19 September 1940
Northern Front
The Bristol Blenheims return, again, to Dire Dawa with two aircrafts of No.8 (RAF) Squadron, two of No.11 (RAF) Squadron and two of No.39 (RAF) Squadron. The bombardment is done between 01h30 and 06h35 and specifically aims the hangar of Ala Littoria.[1]
On their side, the Italians send five Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 to attack the naval convoy B.N.5 in the Red Sea.[2] Two Gloster Gladiators: N2289 (Pilot Officer Stephenson) and N5778 (Pilot Officer Thomas W. Gudgeon) of No.94 (RAF) Squadron take off at 10h35 to intercept enemy aircraft south of Aden, but they do not see nothing and return after fifteen minutes of flight. The Gloster Gladiator of No.94 (RAF) Squadron and Bristol Blenheim Mk IVF of No.203 (RAF) Squadron patrol all day above the ships without reporting any particular incidents.[3]
[1] « 19 september 1940 », No. 8 (RAF) Squadron : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 114 ; « 19 september 1940 », No. 39 (RAF) Squadron : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 407 ; « 19 september 1940 »,No. 11 (RAF) Squadron : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 162.
[2] Shores C. et Ricci C., Dust Clouds in the Middle East, 2e éd., London, Grub Street, 2010, p.61 ; Sutherland J. et Canwell D., Air War East Africa, the RAF versus the Italian Air Force, Barnsley, Pen & Sword Military, 2009, 192 p.
[3] « 19 september 1940 », No. 94 (RAF) Squadron : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 755 ; « 19 september 1940 », No. 203 (RAF) Squadron : Operations Record Book (Form 540 and Form 541), Kew – TNA, AIR 27 / 1198.
