This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[parsifal]

12 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
USN Patrol craft PC-451

Allied
Flower Class Corvette ANEMONE, Motor Launch ML 113

DD VANITY completed her conversion to escort vessel.

VANITY as she appeared after conversion

Losses
MSW trawlers PYROPE (RN 295 grt) and MSW trawler TAMARISK (RN 545 grt) of MSW Gp 2 were sunk by the LW off North East Spit Buoy in the Thames Estuary. 6 ratings were lost on trawler PYROPE. 7 ratings were lost on the trawler TAMARISK.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Tkr British FAME (UK 8406 grt), was torpedoed sunk by RM sub ALESSANDRO MALASPINA, 100 miles east of the Azores. She was on a voyage from Avonmouth via Cape Town to Abadan in ballast, and was part of the bow dispersed convoy OB.193, 3 crew were lost and one was taken prisoner from the British tanker. Portuguese destroyer DAO proceeded to assist.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-37 , U-58

At Sea 12 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
14 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DD GARTH departed Greenock at 1750 to join convoy WN.7 and proceed with it to Methil. FN.250 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 14th. MT.138 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.250 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. Patrol sloop GUILLEMOT joined on the 13th. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 14th.

Northern Patrol
CA NORFOLK and RAN CA AUSTRALIA departed Scapa to patrol north of the Faroes for German shipping. The cruisers were relieved by CLAs NAIAD and BONAVENTURE and returned to Scapa Flow after an uneventful patrol on the 16th. The CLAs patrolled until returning to Scapa Flow on the 20th.

Northern Waters
The Home Flt was brought to 2.5 hr's notice at 2217.

West Coast UK
British trawlers ERMINE , KERNEVAL and RIVER YTHAN were damaged by German bombing off Smalls (off the Welsh coast). OB.197 departed Liverpool escort DD MACKAY, sloop LEITH, corvette HEARTSEASE from 13 to 16 August. The DD and the corvette were detached to convoy HX.63.

Western Approaches
DD WATCHMAN was damaged by near misses of air bombs nth of Ireland. She spent no time out of service, but proceeded later in the month to Hull for refitting.

Nth Atlantic
Convoy HX.65 departed Halifax escort RCN DD ASSINIBOINE and aux PV FRENCH. SHX.65 departed Sydney, CB escort RCN DD SAGUENAY and aux PV LAURIER. They joined and merged with HX.65 at sea. At 1940, FRENCH was ordered to return to Halifax.
ASSINIBOINE arrived back at Halifax at 0645 on the 14th after turning over the convoy to AMC VOLTAIRE. The AMC was itself detached on the 23rd. BHX.65 departed Bermuda on the 11th ocean escort AMC MONTCLARE. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.65 on the 16th at which time the AMC was detached. On 24 August, DDs SKEENA and WESTCOTT and corvette GODETIA joined the convoy. Sloop LOWESTOFT joined on the 26th. They arrived with the convoy on the 27th at Liverpool.

Med- Biscay
DDs NUBIAN, MOHAWK, IMPERIAL, HOSTILE departed Alexandria on an ASW sweep named MD 6. CL NEPTUNE and RAN CL SYDNEY departed Alexandria at 0700 on an anti shipping sweep and to provide cover for the DDs. NEPTUNE and SYDNEY and DD IMPERIAL arrived back at Alexandria on the 14th. NUBIAN and HOSTILE remained at sea to search for RM Sub MICCA which unsuccessfully attacked the CLs in 32-06N, 28-31E. DDs NUBIAN and HOSTILE arrived back at Alexandria on the 15th.

Australia/Pac/Far East
German steamers QUITO and BOGOTA arrived at Yokohama.

Malta
1321-1340 hrs Air raid alert for one enemy bomber and 6 fhtrs which cross the Island and pass over Kalafrana where they are engaged by AA. Malta ftrs are up but do not engage. No bombs are dropped.

2100-2150 hrs Night Air raid alert for 2 enemy bombers which approach from the east. They are picked up by searchlights heading for Hal Far, where they drop incendiary bombs on the airfield. Four incendiaries and four HE bombs are dropped on Birzebuggia. Two fall near the Officers' Mess of 2nd Bn Devonshire Regt and one incendiary near their administrative HQ. Five bombs are dropped around Fort San Rocco and one beyond Pietru. AA guns hold fire as a Sunderland, a Swordfish and a Hurricane are in the air.

2155-2220 hrs Night Air raid alert for one enemy bomber which is picked up by searchlights as it crosses the coast again and drops incendiary bombs in the sea north of Grand Harbour, then on Verdala and Zabbar. A small child suffers severe concussion when a bomb explodes 30 yards from a well in which his family was sheltering.

2235 hrs Another raider is heard but evades the lights. It is attacked by a Malta fighter and retaliates with machine gun fire forcing the Hurricane to land. A bomber is then picked up by searchlights over Grand Harbour. Bombs are dropped on Kalafrana and Gzira areas; another five high explosives are dropped in the sea in Marsaxlokk Bay.

2305 hrs Raiders passed.

RAF Ops
1300-1610 hrs One Hudson reconnaissance Catania, Augusta and Syracuse.

 

[parsifal]

13 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
SU (Ex Latvian) Sub RONIS

RONIS was a french built sub commissioned in the Latvian Navy in 1927 but taken over by the Soviets on 13 August 1940. RONIS was scuttled at Libau to prevent her capture by the Germans on 23 June 1940.

Allied
Motor Anti-Submarine Boat MA/SB 47, Motor Torpedo Boat MTB 34 (MTB 34)

MGB 46 illustrated (Left) and MTB 24 (Right)
Losses
MV NILS GORTHON (SD 1787 grt) Crew: 21 (5 dead and 16 survivors) Cargo: pulp wood Route: St. John's, Newfoundland - Sydney, CB - Ridham Dock HX-62 (straggler). Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 2147 hrs the unescorted and unarmed NILS GORTHON, a straggler from HX-62 due to fog, was hit aft by one G7e torpedo from U-60 and sank within 2 mins 25 miles NNE of Malin Head. Four crew members were lost. The survivors had no time to launch the lifeboats and abandoned ship on two rafts, which lost contact to each other in the morning of 15 August. Later that day, 8 men on one raft were picked up by the Icelandic trawler HELGAFELL and landed at Reykjavik on 19 August. The master and 8 men on the other raft were picked up by HMS ST KENAN, escorting the convoy OA-198, after their flares were sighted at 0115 hrs on 16 August. The armed trawler searched briefly for the other raft before rejoining the convoy and later landed the survivors in Glasgow.

MSW trawler ELIZABETH ANGELA (RN 253 grt) was sunk by the LW in the Downs. One crewman was killed on the trawler.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Kiel: U-52

At Sea 13 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-56, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
13 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Western Baltic
Steamer MONGOLIA (SD 2124 grt) in German service was sunk on a mine 12 to 15 miles from land in Kiel Bay.

