lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 18, 2019 9:43:36 GMT
Won't let me post below the insert so having to put comments up here? Not sure why. A number of gold movements, albeit two out of the three being unsuccessful.
Today shows how costly things could be for neutral ships as well as belligerents.  I think the word English is redundant here as the official title was the King's African Rifles
Day 292 of World War II, June 18th 1940
Western Front
In Brest, with 5.Panzerdivision only a few hours away, French cruisers “El Djezair”, “El Kantara”, “El Mansour”, “Ville d'Oran”, and “Ville d'Alger” departed 1,200 tons of French gold for Casablanca, French Morocco while the cruiser “Victor-Schoelcher” transported 198 tons of Belgian gold (originally held in French banks) from Lorient to the port of Dakar in French West Africa. The French gold would arrive in Casablanca on 21 Jun 1940, but the Belgian gold would be captured by the Germans (much to the chagrin of the Belgians who sue the Banque de France in 1941, demanding in return French gold being held in the USA). Battle of the Atlantic
U-28 (Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke) torpedoes and sinks 2,417 ton Finnish freighter Sarmatia in the eastern Atlantic. All 23 on board survive.U-32 (Oberleutnant zur See Hans Jenisch) torpedoes and sinks 1,522 ton Norwegian freighter Altair south of Ireland. All 18 on board survive. U-32 then sinks 108 ton Spanish fishing trawler Nuevo Ons with gunfire. There are seven survivors, and six perish.
U-32 also sinks 108 ton Spanish fishing trawler Sálvora with gunfire. All 12 on board survive.
Battle of the Pacific
13,415 ton liner RMS Niagara (Captain William Martin) hits a mine and sinks off Auckland, New Zealand. Niagara is carrying £ 2.25 Millions of gold from the Bank of England bound for the United States in payment for munitions. The wreck settles at 121 meters of water. Immediately, thoughts turn to salvage of the gold, but the ship is at the outer limits of salvage operations. Italian Somaliland
The English King's African Rifles raid the Italian port of El Uach. You would assume that flying the Spanish flag would have kept you safe. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jun 18, 2019 9:47:20 GMT
Won't let me post below the insert so having to put comments up here? Not sure why. A number of gold movements, albeit two out of the three being unsuccessful.
Today shows how costly things could be for neutral ships as well as belligerents. I think the word English is redundant here as the official title was the King's African Rifles
You would assume that flying the Spanish flag would have kept you safe.
At least from the Germans, especially when its off the Irish coast, another neutral and simply a trawler. Also I doubt they used a torpedo for a fishing boat so would assume they surfaced to use their deck gun which presumably means there was some chance to talk to the crews.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 18, 2019 9:49:21 GMT
they surfaced to use their deck gun which presumably means there was some chance to talk to the crews. Wich could result in the RAF ore Royal Navy showing if they staid to long on the surface. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jun 18, 2019 10:04:30 GMT
they surfaced to use their deck gun which presumably means there was some chance to talk to the crews. Wich could result in the RAF ore Royal Navy showing if they staid to long on the surface. Probably not a major threat at that point in the war, especially in that location. Also I would point out that if they used a torpedo from a submerged position then you would get few if any survivors - presuming that the boat was deep enough for the torpedo to actually hit it as the 'fish' could simply pass underneath it.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 19, 2019 3:20:32 GMT
Day 293 of World War II, June 19th 1940
Western Front
The race to the Channel continues, as the Germans try to take the ports before the Allies can escape. In the morning, Rommel shells the forts defending the port of Cherbourg while attacking with infantry. At 1700 hours, local officials and police persuade the French garrison defending the town to surrender. This is 7.Panzerdivision’s last major action in the Battle of France. Since May 10, they have captured 100,000 Allied prisoners, 450 tanks, 300 artillery or anti-tank guns and 4,000 trucks and incurred losses of 700 killed, 1650 wounded and 300 missing. During this time, Rommel has been awarded Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class (for the second time, having won these medals in WWI) and, on May 27, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. On the same day, the 5.Panzerdivision captured Brest, but found the port facilities destroyed by Allied personnel who had already been evacuated. Cadets of Saumur Cavalry School under Colonel Michon prevent German 1.Kavallerie-Abteilung from crossing Loire.
Along the coast, Operation Ariel continued. Germans have not arrived at St. Nazaire as expected, so British send 7 troop transports and 6 destroyers to evacuate 2,764 Polish troops (in addition to the 54,411 British embarked over the last few days). 4,000 Poles are also rescued from La Pallice. Evacuations begin from the ports of the River Gironde and Bayonne and St Jean-de-Luz, close to the Spanish border. Over the next 5 days, over 6,000 Polish troops are evacuated from Gironde and 19,000 Polish soldiers are rescued from Bayonne and St Jean-de-Luz.
ether with the No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron RAF.
Air War over Europe
The Luftwaffe bombs Bordeaux during the night, where the French government has fled, killing 63 and wounding 180. They also attack St. Jean-de-Luz on the Spanish border. These are both major evacuation ports for the British.
The Luftwaffe raids England again during the night.
The RAF raids German airfields near Amiens and Rouen with about 30 bombers, and sends 112 bombers against industrial targets in the Ruhr.
