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Adlertag

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Adlertag

Adlertag ("Eagle Day") was the first day of Unternehmen Adlerangriff ("Operation Eagle Attack"), an operation by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe (air force) intended to destroy the British Royal Air Force (RAF). The operation came during the Battle of Britain after Britain rejected all overtures for a negotiated peace with Germany. However, Adlertag and subsequent operations failed to destroy the RAF or gain local air superiority. On 16 July 1940 Hitler gave the German armed forces (Wehrmacht) Directive No. 16 ordering provisional preparations for the invasion of Britain. This operation was codenamed Operation Sea Lion (Unternehmen Seelöwe). Before this could be carried out, air superiority or air supremacy was required. The Luftwaffe was to destroy the RAF in order to prevent it from attacking the invasion fleet or providing protection for the Royal Navy's Home Fleet, which might attempt to prevent a landing by sea. On 1 August Hitler gave the Luftwaffe's commander-in-chief, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring and the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe Directive No. 17 ("for the conduct of air and sea warfare against England") to launch the air assault. The essential target was RAF Fighter Command. The service's destruction would deny the British their air superiority asset and feeling vulnerable to air attack might negotiate for peace. Throughout July and early August, the Germans made preparations for Adlertag. The date of the assault was postponed several times because of bad weather. Eventually, it was carried out on 13 August 1940. The German attacks on 13 August inflicted significant damage and casualties on the ground, but, marred by poor intelligence and communication, they did not significantly impair Fighter Command's ability to defend British air space. Göring had promised Hitler that Adlertag and Adlerangriff would achieve the results required within days, or at worst weeks. It was meant to be the beginning of the end of RAF Fighter Command, but Adlertag and the following operations failed to destroy the RAF, or gain the necessary local air superiority. As a result, Operation Sea Lion was postponed indefinitely.

Infobox

Date
13 August 1940
Location
England and English Channel
Result
British victory

Tables

Attack on 13 August 1940 · <i>Luftwaffe</i> preparations › Targets and order of battle
Kampfgeschwader 1 (KG 1)
Kampfgeschwader 1 (KG 1)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 1 (KG 1)
Target
RAF Biggin Hill
Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76)
Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76)
Target
RAF Kenley RAF Debden/RAF Biggin Hill/ Other unknown targets
Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2)
Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2)
Target
mw- .mw- RAF HornchurchRAF EastchurchRAF Manston
Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3)
Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3)
Target
RAF Eastchurch
Kampfgeschwader 53 (KG 53)
Kampfgeschwader 53 (KG 53)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 53 (KG 53)
Target
RAF North Weald
Erprobungsgruppe 210
Erprobungsgruppe 210
German bomber unit
Erprobungsgruppe 210
Target
Radar Stations; Rye, Pevensey, DoverRAF HawkingeRAF ManstonRAF Kenley
Kampfgeschwader 4 (KG 4)
Kampfgeschwader 4 (KG 4)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 4 (KG 4)
Target
Unknown targets (lack of records)/some mine-laying operations in English Channel
Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG 40)
Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG 40)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG 40)
Target
RAF Dishforth
Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26)
Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26)
Target
RAF Dishforth/Linton-on-Ouse
Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30)
Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30)
Target
RAF Driffield
Kampfgeschwader 27 (KG 27)
Kampfgeschwader 27 (KG 27)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 27 (KG 27)
Target
Ports of Bristol/Birkenhead/Liverpool
Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1)
Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1)
German bomber unit
Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1)
Target
RAF Worthy Down/ Ports of Southampton, Portsmouth and surrounding airfields/RAF Detling/Other unspecified operations
Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3)
Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3)
German bomber unit
Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3)
Target
StG 3 was to take part. For unknown reasons it was removed from the order of battle on 13 August. Another source asserts that the unit had its missions cancelled owing to poor weather.
Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51)
Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51)
Target
RAF Bibury/Spithead harbour/Ventnor radar station
Kampfgeschwader 54 (KG 54)
Kampfgeschwader 54 (KG 54)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 54 (KG 54)
Target
Fleet Air Arm base Gosport/RAF Croydon RAF Farnborough RAF Odiham
Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
German bomber unit
Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
Target
Plymouth/Feltham/RAF Middle Wallop
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1)
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1)
German bomber unit
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1)
Target
RAF Warmwell/RAF Detling
I., and II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2)
I., and II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2)
German bomber unit
I., and II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2)
Target
Portland area and airfieldsRAF Middle Wallop/RAF WarmwellYeovil
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77)
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77)
German bomber unit
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77)
Target
RAF Warmwell/Portland
German bomber unit
Target
Kampfgeschwader 1 (KG 1)
RAF Biggin Hill
Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76)
RAF Kenley RAF Debden/RAF Biggin Hill/ Other unknown targets
Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2)
mw- RAF HornchurchRAF EastchurchRAF Manston
Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3)
RAF Eastchurch
Kampfgeschwader 53 (KG 53)
RAF North Weald
Erprobungsgruppe 210
Radar Stations; Rye, Pevensey, DoverRAF HawkingeRAF ManstonRAF Kenley
Kampfgeschwader 4 (KG 4)
Unknown targets (lack of records)/some mine-laying operations in English Channel
Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG 40)
RAF Dishforth
Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26)
RAF Dishforth/Linton-on-Ouse
Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30)
RAF Driffield
Kampfgeschwader 27 (KG 27)
Ports of Bristol/Birkenhead/Liverpool
Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1)
RAF Worthy Down/ Ports of Southampton, Portsmouth and surrounding airfields/RAF Detling/Other unspecified operations
Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3)
StG 3 was to take part. For unknown reasons it was removed from the order of battle on 13 August. Another source asserts that the unit had its missions cancelled owing to poor weather.
Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51)
RAF Bibury/Spithead harbour/Ventnor radar station
Kampfgeschwader 54 (KG 54)
Fleet Air Arm base Gosport/RAF Croydon RAF Farnborough RAF Odiham
Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG 55)
Plymouth/Feltham/RAF Middle Wallop
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1)
RAF Warmwell/RAF Detling
I., and II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2)
Portland area and airfieldsRAF Middle Wallop/RAF WarmwellYeovil
Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77)
RAF Warmwell/Portland

