This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[Njaco]

February 14 Wednesday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German U-boats exact a heavy toll on merchant ships carrying food and fuel in British waters, sinking 4 steam merchant for a total of 29,000 tons. German submarine U-48 sank British merchant ship "Sultan Star" 200 miles west of Land's End, southwestern England at 1700 hours, killing 1 man. Destroyers "Whitshed", "Vesper", and "Acasta" retaliated with 22 depth charges but they did not hit U-48. 72 survivors were rescued by "Whitshed" and delivered to Plymouth, England on the next day.

German submarine U-57 torpedoed British tanker "Gretafield" 20 miles east of Wick, Scotland. 10 men were killed while 31 survivors were rescued by trawlers HMS "Peggy Nutten" and HMS "Strathalladale". With 13,000 tons of fuel oil on board, she drifted as the oil burned, eventually running aground.

German submarine U-53 sank Danish ship "Martin Goldschmidt" west of Ireland at 0500 hours. 5 men were killed while 5 survivors were rescued by Norweigan ship "Berto".

German submarine U-26 sank British steamer "Langleeford" 70 miles northwest of Fastnet, Ireland at 0800 hours, killing 4. U-26 picked up 30 survivors, interrogated them, and then sent them to County Clare, Ireland.

UNITED KINGDOM: Winston Churchill announces an Admiralty policy of arming trawlers, to protect them from enemy attacks.

The British government agreed to allow British volunteers to serve in the Finnish armed forces.

NORTHERN EUROPE: German pocket battleship "Admiral Graf Spee's" supply ship "Altmark" reached Norwegian territorial waters off Trondheim. It was Captain Heinrich Dau's intention to remain in neutral Norwegian waters to avoid an attack by the British. A Hudson of Coastal Command locates the German supply ship in Norwegian waters.

Finnish troops start pulling out of the Lähde sector of the Mannerheim line, withdrawing to rearguard positions and leaving a gap in the Line 2-3 km wide and 6 km deep. Kirvesmäki stronghold on the Taipale River changes hands for the fourth time in 3 days. Soviets attack with artillery, aircraft and tanks; they retake the Kirvesmäki stronghold. Finns are out of reserves and cannot mount a counterattack.

The Finnish Note (circulated to many foreign governments) accuses the USSR of adopting illegal methods of warfare, including indiscriminate bombing of unprotected towns, hospitals and railway trains and abuse of the white flag (some Soviet troops having feigned surrender before attacking).

MEDITERRANEAN: Not immune to the troubles in the rest of Europe, the Vatican institutes a rationing program.

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[parsifal]

15 February 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
U-65 (Type IXB), IJN Kagero Class DD HATSUKAZE

Allied
Submarine Tetrach ("T" Class)

Known Losses
MV AASE (Den 1206 grt): Crew:16 (15 dead and 1 survivor) : Cargo: Fresh fruit : Route: Valencia - Bristol: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean south west of Cornwall after breaking in two. The single survivor was rescued on 17 February by DD VERITY.

Tkr DEN HAAG (Ne 8971 grt): Crew: 39 (26 dead and 13 survivors): Cargo: POLs : Route: Aruba - New York - Rotterdam: The tkr was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay by U-48 . The survivors were rescued by MV GLENORCHY. The U-boat had spotted the tkr about five hours earlier, but had to evade a flying boat (RAAF 10 Sqn) before an attack could be made.

MV MARYLAND (Den 4895 grt): Crew: 34 (34 dead - no survivors): Cargo: Oil cake : Route: Santos (18 Jan) - Madeira (7 Feb) - Copenhagen: the unescorted and neutral vessel was hit by one torpedo from U-50, broke in two and sank within seven minutes. A first torpedo fired at 01.54 hours had detonated prematurely. The ship was reported missing after sending her position the last time on 9 February, only a wrecked lifeboat was later found at North Uist.

U.14 sank the following two ships at the same time:
MV RHONE (Den 1064 grt): Crew:20 (9 dead and 11 survivors): Cargo: Coal : Route: Methil - Esbjerg, (Denmark): At 23.15 hours on 15 Feb 1940, U-14 spotted two steamers in a line about 50 miles north of Rattrey Head and fired at 23.40 hours one G7e torpedo at the second ship that detonated prematurely. This ship was the RHONE, which sank two minutes after being hit in the bow by a second G7e torpedo at 23.55 hours.

MV SLEIPNER (Den 1066 grt): Crew: 41 Passengers and crew (13 dead and 28 survivors): Cargo: Coal : Route: Methil - Esbjerg, (Denmark). SLEIPNER stopped to rescue survivors from the sunken RHONE. She sent a distress signal, but was also hit in the foreship by one G7e torpedo at 00.00 hours on 16 February and sank after 10 minutes.

All three lifeboats from SLEIPNER had already been launched before the ship was hit and they picked up 13 survivors from RHONE, but two of them died in the boats and their bodies were placed on a raft, which was found and recovered three days later by DD ECLIPSE. 18 survivors from SLEIPNER and 11 from RHONE in two lifeboats were picked up after 9 hours by the trawler STANDARD (Sd) and landed at Wick. 12 survivors in the third boat were picked up after about 12 hours by DD KIPLING . 7 of 23 crew members and six of 18 passengers (Greek seamen to join ships in Denmark) from SLEIPNER were lost.

MV STEINSTAD (Nor 2447 grt): Crew: 24 (13 dead and 11 survivors): Cargo: Ore : Route: Fethiye, Turkey - Aalvik, Norway : The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 50 nautical miles (93 km)west of County Clare, Ireland by U-26 .

Tug WICOMICO ( USN 152 grt): The tug collided with US DD GOFF in Hampton Roads and sank. The wreck was later raised and scrapped.

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

The ARK ROYAL has probably been in Portsmouth since 13 Feb. and will go into dock there. The RENOWN and EXETER are in Plymouth, where Mr. Churchill went on board the EXETER to offer congratulations Several destroyers have been sent from Gibraltar to the Huelva area to search for German merchantmen reported there. They aresupported by air reconnaissance from Gibraltar.

The supply ship ALTMARK is proceeding southwards through Norwegian territorial waters. Ship has been detected by the enemy. According to radio monitoring, Admiralty has informed naval authorities and in particular the cruiser GLASGOW and the submarines SEAL, TRIAD and ORZEL about a report from Tromsoe stating that a large German tanker of about 10,000 tons, painted black, passed a spot in the Tromsoe area at 1215 on 12 Feb. Previous instructions for the voyage remain unchanged, since the ship
seems to run less risk inside territorial waters than outside. The Embassy, Naval Attache and Consulates were informed some time ago about the ship's character and the fact that she carries prisoners, also that it is imperative for the ALTMARK, which so far as the Norwegian Government is concerned is a "Government Ship", to complete her passage without delay or hindrance.

As there are enemy anti-submarine forces patrolling off the southwest corner of Norway near Lindesnes, Group West has ordered the ALTMARK" not to leave Norwegian territorial waters directly off Lindesnes but to wait till near Kristiansand.

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

"Ark Royal", "Renown" and "Exeter" have arrived at the Channel ports. U 37 therefore required new orders. She was ordered to proceed to the west coast of Spain with U 26 and to act there as tactical leader of the group U 26, U 37, U 50, U 53, U 54 and perhaps later also U 41.

According to a radio intelligence report a convoy is to be west of Porto on 17.2 and the nearest boats, U 26, U 37 and U 53 will will first be operated against this. U 29 has been kept off the North Channel because of the "Nordmark" operation which is to take place within the next days. (see F.O. U/B West's War Log see special entry below).

U 53 reported that she had sunk 30,000 tons.

At Sea 15 February 1940
U-10, U-14, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-29, U-37, U-48, U-50, U-53, U-54, U-56, U-57, U-60, U-61, U-62.
19 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
CL MANCHESTER departed Scapa on Northern Patrol. AMC CARINTHIA arrived in the Clyde from Northern Patrol. The Northern Patrol sighted 61 eastbound ships between the 15th and 29th and sent 24 into Kirkwall for inspection.

North Sea
Sub SWORDFISH and DD IMPERIAL departed Rosyth for Scapa. From there IMPERIAL was to join the west coast section of HN.12, but on the 16th, the order was cancelled and she was ordered to the Norwegian coast. Sub TRIBUNE was exercising in the Firth of Forth. Sub SEAWOLF departed Sheerness with OA.92 for Portsmouth. DD JERVIS arrived at Rosyth from the Humber. MTBs MTB.22, 24 and 25 carried out a night patrol off Farne Island. OA.92 departed Southend, escort DDs BROKE from the 15th to 16th, and VANESSA from 16th to 18th when the convoy dispersed. Sub SEAWOLF joined the convoy for passage to Portsmouth. OA.90G sailed from Southend on the 12th escort DDs VISCOUNT and VANQUISHER, and OB.90G from Liverpool with 45 ships, also on the 12th, escorted by sloops DEPTFORD and SCARBOROUGH. They merged on the 15th as OG.18, escort Fr DD PANTHÈRE and Aux PV MERCEDITA from then until the 21st, and arrived at Gib on the 22nd, escort DD VELOX of the local escort. DD ACTIVE, also of the local escort, arrived the next day with steamer MACLAREN (UK 2330 grt), which had broken down on the 22nd. FN.95 departed Southend escort sloops FLEETWOOD, BITTERN and HASTINGS, and joined by DD JANUS on the 16th. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 17th. FS.97 departed the Tyne, escort DD VIVIEN and sloop PELICAN, and with sub STERLET joining from Blyth for the passage south. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 17th. MT.11 departed Methil, escort DD VIVIEN, sloop PELICAN, and ASW trawlers of the 19th Anti-Submarine Group, and arrived in the Tyne later that day. MT.12 departed Methil, escorted by sloops FLAMINGO, WESTON and ASW trawlers of the 3rd Anti-Submarine Group, and arrived in the Tyne the next day.

Northern Waters
CLA CAIRO departed Scapa for Sullom Voe. DD TARTAR departed Scapa to relieve AMC FORFAR. DD DARING attacked a contact NNE of Kinnaird Head. DDs KIPLING and IMPERIAL were also hunting in the area, and the search continued on the 16th. ASW trawlers NORTHERN SPRAY (SO), NORTHERN DAWN, NORTHERN GEM, NORTHERN WAVE and NORTHERN PRIDE of the 12th Anti-Submarine Striking Force were on patrol north of the Shetland Islands, when NORTHERN DAWN attacked a submarine contact in that area.

