World War II in real time

Day 336 of World War II, August 1st 1940

Battle of Britain

A generally quiet day, mostly because of very low cloud and drizzle over much of the southern part of the country but there were a few shipping convoys in the Channel and along the east coast that were attacked. The Luftwaffe made scattered bombing attacks, but no serious damage was recorded. One attack was made on an area near to the Forth Bridge in Scotland. while Halton and Christchurch in Hampshire suffered small bombing raids. Mine laying and reconnaissance along the east coast continued and a number of German bombers failed to return from their missions, while most of the RAF casualties were non combat related. A Spitfire was destroyed as the pilot crashed on take off at Hornchurch, a Hurricane of RAF No. 504 squadron Castletown came in too fast and it flipped over on landing. Then a Blenheim from RAF No. 219 Squadron based at Catterick airfield, Yorkshire, overshot the runway at Leeming during practice landings without flaps at 15.15. The undercarriage was deliberately raised to avoid running into the Great North Road. PO W.G.M. Lambie and Sgt R. Bell were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged but repairable. Another Spitfire crashed on take off on night patrol from Rochford Airfield and exploded in flames, killing S/L H.C.Sawyer.

Late morning brought a small raid of He 111s over the Thames Estuary and Essex which was attacked by Spitfires of RAF No. 19 Squadron, scrambled from Duxford. Off Haisborough the section of Spitfires armed with cannon attacked, but lost the German aircraft in cloud. This raid ineffectually bombed shipping off Yarmouth. RAF No. 19 Squadron began using the cannon-armed Spitfire Mk 1b, but the restricted space for the cannon mounts made them extremly unreliable in the first versions. Only 30 were produced, intended as a solution to the increasing amount of armour plate fitted to Luftwaffe aircraft.

The most interesting and unusual event of the day was when a formation of German bombers attacked the steamship SS 'Highlander', six miles south of Stonehaven. In trying to defend herself, the 'Highlander' managed to hit one of the Heinkel's and it crashed into the sea. Earlier bombs had missed the ship and by all accounts the bombers started to come in low and began to strafe the ship. One of them, a Heinkel He 115 came in, just above the waterline and with a banking turn one of the wings almost touched the white capped waves of the sea. The gunners on the 'Highlander' tried desperately to fire at the sweeping aircraft, when it tried to pull up and one of its wings hit one of the lifeboat davits in the deck. It was unclear as to whether the 'Highlander' had hit the bomber with gunfire, but as it hit the davits, it swung round crashing onto the deck of the ship. According to German records, two He 115 bombers failed to return to their base, and all crew were reported as missing. English records do not state whether the crew were killed or were taken prisoner. The 'Highlander', obviously only suffering minor damage sailed into the harbour at Leith Scotland delivering the wrecked Heinkel to the authorities.

By night activity was not heavy, although attacks were widespread. The usual visits were paid to South Wales, coming in over the Weymouth area, and some of these raids penetrated up as far as Sealand, Liverpool and Lancashire. One continued across to Hartlepool, turned back and flew home via Liverpool, Wales and the south coast to Cherbourg. Several raids crossed in over East Anglia, (a searchlight post north of Bury St Edmunds was reportedly machine-gunned) and penetrated to the Midlands. Bombs were reported at Ternhill but the nearest fell four miles away from the aerodrome.

A raid which crossed in near Beachy Head came north to North Weald and circled the London Artillery Zone. This was later joined by a further raid which came in near North Foreland, up the Estuary and also circled in the London Artillery Zone. Swansea was bombed at 2330 hours when house property and motor vehicles sustained considerable damage. There were five casualties. Ju 88s of II./KG 51 dropped bombs on the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton and on searchlights near the city of Bristol. An East coast convoy was attacked by German aircraft and a trawler was sunk.

Minelaying was in the Thames Estuary, off East Anglia, Tees to St Abb's Head, Aberdeen and North East coasts.

The only claims for the Luftwaffe during the day were a Blenheim shot down near Le Havre by Oblt. Paul Temme of Stab I./JG 2 at 1100 hours and two Blenheims destroyed by Uffz. Hans Schätzel of 4./JG 54 and Fw. Fritz Oeltjen of 7./JG 54 over the Zuidersee, Holland about an hour later.

On this day the now famous Polish No. 303 Squadron, was formed at Northolt. Two of its most outstanding pilots were the Flight Commander, a Canadian named John Kent and a Czech pilot, Sgt. Josef Frantisek who achieved the highest score during the Battle of Britain. Sir Hugh Dowding strongly opposed forming Polish fighter squadrons - for which the Polish government in exile pressed very hard - but in view of the rapidly deteriorating military situation during the Battle of France, with Britain's very survival depending on the few fighter pilots it could muster, an agreement was finally reached.

Squadron Leader Henry Cecil 'Sam' Sawyer of RAF No. 65 Sqn was killed on taking off just before midnight for night patrol from Hornchurch, He was not very experienced at night flying and was probably blinded by the glare from the exhaust and climbed too steeply. He stalled and crashed his Spitfire R6799, which was burned out. He was only 25 and had been with the squadron for just a matter of weeks.

It was about this time that British Bomber Command were ready with a response to the photos taken that morning. The task to bomb the airfield near Cherbourg was given to RAF No. 56 Sqd (Coastal Command) based at Thorney Island using Blenheim IV bombers, and these would be escorted by RAF No. 236 Sqd (Long range Blenheim fighters). Ground crews loaded up the thirteen Blenheim bombers with the required bomb loads while ten Blenheim fighters were prepared and placed at readiness. The Blenheims of RAF No.236 Sqd were now taking off. The Blenheim bombers of RAF No.56 Sqd had taken off a little earlier and the Blenheim fighters were to rendezvous with them just prior to the French coast and strafe the Cherbourg aerodrome after the bombs were dropped by the bombers. The forecast given to the crews was that conditions would be fine with good visibility. The Blenheim fighter escort was to take off in three waves, with five minutes separating each wave and the last wave of four was to stay clear of the target area and stay off the French coast covering the withdrawal of the others. But all was not to go according to plan. The forecasters had got it all wrong as heavy low cloud covered the entire French coast around Cherbourg. The leading three Blenheims led by F/Lt R.M. Power missed the Cherbourg Peninsular completely and overtook the Blenheims of RAF No.56 Sqd and flew deeper into German-held territory before deciding to return to base.

