Battle of Britain - Day 23

Day 23 – August 1st 1940

August 1, 2010 in 266 Squadron, August 1940

Weather: fair.
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

Blenheim – 57
Spitfire – 245
Hurricane – 341
Defiant – 21
Total – 664

German raiders attacked a convoy off Hastings with considerable air fighting following. In the afternoon raiders attacked Norwich with a timber yard being destroyed. The Boulton Paul factory was also hit and suffered extensive damage. That same afternoon Luftwaffe planes dropped German propaganda leaflets over the West Country and East Anglia. This consisted of Hitler’s “last appeal to reason” speech. Some leaflets were collected up by enterprising civilians and sold the next day with the proceeds going to charity. It was that day that Hitler issued his Directive 17 which authorised the stepping up of the campaign to destroy the RAF. The RAF destroyed 5 enemy aircraft that day to the loss of 1 fighter. The RAF flew 659 sorties.

266 Squadron Operational Record Book, 1 August
Warm, cloudless, visibility excellent. “B” Flight at readiness. “A” Flight available. Raid investigation by 2 aircraft of “B” Flight. Fg Off N.W. Burnett posted to no. 46 Squadron for Flight Commander duties.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 1st August 1940):

Enemy: Fighters – None; Bombers – 1 confirmed, 2 unconfirmed; Reconnaissance -1 unconfirmed.
Own: 1 Hurricane (No 145 Squadron)