This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[parsifal]

22 September

UBOATS

No arrivals or departures

At Sea 22 September

U-3, U-4, U-7, U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-18, U-21, U-24, U-26, U-28, U-29 (returning), U-30(returning), U-31, U-32, U-33, U-34, U-35, U-36, U-53(returning).

21 boats at sea.

U.7 sank steamer ARKENSIDE (2694grt) 25 miles SW of Bergen . Her entire crew was rescued.

U.4 captured Finnish steamer MARTTI RAGNAR (2262grt) 50 miles off Arendal, Norway, took her in tow scuttled her with explosive charges 5miles south of Arendal. No crew were lost.

North Sea .

Operation SK - CLs SOUTHAMPTON, GLASGOW, SHEFFIELD with DD JERVIS, JERSEY, JAVELIN, JUPITER of DesFlot 7 dep Rosyth in conjunction with CL AURORA with DDs TARTAR, BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, ESKIMO dep Scapa to attack German shipping off the Norwegian coast. Adm Forbes in Command

Cover force provided by BCs HOOD and REPULSE with DDs FAME, FORESIGHT, FIREDRAKE, FORTUNE all from Scapa. Soon after sailing, FORTUNE got a submarine contact which was confirmed by DD FIREDRAKE, attacks against this contact were unsuccessful . BB NELSON and RODNEY, CV ARK ROYAL, and DDs FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, MATABELE, MASHONA, SOMALI also dep Scapa as part of the cover group, somewhat later.

DDs FURY and FORESTER dep Newcastle to join Forbes at sea, and 15 miles off the mouth of the Tyne, depth charged a submarine contact. DDs ESK and EXPRESS also dep Scapa to join the operation.

DDs JAVELIN and JERSEY collided later on the 22nd, 120 miles WSW of Lister Light , the raid was abandoned. JAVELIN could only steam at 10 knots and was escorted by JERVIS and JUPITER to Newcastle. Meanwhile JERSEY headed for Leith at slow speed escorted by MASHONA and ESKIMO, which arrived back at Scapa on the 24th.

DDs FURY and FORESTER attacked a submarine contact 15 miles off the mouth of the Tyne, while destroyer EXPRESS sighted a floating mine off the port side of battlecruiser HOOD, came up and exploded the mine with gunfire. On the 23rd, when an explosion was felt four miles from HOOD, destroyers FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE, MASHONA, MATABELE were sent to investigate and also fired on sighted mines.

JERSEY repaired at Leith, returning to service on 9 October, and JAVELIN at Newcastle. She left the Tyne on 21 October for further repairs at Hartlepool, but was damaged in another collision en route.

convoy FS.9 departed Methil and arrived at Southend on the 24th.

British tng submarine L.26 was damaged in collision with Blyth Pier.

DD WREN attacked a submarine contact six miles WSW of Owers Light Vessel.

MSW HUSSAR and MSW trawlers MASTIFF and CEDAR attempted to locate and examine a German mine after steamers MAGDAPUR and CITY OF PARIS were mined off Orfordness.

Convoy FN.9 dep Southend and arrived at Methil on the 24th.

Western Atlantic

CA BERWICK dep Halifax on escort duties.

Northern Patrol - .

CLs CALYPSO and DUNEDIN dep Scapa on Northern Patrol duties. CALYPSO was missed by a torpedo at 2340 .

CL ENTERPRISE dep Scapa on Northern Patrol duties, and arrived back on the 28th.

E Class CL profile

British northern waters

CL DELHI arrived at Scapa .

English Channel

DD JAGUAR investigated ASDIC reading off Portland, which indicated a possible submarine in the area.

DD JACKAL with DD ECLIPSE attacked a submarine contact 4.5 miles S by E of Start Point..

CL CERES and CARADOC dep Plymouth on escort duties and arrived back the next day

UK-France convoys .

DB.6 departed Southampton with two personnel ships, escorted by DDs VANSITTART and VENOMOUS, and arrived at Brest on the 23rd.

Med/Biscay

Convoy Green 2 (AB.3) dep Gibraltar with 18 ships for Port Said, escorted b DDs HARDY, HERO, HEREWARD, HASTY, HOSTILE from the 22nd to 27th. The DDs proceeded to Malta.DDs COSSACK, MAORI, NUBIAN, ZULU provided escort from 27 September to 2 October when it arrived at Port Said.

Fr SSs ACHILLES, CASABIANCA, PASTEUR, SFAX of the SubDiv2 under Adm West were stationed in turn near Cape Ortegal to keep watch on German merchant ships in northern Spanish ports. patrols ended 3 Nov.

Central and South Atlantic –

Fr SSs AGOSTA and OUESSANT of SubDiv 8 left their patrol areas off the Azores for Martinique, arriving on the 29th, to guard the Antilles passages against German blockade runners.

DD HAVOCK dep Montevideo with the first outbound local convoy, consisting of steamers SUSSEX, ROXBY, EL CIERVO, and Falkland Island Company ship LAFONIA (1961grt). They were covered by CA EXETER. At dusk, the convoy dispersed and HAVOCK escorted steamer LAFONIA, carrying troops for the defense of the Falkland Islands, to Port Stanley.

Indian Ocean

CL LIVERPOOL dep Aden for Bombay, arriving on the 27th.

China Station

CA DORSETSHIRE dep Hong Kong on escort duties and arrived back on 13 October for docking prior to transferring to the East Indies Station.

Other Events

Representatives of the American republics announced the establishment of a "safety zone" around the Western Hemisphere in an attempt to isolate the Americas from the world war. The waters surrounding the Western Hemisphere for a distance of 300 miles from shore and as far north as Canada constituted "sea safety zones." No hostile actions were to take place in these zones by non-American belligerents. The delegates at the conference also adopted a General Declaration of Neutrality of the American republics.

 

[Njaco]

September 22 1939 Friday
POLAND: "Battle of the Bzura", also known as Battle of Kutno to the Germans, has ended in a Polish defeat; it was the largest battle of the Polish campaign during which more than 18,000 Polish troops and about 8,000 German troops were killed. Rapidly advancing Soviet troops capture Lvov and Bialystok. Lwow was taken by the Soviets after an act of surrender was signed by Polish General Wladyslaw Langner. The Soviets agreed to all Polish conditions permitting privates and NCOs to leave the city, registering themselves with Soviet authorities before they go home. Polish officers were also told that they were allowed to keep their belongings and go to whatever country accepted them. But In a brutal twist of fate, the Soviets suddenly reneged on their promises. The infamous NKVD began arresting Polish officers and escorted them to Tarnopol from where they were deported to Starobielsk among other gulags in Russia to await their fate. Over 210,000 Poles surrender to the Soviets, but at the Battle of Kodziowce the Soviets suffered heavy casualties.

