Weather: Low cloud and showers would persist for most of the morning in most areas, but was expected to clear and most of the country could expect some cloud with sunny periods with the exception of the Channel areas where cloud was expected to continue. Most areas were to expect a coninuation of cooler temperatures.
Because of the weather, enemy activity was very light with only the occasional reconnaissance aircraft along the east coast and Fighter Command decided to leave them alone leaving the map boards at both headquarters completely clear.
1445 hours: A radar plot was picked up by south coast radar of a formation that again was coming in from the Channel towards the Kent coast. A mixture of Bf 109s and Bf 110s from JG3, JG26, JG51, ZG26 and ZG76. At first, the radar sent through the message of 700 plus bandits approaching, and Park ordered no less that 13 fighter squadrons of 11 Group into the air. This figure was later amended and confirmed by the Observer Corps that it was in fact a formation of some 650 aircraft.
1530 hours: 85 Squadron Croydon (Hurricanes) was the first on the scene and straight away got caught into combat with the Bf 109s. Three of their Hurricanes were shot down with two of them destroyed although no pilots were lost. 603 Squadron Hornchurch (Spitfires) were also on the scene and two of these were damaged by German fighters. 610 Squadron Biggin Hill (Spitfires) also lost two aircraft with one of their pilots killed. Park immediately saw that the British fighters would have no choice that to mix it with the huge number of 109s and could see no point in fighter to fighter combat and called for all Squadrons to abort.
1915 hours: Again a number of squadrons were dispatched to intercept German fighters again trying to lure RAF fighters into combat. Again, Keith Park would not fall to the bait and sent only minimal squadrons to meet the German fighters. 85 Squadron Croydon (Hurricanes), 501 Squadron Gravesend (Hurricanes) and 603 Squadron Hornchurch (Spitfires) were involved and although all squadrons suffered casualties, four Bf 109s were shot down.
F/L Richard Hillary of 603 Squadron made his debut with the squadron in spectacular fashion by destroying one Bf 109 over Manston and claiming a probable Bf 109 over Deal. Unfortunately, losing sight of his own squadron he came upon a formation of Hurricanes of 85 Squadron and decided to tag along as a “tail end Charlie”, but an unseen Bf 109 fired a volley of shots at him and damaged his engine. He tried to make it to Lympne, but with smoke pouring out of his engine and missing badly he decided to make a forced landing in a field in Kent.
2430 hours: The usual night raids over many parts of Britain including The Tyneside area, Hartlepool, Swansea in South Wales and the Merseyside cities of Manchester and Liverpool but no serious damage was recorded. In an attempted raid on Liverpool, a Heinkel He 111 was shot down by a Spitfire of 92 Squadron stationed at Pembrey. It is believed that the bomber crashed into a house in or near Fordingbridge.
During the night, Liverpool is attacked. There is some damage to flats and electrical/water works, but manageable. The British try a new tactic of setting decoy fires in the countryside to attract bombers thinking that it is a blazing city, and some of the bombers fall for it. These are called “Starfish sites.”
The last two days of the month of August were to stretch Fighter Command to the limit, and although it was not known then, but this was to be the shape of things to come. For not only was the RAF going to be hit hard on the ground and in the air, the night air raids were to begin in earnest and for the first time, the people of London were going to wage war on their own. They were not going to fight their war with guns, bullets and bombs, but they were going to fight it with stubbornness and a tenacity of a silent army that was to make a mockery out of the German bombing of their city.
Albert Kesselring had placed his military reputation on the line as he had stated that he would have the defence system of Britain broken by September. But he was running out of time, already we were at the end of August and the defences of Britain were still intact. Now, he was to throw everything that he had in a last ditch effort to hammer the British into submission.
RAF Casualties:
1815 hours: Rye Sussex. Hurricane V6623. 85 Squadron Croydon
F/L H.R.Hamilton killed.
1600 hours: Hurst Green Spitfire R6629. 610 Squadron Biggin Hill
Sgt. E.Manton killed. (Shot down during combat with Bf 109s over Hurst Green and crashed)
James Lacey shot down a Bf 109 fighter of German Jagdgeschwader 3 wing over Britain.
Losses for the day are usually put at around 17 for the Luftwaffe and 10 for the RAF. Some accounts state that the Luftwaffe actually won the day or at least tied in terms of fighter losses, which, if true, is a rarity.
The decision by the RAF — primarily by Vice Air Marshal Keith Park at No. 11 Group — not to contest the Luftwaffe’s fighter sweeps results in the erroneous conclusion within the Luftwaffe that they have won the Battle of Britain.