A break in the cloud appeared just as the Blenheims of RAF No.56 Sqd neared the coast. They were on course and the aerodrome on the peninsula could be seen and they commenced their bombing run. Not far behind were the second wave of three Blenheim fighters led by S/L P.E. Drew. RAF No. 56 Sqd managed to drop their bombs successfully causing considerable damage amidst heavy flak and machine gun fire from aerodrome gun emplacements. S/L Drew led with Australian P/O B.M. McDonough and Sgt R.C. Smith at about 50-70 feet strafing the airfield and gun batteries. Many of the batteries were hit, fires started to follow explosions as hangars and buildings were hit, aircraft in the open were either destroyed or damaged. For the RAF the mission seemed to be a success. But it was short lived.

Some of the Blenheim bombers of RAF No. 56 Sqd were hit as they pulled out of their bombing run. Sgt Smith's aircraft received a number of hits as his low level strafing run sustained further damage to the aerodrome. He pulled out on completion, turned and headed back across the Channel losing contact with the others. One of the Blenheims of RAF No. 56 Sqd failed to return. It was piloted by the squadron commanding officer Wing Commander Weld-Smith. Two Blenheims of RAF No.236 Sqd also failed to return. A number of Bf 109's of III./JG 27 and JG 54 got into the air and several claims were made. Confirmed Blenheim kills were awarded to Ofw. Michael Hauer of 4./JG 54, Oblt. Franz Eckerle of 6./JG 54, Oblt. Walter Adolph of 8./JG 27, Ofw. Hans Richter of 8./JG 27 and the first victory of the war for Oblt. Erwin Düllberg of 8./JG 27.

S/Lt I.H.Kestin of RAF No 145 Sqn was shot down and killed at 15:00hrs. He was on patrol in his Hurricane P3155 South of Hastings and was hit by return fire from a Heinkel Hs 126.

By night, mine laying continued in north east Scotland and near Scapa Flow and also in the Thames Estuary. The first of an unusual tactic by the Luftwaffe was carried out when four He 111s of II./KG 55 targeted the Bristol and Southampton areas for dropping of fourteen packets of leaflets carrying Hitler’s “Last Appeal to Reason” speech from 19 July. Bad navigation and poor visibility caused the bombers instead to drop the leaflets over South Wales and Somerset falling in open pasturelands amongst grazing cattle and sheep. Two He 111s of II./KG 55 targeted the Parnall Aircraft Plant at Yale for leaflet dropping but could not locate their target. Instead the two twin-engined Heinkels dropped bombs on searchlights near Bristol.

At 0015 hours, RAF No 29 Squadron night-fighters claimed an enemy bomber. But the shot-down aircraft proved to be a Fairey Battle of No 1 Group, highlighting the difficulties of IFF at night.

Photo: No 264 Squadron’s CO, Squadron Leader Philip Hunter, leads a ‘vic’ of Defiants up from Kirton-in-Lindsey, early August 1940



Battle of the Atlantic

In a rare battle between submarines, U-34 (Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rollmann) torpedoes and sinks HMS Spearfish in the North Sea 180 miles southwest of Stavanger, Norway. On its way back to base after a successful patrol - now much more successful - U-34 uses its only remaining torpedo. One man, able seaman William V. Pester, survives and becomes a POW. U-34 is on its last patrol before before converted to shore-side duties.

After a long chase and two misses with torpedoes, U-59 (Kptl. Joachim Matz) torpedoes and sinks 1981 ton timber freighter Sigyn about 70 miles northwest of Tory Island in the southwest approaches at 03:45. All 23 on board survive.

Dutch submarine O-21 spots U-60 on its way back to Bergen. It fires two torpedoes, but both miss. Another submarine, O-22, also spots U-60, which is oblivious to all the attention it is receiving, but is too far away to attack.

U-25 (Kapitänleutnant Heinz Beduhn) is lost around this time in the North Sea, likely by hitting a mine. All 49 on board perish. When submarines run into mishaps, they often just disappear forever.

The Luftwaffe attacks convoy FN 239 about a dozen miles off of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire and damages British freighters Gothic and Highlander for the loss of two planes.

The Luftwaffe also operates just off of the south coast of Ireland and damages freighter Kerry Head.

Destroyer HMS Fearless collides with patrol boat Flying Wing off of the Mull of Kintyre, causing damage that needs repair. The damage will put it out of action for a couple of months.

The Italian Royal Navy sets up a submarine base (BETASOM) in Bordeaux, France to support operations in the Atlantic south of Lisbon.

Kriegsmarine heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen is commissioned, along with destroyer Z27.

The destroyer USS Niblack (DD 424, Lt. Commander Edward R. Durgin) is commissioned.

British submarine HMS Tuna (Lt. Commander Maurice K. Cavenagh-Mainwaring) and destroyer HMS HMS Cattistock (L 35, Lt. Commander Robert A. Ewing) are commissioned.

U-96 is launched (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock).

Battle of the Mediterranean

The RAF bombs the Italian air base at Asmara, an ammunition dump at Bardia, Libya and an oil refinery at Massawa.

In a rare incident, Italian destroyer Vivaldi spots a British submarine south of Sardinia and heads straight for it. The destroyer manages to ram British submarine HMS Oswald and capture its crew. There are 55 survivors who become POWs, 3 men perish.

Italian submarine Goffredo Mameli spots 1041 ton Greek freighter Roula off Crete, surfaces, and sinks it with its deck gun.

Operation Hurry and Operation Spark are in progress. Hurry is a massive fleet operation to ferry a dozen Hurricanes to Malta on the carrier Ark Royal. Spark is a diversionary operation off of Minorca. In addition, a diversionary sortie by Admiral Cunningham's fleet based at Alexandria is at sea, composed of a Force A and a Force B. The latter returns to Alexandria today when battleship Malaya has a mechanical issue, but Force A remains at sea to divert attention from the vulnerable carrier force heading eastward. As the day ends, the Ark Royal is still out of range of Malta but closing quickly.