German troops hand over Brest-Litovsk to the Soviets under strange circumstances. German General Heinz Guderian is moving part of the XIX Panzerkorps forward on a train into the Soviet zone when the commander of the Soviet 29th Tank Brigade Semyon Krivoshein blocks the tracks, claiming his tanks have run out of gas. They negotiate a joint victory parade in Brest-Litovsk before a German withdrawal back to the West. Amid huge crowds military divisions of the Red Army and Werhmacht rolled past the Victory Arches decorated with stars and swastikas. Soviet and German generals were seen paying homage to each other. The parade was intended to display the power of the new Soviet-Nazi alliance. After the parade without undue ceremony, the Germans withdrew to the western bank of the Bug River and the Soviets took control of the city as well as the rest of eastern Poland. General Konstanty Pilsowski, commander of the Polish forces who defended the city from German attack, was arrested by the Soviet NKVD and sent to prison camp at Starobielsk.

In preparation for the final assault on Warsaw, German forces cross the Vistula River at Modlin, isolating the garrison in the Fortress Modlin and cutting the last lines of communication with Warsaw. They begin attacks on the Warsaw district of Praga on the Eastern bank of the Vistula. Hitler visits the front, observing the shelling of the Warsaw suburb of Praga. Among the weapons used were heavy guns and mortars. Two entire air fleets took part in air raids targeting military and civilians. Meanwhile, Colonel General Werner von Fritsch, former German Army Commander in Chief and an outspoken opponent of the Nazis government, is killed by a Polish sniper outside Warsaw.

Josef Frantisek and his Polish Air Force squadron were evacuated to Romania. The Rumanian Government executes 100-200 members of the Iron Guard.

GERMANY: Many of the German fighter and bomber units are renamed. I./JG 20 is redesignated III,/JG 51 with Hptm. Hannes Trautloft as Gruppenkommandeur. I./ZG 2 is redesignated I./JGr 102, II./ZG 1 is temporarily redesignated JGr 101 and I./KG 25 is redesignated I./KG 30 and is equipped with new Ju 88 As.

The Bf 109Es of Major Otto Heinrich von Houwald's I./JG 3 leave the airbase at Schafstädt and transfer to the airbase at Zerbst.

Oblt. Wolf von Stutterheim is posted as Kommodore of KG 77 in place of Oblt. Heinrich Seywald who left the Kampfgeschwader on 13 September.

NORTHERN EUROPE: A German submarine torpodoes Finnish steamer "Martti-Ragnar" off the coast of Norway, on route to Britain. A German submarine boards Finnish steamer "Haalow Lighthouse" off the coast of Norway, blowing it up with dynamite.

UNITED KINGDOM: The second meeting of the Allied Supreme War Council takes place. Although the meeting is supposed to be secret, a large crowd gathers outside the building in which the Allied leaders meet. British Prime Minister Chamberlain, with Lord Halifax, the foreign secretary, and Lord Chatfield, the minister for coordination of defense meet French Premier Daladier, with General Gamelin, the Commander in Chief on the Western Front, Admiral Darlan, the Chief of the French Naval Staff, and M Dautry.

WESTERN FRONT: Netherlands and Belgium flood part of their territory bordering Germany as a defensive measure.

Swiss anti-aircraft guns fire on two or more German planes over Schaffhausen.


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[Wurger]

Dudes...

Dudes' military parade in Brześć Litewski on the 22nd September 1939.

Lublin on the 22nd September 1939.. Nazi German soldiers looking over Russian armoured vehicles.

 

[parsifal]

23 September
Allied New Ships
FR MSW [Elan class}

Neutral New ships
US DDHughes (405)(Sims Class)

UBOATS

No arrivals

departures

Willhelmshaven U-12 (Kptlt. Dietrich von der Ropp)

At Sea 23 September

U-3, U-4, U-7, U-12 (+), U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-18, U-21, U-24, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-31, U-32, U-33, U-34, U-35, U-36, U-53.

(+) lost this patrol

U.4 captured Finnish steamer WALMA (1361grt) off Smagen on the west coast of Sweden and scuttled her off Hallo . The entire crew was saved.

OKM issues orders to sink immediately any ship (including neutrals) using their radios when stopped even when searching for contraband.

North Sea .

DDs FORTUNE and FIREDRAKE attacked U.14, 40 miles NNE of Peterhead, no damage. OKM war diaries confirm this attack

Western Atlantic

convoy HX.2 dep Halifax at 0900 escort by CA YORK and local escort RCN DDs ST LAURENT, FRASER, and SAGUENAY

Carribbean

CL HMAS PERTH south of Jamaica received a direction finding bearing NW of her of a German vessel, most probably DKM DEUTSCHLAND.

British northern waters

BBp ROYAL SOVEREIGN dep Scapa 2330, escort DDs ESK and EXPRESS, to refit at Portsmouth. At 1750/24th, the DDs detected and attacked a submarine contact 25 miles off the north coast of Ireland. The three ships arrived at Portsmouth at 0930/26th.

UK-France convoys .

MB.7 of seven cargo ships departed Southampton, escort DDs ACHATES, SARDONYX, and ACHERON, and arrived at Brest on the 25th.

BC.3S of 21 steamers, including BARON GRAHAM, BARON MACLAY, NEW TEXAS (Cdn) dep Quiberon Bay escort DDs WOLVERINE and WESSEX, and arrived safely in the Bristol Channel on the 25th.

BC.4F of steamer TYNWALD dep Loire Bay escort DDs ESCORT and ELECTR, also arriving in Bristol Channel on the 25th.

UK-outbound convoys

OA.9 of 32 ships dep Southend. DDs JUNO and AMAZON dep Devonport as escort for the convoy and were with it from the 23rd to 26th. The DDs then detach to convoy HXF.1 before arriving back at Plymouth on the 29th.

OB.9 dep Liverpool escort DDs VANOC and WHIRLWIND until the 26th.

Southwestern Approaches

DD JACKAL attacked a submarine contact 20 miles SW of Land's End. ECLIPSE attacked the same contact at 1027. Destroyer EXMOUTH (D.12) was ordered to continue the hunt with EXMOUTH, ECLIPSE, ENCOUNTER, ESCAPADE, JACKAL.

SS TRIDENT completed and dep Liverpool for trials in Gareloch Bay, escorted by MSW GLEANER.

Indian Ocean

CL MANCHESTER departed Bombay.

other
Midshipman J C Casey and Midshipman R M B Kettle, flying Harvards of the RAF No 1 Flying Training School at Netheravon, Wiltshire were killed when their aircraft collided NE of the airfield. 10% of flying trainees lost in single stroke! Soon after this, new aircrew inductees are increased to an annual intake of 80.

 

[Njaco]

September 23 1939 Saturday
POLAND: The siege of Warsaw continues. Polish forces have issued a communique demanding re-enforcements and shipments of ammunition and medical supplies. Warsaw is running out of food and potable water supplies are all but depleted. Though Warsaw is completely surrounded by the Germans, Polish insurgents are still showing signs of strong resistance having repelled numerous attacks. Meanwhile in Berlin the German government is claiming that Poles have ceased fighting and state that "In a connected series of destructive battles, of which the greatest and most decisive was in the bend of the Vistula, the Polish Army of a million men has been defeated, captured or routed. No single Polish active or reserve division escaped this fate. Only fractions of individual groups were able to avoid immediate destruction by fleeing into the swamps of eastern Poland. They succumbed there to Soviet troops. Of the entire Polish army only an insignificant remainder still is fighting at hopeless positions in Warsaw, Modlin and on the Hela Peninsula." The Poles fight on courageously against all odds.

