This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[parsifal]

6 December 1939- Additional Information
DKM War diary- Additional Extracts for this day
The German Admiralty discussed some critically important issues on this day
Selected Extracts

 

[Njaco]

7 December 1939 Thursday
NORTHERN EUROPE: Having advanced 40km in 7 days above Lake Lagoda, Soviet 8th Army (7 divisions) threatens to turn the Mannerheim Line but is held by 2 Finnish divisions at the River Kollaa. Here they will remain until the end of the Winter War; "Kollaa Holds" becomes a rallying cry for the Finns. Farther north, Soviet troops enter Suomussalmi on the east side of Lake Kianta after it has been evacuated by the Finns, sparking the worst Soviet disaster of the Winter War. The Soviet government announces a naval blockade of the Finnish southern and western coasts.

Sweden, Norway and Denmark declare their neutrality in the Winter War.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 800 miles East of Rio de Janeiro, German pocket battleship "Admiral Graf Spee" sinks her last victim 3,895-ton British steamer SS "Streonshalh" (cargo of wheat). "Graf Spee" stops "Streonshalh" and takes the crew of 32 on board before sinking her with scuttling charges and 6 inch shells fired at the waterline. Papers captured from "Streonshalh" tell "Graf Spee's" Captain Hans Langsdorff that a convoy of 4 ships is leaving Montevideo on December 10. He heads for the estuary of the River Plate to intercept them. Captain Langsdorff has followed the rules of sea warfare throughout and no lives have been lost on any of the 9 ships sunk. 61 prisoners now held on "Graf Spee" (crew of "Streonshalh" plus the captains and officers of the other 8 ships) are in for a stormy ride. 305 more British Merchant Navy crewmen are held on the "Altmark" in mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, a British cruiser squadron sails towards the River Plate estuary, anticipating an interception of the German warship.

At 5 AM, U-47 mistakes neutral Dutch freighter MV "Tajandoen" (cargo, cement, iron and steel) for a tanker and sinks her with one torpedo (6 lives lost) 50 miles south of Land's End. Belgian steamer "Louis Scheid" rescues 62 survivors and, in fear of being torpedoed, runs for the shallows off the Devon coast in a gale.

At 5 PM, U-38 sinks British freighter SS "Thomas Walton" (13 lives lost) 80 miles from Narvik, Norway. U-38 also fires a torpedo at the German ship SS "Sebu" which rescues 31 survivors, taking them to Bodo, Norway.

In the North Sea, the destroyers HMS 'Juno' and HMS 'Jersey' were attacked by the German destroyers 'Erich Giese' and 'Hans Lody' which had been laying mines off Cromer. HMS 'Jersey' was damaged by a torpedo and was towed into the Humber by the HMS 'Juno'.

WESTERN FRONT: British King George VI has lunch with President Lebrun and the French Prime Minister, Edouard Daladier.

Patrol activity was reported from the Western Front, German raiding parties showing great persistence.

MEDITERRANEAN: Italy publicly reaffirmed neutrality in the war.

UNITED KINGDOM: Nine German aircraft driven off by RAF fighters in the Firth of Forth area, five being hit. Two German planes were engaged off North-East coast by RAF fighters and pursued out to sea; one was hit.

SS 'Eskdene' a ship built in 1934 (3,829t), with a cargo of timber, was reported to have been damaged by a mine or torpedo but was still afloat, seventy miles NE of the Tyne entrance. The tugs 'Hendon' and 'George V', escorted by the sloop HMS 'Stork' set off in mid afternoon of the 6th, and having to steam around minefields, eventually spotted the 'Eskdene' at 07.00 hours on the 7th. The damaged vessel was a sorry sight, her stern was under water, she had a list to starboard, it appeared that it was only her deck cargo that was keeping her afloat and she had been abandoned. Three of the eight crew members of the 'Hendon', using the tug's boat, managed to rig a tow up to the two tugs and the tow started at 09.30 hours. The escort at this time was an RAF plane, HMS 'Stork' had left shortly before. The voyage to the Tyne was hazardous to say the least, they survived rain, fog, a gale that made the tow roll so badly that the speed had to be reduced to 1½ knots, their escort leaving them through the bad weather that nearly drove the vessels ashore and finally an explosion aboard the 'Eskdene'. This happened in the morning of the 8th as they were nearing the Tyne entrance, as the stricken ship settled further down in the water, it was decided to make a dash for it, ultimately passing between the piers at 11.30 and finishing the task of beaching her at Herd Sands, South Shields at 15.30 hours. The cargo was eventually unloaded and the 'Eskdene' refloated and repaired.

Air Ministry announced that in an engagement over the North Sea on December 6th two Dornier seaplanes were attacked and damaged by aircraft of the Coastal Command, one British aircraft failed to return.

Two Polish submarines, 'Wilk ' and 'Orzel' escaped from the Baltic and joined the British Navy.

.

 

[Wurger]

Carl Gustaf Mannerheim , the commander-in-chief of Finland's defence forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland ... he was the originator of building of a defensive fortification line against the Soviet Union on the Karelian Isthmus known as the Mannerheim Line.

The Marshal of Finland ...

The commander-in-chief of Finland's defence forces in 1940 ...

Stone barriers and barbed wire in the line ....

Finnish defeners of the Mannerheim's line ...

The Soviet 8th Army in Finnland at the beginning of the December of 1939.

A Russian T-26 light tank in Finland.

 

[Crimea_River]

A great thread guys. I'm reading every one, though it may not look like it. Chris, just a small thing: a number of times you mention "Lake Lagoda". It's in fact Lake Ladoga.

 

[parsifal]

7 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
U

29 reported that she was returning. The boat could not carry out her minelaying operation because of anti-S/M activity and weather conditions (11 days of gales) and now has to return home as her fuel stocks are exhausted. Thank God our fears for her safety were without foundation.
U 41 entered port. She sank: 1) Trawler Creswell 275 tons; 2) Tanker Arne Kjode 11,500 tons; 3) S.S. Darine 1,350 tons; 4) Trawler Les Barges 290 tons. Total: 13,415 tons
On her way out the weather was bad and sometimes stormy and she did not encounter much shipping. Northwest of Cape Finisterre in good weather, she came upon the convoy reported by U 53, but could not maneuver into a good attacking position. She fired a number of failures and misses, reasons for which are being investigated. She still had the old type pistols. The results of her patrol were only fair, due to these failures, but nevertheless shows ability and determination.

Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-41

Departures
Kiel: U-20
Wilhelmshaven: U-57, U-61

At Sea 7 December 1939
U-20, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-31, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-59, U-61.
12 boats at sea.

Baltic
Soviet Marines, with some support from the Baltic Red Banner Fleet, overrun the outlying Finnish Islands of Hogland, Lavansaari and Tytere. Heavy air support is called in to support the fleet operations. These islands are located in the Gulf Of Finland midway between Helsinki and Leningrad

U.23 sank Steamer SCOTIA (Den 2400 grt) . Danish steamer HAFNIA (2031grt) was nearby and searched unsuccessfully for any survivors. She also observed U.23 searching.

Norwegian Coast
MV THOMAS WALTON (UK 4,460 grt) 44 crew, in ballast, enroute Port Talbot (a port town in Wales) to Narvik, U-38 fired a spread of two G7a torpedoes at the unescorted THOMAS WALTON inside Norwegian territorial waters south of Svolvaer and hit her with one torpedo forward of the bridge, causing the ship to break in two and sink. 13 crew members were lost. Two hours later, a G7e torpedo was launched at another unidentified steamer that stopped to rescue the survivors but it became a circle runner that detonated at the shore after 8 minutes. Shortly after this attack the UBoat discovered that this was the German steam merchant SEBU, which picked up the master and 30 crew members and landed them at Bodo, Norway. They were eventually repatriated.

Northern Patrol
CL SHEFFIELD and seven AMCs were between the Faroes and Iceland, and CA SUFFOLK and AMC LAURENTIC in the Denmark Strait. Other light and support ships closer to Home waters. From the 8th to 21st, 38 eastbound merchant ships were sighted by the Northern Patrol and 24 sent in for inspection. The low numbers was partly due to the fact that from the 9th to 17th, the armed merchant cruisers had been withdrawn from the Patrol. In this respect, there was some tangible benefit arising from the DKM BC sortie.

North Sea
MV ESKEDEBE(UK grt (est)): The cargo ship was damaged by a mine 70 nautical miles (130 km) off the mouth of the River Tyne. She was beached at South Shields, Co Durham. Later repaired and returned to service

WHINTOWN (UK 734 grt) (formerly Swedish SS BEGONIA) The cargo ship collided with LEO (UK) in the North Sea 4 nautical miles south of the Haisboro' Lightship and sank

FS.51 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VALOROUS, VIVIEN and sloop BITTERN, arriving at Southend on the 8th. Convoy FN.51 was delayed 24 hours due to the danger of mines.

