This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[Njaco]

August 3 Saturday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post700969.html#post700969

UNITED KINGDOM: Winston Churchill warned the British people against believing rumors that invasion threat is over.

A second batch of five Beaufighter IF fighters were handed over to the RAF for evaluation.

Two Japanese businessmen were arrested in London, England. In response to a protest by the Japanese Ambassador, the authorities denied that their arrest was a reprisal for the arrest of British citizens in Japan six days prior.

A Fairey Battle Mark 3 (L5110) of RAF No 253 Squadron en route from Northolt to Turnhouse suffered an engine fire and then engine failure as they flew over Tanfield at about 1900 hours. The aircraft crashed just to the NW of Causey. The crew, Sergeant J.A. Anderson and LAC Ricks, baled out and landed on Gibside Estate; both were injured and were taken to Rowlands Gill. The full story of this crash only emerged much later. Sergeant Anderson had exhibited great bravery that day as this excerpt from his obituary explains:

"John Anderson, or 'Andy' as he was affectionately known to his close friends, died on 28th May, 1978, aged 61 years" ..."The Squadron had been given two old Battles for hack work and target practice, and one day one of them, burst into flames. An airman passenger in the rear gunner's well was too shaken to jump and Andy, despite the flames, climbed along the fuselage trying to persuade the airman to jump and pull his rip cord. Unfortunately Andy was blown off by the slipstream and landed by parachute after suffering some burns. Meanwhile the airman had pulled his rip-cord while still in the well and miraculously was snatched clear by the open parachute, breaking a leg on the main plane but otherwise landing safely intact." Tom Gleave.

Sergeant Anderson was subsequently shot down during the Battle of Britain and severely injured. His treatment included pioneering plastic surgery making him a member of the "Guinea Pig Club" as well as one of "The Few".

NORTH AMERICA: Japanese luxury ocean liner "Hikawa Maru" disembarked 82 Jewish refugees at Pier 89, Seattle, becoming the first Japanese ship to take Jewish refugees to North America.

Rear Admiral H. Kent Hewitt was assigned the Commander Special Service Squadron aboard gunboat Erie, relieving Rear Admiral John W. Wilcox, Jr.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-57 sank Swedish ship "Atos" at 0810 hours north of Ireland; 1 was killed and 27 were rescued. German submarine U-A stopped Yugoslavian ship "Rad" at 1900 hours 300 miles off of the coast of Senegal in western Africa and later found out she was carrying chemicals from the United States for South Africa. The crew of 29 was put to lifeboats, and U-A sank "Rad" with a torpedo.

EASTERN EUROPE: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic became a member nation of the Soviet Union.

NORTH AFRICA: British Somaliland on the East coast of Africa is surrounded by Italian colonies (Italian Somaliland, Ethiopia and Eritrea) and is a tempting target for Mussolini to win an early victory against the British. It is lightly held by about 4,000 colonial soldiers under Brigadier Arthur Reginald Chater, including the Somaliland Camel Corps, with little artillery and no tanks, armored cars or anti-tank weapons. In Abyssinia the Italians have a total force of 350,000 men of whom 70 percent are native troops. Italian General Guglielmo Nasi led an invasion force of 25,000 troops into British Somaliland from Abyssinia. There are three main lines of advance: toward Zeila in the north, Hargeisa in the center and Odweina on the right. The Italian Air Force dominates the offensive against British Somaliland.

WESTERN FRONT: The British liner "Lancastria" was evacuating British nationals and troops from France, and had boarded as many as possible for the short trip – an estimated 4,000 to 9,000 passengers were aboard. A German Junkers 88 aircraft bombed the ship shortly after it departed, and it sank within twenty minutes. While 2,477 were rescued, an estimated 4,000 others perished by bomb blasts, strafing, drowning, or choking in oil-fouled water.

.

.

 

[parsifal]

3 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Motor Anti-Submarine Boat MA/SB 55, Hunt Class Escort DD QUORN

QUORN worked up at Scapa Flow in DesDiv23 and was then assigned to the Nore Cmd for duty in DesFlot 21.

Losses
MV ATOS (SD 2161 grt) Crew: 8 (1 dead and 27 survivors) Cargo:1700 tons of general cargo Route: Liverpool - Glasgow - Petsamo Unescorted, lost in the Western Approaches. At 0810 hrs the unescorted and neutral ATOS was hit in the engine room by a torpedo from U-57 and sank within 3 mins after a boiler explosion about 35 miles nth of Malin Head. The ship had been missed by a first torpedo at 0807 hrs. 21 crew members and 6 passengers were picked up by the Icelandic trawler SKUTUKK. Among the passengers was a repatriated sailor from Tilia Gorthon, which had been sunk by U-38 (Liebe) on 20 June.

MV RAD (Yu 4201 grt) Crew: 29 (0 dead and 29 survivors) Cargo: Chemicals Route: Baltimore - Durban Unescorted. Sunk in the Central Atlantic off the coast of Africa. At 1900 hrs the unescorted RAD was stopped with gunfire by UA and the crew had to abandon ship after it was discovered that she carried contraband. At 2015 hrs a coup de grâce was fired that broke the ship in two and caused her to sink within 15 mins. The survivors were picked up by the British steam merchant GRODNO and landed at Freetown.

LW a/c were over Scapa and convoy WN.4 between midnight and 0100. They attacked steamer STATIRA (UK 4852 grt) in convoy WN.4. The vessel was was badly damaged 38 miles nth of Stornoway. ASW trawler ARAB assisted the steamer. The entire crew was taken off by DDs PUNJABI and BEDOUIN. The steamer was taken in tow on fire to Stornoway by British tug THAMES and escorted by DD PUNJABI, which was later relieved by DD SIKH. The steamer later left Stornoway and put in Rothesay Bay. Steamer STATIRA was later taken to Glasgow where her cargo was unloaded. The steamer was then broken up, a total loss.

Steamer WYCHWOOD (UK 2794 grt) was sunk on a mine near Harwich. Patrol sloop MALLARD took off the 22 survivors.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer LODOLETTA (FI 2822 grt) was sunk by the RAF at Derna.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-34

At Sea 3 August 1940
U-37, U-38, U-52, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-60, U-99, UA.
10 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
Sub TRIAD , returning from patrol, encountered the outbound U-46 off Fedjeosen, nth of Bergen. TRIAD surfaced at 2230 hrs after failing to achieve a torpedo attack position and engaged U-46 with her 4 inch gun. Endrass (the Uboat commander) decided not to respond and dived. TRIAD also dived and tried to track U-46, but both boats lost contact.

CL CARDIFF, DDs VENOMOUS, VERITY, WILD SWAN, WIVERN, patrol sloops PUFFIN, SHEARWATER, SHELDRAKE operated from Harwich on anti-invasion patrol during the night of 3/4 August.

OA.193 departed Methil escort DD HMCS RESTIGOUCHE and sloop DEPTFORD from 3 to 7 August. The escorts were then detached to convoy HX.61. Escort vessel VERDUN escorted the convoy on the 3rd and DDs PUNJABI and BEDOUIN escorted the convoy on the 4th. FN.241 departed Southend, escort DD WOOLSTON, sloop FLEETWOOD, patrol sloop PINTAIL. The patrol sloop was detached on the 4th. DDs JAGUAR and JAVELIN joined the convoy on the 4th and were detached on the 5th. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 5th. MT.129 departed Methil. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 3rd. FS.241 departed the Tyne, escort DD VIVIEN and sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Southend 5 August.

Northern Waters
MLs SOUTHERN PRINCE, PORT QUEBEC, PORT NAPIER departed Loch Alsh on the 3rd and laid minefield SN.32 in St Georges Channel screened by CLA CALCUTTA on the night of 4/5 August. Survey ship SCOTT laid the marker buoys for this minefield. They were escorted by DDs ECHO, GARTH, BERKELEY which departed Scapa on the 2nd for this operation, and DD INGLEFIELD, which departed Greenock on the 2nd.

DD DUNCAN arrived at Scapa after completing repairs of her 15 January collision damage. DD KEPPEL arrived at Scapa Flow to join the Home Flt. DDs SIKH and AMAZON arrived at Scapa in company from Greenock.

West Coast UK
CA SUSSEX was taken in hand for repair to turbine defects at the Clyde.