Warsaw is out of food and water after 8 days of siege, plus artillery shelling and aerial bombing. The citizens are starving, reduced to carving flesh from horses killed by the German bombardment, and there is little available drinking water as the main water pumping station has been destroyed by bombing. Fires burn out of control as there is no water to extinguish them.

Further East between the Vistula and Bug Rivers, fighting continues between the outer pincers of the German encirclement (Kuchler's 3.Armee from East Prussia and List's 14.Armee from Slovakia) and the trapped Polish forces. The "Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski" is the second largest engagement, after the "Battle of Bzura", and the largest tank battle of the war in Poland as Polish troops try to follow Marshal Rydz-Śmigły's orders and break out of the German pocket towards the Romanian bridgehead in Southeast Poland.

Chairman of Presidium of Supreme Soviet orders troops remain mobilized until further notice.

GERMANY: The fighter Gruppe III./JG 26 is formed from parts of II./ZG 26 and other parts of JG 26. Future Experte, Oblt. Fritz Losigkeit becomes Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 26. Oblt. Eduard Neumann becomes Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 26 which is redesignated as such from the old 4./JG 26. Oblt. Gerhard Schöpfel becomes Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 26. Hptm. Karl Ebbighausen becomes Staffelkapitän of the new 4./JG 26. Lt. Klaus Mietusch is transferred from 2./JG 26 to 7./JG 26.

Oblt. Wilhelm Balthasar of 1./JG 1 receives the Iron Cross Second Class. At this time Oblt. Balthasar already has seven victories in Spain while flying with the Legion Condor.

MEDITTERANEAN: Premier Benito Mussolini has confirmed the Italian intention to remain neutral unless attacked. He stated that Italy is following a policy to;

"….strengthen our army in preparation for any eventualities and support every possible peace effort while working in silence."

He also suggested that the "liquidation" of Poland would facilitate a European peace settlement.

NORTH AMERICA: Antony Herman Gerhard Fokker, the designer of many of Germany's and the Luftwaffe's early successes in aviation, dies in New York City, United States of America. He is later buried at Haarlem in the Netherlands.

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[Lucky13]

Outstanding work guys!

 

[Wurger]

On the 23rd September 1939 Mjr. Henryk Dobrzański alias "Hubal" organized the first partisan troop in Poland.

The siege of Warsaw.. the German attack on Warsaw streets and destroyed German tanks ....

Hitler, Rommel and Reichenau watching the battle of Warsaw...

On this day the Mayor of Warsaw , Stefan Starzyński held his last speech in the Polish Radio. Soon after the afternoon the radio station Warszawa stopped broadcasting.

Stefan Starzyński.

 

[parsifal]

I shouldnt say this....but the Poles were very gallant and brave, and they deserved better from the war. we let them down badly

Stefan Starzyński is now known to have been murdered by the gestapo between December 21 and 23 for being a member of polish intelligentsia.

 

[Njaco]

September 24 1939 Sunday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Swedish freighter "Gertrud Bratt" is torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine, ten miles off the south Norwegian coast carrying timber, as is a British steamer the "Kafristan".

POLAND: German forces isolate Modlin Fortress, north of Warsaw. Reports from Warsaw suggest heavy casualties among those in the city including wounded in hospitals. In preparation for the final assault, General Johannes Blaskowitz Commander-in-Chief East (Oberbefehlshaber Ost) takes command of all German units. 1,150 German planes bomb Warsaw to soften up the city.

Meanwhile, Soviet forces enter the Galician oilfields. The towns of Boryslaw, and Drohobych located on Poland's oilfields were much coveted by the German forces who had to relinquish their control to the Soviets according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement.

German Einsatzgruppen murdered 800 members of Polish intelligentsia at Bydgoszcz, Poland.

GERMANY: French bombers strike the German Zeppelin base at Friedrichshafen. British aerial leaflet drops over Germany resumes, with home publicity emphasizing night reconnaissance.

Official German radio broadcast declares that with the redrafting of Poland's frontiers, Germany's war is over.

NORTH AMERICA: The "American Farmer" arrives in New York harbor with 29 survivors of the crew of the British steamer "Kafristan", sunk by a German U-boat. Passengers and the master of the American Farmer said that while the survivors were still in their boats a British airplane swooped down on the German submarine, spraying its deck with machine gun fire and dropping bombs, one of which fell on the conning tower.

NORTHERN EUROPE: USSR exploits aggression in Poland to gain land and other concessions from the Baltic States, to improve its defense of the Baltic coastline. The Soviet Government informs the Finnish Government that passage through Leningrad via Neva River would now be closed to Finnish vessels. The route was allowed by agreement of 1923, allowing for closure in case of war danger. The Soviet Union also gave an ultimatum to the Estonian Foreign Minister in Moscow, Russia, demanding land to build a Soviet military base in Estonia. Soviet aircraft fly in Estonian airspace (following blockade of the harbor of Tallinn, the capital on 19 September). Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov warns Estonian negotiators in Moscow that USSR will use "more radical actions" to obtain military bases.

WESTERN FRONT: French artillery fires on the German border.

Lt. Hartmann Grasser of JGr 152 begins his victory total by destroying a Hawk 75. His wingman, Lt. Horst Elstermann also shoots down a Hawk 75.

Hptm. Johannes Janke's I./JG 77 leaves the airbase at Olmütz and arrives at Breslau-Schöngarten.

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[parsifal]

24 September

Ships commissioning: DD Z22 Anton Schmitt S24 S Boote (S18-25 class)

Adm Raeder lifts restrictions on attacks of French shipping. Uboats can from this point attack French shipping with no warning.

UBOATS

arrivals
:
Kiel: U-18 (11 days)
Wilhelmshaven: U-3

departures

None

At Sea 24 September

U-4, U-7, U-12 , U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-21, U-24, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-31, U-32, U-33, U-34, U-35, U-36, U-53.
20 boats at sea.

U.33 (Kptlt. Hans-Wilhelm von Dresky) sank British trawler CALDEW (287grt) north of the Hebrides . The survivors were picked up by Swedish steamer KRONPRINCESSAN MARGARETA (3789grt), but she was stopped by KM DD FRIEDRICH IHN and KM TB ILTIS in the Skagerrak and the 11 British seaman taken off. They spent the war in Stalag XB.

French merchant ship PHRYNE (2660grt) was sunk 3.5 east of Aldeburgh Light Vessel on a mine laid by U.13 on the 4th. Survivors were rescued by DDs BRAZEN and BOREAS and reached the Tyne that evening.