West Coast UK
DD MOHAWK arrived in the Clyde escorting tkr MONTENOL (UK 2646 grt). OB.92 departed Liverpool escort DDs VANOC and WINCHELSEA from the 15th to 18th, when VANOC joined HX.19.

Channel
DDs ESCAPADE, ECHO and ECLIPSE arrived at Rosyth, and ELECTRA separately from Dover.

CA EXETER (below- Navy Photos/Paul Simpson Ian Mort) arrived at Plymouth for repairs, screened by CV ARK ROYAL, BC RENOWN and CL GALATEA, but without DD HERO. In the SW Approaches, she had been joined by her close DD escort, starting with HASTY on the 13th, ACASTA and WHITSHED earlier on the 14th, and ARDENT, HEARTY, WOLVERINE and WREN later in the day. ARK ROYAL also reached Plymouth on the 15th escort DDs KEITH, WAKEFUL, VETERAN and ANTELOPE, and EXETER repaired at Devonport until 10 March 1941.

Western Approaches
DD VENETIA, escorting the Liverpool section of a homebound convoy, attacked a submarine contact east of Fastnet.

 

[parsifal]

16 February 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
ASW Trawler WISTERIA (RN)

Known Losses

MV BALDUR (Ger 5805 grt) was scuttled off Jossing Fjord near Lister Light, during the ALTMARK Pursuit (Operation "DT") after being challenged by DD IVANHOE.

U-14 struck again at the same unescorted convoy that she had attacked the previous day, sinking two ships in less than ten minutes:

MV OSMEED (Sd 1526 grt) Crew: 20 (13 dead and 7 survivors): Cargo: Coal: Route: Blyth - Halmstad, Sweden: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) north of Kinnaird Head, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom by U-14 . The survivors were rescued by the trawler LOCH HOPE (UK).

10 minutes later she struck again....
MV LIANA (Sd 1646 grt): Crew: 20 (10 dead and 10 survivors) : Cargo: Coal: Route: Blyth - Halmstad, Sweden: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) north of Kinnaird Head, Aberdeenshire by U-14 ( Germany). The survivors were rescued by the trawler LOCH HOPE (UK) and cargo ship SANTOS (Sde).

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

In the forenoon British reconnaissance planes were over the Heligoland Bight several times. One Blenheim plane was shot down by fighters, . Intensive air reconnaissance over the North Sea, At 1115 the Admiralty sent a priority radio signal to all sea and
shore command stations. At 1340 our air reconnaissance sighted six enemy destroyers on easterly course north of our declared area. At 1400 radio monitoring detected the cruiser ARETHUSA and destroyers of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, according to radio
bearings off Lindesnes. At 1318 (1630) the cruiser received a message that the supply ship ALTMARK had been sighted by a reconnaissance plane, 1500 Report from the ALTMARK, off Egeroe, that she had sighted a cruiser of the AURORA class and five destroyers. 1900 British destroyers forced the ALTMARK inshore. The INTREPID tried to come alongside.

0230 The Commanding Officer of the ARETHUSA reported that the destroyer COSSACK was lying alongside the ALTMARK and that
he was about to return to Rosyth with his group. The submarine SEAL remaining in the Joessing area for the meantime. 0400 C in C Home Fleet ordered the task force HOOD and WARSPITE to return to the Clyde. It is quite dear fraa the. Admiralty orders and the steps taken by British forces that the operation against the supply ship ALTMARK was carefully planned and direoted with the clear object of using all available means and if necessary violating Norwegian territorial waters, in order to capture the ALTMARK or to board her and free the prisoners.

According to a report from the Embassy in Oslo, the supply ship ALTMARK entered the fortified area of Bergen on 14 Feb. and was to have been searched. After the Ambassador had intervened, pointing out her character as a government ship flying the Reich Service Flag, the ship was released early on 16 Feb. without examination and continued her voyage unhindered. Forenoon: The ALTMARK was instructed by Group West not to cross the Skagerrak until she reaohed the line Arendal - Hlrshals. At 1400 radio monitoring detected the cruiser ARETHUSA and destroyers of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, according to a bearing in the area west of Lindesnes. The cruiser was informed at 1318 that the ALTMARK had been sighted by a reconnaissance plane. Almost simultaneously our air reconnaissance sighted six British destroyers north of the declared area. A flight of bombers from the 10th Air Corps was sent to attack the destroyers.

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

It seems more and more likely that U 33 has been lost. Several radio intelligence reports show that she was in action with an English minesweeper and then surrendered. Assistance was requested to rescue survivors. The English authorities assumed that mines had been laid. This is not improbable, as these events took place in the early morning hours. The boat would certainly not have chosen this time to penetrate into the Clyde and she then at latest would have been on her way out. If she really did lay the mines, the high price paid will have been worth it.

Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-13

At Sea 16 February 1940
U-10, U-13, U-14, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-29, U-37, U-48, U-50, U-53, U-54, U-56, U-57, U-60, U-61, U-62.
20 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
AMC WORCESTERSHIRE arrived in the Clyde from Northern Patrol.

Northern Waters
Just after midnight, C in C Home Flt the ALTMARK be apprehended, but this was easier said than done. The British force split up to search the Leads and offshore islands south of Bergen. CL ARETHUSA made an inconclusive sighting of ALTMARK a short time later off Egero Light and DDs IVANHOE and INTREPID were dispatched to stop her. However, the Norwegian escorts intervened and ALTMARK was able to enter port. At that time, Norwegian naval units in the Fjord and nearby were torpedo boats KJELL, SKARV, TEIST and armed auxiliaries FIRERN and HVAL IV.

At sunrise, a flight of Lockheed Hudson aircraft, 220 sqn, led by 'K' and crewed by Pilot Officer McNeil and Pilot Lawrie, L.A.C. Sheekey and Cpl.Hugill were to find the ALTMARK and direct RN vessels onto her position. Their task was not simple, they had to identify her, take photographs, and pass information of ALTMARKS position and direction as soon as possible, but not to attack. Pilot Officer McNeill has heard a signal from 'F' aircraft, telling of a vessel heading South, having been seen 15 miles north of the course of his flight and at 12.55 hours on seeing a dark shape ahead he made a wide sweep to view her from broadside. After this he then flew under the bows of the ship, where clearly painted was the name 'ALTMARK, positive ID at last. Realising that unless intercepted very quickly the ship would make her escape, he instructed (against standing orders wireless operations), W/O Sheekey transmitted in plain language - 'Enemy first sighting'. He felt sure that anyone interested in the ALTMARK would understand and take action.

This message was indeed received and well understood The message also gave the position speed and course of the ALTMARK. DD COSSACK wasat that time too far south, so Vian ordered DDs INTREPID and IVANHOE to intercept at full speed, covered by CL ARETHUSA. At 14.45 hours ARETHUSA reached ALTMARK and holding a parallel course, with the two DDs coralling her from astern flashed the order to the ALTMARK to steer west (into international waters). DD INTREPID also flashed ALTMARK to heave to and tyhen fired a shot across her bows. Norwegian patrol vessels placed themselves between the ALTMARK and the RN ships to impede the British operations. With ther assistance, ALTMARK slipped into Jassingfjord. DD COSSACK arrived at dusk and, after a conference with the Norwegians, who insisted that the ALTMARK had been searched and nothing found amiss, reported by wireless to the Admiralty and awaited their reply. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, ordered that Captain Vian was to offer the Norwegians assistance to escort the ALTMARK back to Bergen to be searched again. Churchill instructed that if the offer was refused, the ALTMARK was to be boarded notwithstanding Norwegian protests and resistance. At 22.00 hours Captain Vian took COSSACK into the fjord and then gave the Norwegians the gist of Churchill's orders. They replied that they were unable to co-operate as their ships were too small to force their way through the ice! At 23.12 hours, COSSACK approached the ALTMARK and, despite evasive action and an attempt to ram, a boarding party of 3 officers and 30 ratings took her. Four Germans were killed and five wounded in the brisk resisted boarding excercise. COSSACK triumphantly sailed out of Jassingfjord at 23.55 hours with 299 merchant seamen who had been released and they were landed at Leith after a fast passage home.

COSSACK returning to Leith after boarding ALTMARK and rescuing the prisoners being held on board. it was the final chapter in the failure of the GRAF SPEE operation

Subs SEAL, TRIAD, ORZEL were ordered into the area and joined SALMON and SEALION which were already there. SEAL sighted the sinking BALDUR and the DT operation ships, but the other submarines sighted nothing at all. BB WARSPITE, BC HOOD, and DDs FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FURY, FAME, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE and FIREDRAKE of the Home Fleet were at sea near Pentland Firth covering the operation. And after leaving Scapa on the 16th, CA NORFOLK met CLs SOUTHAMPTON, EDINBURGH and DDs DARING and IMPERIAL to provide support. There was no German Fleet reaction.

After the rescue, the SOUTHAMPTON group joined convoy HN.12 on the 17th, together with ARETHUSA in support, COSSACK and her force returned to Rosyth arriving on the 17th after which she reached Leith on the 19th for repairs, and the HOOD force arrived back in the Clyde on the 18th.

German steamer WIEGAND (5869grt) arrived in Jossing Fjord on the 21st, supposedly to tow ALTMARK, but left alone the next day. Instead, ALTMARK remained aground under the guard of Norwegian ML OLAV TRYGVASSON until 6 March when she was refloated, and headed for Sandefjord escorted by two Norwegian DDs. ALTMARK's repairs were completed on 22 March.

(see also next post)

 

[parsifal]

Completion of 16 Feb Ops summary
North Sea
FN.96 departed Southend, escort DDs WOOLSTON, JANUS and sloop GRIMSBY, and arrived in the Tyne on the 18th. Convoy FS.98 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer JERVIS and sloops FLAMINGO and WESTON, was forced to anchor in the Humber overnight, but arrived at Southend on the 18th.

Channel
CV ARK ROYAL, BC RENOWN and DD HERO arrived at Portsmouth and Force K was dissolved. After short refits, the three joined the Home Flt.

