This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[Njaco]

29 October 1939 Sunday
ASIA: Reflecting the rising number of Chinese defections to the Japanese, the US military attaché reports that there are 100,000 armed Chinese serving as Huang Hsieh Chun (Imperial Assisting Troops).

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The British steamer "Malabar" is sunk by a U-boat.

GERMANY: OKH issues a revision to Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) with the main thrust shifted slightly south and less strength being sent against Holland. There is an ongoing debate as to how it should be modified further. Also, German warships and U-boats are given permission to attack passenger ships in convoys. During the German planning for the invasion in Western Europe, the Netherlands was briefly dropped as a target. Von Rundstedt, supported by his deputy, Von Manstein, argues that Fall Gelb No. 2 is based on outdated concepts of maneuver warfare and does not adequately reflected the lessons of Blitzkrieg. Von Rundstedt asks that his Heeresgruppe A be strengthened at the expense of Heeresgruppe B,- which will operate in the north - in order to make a break from the front and to release the Panzer divisions. Of course, the position of von Rundstedt opposed most of the OKW, which end up accepting the No. 2 Fall Gelb as an interim plan. However, Von Rundstedt will not give up: Fall Gelb will continue to be revised during the following months and spur Von Manstein, to conduct his own version.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The first contingent of Soviet troops begins occupation of bases allotted by the Latvian-Soviet agreement. Soviet troops continue mobilizing and Finnish troops dig in along their shared borders.

WESTERN FRONT: In Paris an official French communique reports all quiet generally during the day while an increasing number of British heavy artillery is moved into position on the frontlines.



.

 

[Wurger]

The captured and damaged Polish planes of the CWL-1 Dęblin in 1939...

Ju-52s at the CWL-1 airfield ...

 

[parsifal]

29 October
No known Reinforcements
DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

Naval War Staff has ordered that passenger ships in enemy convoy be attacked. U 33 sailed for a minelaying operation north of the Foreland. U 25 and U 34 were ordered to make a situation report. I must know whether the French Admiralty's claim concerns one of these boats. It might of course be U 40, but she could not answer, as presumably her transmitter is out of order (see 22.10). After going into the question of keeping losses down again, I have decided only to order the boats to keep a sufficient distance in gun actions, and not to go all out. I do not think it necessary or justifiable to restrict the use of guns further, e.g.

a) to order the boats to avoid all gun actions, i.e. to leave the enemy as soon as opposition is encountered, or
b) to renounce the use of guns altogether.

Commanding officers must be required not to go all out for the enemy, but to keep at a range which makes it impossible for the enemy to use his guns effectively, or to break off the action if they are faced with superior guns.

U 31 reported: "Operation carried out". (Loch Ewe). U 37's report of experiences off Gibraltar received:

1) Patrol by Q ships, motor vessels and a/c. Cooperation between these.
2) Air patrol in the area Cape Spartel, Trafalgar, St. Vincent Larache. Hunts apparently only with hydrophones, no location.
3) Traffic: ships making 9 knots and over are routed independently, more than 10 miles south of the usual steamer routes.

This report gives valuable information for the operation of U 25, U 26 and U 53, which are to pass through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean.

A conference was held between B.d.U. and the General Staff of the G.A.F. on the problem of getting more information on the Channel.The G.A.F. agreed to fly an extensive photographic reconnaissance of the whole Dover-Calais area. It remains to be seen whether pictures taken of the surface of the sea from such a height can provide any practical clues as to mines and net barrages and other details of navigational importance. The only experiences are of much smaller sea areas. I am of the opinion however, that every means of reconnaissance must be used. Even if the results cannot be analyzed accurately from a navigational standpoint, they will still be of great value.

Arrivals

Wilhelmshaven: U-24

Departures

Wilhelmshaven: U-33

At Sea 29 October

U-13, U-21, U-25, U-26, U-31, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-61.

15 boats at sea

North Sea .

MV VARANGMALM ( Nor): The cargo vessel on a voyage from Kirkenes to Antwerp with a cargo of iron ore was sunk after she struck a mine. 1 died.ship sank in the North Sea (53°50′N 0°17′E). Survivors were rescued by the trawler CONIDA
Ship-Pics: Ships in Barrow Page

DDs JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO, JERSEY, JUPITER, JACKAL dep the Humber on operation AG. They swept off the Dutch coast, but made no contact with enemy shipping, although JERSEY was near missed by LW airstrikes. The ships arrived back in the Humber on the 30th. CL SHEFFIELD arrived at Rosyth for refit, and departed on 9 November.

ORP DD BLYSKAWICA attacked a submarine contact in 54‑45N, 5‑12W.

OA.27 of thirteen ships dep Southend escort DDs WANDERER and WAKEFUL from the 29th to 31st

Harwich

Strong reinforcement of the UK East Coast (but some complicated to-ings and fro-ings to get there

DesFlot 22 was formed at Harwich for East Coast Defence with DDs EXMOUTH, KEITH and the ORP DDs BURZA, GROM and BLYSKAWICA. Reinforced on the 31st by DDs ILEX, ISIS, IMPERIAL after these ships completed repairs. ILEX and ISIS were at Harwich at the end of the month and IMPERIAL at Plymouth preparing to depart. ILEX and ISIS dep Harwich on 2 November, arrived at Plymouth on the 3rd and departed the same day for Gib to escort BB WARSPITE. After this duty, they arrived at Scapa on the 14th. Meanwhile IMPERIAL dep for Harwich on 1 November, but was ordered to Scapa for duty with the Home Flt, arriving on the 4th. Cpt R S Benson (D.12) in EXMOUTH was named CO of DesFlot 22 on 2 November and continued in this capacity until the 11th, when he and EXMOUTH returned to Devonport. Destroyer BOADICEA joined DesFlot 22 on 5 November.

The three I's and all the destroyers, except BOADICEA, on 5 November to return to their respective commands. The B's (except BOADICEA) returned to the 19th Destroyer Flotilla. On 11 November, Cpt G E Creasy in DD GRIFFIN with GREYHOUND, GIPSY, GLOWWORM, KEITH, BOADICEA and ORP GROM, BURZA, BLYSKAWICA joined D.22. Creasy was named flotilla CO. On the 22nd, GRAFTON and GALLANT joined the flotilla, replacing KEITH and BOADICEA. Submarine depot ship CYCLOPS, was allocated as a support ship 1 December to give the flotilla greater range and flexibility

Also, at Harwich, Des Flot 23 was formed with DD CODRINGTON (Cpt Simson) as leader, with BOADICEA, ANTHONY, VANSITTART, VENOMOUS forming the flotilla as DesDiv 45, and BASILISK, BLANCHE, BEAGLE, BRAZEN as DesDiv 46.

In addition, destroyers BOREAS, which was repairing at Portsmouth until 13 November, and BRILLIANT were assigned to DesFlot 19 also at Harwich.

Northern Patrol - .

CLs CARDIFF and CALEDON were on Northern Patrol duties between the Orkneys and the Faroes, CLs DRAGON, DIOMEDE, COLOMBO between the Faroes and Iceland, and CL SOUTHAMPTON and AMCs CHITRAL and AURANIA in the Denmark Strait.

British-France

OB.28 dep Liverpool escort DDs VIMY and MACKAY to 1 November

Southwestern Approaches

MV MALABAR (UK 7,976 grt) 75 crew, General cargo, including lumber and tobacco en route to the West Coat with HX5A. U-34 fired two torpedoes at two steamers and one destroyer in convoy HX-5A about 180 miles west of Lands End and claimed two hits. In fact, only the ship of the convoy commodore, the Malabar (Master Henry Herbert Armstrong), was hit and sunk. Five crew members were lost. The master, the commodore (Rear Admiral G.W. Taylor, RNR), two naval staff members and 66 crew members were picked up by HMS Grafton (H 89) (Cdr M.S. Thomas, RN) and landed at Plymouth.
Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

Med/Biscay

BB WARSPITE dep Alex escort DDs DAINTY and DIANA, and arrived at Malta on the 31st. DDs relieved by DD ISIS and ILEX east of Gibraltar on the 6th and WARSPITE arrived at Gibraltar later that day.
The-Blueprints.com - Blueprints > Ships > Ships (UK) > HMS Warspite [Battleship] (1939)

WARSPITE IN 1939
HG.5 of 40 ships dep Gib escort Fr DDs FOUGUEUX and L'ADROIT, from 29 October until their arrival at Brest on 6 November, and RN DDs DOUGLAS and VORTIGERN. The convoy arrived at various English ports on the 6th.