U.34 took in prize Estonian steamer HANONIA (2534grt) off the Norwegian coast. She was taken to Hamburg, later commissioned as Schiff 11 by the German Navy and used in minelaying off the English coast.

U.4 sank Swedish steamer GERTRUD BRATT (1510grt) ten miles off Jomfruland, SE Norway off Lillesand .

U.31 sank steamer HAZELSIDE (4646grt) 10 miles SE of Fastnet in 51‑17N, 09‑22W. Twelve crewmen were lost and 22 injured and rescued. DDs VIMY and VERSATILE were sent to search for the submarine, and at 1352/25th, a Sunderland flying boat (from no 10 sqn RAAF) dropped seven bombs on U.31, ten miles SE of Fastnet. Three were reported as direct hits, but no damage was done.

North Sea .

SS SPEARFISH (LT J H Eaden) was damaged off Horns Reef by German ASW forces and unable to submerge. Moving slowly along the neutral Danish coast, she was able to radio for help at 0510/25th.

CLs SOUTHAMPTON, GLASGOW of the Humber Force dep Rosyth at 0723 and joined DDs JERVIS and JUPITER off May Island at 0910. They were to operate off the Norwegian coast with DDs SOMALI, MATABELE, MASHONA, and ESKIMO, already off the Norwegian coast in order to cover SPEARFISH's return.

DDs FORESIGHT and FAME with one other destroyer were on Fair Isle Patrol. CLs AURORA and SHEFFIELD, also at sea, proceeded well into the approaches of the Skagerrak and met the SPEARFISH to provide cover.

The rescue force was supported by BCs RENOWN and HOOD, CA NORFOLK, CLs NEWCASTLE, EDINBURGH, and DDs FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FORESTER, FEARLESS, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE

BBs NELSON and RODNEY, CV ARK ROYAL, and DDs BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, TARTAR, FURY dep Scapa on the 25th to cover the Humber Force returning with SPEARFISH. FAME and FORESIGHT which had been at sea since 24 September joined the NELSON force at sea. MASHONA and MATABELE also later joined at sea. FORESIGHT attacked a submarine contact north of the Orkneys.

Only destroyer ASHANTI which was having turbine repairs was absent from the operation.

At 1724, MATABELE was detached to investigate Danish steamer OVE TOFT (2135grt) and did not rejoin the Fleet until after dark. At 1925, SOMALI and ESKIMO were detached to join SPEARFISH, reaching her at 0100/26th and escorting her towards Rosyth screened by the Humber Force.

There German air attacks on the British forces, the screening GLASGOW was able to drive off an attack on SPEARFISH reporting having shot down two a/c. ARK ROYAL was near missed and HOOD was struck by a glancing bomb that failed to explode. LT B S. McEwen, flying a Skua of ARK ROYAL's 803 Squadron, shot down a Do.18 aircraft whose aircrew was picked up by SOMALI. Finally SHEFFIELD was bombed, but sustained no damage.

Photo of the Dornier brought down by 803 sqn

Blackburn Skuas photographed prewar

250 miles North West of the German North Sea fortress island of Heligoland when a Dornier 18 flying boat was sighted and at 11:00 hrs three Skuas of 803 Squadron were launched to intercept it. They claimed this Dornier as damaged near position 57.36N 02.36E. Another Dornier was sighted soon afterwards and another three Skuas of 803 were launched at 11:30Hrs. This Dornier was shot down by Lt BS McEwen and PO BM Seymour, the 4 crewmen of the stricken aircraft were picked up the RN and taken prisoner. A third Dornier then appeared and another three Skuas, this time of 800 Squadron, were launched at 12:30 and they claimed this third Dornier as damaged. One Dornier crashed in Dutch coastal waters during this period and it is likely this was one of the aircraft driven off by the Skuas.

The shooting down of the Dornier 18 is often cited as the first kill by a British Aircraft in World War II - In fact the first was by Sgt F.A. Letchford, an observer/gunner in a Fairy Battle Bomber of 88 Sqdn RAF on the 20th September 1939. Sgt

The Humber Force, SPEARFISH and destroyers ESKIMO and MATABELE, covered by AURORA, SHEFFIELD, SOMALI and BEDOUIN, arrived safely at Rosyth late on the 26th. SPEARFISH docked at Newcastle for repairs lasting until 4 March 1940.

German newspapers claimed the Ark Royal as sunk, one of the many claims made of sinking this crucial ship. Sarcastically German radio stated "where is the Ark Royal?" a claim found amusing by many British sailors

Shortly before arriving at Scapa and after a submarine attack on BC HOOD was reported, DDs FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE, ESKIMO, TARTAR, BEDOUIN detached to search for the submarine. FIREDRAKE, in company with PUNJABI and FORTUNE had been hunting since midnight for a submarine reported by FAA aircraft at 1812/26th. Then at 0255/27th, 20 miles east of Scapa, FORTUNE attacked a contact. There is no mention of this arttack in the KM war diiaries.

The Main Fleet arrived at Scapa later that day. FORTUNE immediately started boiler cleaning which was completed on the 29th.

After a submarine was reported by aircraft 55 miles ENE of Rattray Head, FURY, FORESTER, FORESIGHT, ASHANTI left Scapa to search.

DDs TARTAR and BEDOUIN arrived early on the 28th. Later that day, TARTAR, BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, SOMALI, MASHONA, MATABELE, FEARLESS, FORTUNE, FAME, FORESIGHT dep Scapa on an ASW sweep.

convoy FS.10 dep Methil, and arrived at Southend on the 26th.

DDs JUPITER and WHITLEY attacked a submarine contact six miles north of St Abbs Head. WHITLEY, escorting an east coast convoy, again attacked a submarine contacts 45 miles NE of Blyth and then five miles SE of the Farne Islands.

Convoy FN.10 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 26th.

Northern Patrol - .

CL DELHI with DUNEDIN dep Scapa for Northern Patrol duties, and arrived back on 1 October.

British northern waters

Northwest Approaches

Ge steamer MINDEN (4318grt) which had dep Rio de Janiero on the 6th and was now 330 miles NW of Cape Wrath , scuttled herself when intercepted by CL CALYPSO. CL DUNEDIN, also arrived at the scene alerted by CALYPSO's contact report, but MINDEN had already scuttled. The crew was taken aboard DUNEDIN

CC a/c attack a submarine contact two miles NE of Fairhead, NE Ireland. Patrol sloops SHELDRAKE, SHEARWATER, KINGFISHER, WIDGEON dep Belfast on the 24th to join the hunt.

English Channel

No activity reported

UK-France convoys .

BC.5F of steamer BEN MY CHREE departed Bristol Channel escort DDs ESCORT and ELECTRA, and arrived in the Loire on the 5th. The convoy was also escorted by Fr Contre Torpilleur DDs MOGADOR and VOLTA from 0600 to 2000 on the 25th.

BC.5 of 12 steamers, including BEAVERDALE (Cdre), CITY OF DERBY, DELIUS, LOWICK, TREHATA, VOLO dep Bristol Channel escort DDss VIVACIOUS, VISCOUNT, VENETIA, VANESSA,

DB.7 dep Southampton of two personnel ships, escort DDs VANSITTART and VENOMOUS, and arrived at Brest on the 25th.

