Commander of the bomber force, Johannes Fink, ignored him and flew on. The raid was detected but incorrectly plotted causing Fighter Command to miss the unprotected Dorniers. On the 15 August (known as "black Thursday" in the Luftwaffe), ZG 26 did not suffer losses, but the following day the wing reported two losses, one destroyed one damaged, in combat with Spitfires from No. 19 Squadron RAF over Harwich. The damaged fighter belonged to the Stab./ZG 26. The burden of the Zerstörergeschwader 15 August operations fell to ZG 76, which suffered heavy casualties operating from bases in Norway. On 18 August, a date known as The Hardest Day, ZG 26 performed in the combat air patrol role. RAF Biggin Hill and RAF Kenley. KG 1 was to send 60 He 111s to conduct a high-level attack on Biggin Hill. kg 76 was to attack RAF Kenley. kg 76 could muster 48 Do 17s and Ju 88s. Fighter escort was provided by JG 3, JG 26, JG 51, JG 52, JG 54 and ZG 26. The Jagdgeschwader would carry out free-hunting and close escort. ZG 26 and JG 3 were engaged by No. 610, No. 615 and No. 32 Squadrons. No. 615 suffered heavy losses in the battle. ZG 26 were responsible for 12 of the 15 fighters shot down in the battle; nine of which were destroyed. 7./ZG 26 claimed its 30th victory of the war, having suffered only one loss since 1939. The German High Command credited ZG 26 were credited with 51 victories, of the 124 granted to the German fighter units by their command. A maximum of 34 RAF fighters were lost in reality to all causes. ZG 26 reported losses on the day. They were engaged by other fighter squadrons. 56 Squadron was one such unit. In the short and sharp engagement, ZG 26 lost five Bf 110s and another damaged to 56 Squadron. Worse was to follow when No. 54 and No. 501 engaged the Messerschmitts. ZG 26 lost a further two shot down and two damaged to No. 54 Squadron. None of the RAF Squadrons reported any losses in these engagements. ZG 26 lost other machines to No. 151 and 46 Squadrons when they arrived to join the battle. In the afternoon ZG 26 provided escort for KG 53 bombers bombing RAF North Weald. 13 Hurricanes from 85 Squadron, led by Peter Townsend, struck at