World War II in real time

Day 417 of World War II, October 21st 1940

Battle of Britain

Due to poor weather this Monday was quiet of combat apart from a few interceptions of reconnaissance and small bombing raids. Taking advantage of the overcast, single aircraft and small formations of bombers dispatched by Luftflotte 2 and 3 reached widely seperated targets in England.

At 0615hrs, an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley of 58 Sqn (GE-O) which had taken off at 1900hrs the previous night, crashed into a steep hillside on return from a bombing mission on the Skoda Works, Pilsen after being shot by Hptmn Karl Hülshoff of 1./NJG2. The aircraft crashed into a hillside at Botton Head on Ingleby Greenhow Moor, North Yorkshire.

A small raid made it to Liverpool during the morning along with several on London, Northampton, Cambridge and Duxford areas. Just after 1300 hours Hurricanes of RAF No. 253 Squadron, scrambled from Kenley, met a raid of Ju88s and Do17s over Kent.

W.S. Williams of RAF No. 266 Sqn in Spitfire X4265 was killed when he took part in an interception and after the action landed at Stradishall to refuel. As he took off at 1250 hrs he flew low across the airfield and then seemed to stall. His engine cut and unable to pull out, he crashed and was killed.

Later in the afternoon, Spitfires of RAF No. 609 Squadron, scrambled from Warmwell, intercepted and shot down a Ju88 over Dorset. The Ju 88 was posing as a Blenheim and machine gunning the airfield at Old Sarum, Hampshire from a height of about 50 feet. From the RAF No. 609 Sqdrn record book:

"F/L F.J. Howell dived to decide what it was and even after making sure that it was a Ju 88 with a big cross, was surprised to see the rear gunner signaling with smoke cartridges. Both pilots (F/L Howell and P/O S.J. Hill) attacked in turn and after an unusual chase above and below the tree-tops the enemy aircraft hit the ground and blew up near Lymington."

During the night large raids appeared over London, Liverpool and the Midlands with further raids on Sheffield, South Wales and Lancashire. Mines were dropped in the Thames Estuary and off Swansea. PMs were dropped in the Sutton and Silverdale Roads, Maybury Road, Bellfield Avenue areas. One of the mines fell at the end of Strathmore Avenue, Beverley High Road, near the River Hull, bringing extensive damage to hundreds of houses and many casualties, two of which proved fatal. The effects of blast can be strange - a man who was getting dressed in his upstairs bedroom, found himself being lifted up to the ceiling and then thrown on to the bed which was by now in the front room downstairs. The blast had stripped him of his garments.

Liverpool suffers its 200th air raid and again saw the Dorniers of KGr 606 along with the Heinkels of III./KG 27 raid the city at 2245 hours.

In Coventry the attack commenced at 1945 hrs. Dicken Leather Works, GEC Stores, Morris Bodies, and Cheylesmore Schools were all gutted. There were other fires at Courtaulds, Riley's and shops in the centre of the town. The Staff Canteen at Alfred Herberts was completely wrecked, and hits were registered on the Gaumont Cinema, King's Head Hotel, and the London Road institution, causing 41 casualties with 23 trapped. The BTH Company wias completely out of action for three days, owing to unexploded bomb and failure of gas and electric supply. Damage to Armstrong Siddeley was extensive and production delayed considerably. The Aero Finished Stores, tool stores, office and canteen were gutted; the water tower was down and the main fractured. There were 22 minor roads blocked in the district and many houses were demolished, rendering up to 500 people homeless.At Weymouth bombs were dropped near the railway station at 1215 hours on the 21st. South National Bus Depot was partially demolished and a number of buses damaged. Four HE were also dropped in Portland Harbour. In Southwark a bomb hit the edge of an underground shelter in the New Kent Road, where 26 people were sheltering, 3 were killed. At St Pancras, a heavy HE made a crater 40 feet in diameter, it fell at the junction of Eversholt Street and Phoenix Road. A large water main was fractured allowing the water to enter the Northern Line railway tube 50 feet below.

Photo: An RAF sergeant introduces Czech fitters to the inner workings of a Hurricane Mk I of No. 310 Squadron at RAF Duxford in October 1940. The gravity fuel tank in front of the instrument panel provided no form of protection for the pilot and was the cause of cockpit fires if ignited during combat. The Hurricane Rash was of such concern that Hawker was made to retrofit the fuselage tanks with a self-expanding rubber coating called Linatex.



Air War over Europe

During the day, RAF Bomber Command attacks the ports of Boulogne and Gravelines. It also attacks a convoy off the French coast, damaging a ship. After dark, the targets include the Skoda plant at Pilsen, the Hamburg dockyards, oil installations at Reisholz, and Stade Airfield near Hamburg.

A Vickers Wellington V is tested for altitude and reaches 20,000 feet.

The Luftwaffe night fighters get another victory when Hptmn Karl Hülshoff of 1./NJG2 damages an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley of RAF No. 58 Squadron. It almost makes it back to base, but crashes into a hillside at Botton Head on Ingleby Greenhow Moor, North Yorkshire.

The Luftwaffe shuffles some of its personnel. Kommodore of KG 2 Generalmajor Johannes Fink becomes Inspector of Bomber and Ground Attack Flyers. Oberst Herbert Rieckhoff from KG 30 replaces him, and Oblt. Erich Blödorn replaces Rieckhoff.

Battle of the Atlantic

The last few days have seen tremendous victories by the U-boat fleet over the British convoy system. While the U-boats involved in those actions have spent most or all of their torpedoes, there remain other ways to continue the savage attacks on Britain's ocean lifeline. Today, mines and the Luftwaffe take over.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 825 ton Irish collier Kerry Head about 9 km south of Blackball Head, County Kerry. All 12 men aboard perish.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 4935 ton British freighter Houston City in the Thames Estuary northeast of Leysdown-on-Sea. The crew beaches the ship, but it later is bombed again by the Luftwaffe and written off.

Royal Navy auxiliary minesweeper HMT Waveflower also hits a mine and sinks in the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk. There are seven survivors and 15 crew perish.

Royal Navy trawler HMT Joseph Button investigates the sinking of the Waveflower and also hits a mine and sinks. There are five deaths.

Royal Navy motor torpedo boat MTB 17 (Lt R. I. T. Falkner) hits a mine and sinks off Ostend, West Flanders. It sinks in shallow water and can be salvaged.

Royal Navy minelayers HMS Teviotbank and Plover, along with destroyers Icarus and Impulsive, lay minefield BS 42 in the North Sea.

Convoy OB 232 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FS 316 departs from Methil.

Wolfgang Lüth transfers out of U-138 and assumes command of U-43, an ocean-going submarine.

Royal Navy corvette HMCS Jonquil (K 68, Lt. Commander Robert E. H. Partington) is commissioned.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Italy begins preparing for the invasion of Greece by forming a new naval command. The Maritrafalba will escort convoys from the Italian ports of Bari and Brindisi to Albania. British submarines have been targeting this area recently, with some success.

Convoy BN 7, sailing out of Bombay, is attacked by Italian destroyers Manin, Sauro, Battisti and Francesco Nullo, operating out of Massawa, at 02:19. The Nullo is badly damaged by HMS Kimberley and Australian sloop HMAS Yarra and is beached/runs aground (it is unclear which). Bristol Blenheim bombers later destroy the Nullo, which is beached on Harmi Island, Italian Somaliland.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Kimberley is hit by Massawa shore artillery and damaged. Three men are wounded. The destroyer must be towed by light cruiser Leander to Port Sudan, and later travels to Bombay for permanent repairs.

The RAF attacks Italian transport between Sollum and Buq Buq. Other operations include attacks on Italian East Africa/Abyssinia (Bahir Dar and Tessenei) and Eritrea (Gura and Asmara).

The Royal Navy is planning an air strike, Operation Judgment, against the Italian fleet at Taranto. A fire on aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious which destroys four Swordfish of RAF No. 819 Squadron postpones the operation for at least a week.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Parthian spots an Italian submarine off Cape Colonna and tries to ram it, but fails.

Italian submarine Scirè, which carries three manned torpedoes, sails from La Spezia once again for Gibraltar to carry out its mission against the Royal Navy based there.