Northern Waters
CinC Home Flt (Adm Forbes) transferred his flag to BB WARSPITE in the Clyde. At this time, his only other capital ship was BC HOOD, badly in need of attention after her scheduled refit in November had been cut short. CLA CAIRO departed Scapa for Loch Ewe. DD IMPERIAL arrived in the Clyde from Rosyth. DD INGLEFIELD escorted tkr DAGHESTAN (5742grt) from Invergordon to Scapa.

West Coast UK
BB RODNEY, DDs IMPERIAL, IMPULSIVE, GURKHA, three more DDs and two tugs departed the Clyde for Liverpool.

SW Approaches
MV TAJANDOEN (Ne 8,159 grt) crew 68, Amsterdam + Antwerp to Batavia, general cargo, including cement, iron, steel and glass, the unescorted and neutral vessel was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-47 and sank in flames after a heavy detonation, only a few minutes after the hit. Six crew members were lost. The U-boat had spotted the ship only four minutes before firing and misidentified the type as tanker. The master, 47 crew members and 14 passengers abandoned ship in the lifeboats and had to avoid burning fuel on the water surface. 6 on board lost their lives.

The steam merchant LOUIS SCHEID (Be 6057 grt) witnessed the attack and picked up the survivors, despite of the fear of her master of also being torpedoed. After the men were picked up, the ship immediately headed on full speed for the nearest land and by dusk she found herself off the Devon coast in heavy rainfall and a gale. The ship struck a hidden rock near Warren Point in the early hours of 8 December and was destroyed by the seas. The Salcombe lifeboat made several dangerous trips and rescued all survivors from both ships.

Sth Atlantic
DKM CS ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE sank steamer STREONSHALH (UK 3895 grt) south of Trinidad . GRAF SPEE stops the cargo ship and takes the crew of 32 on board before sinking her with scuttling charges and 6 inch shells fired at the waterline. Papers captured from STREONSHALH tell GRAF SPEE's Captain Hans Langsdorff that a convoy of 4 ships is leaving Montevideo on December 10. He heads for the estuary of the River Plate to intercept them. It is a fateful decision and the british local Commander, Commodore Harwood will work on a brilliant hunch and hope that Langsdorf makes that very decision.....

Captain Langsdorff has followed the rules of sea warfare throughout and no lives have been lost on any of the 9 ships sunk. 61 prisoners now held on GRAF SPEE (crew of STREONSHALH plus the captains and officers of the other 8 ships) are in for a stormy ride. 305 more British Merchant Navy crewmen are held on the DKM ALTMARK in mid-Atlantic.

CAs EXETER and CUMBERLAND were on patrol in the Falkland Island area. The Admiralty anticipated that DKM CS GRAF SPEE might attack Port Stanley on the anniversary of the Falkland Island naval battle . When the attack did not materialize, they entered Port Stanley on the 9th. EXETER left late that morning to escort Falkland Island Company ship LAFONIA (1961grt) to Rio de la Plata

Med -Biscay
CL ARETHUSA, departed Alexandria on the 1st on patrol, arrived at Malta for refitting from the 7th to 18th.

Pacific - Far East
CL DAUNTLESS, now attached to CruSqn 9, departed Singapore on patrol, arriving back on the 23rd. Sloop LOWESTOFT completed her lengthy refit in Hong Kong on the 2nd, and sailed on the 7th. Reaching Singapore on the 13th and Colombo on the 18th, she departed Bombay on 2 January 1940 and arrived at Port Said on the 13th. She arrived at Malta on 18 January and Gibraltar on the 28th, and made Plymouth on 5 February for further refit, completed on the 21st.

After leaving the East Indies Command, sloop EGRET completed a refit at Malta on the 7th, arrived at Gib on the 10th and departed on the 11th to reach Freetown on the 16th. She sailed on the 19th escorting SLF.13 and arrived at Cardiff on 2 January 1940 for duty with Convoy Cmd.

 

[Wurger]

On the 7th december the battle at Suomussalmi started. It was lsting until the 8th January 1940. The Finnish Army won a wictory over the more numerous Soviet military. About eleven thousand of Finnish soldiers stopped fifty thousand of Russians. The Finland lost 1000 killed soldiers and 1000 wounded. Russian losses are estimated at about twenty-seven thousand and a half killed people, 2100 POWs and 43 destroyed tanks.

The wrecks of Soviet T-26 light tanks and cars on a forest road. Two Russian Infantry Divisions and an Armoured Brigade were bottled up there by three Finnish regiments and destroyed ...

A Russian T-26 light tank abandoned during the battle ...

... and other stuff...

Finnish troops against Russians in 1939 ...

On the same day .... in Nowe Miasto Lubawskie , 15 Polish hostages were executed by a Nazi Selbschutzu firing squad ...

There were laied down two M-Class destroyers at a shipyard of the Fairfield Shipbuilding Engineering Co. in Govan, Scotland. One of these ships was the HMS Myrmidon, launched on the 2nd March 1942 and loaned to the Polish Navy and commissioned as ORP Orkan on 18 November 1942.

ORP Orkan ... images taken in 1942 ...

The Polish destroyer transferred the body of the Polish Supreme Chief General Władysław Sikorski from Gibraltar to England on the 10th July 1943.

ORP Orkan docking in the Gibraltar harbour for transferring of Gen. Sikorki's body ...

ORP Orkan in the Plymouth harbour with Gen. Sikorski's body aboard ...

... transferring of the coffin with Gen. Sikorki's body ashore with the military company of honour ....

 

[parsifal]

8 December 1939
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

An indication of the presence of U 47 and U 48 off the Channel and south of Ireland is given in the first reports of ships sunk. U 38 has fired 12 torpedoes and has reported that she is returning.She had new type pistols. It remains to be seen how many of these shots were failures.

Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-59

At Sea 8 December 1939
U-20, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-31, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-61.
11 boats at sea.

Baltic
On the 8 the Soviet DDs, led by Flotilla Leader MINSK carried out further bombardment of the Karelian coastal batteries. Finnish MTBs put out to intercept, but poor weather forced them back.

Norwegian Coast
HN.4 of nine British ships departed Bergen with escort by DDs ESKIMO, MATABELE, ICARUS and ILEX, but the convoy made slow progress in bad weather. DDs ELECTRA, ESCORT, NUBIAN and MAORI departed Rosyth on the 10th to relieve the escorts and on the same day, heavy weather forced ESKIMO, ILEX and three steamers to heave to. MATABELE lost touch and patrolled until daylight before attempting to rejoin the convoy. DD ISIS arrived at Scapa on the 9th to escort the four ships of the west coast section with one of the convoy DDs. Then on the 11th, ELECTRA, ESCORT, NUBIAN and MAORI relieved ESKIMO, ILEX and ICARUS which went on to the Clyde, arriving on the 12th. The convoy reached Methil safely on the 12th.

Northern Patrol
two cruisers and one AMC in the Denmark Strait, and seven AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland. CLs DRAGON, COLOMBO, CARDIFF, DELHI and DIOMEDE departed Loch Ewe for Northern Patrol at 1700. DRAGON and COLOMBO arrived at Scapa on the 12th, CARDIFF and DELHI on the 15th via Loch Ewe, and DIOMEDE on the 16th, also via Loch Ewe. CL NEWCASTLE departed Scapa for Northern Patrol to relieve CL SHEFFIELD, and arrived back on the 17th. AMC MONTCLARE arrived in the Clyde after Northern Patrol.

North Sea
MV COREA(UK 800 grt (est)) The cargo ship was on passage from Boulogne to Goole (an inland port in Yorkshire, some 45 miles from the coast, access via the confluence of the rivers Don and Ouse), with a general cargo including wool, copper and motors, when she struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Cromer, Norfolk. with the loss of eight of her 15 crew. The survivors were rescued by H F Bailey III

OA.49 of 11 ships departed Southend escort DDs KEITH, WHITEHALL, WREN and WITCH, although WHITEHALL was detached to HX.10 on the 9th. Sloop ENCHANTRESS joined on the 8th from OA.48 and stayed until the 11th when she also detached to HX.10. WREN and WITCH detached on the 9th, followed by KEITH on the 11th. FN.51 departed Southend, after a24 hour delay, under escort by DDs WALLACE and WOOLSTON. They arrived in the Tyne on the 9th.

Northern Waters
DD ECHO arrived in the Clyde. DD INGLEFIELD arrived at Leith for docking. Repairs were completed on the 11th and she arrived at Rosyth the same day. Subs TRIDENT and TRIUMPH arrived at Rosyth, while STARFISH arrived at Blyth after patrols. PC.74 and KINGFISHER collided at Eglinton with slight damage to both ships.

West Coast UK
OB.49 departed Liverpool escort DD MACKAY until the 10th and WARWICK until the 11th. Steamer ULSTER HERO (UK 483 grt) reported sighting a submarine 16 miles from Ramsey, Isle of Man. Escort sloop MALLARD and ASW trawler KING SOL (486grt) were sent to investigate. DD WANDERER attacked a submarine contact between Land's End and Penzance.