Battle of the Atlantic
It is a big day for the U-boat fleet. It accounts for 40,000 tons in the Atlantic alone.
U-28 (Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke) torpedoes and sinks 3,443 ton Greek freighter Adamandios Georgandis southwest of Ireland.
U-32 sinks Yugoslavian ship Labud.
U-48 (Korvettenkapitän Hans Rudolf Rösing) torpedoes and sinks 3,164 ton British freighter Baron Loudoun northwest of Cape Ortegal, Spain. There are 30 survivors and 3 crew perish.
U-48 also torpedoes and sinks 6,607 ton Norwegian freighter Tudor northwest of Cape Finisterre. There are 38 survivors, one crewman perishes.
U-48 also torpedoes and sinks British freighter Monarch.
U-52 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Salman) torpedoes and sinks 824 ton British freighter The Monarch in the Bay of Biscay. All 12 aboard perish.
U-52 also torpedoes and sinks 7,463 ton Belgian freighter Ville de Namur. There are 54 survivors and 25 perish.
U-25 (Kapitänleutnant Heinz Beduhn) torpedoes and damages 7,638 ton French tanker Brumaire in the eastern Atlantic. The Brumaire survives the day, but is in bad shape.
Kriegsmarine S-boots (fast torpedo boats) sink British freighter Roseburn in the English Channel.
Convoy OA 171G departs from Southend, Convoy 171 departs from Liverpool.
North African Campaign
The Regia Aeronautica bombs Bizerta, Tunisia. It also bombs Calvi and Bonifacio in Corsica. They target British vehicles, while French aircraft bomb Italian airfields.
Royal Navy submarine HMS Orpheus is sunk by Italian destroyer Turtine off Tobruk.
A Royal Navy anti-submarine trawler, HMS Moonstone, working in conjunction with British destroyer HMS Kandahar, captures Italian submarine Galilei in the Red Sea. The Galilei is towed to Aden and renamed the HMS X 2.
Lithuania
A demonstration occurs in Vilnius in support of the new Soviet occupiers.
Canada
The Canadian National Unity Party, a fascist organization, has been broken up and 11 of its members are brought to trial.
China
The Japanese government, taking advantage of France's difficulties, demands an end to transit of war materials through French Indochina (later Vietnam).
British Homefront
The government has resumed its efforts to evacuate schoolchildren. It establishes the Children’s Overseas Reception Board to send them to safer cities overseas.
The BBC cancels its regular music programme to broadcast war news. Reviews for PM Churchill's "Their Finest Hour" speech of 18 June are good.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 20, 2019 3:47:02 GMT
Day 294 of World War II, June 20th 1940
Western Front
Although the French had already reached out to Rome for peace, the Italians were determined to capture French territory in order to bargain for colonial holdings in North Africa. 32 divisions organized in 2 armies stood ready on the Italian-French border. Newspapper: The New York times
 Germans capture Lyons. Saumur Cadets forced to surrender when ammunition supplies for their training weapons run out (200 cadets killed, June 19-20). 9,000 Polish soldiers fighting in France were evacuated from Bayonne aboard the Polish ships “Batory” and “Sobieksi”. Petain makes a broadcast. He describes the defeat of France as 'inevitable' and compares the 185 British, American and Italian divisions supporting the French Army in May 1918 with the 10 British divisions of May 1940. Five weeks after the German conquest of the Netherlands, Dutch civilians began to be conscripted as forced laborers. The cadets at the Saumur military academy are forced to surrender when they run out of ammunition. 200 cadets perish. French XLV Corps crosses the border into Switzerland and is interned. Italy masses 32 divisions divided into two armies on the French border in the Alps. The French see no reason to fight Italy when it already is trying to sue for peace with Germany and requests an armistice. Mussolini, however, wants to occupy French territory to improve his bargaining position, not necessarily in France, but in North Africa. The Italians stand ready to launch their long-awaited offensive against French positions in the Riviera north to Mount Blanc. Operation Ariel continues at a rapidly dwindling pace, picking up scattered troops in southern France. At La Pallice, a few more Polish troops and assorted embassy and consular staffs are taken off, and the ships proceed south to find more evacuees. At Bordeaux and the nearby ports on the Garonne River in the Gironde départment in Aquitaine, the Polish ships Batory, Sobieski and the Ettrick and Arandora Star complete their operations and head south as well. The main port for evacuation from this point forward is St Jean-de-Luz on the Spanish border. As Bordeaux is no longer a focus of evacuation, the British destroyer HMS Beagle lands a demolition team to disable the port facilities. French plenipotentiaries, led by General Huntziger, leave Bordeaux by car to meet with the Germans at Compiegne. Hitler has chosen that location due to its symbolism as the spot where Germany surrendered to the Allies in World War I. German engineers are sent to a French museum to prepare the same French railway coach for the proceeding. Realizing that France is about to surrender, French fighter pilot James Denis loads an Armee de l'Air Farman F.222 at an airbase near Saint-Jean-d'Angély with 20 of his friends. They fly to Great Britain to carry on the fight. Battle of the Atlantic
