On This Day, 1940: On 5 September 1940, Bromide jamming was used operationally against German navigation beams, marking the practical beginning of…
Read the entry →Second World War Articles
In-depth articles, analysis and long reads from The RAF Chronicle.
Moonshine Enters Action as the RAF’s First Radar Jammer
Second World War
On 6 August 1942, the RAF first used Moonshine operationally, opening a new era of offensive radar jamming and deception.
Read the article →Bromide Jamming Marks the Start of British Electronic Warfare
On 5 September 1940, Bromide jamming was used operationally against German navigation beams, marking the practical beginning of…
Sergeant George Booth Becomes Britain’s First Prisoner of War
On 4 September 1939, Sergeant George Booth was captured after being shot down, becoming the first British prisoner…
First London Air-Raid Alarm Sounds on Britain’s First Day of War
On 3 September 1939, London heard its first air-raid alarm of the war, showing how quickly Britain entered…
Heligoland Bight and the End of RAF Daylight Assumptions
How the Battle of the Heligoland Bight exposed the weakness of RAF daylight bombing assumptions at the opening…
Germany Invades Poland and Opens the Air War in Europe
On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and opened the European war that would soon place the RAF…
303 Squadron Nears Operational Service in the Battle of Britain
By 30 August 1940, No. 303 (Polish) Squadron was nearing operational service and stood on the edge of…
Hudsons Force U-570 to Surrender South of Iceland, 1941
On 27 August 1941, Hudsons of No. 269 Squadron forced U-570 to surrender south of Iceland, an extraordinary…
Operations Birdcage and Mastiff Aid POW Camps, 1945
On 26 August 1945, RAF aircraft began Birdcage and Mastiff, bringing leaflets, medical teams and relief to Allied…
No. 1419 Flight Becomes No. 138 Squadron, RAF 1941
On 25 August 1941, No. 1419 Flight became No. 138 Squadron, formalising RAF special duties support for SOE…
Luftwaffe Bombs London by Mistake in the Battle of Britain
On 24 August 1940, Luftwaffe bombs fell on London in error, widening the bombing conflict and helping trigger…
RAF Dakotas Evacuate Wounded Yugoslav Partisans, 1944
On 23 August 1944, Dakotas evacuated wounded Yugoslav partisans, showing the flexibility of Allied air transport in resistance…
Churchill Delivers the ‘Few’ Speech in the Battle of Britain
Churchill’s 20 August 1940 Commons speech immortalised Fighter Command as ‘the Few’, fixing the Battle of Britain firmly…