Nth Atlantic
HX.20 departed Halifax escort RCN DDs FRASER, ST LAURENT and the British HEREWARD. RCN DD SKEENA accompanied the convoy until it was clear of the harbour. CL ORION and liner DUCHESS OF BEDFORD departed Halifax with HX.20 and then proceeded independently to Liverpool. HEREWARD returned to Halifax on the 20th, but before then, the other DDs turned the convoy over to the ocean escort, CL ENTERPRISE, at 1400/17th. DDs VOLUNTEER, WITCH and sloops FOWEY and ROCHESTER escorted from 29 February to 4 March, when the convoy arrived at Liverpool.


Appendix to B.d.U. Naval War Staff's War Log
MOST SECRET
Operations against "Ark Royal", "Renown" and "Exeter"
1) 2020/7/2 radio intelligence report:
A/C carrier"Ark Royal" will be in square DH 1359, course 150, speed 22 knots at 257/10/2. Battleship "Renown" and heavy cruiser "Exeter" will be in square DH 4377, course 30, speed 16 knots at 0011/11/2.
2) 1720/9/2 radio intelligence report:
A/C carrier "Ark Royal" is expected to be in the area of the western approach to the Channel on 13/2, and heavy cruiser "Exeter" on 14.2. The units are expected to proceed to Portsmouth or Davenport. The destroyers "Diamond" and "Dainty" are probably with the ships mentioned.
3) 1100/10/2 T/P from Naval War Staff to B.d.U.:
Radio Intelligence Service's exact information on the homeward passage of "Ark Royal", "Renown" and "Exeter" appear promising for a mass operation of Atlantic boats at the western approach to the Channel.
4) 1725/10/2 radio message to U 26:
Operations area for U 26 until further orders is: square 3000 BE right half and square 1000 BF left half.
5) 1750/10/2 radio message to U 37 and U 48:
Operations area for U 37 for the present is off the Channel approach east of 90 west and south of 490 20 mins. north. U 48 will be north of this line.
6) 8050/12/2 radio intelligence report:
French patrol vessels were informed early on 12/2 by Admiral West that English A/C carrier "Ark Royal" would be in square 9191 at 0900/12/2 GMT.
7) 0900/12/2 radio intelligence report:
Additional to radio intelligence report 0845: there are English destroyers with "Ark Royal".
8) 0915/12/2 radio message from U 37:
Enemy destroyer and suspicious ship in sight. Enemy is steering a westerly course, making high speed, square 1737 BF.
9) 0920/12/2 radio message to U 26, U 37, U 48:
Proceed to channel approach between Start Point and Quessant.
10) 0945/12/2 radio message to U 26, U 37, U 48:
Take up attacking position along the line Lizard Head-Los Sept Isles, U 48 north of 490 40 mins. north, U 26 south of 490 18 mins. north, U 37 in the center "Ark Royal" is expected to pass eastbound early on 13/2, "Renown" and "Exeter" early on 14/2.
11) Midday 12/2 received from U 48:
Enemy convoy 490 55 mins. north, 090 36 mins. west, course 2600, speed 9 knots. There followed the following radio messages with T.O.O. as given:
1307: 490 59 mins. north, 090 56 mins. west, course 2600, speed 8 knots.
1359: 400 58 mins. north, 090 53 mins. wets, course 2650, speed 8 knots.
1501: 490 58 mins. north, 100 06 mins. west, course 2500, speed 8 knots.
1730: 490 56 mins. north, 100 48 mins. west, course 2600, 9 knots.
1755: Contact lost. Last position observed:
490 55 mins. north, 100 54 mins. west.
12) 2132/12/2 radio message to U 26, U 37, U 48:
"Ark Royal" was in 450 north, 150 west at 0900/12/2, speed so far 22 knots. Expected port of destination Portsmouth.
13) 2350/12/2 radio message from U 26:
1) Position 3592 BE, can only make 7 knots owing to weather.
2) 3 premature detonators.
14) 0819/13/2 radio message to U 26, U 37, U 48:
U 37 and U 48 make every effort to take up attacking position ordered. Until boats are dismissed from this position only particularly valuable targets are to be attacked. U 26 to occupy square 3000 BE right half and square 1000 BE left half as attack area.
15) 1215/13/2 radio message from U 48:
Position 49 03 N., 14 35 W. wind E7, 65 cbm. remaining, 3 electric torpedoes, 2 air-driven torpedoes ready. S/M chaser croup 4950 N., 11 25 W. No secret grid chart on board.
16) 1440/13/2 radio message to U 26, U 48:
U 26 to operate north of 400 30 mins. north, U 48 south of the line.
17) 2209/14/2 radio message to U 26 and U 53:
Proceed on to area "ROT". U 53 was in 500 50 mins. north, 140 30 mins. west at 1900.
18) 0015/15/2 radio message to U 37:
Move off to operations area in accordance with Operations Order IV, b).
19) 0550/16/2 radio intelligence report:
By 15/2 A/C carrier "Ark Royal" was in Portsmouth and had probably been there since the evening of 13/2. Battle cruiser )T.N.: sic) "Renown" and heavy cruiser "Exeter" entered Plymouth at 0800/15/2 GMT. Destroyer "Here" arrived at Portsmouth towards 1630/15/2 GMT.

 

[Njaco]

February 15 Thursday
GERMANY: In reply to the British governments announcement that British merchant ships in the North Sea will be armed, the German government announces that all such ships will be treated as warships. U-boat commanders are ordered attack without warning any ship which is likely to come under British control. This directive means that any neutral ship sailing towards a British-controlled war zone -- such as the English Channel, can be attacked without warning. Any ship following a zig-zag course is also liable to be sunk without warning.

Hubert Lanz was made the Chief of Staff for XVIII Armeekorps.

Generalmajor Rommel takes command of 7.Panzerdivision. After providing Hitler's personal protection in Poland, Rommel sought a divisional command. After rejecting a specialized mountain division (Rommel's forte in WWI), he lobbies hard for a Panzer division. With Hitler's tacit support he is given 7th Panzer.

NORTHERN EUROPE: North of Lake Ladoga in Finland, Finnish troops destroyed the pocket of surrounded Soviet troops near the village of Lavajärvi, capturing 2 tanks, 5 field guns, 2 anti-tank guns, 8 trucks, 3 machine guns, 4 field kitchens, and rifles. Finnish 9th division surrounds Soviets "Dolin" ski brigade (Colonel Dolin is already dead; his brigade is reduced to 800 men). Finnish Commander-in-Chief C. G. E. Mannerheim ordered the II Army Corps to abandon the Mannerheim Line at 2000 hours.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Neutral shipping suffers the German blockade of Britain. 4 steam merchant (carrying ore, oil cake, oil and fruit) are sunk for a total of 16,600 tons. German submarine U-50 sank Danish ship "Maryland" west of Scotland at 0207 hours, killing the entire crew of 34.

German submarine U-37 sank Danish ship "Aase" en route to Bristol at 0545 hours, killing 15. HMS "Verity" would rescue the sole survivor two days later.

German submarine U-26 sank Norwegian ship "Steinstad" 75 miles west of Aran Island, Ireland at 0837 hours, killing 13. The 11 survivors in a lifeboat would not reach land until 20 Feb.

German submarine U-48 sank Dutch tanker "Den Haag" (carrying 11,800 tons of oil) 150 miles west of Ouessant at the northwestern tip of France at 1400 hours, killing 26. The U-boat had spotted the tanker about five hours earlier, but waited to evade a flying boat. British ship "Glenorchy" rescued 13 survivors in a lifeboat.

Italian cargo steamer 'Giorgio Ohlsen' sunk by mine off East Coast.

NORTH AMERICA: No. 110 Army Co-operation (Auxiliary) Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for Britain.

UNITED KINGDOM: 'Exeter' one of the cruisers which defeated 'Graf Spee' arrived at Plymouth.

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[Njaco]

February 16 Friday
WESTERN FRONT: In the morning at 0840 hours, Uffz. Kurt Opolski of 5./JG 77 gets his first victory when he destroys a British Blenheim bomber, several miles north west of Borkum.

NORTHERN EUROPE: THE 'ALTMARK' INCIDENT - A Lockheed Hudson of RAF No.233 Squadron locates "Graf Spee's" support ship the "Altmark" (suspected of carrying prisoners captured by "Graf Spee") in Jøssingfjord, Norway. Captain Vian commanding destroyer HNS "Cossack" intercepts "Altmark", which is escorted by Norwegian torpedoboats. The two Norwegian torpedo boat captains protest, but do nothing. Churchill personally orders Vian to stop "Altmark" and board her to free the prisoners. British destroyer "Cossack" pulls alongside and boards the German supply ship, freeing British prisoners. 4 German sailors are killed and 5 wounded as 299 prisoners are released. The ship entered Norwegian waters on February 14th and, according to international law the prisoners should have been released. "Altmark's" captain denied that he is carrying prisoners. The Norwegians made no real attempt to search and in fact provided a torpedo boat as escort. The British action is also contrary to international law. Hitler is convinced the Allied will not respect Norwegian neutrality to send aid to Finland, despite Norway's repeated protests, and steps up his plans for a Scandinavian invasion.

Finns admitted that Russians has penetrated their forward positions at three points-one east of Summa sector, and two between Muola lake and Vuoksi river-but elsewhere all attacks had been repulsed. Following Mannerheim's order yesterday to abandon the main defensive line, Finnish troops receive the order to withdraw to intermediate V-line positions at 3.45 PM. Near village of Kuhmo, Finnish 9th division wipes out the remnants of Soviet "Dolin" ski brigade capturing numerous automatic weapons. Of 1,800 Soviets that skied into Finland, there are only 70 survivors.

Eight more Soviet planes shot down. Finnish planes bombed Soviet railways and stations behind the lines.