U-122 torpedoes (Korvettenkapitän Hans-Günther Looff) and sinks 5,911 ton British freighter Empire Conveyor about 50 miles south of Barra Head in the Hebrides. There are 38 survivors, while 3 perish. U-30 (Kapitänleutnant Fritz-Julius Lemp) torpedoes and sinks 4,876 ton British freighter Otterpool 130 miles west of Ushant, France. There are 16 survivors and 23 perish. The ship is sailing with Convoy HG-34F. U-38 (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe) torpedoes and sinks 1,776 ton Swedish freighter Tilia Gorthon in the eastern Atlantic. There are 11 survivors, while 10 perish. U-48 (Korvettenkapitän Hans Rudolf Rösing) torpedoes and sinks 7,493 ton Dutch tanker Moordrecht in the eastern Atlantic. There are 4 survivors, 25 perish. The 7,638 ton French tanker Brumaire, torpedoed and damaged on 19 June 1940 by U-25, is sunk by Luftwaffe attack. Admiral Günther Lütjens sails heavy cruisers Gneisenau, Admiral Hipper, and four destroyers toward Iceland as part of an elaborate decoy mission as Scharnhorst, previously damaged by a torpedo, limps back to Germany. About 40 nmi (74 km; 46 mi) northwest of Halten, submarine HMS Clyde torpedoes Gneisenau. This causes extensive damage to the bow area, flooding two compartments, and the squadron returns to Trondheim for repairs. Polish submarine Wilk accidentally rams Dutch submarine O-13, sinking it. The Royal Navy intercepts two destroyers and two torpedo boats that were constructed in Italian shipyards and purchased by Sweden near the Faeroe Islands. British submarine HMS Tigris (N 63, Lt. Commander Howard F. Bone) is commissioned. British minesweeping trawler HMS Acacia (T 02, Commander Ralph Newman) is commissioned. Armed yacht HMCS Elk (S 05, Lt. Commander Norman V. Clark) is commissioned. Photo: The Gneisenau's torpedo damage.
 Air War over Europe
The RAF attacks Luftwaffe bases at Rouen, France and at Schiphol, Holland. It sends 56 bombers to attack western Germany. The Regia Aeronautica bombs Calvi in Corsica. North Africa Campaign
British mechanized troops in Sudan make raids across the Eritrean border. The RAF raids Diredawa, Abyssinia. It also bombs Italian positions across the Libyan frontier. The Regia Aeronautica sends 6 CANT Z.506 bombers against French positions at Bizerte, Tunisia. Royal Navy submarine Parthian sinks Italian destroyer Diamante off Tobruk. An Anglo/French squadron bombards Italian positions at Bardia during the night. Mussolini asks Italian commander Italo Balbo to make more progress in the region. Balbo, the long-time commander in the region, responds, "We have no trucks, no anti-tank guns; it's steel versus flesh." Latvia A new Soviet puppet government is formed in Riga. The Soviets take the Latvian minesweeper Virsaitis. Romania
King Carol pardons all imprisoned members of the Iron Guard in order to curry favor with Hitler. Uruguay Heavy cruiser USS Quincy (CA 39) arrives in Montevideo from Rio de Janeiro as part of its "show the flag" journey. British Military
The first Australian and New Zealand troops (Anzacs) arrive in Great Britain. General Blamey arrives in Palestine to organize Anzacs there. Anglo/US Relations
The British agree to purchase the entire US production of Thompson sub-machine guns, 300 tons per week. They are scheduled for weekly deliveries. Anglo/Spanish Relations
The Duke of Windsor, widely suspected of having pro-Nazi sympathies, arrives in Barcelona after having fled Paris. Anglo/French Relations
General Mittelhauser, commanding French forces in the Levant, informs General Wavell at British headquarters in Cairo that he will join the Free France movement and remain an ally. Japanese/French Relations
Governor General Catroux, acting independently because he has no support from the French government or anyone else, allows a Japanese control commission into French Indochina (Vietnam). He agrees to stop shipping arms to China through the country. German Government
Adolf Hitler is at his Wolfsschlucht headquarters. Admiral Raeder confer with him regarding the feasibility of an invasion of Great Britain. Admiral Raeder asks Hitler, “And now how about the British?” Hitler's adjutant, Georg Engel, notes in his diary that "Führer says UK so weak that, after bombing, a major invasion will be unnecessary. Army will just move in." US Government
Henry L. Stimson becomes the new Secretary of War, Frank Knox the new Secretary of the Navy. They are both Republicans. Stimson is a strong proponent of helping the Allies in Europe, the former Secretary of State under Herbert Hoover, and a former Secretary of War in the Taft administration. Knox is the publisher of the Chicago Daily News and was the 1936 Vice Presidential candidate. As part of this reshuffling, Roosevelt establishes the position of Undersecretary of the Navy. The Bureau of Ships is established with Rear Admiral Samuel M. Robinson as its first head. It replaces the Bureau of Construction and Repair and the Bureau of Engineering. Light cruiser USS Phoenix (CL 46) departs from Pearl Harbor for the Panama Canal Zone, where it will begin a "show the flag" mission on the Pacific coast of South America. French Government