RAF No. 305 (Polish) forms at Bramcote, Nuneaton.
RAF Fighter Command decides to fob its Bolton Paul Defiants, which have been death traps for their pilots, off on the Poles of No. 307 Squadron.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 26 Blenheims during the day to the Dutch-German Coast; 7 bombed airfields and shipping. No losses.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 81 Blenheims, Hampdens, Wellingtons and Whitleys overnight to Bottrop, Essen, Mannheim and Soest, and to airfields in Holland and France, 1 Blenheim and 1 Hampden lost.
The Italians send a large force of bombers and escorting CR 42 biplane fighters (a dozen of each) against Malta at 08:37. Defending Hurricane fighters scramble and a dogfight begins. The bombers damage numerous buildings with 30 high explosive bombs and cause 6 civilian casualties. Neither side loses any planes.
Today’s Italian war communique announces that Italian airplanes have raided the northern end of the Suez Canal where they bombed the Port Said-Ismailia section of the railroad that links Egypt and Palestine.
The South African Air Force conducts raids against Italian positions in Somaliland and Mogadishu. The Italians bomb Matruh with 30 bombers.
British scientists of the so-called Tizard Mission, named for scientist Sir Henry Tizard, board a liner with the so-called “secret box” of advanced scientific instruments. They are bound for the United States, where Sir Henry is waiting for them. Their most significant item is a prototype cavity magnetron, which is a leap forward in radar technology. Other items include blueprints and circuit diagrams for rockets, explosives, superchargers, gyroscopic gunsights, submarine detection devices, self-sealing fuel tanks, and information relating to the development of the jet engine and the atomic bomb.
In a rare bit of attempted cross-Channel diplomacy during the Battle of Britain, Germany proposes to the British that Red Cross ships be used to recover downed Luftwaffe airmen in the Channel. The British, who have been shooting down the Luftwaffe’s Heinkel seaplanes used for this purpose, refuse.
Berlin formally apologized to Ireland for bombing Wexford.
The Vichy government forms the Legion Francais des Combattants, a government-sponsored organization for veterans.
Spain remains neutral even if heavily leaning toward the Axis. Belgian Prime Minister Pierlot and Foreign Minister Spaak have taken refuge there, and today they attempt to reach London to form a government-in-exile.
Ribbentrop and Count Ciano met Rumanian and Hungarian Ministers in Vienna, Austria. The foreign ministers from each country meet in Vienna to reach an accommodation regarding territorial claims in the region. Hungary desires pieces of Rumanian territory, and both sides have been accusing the other of unlawful overflights. The outline of a plan develops in which northern Transylvania will be ceded by Rumania to Hungary. This is the famous “Vienna Award.”
Rumania published a law restricting the education of Jewish children.
A large convoy (MF 2) with supplies for Malta sails from Alexandria. As a diversion, some Royal Navy assets (Force F) at Gibraltar will head east toward Alexandria (Operation Hats). This is a major fleet operation in two directions at once led by battleships Malaya and Warspite and aircraft carrier Eagle.
The French colonies of Equatorial Africa and the Cameroons declared support for Charles de Gaulle. Governor Georges Pierre Masson of Gabon, however, retracted the support after pressure from the French naval commander at Gabon, who sided with the Vichy government.
A motion demanding that the Union of South Africa start immediate peace negotiations with Germany and Italy was introduced in the Assembly today by former Premier General J.B.M. Hertzog.
Red Army divisional commanding officer Grigoriy Fyodorovich Kondrashov was executed for deserting his unit in combat during the Winter War. Witnesses claimed that Kondrashov split his encircled force into two parts, then put all the best troops into his group and all the sick and wounded into the other group under someone else’s command, and then broke through the lines with his picked men. Kondrashov himself supposedly changed into an ordinary soldier’s uniform during the breakout. Ironically, the other group made it back intact, while Kondrashov’s force was badly mauled. The division had been disbanded afterward, and Kondrashev arrested on 3 March 1940.
Convoy OA.204, escorted by Corvettes HMS Gleaner and HMS Clematis, was attacked by U-100, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke.
British steamer Hartismere was badly damaged in 56-04N, 13-06W. At 0023 hours, U-100 fired torpedoes at the convoy OA.204 148 miles northwest of Bloody Foreland, damaged the Hartismere and sank the Dalblair. The Hartismere was hit underneath the bridge on the starboard side by one torpedo. She was escorted to the Clyde by HMS Gleaner (J 83). The 5,498-ton Hartismere was carrying ballast.