Another convoy is en route to Malta. It is headed around Africa and through the Suez Canal carrying heavy anti-aircraft guns. Governor Dobbie on Malta informs the War Office that he needs men to man the guns, not just the guns themselves because of the limited population on the island.

Battle of the Indian Ocean

German raider Atlantis captures Norwegian freighter Talleyrand and sinks it, taking the crew prisoner.

Spy Stuff

After their stay near Lisbon, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor depart for the Bahamas, where the Duke is the new Governor-General. While he was expecting the courtesy of at least a British destroyer, instead he is placed on US ocean liner Excalibur.

Switzerland

Commander-in-chief Guisan continues his martial tone. He gives a radio speech in which he reiterates the country's neutrality and vows to "defend the passage of the Alps to the end." While the Germans have made some small gestures toward the country such as closing the border, they have not indicated any interest in subduing Switzerland.

Japan

The Japanese government releases more of the British citizens it has arrested on espionage charges.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yōsuke Matsuoka coins the phrase "The Great East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere" during a press interview. This simply gives a name to Japan's obvious imperialist ambitions which are cloaked in the phrase "Asia for Asiatics." Another euphemism is "New Order in Asia."

As if to emphasize its overseas ambitions immediately, the Japanese government demands additional rights in French Indochina.

Free France

Charles de Gaulle appeals to French Canadians for their support.

United States

Newspaper: The New York Times




The US Navy establishes the Alaskan Sector within the 13th Naval District.

Soviet Union

In a speech to the Supreme Soviet, Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov reaffirms the USSR's neutrality. He also, however, is quite satisfied with the recent acquisition of the Baltic States and indicates that future acquisitions to restore the full pre-World War I extent of the Russian empire are under consideration.

British Homefront

Petrol is rationed and new car sales are banned. A solution? Electric cars! Government figures show that the number of such registrations in June zoomed to 79, and they are becoming popular in Australia, too. Electric cars, of course, are a very old idea from the turn of the century. They have the advantage of being small and fitting into tiny parking spots.

Transcript: A Last Appeal to Reason - A transcript of Adolph Hitler's Speech before the Reichstag 19
th July 1940

A prelude of what is to come ore did the Axis navies not care much about neutral shipping, if i am correct, the Germans also sank Dutch,Belgians and Norwegians ships, before those countries entered the war.

Day 337 of World War II, August 2nd 1940

Battle of Britain

The Luftwaffe General Staff issued the plan for the destruction of the RAF, starting the campaign for the Battle of Britain. The plan for Adlerangrif or 'Eagle Attack' consisted of three phases:

Phase One: First 5 days: Attacks made in a semicircle starting in the west and proceeding south and then east, within a 90- to 60-mile radius of London.

Phase Two: Next 3 days: Radius from London reduced to between 60 and 30 miles.

Phase Three: Final 5 days: Attacks concentrated within a 30-mile radius centered on London.

The major Luftwaffe forces committed to Adlerangrif were Luftflotte 2, under Kesselring; Luftflotte 3, under Sperrle; and Luftflotte 5 (in Norway), under Stumpff. The spearhead would be Luftflotten 2 and 3, operating from locations in France, Belgium and Holland, supported by Luftflotte 5, operating from locations in Norway. The Luftwaffe simply drew a line through the center of England dividing the majority of the airspace between Luftflotten 2 and 3

There was widespread fog over most of Southern and Eastern England and in the Midlands during the morning. Once this cleared it gave way to heavy low cloud which would be down to 3,500 ft in places with restricted visibility. German activity was again confined to reconnaissances of shipping off the south and south east coast, and only a few raids approached near coasts; of these only two crossed inland. All recorded incidents took place in the north of England and in Scotland. Four raids approached the coast between Swanage and Land's End in the morning and one of these crossed the coast at St Alban's Head. It flew to Bristol and Cardiff by the usual route and returned on the same track. This aircraft was reported to have bombed a trawler which claimed to have shot it down off St Alban's Head. Bradford, Liverpool. The Firth of Forth near Edinburgh and Crewe were bombed and suffered slight damage. Because of the weather only a few enemy aircraft were detected and these were mostly over the Channel. A few raids took place over Falmouth and Swansea but generally because of the weather it was a quiet day for both sides. RAF Interceptions were attempted but none were successful. One nuisance sortie included a Ju 88 which flew so low by Wembury Cliff searchlight site that gunners fired down upon it. Low cloud and poor visibility was prevalent up to midday.

RAF fighters made two successful interceptions, shooting down a He111 off Montrose and a Bf110 off Southwold. Attacks were reported on convoys off Orfordness, Clacton and Harwich. RAF No. 85 Sqn shot down one Bf110, 10 miles east of Southwold at 1532 hrs. Five raids were plotted during the course of the day between Flamborough Head and the Orkneys, one of which was reported to be a meteorological flight. Another of these raids was identified as a He111 and was shot down by RAF No. 603 Sqn off Montrose at 1212 hrs.

Although German raids were again widespread at night there was not an exceptional number of Luftwaffe aircraft involved. At 2135 hours a raid came in via Southend to North Weald, and a split off this raid turned towards Chelmsford. More bombs fell on the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton when two He 111s of I./ KG 55 raided the factory at 2216 hours. At 2245 hours the usual activity developed along the East Anglian coast and some raids crossed inland. Similarly the usual raids crossed in over Weymouth area and proceeded to South Wales. As on the previous night some of theses passed on to Crewe, Liverpool, Manchester and Bradford areas. At about 0100 hours a further raid was on the same course to Crewe and Liverpool. It then turned east to Leeds and flew over Digby, North Weald and out over Beachy Head. Heavy fog was reported between the Thames and Duxford, which made interception by the RAF difficult. Further dropping of leaflets of Hitler's recent speech were reported from Epping, Tonbridge and Waltham Cross (Essex).