A delegation from the two French legislative chambers approaches Pétain to complain about the desire of President Lebrun to leave for North Africa. There remain wide divisions within the government regarding the possibility of continuing the fight from Algeria and Tunisia. Heavy cruiser USS Vincennes (CA 44), escorted by destroyers USS Truxtun (DD 229) and USS Simpson (DD 221), arrives at the Brooklyn Navy Yard with the gold reserves from the Bank of France.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 21, 2019 7:27:53 GMT
Day 295 of World War II, June 21st 1940Western Front
French and German delegates meet to negotiate peace at the 1918 Armistice site at Forest de Compiègne, France. To humiliate the French and make amends for Germany’s WWI defeat, Hitler has the railway carriage in which the WWI Armistice was signed removed from a French museum and placed exactly where it had been located in 1918. An aerial escort by II./JG 26 was present for Hitler and Generalfeldmarschall Göring as they present France with armistice terms. Hitler personally attended the negotiation, but at 1530 hours abruptly left the meeting to show disrespect for the French. Germany’s armistice terms are harsh and they allow no negotiation, only questions for clarification. In addition to the provisions for establishing a vestigial French state and for demobilizing the French armed forces there are stringent financial clauses. At 2030 hours, French General Huntzinger called his government and informed that the Germans allowed no room for negotiations and demanded harsh terms. He was told to accept the German terms. Photo: before the “wagon de l’Armistice” at Rethondes, in the “clairière de l’Armistice” of the Compiègne forest, Hitler speaks with German high-ranked Nazis and Generals, before launching the negotiations of the armistice to be signed the next day (on 22 June 1940) between defeated France and the victorious Third Reich., the signing will take place at the very same place where the 1918 armistice was signed when Germany was instead defeated : in the rail car which has been towed from its shelter for this special occasion.
 Photo: scenes during the Armistice talks inside the “wagon de l’Armistice” at Rethondes.
 After 10 days, Italy invades France. 32 Italian divisions deployed on the French border marched through the Little Saint Bernard Pass in the Alps and along the French Riviera. Some of the Italians were met with a heavy snow storm and the latter halted by a very small group of French troops at Menton (a French NCO and 7 men), which was about 5 miles from the border. According to the diary of Galeazzo Ciano, Benito Mussolini was extremely embarrassed by the inability of his troops to break through the French lines. Air War over Europe
The Luftwaffe night raids over southern England continue. There are 50 bombers attacking various targets. The RAF attacks German shipping and an oil depot at Willemsoord, Holland. RAF Bomber Command puts 10 aircraft over Germany during the day and 105 overnight. Battle of the Atlantic
U-28 (Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke) torpedoes and sinks 4,443 ton Royal Navy special service ship HMS Prunella (X 02) on the Southwest Approaches. There are 40 survivors, and 56 crew perish. U-38 (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe) torpedoes and sinks 5,809 ton Belgian freighter Luxembourg west of St. Nazaire, France. There are 41 survivors and 5 perish. U-43 (Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Ambrosius) torpedoes and sinks 8,627 ton British tanker Yarraville southwest of Figueira da Foz, Portugal in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. There are 45 survivors and 5 perish. U-47 (Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien) torpedoes and sinks 13,056 ton British tanker San Fernando 50 miles southwest of Cape Clear, Ireland. All 49 on board survive. U-52 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Salman) torpedoes and sinks 1,144 ton French freighter Hilda in the Bay of Biscay. There are 11 survivors and 5 perish. U-65 (Kapitänleutnant Hans-Gerrit von Stockhausen) torpedoes and sinks 1,177 ton Dutch freighter Berenice in the Bay of Biscay. The ship sinks in 3 minutes, and there are 9 survivors and 38 perish. U-122 (Korvettenkapitän Hans-Günther Looff), which sank SS Empire Conveyor only one day ago, goes missing. There are several theories about its disappearance, and one of the more promising is that Polish submarine ORP Wilk rammed the U-boat while it was attempting to dive. HMS H44, a submarine, sinks Danish freighter Alfa in the North Sea. Kriegsmarine S-boots (fast torpedo boats) S-21 and S-32 hit mines and sink off Boulogne. U-99 (Otto Kretschmer) is unexpectedly returning to Bergen with a sick crewman when an Arado 196 scout plane from the Scharnhorst spots it. The seaplane attacks the U-boat and damages it, then two other Luftwaffe aircraft also attack, causing minor damage that requires repairs at Wilhelmshaven. Kriegsmarine heavy cruiser Scharnhorst is limping home from Trondheim. The RAF Coastal Command sends six Swordfish torpedo bombers against it at 15:00, but they make no hits as the Scharnhorst mounts an effective anti-aircraft defense. Gneisenau, also torpedoed, makes it safely back to Trondheim. Convoy OA 172 departs from Southend, Convoy HG 35 departs from Gibraltar, Convoy OG 34 forms at Gibraltar, Convoy HX 52 departs from Halifax. British destroyer HMS Hurricane (H 06, Lt. Commander Hugh C. Simms) is commissioned. North Africa Campaign
