World War II in real time

Day 275 of World War II, June 1st 1940

YouTube (Brexit at Dunkirk)



Western Front

Despite increased Luftwaffe attacks a total of 64,429 men are evacuated from Dunkirk. Overnight, British troops pulled out of the defensive line around Dunkirk and headed for the ships, leaving French troops to hold a reduced perimeter. The perimeter is drawn in, the British withdrawing from the Colme to the line Bergues, Uxem, Ghyrelde, Bass-Plaine. 47,081 Allied troops were evacuated from the harbor and 17,348 from the beaches. The Germans increase their efforts, breaking the defensive perimeter along the canals at Bergues and forcing retreats in other sectors as well.

Leading Seaman Ernest Frederick Eldred was on the destroyer HMS “Harvester” during the evacuation from Dunkirk. The crew members thought they were simply on patrol; then they saw the boats steaming across the Channel; “I suppose you would call it more of a holiday scene with every type of boat and craft, an endless line across the Channel; some being towed by larger boats. It was a fantastic sight.”

The Luftwaffe executes an all-out effort over Dunkirk. After day break, German bombing sank French destroyer “Le Foudroyant” (killing 19), British destroyers HMS “Basilisk”, HMS “Havant”, and HMS “Keith” (killing 36). British minesweeper HMS “Skipjack” was bombed after embarking 275 soldiers from the beach, taking down 19 crew and most of the boarded soldiers. British steamer “Scotia” was bombed and sunk, killing 32 crew and 200 to 300 soldiers. Sergeant George Benton, RAMC, was carrying wounded men on stretchers to a ship at the East Mole when a bomb blew a hole in the walkway. Unflinching, he calmly placed a stretcher over the gap and carried on with the evacuation of the wounded. Several of the Channel ferries and other ships, which form the backbone of the evacuation fleet are also damaged. The RAF sends eight large patrols to give cover but most of the damage is done in the intervals between them. HMS “Mosquito”, a Yangtse river gunboat is overwhelmed by air attacks and sinks in the English Channel off Dunkirk. Her surviving crew are picked up by drifters.

Radio News Report Edward R. Murrow on Dunkirk



British Expeditionary Force

The withdrawal of II Corps for evacuation left few British troops for the defence of the bridgehead sector for which they were responsible. Though the reduction of the front was of advantage to the Army, it made the Navy's task more difficult, for it allowed the enemy to move his artillery to positions from which the harbour, the beaches, and the sea approaches could all be covered by fire from the east.

On the morning of June the 1st about 39,000 of the British Expeditionary Force remained in the contracted British sector. The French held a reduced sector to the west, their forces joining up with the British on the Bergues Canal. From there the British held the southern face of the bridgehead while the east face, following the French frontier to the sea, was now held by the French 12th Div with the British 50th Div in support. Other Fr troops were in position on the intermediate line behind the British defence of the Bergues–Furnes Canal. There were on this date about 50,000 French troops in defensive positions. In addition 80,000 had been assembled for evacuation in the dunes, of whom 30,000 had already sailed. It has been calculated since that there were also about 20,000 in detached small groups not included in the French reckoning. Many of these were deserters or simply men detached from their parent formations.

After Lord Gort had handed over command on the previous day Gen Alexander had conferred with Admiral Abrial. The latter thought it possible to contact the bridgehead still further and to hold a front (on the east of Dunkirk) running roughly from Bergues, through Uxem and Ghyvelde to Basse Plaine and from there by the French frontier to the sea—which was called "the intermediate line".

Gen Alexander thought that this proposal was impracticable. The danger of the naval and military situation was increasing hourly; in his view if the bridgehead were thus further contracted the line held would be so near to Dunkirk and the beaches that the enemy's close-range artillery-fire would make continued evacuation impossible. On the other hand he thought that the British rearguard

could hold their present position for another 24 hrs (but no more) and he proposed that the evacuation of all remaining troops should therefore be completed in the coming night of 1st/2nd June. Admiral Abrial reported these opposed views to Gen Weygand, . This disagreement caused Gen Alexander to seek instructions from the British Secretary of State for War. The latter replied 'You should withdraw your forces as rapidly as possible a 50–50 basis with the French Army, aiming at completion by night of 1st/2nd June. You should inform French of this definite instruction.'.