Fighter Command strength was 708 aircraft serviceable with 1,434 pilots. British defenses also included some 1,200 heavy and 650 light anti-aircraft pieces. And, although the Germans considered these insufficient for the defensive task, anti-aircraft fire would account for about 12 percent of the German losses in the coming battles.

Photo: A Handley Page Hampden being bombed up, August 2nd 1940



Battle of the Mediterranean

Operation Hurry, the Royal Navy plan to ferry a dozen Hurricane fighters on carrier HMS Argus to Malta with Force H out of Gibraltar, is in motion under the command of Admiral Somerville. The overall operation is one of the most complex of the war, as the Admiralty is extremely cautious about entering into the Mediterranean with capital ships given Italian air and naval dominance (not to mention possible Vichy French attacks). A diversionary sortie by Admiral Andrew Cunningham's fleet in Alexandria also is at sea, with feints toward the Italian island of Kastellorizo and various points in the Aegean.

The large flotilla of ships in Force H (including battlecruiser HMS Hood, battleships HMS Valiant and Resolution, two cruisers and many destroyers) is at a vulnerable point south of Sardinia. At 02:30, the Argus launches the Hurricanes. As part of the diversionary strategy that includes Operation Spark off Minorca, the Ark Royal attempts to send nine torpedo bombers to attack shipping and airfields around Cagliari at the same time. However, the weather closes in and one plane is lost with its crew, scrubbing the mission until daylight. Several hours later, the attack proceeds, scoring hits on airfields and laying mines despite intense anti-aircraft fire. They lose one more Swordfish.

The Hurricanes fly off and reach Hal Far airfield Malta around 08:30, greatly strengthening the island's defenses. One Hurricane crashes near the field with engine failure, and the airfield's commander personally drives at madcap speed to the scene and rescues the pilot, Pilot/Sergeant F N Robertson of 66 Squadron. An escorting Skua also crashes on landing but later returns to operation.

The Hurricanes form RAF No. 261 Squadron. Separately, the British submarines HMS Proteus and Pandora arrive in Malta with crews for anti-aircraft guns. There are no air raids during the day, the Regia Aeronautica perhaps distracted by the diversionary operations conducted by the Royal Navy throughout the Mediterranean.

Force H, its mission complete, scrambles back to Gibraltar, pursued fruitlessly by 8 Italian submarines. Some of its ships, including the battleships and HMS Hood, splits off for further operations.

Photo: MK VIB Light Tanks of 7th Armoured Division on patrol in the desert, August 2nd 1940.



Battle of the Atlantic

Around this date, U-25 hits a mine and sinks off the coast of Norway. The Minefield had been laid by Royal Navy destroyers HMS Esk, Express, Icarus and Impulse. Called Barrage Field No. 7, it is expressly situated in the path of U-boats transiting from Bergen. U-25 is a small Type IA U-boat, not really up to current standards. All 49 men on board perish.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Thames is sunk around this date by a mine (exact dates for these types of incidents are uncertain).

94 ton British tug Embrace runs around off the western Scottish coast and is lost.

A Lockheed Hudson from RAF No. 220 Squadron spots U-37 and U-38 together on the surface in the North Sea at 15:08. It attacks without result. In addition, about an hour later after the U-boats split up, Royal Navy submarine O-21 spots one of them and fires two torpedoes at them from extreme long range, missing.

Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer in U-99 stalks Convoy OB 191 in the Atlantic about 340 miles west of Ireland throughout the day. He has success, but heroic efforts by his victims' crews prevent him from gaining victories.

U-99 torpedoes Norwegian tanker Strinda amidships at 02:51. The crew abandons ship in the dark, but reboards it four hours later after the morning light shows it still afloat. They manage to re-start the engines and bring the tanker to port. Tankers are difficult to sink due to their inherent design.

U-99 then torpedoes at 03:43 the tanker Lucerna. Kretschmer surfaces and shells the ship with gunfire when it doesn't sink quickly. However, the tanker manages to elude the U-boat and later makes port.

U-99 then tries again and torpedoes tanker Alexia. The same pattern asserts itself, with the tanker badly damaged but remaining afloat. Once again, Kretschmer surfaces to shell the ship, but it also remains afloat and proceeds on its way.

Convoy FN 240 departs from Southend, Convoy MT 128 departs from Methit, Convoy FS 239 departs from the Tyne, Convoy OG 40 departs from Liverpool, Convoys SL 42 and SLF 42 depart from Freetown.

The Royal Navy reorganizes its Home Fleet destroyers into four flotillas (Destroyer Flotillas 3, 4, 6 and 12) of about 7-8 destroyers each.

British corvette HMS Peony (K 40, Lt. Commander Martyn B. Sherwood) is commissioned.

Battle of the Indian Ocean

Kriegsmarine raider Atlantis, disguised as Dutch freighter Tarifa, captures 6732 ton Norwegian freighter Talleyrand, uses it as a target ship, and eventually scuttles it. The 36-man crew becomes POWs.

The RAF bombs Italian positions at Zula, Eritrea and other locales in the vicinity.

US Government

President Roosevelt and his cabinet bruit about ways to transfer 50 or 60 destroyers to the British, which all agree is necessary and proper. It is all about finding some legal way to do it.

President Roosevelt says that the draft is necessary because there is a "real possibility US will soon have to fight alone."

General Spaatz meets with "Wild Bill" Donovan in London about the status of the Battle of Britain.

Soviet/German Relations

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov confirms the alliance with Germany despite strains in the relationship over Soviet territory grabs in Romania and various issues over trade.

German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop asks the German Ambassador to Moscow, Count von Schulenburg, to ask Molotov what it would be willing to give up in exchange for its desire (expressed on 13 July to the ambassador) to retain the strip of Lithuanian territory allocated to Germany under the secret protocols of the Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact of 23 August 1939.

German Government

Abwehr chief Admiral Canaris, back from his visit to Spain, discusses the prospects for invading Gibraltar with General Keitel (Operation Felix).

The restrictions on German Jews continue growing. Jewish Germans are now banned from owning telephones and may shop during certain hours in the afternoon. Jewish hospitals are not allowed to paint red cross on roof to deter bombing. The ironic thing from the Nazi point of view is that many non-Jewish German citizens suffer due to such petty and ridiculous laws.