North Sea
OA.198 departed Methil escort sloop DEPTFORD on the 13th and corvette BLUEBELL and escort vessel GLEANER on the 14th. The corvette and the escort vessel were detached to convoy SL.42. FN.251 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 15th. MT.139 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.251 departed the Tyne, escort DD VIVIEN and sloop FLEETWOOD. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 15th.

Northern Waters
BC RENOWN departed Scapa Flow to return to Gibraltar following refit escorted in the local approaches by DDs TARTAR, BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, MASHONA. Returning to Scapa, the DDs carried out an ASW sweep. TARTAR, BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, MASHONA arrived at Scapa on the 15th. CL SHEFFIELD and CLA CAIRO arrived at Scapa Flow from Gib for overhaul. At 0440, the Home Flt at Scapa was brought to 1 hr's notice as fears of imminent invasion grew. At 1031, the Admiralty advised no ship was to be taken in hand for boiler cleaning or refitting until further orders. British minefield BS.31 was laid by minelayers PLOVER and WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN and DDs INTREPID and IMPULSIVE.

Central Atlantic
USN CAs WICHITA and QUINCY departed Pernambuco for Montevideo.

Indian Ocean
DD KIMBERLEY and sloop AUCKLAND bombarded El Sheika, 40 miles west of Berbera.

Malta
9 Swordfish of 830 Sqn from Malta attacked Augusta. Midshipman (A) D. S. Edmondson and Naval Airman R. Pearson were lost when their aircraft was shot down. Lt D. W. Waters and Naval Airman S. D. Harris were shot down and captured. A third plane, piloted by Lt Cdr A. F. Hall with Lt B. Walford and Leading Airman F. Pickles,was lost, but the crew was rescued by a British rescue boat.

 

[parsifal]

14 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Motor Gun Boat MGB 68

MGB 64 shown

Losses
MV BETTY (UK 2339 grt) Crew: 34 (30 dead and 4 survivors) Cargo: 2726 tons of rice Route: Saigon - Liverpool Unescorted sunk in the western Approaches. At 2234 hrs the unescorted BETTY was torpedoed and sunk by U-59 35 miles 260° from Tory Island. The master and 29 crew members were lost. Four crew members were picked up by the HMS MAN O WAR and landed at Belfast.

MV LEOPARDI (FI 3269 grt)The cargo ship struck a mine tht had been laid by the Sub RORQUAL and sank in the Mediterranean Sea east of Tolmeita, Libya.

R 21 (DKM 115 grt) The R Boat struck a mine and sank in the Gernan Bight

Unidentified boat of the R-17-24 class

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-56
Departures
Lorient: U-57

At Sea 14 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
13 boats at sea.

U.60 made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer nth of Tory Island. U.65 was to land an agent on the Irish coast, however this operation was cancelled when the agent died en route.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DKM MLs TANNENBURG, COBRA, ROLAND laid mines in the sw Nth Sea in "SW.2". The MLs were escorted by TBs T.2 and T.3 of TB Flo1 and GREIF, FALKE, KONDOR, ILTIS, JAGUAR of the TB Flot 5. DDs JACOBI and GALSTER laid mines in this operation.

DD KIPLING departed the Humber at 1050 after repairs and arrived at Scapa at 0600/15th. DDs MALCOLM and VERITY with MTB.18, MTB.14 and MTB.16 in sweep PO attacked a German convoy of 6 trawlers escorted by 3 S.boats off Texel. They claimed sinking one S.boat and one trawler. In fact they only damaged these ships, but it was a start. MTB.18 was damaged when it rammed an R Boat also attached to the convoy but was able to return for repairs.

FN.252 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 16th. MT.140 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.252 departed the Tyne, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloop FLEETWOOD. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 16th.

Northern Waters
CV ILLUSTRIOUS departed the Clyde for Scapa Flow escort DDs HAMBLEDON, ATHERSTONE, ECLIPSE. These ships arrived at Scapa on the 15th. At Scapa Flow during a gale, CLA NAIAD dragged across the bows of light cruiser AJAX damaging AJAX's bow and causing superficial damage to NAIAD. CL AJAX proceeded to Liverpool for repairs.

DDs ESCAPADE and CATTISTOCK departed Scapa to search for a UBoat sighted by aircraft in 60-47N, 2-22W at 1803. They carried out an ASW sweep which was unsuccessful. British aircraft bombed a contact at 0553 in 60-00N, 4-13W, on course 230. This was determined to probably be the same UBoat.

DDs INGLEFIELD and FIREDRAKE departed Scapa at 1115 to join the search. These four DDs were ordered to return to harbour if no contact was made by 0800/15th. DDs DUNCAN and JAGUAR were exercising to the west of Hoy. At 0854, on her return to Hatston, the same aircraft as had made the attack at 0553, again sighted a UBoat diving. DDs DUNCAN and JAGUAR were sent to search in the area.

DDs ASHANTI, just arrived from Loch Alsh, ECHO departed Scapa to escort British steamer ULSTER MONARCH to the Faroes. The DDs arrived back at Scapa on the 16th. DDs WATCHMAN and VORTIGERN arrived at Scapa from convoy "ZA" escort. VORTIGERN was damaged alongside an oiler in harbour. She was repaired by depot ship WOOLWICH, but was unable to depart with WATCHMAN as planned.

West Coast UK
OB.198 departed Liverpool escort DDs VISCOUNT and HESPERUS and corvette CLARKIA from 14 to 17 August. The convoy was dispersed on the 18th.

Channel
A Swordfish of 821 sqn crashed killing the crew. while on ASW patrol. DDs WITHERINGTON and VOLUNTEER were escorting a convoy off Portland when the convoy was unsuccessfully attacked by a UBoat. Patrol sloop KINGFISHER and tug CARBON were damaged by the LW in Portland Harbour.

Central Atlantic
Sloop BRIDGEWATER departed Lagos for Victoria with the Governor's representatives and one of de Gaulle's missions. The sloop arrived later that day. The sloop arrived back at Lagos on the 18th. Sloop BRIDGEWATER departed Lagos for Victoria with the Governor's representatives and one of de Gaulle's mission. The sloop arrived later that day. The sloop arrived back at Lagos on the 18th.

Med- Biscay
DDs HOTSPUR, GREYHOUND, ENCOUNTER, GALLANT departed Gib to rendezvous with BC RENOWN. The next day, the DDs returned to harbour as the BC was delayed in Home Waters.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
CA KENT departed Colombo on the 4th and arrived Aden on the 11th. KENT arrived at Suez on the 14th to join the Med Flt.

BB ROYAL SOVEREIGN and DDs DAINTY, DEFENDER, DECOY departed Alexandria on the 11th for Port Said. They departed Suez on the 12th to depart the Med through the Red Sea. ROYAL SOVEREIGN was unsuccessfully attacked in the Red Sea by RM sub FERRARIS on the 14th. The DDs were relieved on the 15th by RAN sloop PARRAMATTA. ROYAL SOVEREIGN arrived at Durban on 15 September and was repairing and refitting until 15 October. She then proceeded to Gib arriving from Capetown and Freetown on 18 November. The BB after repairing defects proceeded on 1 December to Halifax for further modifications.

