8 October 1940 - Daylight raid on London

[Roundway]

Between about 0830 and 0900 BST on 8 October 1940 Luftwaffe aircraft bombed Central London. I would appreciate any advice about this operation from the bombers' perspective - i.e. where were they based, time of take-off and altitude from which the bombs were released.

Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

At this date it will probably be high altitude Jabo (fighter-bombers).

No details given in the Blitz then and now, except that a Bf 109 of 4./JG 52 was shot down at 0925 hrs, but on a "free-lance sortie" (sweep?), so not a "bomber ". A Ju 88 of 4.KG 51 was shot down at 1120 hrs during a bombing sortie to London. Still the book says "it is believed that all the attacks in force were made by Me 109s" (probably citing a British wartime report)

The JG 26 war diary book by Caldwell confirms that JG 26 was escorting Jabo this morning.

[Roundway]

Thank you Laurent. There is an online account of the raid (http://blitzincidents.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/ - one needs to scroll down to High Holborn - the morning of 8 October 1940). Although this quotes a number of sources (ie Chris Goss's Luftwaffe Fighter-Bombers over Britain) the author has cherry-picked to construct a generalised account rather than something specific to the 8 October.

Basically I'm writing a brief biography of one of the casualties, Joan Ellen Hill, a clerk at the Met Office HQ in Whitehall and, if possible, I'd like to add more specific detail than is given by the above link.

Brian

[robert]

Hi,

there was a row of nuisance daylight attacks that were flown on this day against London. Many raids were flown individually and must be aborted due to bad weather. However between 08.30 and 09.00 hrs London was attacked by Jabos of the II.(S)/LG2 - 44 SC250 bombs were dropped in the area of Beckton gasworks as well as N of Thames.

Regards

Robert

[Roundway]

Thank you Robert,

A bit more digging found a reference to '50 German aircraft crossing the coast at 0830 BST near Dungeness at 30000 ft, with fighter cover above' (http://blitzincidents.blogspot.co.uk...ober-1940.html) .

However, this seems a little at odds with another source (http://www.luftwaffeinprofile.se/Hur...09%20%204.html) which refers to 'a large group of BF 109s from JG 54, of which 11 were carrying bombs'.

Unfortunately neither writer quotes a source nor identifies the Bf 109's base.

Brian

[robert]

Hi,

first wave of Jabo attacks was consisting from 8./JG54 and escorting III./JG54 but they turned away after meeting bad weather
second wave 28 Bf109Es of II.(S)/LG2 and fighter escort
the next wave (at approx. 11.00 hrs) Jabos from 6./JG54 and 8./JG54 with escorting Bf109s III./JG54 and I./JG54 - but they also did not reach London.
The last attack was flown in the afternoon - again by II.(S)/LG2 - and again London was hit.

Regards

Robert

[Roundway]

Thank you, Robert, it would be the second wave which carried out 'my' raid.

I've just found a link which times the first air raid warning of the morning as being at 0844 BST, less than 6 minutes before the first bombs fell. (https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/wp-content/u...tober-1940.pdf)

I assume the unit operated from Saint-Omer, but would I be correct in thinking the aircraft would have dropped the bombs from about 30000 ft?

Brian

[Faenor]

Originally Posted by Roundway

Thank you Robert,

A bit more digging found a reference to '50 German aircraft crossing the coast at 0830 BST near Dungeness at 30000 ft, with fighter cover above' (http://blitzincidents.blogspot.co.uk...ober-1940.html) .

However, this seems a little at odds with another source (http://www.luftwaffeinprofile.se/Hur...09%20%204.html) which refers to 'a large group of BF 109s from JG 54, of which 11 were carrying bombs'.

Unfortunately neither writer quotes a source nor identifies the Bf 109's base.

Brian

Hi all,

on this link is described, that Hurricane of Sergeant Josef Frantisek was claimed by Leutnant Max-Helmuth Ostermann. Accoording my information, Sergeant Josef Frantisek perished in crash caused by possible airbone indiscipline. Are there new information about this loss? Have somebody more info about Ostermann claim of this Hurricane?

http://www.luftwaffeinprofile.se/Hur...09%20%204.html

Thanks

Faenor

[Chris Goss]

I believe that his death was attributed to an accident when his Hurricane hit a tree and crashed at Cuddington Way, Ewell, Surrey. He was on a patrol and was seen to dive away. No records of any German aircraft and not mentioned in the Northolt Polish War diary

[Roundway]

Would I be correct in thinking that a Bf109E based at St-Omer, flying via Dungeness, could reach London in about 30 mins (including time taken to climb to operational height)?

Forgive me if I've over-simplified the question.

Brian