The Swedish government refuses the Finnish appeal for right of passage of foreign troops and direct military assistance.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-14 sank Danish ships "Rhone" (killing 9) and "Sleipner" (killing 13) shortly after midnight; 41 survivors were later picked up by Swedish trawler "Standard" and HMS "Kipling". Later in the day, at 2125 hours, U-14 torpedoed and sank Swedish coal ship "Osmed" 20 miles north of Kinnaird Head in eastern Scotland, killing 13; 7 survivors were rescued by British trawler "Loch Hope". At 2135 hours, U-14 struck one more time on this date, sinking Swedish coal ship "Liana" with one torpedo; 10 men were killed, 2 were rescued by British trawler "Loch Hope", and 8 were rescued by Swedish steamer "Santos".

MEDITERRANEAN: In Egypt, the 7th Armoured Division "The Desert Rats" was created out of the Mobile Division, with Major General Michael Creagh in command.

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[Wurger]

Deported Poles were exiled to the Siberia and Kazakhstan mostly where they became in a couple of months, starving beggars.

They were accommodated in huts or dugouts ... at the Siberia huts were primitive log cabins with gaps caulked with moss.

All Poles had to work hard there either at the kolkhoz ( Soviet collective farms ) or in the taiga.

The starvation was the reason for passing of many exiled people.

Many Poles were sent to labour camps at the Siberia ...

On the 30th July 1941 in London there was signed the Sikorski–Mayski Agreement. It was an attempt to re-establish diplomatic relations between Poland and the Soviet Union. Stalin agreed to release tens of thousands of Poles held in Soviet camps.

An Officer of the Polish Army released from a siberian camp in 1941 ...

Colonel B.Rakowski freed by Soviets in 1941 ...

 

[parsifal]

17 February 1940
Known Losses
MV BARON AILSA (III) (UK 3656 grt): World War II: The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea north of Inverness-shire (53°17′N 1°12′E) with the loss of two of her 36 crew. The survivors were rescued by HMT Beech ( Royal Navy).

This vessel was built in 1936. There was another Baron Ailsa (II) built in 1916, greek registered and sunk in 1941 by DKM ADM SCHEER

MV EL SONADOR (Panama 1406 grt): Crew: ?(17 crew lost) :Cargo:713 tons of Coal : Route: Methil - Gothenburg : The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk east of the Shetland Islands by U-61

This former Dutch ships was formerly the BATAVIEN III and built 1897

MV KVERNAAS (Nor 1819 grt): Crew: 20 (0 dead and 20 survivors) : Cargo: Coke : Route: Rotterdam - Amsterdam (16 Feb) - Oslo The neutral vessel was torpedoed and sank within five minutes, four miles northwest of Schouwen Bank, Netherlands. The crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats and were picked up after 4 hours by MV ORANJEPOLDER (Ne). This vessel was en route to London, but turned back and landed the men at the pilot station in Hoek van Holland the next day.

MV PYRRHUS (UK 7,418 grt): Crew: 86 (8 dead and 78 survivors :Cargo: 4000 tons of general cargo, including whisky, golf clubs and embroidery: Route: Glasgow - Liverpool (12 Feb) - Gibraltar - Manila : Sunk NW of Cape Finnestere: Attached to OG 18 (in fact the command ship), she had spent the night rounding up other stragglers after a gale had dispersed many ships of the convoy. She was moving to rejoin the convoy when she was hit. The explosion broke the ship in two, causing the after part of about 160 feet to sink immediately. Eight Chinese crew members were lost. The master, 72 crew members (the ship was armed with one 4in and one 12pdr gun, hence the large crew), the vice-commodore and his staff of four naval ratings abandoned ship in three boats in heavy sea and swell about 20 minutes after the hit. Three stragglers were following the ship and two of them, the British steam merchants USKSIDE and SINNINGTON COURT stopped despite the danger of being torpedoed themselves, picked up the survivors and landed them at Gibraltar. The wreck of PYRRHUS was left adrift and eventually foundered two days later.

This attack was part of a joint Uboat operation (with U-53, U.26 and U.50 had been ordered to operate with U.37 and U.53, but were too far away to join in time), perhaps one of the first successful wolf packs.

MV WILJA (Fn 3396 grt): Crew:27 (0 dead and 27 survivors): Cargo:General cargo, including tobacco, gum rosin, wheat and turpentine : Route: Savannah - Norfolk - Antwerp - Rotterdam : The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the SW Approaches by U-48. All 27 crew were rescued by MV MAASDAM (Ne) and DD VANESSA. MAASDAM carried her survivors to Havana , whilst Vanessa dropped her survivors back in England. U-48 attacked the neutral vessel with a single G7a torpedo, hitting the vessel aft. The ship caught fire and sank after five minutes south of Bishop Rock. The U-boat had spotted an illuminated Dutch ship and a darkened vessel about 30 minutes earlier and attacked the latter. The other ship was MAASDAM, such was the luck of this battle.

VANESSA was escorting convoy OA.92 at the time, saw the sinking and immediately attacked U.48 . She was joined by DD WREN and sloop DEPTFORD at 1230 and 1520/18th, respectively. DEPTFORD left for Gib at 1700/18th, and sloop ENCHANTRESS joined soon after.

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

The German Ambassador in Oslo made a very sharp protest against the violation of Norwegian neutrality by the British destroyer COSSACK during the attack on the supply ship ALTMARK. Readiness measures in Belgium. Restrictions of leave for Army personnel. Rumors of imminent mobilization. Russian advance on the Karelian isthmus. The Finnish Foreign Minister has denied reports that Finland has requested the Western Powers for help. The Swedish Government is standing by its refusal to grant Finland any large scale active military support.

Submarine U "13" is disposed off Joessing Fiord to protect the ALTMARK and patrol the entrance. By decree of the Fuehrer, Norwegian neutrality is to be strictly observed. Propaganda is primarily directed against Great Britain, emphasizing her gross breach of neutrality and stressing the ALTMARK's character as an unarmed merchantman.

The submarines which were temporarily moved on account of the ALTMARK events have been ordered to resume the positions for which they were originally scheduled. (Except submarine U "13").

(Hitler flew into a rage over the ALTMARK issue).

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 37 reported a convoy in southwest Biscay on a southwesterly course. She pursued it for some hours and lost it again towards evening. U 53 sighted the convoy reported by the Radio Intelligence Service and was shadowing.

Departures
Heligoland: U-9, U-63

At Sea 17 February 1940
U-10, U-13, U-14, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-29, U-37, U-48, U-50, U-53, U-54, U-57, U-60, U-61, U-62, U-63.
20 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
CA NORFOLK arrived at Scapa and then departed the same day to relieve CA DEVONSHIRE on Northern Patrol. DEVONSHIRE reached Greenock on the 20th. CL NEWCASTLE arrived at Scapa after Northern Patrol, and DD KINGSTON departed Scapa for Northern Patrol.

North Sea
DDs DIANA, ENCOUNTER and BRAZEN escorted two tkrs from Rosyth to Aberdeen, after which they left with steamers HIRONDELLE (1243grt) and RUTLAND (1437grt). DD KIPLING joined en route, with HIRONDELLE being taken into Lerwick and RUTLAND into Scapa . Subs TRIBUNE and TRUANT exercised in the Firth of Forth with DD ELECTRA serving as the target ship. Sub URSULA departed Blyth on patrol, but had to return with engine problems.

ON.14 with 24 ships departed Methil escort DDs ESCAPADE, ESCORT, ECLIPSE, ELECTRA and submarine NARWHAL. ECLIPSE attacked a submarine contact in the Firth of Forth , and one merchant ship detached before the North Sea crossing. CLs EDINBURGH and ARETHUSA left Scapa on the 19th to rendezvous with the convoy at 0700/20th, and when German surface ships appeared in the North Sea, ON.14 put into Kirkwall, still on the 19th, but left next day once the German ships had returned to Wilhelmshaven, reaching Bergen on the 22nd.

West Coast UK
ASW trawler PEARL (649grt) attacked a contact in Lune Deep in Morecombe Bay.

UK - France
BC.25 of five steamers, including BARON CARNEGIE and BATNA, which had sailed from Nantes on the 13th and 14th respectively, departed Quiberon Bay on the 16th. It arrived in Barry Roads on the 17th escort DD MONTROSE.

Western Approaches
DD HAVANT developed defects while on escort duty

SW Approaches
DD WOLVERINE on convoy escort, attacked a submarine contact sw of the Scilly Isle on the 17th and the 18th. Sloop ABERDEEN, on convoy escort with OG.19F, attacked a contact southwest of Portland Bill.

Med- Biscay
HG.19 of 35 ships departed Gib with sloops LEITH and BIDEFORD as ocean escort from the 17th to 27th. Before then, on the 24th, the convoy split into two. HG.19 A was escorted in Home Waters by BIDEFORD and DD WHITSHED, and HG.19B by DDs WALPOLE, WHITSHED and MACKAY from the 24th to 27th when the convoy arrived at Liverpool.

 

[Njaco]

February 17 Saturday
WESTERN FRONT: At 1610 hours in the afternoon, Hptm. Wolfgang Falck of the Stab flight of I./ZG 76 destroys a British Blenheim for his sixth victory.

GERMANY: As it was customary for new corps commanding officers to dine with the Führer, Hitler's aide Colonel Schmundt arranged such a meeting for Hitler and Manstein. Manstein presented his plan for the invasion of France and the Low Countries. Hitler, searching for an alternative to Halder's lame thrust into Belgium, is impressed and notes similarities with his own ideas. Adolf Hitler changes the attack on the West to be a main thrust through the Ardennes.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Blue Funnel Line ship "Pyrrhus" in Gibraltar convoy OG-18 is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-37, 100 miles off Cape Finisterre. 8 crew are killed. 77 survivors were rescued by British merchant ships "Uskside" and "Sinnington Court", which delivered them to Gibraltar.

German submarine U-10 sank Norwegian ship "Kvernaas" off the Dutch coast at 0200 hours. The crew of 20, in two lifeboats, were rescued by Dutch ship "Oranjepolder".

German submarine U-48 sank Finnish ship "Wilja" south of Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, southwestern England at 2036 hours. All 27 crew members were rescued by Dutch steamer "Maasdam" and were taken to Havanna, Cuba.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Strong British, Norwegian and German protest notes are exchanged over the "Altmark" incident. Norway protested British neutrality violation of attacking the German ship "Altmark" in Norwegian waters. British Government complained to Norwegian government of Perfunctory manner in which 'Altmark' was examined and pressed that she should now be interned.