British Government

Canadian businessman William Maxwell "Max" Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook ("Lord Beaverbrook"), Minister of Supply for Aircraft Production, joins Prime Minister Winston Churchill's inner "War Cabinet."

"Photoflash" reconnaissance shows that RAF bombing accuracy is extremely poor. This is a subject that will occupy a lot of staff work and study during the war. Luftwaffe accuracy also is poor when the target is isolated factories and other industrial targets.

Vichy France

The trial against Free French General Charles de Gaulle concludes with a death sentence. They also seize his property.

Strict rationing imposed due to the British blockade.

German occupied Luxembourg

Germany appoints a civil administrator to replace the military governor.

Soviet Union 

The Moldavian SSR is formed from former Romanian territory in Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina.

Day 339 of World War II, August 4th 1940

Battle of Britain

The weather is clear and with high cloud cover, interspersed with bouts of sunshine. The Luftwaffe, preparing for the Adler Tag operation, is noticeably quiet during the day, performing reconnaissance along the south coast of England.

Some action occurs around 11:00, when a Dornier Do 17 escorted by 10 Bf 109s attacks a convoy off Manston. The RAF takes the obvious bait (though Fighter Command can't know what kinds of planes they are) and intervenes, downing a Bf 109.

At 13:25, the day's major Luftwaffe operation begins when approximately 120 aircraft form up over Calais and attack a convoy off Dover. The Germans lose numerous planes in this attack, including at least half a dozen Bf 110s, a Bf 109, a Dornier Do 17 bomber, and a Dornier Do 215 seaplane. The Bf 110s are proving to be a liability on the Channel front.

During the night, the Luftwaffe sends raids against several targets, including the military base at Cambridgeshire. These raids continued to drop copies of Hitler's 19 July 1940 speech called "A Last Appeal to Reason" all across England. The Luftwaffe loses one Heinkel He 111 on these missions from unknown causes.

A flight of Swordfish of RAF No. 812 Squadron attack oil tanks and barges at Rotterdam, losing one plane. Bomber Commands sends raids against oil installations at Sterkrade in the Ruhr and the airfield at Krefeld.

The RAF doesn't lose any fighters in combat, but they do lose one in a practice exercise when a Spitfire of No. 616 Squadron spins in during a practice dogfight near Kirton. The pilot, 20-year-old J.P. Walsh, perishes.

Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, top night fighter pilot distinguished by being of royal blood, joins the first night fighter (Nachtjagdgeschwader 1) wing operating out of Gütersloh, Germany.

Photo: A BF 110B with the "Fliegender Haifisch" (Flying Shark) paint scheme above the English Channel some time during August 1940.



British Somaliland

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

Battle of the Atlantic

The U-boats, particularly U-52, have a good day. U-52 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Salman) stalks HX 60, a Halifax/Methil convoy about 300 miles west of Ireland, and during the middle of the night it pounces.

U-52 torpedoes and sinks 4586 ton British freighter Gogovale at 03:35. There are 36 survivors and 3 crew perish.

At the same time, U-52 fires and hits 5272 ton British freighter King Alfred. There are 31 survivors, and 8 crew perish.

Later in the morning, Captain Salman presses his luck in daylight and U-52 strikes again. At 09:22, it torpedoes and sinks 7244 ton British freighter Geraldine Mary, which aside from newsprint and pulp also is carrying some passengers. There are 48 survivors, and 3 people perish.

Now that it is daylight, the escorts have some idea from where the attack was launched. U-52 undergoes a vicious depth charge attack by the convoy's destroyer escort. It barely survives, but is badly damaged and limps back to port for major repairs.

U-58 (Oberleutnant zur See Heinrich Schonder) spots a straggler from Convoy SL 40 about 21 miles west of Tory Island. It puts two torpedoes into 4350 ton freighter Pindos at 21: 20. There are 29 survivors and 3 crew perish. The lifeboats make landfall at Downings, County Donegal with the assistance of a local fishing boat.

In the central Atlantic east of Florida, Kriegsmarine raider Widder (Captain Helmuth Ruckteschell) stops and sinks 6114 ton Norwegian tanker Beaulieu after darkness falls. There are 4 crew deaths and 28 survivors. The incident almost sinks the Widder as well because one of its torpedoes becomes a circular runner and almost hits it. The crew is left to fend for itself in the middle of the Atlantic in its lifeboats, which is skirting international law; customarily, German raiders take the crew prisoner. Doing so, however, is not a war crime, as determined by a later tribunal.

Royal Navy trawlers HMS Drummer, Marsona and Oswaldian all hit mines and sink during the day off the English coast. There are 25 deaths total from the sinkings.

The Luftwaffe damages British freighter White Crest off the north coast of the Scottish mainland.

British heavy cruiser HMS Berwick (CA 65) departs Liverpool in a thick fog after just undergoing repairs. At 00:34, it collides with another (unknown) ship and sustains more damage, sending it back to the Glasgow repair yard.

The British also have a submarine success. HMS Sealion sinks the Torun, a captured Norwegian freighter, southwest of Stavanger.

A German patrol boat, the 428 ton UJ.175 Perseus, hits a mine north of Ameland, Netherlands and sinks.

Convoy MT 130 departs from Methil, Convoy FS 242 departs from the Tyne, Convoy OB 193 departs from Liverpool, Convoy HX 63 departs from Halifax.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Force H completes Operation Hurry by returning safely to Gibraltar. A large portion of Force H, though, including HMS Hood, Valiant, Ark Royal and Resolution, split off and head north to re-join the Home Fleet.

The RAF bombs the Italian airfield at Bir el Gobi in Libya, engaging in dogfights with the Regia Aeronautica in the process. The Italians, for their part, raid their favorite targets Sidi Barrani and Mersa Matruh.

Malta has a quiet day again, with an air raid alert at 15:15 which appears intended by the Italians to bait a response by the new defending Hurricane fighters. Nothing comes of it, however. Governor Dobbie, meanwhile, creates a new organization called the Malta Volunteer Defence Force designed to combat enemy parachutists. Everyone is issued a helmet and armband; guns are optional and provided by the civilian.

