What began as a quiet day significantly changed its character from the late afternoon. A considerable force of bombers, with heavy fighter escort, headed towards Dorset with the airfield at Warmwell as one of its targets. Soon afterwards another large force headed towards Dover and the Thames estuary. Both attacks were heavily engaged by RAF fighters.

This was a period when there were moves to improve the British ability to rescue downed aircrew from the sea, something at which the Germans were considerably better at that stage of the war. For example, former army co-operation Lysanders were being used to search for downed airmen and were now under the control of Fighter Command.

Packs containing flourescine, a chemical that caused the sea around an airman to turn bright green, were being issued. This morning they were handed out to Hurricane pilots of No 32 Squadron at Biggin Hill, who were told to sew the packs on their lifejackets. Not everyone did so immediately, but one who did was Pilot Officer Jack Rose. He was shot down into the Channel during the evening, and two hours later a searching aircraft spotted the dye and directed a ship to his position. Rose survived into old age.