Hounded

The early morning quiet of August 20th 1940 was shattered by the sudden and loud roar of half a dozen low flying aircraft. JU885z of KG54 was carrying out another low level raid and was confident in reaching the target completely undetected. Today however things would not go as planned.

Britain’s radio detection could not “see” the low level raiders until they climbed for height but they could be heard as Small Brown Dog had pointed out at an emergency meeting at Fighter Command Uxbridge. Acoustic location had been developed during the First World War and was still in limited use although actively promoted as Britain’s only early warning system of which of course it wasn’t.

All available acoustic equipment that could be moved south was moved south and the Observer Corps immediately began using them to listen for “hedge Hoppers” coming in low from the coast. Once sighted the enemy could be plotted as usual and Fighter Command could scramble fighters for an intercept.

At around 7:25am the aircraft of KG54 began their accent and as they levelled off Hawker Hounds of 66 Squadron made a perfect intercept. Two JU885 were shot down the remaining four badly damaged and hounded all the way back to the coast.