The RAF attacks Italian shipping at Tobruk, Libya. The Regia Aeronautica raids Malta and Bizerte and attacks French warships near the Balearic Islands. French battleship Lorraine bombards Italian positions at Bardia. Romania King Carol, who has just pardoned Iron Guard members, forms the National Party for them. Jews are excluded from membership. Canada Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone, becomes the 16th Governor General of Canada. The parliament passes the National Resources Mobilization Act. Another contingent of Canadian soldiers arrives in Great Britain. Estonia The new Soviet puppet government is acclaimed in numerous demonstrations across the country by Soviet troops and sympathizers. Polish Government in Exile
The Polish President arrives in England after being evacuated from southern France. Brazil US heavy cruiser USS Wichita (CA 45, Commander Cruiser Division Seven Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens) arrives at Rio de Janeiro as part of the US Navy's "show the flag" operation for South America. It next port of call will be Montevideo, Uruguay to join the USS Quncy (CA 39), which arrived there on the 20th. Japanese Government
Prince Konoye forms a new Cabinet. General Tojo becomes Minister of War. French Government
The French are still divided over the possibility of further resistance from North Africa. French warship Massilia takes Minister Georges Mandel, a few members of the French government, and a few members of Parliament to North Africa. Applied Science
R.V Jones, head of British Scientific Intelligence, testifies to a secret committee that the Luftwaffe is using the "Knickebein" (crooked leg) radio beam navigational system to find their targets. This system has proven fairly effective despite being primitive. The British quickly put in motions a method to detect the beams using specially equipped RAF Anson aircraft and work on other counter-measures. Henry Tizard, who is largely responsible for the British use of radar, resigns out of frustration at being side-tracked on his advice. His resignation means that Frederick Lindmann (Lord Cherwell), generally considered to be less clever than Tizard, becomes Churchill's principal scientific advisor. French Homefront
Refugees terrified of the advancing Germans are stopped at the Spanish border by Franco's men and not allowed in. British Homefront
Everyone is on edge throughout the country regarding infiltrators and paratroopers. The Times publishes a chart for distinguishing a German paratrooper from a regular British policeman.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jun 21, 2019 12:06:33 GMT
Battle of the Atlantic
U-28 (Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke) torpedoes and sinks 4,443 ton Royal Navy special service ship HMS Prunella (X 02) on the Southwest Approaches. There are 40 survivors, and 56 crew perish. ..... British Special Service (decoy) Vessel Prunella is sunk by U-28 off Ireland. There are 40 survivors and 54 crew perish.
Just to mention you have the sinking of the Prunella twice, presumably from two different sources and didn't realise?
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Post by lordroel on Jun 21, 2019 12:10:05 GMT
Battle of the Atlantic
U-28 (Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke) torpedoes and sinks 4,443 ton Royal Navy special service ship HMS Prunella (X 02) on the Southwest Approaches. There are 40 survivors, and 56 crew perish. ..... British Special Service (decoy) Vessel Prunella is sunk by U-28 off Ireland. There are 40 survivors and 54 crew perish. Just to mention you have the sinking of the Prunella twice, presumably from two different sources and didn't realise?
A damn it, yes you are correct stevep, will edit it. |
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Post by lordroel on Jun 22, 2019 14:13:29 GMT
Day 296 of World War II, June 22nd 1940YouTube (Nazi Europe)Western Front At 1830 hours, French General Huntzinger returns to the railway carriage at Compiègne, site of the 1918 Armistice. He and German OKW Chief General Keitel sign the 1940 Franco-German armistice. It is perhaps appropriate that Huntziger, who led the 2nd Army at Sedan at the start of the campaign, should be involved in the final act. Germany is to occupy two-thirds of Metropolitan France including the entire Channel and Atlantic coastlines and all major industrial areas including Alsace-Lorraine and Paris. French armed forces are to be disarmed and demobilized, with exception of a token defense force. French Fleet is to be disarmed and demobilized under German and Italian supervision. France is to pay costs of German army of occupation. Article 20 states; “French troops in German prison camps will remain prisoners of war until conclusion of a peace”.The French believe it is only a matter of weeks before Britain will also make peace with Germany. Instead, a million Frenchmen will spend the next 5 years as German prisoners. Hitler does not demand the French fleet, but Article 8 leaves the disposition of their warships uncertain, which worries the British. Meanwhile, France dispatched officials to go to Rome to negotiate peace with Italy. The French forces which have been driven out of the Maginot Line but are still resisting, finally surrender on Weygand's order. Three French armies (400,000 men) surrender in Vosges pocket, west of Maginot Line. Germans occupy Lorient. Photo: Wilhelm Keitel hands the terms of the Armistice to the French General Charles Huntziger.