At Malta, the Information Office announces that enemy air losses over Malta since the outbreak of the war have been 25 and badly damaged aircraft 20. RAF losses to date have totalled three fighters and two pilots. This is a rebuttal to Italian propaganda which has stated that the Regia Aeronautica has crushed RAF resistance on the island.

The South African 2nd Infantry Brigade arrives at Mombasa.

Battle of the Baltic

Finnish 623 ton wooden coaster Astrid is crossing the Baltic from Leningrad at 21:50 carrying salt when it sinks near Kovisto to the south of Gogland/Suursaari. It usually is reported that the coaster hits a mine, but the better sources suggest that a Soviet submarine rams it. There are 3 survivors and 9 men perish. The Soviet sub rescues the survivors and takes them to the naval base at Kronstadt near Leningrad, where they are kept for a month. This incident is subject to much suspicion about what actually happened, and not even the identity of the submarine is certain (apparently S-102). Many hard feelings were left over from the Winter War at the time. Some blame the Finnish ship for not running navigational lights. Others claim that the Finnish ship had its lights on and it was the new Soviet sub that was running dark, and this is supported somewhat by the fact that S-102's crew was inexperienced as the submarine was still on its trials. In any event, the timing of this incident is striking because Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov and the rest of the Politburo are quite concerned about transit rights recently granted by the Finns to Wehrmacht troops. There is no evidence, however, that this was a planned incident, perhaps a question of Soviet indifference or inattention. This is the kind of murky incident that keeps World War II discussion boards humming.

Battle of the Pacific

Light cruiser HMNZS Adelaide and Achilles depart for patrols out of Sydney and Auckland, respectively, after reports of a German raider in the vicinity. They find nothing. However, the reports are probably accurate, as raider Pinguin and its consort Passat are travelling in the vicinity to lay minefields off southern Australia.

Battle of the Indian Ocean

German raider Atlantis captures 5623 ton Yugoslavian freighter Durmitor. The Germans rename it Radwinter and put a prize crew on it to sail to Mogadishu.

German/Soviet Relations

Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov replies to German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop's lengthy letter of 13 October about a New World Order. The letter, signed by Stalin, is considered so important that Gustav Hilger personally brings it to Berlin.

In his reply, Stalin agrees to Ribbentrop's proposal that they meet in Berlin, to be followed by a meeting in Moscow:

I agree with you that a further improvement in the relations between our countries is entirely possible on the permanent basis of a long-range definition of mutual interests.

Molotov proposes 10-12 November as good dates for his visit. However, he carefully sets aside any possibility of involving Italy and Japan in the negotiations. Hitler's grand idea is to get the USSR to sign on with the Tripartite Pact, and he remains confident that will happen. The Germans are extremely excited at what appears to be a thawing of relations between the two parties.

Both sides, meanwhile, have been busy crafting war plans to invade the other. Molotov in particular is greatly concerned by German activity in Finland, where the Finns have granted the Wehrmacht transit rights and engaged in trade agreements with Germany. In the paranoid minds of the Kremlin, this all seems directed at them - and to a large extent they are right. The Soviet attitude on recent matter is not nearly as rosy as the Germans assume or would like to believe.

German Military

Naval officer Friedrich Ruge, who won the Iron Cross 2nd Class during World War I, receives the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as Kapitän zur See and commodore leader of the Minensuchboote West.

Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock's Army Group B headquarters, now redesignated Army Group Center, moves to Posen. Field Marshal Wilhelm List takes temporary command when von Bock goes on medical leave.

US Military

The Greenslade Board departs from San Juan, Puerto Rico to visit Hamilton, Bermuda. The Board is inspecting naval bases recently acquired pursuant to the destroyers-for-bases deal.

Italy

Benito Mussolini sets a firm date for the invasion of Greece of 28 October.

India

The British authorities are working valiantly to prevent any civil war by nationalists. Today, Gandhi's Congress Party begins non-violent protests. The British begin arresting the first of thousands of protesters for such acts as demonstrations and anti-war speeches.

China

Heitaro Kimura becomes chief of staff of Kenkichi Ueda, leader of the Japanese Kwantung Army in northeastern China.

Day 419 of World War II, October 23rd 1940

Battle of Britain

No large raids were made on this Wednesday with only reconnaissance and occasional Bf109 sweeps crossing the coast throughout the day. A Blenheim from RAF No. 600 Squadron based at Catterick in Yorkshire, crashed into a hillside at Kirkby Malzeard, Yorkshire during practice flights through cloud at 1055 hours. P/O P.R.S. Hurst was killed and buried in Catterick Cemetery.

At 1240 hours an aircraft from Calais flew from Dover to Dungeness and Hastings, where it turned North and crossed the Inner Artillery Zone. This aircraft attacked the Stanmore before returning across the IAZ and going across Kent.

At 1323 hours a raid from Holland came into the Estuary over a convoy off Clacton, circled Harwich for ten minutes and returned to the Scheldt; this was followed at 1331 hours by another from Holland into the Estuary, over two convoys North West of Herne Bay and then to South East London and back to the Scheldt.

Hurricanes of RAF No.145 Squadron, scrambled from Tangmere during the afternoon, intercepted one raid of Bf109s over Sussex and lost two Hurricanes during the combat.

During the night the bombing of London continued with other raids dropping mines off the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coasts. A PM was dropped on the bowling green in Tynemouth Park and another in a field at Kennersdene Farm, Tynemouth near the LNER electric railway which caused craters measuring 35' x 15'. Damage to Park Cafe, Bowling Club Pavilion, Beaconsfield House AFS Station, the Grand Parade First Aid Post and many other buildings including 280 houses. There was damage also to the Princes Theatre, Russell Street, North Shields. Twelve German aircraft penetrated the Yorkshire coast from the east. These were tracked to the western seaboard and a short distance out to sea off the Lancashire coast and minelaying was suspected. An attack was made at St Pancras at 1847 hours causing considerable damage, including a large crater on the London main line, 2 holes through a bridge; also property and rolling stock suffered severely.

A He 111H of I./KG 27 was destroyed when it crashed at Tours airfield after a combat sortie. The aircraft struck a barrack block, killing all four crew (Lt. Wolfgang Wilhelm, Uffz. Ernst Bautz, Uffz. Wilhelm Forster, Uffz. Alfons Jenau) and thirteen occupants of the building, and injuring eleven others (all groundcrew of KG 27).

Air War over Europe

After a respite due to poor weather, RAF Bomber Command returns to the attack today. The primary targets are railway installations and power plants around Berlin. Other bombing raids are sent against the port of Emden, oil installations at Hanover and Magdeburg, the port of Hoek van Holland, and various communications points in northwestern Europe, including airfields.

Battle of the Atlantic

It is a quiet day at sea because the U-boat fleet is back in port after a stunningly successful week. Convoys SC 7 and HX 79 are still struggling into port after being mauled. The Royal Navy Admiralty reassesses how its escorts are performing.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Taku torpedoes and sinks Norwegian freighter Prinsesse Ragnhild off Bodo.

Swedish 65 ton trawler Essie hits a mine and sinks in the Skagerrak about 19 km south of Skagen, Denmark. Six crew perish.

Norwegian 1590 ton liner Prinsesse Ragnhild hits a mine and sinks in the Norwegian Sea off Bodø, Nordland. There are 78 deaths and 62 survivors.

The Luftwaffe damages British 7603 ton freighter Empire Ability at Gardoch.

Battlecruisers Hood and Repulse are at sea supporting Operation DNU, a destroyer sweep in the North Sea by HMS Somali, Matabele and Punjabi and accompanying vessels.

German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer sails from Gotenhafen (Gdynia) in Poland to Brunsbuttel en route to a raiding cruise in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

Convoy OB 233 departs from Liverpool, Convoys FN 316 and FN 317 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 318 departs from Methil.

Battle of the Mediterranean

The RAF raids Gura, Asmara Airfield, Gondar, Tessenie, Kassala and Sidi Barrani.

At Malta, the island loses a scarce Swordfish when it ditches in the sea close to shore. A trawler recovers the crew. In addition, after a lot of hard work all the ammunition recently received is stocked away, and a one-week bomb disposal course - the island's first - is instituted. Previously, untrained men have been disarming bombs.