Channel
MV ADOUR (Belg 1105 grt) The cargo ship ran aground on rocks at Îles de Glenan, Brest, France and sank

Coaster DINARD (Fr 350 grt (Est)) The coaster collided with SWYNFLEET ( UK) and sank in the North Sea off Deal, Kent

Steamer MEREL (UK 1088 grt) was sunk on a mine near Gull Light Vessel near Ramsgate. 16 of the 18 crew were lost

[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer MIDDLESBRO' (UK 989 grt) was sunk in a collision with the wreck of steamer GOODWOOD (UK 2796 grt) one mile north of Flamborough Head. The crew were rescued by steamer RUNEBORG (Sd 472 grt).

[NO IMAGE FOUND]

CL ENTERPRISE departed Portland for Halifax, NS, arriving on the 15th.

SW Approaches
MV BRANDON (UK 6,668 grt) In ballast, Enroute Cardiff - Port Everglades, Florida , a straggler from OB48. The ship was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 80 miles southwest of Fastnet. Nine crew members were lost. The master and survivors were picked up by the Belgian trawlers MARIE JOSE ROSETTA and TRITTEN and landed at Milford Haven. U-48 misidentified her victim as the NAVASOTA, but this ship had been sunk by U-47 (Prien) three days earlier.

[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Western Approaches
HX.10 arrived at Liverpool escorted by CA YORK, which began a refit there. After British aircraft bombed a submarine contact, DDs ESCORT and ELECTRA, detached from Force W and searched 85 miles NW of Cape Wrath. U.43 was badly damaged in the air attack, but was able to reach Wilhelmshaven on the 14th. DD ISIS later joined in the search

Sth Atlantic
RNZN CL ACHILLES refuelled at Montevideo, left on the 9th for the Plate and joined sister ship AJAX on the 10th. The two then joined CA EXETER on the 12th and the three took up patrol in the Plate estuary.

A Skua of 800 Squadron, landing on CV ARK ROYAL, missed the landing wires and crashed into the sea. Sub Lt P T Bethell was killed, but Leading Airman J B Taylor rescued.

BLACKBURN SKUA II L2933 K, 800 Sqn RN CV ARK ROYAL November 1939

Med -Biscay
Steamer OUED TIFLET (Fr 1194 grt) arrived at Cartagena after being damaged on a nearby defensive minefield.

Indian Ocean
CA CORNWALL and CL GLOUCESTER departed Diego Suarez for Simonstown, after which CORNWALL was to transfer to the South Atlantic Command and GLOUCESTER to join Hunter Force I.
.

 

[Njaco]

8 December 1939 Friday
GERMANY: Admiral Raeder again talks to Hitler of invading Norway. Rosenberg, the Nazi Party's political and racial expert also introduces the head of the tiny Norwegian National Unity Party to Hitler. His name is Vidkung Quisling.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The Red Army is at a standstill. 7th and 13th Armies are held on the Mannerheim Line, a series of unconnected concrete bunkers and granite/earth/timber forts between the lakes on the Isthmus (meager compared to the mighty Maginot and Seigfreid Lines). 8th army stalls at the River Kollaa. 9th Army's thrusts across the frozen lakes out of Suomussalmi are repulsed. Only 14th Army makes progress in the far North region of Petsamo, against 3 Finnish companies led by Captain Antti Pennanen.

Russia declared a blockade of Finnish coast along Gulf of Bothnia.

MEDITERRANEAN: The Fascist Grand Council confirms the Axis alliance, but votes to remain out of the conflict.

UNITED KINGDOM: It is decided that Polish squadrons are to be attached to the RAF.

Belgian ship "Louis Scheid" (which rescued 62 survivors from "Tajandoen" on December 7) ran aground and broke up in front of the Thurlestone Golf Club, Warren Point, Devon, England, United Kingdom before dawn. As she breaks up in very heavy seas, all survivors from "Tajandoen" and "Louis Scheid" are rescued by the Salcombe lifeboat.

British cargo-boat 'Merel' was mined off South-East Coast. SS 'Corea' (751t steamer, Humber from Boulogne) hit a mine and sank off Cromer. Eight of her crew died.

1(F)./122 flew a sortie to the Scottish coast – a convoy was spotted that was subsequently attacked by He 111s of I./KG 26.

NORTH AMERICA: The American government protests the British blockade of Germany, stating:

"Whatever may be said for or against measures directed by one belligerent against another, they many not rightfully be carried to the point of enlarging the rights of a belligerent over neutral vessels and their cargoes, or otherwise penalizing neutral states or their nationals in connection with their legitimate activities."

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 11.55 hours, U-48 sinks a straggler from convoy OB-48, SS "Brandon" (9 lives lost). Survivors are picked up by 2 Belgian trawlers and landed at Milford Haven, Wales.

British cargo steamer 'Navastota' torpedoed in Atlantic.

WESTERN FRONT: The King in the course of his tour of the BEF visited aircraft units and decorated Flying Officer RC Gravely and Sergeant FH Gardiner.

.

 

[parsifal]

9 December 1939 Part I
Known Reinforcements
Axis
AMC ORION

ORION in one of her disguises as the the Dutch flagged ALMAMA

DKM War diary
Special Selected Extracts. KM decides to use air assets to lay mines, knowing that they are an inhernetly inaccurate means of delivery. Air laid mines prove the undoing of this highly effective weapon

Admiralty considers the latest Fuhrer discussions held on the 8th December

 

[parsifal]

9 December 1939- Part II
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 30 sailed for her operations area. Minelaying off Liverpool.

Departures
Kiel: U-13
Wilhelmshaven: U-30

At Sea 9 December 1939
U-13, U-20, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-31, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-61.
13 boats at sea

Baltic
Saarenpää 152 mm battery exchanged fire with 3 SU DDs. They layed a smokescreen and retreated . The temperature had dropped to -10 oC and Koivisto Sound was becoming ice-covered.


Northern Patrol
CinC Home Flt (Adm Forbes) ordered the AMCs on the line withdrawn temporarily. The threat of German mining, brought home by the damage to BB NELSON, prevented his heavy ships from leaving and entering port, and therefore were unable to cover the Northern Patrol ships. Seven AMCs left the Patrol line for the Clyde and Liverpool. CL SHEFFIELD was en route to the Tyne, passing Fair Island Channel at 2100/9th while CL NEWCASTLE proceeded to Scapa then on to relieve her on Northern Patrol duties. CAs SUFFOLK and BERWICK moved from the Denmark Strait to SE of Iceland. The regular cruisers were ordered to use their speed in the event of a re-appearance by the DKM heavy ships.

CA DEVONSHIRE departed the Clyde to relieve BERWICK on Northern Patrol, and arrived at Scapa after patrol on the 22nd.

North Sea
FN.52 departed Southend, escort DDs VIVIEN, VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN, and arrived in the Tyne on the 10th. FS.52 departed the Tyne escort DD WHITLEY and sloop STORK, arriving at Southend on the 10th.

Northern Waters
MV MAGNUS (Den 1,339 grt) crew 19 Denmark to Methil, In Ballasat. The unescorted and neutral MAGNUS was hit in the forward hold by one torpedo from U-20 about 40 miles east-northeast of Peterhead. The foreship settled quickly and the vessel sank bow first within 90 seconds. The ship had been missed at 18.41 hours with a first torpedo. There was one survivor who was picked up by the British steam trawler Philippe on 13 December.

France - UK
BC.18 departed Bristol Channel, escort DDs MONTROSE and VESPER, and arrived in the Loire on the 11th. The convoy returned, departing on the 13th and arrived back in the Bristol Channel on the 15th.

West Coast UK
SLF 10 sailed into Liverpool and were followed by the damaged BB RODNEY, escort DDs ECLIPSE, GURKHA and FEARLESS. BC HOOD and DDs KINGSTON, KANDAHAR, KASHMIR and KHARTOUM left their patrol area covering HN.4 and proceeded to the Clyde, arriving on the 10th. CA YORK began refitting at Liverpool. CL CERES departed the Clyde, and arrived at Scapa on the 16th. AMC CHITRAL also arrived in the Clyde.

DDs EXMOUTH, ECHO and ECLIPSE departed the Clyde to rendezvous and escort arriving BB BARHAM. DD IMOGEN drydocked at Govan (in the Clyde) to repair defects.

Channel
CLA CURLEW departed Chatham for Invergordon, arriving on the 10th.

SW Approaches
Tkr SAN ALBERTO (UK 7,397 grt) crew 37 in ballast, enroute Clyde to Trinidad. Forming part of OB-48m the ship was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-48 about 120 miles south of Cape Clear and broke in two. She had been missed by the first two torpedoes at 06.44 and 06.46 hours. The forepart sank first but the stern hung on and was reboarded but had to be abandoned in worsening weather and was scuttled by gunfire on 11 December by DD MACKAY, which took over the master and 35 crew members from the Belgian tanker ALEXANDRE ANDRE and landed them at Plymouth. One crew member was lost.