British steamer Dalblair (convoy Commodore) was sunk in 56-06N, 13-33W. The Dalblair (Master John H. Bruton) was hit amidships on starboard side and sank in ten minutes. Four crew members were lost. 17 crew members were picked up by HMS Clematis (K 36) (Cdr Y.M. Cleeves, DSO, DSC, RNR), later transferred to HMS Englishman and landed at Londonderry. The master, 18 crew members and one gunner were picked up by the Alida Gorthon, which was also sunk by U-100 three hours later. All survivors from Dalblair were lost. The 4,608-ton Dalblair was carrying ballast and was headed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
British steamer Astra II was sunk in 56-09N, 12-14W. At 0140 hours the Astra II (Master Carl Niels Nielson) in convoy OA.204 was torpedoed and sunk by U-100 148 miles northwest of Bloody Foreland. Four crew members and one gunner were lost. The master and 19 crew members were picked up by HMS Gleaner (J 83) (LtCdr H.P. Price, DSO, RN). The 2,393-ton Astra II was carrying ballast and was headed for Rimouski, New Brunswick.
Swedish steamer Alida Gorthon was sunk in 56-09N, 12-14W. At 0336 hours the unescorted Alida Gorthon, a straggler from convoy OA.204, was hit in the engine room by a G7e torpedo from U-100 and sank fast about 250 miles northwest of Tory Island. The ship had been missed by a G7a torpedo at 0316 hours. The Alida Gorthon had picked up 20 survivors from the Dalblair, which had been sunk by the same U-boat a few hours earlier and fell behind the convoy. The survivors and eleven crew members were lost. The 2,373-ton Alida Gorthon was carrying ballast and was headed for St. John’s, Newfoundland.
British steamer Empire Moose was sunk in 56-06N, 13-33W. At 0427 hours the Empire Moose (Master Robert Edward Richardson), a straggler from convoy OA.204, was hit by a stern torpedo from U-100 and sank about 130 miles west-northwest of Bloody Foreland. The master and 35 crew members landed at Killybegs, County Donegal. The 6,103-ton Empire Moose was carrying ballast and was headed for Port Sulphur, Louisiana.
Schepke’s score for the night is four ships sunk and another damaged. Now out of torpedoes, he evades the escorts and heads for U-100’s new homeport of Lorient, France.
At 2051, a patrol trawler dropped depth charges on a submarine contact in Hoxa Sound. Later a submarine was suspected at Hoxa Boom. Destroyer patrols were stationed at Nevi Skerry entrance, Hoxa Sound, between Little Risa and Fara, between Cava and the Barrel of Butter. Destroyers HMS Kashmir and HMS Kipling escorted light cruisers HMS Manchester and HMS Birmingham to sea until they were clear of the Pentland Skerries. Precautions were relaxed at 0742 on the 30th.
Destroyer HMS Matabele arrived at Scapa Flow at 1450 after repairs.
In a PO sweep, destroyers HMS Campbell, HMS Hambledon, HMS Vesper, and HMS Garth departed Aldeburgh Light Float to sweep off the French coast.
British steamer Baltistan (6803grt) was damaged by German bombing in 55-06N, 15-39W.
Light cruiser HMS Dragon departed Capetown escorting troopship Franconia for Durban. The troopship then joined Llangibby Castle and proceeded, escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Kanimbla to join WS.2 A. Light cruiser Dragon returned to Simonstown.
Convoy OA.206 departed Methil escorted by sloop HMS Sandwich, corvette HMS Gardenia and anti-submarine trawlers HMS Lady Elsa, HMS Lady Madelene, HMS St Kenan, and HMS Vizalma until 3 September. The convoy was joined on the 30th by Polish destroyers ORP Blyskawica and ORP Burza which stayed with the convoy until 3 September.
Convoy OB.205 departed Liverpool.
Convoy FN.266 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers HMS Vega and HMS Wolsey. Patrol sloop HMS Mallard joined on the 30th. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 31st.
Convoy MT.154 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day.
Convoy FS.266 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer HMS Verdun and sloop HMS Stork. Patrol sloop HMS Mallard joined on the 30th. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 31st.
Convoys FS.264 and FN.264 converged. One steamer was sunk and two steamers were damaged off 19 Buoy. The damaged ships proceeded into the Tyne. The sunk and damaged ships cannot be identified.
