The spectacle of the 'dogfight'

14th July 1940: The BBC broadcast a live radio report of a 'hot little engagement' over the straits of Dover, as RAF fighters intercept an attack on shipping

A British convoy under attack by German dive bombers 14th July 1940, with the French coast in the background.

On the 11th July, Churchill had travelled to Dover in the hope of seeing air combat. At the narrowest point in the English Channel, it was possible to see all the way across to France. It was also a natural location for the Luftwaffe to concentrate some of their attacks on coastal shipping convoys. There were good prospects of seeing a dogfight as RAF fighters sought to intercept the Germans. On the 14th July a BBC radio team was at the location.

In due course, the Luftwaffe arrived as a convoy of ships passed.

The combat was witnessed by a BBC radio reporter, standing on the cliffs of Dover. Charles Gardner gave a live running commentary that was later to become famous:

The Germans are dive-bombing a convoy out at sea: there are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven German dive-bombers, Junkers 87s. There's one going down on its target now - bomb! No! He missed the ships, it hasn't hit a single ship - there are about 10 ships in the convoy but he hasn't hit a single one and - There, you can hear our anti-aircraft going at them now.