The Soviet advance has completely cleared the Mannerheim Line. All the Finnish defenders are now established in their second line of defense. The Finnish 23rd Division, brought forward from the reserve, has been slow to arrive because of air attacks. The Red Army has assembled 35 divisions (organized under General Semyon Timoshenko) and the Finns, with 15 depleted divisions, are now on the defensive. The Finns are no match for Soviet tanks in the open snow and fall back to the V-line. The Soviet attack again grinds to a halt on prepared defensive positions.

UNITED KINGDOM: The government plans to evacuate 400,000 children from the larger cities to rural areas.

NORTH AMERICA: President Roosevelt sends Sumner Welles, Under-Secretary of State, on a "fact-finding" tour of Europe and appoints Myron C. Taylor as his "personal representative" to the Vatican.

United States Lines sells the liner "President Harding" and seven cargo ships to a Belgian concern in an attempt to circumvent the ban on US sea borne trade with Europe, imposed by the Neutrality Act.


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[Wurger]

On the 17th February , Nazi Germans destroyed the Tadeusz Kościuszko monument in Cracow. It was the next attempt to deprive Poles of their National History and Culture. The statue is one of the best known bronze monuments in Poland. It is the work of artists Leonard Marconi, professor of Lviv University born in Warsaw, and his son in law, sculptor Antoni Popiel. The equestrian bronze statue of Kościuszko, the Polish and American hero of independence, is located along the west side entrance to the Wawel Castle in the Old Town. Its current replica, erected in 1960, is a gift to the City of Cracow from the people of Dresden, Germany. Its duplicate was also erected in Detroit, Michigan in 1978, as a gift from the people of Cracow, in celebration of the United States Bicentennial.

The monument in 1924 ...

in 1935 ...

in 1938 ...

in 1961 ...

 

[parsifal]

The highest mountain in Australia is named in honour of this man. It was named by the Polish explorer Paul Edmund Strzelecki in 1840, in honour of the Polish national hero and hero of the American Revolutionary War General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, because of its perceived resemblance to the Kosciuszko Mound in Krakow.

The name of the mountain was previously spelt "Mount Kosciusko", an Anglicisation, but the spelling "Mount Kosciuszko" was officially adopted in 1997 by the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. The way it is pronounced is gradually changing, moving closer to the way it should be pronounced in Polish.

 

[parsifal]

18 February 1940
Known Losses
MV AMELAND (Ne 4,537 grt): Crew: 48 (0 dead and 48 survivors) : Cargo: General Cargo : Route: Rotterdam - India :
The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off the Maasbank Buoy by U-10 . All 48 crew were rescued by MONTFERLAN (Ne).

MV BANDERAS (Sp 2140 grt): Crew: 29 (22 dead and 7 survivors) : Cargo: 3400 tons of phosphates : Route: Carla Bona (Majorca) - San Juan de Nieva - Pasajes (Northern Atlantic Coast of Spain). In the early morning hours, the neutral BANDERAS was torpedoed and sunk by U-53 8 miles northwest of Cabo Villano. DKM apparently assumed that she was a straggler from the combined French convoy 65-KS/10-RS, but was in fact just heading in the same direction astern of the convoy. The survivors, two of them badly injured, were picked up by the fishing trawler TRITONIA (sp 268 grt).

MV RIGEL (Fn 1477 grt), MV BORE III (Fn 1133 grt) and MV BORE IV (Fn 1659 grt): These cargo ships were bombed and sunk off Mäntyluoto, Finland by Soviet aircraft.

HMS DARING (RN 1375 grt) Whilst escorting HN 12, the D-class destroyer was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Duncansby Head, Caithness by U-23 with the loss of 157 of her 162 crew.

Image of the crew of the HMS Daring. Nearly all the crew were lost vary soon after this shot was taken

MV ELLIN (Gk 4917 grt): Crew: ? (all survived) : Cargo: Coal : Route: Cardiff - Piraeus : The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) north west of Cape Finisterre, Spain by U-37. The unescorted ELLIN was hit by two torpedoes. The first hit had not much effect, so at 01.09 hours (about 20 minutes after the first strike) a second torpedo was fired that struck amidships and caused the ship to sink immediately after breaking in two. All crew were rescued by the fishing boat MANIN (Sp) and landed at Corruna.

Steamer PLM 15 (Fr 3,754 grt): Crew: 42 (42 dead): Cargo: Ore : Route: Pepel, Sierra Leone - Casablanca - Brest : U-37 fired one torpedo at the P.L.M. 15, a straggler from convoy 65-KS and observed how the ships sank within 40 seconds after being hit amidships about 30 miles from Cape Villano. Fr ASW trawlers LA TOULONNAISE (738grt) and LA SETOISE (738grt) arrived somewhat later and carried out attacks on U.37, without result.

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MV ILSENSTEIN (UK 1506 grt): also known as the Matatua: The cargo ship was scuttled as a blockship in Skerry Sound, Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands.

MV SANGSTAD ( Nor 4297 grt) Crew: 29 (1 dead and 28 survivors) :Cargo: Grain : Route: Buenos Aires (13 Jan) - Kirkwall (17 Feb) - Stavanger: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea east of Kirkwall by U-61. Survivors were rescued by DDs BRAZEN and DIANA 12 hours later.

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

Early on 18 Feb. the BCs GNEISENAU, SCHARNHORST, CA HIPPER and eight DDs sailed for a sortie into the Shetlands - Bergen. Commanding Admiral plan: Surprise sortie with the BCs, the HIPPER and three destroyers type 36 against enemy convoy traffic between Norway and the Shetlands, destruction of merchant ships belonging to or sailing for the enemy, also their escorts. Further- more the heavy ships 1 appearance in the northern North Sea should draw enemy home forces putting to sea towards our submarines in waiting disposition.

DDs are to complement the heavy ships sortie by carrying out operations against merchant shipping in the eastern Skagerrak. The BCs advance proceeded according to plan on 18 Feb, Radio monitoring did not detect any striking radio traffic and it seems that the enemy has failed to notice anything. Naval Staff thinks that enemy situation and the expected convoy traffic afford good prospects for the operation.

Air recon by Commander, Naval Air, West and 10th Air Corps as far as 61° N has not produced any reports on the enemy. Our own submarines in the Orkneys - Shetlands area, which sent some reports on enemy ships and convoys," have been allocated new attack positions appropriate to the enemy movements detected. The ZENKER, one of the destroyers participating in the operation, has had to commence the return trip. At about 1100 armed enemy reconnaissance planes unsuccessfully attacked the 6th MSW Flot.

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 37 came up to the convoy reported by U 53. Apparently 2 ships were sunk. Then U 53 lost contact. Meanwhile the boats had used so many torpedoes that they had to reload from the upper deck containers. Both tried to do this, independently of one another, off the Spanish coast. Neither succeeded owing to strong patrol. They started on their return passage and reported their intention of trying again off the Irish coast. U 37 reported 43,000 tons sunk. here is no information on U 26. She was operating against the same convoy and must therefore be in the same sea area. She was ordered to go to operations area "ROT" and to report. Information was received overland that U 41 did not turn up for supply "GATA". She may have been delayed a day. U 28 sailed in accordance with Operations Order (illegible).

Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-28

At Sea 18 February 1940
U-10, U-13, U-14, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-23, U-25, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-37, U-48, U-50, U-53, U-54, U-57, U-60, U-61, U-62, U-63.
21 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DDs GALLANT, JAGUAR, NUBIAN and SIKH departed Rosyth as convoy escorts and joined HN.12 bringing it into Methil on the 19th. ML TEVIOTBANK and DDs EXPRESS and ESK laid Deep Line S in operation DML.8 east of Outer Gabbard escorted by DDs KEITH and BOADICEA. MSW FRANKLIN had already laid the marker buoys on the 16th. After the lay, the ML ships proceeded to Immingham on the 19th.

MTBs 22, 24 and 25 dep Rosyth on patrol. Sub SEALION arrived at Harwich after patrol. OA.94 departed Southend escort DDs WITCH, ACASTA, detached on the 21st, when the convoy dispersed. MT.14 departed Methil escort 3rd ASW Gp, supported by DDs VEGA, JAGUAR and sloop STORK, and arrived in the Tyne later that day. FN.97 departed Southend, escort DD WESTMINSTER and sloop LONDONDERRY, and arrived at Methil on the 20th. FS.99 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VEGA, JAGUAR and sloop STORK, which had just arrived from Methil with MT.14. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 20th.

Northern Waters
DKM Operation NORDMARK with BCs SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU, CA ADMIRAL HIPPER, and DDs KARL GALSTER, WILHELM HEIDKAMP, WOLFGANG ZENKER with the object of attacking allied shipping between the Shetlands and Bergen. ZENKER was damaged by ice and forced to return at the start. The remaining force was escorted through the Skagerrak by DDs PAUL JACOBI, THEODOR RIEDEL, HERMANN SCHOEMANN, LEBERECHT MAAS and TBs LUCHS and SEEADLER which raided in the Skagerrak after being detached. U-boats disposed to support this operation were U.60, U.61, U.57, U.23, U.22, U.62, U.19, U.13, U.63, U.18, U.14, U.18 and U.14. The force was detected almost immediately as it departed, in this regard the German Admiralty were incorrect in beliving they had surprised the RN.

RN Sub SALMON in the Heligoland Bight was ordered to attack the German surface ships, and convoy ON.14 was ordered into Kirkwall to avoid any contact with the enemy force, arriving on the 19th. Home Flt was in the Clyde having only arrived on the 17th from supporting the ALTMARK hunt. After refuelling, the flt departed, with BB RODNEY, BC HOOD, and DDs FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FURY, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE, HARDY, KHARTOUM, KANDAHAR and TARTAR. With the RN at sea and extreme cold immobilizing his seaplanes, Admiral Marschall was forced to return to Wilhelmshaven. On the 21st/22nd, ENE of Muckle Flugga in, HARDY attacked a submarine contact, was joined by FORTUNE, but the search was unsuccessful. CLA CALCUTTA and destroyer KELVIN arrived at Sullom Voe, refuelled and departed again later that day. ASW trawler CAPE PORTLAND (497 grt) attacked a submarine contact off Aberdeen.

