 On 15 August, in the belief that all of the RAF fighter units were concentrated far to the south, "Luftflotte 5" launched its first and only bomber attack against North Eastern England.Seven out of the 21 I.ZG 76 aircraft being used as bomber escorts were destroyed, including that of the "Gruppenkommandeur" ("Group Commander").The casualty rates for all of the "Zerstörergeschwader" wings using the Bf 110Cs were extremely high throughout the battle, and they were unable to fulfill the high aspirations of Hermann Göring, who had referred to them as his "Ironsides" ("Eisenseiten")."