Sth Atlantic
NW of Mossamedes (a port in Portuguese Angola), CA SHROPSHIRE of Force H encountered Steamer ADOLF LEONHARDT (Ger 2990 grt), which had departed Lobito (also in Portuguese Angola) on the 8th. She scuttled herself off South Africa rather than be captured, and her six officers and 19 crew were picked up by SHROPSHIRE.

Profile of the SHROPSHIRE

CA DORSETSHIRE arrived at Simonstown.

Caribbean
CL EFFINGHAM arrived at Bermuda for refitting, completed on the 23rd. MV NORDMEER (Ger 5671 grt) departed Curacao, and despite efforts by Fr sub OUESSANT to intercept her in Mona Passage on the 15th, was able to reach Vigo (Portugal) on 5 January 1940.

Med -Biscay
HG.10 departed Gib with 62 ships, escort DDs WATCHMAN, ACTIVE, HAVOCK and the Fr CHEVALIER PAUL and TARTU. The French ships remained with the convoy from the 8th to 16th when they arrived at Brest. ACTIVE was detached that evening, still on the 9th. HAVOCK and WATCHMAN detached to OG.9 on the 10th and escorted that convoy for one day before returning to Gib . HAVOCK then left on the 12th to return to Sheerness for repairs. On the 15th, the convoy was joined by DDs VISCOUNT and ANTELOPE from OG.10 and also DD VIVACIOUS. All three were with the remaining ships of the convoy when it arrived at Liverpool on the 16th. French sloop COMMANDANT DUBOC attacked a submarine contact 2.5 miles 357° from Cape Spartel.

 

[Njaco]

9 December 1939 Saturday
GERMANY: Following an order for the removal of all First World War veterans from flying positions and commands, Major Hans-Hugo Witt is made Kommodore of JG 26 in place of Oberst Eduard Ritter von Schleich.

WESTERN FRONT: 27-year-old Corporal Thomas Priday of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry is killed leading a patrol. He is the first British soldier to be killed in the Second World War.

The King visited the troops on the frontier and inspected a sector of the Maginot Line.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The news agency TASS carries an erroneous report that Germany is sending supplies to Finland. In fact, the Germans are not sending supplies, but Italy is shipping material to Finland through Germany. Moscow-Berlin relations are strained by the report.

Near Suomussalmi, the Finns bring Soviet attacks to a halt. A brilliant night attack is also mounted on the 9th Army units near Kollaa. Finns repulsed new attacks on Karelian isthmus. Soviet bombers raided Hangoe.

The League of Nations begins a meeting to consider intervention in the conflict between Finland and the USSR.

EASTERN EUROPE: Some 200 Polish Jews cross over the Bug river into Soviet occupied Poland after surviving being deported by the Nazis -- and forced marched -- from their homes in the cities of Hrubieszow and Chelm. About 1800 Jews began the trek.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German cruiser "Admiral Graf Spee" sails towards the River Plate estuary (separates Uruguay and Argentina) to attack a convoy of 4 ships thought to be leaving Montevideo. "Graf Spee's" Captain Hans Langsdorff is acting on information captured from British steamer SS "Streonshalh" (sunk on Dec 7). Meanwhile, Royal Navy Force G (light cruisers HMS "Ajax" and HMS "Achilles") are already heading to River Plate, following Commodore Henry Harwood's hunch that "Graf Spee" will try the busy shipping lanes of South America. Harwood makes the wise decision to order the heavy cruiser HMS "Exeter" (currently refitting in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands) to join them in the River Plate estuary. Another heavy cruiser, HMS "Cumberland", remains refitting in Port Stanley.

.

 

[parsifal]

10 December 1939
DKM War diary

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

There is no news of U 28 and some cause for concern. If so far she has not been able to lay her mines because of the weather and the moon, she must at least be able to decide now, with a new moon and calm weather, whether she can lay them at all. In any case her fuel stocks should have forced her to return by now.

At Sea 10 December 1939
U-13, U-20, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-31, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-61.
13 boats at sea

Baltic
Saarenpää fortress was shelled by BB OKTJABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA. The ship was escorted by flotilla leader DDs LENINGRAD and MINSK, and regular DDs STEREGUSHIJ and ARTEM, four sweepers and six MO patrol boats. DDs ENGELSs and VOLODARSKIJ provided additional cover. OKTJABRSKAYA REVOLUTSIA shot 30 two-gun salvos at the Finnish 254 mm battery. The Finns counted 41 groups of heavy shells. The sea was covered by fog and the Finnish battery had no visual contact. Few shots were fired and enemy ceased fire. The flotilla leaders and STEREGUSHIJ shelled then Tiurinsaari, where the Finnish 152 mm battery did not return fire. Sub SAUKKO and two MTB´s tried to attack, but freezing of air vent prevented Saukko and one of the MTB's run in. The fortress had its first casualties, two killed and three wounded.

Soviet sub S.1 (renamed to SHCH101) sank Steamer BOLHEIM (Ger 3324 grt) with gunfire off Rauma (Rauma is a town on the west coast of Finland, 92 kilometres north of Turku, and 50 kilometres south of Pori).

Soviet subs SC.322 and 323 (both Serie X Boats) respectively sank steamers REINBEK (Ger 2884 grt), en route from Leningrad to Oskarshamn on the west coast of Sweden, in the Gulf of Finland, and steamer KASSARI (Est 379 grt) off Uto with the loss of one member of crew.

[NO IMAGE FOUND FOR THE REINBEK]

Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Shetlands, and four cruisers between the Shetlands and Iceland. AMCs TRANSYLVANIA, WORCESTERSHIRE, ASTURIAS and ANDANIA arrived in the Clyde after Northern Patrol duties. SCOTSTOUN was due to arrive with them, but was delayed by weather and only reached the Clyde on the 11th. AMC CANTON and DERBYSHIRE departed the Clyde for Portsmouth.

The old C and D-class light cruisers began to be withdrawn from the Northern Patrol as they were relieved by armed merchant cruisers. The first ones to leave for less arduous stations were CARDIFF, CERES, COLOMBO and DRAGON. All the ships were refitted and by the spring of 1940 had been reassigned:

North Sea
MV WILLOWPOOL (UK 4,815 grt) 36 crew fully laden with a cargo of iron Ore, enroute Bona (a small port north of Trondheim) to Middlesborough. The ship, dispersed from HG-9, ut struck a mine shortly there after whichhad been laid on 21 November by U-20 3 miles east from Newarp Lightship and sank . All of the crew were rescued, picked up by the Gorleston lifeboat.

CL SHEFFIELD arrived at Wallsend for docking from the 11th to 17th for repairs, leaving on the 18th. DDs JERVIS, JUNO, JAGUAR, JANUS and JUPITER departed the Humber to carry out an ASW Sweep off Terschelling. No contact was made and they arrived back on the 11th. After delivering Force W to Rosyth, DDs SOMALI and BEDOUIN proceeded to the Clyde. Sister ship MASHONA escorted tkr DAGHESTAN from Invergordon to Scapa, and then also proceeded to the Clyde.

OA.50G departed Southend with 36 ships escort DDs VISCOUNT and ANTELOPE, and on the 11th merged with OB.50G, escort DDs WITHERINGTON and VIMY to form OG.10 - a total of 56 ships. VISCOUNT, ANTELOPE, WITHERINGTON and VIMY were all with the convoy from the 11th to 13th when VISCOUNT and ANTELOPE detached to HG.10. Fr DDs JAGUAR and LÉOPARD, which departed Brest on the 12th, joined the escort force from the 13th to 18th, when the convoy arrived at Gibraltar. The day before, the 17th, DD WISHART had joined off Gibraltar.

Steamer IMMINGHAM (Ne 398 grt) struck a mine off Kallautsoog, off the Dutch coast and sank on the 11th; her crew of seven was rescued

Steamer JOTUN (Nor 534 grt) was lost by grounding south of Berwick

[NO IMAGE FOUND]

West Coast UK
DD WOLVERINE, escorting steamer TONGARIRO , attacked a sub contact . She was joined by DD KEITH, but the contact was not regained. Sloop FLAMINGO departed Leith at 1300 for Rosyth after completing repairs following her November collision. She joined sloop PELICAN off Inchkeith and both proceeded toward the Tyne.

Steamer FIRE KING (UK 758 grt) was sunk in collision with steamer DUKE OF LANCASTER (3814grt) in the Irish Sea off the Isle of Man.