When shown this message Admiral Abrial had no choice bu to agree. In consequence, the existing British front was ordered to hould be held till midnight of the 1st and that the troops should then be withdrawn to the beaches under cover of darkness. In the meantime while French evacuation would also continue French troops would man the intermediate position which he had named (Uxem–Ghyvelde–Basse Plaine) through which the British could retire, leaving only AA and AT guns and any troops who could not be get away. Gen Alexander's view that the intermediate line could not be held was based on his knowledge that few British troops were left to hold it and on his ignorance of the number of French troops still available for defence. In the even, as will be seen, French troops fought for about 2 days and held off the German attacks while about 15,000 British and some 70,000 French troops were evacuated to England. Gen Alexander, therefore, underestimated the time for which the immediate position could be held, but he delayed the enemy's attack on that line by holding the forward position on the Bergues–Furnes Canal for 24 hours after Admiral Abrial had proposed its abandonment.

The British troops had bitter fighting during this, their final day on the canal. Shelling and mortaring continued without pause and all units had heavy casualties. The enemy's main attacks were at Bergues and Hoymille on the sector held by the 46th Div; and on the 1st Div front in the sectors held by the 1st East Lancashire, and 2nd Coldstream Gds, and the 1st Duke of Wellington's regt. At Hoymille the attack penetrated the front held by a coy of the 2nd Warwickshire and, by bde orders, the 1st Loyals on their right withdrew from Bergues itself to the canal on the northern outskirts of the town. From there in the afternoon the counter-attacked the enemy who had crossed the canal in the Warwickshire position. The ground was waterlogged through flooding and only slow movement was possible. Enemy MG fire was severe. The country-attack failed and the cos were back on their start-line by 1700. But the CO of the Loyals was not satisfied. He ordered a further attack 'with more vigorous action'. At 1730 the cos advanced again and this time they drove back the enemy and re-established the line on the canal bank.

Further east the 1st East Lancashire Regt could not prevent some of the enemy from crossing the canal, but they were stopped from making progress till the East Lancashire had retired to the Canal des Chats. Capt H. M. Ervine-Andrews of the East Lancashire Regt was awarded the VC for his action on this occasion. The Coldstream were not attacked, and held the original front on the canal with both flanks refused, i.e. drawn back. For on their right the 5th Border Regt were also withdrawn to the Canal des Chats and on their left the 1st Duke of Wellington's Regt were forced to fall back behind the nearby dyke as a result of heavy fighting. So the day passed, and after dark the British troops were all withdrawn behind the intermediate line held by the French. By the morning of 2 June they were all on the coast ready for evacuation.

For the RN, and the Marine Nationale, June 1 was a hard day, but was undertaken with grim determination. The LW concentrated both air fleets on the destruction of the evacuating ships, and despite the best efforts of FC, there were gaps in the air defences. LW losses were heavy, as were those of the RAF, but the heaviest losses were reserved for the small ships ferrying to the larger ones.

It was a gruelling ordeal for the forces afloat, yet the work went on without pause, and on June the 1st 64,429 men were landed in England, 47,081 from the harbour, 17,348 from the shore. In spite of all the enemy could do it was the second largest number transported on a single day during the whole operation.

Photo: Aerial view of burned out trucks at Calais, France



Air War over Europe

The RAF is occupied over Dunkirk. It launches 8 large aerial patrols which provide excellent cover, but the Luftwaffe has success in between them. It also sends 56 planes in ground attacks against the encroaching German ground forces during the day, and 16 against them during the night.

The Luftwaffe is not just active over the evacuation area, but also is implementing a strategic bombing effort against France. German planes bomb the Lyons-Marseilles railway line that is the main north-south route, and also sink the 20,000 ton British passenger liner Orford in Marseilles. Cities all along the Rhône valley are raided, along with Marseilles and Lyon. Altogether, 46 people perish and over 100 are injured.

The RAF also launches raids against Dutch harbours being used by German surface raiders.

During the night, the RAF sends 65 bombers against targets in Germany.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-58 (Kapitänleutnant Herbert Kuppisch) torpedoes and sinks 8,401 boom defense vessel HMS Astronomer 30 miles southeast of Wick, Scotland. There are 101 survivors, picked up by nearby trawlers, and 4 crew perish.