Malta

No raids recorded

 

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UNUSED

 

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Unused

 

[Njaco]

August 12 Monday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post705060.html#post705060

UNITED KINGDOM: It officially became illegal to waste food in the United Kingdom.

NORTHERN EUROPE: The pilots and crew of 5./JG 77 are transferred from Stavanger to Aalborg.

NORTH AFRICA: Italian troops renewed the attack at Tug Argan, British Somaliland, capturing the hill defended by the Northern Rhodesian Regiment as well as two of the four 3.7-inch howitzers.

A British mission is sent into Abyssinia from the Sudan to organize resistance, especially in the Gojjam district, and to prepare for the return of the emperor to the country. The mission is led by a Colonel Sandford and one of the officers later employed on this task will be Major Wingate.

NORTH AMERICA: US President Roosevelt departed Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, United States aboard presidential yacht "Potomac", escorted by destroyer USS "Mayrant", for Newport, Rhode Island, United States to inspect the Torpedo Station and the Naval Training Station with Secretary of the Navy Knox, Senator David I. Walsh and Rear Admiral Edward C. Kalbfus. He then sailed for the Submarine Base at New London, Connecticut, inspecting submarine operations en route and visiting Electric Boat Company facilities in New London. Finally, he set sail for Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC, arriving at night.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Italian submarine "Malaspina" sank British tanker "British Fame" with 6 torpedoes near the Azores, killing 3. "Malaspina" spent the remainder of the day towing a lifeboat full of survivors to safety.

EASTERN EUROPE: The Military Collegium of the Soviet NKVD sentenced Red Army divisional commanding officer Grigoriy Fyodorovich to death for deserting his unit in combat during the Winter War.

The power of the commissars in the Red Army is reduced. Formal military ranks are restored and the military commanders are made solely responsible for operational decisions.

MEDITERRANEAN: "Iride" departed La Spezia, Italy for Libya with four manned torpedoes on board.

GERMANY: The RAF sends 5 Hampdens (2 lost) to attack heavily defended Dortmund-Ems Canal with delayed-action bombs. Three planes return in bad shape, but with their mission accomplished. Flight Lieutenant Rod Learoyd of RAF No. 49 Squadron based at RAF Scampton won a Victoria Cross for pressing home the attack on the Canal despite his Hampden bomber being badly shot up. The Dortmund-Ems Canal is unusable for ten days, delaying German plans for invasion of England.

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[Njaco]

August 13 Tuesday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post705411.html#post705411

This is Adlertag (Eagle Day) which is to mark the beginning of the all-out Luftwaffe offensive against the RAF.

UNITED KINGDOM: The first shells fired from the French side of the English Channel fell upon Dover, England, United Kingdom.

German aircraft drop parachutes over South England, and southern Scotland (August 13 and 14), which carry bogus 'ops. orders', intended to create impression that invasion has begun.

NORTH AFRICA: The British Royal Navy cruiser HMS "Carlisle" shot down an Italian aircraft attacking Berbera, British Somaliland. On the same day, destroyer HMS "Kimberley" and sloop HMS "Auckland" shelled the port of El Sheikha, which had recently been captured by Italian forces. On the ground, Italian troops attacked British defenses at Tug Argan, but the defense held.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-60 sank Swedish ship "Nils Gorthon" 10 miles north of Ireland at 2147 hours; 5 were killed and 16 survived.

NORTH AMERICA: US President Roosevelt met with Secretary of the Navy Knox, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, and Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles regarding the possibilities of transferring destroyers to the United Kingdom. Later on the same day, Roosevelt sent a telegram to British Prime Minister Churchill via Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles and Ambassador to London Kennedy, noting that "it may be possible to furnish to the British Government... at least 50 destroyers" in exchange for the promise of the Royal Navy never turning over its ships to the Germans even in the event of a Germany victory over the United Kingdom and for 99-year leases for land for military bases.

In Canada, Colonel E.L.M. Burns proposes developing a Canadian parachute force. The idea is rejected by the Director of Military Operations in headquarters.

GERMANY: Erich Raeder met with Adolf Hitler and attempted to convince Hitler to reduce the landing front for the planned invasion of Britain as the German Navy had little means to maintain the security of a wide landing area.

ASIA: Admiral Thomas C. Hart of the US Navy Asiatic Fleet shifted his flag from heavy cruiser USS "Augusta" to submarine USS "Porpoise" at Qingdao, Shandong, China and departed for Shanghai. It was the first time an Asiatic Fleet chief had traveled in a submarine.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Two Cabinet Ministers and COGS killed in air crash near Canberra, Australia.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Twelve Blenheim Bombers of RAF No 82 Squadron, without fighter escort, were ordered to attack the airfield at Aalborg West in Jutland, where it was thought 50 Junkers Ju 88s were massing ready for Eagle Day, together with the troop carriers, Junkers Ju 52s. This was the limit of the Blenheims operational range and their loads were to be four x 250lb HE and eight x 25lb Splinter Bombs, to disable parked aircraft. On route, one bomber had to turn back. What was not known to British Intelligence was that in addition to the planes already reported, there were also nine Me 109Es. It was these German fighters that shot every single Blenheim out of the sky.

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[Njaco]

August 14 Wednesday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post705415.html#post705415

UNITED KINGDOM: The British Ministry of Home Security announced that parachutes had been found in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Scotland, though there were no evidence of German troops on British soil. Reports of parachutes dropped from German aircraft were stated at Whittingham and a report of parachutists at Creswell Farm. A captured enemy plane was being flown south by the air authorities at this time.

NORTH AMERICA: Roosevelt approved what later became the Two-Ocean Navy Act.

Sir Henry Tizard heads a British scientific mission to the United States, carrying with him details of all of Britain's most advanced thinking in several vital fields. There are ideas on jet engines, explosives, gun turrets and above all a little device called the cavity magnetron. This valve is vital for the development of more advanced types of radar, including the versions used in proximity fuses later and the types working on centimetric wavelengths which will be vital at sea in the U-boat war. The US Official History will later describe this collection as the "most valuable cargo ever brought to our shores."

NORTH AFRICA: Evacuation of Berbera (capital of British Somaliland) begins. British and Commonwealth troops engaged in heavy fighting with Italian forces near Berbera, British Somaliland. British commander in area Major General Godwin-Austen requested permission to fall back into Berbera and to prepare for evacuation. British and Australian warships take 5,700 troops, 1,500 civilians and sick to Aden and bombard advancing Italian forces who occupy the town on August 19.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: On his way to ignite a coup in the Irish Republic and an uprising against Ulster, IRA Chief of Staff, Sean Russell, died aboard a German U-boat of a perforated ulcer. Trained in sabotage by the Germans, he was buried at sea wrapped in a Swastika flag.

German submarine U-59 sank British ship "Betty" 15 miles north of Ireland at 2034 hours, killing 30. 4 survivors were later rescued by British anti-submarine trawler HMS "Man o' War".