 

[Njaco]

30 October 1939 Monday

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Royal Navy battleships HMS "Nelson" and "Rodney", cruiser HMS "Hood" and destroyers HMS "Icarus", "Impulsive", "Ivanhoe", "Intrepid" and "Kelly" are escorting iron ore ships from Narvik to the Firth of Forth. The battle group, under Admiral Charles Morton Forbes (Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet), encounters German U-boats west of the Orkney Islands. U-56 hits HMS "Nelson", the flagship of the Home Fleet, with three torpedoes but none explode. However, U-57, U-58 and U-59 do not engage the British ships.

GERMANY: A delegation of Russian officials are shown what the Luftwaffe is calling its best fighter, the Heinkel He 100. But it is a propaganda tool as only twelve He 100s are ever produced. The He 100s that are available are constantly being repainted so as to resemble different Geschwaders within the Luftwaffe and making other nations believe that there are more aircraft than really exist.

Hitler is impatient with Halder's lack of progress for an aggressive plan to invade France. He suggests to Generaloberst Alfred Jodl (Chief of Operation Staff, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) that a tank force should advance through the Ardennes Forest. Although this is initially deemed impractical, Hitler's idea will find form in the plans being developed by Manstein.

A German-Latvian treaty for the evacuation of Germans from the Baltic regions is signed.

NORTH AMERICA: On October 30, 1939 the German American Bund had a parade on East 86th St., New York City. The German American Bund or German American Federation (German: Amerikadeutscher Bund, also Amerikadeutscher Volksbund) was an American Nazi organization established in the 1930s. Its main goal was to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany.

POLAND: The USSR formally annexes the occupied Polish territories.

UNITED KINGDOM: The first war film of the conflict, 'The Lion Has Wings', is premiered, featuring newsreel of a British air attack on a German fleet.

A government white paper exposes Nazi brutality towards dissidents and Jews, including the concentration camp system.

At 17.20 a mine was washed ashore and exploded against the sea wall at Bridlington. There were no casualties, but windows, doors and roofs of 9 or 10 detached houses were damaged.

The SS 'Cairnmona' (4,666t) a cargo ship sailing from Montreal to the Tyne, was sunk by U 13, E of Stonehaven.

The Admiralty announced that a destroyer flotilla was in action with German bombers south of the Dogger Bank. No damage was done to the ships.

Crews of the trawlers 'St Nidan' and 'Lynx II' sunk on Friday night by a U-boat, were landed on the Scottish coast by the trawler 'Lady Hogarth.' The crew of the British steamer 'Malabar' sunk by a U-boat on Sunday, were also landed.

WESTERN FRONT: With the surrender of Poland, the world turns its attention to the border of France and Germany while the Allies and Germans muster their forces. Known as the "Phoney War" in England or "Sitzkrieg" to the Germans, the time is spent with small minor clashes between the Allies and Germans. One of the first clashes occurs along the Moselle. The British send three Blenheim bombers of RAF No. 18 Squadron to recon the north western area of Germany. Up for a patrol in the area are a dozen Bf 109s of III./JG 53. Hptm. Werner Mölders leads his Messerschmitts onto the British bombers and claims III Gruppe's first and his second personal victory, shooting down one of the Blenheims over Trier. The remaining two Blenheims continues on to Osnabrück when they are pounced by a rotte of fighters from I./JG 21. Hptm. Franz-Heinz Lange shoots down one of the bombers while flying one of the new Bf 109Es or 'Emil' recently delivered to the Gruppe.

A Dornier Do 17 becomes the first German aircraft shot down by the RAF of the war over Germany when a Hurricane from RAF No 1 Squadron flown by Pilot Officer (P/O) R. N. Mould catches up to the bomber and destroys it over Toul.


.

 

[parsifal]

30 October

Known Reinforcements

None

DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

Situation reports received from U 25 and U 34, thus the French Admiralty's claim can only refer to U 40, whose radio is apparently out of action. It is not at all impossible however, that the reports are connected with the loss of U 16 off Dover (see F.O. U/B West's War Log). U 25 has only observed slight neutral single-ship traffic and torpedo boats or patrolling destroyers.

U 34 sank a steamer from a convoy off the west entrance to the Channel, torpedoed 3 others, but could not observe results owing to anti-S/M activity. She is returning because of a crack in the inner compensating tank.

Arrivals

None

Departures

Wilhelmshaven: U-24

At Sea 30 October

U-13, U-21, U-25, U-26, U-31, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-61.
15 boats at sea

North Sea .

FN.29 dep Southend, and arrived at Methil on 1 November. FS.29 dep Methil escort DD VIVIEN and sloops BITTERN and FLEETWOOD, and arrived at Southend on 1 November.

MV JUNO ( FN 1241 grt) Enroute from London to Viipuri. Cargo manifest shows she was fully laden with tin ingots, brass tubing, tin sheeting, hides, electric motors, aircraft engines and paper. This would have been a prcious cargo for the Finns The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Withernsea, Yorkshire with the loss of all crew memebers (about 20).
http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?137350

Northern Waters

BB NELSON had a very lucky escape. As the Home Flt was returning from its escort mission of the convoy of ore ships returning from Narvik to the Firth of Forth, ships in company being BBs NELSON and RODNEY, BC HOOD, and DDs ICARUS, IMPULSIVE, IVANHOE, INTREPID and KELLY ran into a U-boat line west of the Orkneys. U.56 fired three torpedoes at NELSON and while all three struck the target magnetic exploders failed to detonate. U-boats U.57, U.58, U.59, also in the area, did not contact the Home Flt units. Admiral Forbes arrived back at Loch Ewe on the 31st without further interference.

MV CAIRNMONA (UK 4,666 grt) Carrying general cargo, including wool, copper and grain , enroute from Toronto and Halifax to Newcastle. Attached as part of HX5. The ship had dispersed from HX5 and was torpedoed and sunk by U-13 three miles ENE of Rattray Head. Three crew members were lost out of a crew of 45
Image from Uboat Net

U.59 sank armed boarding vessel NORTHERN ROVER (UK 655grt), just after bringing in the Danish ship NAJADEN (1963grt) to Kirkwall for examination. The vessel left the danish ship at the gate for entry to the port and returned to patrol. There was no further contact and she was lost with CO, XO and Navigator and twenty three ratings.

Central and South Atlanticl - .
CA EXETER arrived in the Falkland Island after leaving her patrol on the Sth American east coast on the 27th.

Caribbean North Sea .

CL ORION dep Kingston, and arrived back on 8 November.

Southwestern Approaches

MV THRASYVOULOS (Gk 3,693 grt) carrying nuts and 2158 tons of anthracite cobbles enroute from Halifax to Swansea via Britol or Liverpool. The neutral THRASYVOULOS was stopped by signals from U-37 and the inspection of the papers revealed that she was carrying contraband. The ship was sunk by a torpedo at Midday after the crew had abandoned ship.

Britain - France

BC.13S of fifteen ships, including DELIUS (Commodore), GRETA FORCE, GWENTHILLS and SANDHILL dep Bristol Channel escort DDs EXPRESS and VIVACIOUS, and safely arrived in Quiberon Bay on 1 November. AXS 3 of one steamer dep Fowey, escort DD VESPER, and arrived at Brest on the 31st. SA.15 of two steamers dep Southampton, escort DDs SCIMITAR and SARDONYX, and arrived at Brest on the 31st.

India - .

On the 30th, the Subflot 8 was formed at Colombo with SS OLYMPUS, OTUS and ODIN under the command of Commander S M Raw for operations against German raiders and supply ships thought to be operating in the Indian Ocean. The three submarines departed Singapore on the 24th and arrived at Colombo. Submarine REGENT departed Singapore to join the Flotilla on the 30th. However, on arrival at Colombo, she was found to have defects and was ordered back to Singapore. She departed Colombo on 6 November and arrived back on the 11th.
.

 

[Wurger]

ORP Błyskawica was made by the yard James Samuel White Co.. Ltd.., Cowes (Great Britain) together with her twin ORP Grom. Establishing keel - September 11, 1935. Launched - January 10, 1936.

ORP Błyskawica and Grom under construction...

Launching of the ORP Błyskawica....

Arming of the twins... at the yard...

ORP Grom... Cowes 1936...

The twins in Great Britain at the end of 1939...

ORP Błyskawica... a late shot of her.

 

[Njaco]

31 October 1939 Tuesday

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The Royal Navy begins a world-wide hunt for the German pocket-battleship Graf Spee. Four battleships, 14 cruisers and 5 aircraft carriers are engaged in the effort.