U-37 (Kapitänleutnant Victor Oehrn) torpedoes and sinks 950 ton Greek freighter Ioanna 120 miles west of Cape Finisterre, Spain. Everybody survives, making land at Vigo, Spain.

At Dunkirk, the Allies lose French destroyer Foudroyant (19 killed) and British destroyers HMS Keith (36 killed), Basilisk (9 killed) and Havant (8 killed). British destroyers HMS Ivanhoe, Venomous, Vimy, Vivacious, and Whitehall and sloops Bideford and Kingfisher are damaged. Minesweeper HMS Skipjack (full of troops, most drown, nobody knows how many), gunboat HMS Mosquito, and transport Scotia (200-300 troops and all 32 crew killed) also are sunk, while smaller British ships (Brighton Queen) and various other smaller vessels go down, both from the Luftwaffe attacks and German S-boats (fast boats) operating out of Dutch harbors.

Convoy OA 159 departs from Southend, Convoy OB 159 departs from Liverpool.

U-101 (Kapitänleutnant Harro von Klot-Heydenfeldt) becomes operational.

Norway

A week after deciding to withdraw from Norway, the Allies announce the evacuation of all troops. British troops at Narvik, began evacuating to reinforce Britain itself from a potential invasion. The British and French tell the Norwegians that they are about to begin their evacuation but have delayed giving this information on the grounds of security. By doing so they have encouraged the Norwegians to openly resist the Germans, which can only be costly when the Allies leave. British ambassador to Norway Sir Cecil Dormer informed Norwegian King Haakon VII of the news and recommended the royal family and the government to evacuate as well. Both carriers and their escort continue their passage to Norway. US freighter “Charles R. McCormick” departed Bergen, Norway for the United States.

Photo: British troops talking to French and Polish (Independent Podhalan Rifles Brigade) soldiers around a French Hotchkiss H39 tanks in Steinsland, Norway.



Anglo/Italian Relations

The Italians break off negotiations for a new contraband agreement.

German Military

General Guderian, who has been leading XIX Corps with great success since the beginning of the war, receives the honor of his own Panzer Group - Panzer Group Guderian.

Soviet Military

General Zhukov, having returned from the Far East, where he led the successful defense at Khalkin Gol, takes command of the Kiev Special Military District.

British Military

General Ironside, in charge of the Home Forces, considers a proposal by General Wingate to form "special night squads" for operations against German sabotage within England.

US Military

The Navy concludes a Minor Landing and Base Defense Exercise on San Clemente Island.

US Government

Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles responds to Ambassador Wilson in Uruguay that the government will see "if some way can be found by which at least three or four heavy cruisers and a reasonable number of destroyers can be kept on the East Coast [of South America] this summer." Heavy cruiser Quincy (CA 39) already is en route to Rio de Janeiro and then Montevideo, and Welles tells ambassador to Brazil Jefferson Caffery that this is "to furnish a reminder of the strength and the range of action of the armed forces of the United States."

British Government

Sir Samuel arrives in Madrid to take up his post as ambassador to Spain.

Kenya

Gold Coast 4th Infantry Brigade arrives by sea.

China

At the Battle of Tsaoyang-Ichang, the Japanese 11th Army captures Hsiangyang.

Day 277 of World War II, June 3rd 1940

Western Front

The last group of British troops at Dunkirk, France were evacuated before the break of dawn. General Harold Alexander commanding British 1st Infantry Division uses a small boat to check no-one is left behind. At 1050 hours, Royal Navy "Beachmaster" Captain William “Dunkirk Joe” Tennant signals;

"Operation completed; returning to Dover”

After calling on a megaphone for any British soldiers, but Churchill insists on evacuating as many French troops as possible, so the Royal Navy returns in the evening. During the day, the British Admiralty acknowledged that 222 British naval vessels and 665 other craft were employed for the Dunkirk evacuation; 6 destroyers, 24 small armed vessels, and 226 other ships were lost. British ships returned to Dunkirk after night fall. The last day of Operation Dynamo sees the RAF carry out 171 reconnaissance, 651 bombing and 2,739 fighter sorties. During the previous nine days, the RAF has lost 177 aircraft, including 106 fighters and the attrition is such that the first-line strength of Fighter Command stands at 331 Hurricanes and Spitfires with only 36 fighters in reserve. However, the shrinking beachhead and crumbling perimeter allow German forces within 2 miles of Dunkirk.

