Day 421 October 25, 1940

Battle of Britain Day 108. Overnight, while RAF bombs Hamburg and Berlin causing considerable casualties, 16 Italian Fiat BR20M bombers of the Corpo Aereo Italiano bomb Felixstowe and Harwich from bases in Belgium (1 crashes on take off, 2 others get lost on the return flight and crash). During the day, clouds lift and visibility improves. Luftwaffe steps up activity, with increased reconnaissance flights and patrols in the English Channel. 4 groups of 50-200 Messerschmitt Bf109s sweep over Kent and of up to 30 fighters reach London. However, there is little damage to airfields or towns, including London. Germans lose 14 Bf109s and 10 RAF fighters are shot down (3 pilots killed). Minesweeping trawler HMT Lord Inchcape hits a mine and sinks off Plymouth. At dusk, He111 bombers raid Montrose airfield, Scotland. Overnight, London and Birmingham are the main targets, but Pembroke, Cardiff and Liverpool and the Midlands are also bombed. A German bomber is shot down by 219 Squadron in the English Channel near Brighton.

3 RAF Lockheed Hudson bombers attack U-46 in the Atlantic, wounding Matrosengefreiter (Able Seaman) Plaep who dies next day.

British gunboat HMS Aphis bombards Italian troops 15 miles East of the Italian garrison at Sidi Barrani, Egypt.