British destroyer HMS "Malcolm", destroyer HMS "Verity", and three motor torpedo boats attacked a German convoy of 6 trawlers escorted by three motor torpedo boats off Texel Island, the Netherlands. One German motor torpedo boat and one German trawler were sunk.

SOUTH PACIFIC: German auxiliary cruiser "Orion" spent most of this day looking for her Ar 196 floatplane which had been forced to make a water landing due to mechanical issues while conducting reconnaissance on Nouméa, New Caledonia. The aircraft was found and recovered.

GERMANY:Adolf Hitler heard from Walther von Brauchitsch, who insisted that the German Army would like to attack Britain on a wide front with four or more main landing sites.

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[Njaco]

August 15 Thursday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post705421.html#post705421

NE Diary 1939-45; Incidents 15th August 1940 to 15th August 1940

UNITED KINGDOM: British Prime Minister Churchill responded to US President Roosevelt's telegram of 13 Aug 1940 regarding the offer of destroyers, noting;

"…moral value of this fresh aid from your Government and your people at this critical time will be very great and widely felt."

US Assistant Chief of Naval Operations Rear Admiral Robert L. Ghormley, US Army Air Corps Major General Delos C. Emmons, and US Army Brigadier General George V. Strong arrived in London, for an informal meeting with British officers.

NORTH AMERICA: Roosevelt approved the National Defense Research Committee, which was a collection of civilian scientists working for the military.

The US Navy established a Naval Air Station in Miami, Florida, United States with Commander Gerald F. Bogan in command.

The US Army contracted with the automobile manufacturer Chrysler to build the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in Michigan, United States. It was to be the country's first government-owned contractor-operated facility.

NORTH AFRICA: Italian troops continued the attack at Tug Argan, British Somaliland, taking another one of the six hills overlooking the main road. Overnight, British forces withdrew towards Berbera, with African troops, Indian troops, and troops of the Scottish regiment Black Watch forming a rearguard at Barkasan.

Eric Wilson of British Somaliland Camel Corps manned his machine gun during the Italian attack at Tug Argan Gap, British Somaliland despite being overpowered. A retreat order had already been given but it never got to him. He was captured. He was subsequently freed and joined the Long Range Desert Group. He would later win the Victoria Cross for the action at Tug Argan Gap.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 190 miles northwest of Rockall, Ireland, German submarine U-51 sank British tanker "Sylvafield", which was carrying 7,860 tons of fuel oil, killing 3. 20 survivors were rescued by Belgian trawler "Rubens" and 16 survivors were rescued by British minesweeping trawler HMS "Newland".

MEDITERRANEAN: Italian Air Force bombers attacked Greek destroyers "Vasilissa Olga" and "Vasilevs Georgios I" near the islands of Tinos and Syros. "Elli" was sunk by Italian submarine "Delfino" at Tinos island, Greece at 0825 hours; 9 were killed, 24 were wounded.

The Helle Incident: WWI-era Greek cruiser "Helle" sinks in mysterious circumstances off Tinos Islands, while crew are attending Mass. Fragments indicate that torpedoes are of Italian manufacture. Italy denies responsibility (August 16), but later admits 'mistake' may have occurred.

German submarine U-A sank Greek ship "Aspasia" 700 miles west of Gibraltar at 2000 hours with two torpedoes, killing the entire crew of 19.

GERMANY: German Navy ordered the construction of 86 new submarines.

WESTERN FRONT: Spain's General Francisco Franco writes to Italy's Benito Mussolini, telling him of his intent to enter the war, now closer to ready, once provisions are made available.

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[parsifal]

15 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Tambor Class Sub USS TRITON

Losses
Tkr SYLVAFIELD (UK 5709 grt) Crew: 39 (3 dead and 36 survivors) Cargo: 7860 tons of fuel oil Route: Curaçao - Halifax - Glasgow HX62 (Straggler). Sunk in the Western Approaches. The tanker straggled behind the convoy, and was then torpedoed and sunk NW of County Donegal, by U-51. Survivors were rescued by the ASW trawlers NEWLAND and BELGIAN

MV ASPASIA (Gk 4211 grt) Crew: 19 (19 dead - no survivors) Cargo: Manganese Ore Route: Takoradi - St. Vincent - Workington Unescorted Sunk in the Central Atlantic The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean (approximately 35°N 20°W) by U-A. The U-boat's log states they left the scene "because they heard screams in the water".

Steamer BRIXTON (UK 1557 grt) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Orfordness, Suffolk. All crew were rescued

UBOATS
Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-32

At Sea 15 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
14 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
OA.199 departed Methil escort sloop SANDWICH and corvette GARDENIA from the 15th to 19th. The escorts were then detached to HX.64. FN.253 departed Southend, escort sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. Patrol sloop SHEARWATER was with the convoy on the 16th, which arrived in the Tyne on the 17th. MT.141 departed Methil, and arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.253 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VALOROUS, VERDUN and sloop STORK, and arrived at Southend on the 17th.

Northern Waters
DDs HAMBLEDON and ATHERSTONE departed Switha so as to bne positioned by the early hrs of the 16th to sweep for a UBoat earlier spotted by air. If no contact had been made by 0700, they were to proceed to Thorshavn to escort troopship ULSTER MONARCH to the Clyde. HAMBLEDON and ATHERSTONE arrived at Thorshavn at 1400/16th and departed with the troopship at 1800. All three ships arrived safely in the Clyde on the 18th. DD WATCHMAN departed Scapa to overtake convoy WN.7 and proceed with it to Methil. She then went on to the Humber en route to the Nore.

Channel
ORP DD BLYSKAWICA departed Portsmouth for Scapa Flow to work up after completing repairs, arriving on the 17th. After working up, she proceeded back to Portsmouth to join DesFlot 1.

Nth Atlantic
SC.1 departed St Johns escort RCN DD OTTAWA, aux PV REINDEER and Sloop PENZANCE. After OTTAWA was detached, Sloop PENZANCE continued with the convoy as the ocean escort, until her loss on the 24th. On the 27th, DDs HAVELOCK and HURRICANE, sloop LEITH, corvette CLARKIA joined. All but the sloop were detached before the convoy's arrival at Liverpool on the 29th.

Med- Biscay
Greek CL HELLE (RHN 2600 grt) was sunk by RM Sub DELFINO at Tinos. RHN DDs VASILISSA OLGA and VASILEVS GEORGIOS I escorting merchant ships away from Tinos back to Greek ports were attacked by RA bombers off Syros.

ORP DD GARLAND departed Alexandria on escort duties in the Eastern Med to and from Haifa.

Red Sea Indian Ocean
RAN CL HOBART at Berbera was damaged by splinters from near misses in an RA air attack. Air attacks were conducted by Italian air units on 12, 14, 15, 16, 30 August in the Gulf of Aden and off Berbera. CL NEPTUNE departed Suez with a bn of troops to reinforce Berbera, but the operation was cancelled before she ever arrived.