General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander in Chief of British forces in Egypt, departs Alexandria for London by airplane for consultations. The flight is extremely hazardous, crossing close to or over enemy territory and most definitely within range of enemy fighters practically the entire way. The plane is attacked twice by the Luftwaffe but not brought down. First stop is Malta on the morrow.

Battle of the Indian Ocean

Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra departs Simonstown for Freemantle, where it will undergo an overhaul of one of its propeller shafts.

Anglo/Japanese Relations

With the British having arrested some Japanese businessmen in London yesterday, the Japanese suddenly release three of the remaining British citizens it had arrested on espionage charges a week ago.

British Government

Following consultations with his War Cabinet, Prime Minister Winston Churchill agrees to mount an operation against the French fleet at Dakar. This is Operation Menace, to take place later in the month. This will be the first operation with participation by Free French forces.

German Homefront

In an odd policy change that runs against major strains in the German character, the government decides that beer has been degrading the German will to fight. An ersatz, non-alcoholic replacement is sought.

British Homefront

It is the 26th anniversary of the declaration of war against the Kaiser's Germany that began World War I. The day is noted on the BBC but otherwise given little attention.

American Homefront: Legendary US General John "Black Jack" Pershing delivers a nationwide radio broadcast. He urges aid to Great Britain, saying "Only the British are left to defend democracy and liberty in Europe." Basically, he defends the Roosevelt administration's policy of engagement.

Charles Lindbergh, on the other hand, is equally legendary. He also gives a speech in the evening at a rally in Chicago with a somewhat different prescription: isolationism. His speech is not broadcast, though everyone knows his views, and accounts will appear in the morning papers as a rebuttal to Pershing. Lindbergh wants America to look after its own affairs and stay out of the European war, saying "if our own military forces are strong, no foreign nation can invade us and if we do not interfere with their affairs none will desire to."

Public opinion is split on this issue. The Roosevelt administration wants to help Great Britain, but public opinion as evidenced by Gallup polls is heavily against anything that might lead to war. This public debate becomes intertwined with Congressional debate over the draft, and there is strong grassroots opposition - especially among women - to conscription. Thus, Lindbergh's stand is popular and Pershing's less so. However, both have fervent supporters and strong bases of support.

This isolationism-vs.-interventionism debate also is becoming a major issue in the Presidential race. Republican nominee Wendell Willkie favors somewhat modified isolationism, while President and Democratic nominee Franklin Roosevelt is known as an interventionist. To the extent that the election becomes a referendum on the issue, Roosevelt may be in trouble, but he is extremely popular for other reasons.

Day 341 of World War II, August 6th 1940

Battle of Britain

Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering finally gets serious about the aerial assault on England and calls a conference at his grandiose hunting lodge Carinhall north of Berlin. The subject is Hitler's Fuhrer Directive No. 17. While it has been about three weeks since that directive was issued, the weather in between was poor, so large operations were difficult if not impossible. Now, however, the weather has cleared and there appears to be a long period of fine flying weather approaching. So, time to get down to business and see if the RAF can be broken. The main attendees are:

- Inspector General, Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch.

- the commander of Luftflotte 5, Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff.

- Luftflotte 2's Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring.

- Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle of Luftflotte 3.

The issue is overall strategy, about which there is no consensus. The basic positions of the main protagonists are:

- Goering wishes to destroys RAF airfields, factories, other infrastructure and beat the RAF into submission through direct attacks.

- Kesselring, perhaps based on his experiences at Warsaw and Rotterdam, pushes for a massive terror raid on London.

- Sperrle advocates attacks on ports to intensify the blockade.

As with virtually all Nazi staff meetings, it doesn't really matter what any subordinates want, though their suggestions often plant the seeds for future orders by the decisionmakers.

Goering orders (it is not a democracy) that the attacks on the RAF and its infrastructure are to commence on a date to be chosen, designated Adler Tag ("Day of Eagles"). The entire operation, which Goering projects to take four weeks in order for Operation Sealion to take place around 15 September, is given the codename Adlerangriff ("Operation Eagle Attack"). Unlike the others, Goering is privy to plans to attack the Soviet Union in 1941, so he has every reason to try to settle things with England now in an all-out do-or-die series of aerial battles.

Current Luftwaffe forces include about 484 bombers of KG 27, KG 51, 54, KG 55, LG 1, KGr 100, KGr 606, and KGr 806. The Luftwaffe's fighter force outnumbers the RAF by roughly 2-1.

Overall, it is not a bad plan, or at least as bad as histories tend to recite. However, it is a campaign of attrition, and as such must be pursued to the end or it is all for nought. It would be ineffective to switch from, say, Goering's attrition campaign to Kesselring's terror campaign before the RAF is completely neutralized.

The day is clear and windy, with clouds and intermittent sunshine. The Luftwaffe attacks are small and sporadic. For instance, a lone bomber attacks RAF Llandow in South Wales. Shipping attacks few until around 16:30, at which time a large Luftwaffe force bombs a convoy off Clacton without making any hits. The RAF does not make any interceptions of note, perhaps because of the iffy flying conditions, and the only victory of the day on either side is when RAF No. 85 Squadron downs a Dornier Do 17 if III,/KG3 off East Anglia which is stalking a convoy.

The relentless wear and tear on the RAF continues to extort a price, however. A New Zealand pilot of RAF No. 234 Squadron crashes while attempting to land after a night patrol, and a Spitfire of RAF No. 72 Squadron does the same at RAF Acklington. In addition, a Blenheim crashes at Catterick when it hits some barrage balloon cables. Three Spitfires of RAF No. 616 Squadron sustain damage after an unsuccessful interception of a fast Junkers Ju 88 bomber off of Flamborough Head. The Luftwaffe also sustains damage to a Bf 109 of JG 3 upon landing.

For its part, RAF Bomber Command sends only a few small missions to the Continent, attacking Le Bourget airfield at Paris and some other airfields in northwestern Europe.

