WILHELMSHAVEN AND BRUNSBTTEL
After an early Blenheim reconnaissance, 15 Blenheims and 14 Wellingtons were dispatched to bomb German warships. 5 planes from each force failed to find targets in low-cloud conditions. Most of the remaining Blenheims carried out low-level attacks on the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer and on the cruiser Emden in Wilhelmshaven harbour. At least 3 bombs hit the Admiral Scheer but they failed to explode; the Emden was damaged and suffered some casualties when a Blenheim crashed on to it. 5 Blenheims were shot down, all or most by anti-aircraft (Flak) fire; 107 Squadron lost 4 of its 5 planes on the raid. The first Bomber Command casualties of the war are believed to have been Flight Lieutenant W. F. Barton and his crew - Flying Officer J. F. Ross, navigator, and Corporal J. L. Ricketts, wireless operator/gunner - of 107 Squadron, all killed when Blenheim N6184 was shot down by anti-aircraft gunfire of the Admiral Hipper.
Little is known of the Wellington attacks on ships at Brunsbttel in the mouth of the Kiel Canal. 4 crews reported that they had found targets to bomb. Owing to navigation error, 2 bombs were dropped on the Danish town of Esbjerg, 110 miles north of Brunsbttel, and 2 people were killed there. Some of the Wellingtons were attacked by German fighters and 2 Wellingtons were lost.
Total effort for the day: 30 sorties, 7 aircraft (23.3 percent) lost.
LEAFLET RAIDS, 4/5 September to
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. The 'Missing' were all dead.
Leading Aircraftman Harry Dore of 9 Squadron, who was killed when his Wellington was shot down while attempting to attack ships at Brunsbttel. He is wearing the pre-war 'winged bullet' air gunner's badge. All aircrew were soon promoted to at least the rank of sergeant.
The first British aircraft of the war to fly over Berlin - from 10 Squadron - did so on 1/2 October; this was a round trip of at least 1,000 miles. Airfields in France, particularly Villeneuve near Paris, were often used as advanced refuelling bases for distant targets or as relief landing grounds on return from long flights.
From all these operations, 4 Whitleys were lost over Germany or crashed into the sea. The first loss was the aircraft of Squadron Leader C. Murray, of 102 Squadron, which crashed in Germany on 8/9 September; the crew were all taken prisoner. On the same night, another Whitley force-landed in Belgium and its crew were interned. A Belgian aircraft was also shot down, with 2 of its crew believed wounded, but it is not known whether the Whitley fired on it or whether it was hit by its own anti-aircraft fire. German fighters - believed to be Me 109s attempting to act as night fighters - were encountered as early as the fifth night of the war but it is not thought that any of the Whitley losses in the period were caused by fighter attack.
RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS, 20 September to