Australia/Pac/Far East
NZ Manned CL ACHILLES departed Auckland and arrived at Wellington on the 16th.

Malta
1344-1410 hrs Air raid alert for 10 enemy bombers in two formations escorted by 25 ftrs which approach the Island at between 8-20000 ft. Three bombers drop 24 HE bombs and 8 incendiaries on the Hal Far area causing some damage to RAF premises and severely injuring one civilian. One Swordfish armed with bombs is hit on the ground and destroyed by fire. Two HE bombs fall on the main FAA storage hangar blowing out side panels and damaging the roof. Other bombs are dropped on Kirkop and Safi. AA engage the enemy. 4 of Malta's Hurricane ftrs are scrambled; they become embroiled with the enemy fighters with no claims. One Hurricane is attacked; thick smoke is seen and the aircraft comes down in the sea near Benghaisa. The pilot, Sgt R O'Donnell, is killed.

 

[parsifal]

16 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Bar Class Boom Defence vessel BARSOUND, S Class Sub SERAPH

BDV KOOKABURRA shown,

Losses
MV EMPIRE MERCHANT (UK 4864 grt) sunk by Schepkes U-100, Crew:56 (7 dead and 49 survivors) Cargo: 200 tons of general cargo and mail Route: (Outbound) Avonmouth - Kingston, Jamaica Un-escorted. Sunk in the Western Approaches. The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Western Approaches after being hit in the stern by two torpedoes. At the time the ship was in a full zig zag pattern, travelling at 16 knots, making this a difficult target. Schepke demonstrated his skill with two hits on the target. The skipper and one crewman showed great courage in staying behind to transmit distresss signals, jumping overboard as the vessel sank. This probably saved many lives, though one of the lifeboats was in the water for 18 hrs before rescue. Survivors were rescued by Corvette SALVONIA, DD WARWICK and Yug Steamer SUPETAR

MV CLAN McPHEE (UK 6628 grt) Sunk by U-30 (Fritz-Julius Lemp), Crew: 108 (67 dead and 41 survivors) Cargo: general cargo Route: Glasgow - Liverpool - Bombay Convoy OB197 Sunk in the Western Approaches The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Western Approaches, west of the Outer Hebrides. The survivors were rescued by Hungarian Steamer KELET. 26 were then transferred to the Nor VAREGG and landed back in the UK on the 26th. The remainder remained on the Kelet, until she too was lost on 19th August to the UA when a further 6 crewmen from thge CLAN MACPHEE were lost.

MV HEDRUN (SD 2325 grt) Sunk by U-48 (Hans Rudolf Rösing) Crew: 29 (8 dead and 21 survivors) Cargo: Full load of Coal Route: Glasgow- Rhode Island Convoy OB 197, Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 1203 hrs the HEDRUN in convoy OB-197 was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-48 and sank in 3 mins about 70 miles west of Rockall. The master, his wife and five crew members were lost. 16 crew members and one passenger (the wife of the chief engineer) were picked up by the British steam merchant EMPIRE SOLDIER and four crew members were rescued by a British warship.

Steamer MEATH (UK 1598 grt) and Examination Vessel MANX LAD (UK 24grt), which was alongside MEATH, were both sunk on a mine 6 to 7 cables NE of Breakwater Rock Light House. The entire crew of steamer MEATH was rescued.

No Image Found for Manx Lad

Steamer CITY OF BIRMINGHAM (UK 5309 grt) was sunk on a mine 5.5 miles 115° from Spurn Point (in the Nth Sea, near the entrance to the Humber River). The entire crew was rescued. The vessel sank carrying a cargo of 2,550 tons of copper and tin ingots, also a general cargo of wool, tea, tobacco, canned fruit, asbestos and ammunition. Salvage operations commenced in 1940, and again in 1947-48. By September 1949 almost £2 million of copper and tin had been salvaged; Crew of 79 and 1 Rating, no lives lost. The CITY OF BIRMINGHAM was lost after detonating a German laid mine whilst on passage to Hull via the North coast of Scotland.

Steamer MOREA (FI 1968 grt) was sunk in the Adriatic on the Durazzo-Bari route 50 miles from Durazzo by sub OSIRIS.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
At Sea 16 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
14 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
British minefield BS.32 was laid by ML TEVIOTBANK and DDs INTREPID and IMPULSIVE. FN.254 departed Southend. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 18th. MT.142 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.254 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VEGA and WESTMINSTER. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 18th. OA.200 departed Methil. No escorts were assigned. British steamer CLAN FORBES was damaged by the LW at Tilbury Dock (Thames Estuary East Of the main London area) .

West Coast UK
OB.199 departed Liverpool escort DD WARWICK and corvette MALLOW from 16 to 20 August and DDs ANTHONY, ARROW, ACHATES, HARVESTER from 18 to 20 August. The convoy was dispersed on the 20th. DD WARWICK and corvette MALLOW were assigned to the incoming HX.64.

Western Approaches
NL MV ALCINOUS was damaged by a torpedo hit fired by Endrass in the U-46. She survived after being towed by the Shoreham Class sloop ROCHESTER. She survived the war.

SW Approaches
One of the first successful attacks on a UBoat was executed by a Sunderland of Coastal Command when U.51 was seriously damaged in an air attack on the 16th 170 miles NW of Tory Island. U.51 was sunk on the 20th while returning to port from her fourth war patrol, by HM sub CACHALOT. All 43 crew on the UBoat were lost.

Channel
MSW trawler REGARDO was damaged by the LW in Osborne Bay (Isle Of Wight). The trawler was towed to Cowes by MSW trawler CAPE SPARTEL for repair. Steamer LOCH RYAN was damaged by the LW 40 miles NNW of Longships Light (off the Lands End at Cornwall).

Nth Atlantic
HX.66 departed Halifax local escort RCN DDs ASSINIBOINE and OTTAWA. The DDs were detached on the 17th. SHX.66 departed Sydney, CB escort RCN DD SAGUENAY and joined HX.66 at sea. The DD was detached on the 18th. At 1750, the convoy was turned over to AMC AUSONIA, but ASSINIBOINE remained with the convoy until 2020. The AMC was detached on the 27th. BHX.66 departed Bermuda on the 15th ocean escort AMC ALAUNIA. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.66 on the 20th and the Bermuda based AMC was detached from the convoy at that point. DD HIGHLANDER, escort ship JASON, corvette HIBISCUS joined on the 27th. The DD was detached later that day. The other two escorts arrived with the convoy at Liverpool on the 31st.

Sth Atlantic
Convoy RS.5, escort CL DRAGON arrived at Capetown on the 15th. They sailed the next day and arrived at Durban on the 19th.

Med- Biscay
CV ARK ROYAL, CL ENTERPRISE, DDs HOTSPUR, GALLANT, GREYHOUND, ENCOUNTER and WRESTLER departed Gibraltar to carry out aircraft practices, then meet with BC RENOWN returning from England, having been fitted with radar.

