Twelve Hawker Hurricane [1] take off in the direction of Hawkinge to escort, together with twelve others from No.111 (RAF) Squadron [2], eighteen Bristol Blenheim charged with bombing the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer between 18:20 and 19:25.

According to Brian Cull :

« At 19:30, nine more 2 Group Blenheim escorted by 20 fighters attacked Boulogne under cover of low clouds, five being claimed by flak, as was a Spitfire (according to German records). A Bf 109 of 9./JG 54 carried out an amergency landing nearby with engine damage, possibly a result of friendly fire, though Leutnant Wamdemar Wübke was unhurt. »[3]

The Bristol Blenheim Mk IV belong to No.15 and 40 (RAF) Squadron. At the end of the afternoon (17:00 – 19:43), three sections (eight aircraft) from each of the two squadrons take off to attack ships in the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer from an altitude of 1,500 to 2,000 metres. The bombardment was indeed a success, despite a strong anti-aircraft defence (several aircraft were damaged) and the port facilities were reported on fire when the British left. [4]

According to the French documentation: the bombings render the ferry terminal definitively unusable and destroy 3000 m² of hangars in the port.[5] According to the German documentation, the fuel tanks are also severely damaged. Unfortunately, several civilian victims are also to be deplored. Several bombs fell on the Saint-Pierre district, killing the three members of the Galant family: the mother and her two children André (twelve years old) and Pierre (eleven years old). Fifteen other people were also wounded, victims of the bombs or the Flak shells.[6]

According to Flight Lieutenant William H. George of No.15 (RAF) Squadron :

« I led a large formation of two squadrons of Blenheims (XV and 40) with a fighter escort in a high level attack on the harbour at Boulougne, where there was said to be a concentration of shipping, though when we got there this turned out to be duff gen. We plastered the dock installations instead and scored direct hits on a factory. This raid was notable for the fact that I did a lot of no good to a pair of Do 18s which were moored close to one another, by dropping a 250lb bomb between them, having reserved it on the run in for that purpose. This caused much merriment on the way home. This was a daylight raid of three hours including one hour in cloud. »[7]

All aircraft of No.615 Squadron return at 19:25. Note that this is the first operational sortie of Pilot Officer Douglas H. Hone.

Pilots and Aircrafts[8]

Flying Officer Anthony Eyre (P3151) ; Sergeant Derrick W. Halton (P3487) ; Pilot Officer Douglas H. Hone (P2578) ; Flight Lieutenant Herbert S. Giddings (P2801) ; Pilot Officer Ralph Roberts (P3161) ; Pilot Officer David Evans (P3158).

Squadron Leader Joseph R. Kayll carries out a patrol between 23:45 and 00:35, again without incident. At the same time, several night take-off and landing training sessions take place.