West Coast UK
OB.94 departed Liverpool escort DDs WALKER and VENETIA.

UK - France
SA.30 of two steamers departed Southampton, and arrived at Brest on the 20th.

Nth Atlantic
HX.21 departed Halifax at 0800 escorted by RCN DDs OTTAWA and SAGUENAY, which detached on the 19th. Ocean escort was AMC ALAUNIA, which left on 1 March. DDs WINDSOR and WOLVERINE escorted the convoy 2 to 4 March, when it arrived at Liverpool.

Central Atlantic
SL.21 departed Freetown escorted by AMC DUNNOTTAR CASTLE until 4 March. DDs WANDERER joined on the 4th, VERSATILE on the 5th and the convoy arrived on the 7th.

Med- Biscay
U.53 attacked tkr GARONNE (Fr 3533 grt) in convoy 10 RS, but malfunctioning torpedoes prevented any damage being done.

 

[Njaco]

February 18 Sunday
GERMANY: German Army General Franz Halder, reluctantly, as ordered by Adolf Hitler, incorporated General Erich von Manstein's planned thrust through the Ardennes Forest into the invasion plans for France. Von Manstein, Hitler and even Halder will ultimately take credit for the move. Hitler signs Directive No. 10, a revised 'FALL GELB' plan, reversing the roles of Bock and von Rundstedt which includes the following;

"The objective. . . is to deny Holland and Belgium to the English by swiftly occupying them; to defeat, by an attack through Belgium and Luxembourg territory, the largest possible forces of the Anglo-French Army, and thereby to pave the way for the destruction of the military strength of the enemy."

For the attack on the West, the forces will be divided by the line Liège to Charleroi across Belgium and Luxembourg. Forces north of this line will break through Belgian defences, counter any threats to the Ruhr, and take on the strongest Anglo-French forces. Forces south of the line will cross the Meuse river between Dinant and Sedan, and advance towards the Somme estuary. The airborne attack on the fortresses of the Low Countries is kept as they are because it is believed they were not compromised during the Mechelen disaster.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The German battle cruisers "Gneisenau", "Scharnhorst" and the pocket battleship "Admiral Hipper" make an unsuccessful sortie against the "HN" convoy route between Britain and Scandinavia as part of 'Operation Nordmark'. German U-boats providing escort for the capital ships, however, sink 12 merchant ships and the British destroyer HMS "Daring". British Royal Navy destroyer HMS "Daring" (Commander Sydney Alan Cooper), whilst escorting Allied convoy HN12 from Norway, was sunk by German submarine U-23 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer) 40 miles east of the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, killing 157.

German submarines sank six merchant vessels that each flew French, Spanish, Greek, Panamanian, Dutch, and Norwegian flags. A total of 40 men were killed on the six vessels.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Finnish troops destroyed a pocket of Soviet troops north of Lake Ladoga, capturing 32 field guns, 30 anti-tank guns, 1 mortar, 20 tanks, 15 machine guns, 25 trucks, and 32 field kitchen; the Soviets suffered 1,000 deaths and 250 men taken prisoner; Finnish losses were only 166 deaths. At the defensive V-line, however, the Finnish units were overwhelmed and began to be overrun at two locations.

WESTERN FRONT: The French government agrees to allow the reconstitution of the Polish air force on French soil.

A German infantry detachment, with heavy mortar support, makes an unsuccessful raid on a French outpost near the Moselle River.

ASIA: Japanese forces engaged in the city of Nanning are compelled withdraw after heavy fighting.

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[Njaco]

February 19 Monday
NORTHERN EUROPE: The Soviet 18th Division attacked across the frozen Lake Suvanto in the Taipale Sector near Lake Lagoda in eastern Karelian Isthmus. Finnish defenders, with concentrated artillery fire, halted the attack after inflicting nearly 1,000 fatalities.

King of Sweden publicly announced that he fully supported his Government's refusal to give military aid to Finland. He says:

"…from the first hour I informed Finland that she unfortunately could not count on military intervention from Sweden."

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer's rampage in U-23 continues, after sinking HMS "Daring" yesterday. U-23 torpedoed and sank Britisher steamer "Tiberton" east of the Orkney Islands, Scotland at 0405 hours. "Tiberton" sank in 30 seconds, taking the lives of the entire crew of 30.

GERMANY: Adolf Hitler, alarmed by the "Altmark" Incident of 16 Feb 1940, ordered to hasten the planning of the invasion of Norway.

NORTH AMERICA: US Secretary of State Cordell Hull extended the American moral embargo to include the Soviet Union.

WESTERN FRONT: Paris reported that a French detachment was ambushed east of river Nied and 20 lives lost.

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[parsifal]

19 February 1940
Known Losses
SS BUSK (UK 367 grt): The Admiralty requisitioned cargo ship was scuttled in Kirk Sound, Scapa Flow as a Block Ship.

MV LYCIA (UK 2338 grt): The Admiralty requisitioned cargo ship was scuttled in Skerry Sound, Scapa Flow as a Block Ship.

MV TIBERTON (UK 5,225 grt): Crew: 34 (34 dead - no survivors): Cargo: Iron ore : Route: Narvik (14 Feb) - Middlesbrough - Immingham: The unescorted TIBERTON was hit by one G7e torpedo from U-23, broke in two and sank in 30 seconds about 33 miles east of Kirkwall, Orkney Islands.

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

Thanks to exhaustive radio monitoring and the excellent work of the deciphering service, which has at present very largely broken down the enemy radio codes, Naval Staff and Group West have a clear and almost complete picture of the disposition of enemy forces in the North Sea area

Early on 19 Feb. the British heavy forces were still in west coast ports. In the 'afternoon the RODNEY, WARSPITE and HOOD sail, from the Clyde to the Shetlands area to act as remote convoy escort. A partially decoded teletype revealed that an apparently important convoy must await the arrival >f the heavy ships and not sail until 20 Feb, During the forenoon of 19 Feb. however, we could not be absolutely certain as to what convoys were actually passing through the Shetlands - Norway area.

From convoy reports on the morning of 19 Feb, the prospects of success at first seemed to be extremely favorable for our battleships. Available reports showed that the convoy "O.N, 14", protected by the ARETHUSA, EDINBURGH, CAIRO, five destroyers and one submarine, was 50 miles off the Orkneys at 0200 and should therefore have been in the waters between the Shetlands and Norway at 1000.

It was assumed that the Commanding Admiral was already operating against this convoy, as information on the situation was constantly being transmitted to him by Group West. Further reports about the enemy indicated that a convoy had put in to Kirkwall. Our original assumption that there were two separate convoys was unfortunately not confirmed. During the forenoon it was ascertained that the only convoy to be expected today was not to sail for Norway as yet. It was either still being assembled or
was to be held in Kirkwall. The one prospective target for the battleships was thus kept out of their clutches for the day's operations.

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 26 reported. She is returning to her old operations area south of Ireland, as she is short of fuel.

U 25 entered port. She sank 1) Armed merchant ship about 5,000 tons, 2) Norwegian Enid 1,440 tons (attempted to escape), 3) Escorted steamer (Pajala?) 6,873 tons 4) Norwegian Sonja 2,977 tons (contraband), 5) S.S. Armanistan (English) 6,805 tons, 6) Steamer in Zone A 5,000 tons. (Total) 27,795 tons. She was also the first boat to supply under "Moro". C.O.'s report on this: Enemy patrol vessels immediately outside territorial waters. Careful, effective preparations had been made at the place of supply. No difficulty in supplying without being noticed. No moon essential.

"Nordmark" operations completed. U 29 has been ordered to continue on her passage.

Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-25

At Sea 19 February 1940
U-10, U-13, U-14, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-23, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-37, U-48, U-50, U-53, U-54, U-57, U-60, U-61, U-62, U-63.
20 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Western Baltic
Steamer START (Sd 1765 grt) was seized in the Baltic by German warships, and taken to Bremerhaven

Northern Patrol
DD KIMBERLEY departed Scapa on Northern Patrol. AMC WORCESTERSHIRE departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol. AMC ANDANIA arrived at the Clyde after Northern Patrol.

North Sea
DDs GRIFFIN, INTREPID, IVANHOE, VALOROUS arrived at Rosyth after an ASW Sweep. DDs JAGUAR and ILEX arrived at Rosyth. OA.93GF cleared Southend on the 16th escort DD WREN and sloop ENCHANTRESS, and OB.93GF from Liverpool on the 17th escort sloops ABERDEEN and DEPTFORD with twenty eight ships. The two convoys joined on the 19th as OG.19F escorted by ABERDEEN and DEPTFORD, were joined by DD WISHART, and arrived at Gib on the 24th. A TM Convoy departed the Tyne escorted by the 19th ASW Gp and supported by DD JACKAL. FN.98 departed Southend escort sloop PELICAN and DDs VIVIEN and JERVIS, and arrived in the Tyne on the 21st. FS.100 departed the Tyne escort sloops FLEETWOOD, HASTINGS and DDs VALOROUS and JANUS, and arrived at Southend on the 21st. DD WOLVERINE joined convoy HX.19 at 0815 with DDs VANOC and VANESSA joining shortly after. WOLVERINE attacked a submarine contact WSW of Cape Clear, while the other two DDs continued with the convoy. DD WINCHELSEA joined WOLVERINE to continue the sweep. The 14th ASW Gp attacked U.13 ESE of Duncansby Head, but did no damage.

Two German 250 ton U-boats were reported five miles off Vlieland at 1000 steering northwest and one 500 ton boat was reported six miles off Ijmuiden at 1300 steering sw. Fr sloop AMIENS was ordered to join ASW trawler LADY PHILOMENA to hunt for them, but did not join. AMIENS returned to Dunkirk early on the 20th. Sub SUNFISH at 0951 fired four torpedoes at U.14. ML TEVIOTBANK was slightly damaged in collision with tug GOOLE No. 10 in Immingham Dock. U.19 attacked tkr DAGHESTAN (5742grt), but the attack failed due to torpedo defects.

Northern Waters
CLr GLASGOW arrived at Scapa with rudder defects and then left for refitting at Belfast, where she arrived on the 24th. She later went on to Rosyth for refitting which was completed in early April. AMC ASTURIAS boarded and sent in for inspection steamer SKRAMSTAD (Nor 4300 grt).