Dockyard mooring vessel MOORSTONE was sunk in shallow water by the RA at Alexandria but was later salved. One crewman was killed.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
From 16th - 18th, British troops at Berbera, British Somaliland, were evacuated to Aden. The evacuation was conducted by armed boarding vessels CHAKDINA and CHANTALA and steamers LAOMEDON , AKBAR , steamer VITA which was being employed as a hospital ship. The evacuation was covered by RAN CL HOBART, CLs CERES and CALEDON, CLA CARLISLE, DDs KIMBERLEY and KANDAHAR, sloops SHOREHAM, PARRAMATTA, AUCKLAND and HINDUSTAN, MSW DERBY and net layer PROTECTOR.
On 17 August, CL CERES bombarded Italian targets and was able to temporarily halt the Italian advance, which materially benefitted the evacuation by then under way. On 18 August, RAN CL HOBART CL CALEDON and DD KANDAHAR also undertook bombardment Bulhar and Berbera roads to cause further delays to the advancing Italians, but suffered air attacks from the RA. The evacuation was completed on the 18th with 5690 troops, 1266 civilians, 184 sick cases evacuated for a total of 7140. However Tug QUEEN (RN 150 grt (est)) was lost in the evacuation.
RAN CL HOBART departed Berbera early on the 19th for Aden with remaining personnel and the demolition parties.

HOBART in the covering bombardment of the Berbera evacuation, also during air attacks by the RA

Australia/Pac/Far East
DKM Raider ORION captured steamer NOTOU (Vichy 2489 grt) in the Pacific. 26 natives were landed at Emirau Island on 21 December. The Europeans on the steamer were made prisoners of war. Within a day or so the ship was shelled and sunk in the Pacific Ocean SW of Noumea, New Caledonia. She was sunk because her papers showed she was transporting tin and iron from Newcastle (NSW) to Noumea, at the time she was intercepted.

Malta
Malta's Governor is advised of the possible arrival of a special company of seaborne raiders soon to be based on the Island . In a message to the War Office today, he has repeated concerns about the provision of naval craft for the seaborne force, as there are no suitable vessels already in Malta. He has also asked for more information on the proposed strength of the company envisaged, pointing out that a small force would have too little effect on enemy strongholds in Sicily or Tripoli. Lt Gen Dobbie suggests that a considerable raiding force in Malta would be able to produce more solid results and be more economical in effort.

AIR RAIDS DAWN 16 AUGUST TO DAWN 17 AUGUST 1940
0741-0755 hrs Air raid alert for enemy aircraft which approach the Island but turn back before reaching the coast.

OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 16 AUGUST 1940

AIR HQ 0820 hrs French Latecoere aircraft with French crew dropped 74000 leaflets from very low altitude on Sousse/Monastir, Tunis and Bizerta. No warships or seaplanes visible at Bizerta.

 

[parsifal]

17 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Flower Class Corvette HM COREOPSIS, U Class Sub HM Utmost

COREOPSIS was featured in the 1953 film "The Cruel Sea" as the fictional HMS Compass Rose. She was by then a unit in the Royal Hellenic navy, located at malta, awaiting a tow to a British Breakers yard, the last of the wartime Flower class corvettes from the RN.

UBOATS
Departures
Lorient: U-37

At Sea 17 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
15 boats at sea.
The Kriegsmarine declares an all out tonnage war on British sea communications on this day. The stated aim is to bring the UK to its knees by means of an economic blockade. In the coming months it comes closest to full success of all the German offensives against Britain.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.255 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 19th. MT.143 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.255 departed the Tyne, escort DD WINCHESTER and sloop WESTON. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 19th.

Northern Waters
DD KIPLING and ORP DD BURZA departed Scapa with the KIPLING to relieve RCN DD RESTIGOUCHE in OA.200, and BURZA to meet convoy WN.8 in the Minches and provide additional escort to Rattray Hd. RESTIGOUCHE arrived at Scapa late on the 17th. She discharged oil fuel contaminated by seawater. The Canadian DD departed Scapa Flow early the next day after receiving new fuel.
At 1315 on the 18th, RESTIGOUCHE relieved KIPLING on convoy duties, with the KIPLING then returning to Scapa.

West Coast UK
British steamers ST PATRICK and YEWKYLE were damaged in LW attacks in St George's Channel (the southern entrance to the Irish Sea).

Western Approaches
DesFlot 12 was rebased to Belfast. On formation it consisted of DDs ARROW, AMAZON, ACHATES and ANTHONY forming the first of the ASW striking forces. It would take some time for these reinforcement forces to work as intended, and the standard of ASW training remained poor in the RN escort forces.

Med- Biscay
The Med flt carried out a series of bombardments of Bardia under the codename MB.2. DDs HYPERION, ILEX, JUNO, HERO departed Alexandria at noon on the 15th to sweep off Sollum Bay and then join the main flt. BBs WARSPITE, MALAYA, RAMILLIES, CA KENT, DDs HOSTILE, HEREWARD, DIAMOND, NUBIAN, and MOHAWK, and RAN DDs STUART, WATERHEN and VENDETTA, departed Alexandria on the 16th. Bardia was bombarded from 0658 to 0720 by Force A with BB WARSPITE, CA KENT, DDs HYPERION, ILEX, HOSTILE, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, DIAMOND and Force B with BBs MALAYA and RAMILLIES and RAN DDs STUART, WATERHEN, VENDETTA and RN DDs JUNO, HERO and HEREWARD. Results were very positive, and by the end of the month, Wavell was reporting Italian casualties in Cyrenaica since the outbreak of hostilities at 3500, to less than 150 British losses

Sub RORQUAL, had departed Alexandria on the 4th, laid mines east of Tolmeita, Cyrenaica. The sub arrived back at Alexandria on the 27th.The bombardment forces arrived back at Alexandria on the 18th.

DDs GRIFFIN arrived at Gibraltar from England, escorted by DD VELOX, which detached from HG.41

Malta
AIR HQ Arrivals 1 Blenheim. Of two Blenheims expected from UK one arrived safely and one force landed in Tunis due to lack of fuel. 1347-1517 hrs Skua of Fleet Air Arm reconnaissance Augusta and Syracuse.

War Office authorises the formation of two LDV Brigades to assist in the defence of Malta. Far from the "Dads Army" the malta volunteers acquire a high reputation for efficiency during the war.

The Kings Own Malta Regt (KOMR) dates back to 1903, though reduced to squadron size between the wars. After the call up in August the RMA Malta based territorial soldiers was expanded and during the course of the siege was expanded to four reinforced Infantry Bns, being the 1st , 2nd, 3rd, and 10th Bns. In addition the Malkta ground forces included a Bde of the British Army. The RMA also provided the manpower for two CA regts, 8 HAA regts, 2 LAA units, 2 Searchlight units and a specialist Engineer Bn. It was an impressive effort for a small colonial outpost under siege from al;most the beginning of hostilities

KOMR Insignia Badge

 

[stona]

The Bf 110 wreckage being examined, or rather guarded by a curious guard, on Manston is that of S9+MK. The bordfunker Gefr. Ewald Schank managed to bale out wounded. The pilot Uffz. Hans Steding was killed.
To make sense of the wreckage imagine the aircraft lying on its back, facing the camera.