EASTERN EUROPE: At a meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, Molotov lectures Britain and France for continuing the war but gives no more than moral support to Germany. He stresses that the Nazi-Soviet agreements provide that the USSR shall be neutral if Germany is at war.

The first of three further sets of discussions between the Soviets and the Finns over the recent Soviet demands for border revisions begins (the final meeting ends November 9). To increase pressure on Finland, Vyacheslav Molotov, Soviet Foreign Minister, makes a speech to the Supreme Soviet publicly announcing negotiations which have so far been secret. This successfully isolates Finland from potential international support (e.g. Sweden) but fails to cause the expected uprising of the Finnish public against their government. Instead the Finns are proud of their hard-won independence and rally behind their leaders. This is not the last time the Soviets miscalculate the Finnish people. Soviet negotiators demand strategic territory in the Karelian Isthmus, the Hango naval base and the ice-free port of Petsamo in the Arctic in exchange for Soviet territory along the eastern border. No agreement is reached. Molotov also gloated over the dissolution of Poland, "ugly offspring of the Versailles Treaty", by the combined Soviet-German attack. Additionally he accused the British of aggressive acts.

GERMANY: Erich von Manstein's first memorandum on the invasion of France arrives at Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres or OKH). It will be quickly rejected but 5 more memoranda will follow. He has been working on an armored thrust through the Ardennes Forest and along the River Somme, to isolate the Allied forces in Northern France and Belgium. Although Manstein does not know it, his plan is completely in line with Hitler's thinking.

The commanding officer of the German Wehrkreis IV district in Dresden, Germany gave the order to convert Colditz Castle to a prisoner of war camp named Offizierslager IV-C, or Oflag IV-C for short.

Major Otto Heinrich von Houwald leaves his position as Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 3 based at Merseburg. The I Gruppe of JG 51 also receive a new Gruppenkommandeur when Hptm. Hans-Heinrich Brustellin is posted as commander in place of the departing Major Ernst Freiherr von Berg.

Oblt. Carl Schumacher's II./JG 77 leave Neumünster and settle at airfields around Dünstekoven.

Another unit on the move is Jagdgruppe 152, soon to be known as I./ZG 52, who transfer their Bf 109Ds from Biblis to Odendorf led by Gruppenkommandeur Hptm. Karl-Heinz Lessmann.

MEDITERRANEAN: In Rome Mussolini reshuffles his cabinet, replacing pro-Nazi members with neutral members. Six ministries and several secretariats change. Starace is no longer Secretary of the Fascist Party. Count Ciano remains Foreign Minister. Grandi, who is sympathetic to the British, remains head of the Department of Justice. Mussolini believes in occasional "shuffling" of government posts, and these changes are not believed to reflect a change in foreign policy.

WESTERN FRONT: The Germans use their heavy guns for the first time, firing at targets eight miles behind the French lines. Paris reported greater artillery activity on both sides.

SOUTH PACIFIC: The Prime Minister of Australia announced the abandonment of the plan for an Australian expeditionary air force in favour of a general reconnaissance squadron for service in and around Great Britain.

.

 

[parsifal]

31 October

DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 31 entered port. She encountered no patrol off Loch Ewe. There is however, a net barrage in the bay, in which the boat was entangled for some time, as she did not see the flat buoys until too late. There was a hospital ship inside, but nothing else. As it did not seem possible to get inside, the boat laid the mines across the entrance to the bay at the minimum safety distance. The position of the mines is excellent. Success seems certain, but it is doubtful if we shall hear anything about it.

U 25 reported a convoy northwest of Finisterre. This is the second convoy reported within a few days in this area, fairly close to the coast. This too was steering a main course to the north. It is remarkable that all the 4 convoys reported so far have been north-bound. South-bound traffic apparently keeps further to the west.

The problem of torpedo failures is unfortunately still far from being solved. U 25 reports 4 failures at one stopped ship, shots at short range. The Torpedo Inspectorate's instructions were observed. There is therefore no longer any doubt that the Torpedo Inspectorate themselves do not understand the matter. At present torpedoes cannot be fired with non-contact firing units, as this has led to premature detonation. Their depth setting has to be 2 meters less than the draught of their target. There depth may not be less than 3 meters, as otherwise there may be surface runners in which especially the engines of the G7a may be damaged. Exact instructions are given for setting the safety range and these are observed. Nevertheless at least 30% of the torpedoes are duds. They either do not detonate at all or they detonate in the wrong place. There does not seem to be any sense in issuing new instructions to the boats as they never lead to the desired results. The Commanding Officers must be losing confidence in their torpedoes. In the end their fighting spirit will suffer. The torpedo failure problem is at present the most urgent of all the problems of U-boat warfare.

Arrivals

Wilhelmshaven: U-31

At Sea 30 October

U-13, U-21, U-25, U-26, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-61.

14 boats at sea

North Sea .

CL EDINBURGH began repairs at Rosyth, which were completed on 3 November. CLs GLASGOW and NEWCASTLE, escort DDs ANTHONY, BASILISK, BRAZEN dep Portsmouth for Rosyth, and arrived on 1 November.

Steamer STARCROSS (4662grt) in a Norwegian convoy off Rattray Head, reported she rammed what she thought was a U-boat. DD BROKE was sent to investigate.

Coastal steamer KINDIESEL (339grt) reported she was being chased by a submarine, DD JUPITER was detached from convoy FS.29 to assist.

Northern Patrol

Three cruisers were on Northern Patrol duties between the Orkneys and the Faroes, three cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland, and CL SOUTHAMPTON and AMCs CHITRAL and AURANIA in the Denmark Strait.

Northern Waters

CLs CALYPSO, DELHI, DUNEDIN dep Sullom Voe. CALYPSO was in a minor collision with Admiralty drifter SEA BREEZE, but there was no damage to her, and she arrived back at Sullom Voe on 6 November. CL CERES dep Kirkwall for Scapa Flow. CLA CURLEW dep Scapa, and arrived at Rosyth on the 31st

North Atlantic

HXF.7 dep Halifax at 0200 escort RCN DDs FRASER and ST LAURENT. Ocean escort was AMC ASTURIAS, which detached on 11 November. She was in collision with a merchant ship while leaving Halifax, but able to continue. The convoy was joined on 10 November by DDs ANTELOPE and VISCOUNT from convoy OA.31 and WINCHELSEA and WITHERINGTON from OB.31. The latter remained with the convoy until it arrived at Liverpool on the 12th, the same day ASTURIAS reached the Clyde.

CA YORK and RAN CL PERTH dep Halifax for Bermuda, and arrived on 5 November. YORK remained for the repair of boiler defects completed on 13 November.

Central and South Atlantic - .

CA SUSSEX on patrol in the South Atlantic lost her Walrus reconnaissance aircraft when it failed to return from patrol. A three and a half day search for the aircraft was set in motion, but the aircraft was never found. The crew of three, pilot Lt (A) S M Bird, observer Lt C H E Osmaston and the telegraphist air gunner, Airman W H Brown, were lost.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/album/profiles/p20546-supermarine-walrus.html

Supermarine Walrus of 712 Sqn aboard the HMS SOUTHAMPTON 1938. The Walrus was a workhorse for the RN, and affectionatyely nicknamed "Pussers Duck"

SL.7 dep Freetown escort by AMC MONTCLARE and DD WREN (joined the convoy on 16 November) and it arrived later that day with both escorts.
isabel_ross_1

Bay Of Biscay-Med .

OA.28G of 14 ships dep Southend escort DDs VENETIA and ACASTA from 31 October to 2 November. DD ARDENT joined the escort later 1 November and remained until the 2nd. On the same day, OA.28G merged with OB.28G, escort DDs VERSATILE and VOLUNTEER to the 3rd, to become OG.5.

MV BAOULE (Fr 5,874 grt) 44 crew, Cargo manifest indicates it was carrying Palm kernels, cotton, cocoa, coffee and rubber. Part of Fr Convoy 20-K, enroute from Cameroon to Bordeaux. U-25 fired two G7e torpedoes at the first two ships in the French convoy 20-K about 45 miles west-northwest of La Corunna. Both torpedoes hit and sank the ship. 13 crew killed or missing.
http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?15156

Submarine depot ship MAIDSTONE, escort DD DEFENDER, dep Alexandria and arrived at Malta on 3 November.