German/Spanish Relations

Hitler travels by train to Hendaye. Ramón Serrano Súñer, Francisco Franco, Joachim von Ribbentrop and Hitler meet in the Hendaye railway station. This is one of the most fateful meetings of the war. They speak for three and a half hours. Franco is completely noncommittal about entering the war and repeats the demands for enormous supplies he would require that previously have been communicated by Suner. Hitler offers Gibraltar and North African territory, but Franco wants territory on the far side of the Pyrenees, Morocco and much of Algeria. All of these demands would spoil relations with France and Italy, and Franco probably knows that. It is becoming clear that Franco is not interested in entering into another war so soon after gaining power. However, for what it is worth, he reaffirms that he is strongly pro-Axis and does promise to enter the war at some point if his numerous and onerous conditions are met.

Hitler leaves with nothing, and later comments that the discussion was worse than "having three or four teeth pulled." He likely expected more cooperation given the aid he had given Franco during the Spanish Civil War - without which Franco likely would no longer even be alive. Unlike the talks with Laval on the 22nd, this meeting at Hendaye absolutely can be deemed a failure. There now is no possibility of performing Operation Felix, the conquest of Gibraltar. After the war, Reichsmarschall Goering will claim that the single biggest mistake that the Axis made was not simply invading Spain after this failed meeting and seizing Gibraltar anyway. That would have closed off the Strait of Gibraltar to the British fleet and vastly improved communications to North Africa.

Next stop on Hitler's itinerary is a meeting with Marshal Petain. The trip is becoming an exercise in why you should have agreements ready to sign due to prior negotiations before you actually travel to meet with your counterpart. The idea of a "continental bloc" against Great Britain is evaporating before Hitler's eyes. However, he still might be able to work something out with Petain, who today meets with Laval at Vichy regarding Laval's meeting with Hitler on the 22nd and appoints him Foreign Minister.

Photo: Hitler and Franco at the train station.



German/Italian Relations

Hitler's journey to France already is having an effect - a bad one - on Italy. Mussolini is described as being in "a black mood" over the fact that "the Germans prefer the French to us." Mussolini instructs Count Ciano to demand control of the French Mediterranean coast and Marseilles, which is far more than they could ever hope to achieve through military action. The sole reason for this apparently is Mussolini's feeling abused like a spurned lover.

German/Italian/Arab Relations

German radio endorses German/Arab relations. There is a lot of support within the Middle East for Germany, though Great Britain and France maintains a somewhat precarious hold on the region. Italian radio does the same thing at the same time in obviously coordinated outreach.

Anglo/Vichy French Relations

At the same time that Hitler is about to woo Marshal Petain, Petain has his man in London, Louis Rougier, meet with British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax. They work to see if there can be some kind of reconciliation between the countries.

Anglo/US Relations: Another tranche of US destroyers are transferred to the Royal Navy pursuant to the destroyers-for-bases deal. They are:

USS Evans -> HMS Mansfield
USS Philip -> HMS Lancaster
USS Wickes -> HMS Montgomery
USS Stockton -> HMS Ludlow
USS Conway -> HMS Lewes
USS Conner -> HMS Leeds
USS Twiggs -> HMS Leamington
USS Yarnall -> HMS Lincoln
USs McCalla -> HMS Stanley
USs Rodgers -> HMS Sherwood

The new Royal Navy destroyers man up with Royal Navy sailors and begin departing piecemeal for ports in Great Britain.

German occupied Luxembourg

What remains of the Luxembourg government, the Chamber of Deputies and the Council of State, is formally dissolved.

Japan

The country gives a one-year notice of withdrawal of the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911. Signed by the United States, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Empire of Japan, and the Russian Empire, the treaty led to later treaties of a similar nature. The Convention is considered a landmark in wildlife preservation issues.

American Homefront

President Roosevelt gives a speech in Philadelphia in which he vigorously denies wanting to lead the country into war. He emphasizes:

We will not participate in foreign wars and will not send our Army, naval or air forces to fight in foreign lands outside of the Americas except in case of attack. It is for peace that I have labored; and it is for peace that I shall labor all the days of my life.

Roosevelt will abide by this promise, though one could interpret his blatant support of Great Britain in the war against Germany and embargoes he has imposed against Japan as subtly pushing the Axis to attack the United States. In other words, Roosevelt may be provoking an attack on the United States in order to achieve a larger goal of entering the war. However, there is no direct evidence that this is his plan.

British Homefront

Prime Minister Churchill and wife Clementine inspect Polish troops at St. Andrews in Scotland. General Wladyslaw Sikorski, Premier of the Polish Government-in-Exile and commander of Polish forces, accompanies them.

Photo: Prime Minister Winston Churchill inspecting troops of the 1st Rifle Brigade (1st Polish Corps) with General Władysław Sikorski, the C-in-C of the Polish Armed Forces, at Tentsmuir, 23 October 1940. General Gustaw Paszkiewicz, the Commander of the Brigade, is behind General Sikorski.

Day 421 of World War II, October 25th 1940

Battle of Britain

Fighter-bomber raids developed high over Kent and London, bringing a return of dogfights and bombs released indiscriminately. All day Bf 109 formations of up to Gruppe strength from JG 27, JG 51, JG 53, JG 54, JG 26 and II(Schlacht)./LG 2 each flew three missions against the overall city area of London and were escorted by usually twice as many fighters. In one of their now rare appearances in daylight, twin-engined medium bombers attacked a total of 16 RAF stations, being joined by Bf 109s which bombed Martlesham and Hawkinge. Just after 0900 hours several waves of Bf109 raids, mainly from JG 26 and JG 51, were crossing the Kent and Sussex coasts and heading for targets around southern London, Kenley and Biggin Hill. While this attack was in progress two other formations flew inland - one of 12 aircraft at Dungeness and the other of 40 aircraft at Hastings. At 0920 hours, the raids, increasing to 65 aircraft concentrated towards Biggin Hill but a split of some 20 aircraft flew to Central London. Of the several Fighter Command squadrons scrambled to intercept, heavy engagements were made by the Spitfires of RAF Nos. 41 and 66 Squadrons. JG 54 was one of the escort Geschwaders flying at 26,000 ft and JG 26 was escorting the Bf 109s of II./LG 2. Near Biggin Hill, the JG 54 formation was attacked by ten Spitfires from RAF No. 41 Sqdrn. On the first pass, Oblt. Joachim Schypek of 6./JG 54 was hit by P/O Peter Brown and forced to crash land at Broom Hill near Lydd. Maj. Werner Mölders from Stab/JG 51 claimed a Spitfire near Dover while Lt. Heinrich Tornow of 4./JG 51 was credited with a Hurricane over London.

Returning from the morining mission, II./JG 26 and III./JG 26 were attacked by RAF No. 603 Sqdrn Spitfires over Maidstone and shot down three. Hptm. Walter Adolph of Stab II./JG 26, Lt. Karl Borris of 4./JG 26 and Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Westphal from 7./JG 26 were given credit for the kills. F/O Robert Wardlow 'OXO' Oxspring was on patrol leading a flight from No 66 Squadron when they were bounced by 6 Bf 109s. Oxspring bailed safely out of his blazing Spitfire I (X4170) over Tonbridge after the combat at 0900 hours. Oblt. Kurt Eichstadt of 5./JG 26 was hit from above by a Spitfire, possibly from RAF No. 66 Sqdrn. Eichstadt's Bf 109 broke up in the air and he was thrown clear but his chute failed to open.

At 1200 hours more raids were crossing over Kent towards Maidstone, Biggin Hill and Hornchurch areas. German aircraft numbering 100 crossed the coast near Dover at 20,000 feet and flew on a Westerly course past Maidstone. The formation split into many small sections and covered the South East from Hornchurch to South of Biggin Hill. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 249, 257, 302 (Polish) and 310 (Czech) Squadrons were directed to the area along with Spitfires of RAF Nos. 19, 222 and 603 Squadrons. Three Squadrons from 12 Group which were in the air at Duxford were sent to the Maidstone patrol line. 3./JG 77 were on a mission to London escorting Bf 109s from 1./JG 77 and 2./JG 77. Approaching the target area, a great number of Spitfires and Hurricanes were waiting the German formation. However the bombs were dropped and the whole formation was on the return journey when the British fighters attacked. Gefr. Karl Raisinger of 3./JG 77 was hit and crash landed at Harvey's Cross near Brighton. Sgt J.M.Beard of No 249 Squadron was wounded when he baled out of his stricken Hurricane I (P3615) after combat with a Bf 109 over Linton, Kent. P/O P.Olver of RAF No. 603 Squadron was injured when he baled out of his Spitfire I (P7365) after combat with Bf 109s near Chartham, Kent at 1015 hours.

