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| 03/09/1939 |
An RAF Blenheim bomber
of 139 Squadron conducts the RAF's first operational sortie
of the war when it flew over to Germany to check shipping in
the Schillig Roads. With a frozen radio, it was unable to transmit
any information back to base and by the time it landed it was
too late to mount an attack that day. Later that night, Whitley
bombers conduct an number of leaflet dropping sorties over Germany. |
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| 04/09/1939 |
The RAF attacks German shipping at
Wilhelmshaven, Cuxhaven and Schillig Roads, with negligible
results (7 out of 30 Wellington bombers are shot down by German
fighters and Anti-Aircraft). |
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| 08/10/1939 |
RAF reconnaissance planes shoots down
a German flying boat over the North Sea. |
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| 16/10/1939 |
German bombers attack Forth
and Rosyth bridges. |
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| 06/11/1939 |
First big air battle on Western Front. |
| 13/11/1939 |
German bombers attacked British territory
for the first time, with a bombing raid on the Shetland Islands.
No serious damage was done. |
|
| 23/11/1939 |
RAF shoots down seven German
aircraft over France. |
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| 18/12/1939 |
The RAF launch another
daylight raid against German shipping in the Schillig Roads,
but lose 12 out of 24 bombers. This was the culmination of a
series of RAF daylight raids which had cost an increasing number
of aircraft. This eventually caused the RAF to switch to night
raids to reduce casualties. |
| 26/12/1939 |
The first squadron of Australian airmen
arrives in Britain. |