Today in Washington, the Senate passed and returned to the House the $5,128,169,277 supplemental Defense Appropriation Bill; completed Congressional action on the bill to increase the number of midshipmen at Annapolis; heard tributes to James A. Farley, the retiring Postmaster General; heard Senator Bridges demand an investigation of government contracts awarded to Robert & Co., and recessed at 5 PM until noon tomorrow.
The House passed and sent to the Senate the Excess Profits Tax Bill, received the Voorhis substitute for the conscription bill and adjourned at 3:45 P. M. until noon tomorrow. The Military Affairs Committee approved the Burke-Wadsworth Selective Service Bill and the Dies committee held hearings on charges by Representative Patman against Carl Byoir.
A peacetime U.S. draft bill, making all men from 21 to 44, inclusive, subject to conscription for military training, emerged from the House Military Committee today with the leadership drawing up plans for its House passage by the end of next week. Acting quickly, a day after the Senate’s vote passing a more restricted version of peacetime conscription the committee endorsed the measure, 20 to 4. It deferred for the time being, however, action on an amendment empowering the government to seize defense production plants whose owners insist upon unduly high profits.
The Senate, also working at top speed, passed a $5,133,628,277 defense appropriation bill and sent it back to the house for action on amendments which added $110,459,000. Provision of $100,000,000 for housing and $10,000,000 half in cash and half in authorization for a new graving dock at New York accounted for nearly all of the increase. Carrying an actual total of $5,133,000,000, and thus raising appropriations and authorizations for national defense for this fiscal year to above $10,200,000,000, the bill provides funds and contractual authority for these purposes:
— To start in full swing the program for a two-ocean Navy.
— To complete the equipment for land forces of about 1,200,000 men.
— To procure reserve stocks of tanks, guns, artillery and ammunition for another 800,000 men, or a total of 2,000,000 if mobilization of such a force should be required.
— To produce more than 18,000 additional planes for the service — the total program envisaged at the present time is 26,000 — out of which about 14.000 will go to the Army and 4,000 to the Navy, complete with spare engines, armament and the most modern equipment.
— To enable the President, with a total authorized expenditure of $100,000,000, to meet any acute housing shortage that may develop among those engaged in defense activities, either in the Army and Navy or civilian life.
The measure does not carry funds or authority for expenses of training the National Guard, which now is expected to be mustered into service under a bill signed by the President yesterday, or 900,000 draftees who might be called to the colors under the Senate-approved Burke-Wadsworth Conscription Bill. Money to finance the mobilization program will be asked in a third supplemental defense bill later in the session.
The Appropriation Authorization Bill was rushed immediately to conference for composition of differences between the Senate and House drafts, so that it might be sent to the President’s desk as quickly as possible. Important defense plans, particularly the signing of airplane contracts, are said by Administration spokesmen to be awaiting the final enactment of this particular measure.
The excess profits tax bill, urged as a defense measure because of three titles it carried, was adopted quickly by the House today and sent to the Senate. Passage was by voice vote, three hours and thirteen minutes after the bill was placed under consideration. Designed to yield $305,000,000 for the taxable year 1940, and “over $700,000,000” in each on the subsequent four years, the bill contained three major provisions:
- A tax rate on corporation excess profits of 25 to 50 percent, with the taxpayer allowed to adopt one of two methods in arriving at a base for computation of the tax.
- Suspension of the 8 percent profit limitation of the Vinson-Trammell Act on aircraft and naval contracts.
- A provision whereby corporations expanding their plants or building new ones for defense material may amortize their costs over a five-year period.
Wendell L. Willkie said late today that a provision of the conscription bill authorizing the government to take over private plants would set up “a potential dictatorship.” He demanded that President’ Roosevelt state his view on the provision.
Henry A. Wallace called upon the voters of the United States tonight to curb Hitler’s designs against this hemisphere by re-electing President Roosevelt. Wallace tonight declared another term for President Roosevelt would constitute an antidote for Hitlerism in the western hemisphere. Formally accepting the Democratic vice-presidential nomination here before a cheering, cornstalk-waving crowd, the candidate said: “Most Republicans may not realize it, but their party is the party of appeasement in the United States today.” Democratic party officials estimated the crowd at 7,000. Titling the speech “The New Fight for Freedom,” Wallace declared this nation “must face the fact that the dictators have definite designs against this hemisphere.”
Rear Admiral John Downes relieved Rear Admiral William C. Watts as the Commandant of the U.S. Navy Ninth Naval District and as the commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, United States. This will be where many naval aviators are trained on two special paddle-wheel aircraft carrierc.
