Bletchley Park sometimes deciphered reports of victories claimed in aerial combat. Among these during the period in question were:

It is unlikely that the German development of a night fighter arm came as any great surprise to the RAF. Once it began nocturnal attacks on targets in Germany, it was only to be expected, especially in view of the damage that British crews reported causing. Luftwaffe night fighters made their first kill, a Hampden, on the night of 25/26 April 1940, while in ULTRA:

In the late evening of 18/6 there was some rather obscure talk of night fighter crews in connection with future operations of KG 76. This may have reference to attacks on England.

The 28th of June was a busy day. Göring ordered that I./ZG 1 in Düsseldorf was to be used “in all haste” for night fighting with every Zerstörer Gruppe supplying a crew capable of night- and blind-flying. In exchange each would receive a crew lacking these qualifications. Luftflotte 2 spoke that day of two Gruppen “now to be detached for defence of greater Berlin” which rather than going to Werneuchen and Schönwald were instead to be based in Neuruppin, and Brandenburg-Briest. However, I. Fliegerkorps sent a nil return in response to a request for volunteers for night fighting.

A Luftflotte 2 signal of 30 July advised that I. Fl.Kps that the “long-distance night fighter sortie” had been called off and during August messages were read warning that night fighter operations wold take place in named map areas, although initially Bletchley Park had to add that “Source has no information concerning these areas”. On 7 August the presence of Oberst Josef Kammhuber in Brussels was noted, along with a comment that this officer was connected with “a Night Fighter Division” and the Division was among the addressees of a document issued by Luftflotte 2 on the 12th. Orders for the night of the 13/14th included Fernnachtjagd in area C2, apparently north of the Thames. This German term was now translated as a “long-range sweep”, proof that the Luftwaffe did not envisage night fighting as purely reactive and defensive. The 20th brought the news that Ju 88s engaged in night fighting be equipped to carry bombs in future so the Quartermaster General would ensure that new Ju 88 Z (i.e. Zerstörer) were delivered ready-fitted with bomb-dropping gear. Orders for that night gave some hint of defensive procedures: a patrol between 2º and 3º East at altitudes from 500–2500 m. That the Night Fighter Division was now an established part of the Luftwaffe’s organisation was shown by its repeated appearance among the addressees of deciphered signals.

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