Med- Biscay
CLAs CAPETOWN and CALEDON left the Med for duty in the Indian Ocean. CAPETOWN departed Alexandria on the 3rd for the East Indies Station. The light cruiser engaged in a battle practice target shoot. After CAPETOWN had completed, DDs DAINTY, RAN VENDETTA, DEFENDER and destroyers JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS participated. CLA CALEDON departed Alexandria on the 10th. Sub PERSEUS, which departed Hong Kong on 18 June and arrived at Colombo on 30 June and Aden on 24 July, arrived at Alexandria on the 3 August.

Indian Ocean
RAN CL HOBART made a reconnaissance of Cape Guardafui from 3 to 5 August. The cruiser then returned to Berbera.

Malta

Dobbie wrote pessinistically in the war diary

"Preliminary survey of essential supplies shows certain army and civil stocks are much below the level required to meet six months' consumption. Some deficiencies will be made up if the British ship Cornwall arrives. It is essential that all services operate a common reserve policy and I recommend that six months' supply is the minimum level of reserve wherever possible. I also recommend that a convoy runs to Malta at least every two months. This policy would require immediate shipments of supplies to bring reserves to eight months' stock, which would allow the reserve to reduce to only six months between convoys."

 

[Crimea_River]

No apologies needed Chris.

 

[parsifal]

4 August 1940
Losses
MV GOGOVALE (UK 4586 grt) Crew:39 (3 dead and 36 survivors) Cargo: 6386 tons of flour Route: Montreal - London HX60. Lost in the Western Approaches. At 0335 and then 0338 hrs U-52 fired torpedoes aimed at the GOGOVALE and KING ALFREDwhich hit and sank her about 300 miles WNW of Bloody Foreland. The master and 35 crew members were picked up by DD VANOC and landed at Liverpool.

MV KING ALFRED (UK 5272 grt) Crew: 39 (8 dead and 31 survivors) Cargo: pit props Route: St. John's - Halifax - Methil. Part of HX 60 at the time of loss. Lost in the Western Approaches. At )335 and 0338 hrs U-52 fired torpedoes at the convoy HX-60 about 300 miles WNW of Bloody Foreland and sank both ships. The KING ALFRED broke in two, the bow sank and the stern was sunk by DD VANOC, which also rescued the master, 29 crew members and one gunner and landed them at Liverpool.

MV GERALDINE MARY (UK 7244 grt) Crew: 51 (3 dead and 48 survivors) Cargo:newsprint and sulphite pulp Route: Botwood, Newfoundland - Halifax - Manchester Part of HX 60 at the time of loss. Lost in the Western Approaches. At 0922 hrs the GERALDINE MARY was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-52 and sank after 2 hrs about 270 miles WNW of Bloody Foreland. The master and 27 survivors were picked up by a British escort vessel and landed at Methil on 8 August. Six survivors were rescued and landed at Liverpool and 14 others landed at Uig, Isle of Lewis. Among the survivors were four passengers.

Following its successful attacks on HX 60, U-52 was severely damaged by DCs during the counterattacks by British escorts requiring 4 months of repairs.

MV PINDOS (Gk 4360 grt) Crew: 32 (3 dead and 29 survivors) Cargo: grain Route: Freetown - Milford Haven - Avonmouth Straggler from SL 40. Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 2120 hrs PINDOS had straggled from the convoy since 20 July, and was hit by two torpedoes from U-58 and capsized to port side before sinking about 21 miles WNW of Tory Island. The U-boat misidentified her as British motor merchant LIMERICK . The survivors abandoned ship in the lifeboats and made landfall with the help of a local fishing boat at Downings, Co. Donegal. They were lodged with local people for two days before moving on to Lononderry, where two injured men were treated for injuries at a hospital, including one man who had had his nose blown off.

MSW trawler DRUMMER (RN 297 grt) was sunk on a mine off Brightlingsea, Essex, with 2 crew lost.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MSW trawler MARSONA (RN 276 grt) of MSW Gp 43 was sunk on a mine off Cromarty. 11 crew were lost
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MSW trawler OSWALDIAN (RN 260 grt) was sunk on a mine off Breaksea Light Vessel in Bristol Channel. 12 crew were lost in the trawler. Seven survivors from the trawler were landed at Barry.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Sub SEALION sank steamer TORUN (Ex-Nor 3318 grt) in Homborsund SW of Stavanger.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Aux SC UJ.175 (DKM 428 grt) was sunk on a mine north of Ameland.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Bergen: U-46, U-59

At Sea 4 August 1940
U-37, U-38, U-52, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-60, U-99, UA.
9 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
ASW KINGSTON CHRYSOBERYL engaged a German S-Boat off St Catherine. In a British raid on oil tanks and barges at Rotterdam, S/Lt R. C. Eborn and Lt T. A. Johnston RM, were killed when their Swordfish of 812 Sqn was shot down off Noorwijk. MT.130 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 4th. FS.242 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VIMIERA and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 6th.

Northern Waters
DDs ACHATES and FIREDRAKE departed Scapa to search for a UBoat that had been bombed by a/c. This may have been the UBoat DDs MAORI and MASHONA were searching for on the 3rd nth of the Shetlands. DDs MAORI and MASHONA arrived at Scapa at 2200 on the 4th. After an unsuccessful search, DDs ACHATES and FIREDRAKE swept towards Fair Island Channel by 0600 on the 5th. DDs BEDOUIN and PUNJABI departed OA.193 on its arrival at Cape Wrath late that evening.The DDs arrived at Scapa early on the 5th. DDs FORTUNE and FURY departed Scapa for escort duty in the Clyde.

British steamer WHITE CREST was damaged by the LW off Cape Wrath (Nth Coast of the Scottish Mainland)

West Coast UK
Having just completed repairs, CA BERWICK departed Liverpool, and in fog, In a fog at 0034 BERWICK collided with an unknown ship. She was damaged above the water line, forcing her back to the repair yard at Glasgow from to 7 to 22 August. The cruiser finally arrived in the Clyde on the 25th.

OB.193 departed Liverpool escort DDs VANQUISHER and VISCOUNT from 4 to 7 August. The escorts were then detached to HX.61.

Nth Atlantic
HX.63 departed Halifax early on the 4th local escort RCN DDs ASSINIBOINE, OTTAWA and SAGUENAY. Later that evening , the local escort turned the convoy over to the ocean escort, AMC ASCANIA, before returning to Halifax. . The AMC was detached on the 16th. BHX.63 departed Bermuda on the 3rd with an ocean escort of AMC ALAUNIA. BHX63 rendezvoused with HX63 on the 8th when the AMC was detached to return to Bermuda. On 16 August, DD MACKAY, sloop LEITH, corvettes HEARTSEASE and HIBISCUS joined the convoy for the inbound escort and remained with the convoy until its arrived at Liverpool on the 19th.

Central Atlantic
DKM Raider WIDDER sank tkr BEAULIEU (Nor 6114 grt) in the Central Atlantic with 3 crew were killed on the Norwegian tanker.

Map of the WIDDERs Patrol

Med- Biscay
DDs HERO, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL departed Alexandria for an ASW sweep along the Nile Delta, along the Palestine and Syrian coasts, along the Nth coast of Cyprus to the west before returning to Haifa. DD HEREWARD returned to Alexandria on the 5th after developing some defects. DD HASTY was sent to replace HEREWARD in the sweep.

CLs LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER with DDs JERVIS and HOSTILE departed Alexandria during the afternoon of 4 August to sweep in the Aegean. They were also to cover the movement of barges from Athens to Alexandria. DDs HERO, HASTY, IMPERIAL arrived at Haifa on the 7th. The CL force arrived back at Alexandria on the 8th. DDs JERVIS and HOSTILE arrived at Alexandria on the 10th with four Danube barges and a tug.

Indian Ocean
RAN CA CANBERRA departed Simonstown for Freemantle to effect repairs to A brackets and propeller shaft.

Malta
No raids on this day

 

[Njaco]

August 4 Sunday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post701468.html#post701468

UNITED KINGDOM: Three British minesweeping trawlers hit German naval mines on this date at different locations on the British coast and were all destroyed: HMT "Drummer" (2 killed), HMT "Marsona" (11 killed), and "Oswaldian" (12 killed, 7 survived).

