Weather: showery
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:
- Blenheim – 52
- Spitfire – 215
- Hurricane – 403
- Defiant – 16
- Gladiator – 7
- Total – 693
Activity this day was once more concentrated on attacks by single aircraft. The targets were south of London and on London itself. Attacks took place on radar stations and on Eastbourne and Brighton where a cinema was hit killing 35 people.
In Berlin Hitler blamed the difficulties being experienced in the battle against the RAF on the weather. The point is that the Germans had missed the fine weather earlier in the month. It was then that they had failed to dominate the RAF. Now it was getting too late to launch an invasion. Yet the Germans managed to get the impression that once again the RAF was showing signs of being near defeat. The RAF lost 14 and the Luftwaffe lost 7.
73 Squadron Operational Record Book – 14 September
This turned out to be our blackest day. Twelve machines took off, seven returned in disorder. F/O Smith, supported by two others, reports that Spitfires attacked the formation and broke up the rear section. Smithy followed one Spitfire right down almost to the ground, hence the forcefulness of his statement that they attacked our formations. Of the seven that returned, P/O Marchand was battered about a bit, having a bullet through his port tank, one through the port aileron passing through the main spar and emerging from the landing light, and one clean through the top of the W/T mast just above his head.
F/Lt Beytagh got a bullet in his radiator and force landed at West Malling. Sergt Marshall was shot down by a Me109 near Dover, Sergt Leng was also shot down by one of the same tribe, near Gravesend. The CO was reported missing, also Sergt Brimble. Sergt Griffin was shot in both legs and baled out. A pall of gloom spread over the whole unit.
Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 14th September 1940):
* Enemy: 16 confirmed, 3 probable, 12 damaged
* Own: 12 aircraft with 4 pilots killed or missing.
Today’s theme: The Airfields – RAF Middle Wallop
Battle of Britain Day by Day 
3 comments
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March 31, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Simon Morris
92 Squadron Operations Record Book:
Much cloud during the day. An attack was attempted in the evening. 92 SQUADRON engaged the enemy and damaged several ME 109s. None confirmed. Road convoy arrived today. F/O McGowan had to abandon aircraft through enemy action and was wounded SGT MANN also.
February 19, 2013 at 4:54 am
Kirston Scott
I am trying to trace my grandfather Herbert William Stanley McGowan. Records show a H. W. McGowan baled out on the 14 th sep 1940, how can I find out if this is him. He was know as Mac but often used his full name. My grandparents divorced in 1945 when my mother was 3 so she didn’t know a lot about him. He did keep in touch over the years but my grandmother would not let the family talk about him so what we know is very sketchy, the record show a H W McGowan then joined special duties which fits in with family stories. He would have been 37-38 in 1940. I also found records in the national archives of him in the RAF 1918-1928 but yet have obtain these records so the chances of him being in the RAF in 1940 is high. If any body could help me I would be very greatfull
March 14, 2013 at 5:19 pm
Simon Morris
I can confirm that a Sergeant McGowan HW was on 92 Squadron. He was attacked by an Me 109. He baled out of his Spitfire Mk 1 Registration R 6624 at 1900 Hrs. He parachuted to safety but was injured. Please see my web site: http://www.92squadron.com. I don’t know if he was your grandfather but I believe that the pilots on 92 squadron called him Huw. They gave all pilots an original nick name and he was probably called Huw as his initials were HW. Regards, Simon