Central Atlantic
CVL carrier HERMES arrived at Dakar after VO operations, escort DDs DAINTY, DIAMOND, DEFENDER and DECOY.

 

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February 20 Tuesday
GERMANY: General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst was appointed to command the German invasion of Norway. He has been selected by the Armed Forces High Command (OKW) without consulting the Army High Command (OKH).

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-129 sank Norwegian ship "Nordvangen" 25 miles east of Trinidad at 0425 hours, killing the entire crew of 2.

German submarine U-156 torpedoed and crippled American ship "Delplata" 60 miles west of Martinique, at 1131 hours. The crew of 53 abandoned ship and were rescued by USS "Lapwing" on the next day, which also scuttled "Delplata" with gunfire.

German submarine U-54 became missing in the North Sea and its crew of 41 were never seen again. It was believed that she ran into mines laid by HMS "Ivanhoe" and HMS "Intrepid" in early Jan 1940.

German submarine U-96 sank British merchant ship "Empire Seal" 75 miles southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, killing 1. 56 survivors were rescued by British ship "Empire Flame". "Empire Seal" was carrying steel from the United States to Belfast. At 0453, U-96 struck again, sinking American merchant ship "Lake Osweya" at 0453 hours, killing the entire crew of 39.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet troops began penetrating the Finnish V-line as deep as 1 kilometer in some places. Russian 164th division reported to be trapped by Finns at Kitelea, north-east of Lake Ladoga. Intense Russian air activity over southern Finland.

EASTERN EUROPE: Representatives of the German Gestapo organization (including Adolf Eichmann) and the Soviet NKVD organization (including Grigoriy Litvinov) met at Zakopane, Poland to coordinate the suppression of Polish resistance efforts.

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20 February 1940
Known Losses
Air Attacks By FliegerKorps X
He111 bombers of German KG26 (X Air Corps) attacked ASW trawlers of the 11th AS Striking Force operating 52 miles 090° from Copinsay. ASW Trawler FIFESHIRE (RN 540 grt) was sunk with 22 officers and crew lost. There was just one survivor. ASW Trawler AYRSHIRE (RN 540 grt) was attacked and badly damaged, and CAPE SIRETOKO (590grt) also attacked. DD INGLEFIELD departed Scapa to support them. (Note: German X Air Corps flew He111's of KG26, Ju88's of KG30, and two reconnaissance squadrons flying He59's or Do17's.)

[NO IMAGE FOUND]

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

Report by the Chief, Operations Branch on the course of the battleship operation as far as is known. In srite of very favorable
conditions to our deep regret the operation has been concluded without success. The Chief, Naval Staff has given orders for it
to be repeated in the very near future. A relevant directive is to be issued to the Group.

The operation has been uneventful. No contact was made with the enemy. On the return trip an enemy submarine was sighted
40 miles north of our declared area and forced to submerge by depth charges. (Formation reported as "cruiser and destroyers"
by the submarine. Report passed on to the submarines SALMON and SUNFISH).

On his return the Commanding Admiral made the following brief report:

1. Operation "Nordmark" carried out.
2. Assembly of formation in Wangeroog roads probably spotted by a British plane the night before sailing.
3. Sailing on first day of operation probably unobserved.
4. On the second day operated without result on a suspected northern convoy from morning till evening. Operation ended according to plan as there was no evidence to give promise of success on 20 Feb. and the destroyers were short of fuel.
5. Traffic sighted: apart from fishing vessels, one Norwegian steamer in ballast near Viking Bank, easterly course, one tanker on easterly course entering territorial waters near Stadtlandet. (Report from ship's plane).
6. At 0145 on 20 Feb. in grid square 3736 enemy submarine on starboard bow of the leading ship forced to submerge and attacked with nine depth charges by HEIDKAMP. Success not confirmed.

Naval Staff feels that the battleships' unsuccessful sortie and the Commanding Admiral's report are unsatisfactory. In Naval Staff's
opinion the enemy situation was sufficiently clear. The definite news of the sailing of an apparently important convoy from Kirkwall on 20 Feb. seemed to- give promise of success. As the British forces did not sail from the Clyde until the afternoon on 19 Feb. , they could not have reached the operational area of our battleships in time. The Commanding Admiral could reckon on surprising the enemy. To break off the operation and thus fail to exploit a period when the enemy situation seemed especially favorable was therefore not in accordance with the viewpoint of Naval Staff nor of Group West.

There was a long running and bitter feud between Raeder and fleet commander Marschall. it was to boil over at the conclusion of the Norwegian campaign

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

Nothing to report.

At Sea 20 February 1940
U-13, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-23, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-37, U-48, U-50, U-53 , U-57, U-60, U-61, U-62, U-63.
17 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
Sub L.23 was depth charged by a German DD off the Danish coast, and sustained damage to her OF tanks. She reached Rosyth on the 22nd, left on the 23rd for Blyth and was repaired there from the 27th until March. DD ILEX was damaged at Rosyth while berthing alongside DD SIKH, and was repaired at Rosyth completing on 11 March. DDs GALLANT, GRIFFIN, INTREPID, IVANHOE departed Rosyth for Scapa to operate under the Orkneys and Shetlands Command. DD KIPLING arrived in the Tyne. DD ECHO arrived at Leith for refitting. Sub URSULA cleared Rosyth on patrol. ORP DD BURZA attacked a submarine contact east of Orfordness. MT.15 departed Rosyth escort DDs WHITLEY, JAGUAR and sloop EGRET. The three escorts joined FS.101 when it sailed from the Tyne at 2230, and EGRET attacked a submarine contact seven miles 290° from Flamborough Head. WHITLEY remained in the area for a time before rejoining FS.101, which arrived at Southend on the 22nd. Trawler LADY ELEANOR (324grt) attacked a submarine contact eight miles SE of Flamborough.

Northern Waters
DDs DELIGHT and INGLEFIELD arrived at Scapa. After arriving at Kirkwall on the 19th to avoid contact with the DKM BC force, ON.14 left there escorted by DDs ESCAPADE, ECLIPSE, ESCORT, ELECTRA and sub NARWHAL. It was met by CLs EDINBURGH and ARETHUSA which departed Scapa on the 20th. CLA CAIRO departed Sullom Voe on the 21st and joined en route. EDINBURGH attacked a submarine contact east of Copinsay on the 20th, and also east of the Shetland Islands on the 21st. ON.14 arrived safely at Bergen on the 22nd.

Channel
DD KEITH, alongside depot ship SANDHURST in Dover Harbour, was rammed by armed yacht GULZAR. She left on the 22nd for repairs at Chatham, after which she returned to Sheerness on the 28th. FS.100 arrived at Humber. DDs ESK and EXPRESS joined the convoy for passage to Portsmouth. Fr DD FOUDROYANT and a/c pf the FAF operated south of Colbart Ridge at dawn on ASW patrols. Cable ship MONARCH departed Dover for Calais to complete laying loops 16 and 17. The operation continued on the 22nd.

Med- Biscay
DD VORTIGERN departed Gibraltar to escort cable ship MIRROR. When it was found further cable repairs were needed, the DD escorted her to Lisbon and returned to Gib. Fr Contr Torpilleur DDs VAUTOUR and GERFAUT departed Oran on the 19th, escorting three French transports to Brest as convoy 1F. They passed Gib on the 20th, and were joined by Contre Torpilleur DD BISON, en route. This movement was in preparation for allied operations in Finland. Troopship CHAMPOLLION, arrived at Brest on the 23rd, escorted by the three DDs. Torpedo boats BOUCLIER, MELPOMONE, LA FLORE of the Des Div 14 departed Lorient on the 22nd and joined troopships VILLE D'ALGER and MARECHAL LYAUTEY, and they arrived at Cherbourg on the 24th. Due to turbine vibration, GERFAUT was replaced by DD VERDUN for the operation.

 

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21 February 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
RN Boom defence vessel BA0RNEHURST, Fr Elan class MSW Sloop La Capricieuse , Fr SC-5 Class SC CH-8
[NO IMAGE FOR THE BA0RNEHURST]

Known Losses
MV LOCH MADDY (UK 4,996 grt): Crew: 39 (4 dead and 35 survivors) ; Cargo: 2000 tons of wheat, 6000 tons of timber and a/c : Route: Vancouver - Victoria BC - Panama - Halifax (7 Feb) - Leith : A straggler of HX 19: The cargo ship straggled behind the convoy. She was torpedoed and damaged in the North Sea east of the Orkney Islands by U-57 . She was taken in tow but was torpedoed and sunk the next day by U-23 . Four of her crew were killed. Thirty three survivors were rescued by DD DIANA.

MV TARA (Ne 4,760 grt): Crew: Unknown (no casualties): cargo:Grain ; Route: Bahia Blanca (29 Jan) - Rotterdam : The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean west of Cape Finisterre, Spain by U-50. The Uboat skipper claimed no visible neutrality markings were on the ship. All crew were rescued by Contre Torpilleur DD LE FANTASQUE and the trawler MILIN ( Spain).

Trawler YM 49 (Ne 250 grt): The trawler struck a mine in the North Sea and sank

[NO IMAGE FOUND]

CL MANCHESTER and DD KIMBERLEY on Northern Patrol south of Iceland captured Steamer WAHEHE (Ger 4709 grt) following her escape earlier in the month from Vigo. She was towed towards Kirkwall by KIMBERLEY, joined by DD KHARTOUM during the afternoon of the 22nd and arrived in the Clyde on 8 March. WAHEHE was renamed EMPIRE CITIZEN for British service.

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

Reports of the appearance of British forces in Northern Waters are becoming more frequent. One of these states that a British
cruiser squadron has been sighted in the vicinity of Petsamo. Numerous British warships are reported to be operating along
the north coast of Norway, There is a report that an aircraft carrier has been sighted.

Complete and definite confirmation of these reports, which have been received several times lately, is not possible as yet. In
Naval Staff's opinion, however, there is no doubt of the fact that British forces have appeared in north Norwegian and, in Northern
Waters. Various reasons might account for the dispatch of these forces. For Naval Staff the possibilities are as follows:

1, Various reports of an alleged German base in the Murmansk area (North Base) have produced disquiet in Great Britain. The
forces operating along the Norwegian coast have orders to find out the actual situation and take action against German merchant .
raiders or supply vessels wishing to enter the base.