Channel
HM King George VI took passage in DD CODRINGTON from Dover to Boulogne escorted by DDs BASILISK, BEAGLE, BOADICEA, BOREAS and BRILLIANT. The King and the ships arrived back at Dover that night. Sloop ABERDEEN, on convoy escort with DD WAKEFUL, attacked a submarine contact 24 miles from the Owers and then rejoined the convoy. DD ACHERON was sent to investigate, but in St Helen's Bay on the 11th, the starboard engine failed and put her out of action. DD GURKHA arrived at Portsmouth for docking.

SW Approaches

Western Approaches
Patrol sloop PUFFIN attacked a submarine contact. DD FORESTER also attacked a submarine contact Nw of PUFFIN. Patrol sloop KINGFISHER also searched the area.

Nth Atlantic
Canadian troop convoy TC.1, consisting of troopships MONARCH OF BERMUDA (22,424grt), EMPRESS OF BRITAIN (42,348grt), DUCHESS OF BEDFORD (20,123grt), EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA (19,665grt) and AQUITANIA (45,647grt) carrying 961, 1,303, 1,312, 1,235 and 2,638 troops respectively, departed Halifax. The convoy was escorted out of Halifax by RCN DDs OTTAWA, FRASER, RESTIGOUCHE and ST LAURENT, and BB RESOLUTION provided heavy support. BC REPULSE and CVL FURIOUS had just arrived at Halifax escorting liner DUCHESS OF RICHMOND (20,022grt), carrying British civilians being evacuated to Canada. REPULSE, FURIOUS, CL EMERALD, and DDs HUNTER and HYPERION departed Halifax and steamed ahead of the troop convoy to sweep for German raiders. HUNTER and HYPERION were detached at dusk on the 10th and rejoined at 0800/11th. Because of the severe cold, FURIOUS was unable to launch aircraft due to frozen hydraulic lines until the 11th, but then fog soon curtailed operations. Once out of the Halifax approaches, the local escort, HUNTER and HYPERION returned to Halifax, while at sea on the 14th, EMERALD was relieved by CL NEWCASTLE.

HXF.12 departed Halifax at 0900 escort by RCN DD SKEENA, which was detached on the 12th. Ocean escort was AMC ALAUNIA and Fr sub ACHILLE. ALAUNIA detached on the 22nd and ACHILLE arrived at Brest on the 22nd, escorted into port by sloop COMMANDANT RIVIERE. DD WALKER escorted the convoy in Home Waters from the 23rd and HXF.12 arrived at Liverpool on the 24th.

Sth Atlantic
SL.12 departed Freetown escorted by sloop ROCHESTER and arrived on the 26th.

Med -Biscay
Fr CA ALGÉRIE arrived at Casablanca. CL GALATEA departed Malta on patrol and arrived back on the 19th. Fr DD TEMPÊTE passed Gibraltar east to west. Fr CAs TOURVILLE and COLBERT, assisted by sloop D'IVERVILLE, departed Malta for contraband control duties off the west of Greece. The cruisers arrived at Beirut on the 12th.

Indian Ocean
Sub OLYMPUS departed Diego Suarez to check Prince Edward Island in the southern Indian Ocean for suspected German raiders, but made no sightings.

K.6 departed Bombay with troopships RAJULA (8478grt), D'ARTAGNAN (15,105grt), ROHNA (8602grt), CAP TOURAINE (8009grt), LANCASHIRE (9557grt), TAIREA (7933grt) and TALAMBA (8018grt), escorted by RAN CL HOBART and AMCs MALOJA and RANCHI from the 10th to 15th. The convoy arrived at Suez on the 20th and Port Said on the 21st, and was escorted by RAN DDs VAMPIRE and VOYAGER from the 21st to 24th. They were relieved on the 24th by RAN sister ships VENDETTA and WATERHEN from the 24th to 26th when the convoy reached Marseilles.

The troops being transported are from the Indian Army (4th Indian Div I believe). The first contingents of the AIF do not depart Australia until 9 January 1940

 

[Njaco]

10 December 1939 Sunday
NORTH AMERICA: The first Canadian troop convoy leaves Halifax destined for Britain. 7400 men of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division leave on five ocean liners, escorted by Royal Canadian Navy destroyers "Ottawa", "Restigouche", "Fraser", and "St. Laurent".

The American government grants Finland a $10 million credit for agricultural supplies, a gesture largely due to Finland being the only country to have paid war debts from World War I to the United States.

GERMANY: Vidkun Quisling of Norway meets with Adolf Hitler and many others in Berlin, over eleven days. They agree that Germany should aid Quisling and his Nazi party to seize control of Norway at a favorable moment.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The government of Finland issues a general appeal for aid, stating that it has been attacked by the Soviet Union;

"…without the slightest cause," adding that "our position as the active outpost of western civilization gives us the right to expect the active resistance of other civilized nations."

The Finns successfully halt Soviet divisions, north of Lake Ladoga, in the battle of Kollaa begun December 7th. Despite primitive construction, the Mannerheim Line is remarkably effective. Cleared paths in the forest funnel Soviet troops into minefields and fields of fire pre-ranged for both machine guns and the limited Finnish artillery. Adjacent pill boxes provide mutually-supporting fire. Granite blocks and other obstacles block the killing fields to prevent tanks advancing on the Line. The Finnish batteries on the islands in the Gulf of Finland prevent the Soviet Baltic Fleet from landing troops behind the Mannerheim Line.

Soviet 7th Army, while attacking Finnish defense fortifications, received flanking fire from coastal batteries on the island of Saarenpää; in response, Soviet battleship "Oktjabrskaja Revolutsija" bombarded the island, but failed to hit the batteries due to heavy fog. Baltic Fleet submarines sink three ships including two German vessels; SS "Reinbeck" in the Gulf of Finland (off Helsinki) and SS "Bolheim" in the Gulf of Bothnia. The Soviet submarine S-1 sinks the German ship "Bolheim" in error. Most ships attacked by Soviet submarines are German although USSR and Germany are allies. The Estonian steamer 'Kassa' was torpedoed in the Gulf of Finland.

ASIA: Chinese troops launched an attack on Henglingguan Pass south of Jiangxian in northern China; the Japanese troops at the strong point would be driven off by the month's end.

WESTERN FRONT: The King returned to London after his tour of the Western Front.

EASTERN EUROPE: The Soviet Government handed a Note to the British Ambassador in Moscow protesting against Britain's two-way blockade.

Soviet Government refused offer of service of International Red Cross Committee in Geneva on grounds that Russia is not at war with Finland.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Four neutral ships were reported sunk: Swedish Steamer 'Vinga'; Dutch motor-ship 'Immingham'; Danish collier ' Scotia'; Norwegian steamer 'Gimle'. HM Drifter 'Ray of Hope' was sunk by a mine. SS 'Willowpool' (4,815t steamer, Bona, Algeria to the Tees), hit a mine and sank E of Newarp Lightvessel.


.

 

[Wurger]

And a couple of pics more of the battleship Bismarck there ... the image source Tagi • pancernik - Sadistic.pl

 

[parsifal]

11 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Axis
MSW M-20 (M-35 Class)

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 30 reported from the northern North Sea that her port exhaust valve would not close. The boat was in the dockyard from 9.10 to 5.12, during which time her engine casing was changed and her diving tanks altered. She sailed on 9.12. If the exhaust valve cannot be repaired at sea, the boat will be unable to dive and therefore forced to break off her patrol. This means that the operation will have to be postponed until the next new moon. After that long dockyard period it is hardly too much to ask that the exhaust valve should be in working order. If U 30 has to break off her operation I shall demand a thorough investigation by the dockyard to determine who is to blame.

U 47 reported that she is starting her return passage. She too has had several dud electric torpedoes, though the nature of the failure is not mentioned in the report. One thing is certain now, however; the steps which the Torpedo Inspectorate promised themselves would remove the cause of these failures have not led to the desired results.

U 31 entered port. She was kept back off the Orkneys for a time, in connection with an operation by our own surface forces, and then operated in the North Sea (See F.O. U/B West's War Log).

In the evening a report was received from U 28. I had begun to think she was lost. She has been on her way home for several days and has carried out her minelaying operation. There could have been no better news today! The German U-boat Arm has one more boat than we thought

.

Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-31

At Sea 11 December 1939
U-13, U-20, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-61.
12 boats at sea

Baltic
The Saarenpää fort had assisted the land front with 18 shots of heavy 254 mm guns during 10 and 11 December. These had a devastating effect on the Finnish side, because after these shots all 254 mm guns were unusable. The barrel of number six 254 mm gun cracked.

Norwegian Coast
MV GAROUFALIA (Gk 4,708 grt) 29 crew in ballast, Oslo - Trondheim - Kirkenes. The neutral GAROUFALIA was hit by one torpedo from U-38, while proceeding inside the Norwegian territorial waters. The torpedo struck in the engine room and killed the crew on watch below. She was sunk with a second torpedo 30 minutes after the first. The survivors, among them two Norwegian pilots, were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant Tellus. They had observed the U-boat before the attack and this proved to both British and Norwegian authorities that German U-boats operated inside Norwegian territorial waters. This was a huge propaganda blunder for the Germans and they did not send other U-boats on such patrols. U-38 was perhaps the worst offender for not observing neutrality protection. She operated as far east as Murmansk and KptLt Liebe disregarded all respect of neutral shipping or warning before attack. But most torpedoes failed or missed.