 

[parsifal]

Summary of Losses at Sea October 1939

Allied Warships
ORP MSW CZAJKA (ORP 183 grt) , ORP PC KOMENDANT PILUDSKI (ORP 342 grt) , ORP MSW MEWA (ORP 183 grt), ORP MSW RYBITWA (ORP 183 grt), ORP MSW ZURAW (ORP 183 grt), BB ROYAL OAK (RN 29970 grt), Base Ship IRON DUKE (RN 18200 grt).
708 grt (Polish), 48170 grt (RN), 48878 grt (Allied total)

Allied Shipping
MV GLEN FARG (UK 876 grt), MV MARWARRI (UK 8,063 grt), MV NEWTON BEECH (UK 4651grt), STONEGATE (UK 5044grt), MV MAHRATTA (UK 5000 grt est), MV ASHLEA (UK 8000 grt), MV SALTAIRE (UK 202 grt), HUNTSMAN (UK 8196 grt), Tkr EMILE MIGUET (Fr 14,115grt), MV LOUISIANE (Fr 6904 grt), MV HERONSPOOL (UK 5202 grt), MV SNEATON (UK 3678 grt), MV LOCHAVON (UK 9205 grt), Liner BRETAGNE (10,108grt), MV VERMONT (Fr 5186 grt), MV IONIC STAR (UK 5994 grt), MV CLAN CHISOLM (UK 7256 grt), Liner YORKSHIRE (UK 10.183 grt), MV CITY OF MANDALAY (UK 7028 grt), CLAN CHISHOLM (UK 7256 grt), MV CITY OF LONDON (UK 5000 grt est) , MV SEA VENTURE (UK 2327 grt), MV LAKE NEUCHATEL (UK 1300 grt), MV CAPITAINE EDMUND LABORIE(Fr 3087 grt), MV ORSA (UK 1478 grt), MV (Collier) WHITEMANTLE ( UK 1692 grt), MV TREVANNION (Aus 5299 grt), MV MENIN RIDGE (UK 2474 grt), MV LEDBURY (UK 3528 grt), MV TAFNA (UK 1462 grt), MV BRONTE (UK 5,317 grt), Trawler ST NIDAN (UK 565 grt), Trawler LYNX II (UK 250 grt), MV MALABAR (UK 7,976 grt), MV CAIRNMONA (UK 4,666 grt), boarding vessel NORTHERN ROVER (UK 655grt), MV BAOULE (Fr 5,874 grt)
Tonnage Sunk: 184097 tons (UK 148930 t , Fr 35167 t, Aus 5299 t) , plus 48878 (Naval) 232975 tons (Naval + Mercantile).

(US CITY OF FLINT not included)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Neutral Warships
SS SC-424 (SU)

Neutral Shipping
MV SUZON (Be 2239 grt), Schooner BALTIC ( Fn 350 grt?), DIAMANTIS (Gk 4990 grt), HøEGH TRANSPORTER (Nor 4914 grt) , BINNENDIJK (Ne 6,873 grt), MV HANSI (Nor 5000grt est), MV VISTULA (Sd 1018 grt), MOUNT IDA (Gk 4202 grt), MV INDRA ( Fn 1999 grt), ARIS (Gk 4810 grt), MV GRESSHOLM (Nor 660 grt), LORENTZ W HANSEN (Nor 1918 grt), MV WANJA( Nor 1500 grt est), MV OMONIA (Gk 3699 grt), MV GUSTAF ADOLPH (Sd 926 grt), Tkr (Whale Oil) DEODATA (Nor 3255 grt), ALBANIA (Sd 1200 grt), MV KONSTANTINOS HADJIPATERAS (Gk 5962 grt), MV RHEA (Fn 1424 grt), MV VARANGMALM ( Nor 3000grt est), MV JUNO ( FN 1241 grt), MV THRASYVOULOS (Gk 3,693 grt)
Tonnage Sunk: 64873 tons (Be 2239 t, Fn 5014 t, Gk 27356 t, Nor 20247 t, Ne 6873 t, Sd 3144 t).
Combined Allied and Neutral Shipping Sunk:248970 tons, 297848 (Total Naval + Mercantile)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Axis Warships
MSW M-85 (DKM 553 grt), PC V-804 (DKM 550 grt), PC V-701 (DKM 550 grt)
Type IIB U.12 (DKM 290 grt) ,Type IX U.40 (DKM 1052 grt), Type IX U.42 (DKM 1052 grt), Type VII B U.45 (DKM 753 grt), Type II B U.16 (DKM 290 grt)
5090 grt Total

Axis Shipping
CAP NORTE (Ger 13,615 grt), Trawler SKOLPENBANK (Ger 381 grt), MARION TRUBER (Ger 2334 grt), MV HALLE (Ger 5888 grt), Tkr BISKAYA (Ger 6386grt), MV BIANCA (Ger 1375 grt), MV POSEIDON (Ger 5864 grt), MV GLORIA (Ger 5896 grt), Trawler SATURN (Ger 194 grt), MV RHEINGOLD (5055grt) , SANTA FE (Ger 4627 grt…recaptured in 1940)

Tonnage Sunk or captured: 51615 grt (Mercantil + 5090 grt (Naval), 56705 (Total)

 

[parsifal]

1 November 1939 Wednesday
GERMANY: Major Ernst von Berg takes command of the newly formed III./JG 26 and Oblt. Werner 'Vati' Mölders, is appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53 and promoted to Hauptmann.

At the airfield at Marienehe, General Ernst Udet and Erhard Milch watch the test flight of the Heinkel He 178, the first turbojet in aviation history. But General Udet is for the most part, bored with the performance of Heinkel's little jet. Even though the aircraft can reach a speed of 435 miles per hour, the engine, produced by engineer Hans von Ohain, is a gas guzzler and can keep the plane aloft for only ten minutes at a time. Despite this problem, work continues on the He 178 and its stablemate, the He 280.

Germany formally annexes western Poland, Danzig and the Polish Corridor. This adds the new districts of Posen, Greater East Prussia and Danzig West Prussia to the Third Reich.

POLAND: The USSR formally annexes part of occupied eastern Poland and incorporates it into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, following the results of plebiscites (possibly rigged) in which the majority of the inhabitants living in the territory reputedly favored annexation.

WESTERN FRONT: In Holland the government proclaims a state of siege in frontier areas and flood zones.

In Switzerland contingency plans are laid in case of an invasion.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The Finnish delegates Paasikivi and Tanner leave by train for Moscow to negotiate again with the Soviets. The Finnish position has not changed and they do not intend to give up any more territory than the Gulf islands already offered on October 23. Their goal is to keep the negotiations alive, in order to delay military action by the USSR, as they have been informed by Field Marshall Carl Gustav Mannerheim (Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish army) that the Finnish army is not ready to fight. Political belief in Finnish neutrality has blinded them to Soviet ambitions to reclaim 'lost Russian' territory and the antebellum Army is grossly under prepared. The Finnish army numbers about 200,000 men, with no tanks, little heavy artillery (except coastal batteries on the Gulf of Finland and Lake Lagoda), about 100 Bofors anti-tank guns and precious little ammunition for any of these weapons.


.

.

 

[parsifal]

1 November

Known Reinforcements

Neutral
USS DD TRIPPE (403)

Allied reinforcements
HMS Armed Yacht VALENA

DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

Naval War Staff informed me that U 25 could not be supplied on the Spanish coast, as Spain had recently made political difficulties. Supply could only be arranged in Farrol in a case of extreme necessity. I have decided not to send the boat there, in order to have this possibility in hand for really urgent cases. I am not surprised at this development; I always regarded this matter as very uncertain.

Departures

Kiel: U-23

At Sea 1 November

U-13, U-21, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-61.
15 boats at sea.

Northern Patrol

MV MIM ( Nor 4996grt ): sent to Kirkwall by CL COLOMBO under guard, but ran aground on Reef Dyke Skerry,Orkney Islands, and broke up the next day. She wasa reportedly on her maiden voyage. Norwegian steamer HANSI (1028grt) which was going into Kirkwall voluntarily, also ran aground at the same location; her crew was taken off by Swedish steamer CASTOR (8714grt). This vessel was apparently salvaged however, as it does not appear on any reported loss sheets

[no image found]

North Sea .

DDs KELLY, ESKIMO, MATABELE, BEDOUIN, FEARLESS and FOXHOUND cleared Sullom Voeon to search for US steamer CITY OF FLINT coming down the Norwegian coast.

