A day of increased Luftwaffe attacks and significant casualties on both sides.

In mid-afternoon, Flight Lieutenant “Wonky” Way led ‘B’ Flight of No 54 Squadron into a force of around 60 Stukas over a convoy between Dover and Deal. Messerschmitt Bf 109s joined in. Way shot down one of them, but was then killed. The Spitfire flown by Pilot Officer Douglas Turley-George was also hit but he managed to crash land near Dover.

Another RAF pilot lost today was Squadron Leader Tom Smith, the CO of No 610 (County of Chester) Squadron. He had been a pre-war weekend pilot with this Auxiliary squadron. Some of his comrades thought that he was no longer fit enough for front line service, but Smith persevered and gave his life. After being damaged in combat, his Spitfire crashed on the airfield at Hawkinge. His body was taken back to rural Cheshire and buried in the churchyard at Delamere.