North Sea
MV STORFJELD (Nor 2199 grt) The cargo ship ran aground on the Seaton Rocks, Northumberland.

CL EDINBURGH arrived at Rosyth. Ex German merchant ship ILSENSTEIN (8216grt), acquired pre-war, departed Rosyth escort DD ESCORT and escort ship WOOLSTON for Loch Ewe. After reaching the Pentland Firth, WOOLSTON returned to Rosyth. DD ELECTRA was ordered to join ESCORT, but ILSENSTEIN was unable to clear port in the heavy weather. DD MOHAWK was in collision with a tug as she made passage down the Tyne. Temporary repairs were completed in the Tyne on the 14th. ORP DD BLYSKAWICA fired on an unidentified aircraft off Harwich. DD BEDOUIN managed to clear Rosyth with tkr DAGHESTAN (5742grt) for Invergordon, then proceeded to Scapa and on to the Clyde, arriving on the 12th. OA.51 departed Southend on the 11th escort DDs VETERAN and BROKE until the 13th when they were relieved by DDs WHITEHALL and WIVERN. After the convoy dispersed on the 14th, WHITEHALL and WIVERN joined SL.11. FS.53 departed the Tyne, escort DD WALLACE and sloop HASTINGS, and arrived at Southend on the 12th. FN.54 was delayed for 24 hours, but DD WHITLEY and sloops FLAMINGO and STORK guarded the ships overnight and were joined by DD GREYHOUND the next day. U.61 laid mines off the Firth of Forth.

Northern Waters
CL GLASGOW arrived at Scapa Flow.

France - UK
BC.17 of steamers BARON GRAHAM, CLAN ROSS (Commodore), DUNKWA and GUELMA departed the Loire escort DD VESPER, and arrived in the Bristol Channel on the 12th. SA.21 of two steamers departed Southampton, escort DD WINDSOR which reported a submarine contact enroute. The convoy arrived at Brest on the 12th.

Convoy AXS.8 of one steamer, escorted by destroyer VIVACIOUS, arrived at Brest from Barry.

West Coast UK
OB.51 departed Liverpool escort DD VOLUNTEER and sloop DEPTFORD.

Channel
BB VALIANT departed Plymouth on trials after refit, escort DDs ACASTA and ARDENT. She was to have arrived back on the 11th, but due to submarine activity in the area, remained at sea overnight with DDs ENCOUNTER, ARDENT, ACASTA and GRENADE. She then headed for Portland, reaching there on the 12th and leaving on the 14th for Bermuda. VALIANT was met by DD HYPERION on the 21st, 240 miles 70° from Mount Hill Light and reached Bermuda on the 22nd for working up after the refit. She arrived back at Bermuda on the 25th. A U-boat was sighted in the vicinity of the Plymouth indicator loops. Exercises were cancelled and submarine H.43 was ordered to return to harbour on the surface. DD WOLVERINE and sloop LONDONDERRY hunted 60° and 320° respectively from a position 4 miles 45° from Eddystone, and WOLVERINE also took DD BRAZEN under orders to join in the search. A tug reported bumping a submerged object inside the loop at 1115. DDs ENCOUNTER, GRENADE, WHITEHALL and sloop LONDONDERRY searched without success but WOLVERINE did make a contact 6.5 miles 112° from Rame Head. A U-boat was reported in the Channel near Portsmouth and DDs ACHERON, VEGA and WHITSHED were ordered to search.

Fr BC DUNKERQUE with 100 tons of gold for deposit in Canada and CL GLOIRE departed Brest at 1700 for Halifax escort Contre Torpilleur DDs MOGADOR, VOLTA, LE TRIOMPHANT, LE TERRIBLE and VALMY. VALMY detached on the 12th and the rest of the destroyer force on the 13th. DUNKERQUE and GLOIRE arrived on the 17th.

Med -Biscay
BB MALAYA, which had been escorted by RAN DDs VENDETTA and WATERHEN in the Red Sea, arrived at Suez for refit after duty in the Indian Ocean. Sub OSWALD departed Alexandria for patrol in the Mediterranean until the 23rd.

 

[Njaco]

11 December 1939 Monday
NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet 163rd division's nightmare begins, having advanced 10-30 km since crossing the border. 662nd regiment is held by the Finnish 9th Brigade at the North end of Lake Piispajarvi by Finnish 16th battalion. To the South, 81st and 759th regiments are held up in Suomussalmi by a company of 58 Finnish border police, since Dec 7. Suomussalmi village is a critical road junction sitting in a network of lakes. Beyond, easier terrain and a rail junction at Puolanka provide the Red Army access to the Gulf of Bothnia. To prevent this, Finnish 27th regiment (4500 men traveling on skis, no artillery, no anti-tank or anti-aircraft guns) attacks the Soviet supply line along the Raate Road, isolating Soviet troops in Suomussalmi.

In Geneva after Finland asks for concrete aid, "not merely words of encouragement," the League of Nations agrees to intervene in the conflict between Finland and the USSR. This is one of the few times that the League has attempted to take a decisive stand. The League urges the Soviet Union to cease hostilities in Finland within 24 hours and accept mediation.

German submarine U-38 commits a political blunder, sinking neutral Greek freighter SS "Garoufalia" (4 lives lost) in neutral territorial waters of Norway. 25 survivors, including 2 Norwegian pilots, are picked up by Norwegian steamer SS "Tellus" and report the sinking.

UNITED KINGDOM: The Admiralty stated that four British steamships 'Ashlea', 'Newton Beech', 'Huntsman' and 'Trevanion' were now long overdue and must be considered lost. British steamer 'Willowpool' hit mines in the North Sea.

A German barrage balloon came down in Shetlands.


.

.

 

[parsifal]

12 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Axis
U-50 Type VIIB UBoat

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 30 has not been able to repair her exhaust valve and is returning.
The fate of U 35 is now known. A newspaper picture from Scotland shows the C.O. and some members of the crew. The British radio has given out several names of members of the boat's crew.
The boat has been declared missing with effect from 12 December.
U 47 reported that she was starting on her return passage. She has had 6 torpedo failures. U 48 is now the only boat left in the Atlantic operations area

Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-60

At Sea 12 December 1939
U-13, U-20, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-60, U-61.
13 boats at sea

Baltic
SU sub SC.322 damaged Steamer HELGA BOGE (Ger 2181 grt) with gunfire, four miles north of Revalstein.

Danish East Coast
Steamer TORO (Sd 1467 grt) was sunk on a mine 35 miles S of Copenhagen, off Malmo between Trelleborg and Falsterbo.

[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Northern Patrol
three cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, and four cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland. There was no patrol in the Denmark Strait on this date. CLs COLOMBO and DRAGON arrived at Scapa

North Sea
MV MARWICK HEAD (UK 496 grt) crew 10 enroute Bo'ness - London, cargo of coal , the vessel struck a mine, laid on 5 December by U-59 and sank 0.5 miles south of North Caister Buoy. Five crew members were lost. The master and four crew members landed at Great Yarmouth.

Sub SALMON sighted liner BREMEN (Ger 51,731 grt) at 0930 , but British submarines at this time were not permitted to sink merchant ships without warning. Instead, SALMON attempted to stop her 70 miles SSW of Lister Light , but BREMEN ignored her and an arriving German Do.18 aircraft forced SALMON to dive. BREMEN arrived safely at Wesermünde midday on the 13th.

FN.53 departed Southend, escort DD WHITLEY and sloops FLAMINGO and STORK, and arrived in the Tyne on the 13th. FN.53, after being delayed a day by weather, was escorted from the south by DD GREYHOUND with close escort by escort vessel WHITLEY, sloops FLAMINGO and STORK. The convoy was especially important as it included six tankers.

GERMAN DESTROYER MINELAYING OFF THE TYNE
DKM DDs HERMANN KÜNNE, FRIEDRICH IHN, ERICH STEINBRINCK, RICHARD BEITZEN and BRUNO HEINEMANN laid the minefield off the Tyne near Newcastle during the night of the 12th/13th. On the return, HEINEMANN had a fire in her turbine room and had to stop, STEINBRINCK standing by, but she was able to restart and carry on. Destroyers IHN and STEINBRINCK later suffered equipment defects and were detached to Wilhelmshaven. Eleven Allied merchant ships grossing 18,979 tons were sunk and destroyer KELLY and a large tanker badly damaged in the field:


Northern Waters
Sube UNDINE arrived at Blyth for repairs until the 23rd. U.13 laid mines off Dundee in the Firth of Tay, on which one ship was sunk.