BBs NELSON, RODNEY, BC HOOD, DDs ICARUS, INTREPID, IVANHOE, IMPULSIVE, FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE and PUNJABI cleared Loch Ewe to provide heavy cover for the convoys returning from Norway and ON.1 which departed Methil on the 5th. FEARLESS and FOXHOUND of the CITY OF FLINT operation joined NELSON at sea. DDs FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, IMPERIAL and KANDAHAR, after refuelling at Scapa on the 4th, dep to rejoin the Home Flt on the 5th. DD FAME also dep Scapa on the 5th to join the main force. ICARUS and IMPULSIVE were detached for refuelling at Kirkwall on the 7th. Very early on the 9th, HOOD was detached with FEARLESS, and passed Dunnet Head westbound as the rest of the fleet turned south for Rosyth. HOOD arrived for refit at Devonport on the 11th escort DDs ISIS and ILEX, and completed on the 24th.

East Coast

FN.30 dep Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 3rd. There was no convoy FN.31. FS.30 dep Methil, escort DDs WALLACE and WHITLEY and sloop STORK, and arrived at Southend on the 3rd. DD JUPITER and PC FLEETWOOD dropped depth charges suspected submarine. 4 DDs 9names unknown) from Harwich were on patrol off Smith's Knoll, NE of Yarmouth, searching for vessels reportedly cooperating with U-boats

Central and South Atlantic - .

DDs HYPERION, HUNTER, HOTSPUR and HAVOCK dep Pernambuco for Trinidad. HAVOCK stripped a turbine and was diverted at sea to Freetown, arriving on the 9th. DD HEREWARD from Freetown was designated to replace her in DesDiv 4 on the Sth America Station. HAVOCK dep Freetown on the 16th with convoy SL.9 and arrived at Gib on the 27th. She then departed Gib on 12 December, arrived at Sheerness on the 16th, and was under repair at Chatham until mid-March, arriving in the Clyde for duty on 26 March. Fr SS REDOUTABLE fired four warning shots at steamer EGBA (4989grt) at 0736 in 32-40N, 13-23W thinking she was a German blockade runner. EGBA replied with gunfire forcing the submarine to submerge. The attack was broken off when REDOUTABLE received the steamer's distress signal revealing her identity.

Redoutable Class submarines carried 9 x 21.7 in and 2 x 15.7 TT, the smaller tubes intended for enemy merchant ships

Channel

CLs GLASGOW and NEWCASTLE, after convoy escort in the Atlantic, dep Portsmouth on 31 October, escort DDs ANTHONY, BASILISK, BRAZEN, and arrived at Rosyth on the 1st. The cruisers dep Rosyth that day to provide cover for these DDs.

Southwestern Approaches

DDs VERSATILE and VOLUNTEER undertook ASW searches after a merchant ship in convoy reported a submarine 10 miles west of Holyhead. DD BROKE searched for a submarine reported by D/F, 40 miles east of Buchan Ness . PC GRIMSBY attacked a submarine contact four miles east of Whitby. After a submarine was reported by British fishermen off Londonderry, PCs WIDGEON and SHELDRAKE searched for it unsuccessfully.

MV MERVYN ( UK 5000 grt est ): The cargo ship collided with another vessel and sank in the Bristol Channel off St Davids, Pembrokeshire.

[image not found]

Britain - France

BC.12S of 14 ships, including BALTRADER, BARON KINNAIRD, BARON NAIRN, CITY OF KEELUNG (Commodore), CLAN MONROE and TREVERBYN dep the Loire, escort DD EXPRESS, and safely arrived in the Bristol Channel on the 3rd.

Med Flt

Admiral Cunningham transferred his flag ashore at Malta from BB WARSPITE, which was to leave his command for the Home Flt

DD DELIGHT cleared Gib for Marseilles escorting liner LANCASHIRE which had arrived at Gib in convoy OG.4. The two ships later departed Marseilles on the 6th and arrived at Malta on the 8th. French convoys 11.B of steamers ANDRE MOYRAND, SENNEVILLE, ONTARIOLITE, DJURJURA, DOUAISIEN, ANGE SCHAIFFINO and CAMBRADSIEN, which departed Brest on 26 October, and convoy 6.X of steamers PRESCAGEL, PIERRE CLAUDE, PALLAS, OPHELIE and ENSEIGNE MAURICE PRECHAC, escorted by MSW GAZELLE, from Le Verdon also on 26 October, merged on the 27th. They were joined by steamer AIN EL TURK, escorted by MSW COMMANDANT BORY. On 1 November, six steamers from 11.B were taken into Gib by the two sloops, which returned to the convoy as it continued on to Casablanca. AIN EL TURK and 6.X arrived at Casablanca on the 2nd.

MSWs GAZELLE and COMMANDANT BORY were both from the effective Chamois Class
India - .

Caribbean

CL DESPATCH departed Panama on patrol.

Far East.

S class DD SCOUT dep Singapore for duty at Hong Kong.

Australia Station

RADM John George Crace, CB, an Australian-born officer of the RN, was appointed Flag Officer Commanding the Australian Squadron, taking over from CDRE W. Patterson, RN. His flagship was HMAS AUSTRALIA. He was the first Australian to be given a sea command at flag rank. He commanded the Australian-United States Support Force, Task Force 44, at the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942.

 

[Njaco]

2 November 1939 Thursday
WESTERN FRONT: A He 111H-2 of 2(F)./122 from Münster was chased and shot down by Hurricanes of 87 Sqdn flying out of Lille-Seclin. It belly landed at Stables near Hazebrouck. One crewmember was killed and one wounded, two unhurt. (Oblt. W. Ohmsen) all surviving crew made POW by the French. The aircraft was dismantled by the French who noted that the aircraft codes were "crudely" applied, this suggested that the aircraft had just been received from the depot and had been rushed into service. 2(F)./122 also dispatched a He 111H on a reconnaissance sortie to northern France.

German shock troops raid French lines. French patrols are active between the Blies and the Rhine.

GERMANY: Hitler recalls his ambassadors from Moscow and Rome for consultations.

The first transport of Polish women arrived at Ravensbrück Concentration Camp in Germany.

UNITED KINGDOM: King George decorates 5 RAF pilots, leaders of a raid on the Kiel Canal.

A mine washed up at Aldbrough (10 miles N of Withernsea) and exploded, causing damage to the windows of 25 bungalows.

POLAND: Part of eastern Poland is incorporated into Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, following the results of a plebiscite in which the majority of the inhabitants living in the territory reputedly favored annexation. This completes the incorporation of all Polish territory occupied by the USSR.

Joseph Goebbels visited Lodz, Poland.

NORTHERN EUROPE: As Finnish diplomats try to avert war by extending negotiations, the Soviet leadership has a clearer view of the situation. Unlike Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, which quickly granted Soviet access to bases, the Finnish government has resisted both subtle and direct threats of invasion and seems unlikely to change tack now. Stalin has rejected Chief of the General Staff Boris Shaposhnikov's plan for a direct but prolonged charge up the Karelian Isthmus to the Finnish capital Helsinki. Instead, he prefers the plan of Kirill Meretskov (Commander of the Leningrad Military District) to cross the entire 800 mile border. He believes blitzkrieg tactics and the desire of the Finnish people to be liberated by their Soviet neighbours will lead to a swift victory. The Finnish terrain (lakes, forests and marshes) and the will of the Finnish people prove both assumptions to be incorrect.

.

.

 

[parsifal]

2 November

Known Reinforcements

[Allied reinforcements
RN Aux ML PRINCESS VICTORIA

DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U.49's operational readiness will be delayed a few days. U 47 also will not be ready until very late, not before the middle of November. There is a choice between letting the boats sail alone at long intervals or keeping the first ones back until they can all operate together. I have decided on the latter course, because I would like for once to have several boats out and off Gibraltar. So far such an operation has been planned, but never carried out, as events took a different turn. But the attack on the convoy by U 37, 46 and 48 opened up possibilities which I want to see used to the full. If this is successful there will be every justification for holding boats back.

U.26 reported that she had passed 450 north. The other 2 boats of this wave (U 25 and U 53) will be kept in their operations areas for about another 3 days in order to give U 26 enough time in hand to carry out her operation.

At Sea 2 November

U-13, U-21, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-61.
15 boats at sea

Northern Waters

CL GLASGOW located American steamer CITY OF FLINT and her escort, Nor ML OLAV TRYGGVASON, NW of Stavanger inside Norwegian waters. The minelayer illuminated GLASGOW with searchlights and ordered her out of the territorial waters. CITY OF FLINT put into Haugesand almost immediately.

CLA CURLEW dep Rosyth after covering the Narvik iron ore convoy passage and arrived at Scapa later the same day. By this stage she had been fitted with radar as she took over the duties of radar direction finding while the Netherbutton radar station was out of service for 24 hours for repair. The radar station resumed operation on the 8th.

Northern Patrol

CLs CALEDON and CERES dep Sullom Voe on Northern Patrol duties, and arrived back on the 9th.