P/O W.B. Pattullo of RAF No. 46 squadron, (Stapleford) was killed in Hurricane V6804, when he crashed into a house in Woodstock Avenue, Romford, at 1207 hours, following a routine patrol. P/O Pattullo was taken from the wreckage, and admitted to Oldchurch Hospital, but died the next day.

A third main wave of Bf109 raids approached Dungeness just after 1300 hours and interceptions were made by Spitfires of RAF Nos. 92 and 222 Squadrons and Hurricanes of RAF No. 46 Squadron over Kent. 50 aircraft flew inland at Dungeness followed by 20 others. A split remained near Dover while the main body flew to Central London at 1330 hours splitting into small formations en route. The Air Provost Marshal's department at Westminister was hit by an HE bomb at 1330 hours, killing four RAF personnel and injuring eight. A huge bomb landed on the Blackfriars Road destroying some trams which were trying to temporarily shelter from the onslaught. On the other side of the road, on the corner with Union Street, a building, known originally as the Surrey Chapel but subsequently as the Blackfriar’s Ring, was also very badly damaged. Returning from this mission, III./JG 26 were set upon by nearly two dozen Spitfires from RAF No. 92 and 603 Squadrons. Lt. Hermann Ripke of 8./JG 26 fell victim to P/O Tom Sherrington of RAF No.92 Squadron high above Sevenoaks, Kent. Lt.Ripke's Bf 109E crashed at Riverhill House, Sevenoaks. His wingman Fw. Joseph Gartner was shot down by RAF No.92 Squadron's F/O "Pancho" Villa. Gartner's aircraft crashed at Congelow Farm, Yalding. Oblt. Joachim Müncheberg of 7./JG 26 forced one of the Spitfires to crash land. Hptm. Wolfgang Lippert of Stab II./JG 27 made a claim for two Hurricanes at this time near London.

During these aerial conflicts over Kent, Spitfires of RAF No. 72 Squadron intercepted and shot down a patrolling Bf110 off the Great Yarmouth coast.

F/Lt F.Jastrzebski of RAF No 302 Squadron was KIA when he failed to return after a patrol over the Channel in his Hurricane I (V7593). He was seen to leave the formation and glide towards.

Shortly after 1500 hours another large wave of sweeping raids crossed the Kent coast and split into formations heading for London, Kenley and areas of Sussex. Several RAF squadrons were scrambled to intercept but only the Hurricanes of RAF No. 501 Squadron, from Kenley, succeeded in engaging the Bf109s. The Hurricanes suffered heavily at the hands of JG 51 and subsequently lost 4 aircraft and 1 pilot. P/O V.Goth was killed when his Hurricane I (P2903) collided with P/O K.W.Mackenzie's Hurricane (V6806) during combat with Bf 109s over Tenterden, Kent. MacKenzie baled out of his Hurricane safely while P/O V.Goth crashed in Bridgehurst Wood, Marden. P/O Vivian R. Snell shot down a Bf109E and was then shot down himself while flying Hurricane P2903. He baled out and watched his Hurricane crash into a field at Brenchley near Tonbridge in Kent.

Whilst RAF No. 501 Squadron were experiencing heavy combat over Kent, a patrolling Hurricane of RAF No. 79 Squadron, scrambled from Pembrey, was thought to have been shot down by a reconnaissance aircraft plotted in the area. P/O S. Piatkowski was killed when he crashed his Hurricane, N2728, near Carew Cheriton after a routine patrol over Linney Head. Pilots of RAF No.79 Squadron were involved mostly in patrolling the coast and their base at Pembrey with the chance for a kill rarely presenting itself. The fruitless patrols and the boredom of waiting were sometimes interrupted by well remembered events. Donald Stones relates a story about Sgt. Wlodzimierz Mudry in his book 'Poles in Defence of Britain';

"We had two artists in the squadron now. John Parker, who was already established as the keeper and illustrator of our unofficial Squadron diary, and Sergeant Mudry, one of three newly acquired Polish pilots... Parker and Mudry decorated the walls of our mess with exciting drawings in coloured chalk of near-nude chorus girls and caricatures of aerial battles in which 79 Squadron always came off badly. Of the girls, one magnificent specimen with much leg and what we call an air-cooled chest, wore only a short pair of black French knickers, attached by drawing pins to the wall. A visiting VIP of high rank fell into the trap and through unendurable curiosity, casually lifted the knickers, to be confronted with a card bearing the message: 'You have a dirty mind. Put 2s 6d in the beer kitty.' "

The Luftwaffe attacked the airfield at Montrose (Scotland) in the late afternoon by four He111s of the KG 26 based in Norway. During the low-level attack, machine gun bullets bounced off the High Street and bombs rained down on the air station. Five men were killed and 21 wounded and extensive damage was done to buildings and aircraft. Defences were caught off guard by the low-level attack and the Hurricanes of RAF No. 111 Squadron were destroyed on the ground. Other towns in Angus and Fife were also hit, with bombs dropped on Cellardyke and Arbroath.

At 1740 hours some 20 enemy aircraft in two formations were in the vicinity of a convoy off North Foreland and at 1744 hours the convoy was attacked. In response to a 'help' message, four Squadrons were despatched but no interception were made. This may have been the thirteen Bf 109s of JG 27 who were on their fourth mission of the day when they attacked a convoy of 35 ships near Ramsgate and claimed one merchant vessel sunk with a direct hit.

P/O Robert Duncan Yule of RAF No. 145 Sqdrn was shot down by Bf 109s in a combat over Kent and was admitted to hospital with leg wounds after making a forced landing which completely wrote off his Hurricane I (P3926). (While rehearsing for the Battle of Britain fly past over London on the 11th of September 1953, Yule collided with another jet aircraft. Faced with a densely-populated area, Yule steered his aircraft towards Woolwich Arsenal and crash-landed between rows of buildings. Some workers were injured and Yule was killed. His selfless action undoubtedly saved many lives.)

P/O S.F.Soden from RAF No. 606 Squadron was shot down in a Spitfire I (P7635) by a Bf 109 baling out near Chartham, Kent and badly injuring a leg on landing.

During the night raids were made on London, the Midlands, South Wales, Liverpool and the airfields of Wittering Middle Wallop. Mines were dropped off Aberdeen, Liverpool, East Anglia and the northeast coastline. The attack on London commenced at about 1830 hours from the mouth of the Scheldt and from Dieppe in moderate strength. Raids also appeared from Cherbourg flying Northwards. Meanwhile, 45 raids approached London from the East and South and the attack was sustained, although in gradually diminishing strength, throughout the period. Many gas and water mains were damaged, and at Bordesley the Great Western Railway and the lines were flooded. House property and the Municipal Bank suffered damage. A formation of Ju 88s of I./LG 1 raided Birmingham at 2010 hours. Later at 2235 hours He 111s of III./KG 27 attacked Liverpool and Bristol.

RAF No.601 squadron, (Exeter) lost two Hurricanes during a training flight. Sgt L.D. May in Hurricane V6917 and Sgt F Mills-Smith in Hurricane P3709 both died in a mid-air collision and crashed in the sea off Exmouth, at 1500 hours.

Photo: RAF personnel and soldiers inspect Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 (W.Nr. 1988) ‘Black 7’ of 5./JG54, which belly-landed at Broom Hill, near Lydd, Sussex at 9.30am on 25 October 1940. Oberleutnant Schypek was captured



Air War over Europe

RAF Bomber Command focuses on the coast today. Targets include the coastal guns at Hellfire Corner and the Kriegsmarine ports, such as Kiel, Bremen, Hamburg, Cuxhaven, Amsterdam, Den Helder and Ostend. Some of the raids target oil installations in northern Germany. Berlin and Hamburg are recovering after the massive raid on the night of 24/25 October.

Battle of the Atlantic

The U-boats that have been on patrol in the Atlantic, having gorged on Convoys SC 7 and HX 79 earlier in the week, make port in France to re-stock their torpedoes and other supplies. This period thus marks a lull in U-boat successes, but the Germans have other ways to keep the pressure on Allied shipping which make their mark today. These primarily are mines and the Luftwaffe.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks the South Goodwin Lightship off St. Margaret's Bay, Kent.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 89 ton Royal Navy trawler HMT Duthies at Montrose, Angus. Everybody aboard survives.