British Expeditionary Force evacuation

There have been claims made postwar that the French had intended to hold the port Tobruk style as a possible breakout point to retake Northern France. This is inconsistent with the contemporary orders issued by Weygand at the time, who wanted as many French troops evacuated as possible, and that most of the senior French commanders were already gone by dawn 4 June. About 48000 French defenders were left behind as the final rearguard at completion of DYNAMO.

Precise losses just for the Dunkirk evacuation are not known, but to 22 June 1940, when the last British forces left France, The BEF is recorded as having lost 68,000 soldiers (dead, wounded, missing, or captured) from 10 May until the surrender of France on 22 June. 3,500 British were killed and 13,053 wounded, the remainder taken prisoner. All the heavy equipment had to be abandoned. Left behind in France were 2,472 guns, 20,000 motorcycles, and almost 65,000 other vehicles; also abandoned were 416,000 short tons of stores, including more than 75,000 short tons of ammunition and 162,000 short tons of fuel. Almost all of the 445 British tanks that had been sent to France with the BEF were abandoned.

Battle of the Atlantic

The British Admiralty issues a summary communiqué on Operation Dynamo, which is winding down rapidly. It states that the Royal Navy committed 222 naval vessels and 665 smaller boats. The Royal Navy admits to 24 losses of warships.

U-37 (Kapitänleutnant Victor Oehrn) sinks 2,317 ton Finnish freighter Snabb about 300 miles off Cape Finisterre at 04:56. There are 20 survivors and 1 crew perishes.

Convoy OA 161G departs from Southend, Convoy OB 161 departs from Liverpool.

Air War over Europe

The Luftwaffe launches Operation Paula. This is the planned destruction of the Armée de l'Air (ALA), or French Air Force. The objectives include eliminating French airfields and aircraft factories. The operation has been postponed since 30 May due to poor flying weather. The Germans use both Luftflotte (Air Fleet) 2 and Luftflotte 3. The French have warning from intercepted Enigma transmissions.

The Germans use 640 bombers and 460 fighters in three waves. They attack 28 railways and marshalling yards, 22 train stations and 15 factories, causing slight damage. The Luftwaffe loses 4 bombers and a total of 10 aircraft, while the French lose 20 aircraft on the ground and 15 in combat. Josef Kammhuber, Geschwaderkommodore of KG 51, is shot down and taken prisoner and replaced by Johann-Volkmar Fisser, Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of KG 77. The Luftwaffe generally has air superiority despite causing little lasting damage on the ground. There are 54 French killed in the Paris suburbs.

Battle for Norway

The Allies know that their position at Narvik is untenable in the long run. They now prepare to evacuate their troops there pursuant to Operation Alphabet. French, Polish and Norwegian troops continue to harass General Dietl's mountain troops near the Swedish border - he has no idea how close he is to relief and is seriously considering crossing the Swedish border to be interned.

Anglo/US Relations

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill requests war supplies from President Roosevelt to replace the vast equipment stocks lost at Dunkirk. Roosevelt immediately sets in motion plans to send rifles, machine guns, field guns and ammunition.

French/US Relations

French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud requests that the US sends aircraft to help with the defense of France.

British Military

Air Marshal Dowding calculates that the RAF will run out of Hurricane fighters - the backbone of British air defense - within two weeks if the rate of losses continues. Of course, that high loss rate covers the Dunkirk evacuation, when the RAF has suffered huge losses (and inflicted the same or worse, of course).

France

Pierre Fournier, President of the Bank of France, oversees continued evacuation of French gold in cooperation with US Ambassador William Bullitt. French armed merchant cruiser Ville D'Oran is loaded with 212 tons of French gold from the reserves at Pauillac and sets off for Casablanca.

China

The Battle of Tsaoyang-Ichang continues, with the Japanese 11th Army capturing Nanchang and Yicheng.