NORTH AFRICA: Italian troops marched in three columns toward Berbera, British Somaliland. To reach Berbera (the main port and capital of British Somaliland), 125 miles away from the Ethiopian border, Italians need to cross rugged mountains almost 1 mile high. The main thrust takes the most direct route on the main road via Hargeisa, through the Karrim Pass, its flank protected by a smaller column a few miles to the East. Further West, another column advances along the border with French Somaliland.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-58 sank Greek ship "Pindos" with two torpedoes 10 miles from the Irish coast at 2120 hours; 3 were killed and 29 took to lifeboats. 300 miles northwest of Ireland, German submarine U-52 sank three transports in convoy HX-60: "Geraldine Mary" (3 killed, 48 survived), "Gogovale" (all 37 survived), and "King Alfred" (7 killed, 34 survived). U-52 was depth charged by Royal Navy escort vessels, causing significant damage, but she was able to escape and sail to Kiel, Germany for repairs. She would be out of action until 17 Nov 1940.

After sundown, German armed merchant cruiser "Widder" stopped Norwegian tanker "Beaulieu" with one shot from her gun in the Atlantic Ocean about 1,700 miles east of Florida, United States, killing 4 in the process. 28 survivors were taken to lifeboats and abandoned; they would be rescued by British tanker "Cymbeline" on 13 Aug 1940. "Widder" is threatened by her own torpedo which becomes a circle runner and "Beaulieu" is finally sunk with scuttling charges. "Widder's" Captain Helmuth Ruckteschell will be tried as a War Criminal in May 1947 and found guilty of other charges but acquitted of abandoning these survivors from "Beaulieu".

German anti-submarine trawler "Perseus" (UJ-175) hit a naval mine and sank off Ameland Island off northwestern Netherlands.

NORTHERN EUROPE: British submarine HMS "Sealion" sank Norwegian ship "Torun" off of the Norwegian southern coast.

GERMANY: Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was transferred to the Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 wing based in Gütersloh, Germany.

MEDITERRANEAN: British Force H leaves Gibraltar for home waters to counter the German invasion threat.

.

 

[parsifal]

5 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
USN Destroyer tender PRAIRIE

Allied
Motor Anti-Submarine Boat MA/SB 56

Losses
MSW trawler RIVER CLYDE (RN 276 grt) of MSWGp 6 was sunk on a mine off Aldeburgh Light Float. 11 ratings were killed and one died of wounds in the trawler.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MV BOMA (UK 5408 grt) Crew:53 (3 dead and 50 survivors) Cargo: 10.000 tons of coal Route: Cardiff - Lagos COnvoy OB 193. Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 2138 hrs , U-56 fired a spread of two torps at the convoy OB-193 NW of Malin Head and recorded that one missed and the other detonated at the end of the run after 7 minutes 25 seconds. However, the BOMA was in fact hit in this attack and sank the next day. The master, 47 crew members and two gunners were picked up by the VILJA, transferred to HMS VISCOUBT and landed at Liverpool.

MV CAPE ST GEORGE (UK 5112 grt) Convoy SL42. Cargo of Rice from Far East to England. Sunk off Sierra Leone. Soon after a collision with the MV GRODNO, CAPE ST GEORGE was in collision with the sunken wreck of YUG RAD SE of Cape Verde and sank. All 65 crew were rescued by GrODNO

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-99

Departures
Lorient: U-30

At Sea 5 August 1940
U-30, U-37, U-38, U-52, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-60, UA.
9 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
A division of the J and K DDs were ordered to join the Nore Command to bolster anti invasion forces.

Northern Waters
DDs ACHATES and FIREDRAKE patrolled in the area of Cape Wrath-North Rona-Butt of Lewis area after a UBoat was reported in the area. DDs ASHANTI and MASHONA proceeded to Lerwick to escort British steamer LOCHNAGAR which departed Lerwick that morning for Aberdeen.

OA.194 departed Methil escort dd HESPERUS and sloop HASTINGS. FN.243 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 7th. MT.131 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 5th. FS.243 departed the Tyne, escort sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS and patrol sloop KITTIWAKE. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 7th.

Western Approaches
Allied Destroyer assets based in home waters were being torn in two directions. The threat of invasion forced many naval assets (but particularly DDs to be held ready for anti-invasion duties, but the rising losses in shipping also threatened to throttle the life out of the British economy. Due to heavy losses to shipping by submarine attacks, Leader DD KEPPEL and all the the A class DDs were order to transfer to the CinC Western Approaches.

Central Atlantic
USN CAs WICHITA and QUINCY departed Bahia for Perambuco, arriving on the 9th. The cruisers departed on 13 September and arrived at Montevideo 23 August. Departing on the 28th, they arrived at Buenas Aires on the 29th. WICHITA and QUINCY departed Buenas Aires on 3 September and arrived at Rio de Janiero on 6 September. They departed Rio on 10 September and arrived back at Norfolk, Virginia on 24 September.

WICHITA in 1944. Following her commissioning, WICHITA was assigned to neutrality patrols in the Atlantic. After the US entered World War II, she was first assigned to convoy escort duty on the Murmansk Run in early 1942, and supported amphibious landings during Operation Torch in November 1942. During the Naval Battle of Casablanca, WICHITA engaged several French coastal batteries and warships, as well as the incomplete BB floating battery JEAN BART . In 1943, WICHITA was transferred to the Pacific Theater, where she remained for the rest of the war.

Malta
1515-1544 hrs Air raid alert for 17 enemy CR42s which approach Malta from the north and cross over the east of Gozo, then over Marfa Ridge, turning south east and then south before passing over Hal Far. They circle round the east of the Island at 21000 feet, evidently trying to lure Malta's fighters into battle. Two Hurricane fighters are scrambled but do not engage and the raiders turn away. Spinola, Delimara, San Pietru and San Giacomo batteries engage the raiders but they are too high for accurate hits. No bombs are dropped.

 

[Njaco]

August 5 Monday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post701958.html#post701958

UNITED KINGDOM: The United Kingdom and Poland signed a military agreement.

Churchill and de Gaulle agreed on Free French forces organization.

British minesweeping trawler HMT "River Clyde" hit a naval mine off Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England and sank, killing 12.

WESTERN FRONT: At the airfield in Pihen, France, Hptm. Douglas Pitcairn, Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 51 collides with his wingman, Ofw. Erwin Fleig during takeoff. Hptm. Pitcairn is seriously injured and his wartime flying days done. Oblt. Hermann-Friedrich Jöppien takes his place as Staffelkapitän.

GERMANY: The first operational plans for the German invasion of the Soviet Union are presented to General Halder, the Chief of Staff at OKH, by one of his officers, General Marcks. They envisage a two-pronged attack with the major effort being directed toward Moscow and a minor advance being made toward Kiev. Work continues on the plans at both OKH and OKW.


Germany announced that all citizens will be required to carry a Certificate of Ancestry (Ahnenpass) that proves their Aryan purity dating back to 1800.

During the night, British Hampden aircraft attacked battleship "Tirpitz" to little effect.

NORTH AFRICA: British Somaliland. Italians take the port of Zeila on the coast near the border with French Somaliland, effectively isolating the British colonial forces and advance on Berbera from the West. The main Italian force, going across the mountains towards Berbera, is held up at Hargeisa. Italian light tanks push back Somaliland Camel Corps and other unarmoured British units.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-56 attacked British ship "Boma" at 2138 hours 20 miles north of Ireland; 3 were killed and 50 survived; "Boma" would sink on next day. British ship "Cape St. George" hit the wreck of Yugoslavian ship "Rad" off of the coast of Senegal in western Africa, which was sunk by German submarine U-A two days earlier. As "Cape St. George" sank, the crew of 65 were rescued by British ship "Grodno", which was carrying the survivors of "Rad".

NORTH AMERICA: The US Navy Chief of Naval Operations established general ground rules to govern the exchange of scientific and technical information with the British mission under Sir Henry Tizard.

US Navy Rear Admiral John W. Greenslade and French Vice Admiral Georges A. M. J. Robert amicably discussed the presence of French warships (aircraft carrier "Béarn", light cruiser "Émile Bertin", training cruiser "Jeanne d'Arc", and auxiliary cruisers "Esterelle", "Quercy", and "Barfleur") and aircraft (44 SBC-4 dive bombers, 15 Hawk 75 fighters, and 6 Brewster fighters) in the western hemisphere.

In Canada, Montreal mayor Camillien Houde is arrested, and charged under the Defence of Canada Regulations. He is imprisoned at Camp Petawawa in Ontario until the end of the war.

Roosevelt proposes legislation to combat 'fifth column' activities, following exhaustive enquiries by J. Edgar Hoover and FBI.

.