 YouTube (British newsreel, June 22nd 1940)
YouTube (German newsreel, June 22nd 1940)
Air War over Europe
During the day, the RAF bombs Merville airfield. The RAF raids Krupps factories at Essen and aircraft plants throughout Germany during the night. Battle of the Atlantic
U-30 (Kapitänleutnant Fritz-Julius Lemp) torpedoes and sinks 3,999 ton Norwegian freighter Randsfjord in the eastern Atlantic. There are 29 survivors, and 4 perish. U-32 (Oberleutnant zur See Hans Jenisch) torpedoes and sinks 9,026 ton Norwegian tanker Eli Knudsen 100 miles southwest of Cape Clear, Ireland. All 37 aboard survive when picked up by the sloop HMS Sandwich. U-38 (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe) torpedoes and sinks 5,145 ton Greek freighter Neion in the Bay of Biscay. U-65 (Kapitänleutnant Hans-Gerrit von Stockhausen) torpedoes and sinks 7,011 ton French tanker Monique in the Bay of Biscay. Destroyer USS Dickerson (DD 157) pays a visit to Bilbao, Spain to safeguard US interests on the Continent. Free French corvette La Bastiasie hits a mine in the North Sea and sinks. Italian submarine Capponi sinks Swedish freighter Elgo. German raider Pinguin sails from Norway for the Atlantic. Its ultimate destination is the Indian Ocean. New French battleship Jean Bart arrives in Casablanca, Morocco. Convoy OB 172 departs from Liverpool. North Africa Campaign
The Regia Aeronautica bombs the British base at Alexandria with a dozen S.81 bombers based on Rhodes. They also send a dozen SM-79 bombers against Matruh, and send 22 bombers against French positions in Bizerte, Tunisia. US Government
Congress passes the National Defense Act, which raises the national debt limit from $45 billion to $49 billion and frees up $994 million annually for defense. French Government
Charles de Gaulle makes another broadcast, his third. For the first time, he uses the term "Free French." De Gaulle states that "all free Frenchmen" must "continue the fight" in any way possible: Everything which can be collected by way of French military elements and potentialities for armaments production must be organised wherever such elements exist. I, General de Gaulle, am undertaking this national task here in England. I call upon all French servicemen of the land, sea, and air forces; I call upon French engineers and skilled armaments workers who are on British soil, or have the means of getting here, to come and join me.
Once again, de Gaulle uses his support from the British to establish his name in the public consciousness at a very emotional moment in the life of his country. Very few people know who de Gaulle is in France, which is probably why he always refers to himself in his speeches... repeatedly. It is a dangerous rhetorical tool which amazingly works - gloriously. De Gaulle reads the public mood perfectly and knows despairing patriots are looking for a savior, a strong man who stands for the world they knew just two months previously and, more importantly, is fighting to return it to reality. This speech is not as famous as some of his others, but de Gaulle's creation of a cult of personality is a gradual process that accumulates like a snowball rolling down the Alps where Frenchmen are still fighting successfully.
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Post by lordroel on Jun 23, 2019 6:52:11 GMT
Day 297 of World War II, June 23rd 1940German Government
Adolf Hitler on 23 June 1940 takes a typical victory tour after his conquest of France, flying to Le Bourget airport in Paris on short notice at first light. He tells nobody in advance, and the visit is a complete surprise to everyone around him and the German authorities in Paris. He visits the Paris Opera House - where he impresses the elderly guide with his knowledge of the building - and Napoleon's tomb at Les Invalides. Just like other tourists, he walks up Montmartre and stands observing the city as bemused Parisians going to church walk by in astonishment. He has little protection, but his best security, as always, is his planned spontaneity which prevents possible assassins from planning an attack. Photo: Adolf Hitler with other German officials walking in front of the Eiffel Tower
.jpg) After a few hours, he flies back to his headquarters, never to visit Paris again. "That was the greatest and finest moment of my life,” he says, ""It was my life's dream to be allowed to see Paris." His companions, architect Albert Speer and sculptor Arno Breker, professor of visual arts in Berlin, are there to get ideas about how to remake Berlin. Speer later notes that he hears Hitler say, "Compared to France, an invasion of Russia would be child's play in a sandbox." Newspapper: Sunday Express dated Sunday June 23rd 1940
  French Government in exile
Charles de Gaulle forms the French National Committee. French officials are forced to choose sides between the "legitimate" Vichy government and the "continuation" de Gaulle organization - which has no legitimacy at all beyond the sheer force of his personality. Vichy French Government
The "official" government of France, which remains very much in power, is not impressed by de Gaulle's freelance act. General Weygand is still the Commander-in-chief. He dismisses de Gaulle, who remains in London and technically is AWOL, in absentia. De Gaulle continues to call himself General de Gaulle as self-described leader of the Free French. Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Pétain appoints former Premier Pierre Laval - currently Minister of Foreign Affairs - as Vice-Premier and Minister of State. Laval is a firm believer that German total victory is inevitable, and thus is often viewed as being pro-Nazi, or, at the very least, "the agent of collaboration." This view is solidified by the fact that Pétain is more or less a figurehead figure in terms of day-to-day governance, while Laval handles the hard work of making arrangements with the Germans. British Government