In the same attack at Montrose, the Luftwaffe damages 25 ton fishing boat Janet.

Royal Navy 338 ton trawler HMT Lord Inchcape hits a mine and sinks near Plymouth, Devon. The ship sinks in shallow water and is later salvaged.

British 45 ton trawler Encourage also hits a mine and sinks off Plymouth. All four men on board perish.

British coaster Buoyant hits a mine and blows up at the mouth of the Humber.

British 207 ton trawler Carlton also hits a mine at the mouth of the Humber and sinks. There are seven survivors and three men perish.

British 222 ton fishing boat Windsor also hits a mine in the Humber, just south of Spurn Point, Yorkshire. One crew member perishes.

British freighter Kyle Skye runs aground on the Isl of Arran, Bute. The ship is lost, but the crew survives.

British freighter Blairsprey, part of Convoy SC 7 and torpedoed on the 18th by U-101 and on the 19th by U-100, makes it under tow to the Clyde in Scotland, where it is beached. The ship will be repaired.

U-46 (Kptlt. Engelbert Endrass), still on patrol in the Atlantic after its numerous victories against the convoys earlier in the week, is attacked by three RAF Lockheed Hudson bombers. The submarine gets away, but one crew member (Matrosengefreiter (Able Seaman) Plaep) perishes from his wounds on the 26th.

Convoy OL 9 dparts from Liverpool, Convoy Fn 319 departs from Southend, Convoy SLS 53 depars from Freetown, Convoy BN 8 departs from Bombay bound for Suez.

Battle of the Mediterranean

A large portion of the British Mediterranean fleet, led by aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, departs from Alexandria to launch raids against Italian bases. It intends to patrol as far north as the Dardanelles.

British gunboat HMS Aphis bombards Italian troop positions 15 miles east of Sidi Barrani. The RAF bombs Tobruk.

The war on Malta is causing serious morale problems that result from safety measures. One of these today is the closing of a cemetery, Addorlorata Cemetery, which lies on a direct path between Grand Harbour and Luqa Airfield. The cemetery has become a hot spot for bombs, so public access is restricted. While this in normal times might seem a minor inconvenience, local citizens have paid an unusual amount of attention to gravesites of their ancestors since the start of the war - perhaps because they know they might soon be joining them. Also, a new bomb disposal course concludes, the first one for men on the island.

German/Italian Relations

Ribbentrop's rushed letter to Italian Foreign Minister Count Ciano, completed from start in France to hand delivery in Rome in about 18 hours, is greeted with joy by Ciano when ambassador Mackensen hands it to him around noontime. Ciano sees it as a tacit agreement by Germany that Italy is entitled to additional territory in southern France - which is not the intent behind the letter. Ciano off-handedly proposes a date of 3 or 4 November for the meeting between Mussolini and Hitler that Ribbentrop proposes in it. Ribbentrop calls immediately after German ambassador Mackensen has left and proposes an even earlier date. They agree on 28 October - only three days hence - for the meeting, to be held in Florence. Hitler redirects his train "Amerika" from its scheduled return to Berlin to go over the Alps for the meeting. It all fits perfectly into his schedule.

The timing of all this frantic activity has become a matter of historical debate. The 28th also just so happens to be the planned start date for Mussolini's invasion of Greece. The theory is that Hitler suddenly changes his plans and hurries down to Italy to try to stop the invasion of Greece. However, there is doubt whether the Italians have actually told the Germans the actual start date of the invasion, which Ciano previously has indicated would be 23 October but obviously has been postponed. The better view appears to be that Hitler was not planning to interfere with the Italian attack at all - he had not when informed of it previously - but instead decides to visit with Mussolini in Florence simply to smooth things over after the agitation caused by his visits to Spain and France. In other words, Hitler did not suddenly rocket down to Italy in a panic to try to stop the Italian offensive, but instead as a quick show of support to Mussolini and the alliance with Italy.

Hitler's quick schedule change also may fit into some broader themes. For security purposes, he likes to vary his itinerary on the fly. This, in fact, already has saved his life at least once (at the Braun Haus in Munich in late 1939). His visit to Paris in June also was unplanned. One never knows when the RAF or some lone wolf terrorist might want to try to bomb his train (and an awful lot of people know his general itinerary by this point).

Hitler also likes to take care of diplomatic visits all at once, in quick succession. An example of this is on D-Day, 6 June 1944, when he spends the day with such visits rather than reviewing the dire war situation. Since Hitler already is on his train, with all of his necessary staff close at hand, it makes sense to just do a quick jog over the mountains rather than disrupt his entire schedule to get his train ready at some future point. He also has the Molotov visit approaching, and it would be better to get his own house in order before making big decisions with the USSR. Finally, winter is approaching, and better to get this kind of travel over the Alps out of way now.

Anglo/Vichy French Relations

While Hitler is gallivanting across Europe meeting foreign leaders to little purpose, Marshal Petain in Paris is reaching across the Channel. His man Louis Rougier is in London meeting with Churchill and Foreign Minister Lord Halifax. Halifax, always a dove in such matters, is sympathetic, but Churchill, an adamant war hawk, is suspicious about Petain's motives in light of his recent meeting at Montoire with Hitler. Churchill says vaguely that he would support an anti-German regime in North Africa under overall French auspices, which Petain takes as a willingness to ally with Vichy France - which is a bit further than what Churchill intends. Anglo/French relations remain murky.

German Military: General Johannes Blaskowitz is appointed commander of German 1st Army. He takes over from Generalfeldmarschall Erwin von Witzleben, who remains in good standing but is a silent opponent to the regime. Von Witzleben will receive future appointments of significance, but for now is on the reserve rolls.

British Military: Air Marshal Charles Portal officially takes over as RAF Chief of Staff. He takes the temporary rank of air chief marshal. Issues confronting him include a desire by the Royal Navy to absorb RAF Coastal Command and the wishes of the British Army to form its own air force. Air Chief Marshal Richard Peirse remains in charge of Bomber Command, but there is some grumbling that bombing operations should be more aggressive.

The War Cabinet decides to continue the battleship construction programme due to concerns about developments in the Far East.

Italian Military

Commando Supremo forms the Forza Navale Speciale (FNS). The first commander is Vice Admiral Vittorio Tur.

US Military

Light cruiser USS St. Louis leaves Hamilton, Bermuda for Norfolk, Virginia. It carries the Greenslade Board, which is inspecting bases aquired in the destroyers-for-bases deal with the UK.

Indochina

The Japanese 5th Infantry Division is withdrawing in northern Indochina, and the French re-occupy the territory around Lang Son. The French also launch operations against nationalists who have been taking over local governments in the area.

China

The Japanese (13th Kokutai) bomb Chungking again, which they have been doing regularly for months. This raid is different because the bombs fall close to US Navy gunboat Tutuila and the US embassy. The bombs fall within 300 yards of the US assets. The Japanese later blame the incident on faulty bomb-release mechanisms.

American Homefront

The US Presidential campaign is in the home stretch. Republican candidate Wendell Willkie campaigns today in Lackawanna Station.

Day 423 of World War II, October 27th 1940

Battle of Britain

The Luftwaffe renewed its persistent raids of bomb-carrying Bf109s on London and selected targets in the southeast throughout the day. There seemed to be no absolute pattern to the German attacks. Raids were conducted only by small groups of planes that were usually turned back by the intercepting British fighters. A number of the airfields came under attack again. Hawkinge, still a forward airfield and of only minor importance, Martlesham, Kirton-on-Lindsay, Driffield and Honnington were also attacked, but serious damage was kept to a minimum.