 

[parsifal]

6 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Benson/Gleaves Class DD USS MADISON

UBOATS
At Sea 6 August 1940
U-30, U-37, U-38, U-52, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-60, UA.
9 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DDs EXPRESS, ESK, ICARUS, IMPULSIVE, INTREPID of DesFlot 20 departed Immingham on the 5th and met their MTB escort. Early on the 6th, the DDs laid minefield CBX.4 off the Dutch coast in the Schoonveld and West Pit Passages off Thornton Ridge.

After 25 June 1940, when France surrendered to Germany, Britain and the Dominions became the only Allied nations free to prosecute the war with Germany and Italy, a condition that persisted until Italy decided to provoke conflict with Greece in the autumn of 1940. In those traumatic days, with the invasion of Britain anticipated, and indeed tentatively planned for mid September 1940, it was an act of considerable faith to despatch from Britain such forces as were then able to be spared. The reason for this decision was that Egypt and East Africa had only garrisons which were much reduced from even the pre‑war scale, while Libya and Italian East Africa contained considerable enemy forces; indeed British Somaliland was evacuated due to lack of British and Indian troops in sufficient numbers to oppose the Italian advance.

As the potential attacks from Libya and East Africa were such as to threaten not only the Suez Canal but also, eventually, the oil resources of Iraq and Persia, it became necessary to reinforce the Egyptian garrison. Despite the possible events at home therefore, troops, as well equipped as could be from the depleted arsenals in Britain, were sent via the Cape of Good Hope to Egypt to form what became known as the Desert Army under General Wavell. This force acquitted itself very well indeed, and stabilised the situation in Egypt and Libya in Britain's favour.

Thereafter, as the fortunes of war swung from one side to the other, greater and greater resources had to be committed, whatever the position at home. Also, war was looming further East with the increasing menace of Japan, and the position in India, Malaya and the Indies generally was of major concern.

Faced with such an obvious threat, and with the possibility of the invasion of Britain rapidly receding (it was apparent as early as Oct 1940 that the original plans had been abandoned) reinforcement of Egypt and India became of prime importance. The early ad hoc convoys (designated as AP 1, 2, 3 and 3½ ) were therefore replaced by a series known as WS. These initials, which oddly bear no relation to origin or destinations as convoy codes usually do, were derived from "Winston's Special" as the first convoy was organised on the explicit orders of the Prime Minister.

The Clyde section of WS.2 with 6 steamers departed at 0630 escort CA SHROPSHIRE, CL EMERALD, DDs FORTUNE, FURY, WATCHMAN, VORTIGERN.

The Liverpool section of WS.2 with 11 steamers departed Liverpool escort CA CORNWALL and DDs HIGHLANDER, HAVELOCK, HURRICANE, HARVESTER. Steamer ORION was forced to put into the Clyde the same day with engine defects. Both sections rendezvoused on the 6th and traveled together at sea. Various ships were detached en route and the troopships arrived safely at Capetown. on the 31st, the "slow group" WS.2 B of liners ORION, STRATHEDEN, ORMONDE, BATORY departed Capetown for Bombay. On 12 September, the "fast group" WS.2 A of liners EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, EMPRESS OF CANADA, ANDES departed Capetown. CA SHROPSHIRE arrived at Simonstown on the 28th and joined the East Indies Command.

CA CORNWALL arrived at Simonstown on the 30th. In the Indian Ocean,WS 2 A was escorted by RAN CL HOBART and RN CL CARLISLE and DDs KANDAHAR and KINGSTON and WS.2 B was escorted by CA CORNWALL and RAN AMC KANIMBLA.

Sub SEALION was rammed at periscope depth by DKM aux SC UJ.123 while attacking a convoy SW of Stavanger. The sub's periscopes, masts, aerials were wrecked. Steamer CLARE HUGO STINNES (Ger 5295 grt) was missed by torps and not damaged. Sub SEALION arrived at Rosyth on the 10th. She was repaired in the Tyne from 15 August to 23 October.


FN.244 departed Southend, escort DD VIVIEN, sloop LOWESTOFT, and patrol sloop GUILLEMOT. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 8th. MT.132 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.244 departed the Tyne, escort DD WINCHESTER and sloop WESTON. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 8th.

Northern Waters
DDs ACHATES and FIREDRAKE patrolling off Cape Wrath joined convoy HX.60 A in Pentland Firth at 2200. The DDs arrived at Scapa at 1000 on the 7th after escorting the convoy to Pentland Firth docks.

DD INGLEFIELD , on passage from Loch Alsh to Scapa , DD ANTHONY, escorting CVL FURIOUS on practices, intercepted two Dutch motor coasting vessels proceeding westward through the Pentland Firth. After they were intercepted they were turned over to ASW trawler REGAL which brought them to Kirkwall for examination. DDs COSSACK and SIKH departed Scapa to carry out ASW patrols in Fair Island Channel. No contact was made. The DDs met convoy WN.5 on the 7th in the Minches near Trodday Island and escorted it to Pentland Firth. The DDs were relieved at 0400 in convoy WN.5 off Cape Wrath by DD BERKELEY, which departed Scapa on the 8th. BERKELEY continued sth with the convoy to join the Nore Command. DDs COSSACK and SIKH joined convoy OA.195 at 1515 on the 8th and escorted it to Cape Wrath. DDs COSSACK and SIKH arrived at Scapa at 0240. DD AMAZON departed Scapa to investigate a suspicious merchant ship report two miles 080° from Wick. DD KEPPEL, ANTHONY, AMAZON departed Scapa with DD ACHATES of convoy HX.60A proceeded to the Clyde to join the Western Approaches Command.

West Coast UK
OB.194 departed Liverpool escorted by DDs WARWICK and HARVESTER and corvette CLARKIA from 6 to 9 August. DD WARWICK and the corvette were detached to SL.41.

Med- Biscay
RM CLs BARBIANO and GUISSANO with DDs PIGAFETTA and ZENO laid mines near Pantelleria escorted by TBs CASSIOPEA, CIGNO, PLEIAI and ALDEBARAN.

In Operation TUBE, RN sub PANDORA, which departed Gibraltar on 31 July, arrived at Malta with supplies of spares and ground equipment for the Hurricanes CVE ARGUS had delivered in HURRY.

Indian Ocean
BN2A departed Aden, escort CL CERES and sloop PARRAMATTA. The convoy arrived at Suez on the 12th

Australia/Pac/Far East
German steamer FULDA (7744grt) at Dairen was sold to Japan as TAKAI MARU

Malta
General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander of British Forces in the Middle East paid a surprise visit to Malta. He flew in from Alexandria in Egypt by flying boat. General Wavell was on his way to the UK.

Gen Wavell. He was considered the best British Commander in the Desert by Rommel

AIR RAIDS DAWN 5 AUGUST TO DAWN 6 AUGUST 1940
1148-1220 hrs Air raid alert for 20 enemy fighters in two VIC formations of six each and four formations of two each, which approach the Island from the nth at 20000 feet, then turn SE before departing. Fort Manoel, San Pietru and Delimara batteries as well as HMS Terror engage the raiders but fire only a few rounds as the raiders are too high to target. 2 Hurricane ftrs are scrambled and engage. One is attacked by enemy fighters but escapes in a dive; no reported results. No bombs are dropped.

 

[parsifal]

7 August 1940
Losses
U.38 sank Egyptian steamer MOHAMED ALI EL KEBIR (7527grt) whilst the ship was on route from Avonmouth - Gibraltar carrying 697 troops including naval personnel, government stores and mail. From a total of 1,397 men on board, 60 men were lost.
There were 162 crew, one gunner, 697 troops and civilian passengers on the steamer. Ten crew and fifty troops were lost. The survivors from this steamer were picked up by DD GRIFFIN.

UBOATS
At Sea 7 August 1940
U-30, U-37, U-38, U-52, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-60, UA.
9 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DDs JAVELIN and JAGUAR, en route from the Humber to join the Home Flt, were diverted to meet British steamers ST MAGNUS and ROGNVALD off Aberdeen for escort to Kirkwall and Lerwick, respectively. On 8 August, on their arrival at Lerwick, the DDs embarked ten officers and one hundred and fifteen ranks of the British Army repatriated from Petsamo, Finland on the Swedish steamer GOTEBORG. The British Army personnel were landed at Scrabster and the DDs arrived at Scapa.

OA.195 departed Methil escort sloop FOWEY. OB.195 departed Liverpool escorts by DD VANOC and corvettes PERIWINKLE and GERANIUM from 8 to 12 August. FN.245 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 9th. MT.133 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.245 departed the Tyne, escort DD WOOLSTON, sloop FLEETWOOD, patrol sloop MALLARD. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 9th.