On Northern Patrol, light cruisers DELHI, DUNEDIN and CALYPSO were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, light cruisers COLOMBO, DRAGON, DIOMEDE and AMC SCOTSTOUN between the Faroes and Iceland, and light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON and AMCs CHITRAL, AURANIA and RAWALPINDI in the Denmark Strait

North Sea .

MV CANADA ( Den 11100 grt): Carrying a cargo of Soya Beans destination unknown. The cargo liner struck a mine in the North Sea off Holmpton, and sank. All 64 crew were rescued by MV RINGHORN (Nor).

[Image not found]

East Coast

OA.29 of 12 ships dep Southend escort DDs ARDENT (Att for the 2nd only), WOLVERINE and VERITY from the 2nd to the 7th.

CLAs CALCUTTA and CAIRO dep Grimsby on local escort duties and arrived back later the same day.

A submarine was sighted east of Margate Buoy and DDs KEITH, BLANCHE and GURKHA spent some time searching. After the search was abandoned, KEITH and BLANCHE patrolled between North Goodwins and Edinburgh Channel. DDs GREYHOUND and GRENVILLE were searching for a U-boat 17 miles 213° from Start Point. Steamer BRUGES (Be 4984 grt) reported at 1500 that she was stopped by a U-boat with a skull and crossbones painted on the conning tower. At 0230/3rd, Steamer KORTHION (Gk 2116 grt) was stopped in 44-32N, 8-12W and reported she had been stopped by the same submarine. For East Coast Defence, available ships of the DesFlot 4 were ordered to Rosyth for escort duties. MAORI proceeded direct and ZULU and GURKHA departed Grimsby escorting convoy FN.30 en route. DDs JERVIS, JERSEY, JAGUAR, JACKAL and JUPITER were in the Humber. Of the 19th, 22nd and 23rd Destroyer Flotillas, eight British and one Polish DD were at Harwich, two were on patrol off Lowestoft, two on East Coast convoy duty, and BASILISK, BEAGLE, BLANCHE, BOADICEA, BRAZEN and VANSITTART were proceeding from Harwich to Dover to cover minelaying mission HW which took place at 1400/2nd. Operation HW was carried out by aux MLs HAMPTON, SHEPPERTON and PLOVER laying 502 mines between Tail of the Falls and Sandettie Bank. The 5th Minesweeping Squadron swept ahead, screened by the DesFlot 19 destroyers.

Britain - France

OB.29 dep Liverpool escort DDs WREN and ESK on the 2nd, and DDs WARWICK and WHIRLWIND to the 5th, when they detached to convoy HX.6.

Med Flt

DDs GRENADE and GRIFFIN dep Gib on 25 October to escort convoy SL.5 to England. However, GRIFFIN returned to Gibraltar on the 26th to await convoy SL.6. GRENADE arrived at Plymouth on the 2nd for duties with the DesFlot 1 at Harwich.

Atlantic

HX.7 dep Halifax escorted by RCN DDs FRASER and ST LAURENT, which detached on the 3rd. Ocean escort was CL ENTERPRISE which dep Halifax with the convoy. The convoy was joined on the 14th by DD GRAFTON and PC ENCHANTRESS which remained until its arrival on the 17th. ENTERPRISE arrived at Portsmouth on the 15th and the convoy at Liverpool on the 16th.

Indian Ocean

CL DANAE dep Simonstown for Mauritius.

Far East.

CL DAUNTLESS, now attached to the 5th Cruiser Squadron, departed Singapore on patrol duties. CL DURBAN dep Singapore for Hong Kong, arriving on the 6th for refit and docking, which was completed on the 24th.

 

[Njaco]

3 November 1939 Friday
EASTERN EUROPE: Talks continue between the USSR and Finland on Soviet requests for an exchange of territory and border alterations. The Finnish delegates Paasikivi and Tanner again met with Molotov and Stalin at the Kremlin. Finnish counterproposals were presented, stating it recognized Soviet security needs but that Finland has now gone as far as its "independence, security and neutrality permit." The Finnish position has not changed since Oct 23; they offer islands in the Gulf of Finland but the Hanko peninsula (guarding the mouth of the Gulf) is not for discussion. The Finns refuse to allow the Soviets a military base in Finland. The Soviet position has not changed either; Molotov warns "now is the turn of the military to have their say". A few hours earlier, the Russian news organization "Pravda" made a violent verbal attack on Finland, which later was broadcast.

UNITED KINGDOM: After complaints from employers and trades unions, the blackout is reduced by an hour. It now runs from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise.

Allied Contraband Control organization have now intercepted and detained over 500,000 tons of contraband suspected of being destined for Germany.

AFRICA: The South African Prime Minister, General Smuts, promises to defend British colonies in Africa if required.

GERMANY: Franz Halder sent a message to Ludwig Beck telling him to be ready to move against Adolf Hitler on or shortly after 5 Nov 1939, which was the date the plans for the invasion of France, was supposed to be made known to top German military leaders. Meanwhile German Commander-in-Chief von Brauchitsch rejects Manstein's first memorandum on the invasion of France; however, he does allocate more tanks to General Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe A (Manstein's superior). Undaunted, Manstein will revise his plan and submit more memos to Brauchitsch.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Hunted by Royal Navy destroyers, the German-captured US freighter "City of Flint" entered the harbour of Haugesund, Norway where she was boarded and seized by sailors from the Norwegian minesweeper "Tryggvason".

NORTH AMERICA: USA neutrality law, preventing trade in arms and war materials, loans or credits to belligerent parties in a war, is an isolationist policy to insulate America from oversees wars. This is revised in the Neutrality Act of 1939 to allow arms trade with belligerent nations on a cash and carry basis.

.

 

[parsifal]

3 November

Known Reinforcements

Neutral Reinforcements

USN DD RUSSELL (DD 414) Sims Class DD. Spent most of the war in the Pacific

[Allied reinforcements
RN Sloop (DE) FLAMINGO Black Swan Class. Only a few of this type were built, because they relied on turbine propulsion, but they were very effective ASW escorts, because they were fast enough to chase down a surfaced Type VII or Type IX. UBoat killer Capt ("Johny") Walker used this type extensively.

RAN Aux MSW UKI

DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

Naval War Staff requested B.d.U to go into the question of attacking England's timber imports from north Russian ports. These imports are regarded as of great importance.

I had in any case planned to operate U 36 against those timber transports in the area east of North Cape. I think that chances of success are good in this area, but nevertheless I cannot decide further until I get information of the situation from this operation.

Naval War Staff also informed me at the same time that there was a chance of setting up a "Base North". I think everything possible should be done to get this matter cleared up.

The advantages of a base in the north are:
1) The much better position for attacking the north Russia-England convoy routes.
2) The safe approach route, loading well away from England through deep water.

The disadvantages are:
1) A lengthening of the approach route by about 300 miles.
2) Lack of suitable dock and repair facilities and the difficulty of supplying material overland.

As long as boats can pass through the North Sea without running too great a risk or losing too much time, a base in the north would only be important for attacking timber transports from the north Russian ports. But if at any time the disadvantage of the longer route should outweigh the increasing dangers of a passage through the North Sea, the Northern Base would assume very great importance.

It cannot be foreseen how long the timber transports will continue, but it is justifiable to assume that they will either stop soon or else the political conditions for this base will become void.

The base would also have to have reliable radio communication with the boats and with home. As a large-scale undertaking cannot be kept secret for long, there would have to be military protection from the first in order to prevent surprise coups by the enemy.

A proposal has been worked out on these lines and sent to Naval War Staff.

Arrivals

Kiel : U-13

At Sea 3 November

U-21, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-61.

14 boats at sea

U-37. The boat suffered slight damage after an air attack

Northern Waters

The saga of the City of Flint continued. MV CITY OF FLINT (US 4963 grt) after departure Murmansk during the night of 26/27 October, called at Tromso on the 30th and was ordered to leave, escorted by Nor DD SLEIPNER. On the 2nd she had been spotted by an RN CL, and on the 3rd, she was interned at Haugesand by Nor ML OLAV TRYGGVASON after entering the port without permission.

Whilst the local RN forces were pre-occupied with shadowing the CITY OF FLINTm Steamer NEW YORK (Ger 22,337 grt) successfully ran the blockade. She dep Murmansk on 31 October and successfully ran the blockade , arriving at Hamburg on the 12th escort by 3 MSWs and aircraft. Steamer SCHWABEN (Ger 7773 grt) had departed Santos on 26 September and passed through the Denmark Strait on 21 October. She entered Haugesand shortly after the CITY OF FLINT and was allowed to continue, arriving safely in the Weser on the 8th.