Day 279 of World War II, June 5th 1940

Western Front

French General Beaufrére surrenders the remaining French troops defending Dunkirk.

At 0500 hours, Germany begins the second phase of the conquest of France (“Fall Rot”), attacking South across the Somme and Aisne rivers with 130 divisions plus 10 Panzer divisions re-equipped with fresh tanks and advancing towards the rear of French forces deployed between Abbeville and the Maginot Line. The German Army with its German panzer divisions advances from Rethel on the Aisne to the Swiss frontier, south from the Somme bridgeheads, and between Amiens and the sea. German Heeresgruppe B (50 divisions) attacks on the Somme while Heeresgruppen A and C are in state of readiness. France has lost 30 of its best divisions (and the BEF) along with most of its vehicles and armor. French CiC General Weygand has only 66 divisions, including 17 in the fortified Maginot Line defenses, to hold a front longer than before the invasion. He organizes a series of strongpoints bristling with artillery and anti-tank guns (the “Weygand Line”) in woods and villages along the Somme and Aisne rivers joining the Maginot Line at Montmédy. These ‘hedgehogs’ confuse the Germans and hold their initial advance to 10km. By nightfall Rommel's 7.Panzerdivison is 13 km south of Somme. To reinforce Weygand, Churchill sends Canadian 1st Infantry Division to France, joining parts of British 1st Armoured Division and 51st Highland Division which avoided encirclement at Dunkirk. The Allies also transport French troops recently evacuated from Dunkirk back into France via ports still under French control.

Map:  the German advance to the Seine River form 4 June to 12 June 1940



In its supporting attacks on Paris, the Luftwaffe lose thirty aircraft as opposed to twenty-four French fighters. At around 1700 hours about forty Bf 109s bounce a mixed formation of Dewoitine D.520s of GC I/3 and II/7 over Compiegnes. After two French planes are shot down, the French pilots turn into the German force and Hptm. Werner Mölders, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53 is again shot down – this time by French pilot René Pomier-Layrargues near Compiègne, France - bales out and is taken prisoner. Hptm. Mölders had shot down a Bloch 152 and a Potez 63 earlier in the day, his twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth kills. III./JG 53’s totals for the day are four kills for the Gruppe.

Supporting the new offensive, the fighters of I./JG 1 claim eleven Allied aircraft destroyed during the day's battle for the loss of Uffz. Arthur Tismer who is captured after bailing out of his damaged aircraft. Four victories are credited to Hptm. Wilhelm Balthasar and three to Lt. Ludwig Franzisket. Heinkel He 111 bombers from II./KG 55 attack the airfield at Nevers / Sermoise southeast of Bourges, France.

After staying at the airfield at Le Touquet for a day, the crew of the Stab./JG 26 and II./JG 26 move again to the airfield at Bois Jean while I./JG 26 moves to Hesdin from Etaples.

French Premier Paul Reynaud appoints Charles de Gaulle to Undersecretary of State for War in France, and promotes him to provisional Brigadier General. Ex-Prime Minister Daladier leaves Government (at the insistence of Petain and of Reynaud's domineering mistress, Countess de Portes).

Air War over Europe

The Luftwaffe sends 30 bombers against the southeast British coast, causing minor damage. This is sort of an "armed reconnaissance," as the Luftwaffe has little experience attacking southern England.

The RAF retaliates by bombing railways and oil storage facilities in the Rhineland and nearby points during the night. Oil tanks are set ablaze in Frankfurt and Mannheim.

The RAF Bomber Command also sends 23 aircraft against the German troops advancing across the Somme.

Hauptmann Werner Mölders, on his 133rd combat mission of the war, and in aerial combat for the 32nd time, is shot down near Compiègne at about 18:40 by Sous lieutenant René Pomier Layrargues, flying a French Air Force Dewoitine D.520. Mölders survives, though he is roughed up by his captors. Leyrargues is shot down 30 minutes later and killed. Mölders is the first German ace with 25 aerial victories to his credit and is the Gruppenkommandeur of III/JG 53.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-48 (Korvettenkapitän Hans Rudolf Rösing) sinks 798 ton British freighter Stancor about 80 miles northwest of the Butt of Lewis, Scotland at 23:18. All 19 aboard survive.