Southwestern Approaches

see entry for U31

Central and South Atlantic –

CL AJAX sailed north from the Falklands to Rio de Janiero to relieve CA CUMBERLAND which was heading towards Ascension Island on a sweep for suspected German supply ships.

 

[Njaco]

September 25 1939 Monday
POLAND: After three weeks of heavy German attacks the Polish forces in Warsaw continue to put up a tough resistance. German Command has issued a second ultimatum which has also been ignored by the Poles. German forces outside Warsaw capture Fort Mokotowski. To the east, Soviet troops captured Bialystok, Poland. Meanwhile, Joseph Stalin proposed to the Germans that the Soviet Union would take Lithuania which was previously within the German sphere of influence; in exchange, the Soviets would give the portions of Poland near Warsaw which were previously within the Soviet sphere of influence but had already been overrun by German troops.

After several attempts to force the Polish surrender, 'Operation SEASIDE' is finally given the go ahead. Hitler wishes to complete the conquest as soon as possible and since the garrison is fairly strong, it is necessary to force them to submit by terrorizing the civilian population. At 0800 hours the attack begins. Some 400 Luftwaffe bombers and Stuka dive bombers make repeated sorties, starting significant fires. Reservoirs and water works, granaries and flourmills, natural gas tanks and power plants have been destroyed by now, depriving the city of water, food and power.

In addition to the bombers and dive-bombers, thirty Ju 52s drop incendiary bombs, shoveled out of the transports by two soldiers on each aircraft. This indiscriminate way of attack leads to several bombs landing among German troops and the catch phrase "bombing by coal-shovels". These bombs start fires that cover the city in so much smoke that the Generals of the Army complain to Hitler about the problem created by the Luftwaffe. After hearing their complaints, Hitler turns to Richthofen and states, "Carry on!" Nothing more is said. The Luftwaffe attacks continue and by evening the city is in flames.

Casualties in the city are now estimated at 40,000 dead. Although military defenses are well prepared for the German ground attack, the civilian situation is so dire that it is clear the city cannot hold out much longer.

WESTERN FRONT: Guns of the French Maginot Line and German Westwall along the 80-mile front from Lauterbourg to Basle exchange fire for 24 hours.

Four Bf 109Ds from 4./JG 52 attack a French recon patrol and shoot down a French Potez 637, the claim for the kill being given to Staffelkapitän Heinz Schumann. Hptm. Lothar von Janson of JG 53 scores his first kill, another French Potez 637. Hptm. Douglas Pitcairn of 4./JG 53 scores his first kill. One of the most successful of all fighter pilots, Fw. Heinz Bär of 1./JG 51 begins his victory scoreboard with a French Hawk 75.

GERMANY: Bread and flour rationing is introduced. The distribution of food ration cards is completed.

Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 4 "for the Conduct of the War", concerning the final steps in Poland: secure the Demarcation Line with Russia, halt the flow of refugees west of the Line. No attacks on or over land are to be made in the West. Attacks on English and French merchant shipping are to be made. Franz Halder noted in his diary that he believed Adolf Hitler was ready to plan a war with France and Britain.

NORTH ATLANTIC: After a near miss in an air attack, German propaganda claims that the British aircraft carrier HMS "Ark Royal" has been sunk. This is the first of several such false claims during the coming months. The attack also marks the debut of the German Ju88 bomber.

In reality, HMS "Ark Royal" and battleship HMS "Nelson" this day rescue the submarine HMS "Spearfish" (damaged by German warships on 24 September off Horns Reef, Denmark and unable to dive) and escort her back to Rosyth, Scotland.

Off Stavanger, Norway, a German submarine sinks Swedish freighter "Silesia", carrying cargo to England.

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[Wurger]

On the 25th September 1939 the Luftwaffe was bombing Warsaw for 11 hours. Over 400 Nazi German planes took part in the air attack, dropping nearly 630 tons of incendiary and high explosive bombs. Almost 10000 people were killed and 35000 were wounded. The day has been named the Black Day or the Cast Monday

Bf 110 over Warsaw...

He-111 bombing Warsaw...

Smoke over Warsaw...

 

[Wurger]

The American correspondent Julien Bryan filming constriction of fortifications in Warsaw 1939. He was the brave foreigner who had the courage to stay in Warsaw during the siege and inform the USA about the horrifying slaughter of Poles by Nazi Germans.

forum.fotopolis.pl ? Zobacz w?tek - Julien Bryan

 

[parsifal]

25 September
Axis New Ships
DKM Aux SC UJ 1101, UJ 1102, UJ 113
IJN CL KASHIMA (Katori Class)

Allied New Ships
RAN Aux MSW DOOMBA
300586 | Australian War Memorial

C.1940. Aerial Port View Of The AUX MSW HMAS DOOMBA (EX HMS WEXFORD) alongside Port Melbourne pier. At that stage she was armed with a 4 inch gun on a bandstand forward. protective plating has been fitted to her bridge supersructure and a searchlight position placed amidships. NOTE also the 4 inch gun mounted on the defensively equipped merchant ship (dems) in the left background. on the right are the bows of the AMC HMS HECTOR, with two of her 6 inch guns prominent.
(NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION)
UBOATS

arrivals
:
None

departures

None

At Sea 25 September

U-4, U-7, U-12 , U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-21, U-24, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-31, U-32, U-33, U-34, U-35, U-36, U-53.
20 boats at sea.

U.36 sank Swedish merchant ship SILESIA (1839grt) 45 miles WNW of Egersund.

North Sea .

DDs BRAZEN and BOREAS attacked a submarine contact 10 miles east of Sunderland.

Sloop BITTERN attacked a submarine contact off Flamborough Head.

Sloop ENCHANTRESS attacked a submarine contact 20 miles SE of the Humber.

Western Atlantic

HXF.2 dep Halifax escorted by RCN DDs SAGUENAY and FRASER, before they detached on the 26th. The convoy reached Liverpool on 4 October. There, were no HXF.3, HXF.4, or HXF.5.

Baltic

Pol SS ZBIK interned at Sandhamn, Sweden.

Northern Patrol - .

CLA CALCUTTA temporarily attached to CruDiv 7 whilst on Northern Patrol.

British northern waters

CLs DIOMEDE and DRAGON arrive at Scapa .

Northwest Approaches

sloop KINGFISHER attacked a submarine contact 10 miles NE of St John's Point, Ireland.

English Channel

RN started laying a deep minefield between Folkestone and Cap Griz Nez to close the Straits to German submarine traffic. MLs ADVENTURE, PLOVER and aux MLs SHEPPERTON, HAMPTON laid 3636 mines and completed the field on 23 October.

HMS adventure in a later war camo scheme

HMS Plover

Only U.31 was able to pass successfully through the Dover Strait during the war, on the 11th/12th September. U.35 attempted to pass through at approximately the same time, but was forced to abandon the attempt and instead proceeded to her patrol area by the north-about route. U.12 was lost in the field on 8 October, U.40 on the 13th, and U.16 badly damaged and ultimately lost on the 24th.

