 The II. / Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77; II Group Fighter Wing 77) — under the command of Oberstleutnant Carl-August Schumacher — took off from Nordholz Airbase and intercepted No. 9 Squadron. Feldwebels Hans Troitsch and Alfred Held each claimed a victory and Leutnant Metz another. These aircraft from No. 9 Squadron were the first RAF aircraft to have been shot down by enemy fighters during the war and Troitsch was most likely to have been the first enemy pilot to shoot one down. Another four Blenheims of No. 107 Squadron were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire. The Germans believed their air defences had established an effective defence from Allied attack. Use of the early Freya radar had given the German fighters eight minutes warning of their approach.