DKM MLs ROLAND, COBRA, BRUMMER laid mines in the southwest Nth Sea for minefield "SW 1" escorted by TBs T.2 of TBFlot1 , T.7 of TBFlot7, and FALKE, KONDOR, JAGUAR of TBFlot5. This minefield sank DDs ESK and IVANHOE were lost and DD EXPRESS was badly damaged on it at the end of the month.

German auxiliary submarine chaser Vp.1501 (trawler WIKING 7, 381grt) was sunk on a mine near Frederickshavn, however she was later salved in 1940 and restored to duty as Vp.1501.

Northern Waters
DDs TARTAR, BEDOUIN, ASHANTI departed Scapa to carry out an ASW sweep northward of Nth Rona mined area to Rockall. The DDs then joined BC HOOD, CL ARETHUSA, DD FOXHOUND to escort them to Scapa. DDs TARTAR, BEDOUIN, ASHANTI with BC HOOD, CL ARETHUSA, DDs FOXHOUND and ESCAPADE arrived at Scapa on the 10th.

Malta
The Malta Infantry Brigade ceased operations today at Lascaris Barracks, to be reformed and expanded to two new Brigades. Infantry will now be operated in two zones: the Northern Infantry Brigade under Brigadier W H Oxley MC with its HQs at the Melita Hotel and the Sthn Inf Brigade under Brigadier L H Cox MC, based at Luqa. Lt Col E D Corkery MC will be Brigadier i/c Administration, Malta.

The Nthn Brigade will include units of 2nd Battalion (Bn) Royal Irish Fusiliers, 8th Bn Manchester Regt and 1st and 2nd Bns Kings Own Malta Regt. The Sthn Brigade will include units of 2nd Bn Devonshire Regt, 1st Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 2nd Bn Royal West Kent Regt and 3rd Bn Kings Own Malta Regt.

Air raid alert for 6 a/c reported approaching over St Paul's Bay, later understood to be probing the defences. Malta fighters are up and the raiders turn back before any interception and before reaching the coast. No bombs are dropped.No enemy raids
1530 to 1730 hrs FAA Skua recon of Messina, Catania, Augusta and Syracuse.

 

[parsifal]

8 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Losses
MV UPWEY GRANGE (UK 9130 grt) Crew: 86 (36 dead and 50 survivors) cargo: 5380 tons of frozen meat and 51 cases of tinned meat Route: Buenos Aires - London Un-escorted. Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 1314 hrs the unescorted UPWEY GRANGE was hit on the port side by one torpedo from U-37 and sank by the stern about 184 miles west of Achill Head, Co. Mayo. The crew and passengers abandoned ship in the lifeboats but the boats were separated in the bad weather and the boat in the charge of the master was never seen again. The master, 31 crew members, one gunner and three passengers were lost. 42 crew members and 8 passengers were picked up after three days by the British trawler NANIWA about 50 miles from Achill Head, transferred to RN DD VANQUISHER and landed at Liverpool.

Convoy CW.9
8th of August saw a huge British shipping convoy of about 25 merchant ships with armed Royal Navy escort being detected coming through the Straits of Dover and heading westwards towards the Atlantic Ocean. This was to be the first time for 2 weeks that a merchant convoy was going to attempt passage through the English Channel. It was a foolhardt decision to route the convoy during the height of the air battle. The convoy had assembled at Southend the previous evening ready to pass through the Dover Straits during the hours of darkness en route for Swanage in Dorset. But the German radar Freya had picked them up, and it was a gift that was not to be missed. SBoats attacked first in the half light of dawn, then out went the order to the 8th Flieger Korps at Abbeville to send out all available Ju87s and the fighters of JG 27 at Carquebut and Crepon and all aircraft to set course for the British convoy CW9 codenamed "Peewit" by the RAF. Further attacks by units of Sperles air fleet followed up later in the afternoon In all, some 300 strike a/c and 150 ftrs of the LW took to the air and planned to attack the convoy during the early morning.

By days end, the RAF had lost 13 Hurricanes in defending Convoy CW9 ("Peewit" as it was referred to in the battle), five others suffered damage including one that was to make a forced landing. Only one Spitfire was destroyed while two others sustained damage. But the action saw 13 RAF pilots killed with three sustaining severe injuries, a very heavy loss rate in aircrew. The LW fared no better, they too had a high attrition rate. They lost a total of 8 Bf109's, 1 Bf110, and 7 Ju87 Stukas although 2 109s, 5 110s, and 11 Ju87's sustained such heavy damage as to never fly again. . But it was the convoy Peewit that had suffered most. Of the 23 ships that had commenced the journey the previous night, only four had managed to limp into either Poole and Portsmouth harbours without damage.

DDs BULLDOG of DesFlot 1 and FERNIE departed Portsmouth to support Convoy CW.9. In convoy CW.9 steamers HOLME FORCE (UK 1216 grt) off Newhaven and MV FIFE COAST (UK 367 grt) 10-15 miles west of Beachy Head were sunk by DKM S-Boats S.21 and S.27. The Master, two crew, three gunners were lost on the steamer HOLME FORCE. Four crew and one naval rating were lost on the steamer FIFE COAST.

HOLME FORCE. No image found for the FIFE Coast

S.20 and S.25, also of the 1st Flotilla made attacks on this convoy. Steamers JOHN M ten miles south of Needles, Steamer IOW and POLLY M 15 miles 190° from Cape Wrath were damaged by these S Boats. Steamer OUSE (UK 1004 grt) was sunk off Newhaven in a collision with British steamer RYE while avoiding a torpedo fired by one of the S-Boats. 23 men were rescued from steamer OUSE.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

In air attacks on convoy CW.9, steamer COQUETDALE (UK 1597 grt) and Steamer EMPIRE CRUSADER (UK 1042 grt) were sunk 15 miles west of St Catherine's Point. The entire crew of COQUETDALE was rescued. The Master, two crew, two naval gunners were lost from the EMPIRE CRUSADER.

COQUETDALE. No image found for the EMPIRE CRUSADER

Steamer AJAX (NL 942 grt) was sunk by the LW 15 miles west of St Catherine's Pt with the loss of four of her crew. NL steamers VEENENBURGH , OMLANDIA, and SURTE were damaged by the LW during these attacks.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

British steamers SCHELDT and BALMAHA were damaged by the LW 15 miles west of St Catherine's Point. Steamer TRES (Nor 946 grt) was initially damaged by the LW 1950 yards 036° from Nodes Point, St Helen's Roads, but sank later in St Helens Bay. During these attacks, ASW yachts WILNA and RION and ASW trawlers CAPE PALLISER, KINGSTON CHRYSOBERYL, KINGSTON OLIVINE, STELLA CAPELLA were damaged by the LW in the area.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

DKM Raider WIDDER sank steamer OOSTPLEIN (NL 5095 grt) in the Central Atlantic 200 miles sth of the Azores. The crew were made prisoners of war and were landed at St Nazaire on 9 October.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Departures
Bergen: U-46, U-59
Wilhelmshaven: U-65

At Sea 8 August 1940
U-30, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-59, U-60, U-65, UA.
12 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DDs EXPRESS, ESK, ICARUS, IMPULSIVE, IVANHOE departed Immingham and joined four MA/SBs from Harwich. During the night of 8/9 August, the DDs laid minefield MP (A), an extension of the MN minefield to Falls Bank and to back up the MN minefield. During the night of 10/11 August, the same destroyers conducted MP (B). After MP (B), the DDs returned to Immingham.

ORP DD BURZA made three attacks at 1410 on a UBoat contact. BURZA was en route to Scapa to work up after repairs. She arrived on the 9th at 1900.

FN.246 departed Southend, escort sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS and patrol sloop SHEARWATER. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 10th. MT.134 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.246 departed the Tyne, escort DD VALOROUS and sloop STORK. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 10th.

Nth Atlantic
HX.64 departed Halifax escort RCN DD ASSINIBOINE and aux PV FRENCH . DD SAGUENAY and aux PV LAURIER departed escorted SHX.64 and joined at sea. PV FRENCH returned to Halifax after dark on the 8th and DD ASSINIBOINE remained with the convoy until late on the 9th leaving the convoy to ocean escort, AMC RAJPUTANA. The AMC was detached on the 20th. BHX.64 departed Bermuda on 7 August escort CL CARADOC. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.64 on the 12th and the CL was detached. On the 20th, DD WARWICK, sloop SANDWICH, corvettes GARDENIA and MALLOW joined the convoy. They arrived with the convoy at Liverpool on the 23rd.

