Peace negotiations fail and war on Germany declared by Britain and France. RAF bombers attempt to locate the German fleet near German coast.

(German ships were considered the only legitimate target for the RAF at this time)

Blenheim light bombers make first successful attack on German fleet - but 2 Blenheims are lost - one crashed and one shot down.

Wellington medium bombers also attack German warships - raid unsuccessful - 2 bombers shot down by German fighters - 12 aircrew killed.

So began the period was known as the ‘Phoney War’ because fighting between Britain and Germany was restricted to attacks on shipping at sea and the dropping of propaganda leaflets.

First British aircraft of the war flies over Berlin - a round trip of 1,000 miles. Bomber Command continues patrols looking for German ships by day and leaflet dropping by Whitley and Wellington medium bombers at night

- although the value of propaganda leaflets was doubtful, these sorties gave crews experience of operating over enemy territory at night.

Further leaflet raids are carried out (until 23rd December).

RAF bombers continue North Sea ‘sweeps’ (patrols looking for German ships to attack).

These operations continued throughout the winter until April/May 1940.

12 Wellingtons engaged by flak and fighters whilst patrolling in formation over the North Sea, north of Wilhelmshaven on German coast. 5 RAF aircraft shot down.

Another disastrous daylight raid on German warships off Wilhelmshaven -  22 Wellingtons are caught in a cloudless sky in broad daylight by flak and Luftwaffe fighters, guided for the first time by German radar. 12 bombers are lost to Luftwaffe fighters. 

Until now, the RAF had believed that close formations of bombers flying in daylight could mutually defend themselves with machine guns against attacking fighters. The disastrous raids of the 14th and 18th stunned Bomber Command.  Soon heavy bombers were switched to night-time operations only - but the resulting problems with navigation and bombing accuracy would only be resolved by a series of extraordinary technological breakthroughs over the next 5 years of war.

Leaflet raids over Germany and patrols over German seaplane bases continue (mostly by Hampdens).

Night-time raid on German ships at Heligoland by 20 Wellingtons foiled by fog and not tried again.

43 Whitley and Hampden bombers attack seaplane bases on the island of Sylt.

This was the first attack on a German land target and the largest raid of the war so far.  It was launched in reprisal for a raid on British ships in the Orkneys when some bombs were dropped on land and one civilian killed.

Bomber Command launches extensive daylight operations to attack enemy shipping off Norway and German-held airfields in support of Norwegian and Allied forces attempting to counter-attack.

These raids (9th April - 9th May) were the RAF’s first attacks on German-occupied European mainland  and involved flying up to 1,000 miles entirely over sea without fighter escort.  The weather was always problematic - too clear and the bombers were picked off by fighters - too much low cloud and the target couldn’t be found.  Operations were tried at night - it meant fewer losses but less accurate bombing.

Further failed attempt to bomb the German Navy in daylight.  Wellingtons and Hampdens are officially switched to night-operations only.

Hampdens begin first mine-laying operations off Denmark.

By 10th May the mines laid by RAF bombers had destroyed 12 German ships.  Over the course of the war, this key role of Bomber Command would cause hundreds of German ships to be sunk or damaged.

Bomber Command’s Blenheims and Fairey Battles confront German forces invading the Low Countries

(May - June 1940)

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German army pushes forward across the River Meuse into Belgium.  RAF Battle and Blenheim bombers (of the AASF based in France) suffer very heavy losses in daylight attacks trying to halt the German advance.  Two airmen, F/O Garland and Sgt Thomas Gray, flying a single-engine Battle, awarded posthumous Victoria Crosses.  75% of the force are lost.  Blenheims flying from bases in England to attack the advancing Germans also suffer huge losses.  By the end of 14th May, 107 Sqn had not a single serviceable aircraft

The Luftwaffe bombs Rotterdam - a completely undefended city.

This act of aggression was the catalyst for Britain’s bombers to begin unrestricted attacks on industrial targets in Germany itself - in the full knowledge that stray bombs might kill civilians

The War Cabinet authorizes the RAF to bomb east of the Rhine

96 aircraft are tasked to bomb oil and railway targets in the Ruhr. Of 78 bombers attacking oil targets, only 23 find and claim to hit their objective

- the difficulty of accurate bombing at night was becoming evident.

12 Blenheims of 82 Sqn launch daylight attack on advancing German troops near Gembloux - 11 of the 12 aircraft are lost

More attacks at night: 53 bombers operate at night against the River Meuse crossings to hinder the German advance. 78 aircraft operate at night against targets in Hamburg and Bremen.

The British and French armies retreat to the French coastal town of Dunkirk - to be rescued by the Royal Navy and hundreds of private vessels.  RAF Bomber Command attacks the advancing German army whilst 218,000 British troops and 120,000 French troops are evacuated back to England from the beaches at Dunkirk. 

Due partly to foggy conditions, the troops were largely unaware of the RAF’s efforts to defend them and many accused the airmen of doing nothing to help.  It is seldom appreciated that the RAF fought desperately and lost 177 aircraft in the battle area during the evacuation.

As the last British troops scrambled off European soil, the Allies would have no other way to confront the Nazi occupation of Western Europe for the next 4 years of war (until D-Day in June 1944) - except by bombing.