DD JAGUAR completes working up at Portland, arrives at Grimsby on the 26th. She left there on the 28th and arrived at Rosyth the same day to join Humber Force.

CL CARADOC began repairing defects at Devonport, which were completed on 6 October.

UK-outbound convoys

OA.10 dep Southend with 42 ships, escort DDs ACASTA and ARDENT from the 23rd to 28th, when the convoy dispersed.

OB.10 dep Liverpool escorted by destroyers WINCHELSEA and WALPOLE until the 28th.

Central and South Atlantic –

SLF.2 dep Freetown without an escort on the 25th and arrived at Southend on 6 October.

DDs HYPERION and HUNTER of Desdiv4 sailed from Freetown on the 25th to an area SW of Ascension Island to intercept suspected German raiders. On the 28th, they joined CAs CUMBERLAND, which dep Rio on the 25th, and CL NEPTUNE from Freetown on the 26th, but no enemy shipping was found. CUMBERLAND and NEPTUNE headed for Freetown and arrived on 2 October. Following refuelling, CUMBERLAND departed on the 3rd to return to South America Station, arriving on the 9th.

BR Sunderland German Blockade runners Chemnitz and Amasis, Fr CL Duguay Trouin and SS Poncelet are sent to investigate

Pacific

CL HMNZS LEANDER dep Auckland and headed into the seas south of New Zealand for Auckland and Campbell Islands. She reached the area on the 28th and after carrying out an inspection, sailed for Wellington, arriving on 1 October. A second inspection of the area was conducted in November 1939. Suspected raider activity turned out to be a totally erroneous report

HMS Black Prince Aux ML, the same class as the Shepperton and Hampton

 

[parsifal]

26 September

UBOATS

arrivals

Wilhelmshaven, U-26 , U-29 , U-34. U.30 escorted by minesweeper M.7.

departures

Kiel: U-10

At Sea 26 September

U-4, U-7, U-10, U-12 , U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-21, U-24, U-28, U-30, U-31, U-32, U-33, U-35, U-36, U-53.
18 boats at sea.

OKM issues the following orders to the two surface raiders:
"1. Resume commerce warfare according operational orders by attacks in operational area. Previous special orders respecting France lifted. Proceed as against Britain.
2. SKL assumes Deutschland North Atlantic, Admiral Graf Spee South Atlantic. If correct do not signal but operate in intended operational area.
3. Report position and intentions on contact with enemy warships or if reported by merchant shipping"

Search and board rules still apply at this stage

Baltic

Kattegat/Skagerrak/Baltic – DKM DDs HANS LODY, FRIEDRICH IHN, ERICH STEINBRINCK and four torpedo boats of the TorpedoFlot 6 inspected 45 merchant ships in the Kattegat from the 26th to 28th.

DKM DDs WILHELM HEIDKAMP, BERND VON ARNIM, ERICH GIESE, DIETHER VON ROEDER, HANS LÜDEMANN, HERMANN KÜNNE, KARL GALSTER stopped 58 merchant ships in the Skagerrak from the 28th to 30th. Nine were sent to Kiel as prizes and ARNIM captured two Danish steamers with cargo bound for England. On the 30th, ROEDER, LÜDEMANN, KÜNNE, GALSTER proceeded to Swinemünde and HEIDKAMP, ARNIM, GIESE to Kiel.

Beginning on the 30th and continuing through 6 October, German DDs and TBs and inspected 72 merchant ships for contraband in the Skagerrak and Kattegat. They seized Swedish steamer ASPEN (1304grt) on the 30th, and Finnish steamer ORIENT (4160grt) and Latvian steamer IMANTA (1233grt) on 1 October for contraband violations. German DDs MAX SCHULTZ, BRUNO HEINEMANN, and PAUL JACOBI were detached from exercises in the Baltic to escort the prizes into port

North Sea .

convoy FS.11 departed Methil, and arrived at Southend on the 28th.

Convoy FN.11 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 28th.

CLA CAIRO dep Dover and arrived at Grimsby docks later the same day.

Carribbean

convoy KJ.2 dep Kingston escorted by CL ORION from the 26th to 29th and French SS SURCOUF from the 26th to 17 October. DeDs MALCOLM, VANOC, WARWICK, VANESSA joined the escort on the 15th. VANOC, WARWICK, VANESSA detached on the 17th, and MALCOLM on the 18th, when the convoy arrived.

British northern waters

German submarines were deployed off the Orkneys to intercept British naval units - U.10 from 26 September to 15 October, U.22 from 28 September to 16 October, U.23 from 2nd to 16th October, U.20 from the 1st to 17th, and U.18 from the 3rd to 16th. On 29 September, U.22 fired at a submarine east of Dogger Head, but the attack failed due to torpedo defect.

UK-France convoys .

BC.4 dep Quiberon Bay and arrived in Bristol Channel on the 28th.

BC.5F of steamer BEN MY CHREE departed Quiberon Bay with DDs ECLIPSE, ENCOUNTER, ESCAPADE, EXMOUTH and arrived safely in the Bristol Channel on the 27th.

Med/Biscay

Gibraltar
The first of the series, HG.1, dep Gib with 27 ships and local escort provided by DDs GRENVILLE, GIPSY, GRIFFIN, GRENADE. Pol DD BLYSKAWICA joined the escort from the 26th to 28th and CL COLOMBO from the 26th to 5 October.

After leaving convoy OG.1, DDs IMOGEN and ILEX were escorts from 3 October until the 4th, and ISIS and IMPERIAL, from the 3rd to 5th. DDs INTREPID and ECHO joined on the 5th until the 6th when the convoy and tankers ABBEYDALE and SERBOL arrived at Liverpool.

COLOMBO and IMPERIAL arrived at Devonport on the 5th and ECHO on the 6th.

Convoy HGF.1 dep Gibraltar with steamers SCYTHIA (19,761grt), ORFORD (20,043grt), MEMNON (7506grt), and ORCADES (23,456grt) and no escort. They arrived at Liverpool on 1 October.

Sloop FOWEY arrived at Alexandria from the East Indies

 

[Njaco]

September 26 1939 Tuesday
POLAND: Stukas begin pounding the last Polish garrison holding out at the fortress of Modlin, dropping 318 tons of bombs in two days.

A general assault on Warsaw began early this morning on all fronts surrounding the besieged city of Warsaw. The western part of the city is under attack by 5 German divisions (10th, 18th 19th, 31st, and 46th) while 4 divisions (11th, 32nd, 61st and 217th) are attacking the eastern part of the city. 70 field artillery batteries, 80 heavy artillery batteries plus I and IV Luftflotten pound Warsaw continuously. However, the German forces are repelled and retreat to the starting point. The German 8.Armee, under the command of the German Army Commander in Chief, von Brauchitsch, joins the attack on Warsaw. The massive artillery bombardment of Warsaw leaves the city center in flames. Poles recapture Mokotow Airport and in 6 hastily rebuilt aircraft fly out during the night.