West Coast UK
DDs EXMOUTH, ECHO and ECLIPSE departed the Clyde to escort BB BARHAM. Meanwhile BARHAM and DDs DUCHESS and DUNCAN, which had departed Gib on the 6th for service with the Home Flt, were 9 miles west of the Mull of Kintyre when DUCHESS was run down at 0437 in an accidental collision with BARHAM. Struck abreast the forecastle, DUCHESS capsized and then exploded killing many men in the water. She sank at 0503 with the loss of 6 officers (including the CO) and 124 ratings. Only one officer and 22 ratings were rescued by ECHO and ECLIPSE. EXMOUTH and DUNCAN screened BARHAM's entry into the Clyde while ECLIPSE and ECHO stood by at the location of the sinking until daylight.

The loss of the DUCHESS and heavy loss of life was a significant embarrassment for the RN

DDs SOMALI, BEDOUIN, MASHONA, and ILEX arrived in the Clyde.

Channel
Aux patrol trawler EMILION (201grt) was damaged in a collision with teamer MONTE NAVAJO (Sp 5754 grt) near the Goodwin Buoy. She sustained slight damage. The Spanish ship continued without taking any action or offering any assistance as was customary under the international lore of the sea. Trawler VALERIA (189grt) reported sighting a suspicious vessel near 5A Buoy off Lowestoft, course ESE. ORP DD BLYSKAWICA was dispatched to assist, but ordered to return to Harwich at daylight if no contact was made.

Lt R H M Heriot-Hill, Petty Officer M Fortrum, Leading Airman M McLoughlin (RAF) and Air Mechanic L Moorhead were killed when their Walrus of 754 Squadron struck a balloon cable near Southampton.

Sqns that operated the walrus in the RN included Nos 700,701,702,710,711,712,714,715,716,718,720,722,728,730,733,737,740,742,743,747,749,751,754,757,763,764,765,771,772,773,777,778,781,782, 783,787,788,789,796, 836, 1700

British minefield SC was laid on the 12th, 18th and 27th December, 16 January and 14 February by auxiliary minelayer HAMPTON westward of Folkestone Gate.


Western Approaches
ARRIVAL OF CANADIAN TROOP CONVOY TC.1
DDs ESKIMO, BEDOUIN, MASHONA, SOMALI, KANDAHAR, KHARTOUM, KINGSTON, KASHMIR, FEARLESS, ILEX, IMPERIAL and IMPULSIVE departed the Clyde to sweep ahead of Cdn troop convoy TC.1 as it approached the British Isles and bring it into the Clyde. However, IMPERIAL was held up and did not join, and DD MATABELE joined the escort force at sea.

Sub SALMON and RAF Coastal Command aircraft sighted German destroyers HERMANN KÜNNE, FRIEDRICH IHN, ERICH STEINBRINCK, RICHARD BEITZEN and BRUNO HEINEMANN in the North Sea en route to the Tyne on a ML mission. Adm Forbes, concerned for the safety of convoy TC.1, departed Greenock with BBs WARSPITE, BARHAM, BC HOOD, and DDs INGLEFIELD, ICARUS, IMOGEN, IMPERIAL, ISIS and FOXHOUND on the 13th. DDs FORESTER and FIREDRAKE departed Loch Ewe and joined the force off the Mull of Kintyre. CAs BERWICK, DEVONSHIRE and CL GLASGOW on Northern Patrol patrolled further south than usual to cover the convoy. Light cruisers SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH departed Rosyth, called at Scapa, proceeded to Fair Island Channel and then patrolled between the Shetlands and the Faroes. DDs AFRIDI, MAORI and NUBIAN departed Rosyth and swept north at 25 knots. CLs DIOMEDE, CARDIFF, CERES and DELHI on Northern Patrol were to concentrate 10 miles 180° from Myggenoes Light in the Faroes, where they were joined by CLs COLOMBO and DRAGON which were proceeding to patrol stations.

Subs SEAHORSE, STURGEON, UNITY and L.23 departed Blyth around midnight on the 12th/13th, SUNFISH and SNAPPER departed Harwich on patrol, and SHARK, already on patrol, was moved to a position off the mouth of the Jade River.

TC.1's only incident of the voyage occurred on the 17th off Northern Ireland as the convoy neared its destination. Outward-bound liner SAMARIA (19,597grt) entered the eastbound convoy in fog and collided with aircraft carrier FURIOUS, carrying away several antennas and lifeboats and grazing liner AQUITANIA. On arrival in the Clyde, CVL FURIOUS and BC REPULSE returned to the command of Admiral Forbes, who reached the Clyde on the 17th after escorting TC.1 into port.

Nth Atlantic
HX.12 departed Halifax at 1000 escort RCN DDs SAGUENAY and SKEENA. At 1800/14th, they handed the convoy over to an ocean escort consisting of Fr sub PASTEUR which detached on the 20th, and AMC AUSONIA, which left on the 25th. PASTEUR was joined by Fr Contre Torpilleur DD VALMY and sloop GAZELLE on the 23rd, and later arrived at Brest. DDs WANDERER and WALKER escorted the convoy from the 24th to 27th, when it arrived at Liverpool on the 27th.

Sth Atlantic
SLF.12 departed Freetown escorted by AMC CILICIA and arrived at Liverpool on the 25th.

Allied Hunter Groups in the South Atlantic were disposed late on the 12th as follows:

Force G - CA EXETER, CL AJAX and the RNZB CL ACHILLES off the Uruguay coast near Rio de la Plata.

Force H - CAs SUSSEX and SHROPSHIRE sweeping off the west coast of Africa.

Force I - CVL EAGLE, CA CORNWALL, CL GLOUCESTER arrived at Durban on the 12th, low on fuel, after chasing into the Indian Ocean on a false raider report. EAGLE and GLOUCESTER were expected to need a week to boiler clean at Simonstown.

Force K - CVr ARK ROYAL and BC RENOWN in the Pernambuco area.

Force X - CVL HERMES, Fr CAs DUPLEIX, FOCH, and RN DDs HARDY, HOSTILE and HERO were north of St Paul Rocks. RN CL NEPTUNE joined Force X on the 12th.

Additionally, heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND was in the Falklands, boiler cleaning and refitting on short notice. Sister ship DORSETSHIRE was at Simonstown, preparing to relieve heavy cruiser EXETER on the South America Station. Submarine SEVERN was halfway between St Helena and Bahia en route to the Falklands, and sister CLYDE approaching Dakar.

 

[Wurger]

Frozen Soviet soldiers in Finnland during the Winter War.

 

[Njaco]

12 December 1939 Tuesday
NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet forces capture Salla, Kirovsk, and Kandalaksja. The Finns launch a series of attacks against the Soviet 8th Army. Finnish attacks near Kollaa meet with less success. The battles of Tovaajarviand and Kitela, both north of Lake Ladoga, begin. Soviets suffered heavy casualties near Tolvajärvi, Finland as Finnish troops wiped out two Soviet divisions.

UNITED KINGDOM: Churchill speaks in favor of an Allied invasion of Norway. In his speech he says that;

"…it is humanity, and not legality, that we must look to as our judge."

EASTERN EUROPE: The Soviet government rejects an appeal, made by the League of Nations, for a ceasefire with Finland and mediation of the dispute.

GERMANY: Hitler orders the production of sea mines and ammunition to be almost doubled. He also postponed the decision to invade France to 27 Dec 1939; if he was to launch the attack, the date of action was to be 1 Jan 1940. Since the decision was to be made after Christmas, he permitted the granting of Christmas leave.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The Tyne was the assembly point for the southbound East Coast convoys between November 1939 and February 1940 and at various times during this period it received some attention from German minelaying destroyers. On Tuesday 12th December a force of German destroyers which consisted of the 'Beitzen', 'Steinbrinck', 'Heinemann' and 'Ihn', each loaded with 60 contact mines, sailed from their assembly point at Shillig Roads, together with the 'Künne' as escort. Making their usual feint northwards till dusk then westwards to the target area off the mouth of the Tyne. The 240 mines were laid without incident. Unbelievably coastal lights were still burning in the Tyne area and the destroyers were able to fix their positions by the lights on Coquet Island, Curry Point, North Shields and elsewhere. Their task finished, the destroyers headed for home at top speed. On the way, a fire in 'Heinemann's' No 2 turbine room caused her to stop engines to put it out, the 'Steinbrinck' stood by. On the other side of the North Sea an escort consisting of the light cruisers 'Nurnberg', 'Leipzig' and 'Koln' was awaiting the return of the destroyers when HM Submarine 'Salmon' entered the fray. Lieutenant Commander Bickford fired six torpedoes at long range, at 11.24 hours, 'Leipzig' was hit amidships by a single torpedo which wrecked her forward boiler room. Ordering a 90 degree turn Konteadmiral Lutjens turned the squadron right into the path of another torpedo which blew the bows off the 'Nurnberg'. The 'Salmon' escaped. "Leipzig" will only return to service in 1941 but solely as a training ship. "Nurnberg" will be out of action until May 1940. The five destroyers after being subjected to an attack made in error by German aircraft, were still some 130 miles away, they were ordered to form an anti-submarine screen around the cruisers with all dispatch, but shortly afterwards the 'Ihn' and 'Steinbrinck' were diverted to Wilhelmshaven because of machinery breakdowns. The remaining destroyers reached the cruisers at 13.57 hours together with two 'F' class escort vessels and four 'M' boats. Zig-zagging down the Danish coast, the German naval force sailed into the patrol area of HM Submarine 'Ursula'. Eight miles S of Heligoland, Lieutenant Commander Phillips also launched a six torpedo attack, two of them struck the escort vessel 'F 9' at 12.33 hours. She sank three minutes later with a heavy loss of life. The questions asked at Kriegsmarine afterwards about a cruiser escort for destroyers, led to a disagreement between Admiral Raeder and the C-in-C Admiral Boehm, it resulted in the latter's resignation.