The history books tend to say that the RAF once again "won the day" with its solo shootdown of the Dornier. However, a closer examination shows that, factoring in the non-combat losses, the RAF came off much the worse.

For the general tenor of the time, here is the entry for the day in the operations book of RAF No. 249 Squadron at Fenton:

"During the last few days a considerable amount of practice flying has been carried out and much attention paid to beam attacks and dogfighting practice. There seems to be very little activity in the North now, but things are boiling up in the South of England and attacks are being carried out by large numbers of e/a on convoys and South Coast ports. We are all hoping to get a move South."

Southern Rhodesian pilots (SRAF) arrive today to help the RAF defense.

In preparation for Adler Tag, the Luftwaffe accelerates the process of moving fighter formations to forward airfields. Two Gruppen of JG 52 leave Nordholz, Germany and set up operations at Peupelinge on the Pas de Calais. I,/JG 54 moves from Eindhoven, Belgium to Guines-En-Calaisis, while II./JG 54 moves from Harlinghem to Campagne-les-Guines and III,/JG 54 joins them from Soesterberg, Holland. Anyone seeing these moves would realize that something big is in the offing.

Photo: Heinkel He 111 A1+BP of 6./KG 53 seen here in "Sandsackbox" camouflage during August 1940 in Vendeville (south of Lille, Nord-Pas-de-Calais)



Battle of the Atlantic

British submarine Sealion attacks a convoy southwest of Stavanger, Norway. After it misses with some torpedoes, the Kriegsmarine escorts spot it. A patrol boat rams it, perhaps inadvertently, causing extensive damage to the conning tower.

British destroyers Express, Esk, Icarus, Impulsive and Intrepid (Destroyer Flotilla 20) lay minefield CBX 4 off the Dutch coast.

British destroyers (HMS Inglefield and Anthony) seize two Dutch patrol boats in the Pentland Firth and send them to Kirkwall for interrogation.

Convoy WS 2 ("Winston Special") departs from the Clyde and Liverpool, bound for the Middle East. These will be semi-regular convoys to reinforce depleted British garrisons in the Indian Ocean and Egypt.

Convoy FN 224 departs from Southend, Convoy MT 132 departs from Methil, Convoy FS 244 departs from the Tyne, Convoy OB 194 departs from Liverpool, Convoy BN 2A departs from Aden for Suez.

Focke Wulf FW 200 "Condor" long-range bombers begin operating out of France, attacking British convoys in the Atlantic.

Battle of the Mediterranean

There is another Italian raid on Haifa, Palestine which causes little damage, and also one at Sollum.

Some Italian forces cross the border from Libya into Egypt, causing dramatic news announcements on the BBC.

The Italians have been spotting British ships in the Strait of Sicily (between Tunisia and Sicily), so destroyers Pigafetta and Zeno escort minelayers to mine the area near the fortified island of Pantelleria. The strait is about 145 km (90 miles) wide.

Operation Tube, a submarine supply mission to Malta, concludes successfully when HMS Pandora arrives from Gibraltar with equipment for the Hurricanes which arrived via Operation Hurry.

Cairo announces that the new Long Range Patrol Unit (LRP), formed on 3 July 1940 by Major Ralph Bagnold, has been successfully infiltrating Italian Libya. The LRP is composed largely of New Zealand farmers taken from volunteers in the 2nd New Zealand Division. These are the first patrols of the so-called "Desert Rats."

At Malta, the RAF organizes its new Hurricanes into RAF No. 261 Squadron. This formation includes the remaining Gloster Gladiators. The day is very quiet, with only reconnaissance missions by both sides.

British Somaliland

The western of the three Italian columns (Lt. General Bertoldi) is in the port of Zeila, screening French Somaliland and preventing any attacks from that quarter. The central column (Lt. General Carlo De Simone) consolidates at the port of Hargeisa. The easternmost column (Brigadier Bertello) takes Odweina. The light British forces under General Reginald Chater are in full retreat and trying to set up a defensive perimeter in the east at Tug Argan.

The 2nd Black Watch Battalion (73rd Regiment) begins the journey from Palestine to join the forces in British Somaliland.

German/Japanese Relations

The Reich sells 7744 ton freighter Fulda to the Japanese, who rename it Taai Maru.

US Military

US destroyers USS Wake and Wainwright make port at Santos, São Paulo, Brazil as part of the "Show the Flag" effort.

Destroyer USS Madison (DD 425, Lt. Commander Thomas E. Boyce) is commissioned.

US Government

Congress debates the merits of a conscription bill. Senator Claude Pepper calls isolationist Charles Lindbergh a "Fifth Columnist."

Free France

Philippe François Marie Leclerc de Hauteclocque aka "Captain Leclerc" departs from London for Lisbon on the first stage of a journey to French colonies in Africa to promote the Free French cause.

Finland

American refugees from throughout Scandinavia and points further south are concentrated at Petsamo, Finland in the far north. US Army Transport American Legion docks there to transport them to the United States.

Baltic States

The puppet government ratifies the decision to make the nation a Soviet Socialist Republic.

India

Mahatma Gandhi proposes the use of non-violence against the Nazis.

Burma

The government arrests pro-Japanese agitator Ba Maw for questioning the government's tilt toward Great Britain.

Belgian Homefront

The British blockade is not just hurting the German war effort, it also is decreasing civilian food supplies throughout the Low Countries. US Ambassador John Cudahy suggests that the US deliver food supplies, an idea which the British find offensive.

British Homefront

Invasion fears remain high, stoked by German propagandist Lord Haw-Haw with his nightly broadcasts.

Day 343 of World War II, August 8th 1940

Battle of Britain

At 0840 hours, Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers of II and III/StG 1, escorted by Bf 109s of I/JG 27, attacked the convoy codenamed PEEWIT off St Catherine’s Point, sinking the SS Coquetdale and the Dutch vessel SS Ajax. Hurricanes of No. 145 Squadron from Westhampnett intercepted the enemy aircraft, shooting down two Stukas and damaging two others before engaging the Messerschmitt escort. In the ensuing dogfight, three Bf 109s were shot down for the loss of two Hurricanes.