NORTH ATLANTIC: The first major mission of the newly formed KG 30 is to attack the British Home Fleet consisting of the battleships HMS "Nelson" and HMS "Rodney", the battle cruisers HMS "Hood" and HMS "Renown" and the aircraft carrier HMS "Ark Royal". The fleet is sighted by three Do 18 flying boats north of the Great Fisher Bank. Nine Blackburn Skua fighters of 803 Naval Air Squadron are launched from the British carrier HMS "Ark Royal" to attack the three flying boats. One is shot down and makes a water landing then is sunk by the destroyer HMS "Somali". Three Skua aircraft were collectively credited with the first confirmed British kill in the war. Meanwhile the nine He 111s of the 'Lion' Geschwader, KG 26 and four Ju 88s, the full strength of the "Eagle' Geschwader, KG 30 bomb the HMS "Ark Royal" . The attack does little damage as the SC 500 bombs fail to detonate. Anti-aircraft fire forces four planes to jettison their bombs in the sea, but the fifth dives in to drop its 2000-pound bomb. The ship turns to avoid it, but smoke from the carrier's funnel leads the pilot to believe he scored a direct hit. Not long afterward a German reconnaissance flight was made but only two ships were spotted - not the "Ark Royal". Later German propaganda proclaims, "German Luftwaffe sinks Britain's latest aircraft carrier. And with a single bomb!"

WESTERN FRONT: In the Freiberg area, Lt. Martin Mund of 4./JG 52 shoots down a Bloch MB 131 of the French GR II / 55.

Oblt. Carl Vieck, the Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 2 is posted as Kommodore of JG 3 in place of Oblt. Max Ibel who is posted to a new unit forming in the next month. Werner Mölders was relieved of his duty as the commanding officer of 1./JG 53 as he was named the commanding officer of III./JG 53.

French artillery fires on the forward defenses of the German Siegfried Line.

UNITED KINGDOM: In the House of Commons, First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, claims that Britain is winning the U-boat war. He says that one tenth of the German submarine fleet was destroyed in the first two weeks of the war and that the losses are probably a quarter and perhaps a third by now.

GERMANY: Former German Army Commander-in-Chief Werner von Fritsch was buried in Berlin, Germany. Neither Adolf Hitler, nor Joachim von Ribbertrop, nor Heinrich Himmler attended the ceremonial state funeral.

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.

 

[Wurger]

On the 26th September the 27th Regiment of the Nowogródzka Cavalry Brigade attacked a German infantry battalion at Morańce village . It was the last charge of the Polish Cavalery during the September Campaign of 1939.

The Polish cavalryman with an armour-piercing gun UR.

On the same day the battle at Tomaszów Lubelski was ended. Actually there were two battles. The fist one was on 17-20 September. Polish losses - 929 killed, 1174 wounded and 36 tanks. German lost 870 killed soldiers and 720 injured.
On the 22nd September started the second battle ... the Polish losses - 1023 killed and 997 wounded. The German ones - 886 killed and 700 injured.

The Polish Vickers tanks gathered by Germans after the battle...

The Polish Vickers E light tank damaged near Trzciana village during the September Campaing 1939....

 

[parsifal]

27 September

UBOATS

arrivals

Wilhelmshaven: U-30

departures

Kiel: U-19(Fgtnkpitn Hans Mecke), U-22 (Ace Kptlt. Werner Winter (Knights Cross)*
Wilhelmshaven: U-3

At Sea 27 September

U-3, U-4, U-7, U-10, U-12 (+), U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-19, U-21, U-22, U-24, U-28, U-31, U-32, U-33, U-35, U-36, U-53.
20 boats at sea.

U.10 on patrol in the North Sea was ordered to carry out a reconnaissance of the Orkneys area.

U.36 sank Sd steamer ALGERIA (1617grt)

*Werner Winter began his naval career in April 1930. He served on the line ship Schlesien and then on the light cruiser Emden before transferring to the U-boat force in July 1935. At the outbreak of the war he commanded the U-22 he took command of this boat in October 1937, and during the fall of 1939 made two brief and unsuccessful patrols.

In November 1939 he was attached to the BdU Op staff. In July 1941 Winter took over command of U-103 from the famous ace Viktor Schütze and made three successful patrols, earning him the Knights Cross.

In July 1942 he took command of the Subflot 1 stationed in Brest. He was captured after the surrender of Brest in August 1944, returning home from Allied captivity in November 1947.

After the war he served in the Bundesmarine and retired as Kapitän zur See in March 1970.

North Sea .

DD VALOROUS and sloop HASTINGS were attacked by German bombers in the Firth of Forth, but neither were damaged.

CL GLASGOW and DD JERVIS dep Rosyth to investigate an enemy vessel report 220 miles ENE of Rosyth. They returned that evening without contact.

British northern waters

Northwest Approaches

DDs FURY and FORESTER on Fair Isle Channel Patrol were informed of a possible submarine in the south side of Fair Isle Channel.

DD FOXHOUND screened the attempted salvage of Norwegian steamer SARDINIA (1975grt) which had run aground off the Burness Peninsula, north of Kirkwall, Orkneys.

English Channel

CVL HERMES in refit at Devonport prior to transfer overseas.

UK-France convoys .

BC.6 of steamers ADJUTANT, BAHARISTAN, BARON MINTO, BELLEROPHON (Cdre), BIELA, CAIRNGORM, CUSTODIAN, DALEMOOR, DIPLOMAT, ENA DE LARRINGA, GOLDFINCH, HARMATTAN, JACINTH, SANDHILL, TRELAWNY, and TREVERBYN dep Bristol Channel escort DDs EXMOUTH, ESCAPADE, ENCOUNTER, ECLIPSE, and WESSEX. The convoy arrived in the Loire on the 29th. Escort was also provided by French Contre Torpilleur DDs INDOMPTABLE, TRIOMPHANT, MALIN on the 28th.

DB.8 of two personnel ships, escort DDs VANSITTART and VENOMOUS, dep Southampton, and arrived at Brest on the 28th.

Convoy MB.7 departed Southampton with seven cargo ships, escorted by destroyers ARROW and INTREPID and also arrived at Brest on the 28th.

UK-outbound convoys

OA.11 of 11 ships dep Southend. DDs KEMPENFELT and ECHO dep Devonport for escort, with ECHO returning 2 October.

OB.11 departed Liverpool escort DDs MACKAY and VIMY until the 30th.

Med/Biscay

Gibraltar - British cableship RETRIEVER, escort DD VELOX dep Gib to carry out undersea cable repairs.

Malta

DDs COSSACK, MAORI, ZULU, NUBIAN dep Malta escort for convoy Green 2.