After hitting the "Leipzig" and "Nurnberg", Submarine HMS "Salmon" tries to stop the German liner SS "Bremen" (which is known to have no passengers) off Norway but an escorting seaplane attacks forcing her to dive. "Salmon" does not torpedo the liner to comply with existing Anglo-German naval treaties, a decision that likely delays German unrestricted submarine warfare. After British submarine "Salmon" permits the 52,000 ton liner "Bremen" to proceed, the German liner arrives in Bremerhaven from Murmansk, having mostly evaded the British blockade.

9 miles off the coast of Scotland at 0400 hours, battleship HMS "Barham" collides with an escorting destroyer in dense fog. HMS "Duchess" is cut in half and sinks (124 lives lost, 25 survivors).

"Graf Spee" and Royal Navy cruisers converge on the River Plate estuary from different directions. Despite orders to avoid battle, Captain Langsdorff expects escorted convoys. As "Graf Spee" will return home to refit engines and other systems after 4 months at sea and thousands of miles, he is willing to take minor damage. He strips "Graf Spee" for battle, removing fake funnels and dumping damaged equipment such as the Arado seaplane's engine.

British vessel 'King Egbert' was sunk in the North Sea and British collier 'Marwick Head' was mined off the East Coast.

.

 

[parsifal]

13th December - Battle Of the River Plate

On December 13 at 0610 smoke was sighted to the northwest. Admiral Graf Spee had already sighted mastheads and identified Exeter but initially suspected that the two light cruisers were smaller destroyers and that the British ships were protecting a merchant convoy, the destruction of which would be a major prize. Since Graf Spee′s reconnaissance aircraft was out of service, Langsdorff relied on his lookouts for this information. He decided to engage, despite having received a broadly accurate report from the German naval staff on December 4 outlining British activity in the River Plate area. This report included information that Ajax, Achilles, Exeter and Cumberland were patrolling the South American coast.

Langsdorff realized too late that he was facing three cruisers. Calling upon the immediate acceleration of his diesel engines, he closed with the enemy squadron at 24 kn (28 mph) in the hope of engaging the steam-driven British ships before they could work up from cruising speed to full power. This strategy may seem an inexplicable blunder. Langsdorff could perhaps have maneuvered to keep the British ships at a range where he could destroy them with his 11 in guns while remaining out of the effective range of their smaller 6- and 8-inch guns. On the other hand, he knew the British cruisers had a 4-6 kn (4.6–6.9 mph) speed advantage over Graf Spee and could in principle stay out of range should they choose to do so – standard cruiser tactics in the presence of a superior force – while calling on reinforcements.

The British executed their battle plan: Exeter turned northwest, while Ajax and Achilles – operating together – turned northeast to spread Graf Spee′s fire. The German vessel opened fire on Exeter at 19,000 yd with her six 11 in guns at 0618. According to the Exeter's gunnery officer, Exeter opened fire at 0620, Achilles at 0621, Exeter′s aft guns at 0622 and Ajax at 0623.

[Throughout the battle the crew of the Exeter thought they were fighting the Graf Spee's sister ship Admiral von Scheer. But it was of course the Graf Spee.]

From her opening salvo, Graf Spee′s gunfire proved fairly accurate, her third salvo straddling Exeter. At 0623, an 11 in shell burst just short of Exeter, abreast the middle of the ship. Splinters from this shell killed the torpedo tubes' crews, damaged the ship's communications, riddled the ship's funnels and searchlights and wrecked the ship's aircraft just as it was about to be launched for gunnery spotting. Three minutes later, Exeter suffered a direct hit on her "B"-turret, putting it and its two guns out of action. Shrapnel swept the bridge, killing or wounding all bridge personnel except the captain and two others. In addition the ship's communications were wrecked. Communications from the aft conning position were also destroyed, the ship had to be steered via a chain of messengers for the rest of the battle.

Meanwhile, Ajax and Achilles closed to 13,000 yd and started making in front of Graf Spee, causing her to split her main armament, and otherwise use her 5.9 in guns against them. At 0632, Exeter fired two torpedoes from her starboard tubes but both missed. At 0638, Exeter turned so that she could fire her port torpedoes, and received two more direct hits. One hit "A"-turret and put it out of action, the other entered the hull and started fires. At this point Exeter was severely damaged, having only "Y"-turret still in action under 'local' control with the gunnery control officer on the roof shouting directions to those inside. She also had a 7° list, was being flooded and being steered with the use of her small boat's compass. But Exeter had dealt the decisive blow; one of her 8 in shells had penetrated two decks before exploding in Graf Spee′s funnel area – destroying her raw fuel processing system and leaving her with just 16 hours of fuel, insufficient to allow her to return home.

[Thus, from 0638, Graf Spee was doomed; she could not make the fuel system repairs (of this complexity) under fire. Two-thirds of her anti-aircraft guns were knocked out as well as one of her secondary turrets. There were no friendly naval bases within reach, and nor were any reinforcements available. She was not seaworthy and could make only the neutral port of Montevideo.]

t approximately 0636, Graf Spee hauled around from an easterly course, now behind Ajax and Achilles, toward the northwest and laid smoke. This position brought Langsdorff roughly parallel to Exeter. By 0650, Exeter listed heavily to starboard, taking water forward. Nevertheless, she still steamed at full speed and fired with her one remaining turret. Forty minutes later, water splashed in by an 11 in near-miss short-circuited her electrical system for that turret, forced the Exeter's captain to break off the action. This action presented the German captain with the opportunity to finish off Exeter. Instead, the combined fire of Ajax and Achilles drew Langsdorff's attention as both ships closed with the German ship.

At 0656, Ajax and Achilles turned to starboard to bring all their guns to bear, causing Graf Spee to turn away and lay a smokescreen. Fourteen minutes later, the two British cruisers turned to reduce the range from 8 miles, even though this meant only their forward guns could fire. At 0716, Graf Spee turned to port and headed straight for the badly damaged Exeter, but fire from Ajax and Achilles forced her to turn and fire her main batteries at them, while they turned to starboard to bring all their guns to bear.

Ajax turned to starboard at 0724 and fired her torpedoes at a range of 4.5 miles, causing Graf Spee to turn away under a smokescreen. Shortly thereafter, Ajax was hit by an 11 in shell that put "X"-turret out of action and jammed "Y"-turret, causing some casualties. By 0740, Ajax and Achilles were running low on resources and the British decided to change tactics, moving to the east under a smokescreen. Harwood decided to shadow Graf Spee and try to attack at night when he could attack with torpedoes and better utilize his advantage of speed and maneuverability while minimizing his deficiencies in armor. Ajax was again hit by an 11 in shell that destroyed her mast and caused more casualties. Graf Spee continued on a southwestward course.

From this point on, the battle became a pursuit. For the next 13 hours, the Achilles and Ajax kept sight of the Graf Spee, as it headed for the nearest neutral harbor, which was Montevideo in Uruguay. The German vessel docked just after midnight. Capt. Langsdorff then requested permission to take two weeks to make repairs. British diplomats at first lobbied to have the German ship expelled immediately. However, when it was learned no reinforcements had arrived, British intelligence released false reports which kept the Graf Spee from sailing. The British embassy also induced a number of British and French merchant ships to leave Montevideo harbor, which also kept the Graf Spee in the harbor (under the terms of the Hague convention).

During the pursuit, a message was sent to the HMS Cumberland, requesting its presence to reinforce the badly-mauled Force G. The cruiser arrived late on the evening of December 14, after sailing for 36 straight hours from the Falklands. In addition, other British ships – including the battlecruiser HMS Renown and the carrier HMS Ark Royal – were steaming to reinforce the Ajax and Achilles.

RNZN ACHILLES (background) seen from deck of RN AJAX Photograph taken during the battle of the River Plate
Photograph from archives of the Imperial War Museums, UK