Just after 0730 hours and for nearly two hours wave after wave of Bf109 raids swept across Kent heading for Biggin Hill, Kenley and London. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 46, 249, 253, 257, 501, 605 and 615 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF Nos. 66, 74, 92, 222, 602 and 603 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept the raiders. Only the Spitfires of RAF Nos. 66 and 74 Squadrons and Hurricanes of RAF No. 605 Squadron, from Croydon, managed to engage the Bf109s of JG 53, JG 27 and JG 54. Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 claimed a Spitfire over Ashford. III./JG 54 were returning from a sweep over London when they came across Hurricanes from RAF No. 605 Squadron and dived to attack. Uffz. Arno Zimmermann of 7./JG 54 was climbing from the attack when a Hurricane believed to be flown by Sgt. Eric Wright fired a burst which hit Zimmermann and his Bf 109. Zimmermann finally crash landed on the beach near Lydd. Sgt. J.A.Scott of RAF No 74 Squadron was shot down and killed in his Spitfire II (P7526) by a Bf 109 over Maidstone at 0900 hours. F/O A.Ingle of RAF No 605 Squadron was wounded with slight cuts to the face when his Hurricane I (V7599) sustained some battle damage and suffered a forced landing at Barcombe, Sussex at 0940 hours.

Oblt. Ulrich Steinhilper of I./JG 52 and his wingman were shot down by Sgt Bill Skinner and A/Flt Lt Mungo Park in Spitfire Mk IIs of RAF 74 Squadron. Steinhilper's 109 was hit from behind after he saw what he called;

"....a staircase to the sun, a staircase of Spitfires queuing for the attack, the first one already with red flames dancing along the leading edge of his wings as his guns fired. I landed beside the embankment of a canal. I looked around at the countryside to see if anyone was approaching. Nothing. Only the grey wet drizzle, blown by the wind. I couldn't believe that moments before I had been flying in the bright sunshine. Above the clouds I could hear the throb of engines as my comrades made their way back to base. How far away I was from them now. I felt so alone, so hopeless, my throat tightened and I thought that I was about to cry."

A Hurricane from RAF No. 43 Squadron based at Usworth near Sunderland, crashed vertically during high altitude aerobatics, the cause unknown, but believed to be through oxygen failure. The aircraft crashed at Congburn Dean, Edmondsley at 1025 hours. The 21-year-old pilot, Sergeant L.V. Toogood was killed and is buried in Kingstone Cemetery, St Mary's Road, Portsmouth. (A major recovery by the Northumberland Aeronautical Collection was made in October 1978. The parts recovered were: the tail wheel assembly, radiator, pilot's seat, radio, armour plate, main wheels and the shattered remains of the Roll-Royce Merlin engine. The pilot's parachute was recovered intact, in excellent condition and positive proof of identity was provided by the pilot's wallet, handed to the RAF.)

At 1130 hours, another series of raids started crossing the east coast of Kent heading for Dartford and the docklands of London and although sighted by RAF fighters, the raiders were too high to intercept. But RAF No. 145 Squadron tried. F/O D.G.S.Honor from RAF No 145 Squadron force landed his Hurricane I (V7422) near St Leonards, Sussex at 1220 hours. He had run out of fuel after combat but he was unhurt. Also running out of fuel was Sgt D.B.Sykes of RAF No. 145 Squadron who force landed his Hurricane I (N2494) near St Leonards, Sussex at 1220 hours. P/O P.A.Baillon of RAF No 609 Squadron bailed out of his Spitfire I (P9503) safely after combat over Andover at 1150 hours.

By 1230 hours the second wave of Bf109s crossed the Kent and Sussex coasts. Interceptions were made by Hurricanes of RAF No. 145 Squadron, scrambled from Tangmere, near Hastings and by Hurricanes of RAF No. 501 Squadron, scrambled from Kenley, over Kent.

At 1320 hours, one raid of 14 aircraft approached Faversham from Dungeness and then turned East; simultaneously another raid of 20 aircraft reached the Central London area and a secondary wave turned back over Ashford. As more Bf109s crossed the coast at Dungeness they were engaged by Spitfires of RAF No. 603 Squadron, scrambled from Hornchurch, over the Maidstone area. During this dogfight RAF No. 603 Squadron lost 3 Spitfires and 2 pilots. P/O C.W.Golsdsmith a South African had been shot down by a Bf 109 of JG 51 South of Maidstone, Kent at 1405 hours. He died of his wounds on the 28th of October 1940. P/O R.B.Dewey of No 603 Squadron was killed when his Spitfire II (P7365) was shot down by a Bf 109 of JG 51 south of Maidstone, Kent at 1405 hours.

Maj. Hannes Trautloft from Stab/JG 54 claimed a Spitfire over Ashford. P/O Eric F.Edsall from RAF No. 222 Squadron crashed in a Spitfire I (X4548 ), when he ran out of fuel after combat and he was injured when he crash landed near Hailsham at 1405 hours.

At 1630 hours two large raids were approaching their respective targets with formations of Ju88, He111 and Do17 bombers with Bf109 fighter escorts. The first raid crossed North Foreland and over the Thames Estuary into East Anglia whereby the airfields at Martlesham Heath and Coltishall along with the docks in Harwich were attacked. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 17, 242, 249, 257 and 310(Czech) Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF No. 19 Squadron, from Duxford, were scrambled to intercept the raid. Nine Bf109s dive-bombed the aerodrome at Martlesham at 1642 hours. Between 9 and 12 - 50 Kilo bombs were dropped and three delayed action bombs were dropped on the East side of the aerodrome. The only damage was one workshop, and the aerodrome was serviceable during daylight on the West side. An attack was made by a Do17 on Coltishall at 5,000 feet and a further low-flying He111, which machine-gunned the aerodrome, causing very little damage and no casualties. A second attack took place at 1810 hours by high-flying aircraft, which dropped bombs but caused no damage, but No 3 Post was dive machine-gunned by a Bf109 from 100 feet.

The second raid of Ju88s and Bf109s was made against the Southampton and Portsmouth areas. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 56, 145, 213, 238 and 607 Squadrons and Spitfires of RAF Nos. 152, 602 and 609 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept. P/O Alexis Jottard a Belgian with RAF No 145 Squadron was shot down and killed in his Hurricane I (P3167) by a Bf 109 at 1715 hours off the Isle of Wight. At the time of his death Jottard was credited with one damaged enemy aircraft. This was claimed while flying biplanes. Oblt. Hermann Reifferscheidt from 1./JG 2 claimed his first victory, a Hurricane near the Isle of Wight. Sergeant J.K.Haire of RAF No 145 Squadron in his Hurricane I (V6888 ) ditched on the sands of Bembridge and escaped injury after a dogfight with a Bf 109 at 1715 hours. P/O Franck Weber was a Czech who served with RAF No 145 Squadron and baled out of his Hurricane I off the Isle of White safely after combat with a Bf 109 at 1715 hours and was picked up out of the Channel.

Before the main bombing raids of the night were launched, several small raids were made, at about 1830 hours, against the airfields of Leconfield, Feltwell, Driffield, Kirton-in-Lindsey and Martlesham. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 1, 17 and 85 Squadrons made interceptions on the Do17s and He111s over Norfolk and Lincolnshire. A Ju 88A from 7./KG 4 was hit by ground fire during a low level attack on Driffield aerodrome at 1800 hours. It belly landed on Richmond Farm, Duggleby, Yorkshire. Three enemy aircrew members were captured unhurt, the other one died of his wounds on November 15th. A machine gun (an MG15) from the German aircraft is now in the trophy case at Driffield. At Leconfield, Pilot Rossocachacki of RAF No. 303 (Polish) Squadron was injured by shrapnel when the Aerodrome was bombed by 2 He111s at 1808 hours. RAF Mildenhall was attacked for the first time.

At 1732 hours, a Heinkel 111 made a low-flying attack on Lindholme and dropped 6 HE light bombs scoring two direct hits, one on the sick quarters and the other on the Barrack Block, causing 8 casualties. At 1800 hours, an He111 approached the aerodrome at Kirton in Lindsey and came down to 2,500 feet and carried out a machine-gun attack before dropping two bombs which exploded on the roof of No 1 Hangar. A further three bombs were dropped on the South West building and four buildings under construction, one of which was a new explosive store.

During the night raids were made on London, Liverpool and the Midlands. The attack on London was maintained at fair strength but later became sporadic, assuming the single 'relay' character. The attacks on Coventry and Liverpool increased in strength and over the former were still being plotted at 010 hours, although they had ceased over the latter about midnight. A marked feature was wide dispersal of raiders, practically all districts South of a line Barrow to Middlesborough being visited at some time during the period. The route Selsey - Oxford - Midlands, with fanning out both East and West, seemed particularly favoured. The main damage was the blockage of the LMS line at Tottenham and the Kingston Southern Railway Line at Malden due to flooding caused by a main bursting.

