Day 369 September 3, 1940

Battle of Britain Day 56. The weather is again good for flying. Luftwaffe sends 1 main raid of 50 Dornier Do17 bombers, 80 Messerschmitt Bf110 fighter bombers and 40 Bf109 fighters up the Thames Estuary which splits up and bombs RAF airfields at North Weald, Hornchurch and Debden. All are badly damaged but still operational. Luftwaffe loses 17 fighters and 8 bombers. RAF loses 20 fighters, including 2 Blenheims returning to North Weald accidentally shot down by Hurricanes mistaking them for Bf110s (6 pilots killed). There is relatively little bombing overnight, as on recent nights, with attacks in Kent, Liverpool, and South Wales.

At 3.26 AM, U-60 sinks British collier Ulva about 150 miles Southwest of Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides, Scotland (3 crew lost). 17 survivors make land at Castlebay, Isle of Barra. U-57 collides with Norwegian steamer Rona and sinks just after midnight at Brunsbüttel, at the Western end of the Kiel Canal (6 dead, 19 survivors). U-57 will be raised in September and returned to service as a training ship in January 1941. 200 miles West of Ireland, U-101 is attacked with depth charges by a British convoy escort. U-101 is damaged and partially flooded but is able to reach base at Lorient, France, on September 16.