Swedish freighter Skandia hits a mine and sinks. The mine was laid by British submarine HMS Seal.

British ship Capable hits a mine in the English Channel and sinks.

German minesweeper M-11 hits a mine laid by British submarine HMS Narwhal and sinks.

Convoy OA 162 departs from Southend, Convoy OB 162 departs from Liverpool, Convoy OG 32 forms at Gibraltar, Convoy HX 48 departs from Halifax.

Battle for Norway

Operation Alphabet continues, with more British soldiers taken off from Narvik. About 5,100 soldiers are taken off from Harstad.

The Norwegian army knows that the Allies are leaving, but launches one last attack on General Dietl's mountain troops clinging to Norwegian territory east of Narvik.

French Government

Prime Minister Paul Reynaud removes former Prime Minister Daladier from the government, assuming his responsibility for Foreign Affairs himself. General de Gaulle, who has had little military success but at least represents an aggressive spirit, is named Under-Secretary of Defense.

Daladier has shown shaky judgment, but more importantly he has alienated such important figures in the government as General Petain and Reynaud's mistress, Countess de Portes.

Reynaud phones Roosevelt and requests assistance.

German Homefront

Hitler broadcasts a patriotic appeal on the beginning of the invasion of France proper:

"[F]rom today throughout the whole of Germany the flags shall be flown for a period of eight days. This is to be a salute for our soldiers. I further order the ringing of bells for a period of three days. Their sound may unite with the prayers with which the German nation will once again accompany her sons from this day forward."

China

At the Battle of Tsaoyang-Ichang, the see-saw battle continues, as the Japanese 11th Army captures Shayang.

Japanese air raids on Chungking kill 1500 civilians.

British Homefront

Strikes are forbidden, which affects mainly coal-miners in the north. Farmers must maintain their farms. Workers are discouraged from taking holidays.

Prime Minister Churchill's "We shall never surrender" speech of 4 June resonates, although the message may have been slightly different than what Churchill intended. The Guardian notes that the "House of Commons is still trying to adjust to one of the gravest speeches ever made to it." Overall, though, the speech, perhaps the finest and most memorable of the 20th Century, resonates among all sectors of the populace.

As the BEF troops rescued from Dunkirk filter back into England, there are many joyous reunions as soldiers return to their families and loved ones who have had no information from them in weeks. Of course, there also is some sad news, but almost all of the British men have returned.

French Homefront

"The Exodus" continues and gains strength, as the peoples of northern France flee for safety on roads already clogged with refugees.

Day 281 of World War II, June 7th 1940

Western Front

Rommel’s 7.Panzerdivision and 5.Panzerdivision continue their drive down the Channel coast towards Rouen. Rommel advances 30 miles to Forges-Ies-Eaux, north of Rouen. In their advance on the coastal region the Germans take Montdidier, Noyon and Fores-les-Eaux. They are now only 20 miles from the Seine at Rouen. Further East, General Kleist’s Panzers meet stiff resistance and make no progress between Amiens and Péronne.

Hitler already is sensing an impending victory in France, he moves to the Wolfsschlucht headquarters in Bruly-le-Peche in order to be seen as leading his troops to victory.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-48 (Korvettenkapitän Hans Rudolf Rösing) torpedoes and sinks 4,212 ton British freighter Frances Massey about 15 miles off Tory Island northwest of Ireland. Only one man of the 35-man crew survives when found by destroyer HMS Volunteer.

U-48 then torpedoes 5,888 ton British freighter Eros in the same location. All 62 crew survive when picked up by a trawler, but the freighter remains afloat.

Admiral Marschall, commanding the flotilla led by HMS Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, stops to refuel despite being informed by Luftwaffe reconnaissance planes of some nearby "supply ships" (which actually are troopships carrying RAF soldiers home from Norway) that would be easy targets. This keeps his flotilla from coming to British attention, a factor which will prove decisive for coming operations. Marschall is after bigger game.

Convoy OA 163GF departs from Southend.