Mines were dropped off Harwich, in the Thames Estuary and along the coast of eastern England up to the Firth-of-Forth.

Photo: A soldier guards Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 (Werke/Nr.3576) of 7 Staffel/Jagdgeschwader 54, which belly landed on a beach near Lydd water tower in Kent on 27 October 1940. The aircraft was damaged in combat with Hurricanes of No. 605 Squadron during a fighter sweep over Tunbridge Wells. The pilot, Unteroffizier Arno Zimmermann, was captured.



Air War over Europe

RAF Bomber Command attacks several targets in Greater Germany, including oil installations at Hamburg, Hanover, Gelsenkirchen, Magdeburg and Ostermoor. Other targets include the Skoda plant at Pilsen, ports such as Antwerp, Flushing, Ostend, Lorient, Wilhelmshaven and Hamburg, and warehouses at Krefeld, Hamm and Mannheim.

Battle of the Atlantic

British 42k ton troopship Empress of Britain is taken in tow by oceangoing tugs HMS Marauder and HMS Thames around 09:30. They make for the Clyde at 4 knots, covered by destroyers and Short Sunderland flying boats. U-32 (Kptl. Hans Jenisch), directed to the scene by U-boat Command, approaches the British ships during the day but must remain submerged throughout the day due to the British escorts. After dark, he surfaces and locates the stricken liner using hydrophones. Destroyer escorts HMS Broke and Sardonyx are zig-zagging. U-32 maneuvers into position to attack just after midnight.

Italian submarine Nani torpedoes and sinks 1583 ton Swedish freighter Meggie about 130 km off Santa Maria Island, Azores. Everybody aboard survives.

Dutch 325 ton coaster Margaretha hits a mine and sinks in the Bristol Channel near Newport, Monmouthshire. Everybody aboard survives.

British 20 ton drifter Persevere hits a mine and sinks in the Firth of Forth.

British 634 ton coaster Suavity hits a mine and sinks off Hartlepool, County Durham in the North Sea. Everybody aboard survives.

The Luftwaffe damaged 5013 ton British freighter Alfred Jones in Convoy OB 234 in the Irish Sea. There are 12 deaths.

The Luftwaffe also damages 411 ton British freighter Conister and 1556 ton British freighter Newlands.

Royal Navy light cruiser Arethusa collides with freighter Flaminian in the North Sea, slightly damaging its bow.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Swordfish reports damaging a freighter off Cherbourg.

German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer departs Germany for a raid into the Atlantic, proceeding north along the Norwegian coast.

Convoy OB 235 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 321 departs from Southend, Convoy FN 321 departs from Methil, Convoy SL 53 departs from Freetown.

Battle of the Mediterranean

General de Gaulle's Free Free troops in French Equatorial Africa are on the march into Vichy French Gabon. Under the command of General Edgard de Larminat, they advance from the Congo Valley, take the town of Mitzic, and invest the fortress of Lambarene. These events in central Africa are intended to consolidate de Gaulle's strength and set up bases for air attacks on the Italian positions further north and east.

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, on a mission out of Alexandria, launches air attacks against the Italian seaplane base at Maltezana, Rhodes, Greece.

At Malta, there is an air raid around 10:00 which results in a massive dogfight over the island. Eight RAF planes (six Hurricanes, two Gladiators) take on an equal number of Macchi 200 aircraft. There is no bomb damage and both sides take some damage to a plane (the Italian plane may not have made it back).

Italian/Greek Relations

Italian ambassador in Athens Emanuele Grazzi peremptorily delivers a demand from Mussolini late in the evening. The note demands that Italian troops be permitted to occupy key points in Greece. Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas replies:

Alors, c'est la guerre ("Then, it's war").

Everybody knows this is tantamount to a declaration of war. Metaxas is fully aware of increasing Italian provocations, such as their air raid on Greece on the 26th, but censors such news from the media.

Metaxas has been mobilizing his own troops in great secrecy and they are dug in along the mountains facing Albania. Mussolini, of course, did not deliver the demand in the expectation that it would lead to anything other than such a refusal. The Greek/Albanian front - the traditional invasion route from Italy for a millennia - is full of good defensive positions. It also is an extremely restricted front, with almost no maneuvering room. For the time being, Metaxas can concentrate his entire army there, because the Italians also have to worry about the Royal Navy and thus cannot embark on tenuous amphibious invasions further south. Deep-seated historical enmity guarantees that any conflict between the two countries will be fought with great savagery.

German/Italian Relations

The Germans remain in the dark about Italian intentions toward Greece, and news flows to them sporadically from various sources. German Generalmajor Enno von Rintelen, the liaison with the Italian military, calls the OKW at noon and informs them that it is now "practically certain" that the invasion will take place the next morning. This is the first "confirmation" of when the attack will take place, as Italian Foreign Minister Count Ciano has been uncommunicative. German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop, meanwhile, already is on his train "Heinrich" for the meeting on the 28th with Mussolini in Florence and remains completely out of the loop. General Alfred Jodl, OKW Chief of Operations, reviews the information and informs Hitler that the Italian attack will take place in the morning; Hitler simply accepts the information, issues no instructions, and leaves as scheduled in his train "Amerika" at 18:00 for Florence. If the attack does take place as anticipated, it will be while Hitler is still crossing the Alps in his train. By 21:00, the Italians reveal their plans officially to the Germans.

US Military

The Greenslade Board investigating the British bases acquired in the destroyers-for-bases deal winds up its travels aboard light cruiser USS St. Louis at Norfolk, Virginia.

Photo: USS Texas Dressed with flags for Navy Day



Photo: USS Wasp CV-7 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on Navy Day.




Free France

In a symbolic exercise, the Free French government officially is established in London. General de Gaulle, in Africa, broadcasts:
As long as the French Government and the representation of the French people do not exist normally and independently of the enemy, the powers formerly performed by the Chief of State and by the Council of Ministers will be exercised by the leader of the Free French forces assisted by a Council of Defense.

Italian occupied Albania

The Italians, preparing for their invasion of Greece, order all Jews out of Albania.

Day 425 of World War II, October 29th 1940

Battle of Britain

The Tuesday was to be a testing day for Fighter Command with an increase in daylight raids on southern England. The Luftwaffe launched what was possibly their last and final raid of any importance on London during the Battle of Britain. Park again asked that 12 Groups fighters to intercept the bombers, but it took over twenty minutes before the Duxford Wing was formed and was again too late to attack the bombers.

From 0800 hours reconnaissance raids were made at regular intervals until just after 1030 hours when radar detected a formation of Bf109s crossing the Channel toward the Kent coast at Deal. Whilst the Spitfires of RAF Nos. 66, 74 and 92 Squadrons were occupied with the raiders, a small section of bomb-carrying Bf109s broke away and successfully bombed targets in central London including Charing Cross bridge. P/O R.R.Hutley flew with RAF No. 213 Squadron. He baled out of his Hurricane I (P2720) off Selsey at 1145 hours. He was picked up but he died later.

A convoy off Dover was visited by enemy aircraft at 0945 and 1025 hours.

Just after midday the Hurricanes of RAF No. 1 Squadron were scrambled from Wittering to intercept a small raid of Do17s.

At about 1300 hours, a large raid of over 100 Bf109s crossed the Kent coast in several waves and headed for the areas of Biggin Hill, Hornchurch, Maidstone, west and central London. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 249, 253, 501 and 615 Squadrons along with Spitfires of RAF Nos. 66, 74, 92, 222 and 602 Squadrons had already been scrambled to intercept. The Bf109s of JG 51 got caught and suffered heavy losses to the Spitfires, especially those of RAF No. 602 Squadron from Westhampnett who gained an advantage by working in pairs. The Hurricanes and Spitfires had a height advantage and dove onto the approaching 109s. Eight of the Messerschmitts were shot down in less than ten minutes, and the others dropped their bombs at random and turned back in retreat. The attack developed as RAF No. 222 Sqdrn climbed to deliver an attack on the Bf 109s from the rear. RAF No. 602 Sqdrn attacked simultaneously from above, just as RAF Nos. 615 and 229 Sqdrns were climbing for height. Outmaneuvered, the Messerschmitts turned for home whereupon RAF No. 602 gave chase. Lt. Ernst Terry of the Stab I./JG 51 was shot down and captured. Fw. Heinrich Tornow of 4./JG 51 with twelve victories to his credit, was killed in action over England. Maj. Werner Mölders from Stab/JG 51 claimed a Hurricane over Dungeness. P/O N.D.Edmond, a Canadian with RAF No 615 Squadron was wounded at 1245 hours. His Hurricane I (V6785) was badly damaged in combat.