Another aircraft of the same unit (S9+NK) came down in the same action. One witness, Ltn. Erich Beudel, claiming it was brought down by the explosion of S9+MK which was hit by AAA. Its crew, Ltn. Heinrich Brinkel and Uffz. Richard Mayer both perished.

EproGr 210 were good at low level fighter bomber attacks and usually evaded detection and interception by the RAF. They did suffer high losses to ground fire.

Cheers

Steve

Edit:the crew of that Heinkel all survived, one wounded, one slightly wounded according to the British. Although witnesses claimed that the aircraft was on fire when it made a good forced landing the crew ensured its destruction with 'phosphorous cartridges' which I presume means some kind of flares.

The Bf 110 shot down on the 15th was attacking Croydon, not Hawkinge. The confusion maybe because it came down near Hawkhurst in Kent. This aircraft, S9+CK, W.Nr.3341was the aircraft evaluated by the Vultee Aircraft Corporation in the US having been shipped to Los Angeles on the SS Montanan.
Its crew both survived the pilot, Obltn. Alfred Habish, was unhurt, the bordfunker, Uffz. Ernst Efner was wounded or not depending which source is correct. Either way they both sat out the rest of the war in Canada.

This is one of several images published in Life magazine of the aircraft arriving in LA.

 

[Njaco]

August 16 Friday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post706587.html#post706587

Pilot Officer W. M. "Billy" Fiske, an American pilot in the RAF, would become injured during one of the day's raids and would die on the following day, becoming the only American killed in combat during the Battle of Britain.

UNITED KINGDOM: In Dumfries, Scotland, about 1000 Norwegian men begin training, preparing for reconquest of Norway.

NORTH AFRICA: Italian troops move cautiously from Tug Argan and do not attack the British rearguard at Barkasan. British and Commonwealth troops began evacuating Berbera, British Somaliland, while Italian troops marched closer to the capital, though very cautiously and did not attack the British rearguard at Barkasan. Italian aircraft, for the most part, allowed the evacuation operation to take place in order to maintain good relations with Britain.

GERMANY: In Germany, the 5th Directive (intelligence section) of the German Luftwaffe High Command reported the RAF Fighter Command only had about 300 fighters left; in actuality, it had about 400 Hurricane fighters and 200 Spitfire fighters available at the time, which was twice of the estimate.

Hitler intervenes in the quarrel between his army and naval staffs as to whether the invasion of Britain should be conducted on a broad front, as the army prefers or the narrow front more suited to naval limitations. He orders them to reach a compromise. The army has previously talked of using 40 divisions in the first three days of the operation, but now consider using 13. Wilhelm Keitel issued the order that, per Adolf Hitler's decision, the landing area in the invasion plan for Britain was to be slightly narrowed as a compromise between the Army (which wanted a wide front) and the Navy (which lacked the warships to secure too many landing sites).

Adolf Hitler approves a Spanish-German plan to attack Gibraltar.

MEDITERRANEAN: British submarine "Osiris" sank Italian ship "Morea" 50 miles west of Durrës, Albania.

Over Italy the RAF sends attacks against Fiat works in Turin and the Caproni works in Milan.

Hungary and Romania began negotiating over Transylvania, which Hungary wished to take over from Romania. The negotiation soon turned into a deadlock.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-100 sank British ship "Empire Merchant" 150 miles northwest of Ireland, killing 7. 48 survivors were rescued by tug HMS "Salvonia". 150 miles further northwest, a German submarine wolfpack consisted of U-30, U-46, and U-48 attacked Allied convoy OB-197, sinking Swedish ship "Hedrun" (8 killed, 20 survived) and British ship "Clan Macphee" (67 killed, 41 survived), and damaging Dutch ship "Alcinous". In the same general area 170 miles northwest of Ireland, British Coastal Command Sunderland flying boats of RAF No.210 Squadron attacked German submarine U-51 with depth charges. U-51 narrowly survived the attack. This was the first successful use of aircraft against a German submarine.

NORTH AMERICA: US President Roosevelt announced in a press conference that the United States had engaged with the United Kingdom to acquire land for military bases in the Western Hemisphere. No mention was made regarding the transfer to destroyers from the US to the UK.

A "Test" Platoon led by Major William Lee and consisting of 48 volunteers from the US 29th Infantry Regiment made the first US Army parachute jump from an aircraft in order to explore the prospect of bringing troops and equipment into battle by air.

The Canadian Armoured Corps is formed.

In Canada, in a lecture to the Vancouver Institute, University of British Columbia professor Henry Angus says Japan's entry to the war is certain, and will probably be a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor or some other American base.

American army and navy cryptanalysts discover the secrets of the Japanese message encoding machine.

NORTHERN EUROPE: US Army Transport "American Legion" departed Petsamo, Finland for New York, United States with Crown Princess Martha of Norway and her three children on board. Also on board was a 40-millimeter Bofors gun purchased by the US Navy. "American Legion" was the last neutral ship to be allowed to depart from Petsamo.

.

 

[Njaco]

August 17 Saturday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post706963.html#post706963

In response to pleas from Dowding the Air Ministry agrees to give Fighter Command some extra pilots from other RAF branches and to shorten the training period for new pilots even though this has obvious disadvantages.

GERMANY: Adolf Hitler announced an air and sea blockade of Britain, threatening that all ships approaching Britain would be sunk without warning.

German leaders designated Berlin as the European financial center after Germany's victory.

The RAF sends a raid against the armament works at Leuna. Although at this stage of the war the RAF intends to hit only military targets, it cannot achieve the necessary accuracy in night bombing.

MEDITERRANEAN: Admiral Cunningham leads three battleships and several other vessels of the British Mediterranean Fleet to bombard the Italian positions at Bardia and Fort Capuzzo. Battleships "Warspite", "Malaya" and "Ramillies" bombard Bardia and Fort Capuzzo, Libya. Air attacks on the ships are beaten off.

Following recently increased tension with Italy, the Greek armed forces are partially mobilized with a call-up in some districts. Among the provocations is the sinking of the Greek cruiser "Helle" by an Italian submarine.

NORTH AMERICA: Canada's Prime Minister William King and American President Franklin Roosevelt meet at Ogdensburg, New York, and sign a formal document establishing a Canadian- U.S. permanent joint defense board.

UNITED KINGDOM: A Junkers Ju 88 from 2./NJG 1, briefed to intrude over the Wash, strayed and was shot down into the sea off Spurn Head at 0300 hours by a Blenheim night fighter, crewed by Pilot Officer Rhodes and Sergeant Gregory from RAF No 29 Squadron. The Ju 88 was listed as lost together with its crew.

.

 

[stona]

That He 111 was much photographed. It carries 'between 300 to 400' .303 bullet holes according to the CEAR, though worryingly no armour plate was penetrated.