References

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  2. Bungay notes that by between 27 August to 4 September 1940 that German bomber unit strength had shrunk to an average of
  3. The head of the German Navy Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, did not believe an amphibious attack could be launched until 194
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  8. Note excluding 4 casualties from Australia; the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists only 25 Civilian casualties 13
    http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1
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  10. Hough and Richards 2007, p. 162.
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  14. Mackay 2003, p. 71.
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  50. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 1, p. 104.
  51. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 2, p. 360.
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  53. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 2, p. 370.
  54. Ward 2004, p. 105.
  55. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 2, p. 354.
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  57. Goss 2000, p. 79.
  58. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 1, p. 155.
  59. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 1, p. 146.
  60. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 1, p. 179.
  61. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 1, p. 184.
  62. Bungay 2000, p. 208.
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  64. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 1, p. 195.
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  66. de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007 Vol 1, p. 193.
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  68. Hough and Richards 2007. p. 51.
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  70. Bungay 2000, pp. 61–69.
  71. Parker 2000, p. 123.
  72. Bungay 2000, p. 192.
  73. Collier 1980, p. 51.
  74. James 2000, pp. 71–73.
  75. Bungay 2000, pp. 207–208.
  76. Mason 1969, p. 238.
  77. James 2000, p. 73.
  78. Hough and Richards 2007, p. 157.
  79. Hough and Richards 2007, pp. 155–157.
  80. Goss 2005, p. 60.
  81. de Zeng 2007 Vol 2, p. 232.
  82. de Zeng 2007 Vol 2, p. 228.
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  84. Mackay 2001, p. 31.
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  92. James 2000, p. 77.
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  94. Korda 2009, p. 167.
  95. Mason 1969, p. 237.
  96. Mason 1969, pp. 239–240.
  97. Warner 2005, p. 258.
  98. RAF Station Commanders – South East England
    http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Station%20OCs-SE.htm
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  102. Dierich 1975, p. 39.
  103. Hall and Quinlan 2000, p. 18.
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  107. Mason 1969, p. 243.
  108. Goss 2000, p. 80.
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  112. Terraine 1985, p. 186.
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  114. Parker 2000, p. 311.
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  116. Bungay 2000, p. 298.
  117. Murray 1983, p. 52
  118. Parker 2000, p. 309.
  119. Wood and Dempster 2003, p. 306.
  120. Overy 1980, pp. 34, 36.
  121. Hooton 1997, p. 38.
  122. Bungay 2000, p. 379.
  123. Addison and Crang 2000, p. 270.
  124. Bungay 2000, pp. 393–394.
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