2, The forces in Northern Waters are directing their operations against the German pocket battleships and auxiliary cruisers which,
according to British Admiralty calculations, should be putting out into the Atlantic in the near future. The British forces are at
the same time patrolling the northern sea area in search of the German merchantmen which, judging by their sailing reports,
should be arriving soon from overseas, .

3, For a long time the British Admiralty and Ministry of Economic Warfare have been convinced of the necessity of stopping
German ore imports from Norway. Following the ALTMAEK episode further British violations of neutrality aimed at stopping the
ore traffic are within the bounds of possibility. Even if such a thing seems hardly likely at present, we still have to reckon
with the possibility that one day Great Britain will no longer respect Norwegian territorial waters at all and take action
against German ore shipments. With this thought in mind one might possibly consider the movements of British forces as preparatory
measures.

4. The appearance'of British forces can possibly also be considered as a strong demonstration against Russia intended to
relieve the Finns, This is the Russian view. The ultimate aim could be to bring over important transports to help Finland , '
in which case an aircraft carrier might possibly be used to transport fighter planes , which could then take off directly
into Finnish territory.

Which of the above possibilities comes nearest to the actual facts is not yet clear. In Naval Staff T s opinion the chances
are that the British forces are patrolling the northern sea area against German merchantmen and raiders putting to sea and at the
same time carrying out reconnaissance for operations against North Base and for bringing over important transports to Finland,

A British military occupation of Norway aimed at the capture of the Norwegian ore port of Narvik or even the northern Swedish ore
region, or a landing in Petsamo to give Finland active help, are at the moment considered highly unlikely by Naval Staff,

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

Nothing to report.

Arrivals
Heligoland: U-52

At Sea 21 February 1940
U-13, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-23, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-37, U-48, U-50, U-53, U-57, U-60, U-61, U-62, U-63 .
17 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
AMC LETITIA departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol. AMC DERBYSHIRE arrived in the Clyde from Northern Patrol. CA YORK departed Liverpool to relieve CA BERWICK on Northern Patrol. BERWICK reached Greenock on the 21st.

North Sea
Subs TRIBUNE and TRIDENT exercised in the Firth of Forth. DDs BRAZEN and ENCOUNTER arrived at Rosyth. MSW trawler SOLON (RN 348 grt) was near missed and damaged by He111 bombers of German KG26 (X Air Corps) off Yarmouth, but was able to enter the port. Gillet and one rating were wounded by machine gun fire. FN.100 departed Southend escort DDs JERVIS, WESTMINSTER and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy was delayed off Cromer Knoll waiting for MSWs, but arrived in two parts on the 23rd. U.22 attacked trawler STRATHCLOVA (210grt) north of Fair Island, but torpedo defects allowed her to escape unharmed. OA.96 departed Southend escort DDs VERITY and BEAGLE. DD VETERAN relieved BEAGLE on the 22nd, VERITY detached on the 23rd, and VETERAN left on the 24th when the convoy dispersed

Northern Waters
Dd KELVIN had been escorting AMC CIRCASSIA since the 19th and on the 21st reported that side plating had split while at sea NW of the Shetlands. She arrived at Scapa on the 22nd and immediately began repairs. DD KASHMIR's ASDIC dome and oscillator were defective and docking was required to repair them. DDs GRIFFIN and GALLANT were detached from patrol to escort steamer CYPRIAN PRINCE (1988grt) from Aberdeen to Kirkwall. At Kirkwall, they joined DD IVANHOE on patrol.

DDs IMOGEN and INGLEFIELD carried out an ASW Sweep five miles 346° from Noup Head for a contact reported at 0530 by armed boarding vessel NORTHERN ISLES (655grt). She claimed to have grazed a submerged object which she attacked, and had in fact lightly damaged U.19. DDs IVANHOE and INTREPID were searching for a submarine contact reported by aircraft in 58-40N, 00-30E.

MSWs HARRIER, SKIPJACK, NIGER and SPEEDWELL were sweeping off Wick when a CC a/c reported an oil patch on the water. NIGER and SPEEDWELL attacked a contact 30 miles SE of Duncansby Head and in all dropped 32 depth charges. ASW trawler STOKE CITY (422grt) attacked a submarine contact off Morecombe Light Vessel. ASW trawler SCALBY WYKE (443grt) attacked a contact in Shapinsay Sound.

West Coast UK
ASW trawlers YORK CITY (398 grt) and HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (399 grt), escorting the Milford Haven section of an outbound convoy, attacked a submarine contact off Milford Haven. DD WAKEFUL relieved them and made further ASW attacks.

Channel
British Battle a/c en route to France reported sighting a German submarine ten miles south of Beachy Head. DD VERITY was escorting convoy OA.96 as far as 00-30W and DD BEAGLE was sent to reinforce her. DDs ACHATES and ANTHONY departed Portsmouth to search for the sighting which was later determined to have been a mine. BEAGLE was recalled and arrived at Dover at 2230.

UK - France
BC.27 of steamers BALTRAFFIC, BARON GRAHAM, BOTHNIA, BRITISH COAST and MARSLEW (Commodore) departed Bristol Channel escorted by DD MONTROSE, and arrived in the Loire on the 23rd.

SW Approaches
OB.96 departed Liverpool escort DDs VANQUISHER and VERSATILE from the 21st to 24th, when they detached to SL.20.

Nth Atlantic
Steamer ANTONIO DELFINO (Ger 13,589 grt) sailed from Bahia. She reached Haugesand on 23 March, Sandefjord on the 27th escorted by Nor DD ODIN and two torpedo boats, left there on 1 April, arrived at Gotenhafen and finally reached Kiel safely on the 7th.

 

[Njaco]

February 21 Wednesday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: The British Royal Navy destroyer HMS "Gurkha" (Commander A. W. Buzzard) and the French destroyer "La Fantasque" shared in the depth charging and destruction of the 753-ton German submarine U-53.

German submarine U-50 torpedoed and sank Dutch ship "Tara" 50 miles southwest of Cape Finisterre, Spain at 0300 hours. The entire crew escaped harm.

German submarine U-57 damaged British steamer "Loch Maddy" 25 miles southeast of Wick, Scotland, United Kingdom, killing 4. She would be sunk by U-23 on the following day. 35 survivors were picked up by destroyer HMS "Diana".

British trawlers, attacked in North Sea by Nazi bombers, retaliated with fire from newly installed machine guns.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Blizzards, beginning of usual February snowfall, checked Russian attacked at Isthmus but the Finnish V-line on the Karelian Isthmus continued to be overwhelmed; Soviet penetrations in the line now began to move toward Viipuri, Finland.

Soviet airmen bombed Swedish town of Pajala near Finnish frontier. Finns claimed to have shot down 17 enemy planes.

GERMANY: Adolf Hitler authorized the 'Operation Weserübung', the invasion of Norway. Lieutenant General Falkenhorst was ordered to submit his final invasion plan by 1700 hours on the same day. Having no clue he was to be assigned this commanding role prior to the meeting and given little time to prepare, Falkenhorst purchased a traveler's guide to Norway and used it to design a general invasion plan; the general plan he would devise in his hotel room in the next few hours would generally agree with the plan the OKW had come up with thus far.

EASTERN EUROPE: Auschwitz Concentration Camp was founded in Poland. The Inspectorate of Concentration Camps reports to Himmler that Auschwitz Camp, in "Incorporated Territories" of Poland, is suitable for use as a "quarantine center."

UNITED KINGDOM: The government Treasury announces a token defense estimate of 100 pounds for the Army, Navy and Air Force for 1940. The actual figures are concealed for security reasons. Emergency measures to deal with a coal shortage arising from the severe winter weather includes a drastic reduction of passenger train services.

Air Ministry announced that during preceding night RAF aircraft had carried out reconnaissance over Heglioland Bight.

The first successful test of the cavity magnetron at Birmingham University provides an important advance in the development of short-wave radar.


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February 22 Thursday
UNITED KINGDOM: Two Heinkel bombers are shot down by RAF, one in Berwickshire, the other in sea off Northumberland coast. A Heinkel He 111P-4 of 3(F)/Ob.d.L. on a reconnaissance of Carlisle is believed brought to have been down thirty miles off the Farne Islands by fire from Hurricanes of RAF No 43 Squadron.

A Heinkel He 111P was forced to land, with smoke streaming from its port engine, near St Abbs Head, Berwickshire at 1230 hours. The aircraft landed in a field, and as Sq Ldr Farquhar (whose kill it was) wanted the authorities to examine the Heinkel, he decided to land his Spitfire beside it, to prevent the Germans from destroying their plane. He landed his plane alongside the downed bomber. The bomber's crew looked on in disbelief as it trundled on down the hill and cartwheeled into a bog. They first hauled out their injured rear gunner and set fire to their plane, then ran down the hill to rescue the gallant Squadron Leader, who was suspended upside down by his safety harness. The bomber's crew all took part in this rescue. By then, the Heinkel was well alight so they all rushed up the hill (Sq Ldr Farquhar included) to pull the German rear gunner further from the flames. The comedy of errors was not quite over. The LDV arrived on the scene over the crest of a nearby hill and because they hadn't seen the Spitfire at the bottom of the hill, assumed that the Squadron Leader was part of the Heinkel's crew, so they arrested him too. It was only when he produced an OHMS envelope bearing his latest income tax demand that they transferred him to the side of the 'goodies'. One of the Heinkel's crew, Fw Sprigarth, was mentioned in Parliament for his part in the rescue.

Australian Prime Minister Menzies writes to High Commissioner Stanley Bruce in London, England, suggesting it is vital that a German defeat include "soft" peace terms, foreseeing a possible new alignment of nations including Britain, France, Germany, and Italy against Russia.

An IRA bomb explodes in Oxford Street, London (7 people are seriously injured). This is the last major incident in an IRA bombing campaign against mainland Britain, begun on January 16, 1939.

Barrage balloon in Western Avenue drifted north and grounded in Nuns Moor Park. Damage to chimney pots Westgate Road and Wingrove Avenue and to telephone wires at Newcastle General Hospital.