Battle for Norway

Evacuation of Narvik. More British troopships (Group II) arrive and embark 5200 troops overnight. Slow container ships with supplies and equipment leave Narvik. Group I troopships (that departed yesterday with 15,000 troops on board) are spotted by German reconnaissance planes but mistaken for empty supply ships returning to England, probably due to the single escort vessel HMS “Vindictive”. Three He 111s of 1(F)./122 found the evacuation fleet and called down raids by various Luftwaffe units. Admiral Marschall’s German flotilla does not attack the convoy, instead refueling the destroyers and cruiser “Admiral Hipper”.

Off Narvik, RAF pilots, untrained in aircraft carrier landings, safely land 10 Gloster Gladiators and 8 Hawker Hurricanes on aircraft carrier HMS “Glorious” (the remaining fighters of RAF No.46 and 263 Squadrons). The Hurricane aircraft of No 46 Squadron had never been flown onto an aircraft carrier and did not have the arrester hooks that were considered necessary to land such a fast aircraft on a carrier (they had been loaded onto the carrier, not flown, for the trip out to Norway). Therefore the orders were for these aircraft to be destroyed before the Squadron’s personnel returned. Squadron Leader Cross was having none of it. His entire Squadron volunteered to land their Hurricanes on HMS “Glorious” in order to get them away, in a maneuver that had never been attempted before with this aircraft. None of the pilots had any experience of carrier landings. Using sandbags in their tail planes to give them extra weight, landings were successfully achieved by the entire Squadron. RAF No. 46 Squadron had 14 kills to their credit during the 10 days they were in Norway.

At 2000 hours, Norwegian King Haakon VII, his son Crown Prince Olav and members of the Norwegian government leave Tromsø (in the far North of Norway) for exile in England on British cruiser HMS “Devonshire”.

Ireland

The government declares a state of emergency due to the situation in France.

British Military

Captain B. A. W. Warburton-Lee of the First Battle of Narvik (10 April 1940) is posthumously awarded the first V.C. awarded during the way.

US Military

US Ambassador to the Court of St. James Joseph Kennedy informs President Roosevelt that defeat in France is only a matter of time: "They have nothing to fight with but courage."

President Roosevelt decides to send 50 US warplanes to France via Canada. Neutrality law states that they cannot be flown across the Canadian border - which technically is part of Great Britain; thus, the Army has to be clever. The USAAC instead flies the planes into Houlton Army Air Base, which is on the Canadian border with New Brunswick. Then, the Army has them towed from the Houlton, Maine base into Canada by local farmers, where they can take off - legally.

German Homefront

Pursuant to Hitler's edict, church bells are ringing throughout Germany. Unlike during World War I, however, there is not much public enthusiasm about the Wehrmacht's victories. US journalist in Berlin William Shirer reports that "Church bells ring and flags are out today to celebrate victory in Belgium, but no real elation here."

The government institutes a smoking ban for female students at German universities, noting: "Your cigarettes should go to the army; also, science has proven smoking bad for women."

British Homefront

Hitler's successes begin to take hold in the popular imagination of the Allied countries. Pollsters report that people are fascinated with him as a sort of Crusading Dark Angel who always does what he threatens. The UK Ministry of Information endeavours to punch a hole in Hitler's image.

Day 282 of World War II, June 8th 1940

YouTube (Will Britain Remain?!)



Western Front

5. and 7.Panzerdivisionen cross River Seine and 5.Panzerdivision captures Rouen. Further East, Kleist’s 14.Panzerkorp breaks through at Amiens but 16.Panzerkorp is still held at Péronne by French 7th Army, showing the true fighting character of the French troops and the effectiveness of the hedgehogs.

Over the front lines, a schwarm of Bf 109s from 7./JG 26 are bounced by British Hurricanes. Lt. Mietusch of 7./JG 26 is shot down in his Bf 109E by one of the Hurricanes near Neufchatel and force lands behind French lines without injuries. But as he is about to make good his escape, he is shot in the buttocks by a French civilian. Lt. Mietusch becomes a POW of the French. A future Experte of JG 26, Lt. Josef ‘Pips’ Priller of 6./JG 51, shoots down two RAF Blenheims.

But the French aren’t succumbing so easily to the German invasion and the Luftwaffe. Capt. Wuillame of the French GC I/2 flies his MS 406 to effect and destroys three Bf 109s in fifteen seconds.

Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 14, to deal with strong resistance north of Paris.

Battle of the Atlantic

Operation Juno meets Evacuation of Narvik. At 0300 hours, aircraft carrier HMS “Glorious” sails for Scapa Flow with destroyers HMS “Ardent” and HMS “Acasta” (these vessels are not needed to escort troop transports). Captain Guy D’Oyly Hughes failed to launch scouting aircraft as the carrier sailed for Britain, thus was caught unprepared when the convoy runs into German battleships “Scharnhorst” and “Gneisenau”, 170 miles off the Norwegian coast. At 1630 hours, “Scharnhorst” and “Gneisenau” open fire from 24km, one of the longest hits ever recorded. “Glorious” is hit with several 11 inch shells, preventing aircraft taking off. “Ardent” and “Acasta” lay smoke and close on the German battleships firing 120 mm guns and torpedoes but both are hit. “Acasta” hits “Scharnhorst” with 1 torpedo (50 dead). “Ardent” sinks at 1720 hours (151 lives lost, 2 survivors). “Glorious” sinks at 1910 hours (1162 sailors and 59 RAF personnel killed, 42 survivors). “Acasta” sinks at 1920 hours (161 dead, 2 survivors). Admiral Wilhelm Marschall, aboard his flagship “Gneisenau” orders his flag lowered to half mast to honor the crews of the British destroyers. But Admiral Marschall is dismissed for putting “Scharnhorst” at risk and failing to carry out planned attack on Harstad.

German cruiser “Admiral Hipper” sinks British tanker “Oil Pioneer” and escorting armed trawler HMS “Juniper” (20 lives lost, “Hipper” picks up 29 survivors). Later, “Hipper” sinks empty British troopship “Orama” (19 lives lost, 280 rescued by German destroyers) but spares hospital ship “Atlantis”. “Atlantis” obeys the rules of war and does not attempt to radio any signals; “Hipper” does not sink her.

Photo: Scharnhorst opening fire on HMS Glorious.



Drawing: HMS Glorious sinking



British freighter Hardingham hits a mine and sinks in the English Channel.

Italian warships lay more mines in the Mediterranean.

Convoy HG 33 departs from Gibraltar, Convoy SL 35 departs from Freetown.

Air War over Europe

The air over the front is full of swirling planes. Captain Wuillame of Groupe de Chasse (Fighter Group) I/2 is flying a Morane-Saulnier MS406. He claims three Bf 109E fighters in only 15 seconds over the Somme sector. Despite this victory, the lack of adequate French air cover is becoming a major problem for the Allied ground forces.

French bombers attack factories near Berlin before dawn.

German Military

German casualties are hitting 5,000/day., much higher than in previous campaigns - but France is the Big Enchilada.

Battle for Norway

Evacuation of Narvik. French and Polish troops, pursuing General Dietl’s forces towards Sweden, pull out overnight and return to Narvik leaving dummies to fool the Germans. Group II troopships embark the final 4600 Allied troops (British, French and Polish) and depart Narvik, escorted by aircraft carrier HMS “Ark Royal”, cruisers HMS “Southampton” and HMS “Coventry” and 11 destroyers. The convoy is spotted by German reconnaissance planes and bombed continuously until out of range but without damage. Germans quickly assess the withdrawal and retake Narvik.

Anglo/French Relations

Prime Minister Reynaud sends his deputy General Charles de Gaulle to England to confer with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Australian Government

Sir Keith Murdoch, a newspaper magnate, becomes Australian Minister of Information.

Science

Edwin M. McMillan and Philip H. Abelson at the University of California at Berkeley announce the discovery of element 93, neptunium (symbol Np), a decay product of uranium-239.

League of Nations

Increasingly irrelevant in a world at war, the League of Nations lays off 75% of its staff.

French Homefront

The rumble of distant gunfire becomes noticeable in Paris, though the government reassures the populace that is is just nearby anti-aircraft artillery.

British Homefront

The US State Department issues an advisory for US citizens in England and Ireland to depart next week on the liner Washington in order to avoid a possible Nazi invasion.

There is a media blackout in the UK. George Orwell writes, "In the midst of a fearful battle, one has the impression there's no news." There is indeed news, but none of it is good for the Allies.