Light cruiser GLASGOW and DDs KELLY, BEDOUIN, ESKIMO and MATABELE had been involved in trying to intercept CITY OF FLINT and NEW YORK as they came down the Norwegian coast. All four DDs arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 5th after sustaining severe weather damage. GLASGOW arrived at Rosyth that day with her forecastle dropped by two inches from the effect of the weather. DD KELLY, after emergency repairs at Kirkwall dep with DD ICARUS for temporary repairs from depot ship GREENWICH at Scapa, before proceeding to Hebburn for permanent repairs. She was back in service on 14 December. ESKIMO dep Scapa Flow on the 6th and arrived at Newcastle on the 7th, repairing until the 24th. MATABELE and BEDOUIN dep Scapa on the 7th, MATABELE arriving at Rosyth on the 8th and reaching Newcastle on the 10th, where she repaired until the 25th, while BEDOUIN arrived at Rosyth on the 8th for boiler cleaning and repairs.

Northern Patrol

CL NEWCASTLE arrived at Sullom Voe on the 3rd for refuelling, then joined the Northern Patrol. CLs DRAGON, COLOMBO, DIOMEDE arrived at Sullom Voe. On Northern Patrol were CLs CALEDON and CERES between the Orkneys and the Faroes, three cruisers and one AMC between the Faroes and Iceland, and three AMCs in the Denmark Strait. CL SOUTHAMPTON was returning to Scapa from Denmark Strait patrol

North Sea .

CLA CALCUTTA departed Grimsby on local escort duties and arrived back later the same day. FS.31 dep Methil escort DDs VALOROUS, WOOLSTON and sloop HASTINGS, and arrived at Southend on the 5th. There was no convoy FN.31.

Caribbean

CL CARADOC departed Kingston for duty in the Pacific Ocean.

Med Flt

OA.28G departed Southend on 31 October escort DDs ACASTA and ARDENT, while OB.28G dep Liverpool on the 1 November escort DDs VERSATILE and VOLUNTEER. On the 3rd, the convoys with 33 ships merged as OG.5, and were joined in the Western Approaches by French Contre Torpilleur DDs VAUQUELIN and TARTU the same day. The British escorts were relieved and returned to England. The convoy and the French escorts arrived at Gibraltar on the 9th.

CAs DEVONSHIRE and SUFFOLK dep Alexandria and NORFOLK Malta on the 5th. All three cruisers called at Gib on the 7th and 8th, and left on the 8th, escort DDs DOUGLAS and KEPPEL. The DDs were relieved by DDs ISIS and ILEX which had escorted battleship WARSPITE from Gib on the 6th. DEVONSHIRE and NORFOLK arrived at Plymouth on the 11th and SUFFOLK at Portsmouth on the 12th. NORFOLK reached the Clyde on the 18th and departed the same day on Northern Patrol duties. SUFFOLK arrived in the Clyde on the 19th and also departed later the same day for Northern Patrol. DEVONSHIRE repaired at Devonport until the 21st, and then arrived at the Clyde on the 22nd for duty with the Home Flt. DD DECOY departed Malta after refitting, and escorted steamer NEVASA to Marseilles. The DD returned, escorting ocean boarding vessel VAN DYCK and reached Malta on the 7th. DDs ISIS and ILEX, which had departed Plymouth, arrived at Gib for escort duties with BB WARSPITE and later, with cruisers of CruSqn 1.

SS OSIRIS was damaged by a motor room fire at Alex. She dep Alex on the 8th escorted by anti-submarine trawler CORAL and arrived at Malta on the 13th, where she was under repair and refit until 30 December.

 

[Njaco]

4 November 1939 Saturday
NORTH AMERICA: A modification of the neutrality legislation passes into law. Although by its terms the ban on American ships and civilians in clearly defined war zones is confirmed, it does provide for supply of arms to belligerents on a "cash and carry" basis. Such arms must be ordered from private companies, paid for up front and transported to the war zone in the in ships provided by the purchaser. British naval strength means that, as is intended, only the Allies will benefit from this. Within a few days both the British and the French establish purchasing missions in Washington.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Captain Hector Boyes, British Naval Attaché in Oslo, receives an anonymous letter offering German technical secrets. He is requested to signal interest by changing the BBC World Service's German broadcast announcement to "Hullo, hier ist London". He arranges this and a week later receives a parcel with a 7-page typewritten report (which becomes known as the "Oslo Report") and components of a prototype proximity fuse. They come from physicist Hans Mayer, director of the Siemens communications laboratory, who hopes to weaken the Nazi regime by revealing details of military secrets. Mayer arrived in Oslo on October 30, on a business trip, and typed the letter and report on a typewriter borrowed from his hotel. The Oslo Report is initially considered a fake by British intelligence but is ultimately accepted. Mayer is sent to a concentration camp in 1943 for criticizing the Nazi regime but never suspected of spying. He survives the war.

Norwegian Admiralty announces that the "City of Flint" had reached Haugesund and the German prize crew has been interned

UNITED KINGDOM: Rear-Admiral Hugh Sinclair, head ("C") of British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), dies of cancer. He is succeeded by his deputy, Colonel Stewart Menzies.

Bodies of five German sailors were washed ashore in Kent.

WESTERN FRONT: Huge new order of wartime supplies were confirmed by British and French agents and shipment was to start immediately.

Paris reported that on both sides light reconnoitering units had been active between the Moselle and the Saar.

.

 

[parsifal]

4 November

Known Reinforcements

Axis l Reinforcements
DKM U.44 (Type IX)

[Allied reinforcements


RAN Boom Defence Vessel KOALA
(Photo from RAN Navy News)

DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

18th to 23rd November have been submitted to Naval War Staff as target dates for the first supply in the Northern base for U 36.

U 25 reported that she was returning as the crosspiece of her forward torpedo hatch had broken. She might not be capable of diving if depth charged. The Commanding Officer has therefore acted correctly. His position is northwest of Cape Finisterre.

Naval War Staff informed me that 10 German steamers would be ready to sail from Vigo about the middle of November and requested that they be given U-boat protection on their way home in as far as possible. This is a task for which the U-boat is imperfectly suited. If she is forced to dive, which is always the case if a/c appear, she cannot maintain the speed of the steamers. They will have to stop, or else contact will be lost. The U-boat is not very effective against destroyers as it is. Also on escort duty, starting from Vigo means that afterwards the boat or boats cannot be used elsewhere as their fuel stocks will be exhausted. While the value of the escort is doubtful the disadvantage for the U-boat war as a whole would be considerable. I must therefore advise against a close escort. Remote protection will be available if the steamers sail at such times as there are U-boats in the vicinity (position "ROT") in accordance with operations Plan No. 11. These times will be communicated to Naval War Staff for onward transmission to the steamers.

Departures

Kiel: U-60

At Sea 4 November

U-21, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-60, U-61.

15 boats at sea

Baltic

Ore Ship MERCIA ( Sd 3500 grt est) The ship struck a mine and sank in the Baltic Sea off Bornholm, Denmark
http://www.wrecksite.eu/wrecked-on-this-day.aspx

Steamer OTAVA (Fn 1290 grt) was seized in the Gulf of Bothnia by German warships and taken to Swinemünde.

[IMAGE NOT FOUND]

Northern Waters

DD BEDOUIN, ESKIMO, MATABELE were belatedly ordered to rendezvous with CL GLASGOW off Stadtlandet in the search for German vessel NEW YORK.

Northern Patrol

2 CLs between the Orkneys and the Faroes, 3 CLs and one AMC between the Faroes and Iceland, and three AMCs in the Denmark Strait. When a London flying boat from depot ship MANELA was reported missing, the five Northern Patrol cruisers carried out a search.
Saunders-Roe A.27 London - flying boat

These flyingboats carried out sea patrols over the North Sea and the Mediterranean, some aircraft being fitted with a large dorsal fuel tank to increase their range. Bombs, depth charges and (occasionally) mines up to a total weight of 907kg could be carried under the lower wing roots. Indeed, the old biplanes undertook a considerable share of the patrol work over the North Sea, keeping watch for the likely breakout into the Atlantic by German surface and submarine raiders as well as the return to German port by blockade runners. Gradually maritime reconnaissance aircraft such as the Lockheed Hudson came to assume these responsibilities while Short Sunderland flying-boats equipped the squadrons flying over the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The Londons were replaced on No. 201 Squadron in April 1940, followed two months later by those on No. 240 Squadron. Only No. 202 Squadron continued to fly Londons at Gibraltar until June 1941.