The British are shifting to a "battle of the periphery," where they confront the Wehrmacht in commando raids and secondary theaters (such as North Africa) rather than head-on. A Commando force is established which comes under the jurisdiction of the Combined Operations Headquarters. Admiral Sir Roger Keyes takes command, and he begins working up operations to start quickly. The nucleus of the new Commando force is composed of the men of the disbanded Independent Companies. Related to this same strategic shift, Major Ralph A. Bagnold meets with General Archibald P. Wavell, the commander of the Middle East Command in Alexandria, Egypt. Bagnold sets forth a strategy whereby small, mobile groups of men will conduct long-range reconnaissance patrols behind the Italian lines in Libya. Wavell approves, allowing Bagnold six weeks to organize such a force, and gives Bagnold a letters providing that his supply/personnel needs “should be met instantly and without question.” The Long Range Desert Group, popularly known as the "Desert Rats," is born. Western Front
Some French holdouts in the Maginot Line refuse to surrender, but they are bottled up in fortresses and cannot do any harm. The only troops still "fighting" are Italian troops. A massive Italian force occupies the beach resort town of Menton - or, in Italian news summaries, the "strongly fortified town of Menton." In addition, the Italian troops in the Alps make some perfunctory attacks on the French dug in behind mountain passes. Some evacuations continue at St. Jean de Luz pursuant to Operation Ariel. The Germans are not yet in possession of this region, which is under their administration pursuant to the Armistice. Today, they reach Rochefort and Royan. French/Italian Relations
French and Italian representatives meet at Villa Incisa in the Roman suburbs. The French, which is the same group led by General Huntziger that just completed the armistice with Germany, are not as anxious to resolve the war with Italy as they had been with Germany. However, Mussolini is stage-managing the entire event (including the war itself) for propaganda purposes. His representatives Count Ciano and General Badoglio do not ask for very much in the actual armistice. Soviet/Norwegian Relations
The Soviets demand access to the nickel mines at Petsamo. Battle of the Atlantic
French destroyer Lansquenet is taken out of the Gironde Estuary under German artillery fire. The crew heads for North Africa on its own initiative. French battleship Richelieu, operating on half-power, arrives in Dakar. Battle of the Mediterranean
Italian cruisers sortie near Sardinia, but they meet no French shipping. French aircraft sent to intercept them don't spot them. Battle of the Indian Ocean
Italian submarine Galvani sinks Indian Navy sloop Pathan near Bombay. In the Persian Gulf, three British destroyers and a sloop find Italian submarine Evangelista Torricelli off Perim. The destroyers blow the submarine up, but destroyer HMS Khartoum also goes down when one of its own torpedoes explodes on deck. The interception was possible due to papers captured on the submarine Galileo Galilei on 19 June. Air War over Europe
French bombers raid Palermo, Sicily. The RAF bombs targets in Holland (Osnabruk and Hamm) and the Bremen/Hamburg area in northern Germany. North Africa Campaign
French bombers attack Italian bases in Zuara, Libya. Egypt The pro-British government of Aly Pasha Maher loses its support, but it is unclear what will replace it. In any event, the absolute British dominion over the country is not in doubt.. China
At the Battle of South Kwangsi, the Japanese 22nd Army captures Panli and Leishihhsu. US Navy
Destroyer USS Herbert (DD-160) leaves Casablanca, French Morocco for Lisbon with more American refugees for transport to New York.
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Post by eurowatch on Jun 23, 2019 11:23:03 GMT
Day 297 of World War II, June 23rd 1940German Government
Adolf Hitler on 23 June 1940 takes a typical victory tour after his conquest of France, flying to Le Bourget airport in Paris on short notice at first light. He tells nobody in advance, and the visit is a complete surprise to everyone around him and the German authorities in Paris. He visits the Paris Opera House - where he impresses the elderly guide with his knowledge of the building - and Napoleon's tomb at Les Invalides. Just like other tourists, he walks up Montmartre and stands observing the city as bemused Parisians going to church walk by in astonishment. He has little protection, but his best security, as always, is his planned spontaneity which prevents possible assassins from planning an attack. Photo: Adolf Hitler with other German officials walking in front of the Eiffel Tower
After a few hours, he flies back to his headquarters, never to visit Paris again. "That was the greatest and finest moment of my life,” he says, ""It was my life's dream to be allowed to see Paris." His companions, architect Albert Speer and sculptor Arno Breker, professor of visual arts in Berlin, are there to get ideas about how to remake Berlin. Speer later notes that he hears Hitler say, "Compared to France, an invasion of Russia would be child's play in a sandbox." Newspapper: Sunday Express dated Sunday June 23rd 1940
French Government in exile
Charles de Gaulle forms the French National Committee. French officials are forced to choose sides between the "legitimate" Vichy government and the "continuation" de Gaulle organization - which has no legitimacy at all beyond the sheer force of his personality. Vichy French Government
The "official" government of France, which remains very much in power, is not impressed by de Gaulle's freelance act. General Weygand is still the Commander-in-chief. He dismisses de Gaulle, who remains in London and technically is AWOL, in absentia. De Gaulle continues to call himself General de Gaulle as self-described leader of the Free French. Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Pétain appoints former Premier Pierre Laval - currently Minister of Foreign Affairs - as Vice-Premier and Minister of State. Laval is a firm believer that German total victory is inevitable, and thus is often viewed as being pro-Nazi, or, at the very least, "the agent of collaboration." This view is solidified by the fact that Pétain is more or less a figurehead figure in terms of day-to-day governance, while Laval handles the hard work of making arrangements with the Germans. British Government
