive conducted independently by German bombers from the end of October 1940 to May 1941’. The term ‘Blitz’ features more prominently in the following chapters, I believe to emphasise that the Battle of Britain went well into 1941, and not the British time-period allotted to it on the back of Dowding selecting two dates between which the ‘Battle of Britain Clasp’ should be awarded.

Page 251: ‘Technically, the first significant attack by Jagdbomber (or ‘Jabos’) in the Battle of Britain had already come as early as 12 August 1940 when fighter-bombers of the test wing Erprobungsgruppe 210 were instructed to take out five Chain Home radar (sic) sites mostly dotted along the Kent and Sussex coastlines. The bombs had been accurately placed by the eight Jabos…’ Last time I looked, Dover, Rye, Pevensey and Dunkirk equals four. And where did she get the figure that a total of eight fighter-bombers took part? Is she thinking of the 3. Staffel of Bf 109 E fighter-bombers only? She references the book ‘Battle of Britain 1940’ by Douglas Dildy, in the ‘Further Notes and References’ section, citing pages 100-1. Now in my first edition of that book, it only goes to page 96, so good luck with finding that page! The actual page where Dildy references the attack on the RDF sites by Erprobungsgruppe 210 is page 47 in a ‘call-out’ section regarding ‘Attacking the Chain Home radar sites’. He mentions the eight Bf 109 Es of 3. Staffel, and Victoria Taylor attributes that number to the whole of Erprobungsgruppe 210. Words fail me…

There follows three pages giving details of how effective the Bf 109 fighter-bomber was, in ideal circumstances. Then a couple of pages about injuries, and a story from Heinz Knocke about one pilot who crashed and was killed. The last three pages cover the last major daylight raid on 7th October (briefly) and more comments about Göring, and more statistics.