Central Atlantic
USN DDs WALKE and WAINWRIGHT departed Santos for Rio de Janiero.

Med- Biscay
DDs HERO, HASTY, IMPERIAL departed Haifa to east east and north of Cyprus. HASTY was detached off Haifa to escort a local convoy. IMPERIAL and HERO arrived back at Alexandria on the 10th. HASTY arrived later on the 10th. In Operation TUBE, sub PROTEUS, which departed Gibraltar on the 1st, arrived at Malta with spares and ground equipment for the Hurricanes brought to Malta by HURRY. In harbour, submarine PROTEUS was in a collision with British tug ANDROMEDA. The sub was repairing until 22 August.

RM ML SCILLA escort TBs ANTARES and SAGITARIO laid mines off Pantelleria. DD HOSTILE was lost later this month on this minefield.

Indian Ocean
3 RA air raids were launched on Berbera. RAN CL HOBART, sloop AUCKLAND, ASW trawler AMBER, several steamers were in port.
HOBART and armed boarding vessel CHAKDINA were damaged by splinters from near misses

Australia/Pac/Far East
CL DURBAN completed her refitting begun at Singapore in July. CL DRAGON arrived at Lobito to refuel prior to joining convoy RS.5. The cruiser departed the next day and joined the convoy on the 11th.

Malta
1302-1330 hrs Air raid alert for 6 enemy a/c which pass nth to sth over the Island, to the east of Tarxien. No bombs are dropped. Malta fighters are scrambled but do not intercept.

ROYAL NAVY At 2000 hrs RN Sub PROTEUS arrived with vital spares for the newly arrived Hurricanes and accidentally collides (and sinks) Harbour Tug ANDOMEDA (UK 150 grt) when shifting berth.

 

[parsifal]

UNUSED

 

[Njaco]

August 6 Tuesday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post702290.html#post702290

UNITED KINGDOM: At 0630 hours, Hurricane fighters of No. 85 Squadron RAF shot down a German Do 17 aircraft on a reconnaissance mission over a convoy east of Lowestoft, Suffolk, England. Also on this day, a lone German aircraft bombed the RAF station at Llandow, Wales.

DeGaulle argees to Churchill's proposal of a joint Anglo-Free French naval expedition to Dakar, the capital of French West Africa. Sir Winston hopes an overwhelming display of Allied force will persuade Governor General Boisson to surrender the colony over to Free France without a fight. DeGaulle offers a counter proposal to land at Conakry, French Guinea and march overland on Dakar. The General hopes to pickup local support during the 500 miles march. DeGaulle is convinced a direct assault on the heavily fortified Vichy capital, which is still seething with anti-British anger in the wake of the attack on the Richelieu, will meet fierce resistance and end in failure. The British argue that they haven't the time or resources to devote to the prolonged campaign proposed by DeGaulle.

NORTH AFRICA: Italian troops under Brigadier General Bertello captured Odweina, British Somaliland.

ASIA: Ba Maw, the pro-Japanese anti-British former Premier of Burma, was arrested for attacking Premier U Pu's policy of supporting Britain in the war against Germany. Ba Maw received a one year jail sentence.

NORTHERN EUROPE: US Army transport "American Legion" reached Petsamo, Finland to embark American nationals from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands wishing to return to the United States.

British submarine HMS "Sealion" was rammed by German anti-submarine vessel UJ-123 while running at periscope depth attacking a convoy 20 miles off the southern coast of Norway. "Sealion" would be able to return to the Tyne on 15 Aug and would remain in repair until 23 Oct.

MEDITERRANEAN: Operation Tube: British submarine HMS "Pandora" reached Malta from Gibraltar with ground equipment and spare parts for the Hurricane fighters delivered by aircraft carrier HMS "Argus" 2 Aug during Operation Hurry.

Italians lay extensive minefields in Sicilian Channel in which two British destroyers are sunk: "Hostile" (August 23, 1940) and "Gallant" (January 10, 1941).

.

.

 

[Njaco]

August 7 Wednesday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post702677.html#post702677

WESTERN FRONT: At St. Omer airfield, the Staffelkapitän of 3./Epr.Gr 210 and a proponent of fighter-bomber tactics, Hptm. Valesi, crashes in his Bf 109E and is killed.

NORTH AFRICA: The last reinforcements (the 2nd Battalion of the Black Watch) and the 1st Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment arrived in British Somaliland to reinforce against the Italian invasion.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-38 torpedoed and sank British troopship "Mohamed Ali El Kebir" 160 miles off Ireland at 2140 hours en route from England to Gibraltar, killing 86 of the 697 military passengers and 10 of the 165 crew aboard. Destroyer HMS "Griffin" depth charged U-38 for two hours and then returned to pick up all 766 survivors.

ASIA: Lord Halifax of the United Kingdom and US Ambassador to Tokyo Joseph Grew voiced concerns over Japanese demands for French Indochina.

SOUTH PACIFIC: The Australian Commonwealth used its National Security Regulations to requisition Alanzo Sparkes' paddock at Chermside for a military camp. The plan was to erect a tented camp to accommodate 3,500 militia troops. Huts would be built later when funds were available. The first structure to be established was a Military Post Office (MILPO) that opened on 5 October. The first 200 recruits were expected on 7 October 1940. Chermside Army Camp (Queensland WWII Historic Places)

.

 

[Njaco]

August 8 Thursday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post703037.html#post703037

UNITED KINGDOM: Wages of British military personnel increased by 6 pence per day. With this increase, a British Army private's weekly pay was increased to 17 shillings and 6 pence.

WESTERN FRONT: As the crew of Hptm. Kienitz's III./JG 3 arrive at their new airbase at Desvres, they find instead of a prepared airfield, they must operate from a local football field.

RAF raids on Schiphol and Valkenburg airfields, Holland (1 aircraft lost); night raids on Hamburg docks, marshalling yards at Hamm and Soest and power station at Cologne (1 aircraft lost).

EASTERN EUROPE: Laws restricting education and employment were introduced in Romania.

NORTH AFRICA: Troops of the 2nd Battalion, UK (Scottish) Black Watch arrived in British Somaliland to reinforce against the Italian invasion.

RAF and Italian fighter biplanes engaged each other over the Western Desert (Libya). 7 Italian and 2 British (Gladiators) were shot down.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-37 sank British ship "Upwey Grange", carrying 5,380 tons of frozen beef from Argentina to Britain, 200 miles west of Ireland at 0114 hours. The entire crew of 86 took to lifeboats, but one of the boats, carrying 36, was never seen again.

German armed merchant cruiser "Widder" sank Dutch collier "Oostplein" carrying 5,850 tons of coal from Britain to Buenos Aires, Argentina; the entire crew of 34 were rescued by "Widder".

GERMANY: Adolf Hitler ordered Walter Warlimont, Alfred Jodl's deputy, to determine the positions of Soviet troops in preparation for Operation Barbarossa. On the same day, Wilhelm Keitel signed the Aufbau Ost directive, which called for the mobilization of the German military in eastern Germany.

ASIA: Battleship No. 1, the future battleship "Yamato", was launched at Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan.

MEDITERRANEAN: Operation Tube: British submarine HMS "Proteus" reached Malta from Gibraltar with spares for the newly-arrived Hurricane fighters.


.

.

 

[Njaco]

August 9 Friday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post703609.html#post703609

UNITED KINGDOM: The British government announces that it is abandoning the British presence in Shanghai and Tientsin province, in China. The forces concerned move out later in the month. Also, General de Gaulle announces that he has the support of the French New Hebrides colony.

Four people were killed and seventy-eight injured, when a shipyard (Laing's), a railway bridge, some residential property (in Bonners Field ?) and Monkwearmouth Station Hotel was hit when bombing took place at Sunderland at 1140 hours by a Heinkel He 111H, dumping its bombs, it then fell into the sea off Whitburn at 1152 hours after an RAF fighter attack. The crew were picked by a RN patrol boat, two of the crew were injured and two were unhurt.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF raid Guernsey airfield.

EASTERN EUROPE: The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was officially incorporated into the Soviet Union.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-30 sank Swedish merchant ship "Canton" 70 miles west of Ireland at 2032 hours; 16 were killed and 16 survived. "Canton" was carrying 7,900 tons of cargo (including iron) from India and South Africa to Britain.

GERMANY: The German High Command issues a directive for "Otto", the preliminary plan for an attack on the Soviet Union set for Spring 1941.