Transport of Polish gold form the Levant

The gold being carried from Poland to prevent it falling into German hands arrived at Paris via Beirut and Toulon, sea transport provided by Fr Navy. Fr CL ÉMILE BERTIN and Contre Torpilleur DDs VAUBAN and ÉPERVIER dep Toulon 19th and arrive at Beirut 23rd, BERTIN embarked 57 tons of gold and the DDs 18 tons. The ships dep 24th, and arrived at Toulon on the 27th. The gold was sent on to Paris, arriving 24 October.

Emile Bertin at speed. I believe this to a post war photo, as she has only one anchor at the bow

Emile Bertin early and late war profiles. The ship had a reputation of exceptional speed, as were the Guepard class DDs

L'Epervier

Indian Ocean

CA CORNWALL arrived at Colombo, then dep on the 28th, arriving Calcutta on 1 October.

CL LIVERPOOL arrived at Bombay.

 

[Njaco]

27 September 1939 Wednesday
POLAND: Warsaw surrenders after two days of intensive air and artillery bombardment. The Germans renewed the barrage and ground attack this morning but again this is repelled by Polish military and civilian defenders. Over the past several weeks the Polish military has been locked in combat showing no signs of weakening. Polish General Czuma has managed to gather additional forces and war materiel that could prolong the battle for several weeks longer. While the Polish units may hold out indefinitely, the civilian population of Warsaw is in a state of desperation with water, food and medical supplies having run out. The siege has resulted in the deaths of some 2000 Polish soldiers and 10,000 civilians. A total of 40,000 people are believed to have been killed or injured. About one eighth of the buildings in the city have been destroyed. There is not sufficient water to even extinguish fires that are burning throughout the city caused by the constant bombardment. Hitler remarked to a journalist;

"That is how I can deal with any European city."

At 12.00, General Blaskowitz accepts the surrender of the Polish garrison and a cease fire agreement is signed in a railway car on the edge of Warsaw. Several Polish units dispersed throughout Warsaw, refused to put down their weapons and obey the ceasefire. Their commanding officers were visited by General Czuma and Rommel bearing news of surrender. German forces take about 150,000 prisoners. General von Blaskowitz, allows the Polish officers to keep their swords and promises that the troops will only go into captivity for as long as it takes to "...dispose of the necessary formalities." The terms of the capitulation provide for the immediate relief of the civilian population and the wounded. The Luftwaffe has lost 743 men and 285 aircraft, including 109 bombers and Stukas along with sixty-seven Bf 109s during the campaign. The last bombs of the Polish campaign are dropped at midnight by Stukas over Modlin.

GERMANY: Hitler tells his service chiefs that he plans to attack in the west as soon as possible and sets the date as November 12th. He has reached this decision entirely on his own. Army representative oppose the decision. Meanwhile, Hitler establishes the Reichssicherheitshauptamt [Reich Chief Security Office] (RSHA) under Reinhart Heydrich, who now heads the Gestapo, the Criminal Police (Kripo) and the Security Service (SD).

EASTERN FRONT: The Government of Bulgaria outlaws membership in Nazi-like organizations.

NORTH ATLANTIC: A German destroyer stops Swedish Johnson Line's motorship "Kronprincessen Margareta" just outside Swedish territorial waters, ordering the transfer of crew of eleven from the torpedoed British trawler "Caldes". A submarine torpedoes and sinks the Soviet steamer "Metallist" in Narva Bay, off the coast of Estonia.

WESTERN FRONT: For the first time, German guns of the Westwall fire over the Maginot line on villages behind French fortifications.

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[Njaco]

28 September 1939 Thursday

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Swedish steamship "Nyland" is torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea, off Kvitsoey, near Stavanger.

EASTERN FRONT: Talks between German foreign minister Ribbentrop and Stalin continue. Meanwhile, a Soviet-Estonian Pact is signed, giving the USSR the use of bases in Estonia. This pact is the first in a series designed to ensure Soviet control of the Baltic.

GERMANY: The crew and personnel of I./JG 52 are moved to Bonn-Hangelar airfield.

POLAND: The remaining Polish government in Warsaw capitulates. As Warsaw is subdued, one of the last centers of Polish resistance, the garrison of the massive Fortress at Modlin (under attack by the Germans since Sept 13 but bypassed in favor of besieging Warsaw) sees no point to continue fighting. The last Polish holdouts from the Battle of Bzura around the town of Kutno also surrender. The 10 Polish divisions have been encircled in the city of Modlin, and the area of Kutno, since September 10th. Under the command of Brig. General Emil Krukowicz Przedrzymirski, the army consisted of 2 infantry divisions and 2 cavalry brigades, as well as 28 infantry battalions, 37 cavalry squadrons, 180 artillery pieces, 12 anti-air artillery pieces, 1 armoured train and 28 planes.

During the Battle of Mlawa, the German 3.Armee pushed the Modlin Army back towards the Narew and Bug Rivers. Despite receiving reinforcements of Operational Group Wyszkow under General Wincenty Kowalski, it was insufficient to prevent from falling back. On September 10th, the Polish army abandoned it's position near Warsaw. Some of its' troops joined the Warszawa Army and took part in the final defense of Warsaw. Other units were pushed to the southeast near the Romanian bridgehead and took part in the Battle of Tomaszow Lubelski from September 21 to 26.

The Soviet occupation of Eastern Poland is almost complete. Approximately 9000 Polish troops, trapped between the Soviets and Germans, offer battle with the Red Army and rout the Soviets (Battle of Szack). In the aftermath, armored troops of the Soviet 4th Army under General Vassili Chuikov surprise the Polesie Brigade near the village of Mielnik. The Poles surrender but, in a sign of things to come, all the Polesie officers and NCOs (about 500) are then executed by the Red Army.

Vsevolod Merkulov sent his superiors in Moscow, Russia a report, noting his NKVD Operational Group No. 1 had arrested 923 Polish officers, policemen, land owners, Ukrainian nationalists, etc. in eastern Poland.

WESTERN FRONT: Guns of French Maginot Line and German Westwall exchange fire along the 15-mile sector from the Luxembourg border to Mondorf. German infantry and tanks launch an attack outside Saarbrucken. French artillery and machine gunners beat back the attack.

While the fighting in Poland slows, clashes with the Allies increase along the western borders. Lt. Josef Bürschgens scores JG 26's first victory of the war by shooting down a French Curtiss Hawk 75 of GC II / 5. The fighters of I./JG 1 get their first victory of the war when Fw. Klaus Faber shoots down a Blenheim on a reconnaissance mission over Osnabrück.

Uffz. Georg Pavenzinger of 2./JG 51, flying Bf 109E 'Red 9' W.Nr. 3326 becomes disoriented and makes an emergency landing at Geuterheim. Made a prisoner of war, Uffz. Pavenzinger's Messerschmitt becomes the first complete Bf 109E to fall into Allied hands.

After several days at Breslau-Schöngarten, Hptm. Johannes Janke's I./JG 77 leaves the airfield for new quarters at Oedheim.

UNITED KINGDOM: The British Admiralty declares that "no British ship has been damaged nor any casualties incurred from German aircraft." The statement is in response to German radio reports of recent successes against British warships in the North Sea.

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