At about 1145 hours, Bf 109s of III/JG 26 and II & III/JG 51 swept the Dover area in advance of the next attack and engaged Spitfires from Nos. 41, 64, and 65 Squadrons. Five British aircraft were lost including a Blenheim of No. 600 Squadron on a training flight. One Bf 109 was shot down and three others made emergency landings at St Omer due to combat damage.

At 1205 hours, a second wave of almost sixty Ju 87 Stukas from StG 2, StG 3, and StG 77, escorted by Bf 110s from V/LG 1 with top cover provided by about thirty Bf 109s from II and III/JG 27, attacked PEEWIT south of the Isle of Wight. Four ships were sunk and seven damaged. The raid was intercepted by Hurricanes of Nos. 145, 257, and 238 Squadrons along with Spitfires of No. 609 Squadron. Seven German aircraft were destroyed for the loss of five Hurricanes.

At about 1615 hours, eighty-two Ju 87 Stukas of StG 1 and StG 77, escorted by sixty-eight Bf 109s of II/JG 27 and some Bf 110s from LG 1, launched a final attack against PEEWIT off Bournemouth. Hurricanes of Nos. 43 and 145 Squadrons intercepted, shooting down six German aircraft and damaging several others. Another six Hurricanes were also lost. Meanwhile, Spitfires of No. 152 Squadron engaged Bf 109s from JG 53 south of Swanage. Two Spitfires were damaged and force-landed.

Out of the original twenty ships in the convoy, only four arrived at their intended destination of Swanage.

Photo: A Junkers Ju 87 B-2 Stuka of 4./StG 77 at Bouchy near Evrecy, August 1940



Battle of the Atlantic

U-37 (Kapitänleutnant Victor Oehrn) torpedoes and sinks 5380 ton British freighter Upwey Grange about 200 miles west of Ireland at 01:14. There are 36 deaths when one of the lifeboats disappears.

German raider Widder disembarks the 34-man crew of 5,850 ton Dutch collier Oostplein and sinks the ship.

British tanker Lucerna, torpedoed and badly damaged by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer) on 2 August 1940, limps into Greenock, Scotland.

The Luftwaffe lays mines in the Thames estuary and near ports in the south of England.

Convoy OB 195 departs from Liverpool, Convoy HX 64 departs from Halifax.

Battle of the Mediterranean

The RAF and Italian Regia Aeronautica have been sparring lightly over the Libyan/Egyptian desert, and today a major battle develops. The Italians lose 7 planes and the RAF 2 Gloster Gladiator biplanes.

The second British submarine carrying spares to Malta for the new Hurricanes, HMS Proteus, arrives at Grand Harbour. HMS Pandora, which also brought in supplies, departed on the 7th. Together, this supply mission is called Operation Tube. The Proteus has a mishap when it accidentally rams a small freighter, the Andromeda, whilst shifting its berth. Andromeda sinks.

The Italians once again buzz Malta during the afternoon with half a dozen aircraft, but nothing comes of it. The War Office promises to send supplies on 7000 tons of shipping space that has opened up for it, with the government of Malta to pay for civilian goods so as to ensure secrecy.

British Somaliland

The British, having given up the key ports to the west, set up a defensive perimeter on six hills overlooking the road into Berbera. They use their recent reinforcements of the 1/2nd Punjab Regiment and the 2nd Battalion of the Scottish Black Watch to man these key positions. The Italian troops advance toward this position, which guards the British stronghold at Tug Argan pass.

The Regia Aeronautica begins attacks on British vessels in the Gulf of Aden, but has little success, and also on British positions at Berbera. The Fleet Air Arm operating from Australian cruiser HMAS Hobart, meanwhile, counters with attacks on Italian headquarters in Zeila. RAF aircraft retreat to bases in Aden.

North Africa Campaign 

Italian Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano meets with Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, the new commander of Italian operations in North Africa. Ciano is upset that his father-in-law's (Mussolini's) invasion date for Egypt has come and gone. Graziani responds that the Italian forces in Libya are unprepared for operations.

German Military

Adolf Hitler is gradually interposing himself on staff decisions relating to the planning of the attack on the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). He tells General Keitel to issue the Aufbau Ost directive calling for mobilization of troops in eastern Germany, and also tells General Jodl's deputy Walter Warlimont to ascertain Soviet troop positions. All of this attention underscores how serious Hitler is about the attack. He does not spend nearly as much time effort on Operation Sealion, the invasion of Great Britain.

British Military

The British War Cabinet is pleased with the progress of the air battle to date. However, Air Vice Marshall Keith Park, in charge of Fighter Command, is not so sure that this will last, stating:
It's too quiet; at least I've managed to re-establish my airfields, but the blighters are up to something.
Military pay is never very good, even in (or perhaps especially during) times of war. The average British Army Private receives 17 shilling and 6 pence a month. Today they receive an increase of 6 pence per day.

Japanese Military

The Japanese launch the Yamato at Kure Naval Arsenal. It is known only as "Battleship No. 1" at this point and is capable of fielding the largest naval guns in the world.

Vichy France

Pierre Laval orders the arrest of Georges Mandel in Morocco. This is done by General Charles Nogues. He is taken to the Château de Chazeron, where all of the former French leaders are being held. This is of particular interest to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who does not really like Charles de Gaulle and would prefer Mandel as the leader of the Free French.

Mandel was one of the few in the French government who wished to carry on the fight against the Germans from North Africa. Mandel also happens to be Jewish. He had the opportunity to flee with de Gaulle, but refused because he felt it would look bad for a Jew to run.

Romania

The government imposes new employment and education rules which are racially based. This is an obvious attempt by the regime to ingratiate itself with the Nazis.

India

It is well known that the Nationalist leaders led by Mahatma Gandhi refuse to cooperate with war preparations without a guarantee of Indian independence. Viceroy of India Lord Linlithgow tries to cut a deal by offering nationalist leaders some constitutional reform now and re-examination of the independence question after the war. This would be done by assembling a Constituent Assembly composed of people from India's major ethnic groups to devise a new constitution. The British government goes along with this.

Burma

Nationalist leader Aung San escapes Burma and joins Japanese forces in China.