.

 

[parsifal]

9 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
HM Flower Class Corvette ERICA

Losses
MV CANTON (SD 5779 grt) Crew: 32 (16 dead and 16 survivors) Cargo: 3000 tons of pig iron, 2700 tons of linseed, 1152 tons of general cargo and 1034 tons of hessian Route: Calcutta - Freetown - Liverpool Unescorted. Sunk in the Western Approaches . At 2032 hrsthe unescorted CANTON was hit by one torpedo from U-30 and sank 70 miles west of Tory Island.

UBOATS
Departures
Kiel: U-51, U-100, U-101

At Sea 9 August 1940
U-30, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
15 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Baltic
North Sea
OA.196 departed Methil escorted by sloop ROCHESTER and corvette PRIMROSE on the 9th. ASW trawlers KING SOL and AYRSHIRE escorted the convoy on the 11th. FN.247 departed Southend, escort DD WINCHESTER, sloop WESTON, patrol sloop SHELDRAKE. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 11th. MT.135 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.247 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VEGA and WESTMINSTER. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 11th.

Northern Waters
DD JAVELIN departed Scapa for Lerwick to escort British steamer ROGNVALD to Aberdeen. At Aberdeen, JAVELIN met LOCHNAGAR and escorted her to Lerwick, arriving on the 11th. JAVELIN then arrived at Scapa.

Sth Atlantic
NL CL SUMATRA departed Trinidad for Freetown, where she arrived on the 20th, en route to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI).

Med- Biscay
RM DDs MAESTRALE, GRECALE, LIBECCIO, SCIROCCO laid mines off Pantelleria.

Malta

No air activity. Army command advise the war office that stocks of ammunition cannot meet Malta's needs. The original estimate of 13.5 million rounds made in 1939 are stated as inadequate and should be increased by 50%. The higher demands are due to the addition of three bns, Royal Artillery units, anti-parachutists and extra light machine guns to the Island's garrison. At that time the reserve stocks amounted to 9 million rounds.

 

[parsifal]

10 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIc U-94

Allied
Hunt Class Escort DD HOLDERNESS, Motor Anti-Submarine Boat MA/SB 12

HMS HOLDERNESS arrived at Scapa on the 12th for work up in DesDiv 23. She departed on 2 September for duty in the Nore with DesFlot 21

Losses
Steamer CITY OF DUNDEE (UK 5273 grt) in convoy FS.247 was lost when grounded near Southend. Some sources also have the Steamer CITY OF BRISBANE lost in the same incident, but I have accepted her earlier loss date of August 2 1940.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

AMC TRANSYLVANIA (RN 16893 grt) which departed the Clyde on the 9th, was sunk at 0011 by U.56 west of Ireland. 35 of the crew were lost. At 0215, DD ASHANTI, on passage to the Clyde, was ordered to assist the AMC, atr that stage still afloat. DDs HAVELOCK and FORTUNE were also ordered to assist TRANSYLVANIA. DD HAMBLEDON put to sea escorting tugs SALVONIA and ENGLISHMAN to assist the AMC, but this was cancelled when it was found she was beyond salving. DDs HAVELOCK, FORTUNE, ASHANTI, ACHATES, ANTHONY conducted an ASW search for the submarine responsible, but U-56 escaped unharmed. DDs ASHANTI, FORTUNE, ACHATES, ANTHONY, HAVELOCK proceeded to Greenock after the sweep was terminated and arrived late on the 10th.

DDs JAGUAR and CATTISTOCK were to join convoy HX.61 from Cape Wrath to Pentland Firth, but were unable to do so due to the weather state. Convoy HX.61 was delayed by a full northerly gale in the Minches. JAGUAR was detailed to rescue the crew of steamer ALBULA (NL 329 grt) of convoy OA.196. The steamer had been abandoned in a sinking condition after a collision. DD CATTISTOCK was unable to make headway against seas experienced to the westward of Pentland Firth. DDs JAGUAR and CATTISTOCK arrived at Scapa on the 11th.

Drifter YOUNG SID (UK 100 grt) was sunk in a collision in Moray Firth with a collier.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer KIRSTEN (Ex-Den 1196 grt) was sunk on a mine off the Danish coast.

UBOATS
At Sea 10 August 1940
U-30, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
15 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.248 departed Southend, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloop FLEETWOOD. Patrol sloop PINTAIL joined on 11 and was detached later that day. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 12th. MT.136 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.248 departed the Tyne, escort DD WOLSEY and sloop EGRET. Patrol sloop PINTAIL joined on the 11th and was detached on the 12th.

Northern Waters
DDs COSSACK, SIKH, MAORI, DUNCAN departed Scapa to join convoy OA.196 which was escorted by sloop ROCHESTER and corvette PRIMROSE. The DDs stayed with the convoy as far as Cape Wrath, then proceeded to Loch Alsh for ML operation SN.13.

West Coast UK
British steamer BLAIRCLOVA was damaged by the LW 20 miles NNE of Holyhead in the Irish Sea. Also damaged was Dutch steamer HAULERWIJK.

Western Approaches
DD ARROW departed Scapa to return to the Western Approaches Command.

SW Approaches
Steamer VARIA (SD 929 grt) was sunk by the LW 60 miles SE of Fastnet. Seven crew were lost.

Central Atlantic
DKM Raider WIDDER sank Sailing barque KILLORAN (FN 1817 grt) SSW of the Azores in the Central Atlantic. The mixed crew suffered varying fates, the Finnish nationals were returned to Abo, Three Argentines were eventually returned to Argentina. The remainder of the multi national crew were interned .

The Killoran with sails braced abackon the day of her loss. Photo taken from the WIDDER. The cutter is from the WIDDER, going to KILLORAN to take off the crew and place explosives on board.

Med- Biscay
British troopship NEURALIA with evacuees from Gibraltar sailed for Madeira, escorted locally by DD GALLANT.

Indian Ocean
BN.3 departed Bombay carrying the troops brought to India in convoy WS.1. It consisted of 8 large troopships. AMCs RANCHI and ANTENOR escorted the convoy from 10 to 15 August. NZ manned CL LEANDER escorted the convoy from 15 to 21 August. Sloop HINDUSTAN escorted the convoy from 16 to 17 August. At Aden, DDs KINGSTON and KIMBERLEY and RAN sloop PARRAMATTA joined the convoy and continued with it until 21 August. On the 21st, sloops GRIMSBY and CLIVE joined the convoy and continued with it until arriving at Suez on the 23rd.

Malta

MALTA STILL UNDER THREAT

The lull in enemy air attacks has permitted the the dockyard to return to almost normal working conditions. However, the decrease in attacks is believed to be temporary – and may be due to the enemy's belief that severe damage has been done to the dockyard infrastructure.

The Governor orders the establishment of a six month reserve of stores on Malta , but firstly orders that safe underground stores areas be prepred. This will take more than 6 months to complete. As a stop gap a plan was approved to use two oil fuel tanks to accommodate service and Government stores. Work is already underway to clean out the tanks ready for the first delivery of supplies.

AIR RAIDS

1820 hrs An enemy flying boat of unknown type touches down 20 miles east of Delimara and proceeds to patrol 40 miles south of the Island.

1823-1840 hrs Air raid alert. No enemy aircraft are seen and no bombs dropped.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 10 AUGUST 1940

AIR HQ 0920-1156 hrs One Hudson on photographic reconnaissance of Sciacca and Gela aerodromes. One Breda 88 approached but did not engage. A large landing ground was observed six miles NE of Gela.

 

[Njaco]

August 10 Saturday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post704027.html#post704027

UNITED KINGDOM: In London the decision is taken to send a large part of the country's total stock of tanks out to the Middle East although there is the threat of a German invasion. Churchill takes much of the credit for this brave decision which, although not his idea, is necessarily carried out on his instructions.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-56 struck HMS "Transylvania" 20 miles north of Ireland at 0100 hours with U-56's last torpedo, killing 36. Destroyer HMS "Ashanti" and several trawlers rescued 300 survivors, and then attempted to tow "Transylvania" back to port, but "Transylvania" would sink during the process.

German armed merchant cruiser "Widder" stopped Finnish sailing ship "Killoran" 300 miles southwest of the Azores. Most of the German crew were against sinking this old ship built in 1900, "Widder's" on-board surgeon wanted a dramatic finale for a film he was making, and persuaded Captain Ruckteschell to sink the sailing ship by gunfire after detaining the crew of 18.