The first mass jump by American paratroopers was carried out at Fort Benning, Georgia, United States in front of a high ranking audience with complete success.
7th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Green Bay Packers 45, All-Stars 28 (84,567).
Major League Baseball:
The Red Sox escaped a tumble into the second division today by defeating the Chicago White Sox, 4–3, in their series finale. Johnny Rigney, Chicago relief pitcher, gave Boston the game by forcing in the winning run with two out in the ninth.
The Yankees score all their runs in the fifth inning to crush the Browns, 10–3, then win a 13-inning battle in the nightcap of their doubleheader, 6–5. Joe DiMaggio had tied the second game at 4–4 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. The Browns took the lead again in the 11th on George McQuinn’s homer but the Yankees rallied again to tie in the bottom of the frame. Frankie Crosetti’s bases-loaded bunt single finally ended the game.
The second-place Tigers today moved up to within two games of the league-leading Indians by virtue of a double victory over the Senators. Detroit won the first game, 3–2, then took the second, a six-inning affair, 6–0.
The Cleveland Indians-Athletics game was rained out in Philadelphia.
The Cardinals gave Fiddler Bill McGee a first-inning five-run edge to work on in Sportsman’s Park this afternoon, and he shut out the Giants on two hits to win, 5–0.
Both the Dodgers and their pennant hopes were practically drowned today. Defying the continued rain and soggy field, the champion Reds dragged the Dodgers into action and trounced them with ridiculous ease by a 9–3 score. Paul Derringer won his 17th game of the season.
Held to five hits by Bill Posedel, the Chicago Cubs lost their second game in a row to the Boston Bees today. The score was 3–1. Posedel retired the first eleven Cubs to face him before Chicago scored in the fourth on singles by Zeke Bonura and Hank Leiber and a double by Jim Gleeson.
Doing some timely hitting and turning in three double plays, the Pittsburgh Pirates whitewashed Philadelphia today, 4–0, for their eighth straight triumph over the Phillies. Debs Garms and Bob Elliott gathered three hits apiece.
Chicago White Sox 3, Boston Red Sox 4
Boston Bees 3, Chicago Cubs 1
Brooklyn Dodgers 3, Cincinnati Reds 9
St. Louis Browns 3, New York Yankees 10
St. Louis Browns 5, New York Yankees 6
Philadelphia Phillies 0, Pittsburgh Pirates 4
New York Giants 0, St. Louis Cardinals 5
Detroit Tigers 3, Washington Senators 2
Detroit Tigers 6, Washington Senators 0
Sumner Welles, Under-Secretary of State, was designated today as the representative of the United States Government on the Emergency Committee for the Provisional Administration of European Colonies and Possessions in the Americas.
The U.S. Navy heavy cruisers USS Wichita (CA-45), under command of Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens, and USS Quincy (CA-39) arrived at Buenos Aires, Argentina. These ships were visiting South America “to furnish a reminder of the strength and the range of action of the armed forces of the United States.”
It is now definitely established after a ten-day interval that Chinese raids on the Peiping-Hankow and Shihkiachwang-Taiyuan Railways have caused the Japanese considerable embarrassment. A spokesman declared yesterday that the Shihkiachwang-Taiyuan line still had not been repaired. Even the Chinese press, which is rigorously controlled by Japanese censors, informs all passengers that those desiring to travel between the two cities must walk six miles. Foreigners report that Chinese guerrillas tore up and entirely removed rails and ties for this distance.
Japanese submarine I-67 foundered in an operational mishap off Bonin Islands in heavy weather.
France consents to Japanese military occupation of ports, airfields, and railroads in northern Indochina.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 126.87 (+0)
Born:
James Brady, U.S. press secretary (wounded during Reagan assassination attempt in 1981), in Centralia, Illinois (d. 2014).
Bennie Maupin, American jazz multireedist, in Detroit, Michigan.
Johnny Paris, American rock musician and leader of Johnny and the Hurricanes, in Walbridge, Ohio (d. 2006).
Earl Gros, NFL fullback (NFL Champions-Packers, 1962; Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints), in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana (d. 2013).
Wim Ruska, Dutch Olympic gold medalist (judoka, 1972), in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 2015).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Dance-class ASW trawler HMS Sarabande (T 125) is launched by A & J Inglis Ltd. (Glasgow, Scotland); completed by Aitchison Blair.
History Diaries 