North Sea .

CLA CAIRO departed Grimsby and arrived at Rosyth on the 6th.

MSWs HUSSAR and SPEEDWELL were involved in a minor collision. SPEEDWELL repaired in the Tyne, completing on 10 December.
John Lambert Minesweeper plans from Cornwall Model Boats

These ships were from the Halycon Class of MSWs

The first of the Methil-Bergen ON convoy series dep Methil with 5 British merchant ships. Convoy ON.1 put to sea escorted by DDs FAME, TARTAR, ASHANTI and SOMALI. At sea, FAME was replaced by DD PUNJABI, which had been refuelling at Scapa. The convoy was given AA support by CLA CURLEW, which dep Scapa on the 5th, and close cover by CL EDINBURGH, which dep Rosyth, later refuelled at Scapa and departed on the 6th, joined the Home Flt at sea. and arrived back at Rosyth on the 9th. En route to Bergen, ASHANTI was detached from the convoy for refuelling and to repair defects at Sullom Voe and did not rejoin until the start of the return convoy. ON.1 arrived at Bergen on the 7th without incident.

U.21 laid mines in the Firth of Forth during the night of the 4th/5th, on which one merchant ship and one netlayer were sunk, and CL BELFAST badly damaged . U.61 later tried to reinforce the minefield, but could not get through the patrol lines.

MV SIG (Nor 1342 grt) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank off the mouth of the Humber with the loss of three of her 19 crew. Survivors were rescued by trawler ELLEN
WRECK WRAK EPAVE WRACK PECIO

Channel

OA.30 of 12 ships dep Southend escort DDs GREYHOUND and GALLANT from the 4th to 6th, and dispersed on the 7th.

MV NICOLAOS M EMBIRICOS (Gk 5295 grt) was sunk on a British defensive minefield off the Goodwins, 15 miles east of Dover near the Sandettie Light Vessel. One crewman was lost and the survivors picked up by the North Goodwin Light Vessel and a Dutch boat. They were transferred to British lifeboats.
http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?31555

Southwestern Approaches

RCN DD ASSINIBOINE, working up prior to departing for Canada, attacked a submarine contact northwest of Guernsey.

Western Approaches

Steamer BRANDON (UK 6668 grt) was attacked by a U-boat 120 miles W of the Hebrides. Submarines TRIUMPH and TRIDENT were sent to investigate and carry out a search.

Britain - France

OB.30 dep Liverpool escort DDs VANOC and WHIRLWIND to the 7th.


Far East.

CL BIRMINGHAM was relieved by CL DAUNTLESS in the Sunda Strait on the 4th and arrived at Singapore on the 6th.

 

[Njaco]

5 November 1939 Sunday
WESTERN FRONT: In a clash with French fighters over the "Sitzkrieg" front, Oblt. Hans-Karl Mayer of 1./JG 53 gets his first victory of the war when he destroys a Potez 63 west of Losheim in the afternoon.

Churchill, British First Lord of the Admiralty, visits the French Marine Headquarters.

GERMANY: A plot to arrest or even kill Adolf Hitler, hatched by of his most senior military staff, collapsed. Led by General Franz Halder, the architect of the invasion of Poland, many Generals were appalled by Hitler's plans to continue the conflict by invading Belgium and the Netherlands and feared that the adventure would founder in another Great War quagmire. After plotting with Halder and Beck to arrest Hitler, unless he relents on the plan, the Commander in Chief of the German Army, von Brauchitsch, meets Hitler to discuss the plans for an attack in the west. He argues very strongly that it should not take place as scheduled on November 12th because of weaknesses in the army. In addition, von Brauchitsch asks Hitler to allow Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) to supervise military operations without interference. Hitler loses his temper during the meeting but is unconvinced by the arguments. He asserts that the General Staff are disloyal and cowards, and insists the attack goes ahead. Brauchitsch loses his nerve and returns to OKH headquarters at Zossen, where the conspiracy collapses. Meanwhile, Colonel Hans Oster of the Abwehr (German Military Intelligence) -- one of the Zossen conspirators -- warns Colonel Bert Sas, the Dutch military attaché in Berlin, of the impending invasion of the Low Countries. He will do this more than twenty times as the invasion is repeatedly delayed and rescheduled. Sas informs the Belgian military attaché.

NORTHERN EUROPE: In Oslo the German government lodges a protest against the release of the interned "City of Flint" and the German prize crew. The protest is rejected.

Swedish government protests about the extension of German minefields off the Swedish coast

EASTERN EUROPE: Finnish-Soviet negotiations continue. The Finnish delegation reports to Helsinki and asks for further instructions.

ASIA: Shigeru Fukudome was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Navy Combined Fleet.

.

 

[parsifal]

5 November

DKM War diary
Selected extracts...

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 25 reported a convoy, apparently making for the Channel on a northeast course. There were no further shadower's reports.

U 53 was ordered to continue her passage south, as U 26 must be by now far enough ahead to carry out her minelaying operation. The "City of Flint", once taken in prize by the "Deutschland", has been detained in Bergen. The prize crew is said to have been interned there and the prize ship herself released. As the Naval War Staff attaches great importance to her recapture, U 34, U 37 and U 46 on their return passage, have been ordered to take such action as their fuel stocks permit. .

Arrivals

Kiel: U-57

At Sea 5 November

U-21, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-58, U-59, U-60, U-61.
14 boats at sea.

Northern Patrol

On Northern Patrol, two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and an AMC between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and two AMCs in the Denmark Strait. AMCs TRANSYLVANIA dep the Clyde for Northern Patrol duties and AURANIA dep her patrol station for the Clyde to overhaul her guns. Armed boarding vessels NORTHERN ISLE, NORTHERN PRINCESS and NORTHERN FOAM relieved armed boarding vessels NORTHERN CHIEF and KINGSTON BERYL on patrol in the vicinity of Muckle Flugga.

North Sea .

DD VANSITTART was sent to the Tongue Light Vessel to investigate a report of a fast motor boat, but the order was later cancelled and she returned to normal patrol. SS L.26, on Dogger Bank patrol, reported sighting a suspicious merchant ship . The submarine was ordered by Rear Admiral Submarines to follow the ship.

U.33 laid mines off Nth Foreland, on which two ships were sunk and one damaged.

East Coast

FN.32 dep Southend, escort DDs WHITLEY, WALLACE and sloop STORK. DDs WOOLSTON, VALOROUS and sloop HASTINGS dep Harwich and relieved the original escort which proceeded to Rosyth. The convoy arrived on the 7th. FS.32 dep Methil, escort DD VIVIEN and sloops BITTERN and FLEETWOOD. Six merchant ships left at 1200, despite fog, and the rest departed somewhat later. DDs JUNO and JUPITER were at sea to act as a fighting force from daylight on the 6th. DD JAGUAR remained at Methil until ordered to proceed and overtook the convoy. JUNO and JUPITER were detached at dark on the 6th to proceed to Rosyth where they joined ML ADVENTURE and escorted her to the Humber. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 7th. Danish steamer TEKLA (1469grt) reported sighting a U-boat four miles SE of Flamborough Head. DD JUNO was sent to search.

Channel

After a D/F bearing on a suspected submarine 150 miles SW of Ushant, DDs ACASTA, ESCAPADE, VERSATILE and GRENVILLE conducted searches in the area.

South Atlantic

Force K, consisting of CV ARK ROYAL, BC RENOWN, CL NEPTUNE, and DDs HARDY, HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO and HOSTILE dep Freetown on 28 October. HERO was detached on escort duties shortly after the first of the month. 300 miles WSW of Freetown on the 5th, ARK ROYAL aircraft sighted MV UHENFELS (Ger 7603 grt) which had departed Lourenco Marques, Portuguese Mozambique, on her third attempt to escape back to Germany and after evading sloop EGRET patrolling off the port. HEREWARD was detached from the screen to investigate and UHENFELS attempted to scuttle herself. However, she was captured, Force K and prize arrived at Freetown on the 6th, and UHENFELS was taken for British service and renamed EMPIRE ABILITY. She arrived in the Thames for duty on 5 April 1940.
(Image source wiki)

Western Coast

DD ANTHONY, dep the Clyde on the 4th, was escorting base ship MANCHESTER CITY to Rosyth, where they arrived early on the 6th. Later that day, ANTHONY left for Plymouth.

Caribbean

RAN CL PERTH dep Bermuda and arrived at Kingston on the 9th.

 

[Wurger]

Rien à signaler .... the November 1939.