Allied convoy OA-196's Dutch ship "Albula" and American ship "Crescent City" collided just north of Scotland. "Albula" sank with the entire crew taken aboard by destroyer HMS "Jaguar".

WESTERN FRONT: German occupation government in Luxembourg deemed the French language illegal. The German occupation government in Belgium declared that listening to BBC broadcasts was illegal.

Hans-Joachim Marseille was assigned to I. (Jagd) Lehrgeschwader 2 based in Marck on the northern coast of France.

EASTERN EUROPE: Romania passed anti-Semitic laws.

ASIA: The Japanese naval blockade of China was expanded to cover southern China.

The British government announced the withdrawal of all its forces from Shanghai and other concessions in northern China.

MEDITERRANEAN: British troop ship SS "Neuralia" departed Gibraltar, escorted by destroyer HMS "Gallant", with 2,000 civilian evacuees bound for the Portuguese island of Madeira 600 miles to the west in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Italian Naval Staff issued its first operational order of WW2 for a Sep 1940 mission against Alexandria, Egypt and an Oct 1940 mission against Gibraltar.

First flight of Macchi-Castoldi MC202 Folgore powered by imported Daimler-Benz engine - designed to replace obsolete fighters of Italian Regia Aeronautica (enters service in Libya, November 1941).

GERMANY: Baldur von Schirach, leader of Hitler Youth since 1933, appointed Gauleiter of Vienna. Artur Axmann becomes Youth leader.


.

.

 

[parsifal]

11 August 1940
Losses
MV LLANFAIR (UK 4966 grt) Crew: 33 (3 dead and 30 survivors) Cargo: 7800 tons of sugar Route: Mackay, Queensland - Freetown - Avonmouth. Convoy SL-41 (straggler). Lost in the Western Approaches. At 1519 hrs the LLANFAIR, a straggler from convoy SL-41, was hit by one torpedo from U-38 in the stern and sank after 11 minutes west of Ireland. Three crew members were lost. The master and 29 crew members were picked up by the US MV CALIFORNIA.

UBOATS
Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-28

At Sea 11 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
16 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DD WINDSOR was damaged by the LW off Botany Buoy in the Thames Estuary. WINDSOR was taken to London for repairs, completed at the end of October. DD ESK was damaged by the LW at Harwich. She took a week to complete her repairs. OA.197 departed Methil. No escorts were listed. OB.197 departed Liverpool escort DD WINCHELSEA from 11 to 14 August,sloop SCARBOROUGH from 11 to 15 August, DDs ARROW and ANTHONY on the 12th. FN.249 departed Southend, escort DD VALOROUS and sloop STORK. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 13th. MT.137 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day.
FS.249 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VIMIERA and WOLFHOUND and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 14th.

Northern Waters
DDs COSSACK , SIKH, MAORI, DUNCAN joined Rear Admiral Minelaying on ML SOUTHERN PRINCE with MLs PORT QUEBEC, PORT NAPIER, MENESTHEUS, which departed Loch Alsh on the 11th to lay minefield SN.13. Survey ship SCOTT laid the navigational buoys. The minefield was laid and the DDs arrived back at Scapa on the 13th. Recently completed Escort DD HOLDERNESS, on passage nth to Scapa, was diverted to Rosyth to act as part of the escort for submarine depot ship TITANIA to Belfast. CL ARETHUSA and DD FOXHOUND departed Scapa for repairs and refitting at Chatham. ARETHUSA was under repair from 17 August to 30 September at Chatham. FOXHOUND was under repair at London until 12 October.

SW Approaches
HG.41 with 45 ships departed Gibraltar escort DD VELOX from 11 to 15 August. Sloop FOLKESTONE escorted the convoy from 11 to 24 August. DDs RESTIGOUCHE and VANOC escorted the convoy from 22 to 24 August. DD WALKER and corvette ARABIS from OB.200 escorted the convoy from 22 August to 24 and 25 August, respectively. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 26th.

Channel
DD SCIMITAR was damaged by near misses while in Portland Harbour. SCIMITAR was repaired in four days. While in Portland Harbour, DD SKATE was damaged by near misses which wrecked her bridge. She did not require immediate repair for the damage.

British trawler EDWARDIAN was damaged by bombing off Kent. Three crew were killed and three wounded. The trawler was run aground at North Foreland to prevent sinking but was eventually re-floated and repaired. British steamer KIRNWOOD was damaged by the LW. British tanker OIL TRADER was damaged by the LW 3½ miles 071° from Shipwash Light Vessel.

Nth Atlantic
BB REVENGE, carrying £14.5 million pounds in gold being transferred to Canada, AMC ASTURIAS, 6 large steamers departed the Clyde escort DDs ASHANTI, which departed Scapa on the 9th, GRIFFIN, WATCHMAN, VORTIGERN. The gold transfer and convoy was designated convoy "ZA". Steamer ORION departed the Clyde at the same time as this convoy. She was joined at sea by AMC ASTURIAS which escorted her to Freetown. The steamer was taken by NL CL SUMATRA to Capetown to rejoin convoy WS.2 B.

Sth Atlantic
CA DORSETSHIRE arrived at Freetown from patrol in the nthn half of the Sth Atlantic. SL.43 departed Freetown escorted by AMC DUNVEGAN CASTLE to 27 August and sloop MILFORD to 13 August. Due to the lack of escorts,SLF.43 departed Freetown at the same time. The convoy was joined by CL DELHI, after refuelling at St Vincent and departing the evening of 10 August, to 16 August, when the convoy rendezvoused with convoy SL.43. Sloop MILFORD escorted the Polish steamer CIESZYN to Bathurst, then returned to Freetown, arriving on the 15th. Included in the convoy was steamer STAFFORDSHIRE, carrying the survivors from sunken steamer CAPE ST GEORGE. CL DELHI arrived back at Freetown on the 20th. On 26 August, sloop FOWEY and corvette PERWINKLE joined the convoy. on the 27th, DD WINCHELSEA and corvette PRIMROSE joined the convoy. The convoy arrived on the 31st.

British steamers CERAMIC and TESTBANK collied at 27-15S, 10-00E. CA CUMBERLAND took steamer CERAMIC in tow, but it was not successful and the tow was later slipped. Steamer British VISCOUNT was in company. The passengers in steamer CERAMIC were transferred to VICEROY OF INDIA.Tug MCEWEN took steamer CERAMIC in tow and the heavy cruiser proceed to Simonstown for refuelling, arriving on the 17th. Steamer TESTBANK proceeded to Capetown with damaged bows, accompanied by steamer British VISCOUNT. Steamer TESTBANK arrived at Capetown on the 15th and steamer CERAMIC at Walvis Bay on the 16th.

Indian Ocean
BS.2A departed Suez, escort sloop GRIMSBY. CL CALEDON joined on 13 September. The convoy arrived at Aden on the 17th.

Malta
The governor requests ME Cmd for large quantities of cement, timber and reinforcing material to construct and/or improve air raid shelters, following requests from the civil leaders of the island.

There was no air raid activity on this day

 

[Njaco]

August 11 Sunday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post704529.html#post704529

NORTH AFRICA: Battle of the Tug Argan Gap: British Major General Reade Godwin-Austen arrived in Berbera, British Somaliland to take over the defense. The British had maintained prepared defenses at Tug Argan on 6 hills overlooking the Hargeisa-Berbera road, knowing that this was the most likely invasion route. The Italians advance to attack the main British positions on the Hargeisa-Berbera road at Tug Argan. Italian troops attacked 3 of the hills and captured the one defended by the 3rd Battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment.

UNITED KINGDOM: British Commander-in-Chief Middle East Major General General Wavell was in London, to discuss the defense of British colonies in Africa and the Middle East. Seeing events in Somaliland and expecting an Italian attack on Egypt, Winston Churchill's War Cabinet made a far-reaching decision to send tanks to defend the vital Suez Canal. Despite the ongoing threat of invasion, 150 tanks (about half the total in Britain), 48 anti-tank guns, 48 field guns, and 20 Bofors anti-aircraft guns were ordered to Egypt.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-38 sank British ship "Llanfair" 125 miles west of Ireland at 1519 hours; 3 were killed and 30 were rescued by American merchant ship "California".

ASIA: Liu Zhesheng damaged a Japanese G3M2 bomber.

EASTERN EUROPE: With the three Baltic States now annexed by the Soviet Union, Vyacheslav Molotov asked Germany to recall their ambassador to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia within the next two weeks, and to close the embassies by 1 Sep 1940.

.