Two of the crew were killed, the other three survived, one wounded.

There is a well known photograph of two soldiers and a local man standing by the bullet riddled tail of this aircraft. The soldiers each hold what the British called a 'spectacle magazine' for the machine guns and the other man a dead hare which was struck and killed by the aircraft as it landed

Cheers

Steve

 

[parsifal]

18 August 1940 ("the hardest day")
Losses
Trawler VALERIA (UK 189 grt) was sunk by the LW 8 miles 35° from The Smalls. The crew of nine was rescued
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-60

At Sea 18 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-57, U-59, U-65, U-100, U-101, UA.
14 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
On or about this day senior commanders in the german high command were reaching some significant conclusions. When Franz Halder, the Chief of the Army General Staff, heard of the state of the Kriegsmarine, and its plan for the invasion, he noted in his diary, "If that [the plan] is true, all previous statements by the navy were so much rubbish and we can throw away the whole plan of invasion".

Alfred Jodl, Chief of Operations in the OKW (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), remarked about this time, after Raeder said the Kriegsmarine could not meet the operational requirements of the Army, "then a landing in England must be regarded as a sheer act of desperation"

Admiral Karl Dönitz believed air superiority was "not enough". Dönitz stated, "we possessed neither control of the air or the sea; nor were we in any position to gain it". Erich Raeder, stated at about this time:

.....the emphatic reminder that up until now the British had never thrown the full power of their fleet into action. However, a German invasion of England would be a matter of life and death for the British, and they would unhesitatingly commit their naval forces, to the last ship and the last man, into an all-out fight for survival. Our Air Force could not be counted on to guard our transports from the British Fleets, because their operations would depend on the weather, if for no other reason. It could not be expected that even for a brief period our Air Force could make up for our lack of naval supremacy.

OA.201 departed Methil escort RCN DD SKEENA and corvette GODETIA, which was detached from the convoy on the 22nd. FN.256 departed Southend. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 20th. MT.144 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.256 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VIMIERA and WOLSEY. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 20th.

Northern Waters
DDs DUNCAN and CATTISTOCK departed Scapa at 1000 for Liverpool. At Liverpool, the DDs joined two Western Approaches destroyers to escort convoy "MP" to Scapa Flow. DD ACTIVE arrived at Scapa Flow after refit to work up prior to joining DesFlot 12 in the Western Approaches.

West Coast UK
British dredger LYSTER was damaged by the LW at Brunswick Dock, Liverpool.

Western Approaches
OB.200 departed Liverpool escort DD WALKER and covette ARABIS from 18 to 21 August. The escorts were detached to HG.41. DD ACHATES escorted the convoy on 20 to 22 August and DD ARROW from 21 to 22 August.

Nth Atlantic
AMC CIRCASSIA was attacked by a U-boat, the ship counterattacked and claimed sinking the UBoat. There was no such success however.

Sth Atlantic
SL.44 departed Freetown escort AMC CANTON to 5 September which then proceeded to Greenock for fuel, water, boiler cleaning.
ORP DD BLYSKAWICA, sloop SANDWICH, corvette GARDENIA joined on 3 September. On 4 September, DDs SHIKARI and SKATE and corvette ERICA joined. On 5 September, corvette LA MALOUINE joined. The convoy arrived on 7 September.

CL DELHI intercepted Spanish steamer CIUDAD DE SEVILLE and sent her into Freetown under armed guard. The cruiser also intercepted Portuguese steamer JOAO BELO and removed six Germans who were interned.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
BS.3 departed Suez, escort sloop CLIVE. NZ Manned CL LEANDER and CLA CARLISLE joined on the 21st. The convoy arrived at Aden on the 26th.

 

[Njaco]

August 18 Sunday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post707325.html#post707325

No. 302 (Polish) and No. 310 (Czechoslovakian) squadrons were activated by the RAF.

NORTH AFRICA: The British evaucation of Berbera, British Somaliland was completed after troopships Chakdina, Chantala, Laomedon, and Akbar and hospital ship Vita departed the port, destined for Aden. Australian cruiser HMAS Hobart was left behind to collect stragglers and destroy vehicles, fuel, and stores. Colonial troops of the Somaliland Camel Corps chose to remain in their homeland; their British officers respected their decision and allowed them to keep their weapons.

NORTH AMERICA: US President Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister King signed the Ogdensburg Agreement in Heuvelton, New York, United States, which established the Permanent Joint Board for the Defense of the United States and Canada.

.

 

[Njaco]

August 19 Monday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post707737.html#post707737

NORTH AFRICA: The evacuation of British forces from Berbera to Aden is completed. Altogether nearly 5700 service personnel and civilians are taken off by Royal Navy cruisers and destroyers. The British have suffered 260 casualties in the brief campaign and the Italian forces 2050. Churchill criticizes the performance of the British forces despite the balance. They are defended, however, by General Wavell, whose Middle East command they are part of.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-48 sank Belgian passenger ship "Ville de Gand" off Ireland just after midnight; 15 were killed and 38 survived. Also off Ireland, at 0154 hours, U-101 sank British ship "Ampleforth"; 9 were killed and 29 were rescued by British destroyer HMS "Warwick". U-A sank British ship "Hungarian Kelet" off Ireland at 1000 hours, killing 6, all of whom were survivors of the ship "Clan Macphee" that was sunk by U-30 on 16 Aug 1940; 33 crew and 35 other "Clan Macphee" survivors were rescued by Norwegian merchant ship "Varegg".

NORTH AMERICA: The North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber took its first flight.

ASIA: Twelve A6M2 Model 11 Zero fighters escorted fifty four G3M2 Type 96 bombers on a mission against the Chinese city of Chongqing; this was the first combat mission of the Zero fighter.

UNITED KINGDOM: The government in London declared the entire United Kingdom a defense area. To reinforce the RAF, a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron arrived in Britain.

GERMANY: RAF raid Kiel, Zschornewitz power station near Leipzig and 30 airfields; 2 1/2-hour air-raid alarm in Berlin (no bombs).

.

 

[stona]

F1+HT of 9./KG76, crashed at about 13.20 (not 01.20, you don't attack an aerodrome at 300 feet in the dark in 1940!). It crashed into and demolished a house, 'Sunnycroft', which has since been rebuilt. Golf Road is a minor road running parallel to the perimeter road, north of the Kenley aerodrome, about 100m from the aerodrome which gives an idea of how low the attacking aircraft were. I actually went here about 20 years ago on a BoB inspired visit to Kenley!

The crew all perished. Oberst Dr Otto Sommer, Obltn. Hans-Siegfried Ahrends, Fw. Karl Greulich, Fw. Johannes Petersen, Uffz. Hannes Dietz, all buried at the German Military Cemetery (Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof ) at Cannock Chase. The youngest, Dietz, was 24. The oldest, Sommer, was almost unbelievably 49. There must be a story there.....lest we forget.

Once again demonstrating the structure of the German aviation industry this aircraft was built by Blohm and Voss under licence from Dornier.

Cheers

Steve