The British are shifting to a "battle of the periphery," where they confront the Wehrmacht in commando raids and secondary theaters (such as North Africa) rather than head-on. A Commando force is established which comes under the jurisdiction of the Combined Operations Headquarters. Admiral Sir Roger Keyes takes command, and he begins working up operations to start quickly. The nucleus of the new Commando force is composed of the men of the disbanded Independent Companies. Related to this same strategic shift, Major Ralph A. Bagnold meets with General Archibald P. Wavell, the commander of the Middle East Command in Alexandria, Egypt. Bagnold sets forth a strategy whereby small, mobile groups of men will conduct long-range reconnaissance patrols behind the Italian lines in Libya. Wavell approves, allowing Bagnold six weeks to organize such a force, and gives Bagnold a letters providing that his supply/personnel needs “should be met instantly and without question.” The Long Range Desert Group, popularly known as the "Desert Rats," is born. Western Front
Some French holdouts in the Maginot Line refuse to surrender, but they are bottled up in fortresses and cannot do any harm. The only troops still "fighting" are Italian troops. A massive Italian force occupies the beach resort town of Menton - or, in Italian news summaries, the "strongly fortified town of Menton." In addition, the Italian troops in the Alps make some perfunctory attacks on the French dug in behind mountain passes. Some evacuations continue at St. Jean de Luz pursuant to Operation Ariel. The Germans are not yet in possession of this region, which is under their administration pursuant to the Armistice. Today, they reach Rochefort and Royan. French/Italian Relations
French and Italian representatives meet at Villa Incisa in the Roman suburbs. The French, which is the same group led by General Huntziger that just completed the armistice with Germany, are not as anxious to resolve the war with Italy as they had been with Germany. However, Mussolini is stage-managing the entire event (including the war itself) for propaganda purposes. His representatives Count Ciano and General Badoglio do not ask for very much in the actual armistice. Soviet/Norwegian Relations
The Soviets demand access to the nickel mines at Petsamo. Battle of the Atlantic
French destroyer Lansquenet is taken out of the Gironde Estuary under German artillery fire. The crew heads for North Africa on its own initiative. French battleship Richelieu, operating on half-power, arrives in Dakar. Battle of the Mediterranean
Italian cruisers sortie near Sardinia, but they meet no French shipping. French aircraft sent to intercept them don't spot them. Battle of the Indian Ocean
Italian submarine Galvani sinks Indian Navy sloop Pathan near Bombay. In the Persian Gulf, three British destroyers and a sloop find Italian submarine Evangelista Torricelli off Perim. The destroyers blow the submarine up, but destroyer HMS Khartoum also goes down when one of its own torpedoes explodes on deck. The interception was possible due to papers captured on the submarine Galileo Galilei on 19 June. Air War over Europe
French bombers raid Palermo, Sicily. The RAF bombs targets in Holland (Osnabruk and Hamm) and the Bremen/Hamburg area in northern Germany. North Africa Campaign
French bombers attack Italian bases in Zuara, Libya. Egypt The pro-British government of Aly Pasha Maher loses its support, but it is unclear what will replace it. In any event, the absolute British dominion over the country is not in doubt.. China
At the Battle of South Kwangsi, the Japanese 22nd Army captures Panli and Leishihhsu. US Navy
Destroyer USS Herbert (DD-160) leaves Casablanca, French Morocco for Lisbon with more American refugees for transport to New York. Petsamo was part of Finland at the time. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jun 23, 2019 12:12:15 GMT
Lordorel One point. The Desert Rats was the nickname for the 7th Armoured Division, not the LRPGs. See Desert Rats for details.
Steve
PS Agree with Eurowatch, Petsamo was part of Finland not Norway at the time.
PPS - Fascinating possible POD. If the Luftwaffe shot down an unknown a/c in northern France and resulted in Hitler's death.  |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 23, 2019 12:55:49 GMT
Lordorel One point. The Desert Rats was the nickname for the 7th Armoured Division, not the LRPGs. See Desert Rats for details. Steve PS Agree with Eurowatch, Petsamo was part of Finland not Norway at the time. PPS - Fascinating possible POD. If the Luftwaffe shot down an unknown a/c in northern France and resulted in Hitler's death. Thanks stevep and eurowatch, you spotted my misinformation i posted, so that i could be sure that people read this thread. No, just kidding, i think i go for a other source, it might be less information but more reliable. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jun 23, 2019 20:34:56 GMT
Lordorel One point. The Desert Rats was the nickname for the 7th Armoured Division, not the LRPGs. See Desert Rats for details. Steve PS Agree with Eurowatch, Petsamo was part of Finland not Norway at the time. PPS - Fascinating possible POD. If the Luftwaffe shot down an unknown a/c in northern France and resulted in Hitler's death. Thanks stevep and eurowatch , you spotted my misinformation i posted, so that i could be sure that people read this thread. No, just kidding, i think i go for a other source, it might be less information but more reliable.
Well with the amount of information your pumping out in this and the "on this day" threads there's bound to be some slip ups in the sources. Often find something and do a quick Wiki check because I haven't heard of it and wondering what's that or that can't be true can it and want to know more so very informative.
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