As the dogfights over Kent and Sussex were subsiding another raid of twelve Ju 88s from LG 1 and Bf109s was plotted approaching Portsmouth at 1430 hours. Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 145 and 213 Squadrons both scrambled from Tangmere and were joined by the Spitfires of RAF No. 609 Squadron from Warmwell. Maj. Helmut Wick of Stab/JG 2 claimed two Hurricanes over Portsmouth to bring his score to 44. P/O Winter of RAF No. 247 Squadron intercepted one Ju88. The attack on Portsmouth caused 39 casualties, including 3 killed. Four shops were demolished and 50 houses badly damaged, also one high explosive bomb fell on the railway, demolishing ten wagons. Two new wings of the works of Messrs Evans Sons were seriously damaged.

While Portsmouth was being raided, the Italians reappearred briefly by day with 15 BR20 bombers escorted by 39 CR42 and 34 G.50bis fighters attacking Ramsgate. The CR42 biplanes causing more puzzlement than anxiety. (The RAF shot down the first Italian aircraft in November when three CR42 biplane fighters and three BR20 bombers were shot down. One of the BR20s had a crew of six, all wearing helmets and carrying bayonets. Due to poor support from the fighters, the Italian bombers switched from daylight to sporadic night bombing attacks. After about three months of operations from Belgium, the entire force was recalled to Italy in January 1941 to support the Italian invasion of Greece.In the end, it is almost surprising the C.A.I. managed to operate and the few missions effected appear as the maximum effort that those simple but bold men could hope to do.) The Royal Marines Barracks in Deal was attacked from the air. At 1640 hours, three HE bombs were dropped in the barracks, the casualties being 1 Officer and 7 other ranks killed, 6 Officers and 6 other ranks wounded. Historian David Collyer claims that the bombers were actually not from the Luftwaffe;

"The bombs fell in Cornwall Road, Cemetery Road, and near the railway bridge in Telegraph Road. My uncle Leslie can remember seeing an Italian aircraft flying by after dropping a bomb in front of the Officers' Mess at the RM depot."

This would indicate that the attackers were from the Italian Air Corps on their attack against Ramsgate, some eleven miles from Deal.

Late afternoon was to witness several successful attacks by fighter-bomber Bf109s on airfields across East Anglia, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire. This was Luftflotte 2's operation launched under the code-word "Opernhall" (Opera Hall). Seventy-one Ju 88s escorted by 31 Bf109s and 52 bomb-carrying Bf 109s with an escort of 99 Bf 109s and Bf 110 aircraft carried out attacks on a number of airfields. Bombs were dropped at Leeming and Linton on Ouse. The first materialised at 1645 hours when North Weald was bombed by Bf 109s from II(Schlacht)./LG 2 and JG 26 during the scramble of both Hurricane Squadrons, RAF Nos. 249 and 257. One Hurricane from RAF No. 249 Sqdrn was damaged and one from RAF No. 257 Sqdrn (Sgt A.G.Girdwood in his Hurricane I (P3708 ) was completely destroyed when it was hit by a bomb and caught fire. Another from RAF No. 257 Sqdrn was so badly damaged by bombs while it was taking off that its pilot (P/O F.Surma from Poland) climbed to 3,000 feet and baled out. Hptm. Gerhard Schöpfel of Stab III./JG 26 claimed one of the Hurricanes lost. II(Schlacht)./LG 2 lost three aircraft shot down during this mission including the Staffelkapitain of 5(Schlacht)./LG 2, Oblt. Benno von Schenk whose Bf 109E-4 plunged into the sea off the Blackwater Estuary and Ofw. Joseph Hammeling of 4./LG 2 who was attacked at 3,000 feet by two Hurricanes believed to have been from RAF No. 249 Sqdrn but also possibly by Polish Pilot, Michal Maciejowski, of RAF No. 111 Squadron. Ofw. Hammeling was obliged to make a force landong at Wick in Essex in his Bf 109E-7 WkNr 5593 "White N". The following is a translation of a letter by Josef Hammeling describing his ordeal:

"Here is an account of my sortie on 29th October 1940, on which date I became a prisoner of war in England. It was late in the afternoon, about 1700 hours (local time) when about 40 Messerschmitts Bf 109's of my Gruppe took off from Calais/Marck airfield. We headed on a course for London and reached the English coast at about 6,000 metres. Our Gruppe's objective was an airfield to the north-east of London (North Weald). This was a diversionary feint attack about 20 kilometres from the primary target and we took the opportunity to descend to about 4-500 metres for the attack. It was at this altitude that we struck at the target with bombs and our fixed armament and it was during this low-level attack that I received a hit in the radiator system, presumably from the ground defences. The result was that the coolant temperature rose quickly and the motor commenced losing revs. with alarming speed. However, I sought to gain height, in case I had to get out in an emergency. Soon after this two British fighters, a Spitfire and a Hurricane attacked me and I was unfortunately wounded in the head and right arm whilst at an altitude of about 80 metres. Eye witnesses later reported that my machine burned where it came to rest in a rural area near Colchester. After my (pancake) landing I summoned my strength to jump out of my aircraft and attempt to destroy it but some British soldiers intervened. By now I had recovered and took the opportunity to thank those who helped me. They were, to me, safety- although enemies, those who first gave me aid. The Doctor who removed a fragment of metal from my person also treated me in an exemplary manner..."

Apparently he was captured by the local gamekeeper, Jum (short for Jumbo) Brown, who was a private in the Essex Home Guard. Jum was awarded a Certificate by the Home Guard in recognition of his bravery in single handed sorting out the capture of plane and pilot. Obfw. Konrad Jäckel from 8./JG 26 was also shot down and captured during this time.

Over the next hour targets were attacked at Wattisham, Honington, Leeming, Newmarket, West Raynham and Linton-on-Ouse. Involved in engagements with the raiders were the Hurricanes of RAF Nos. 1, 17, 46, 219, 249, 253, 257, 302 (Polish), 310 (Czech) and 501 Squadrons along with Spitfires of RAF Nos. 19, 41 and 222 Squadrons. Hptm. Wilhelm Balthasar of Stab III./JG 3 claimed two Spitfires. At 1750 hours RAF North Coates received a machine-gunning attack by three low flying enemy aircraft, and at Norwich the Maintenance Unit was bombed at 1755 hours and one hangar was partly destroyed, the Stores also being damaged.

Sub/Lt A.G.Blake of RAF No. 19 Squadron was killed when his Spitfire II (P7423) crashed near Chelmsford, Essex after an encounter with a Bf 109 at 1715 hours. It was believed he was 'picked-off' by a Bf109 whilst acting as 'weaver' during squadron patrol over south London, crashed and burned out at 'Oakhurst', 216 London Rd, Chelmsford.

F/Lt James Anderson Thomson of RAF No. 302 (Polish) Squadron was injured when he baled out after colliding with a Hurricane over Brooklands. He was slightly injured. P/O E.Fetchner, a Czech of RAF No. 310 Squadron was killed in his Hurricane I (P3889) when he collided with another Hurricane near Duxford at 1510 hours.

Epr210 were ordered to carry out a diversionary attack on the dock areas of London. At briefing no exact target was given but the general impression was that if they could not hit the docks then they could release bombs anywhere. All went well until on the return flight they were attacked by Spitfires. One latched onto the tail of the Staffelkaptian of 3./Epr210, Oblt. Otto Hintze. Trailing a plume of white smoke, Hintze dove away which was noticed by Sgt. J.H.B. Burgess of RAF No. 222 Sqdrn. As the first Spitfire broke away, Sgt. Burgess roared in and gave another burst, watching as Oblt. Hintze bailed from the cockpit, hitting the tailplane and injuring his shoulder. Landing safely in Ashford, Oblt. Hintze was captured.

III./JG 2 flew missions from its new base at Bernay and lost several planes and pilots during the day. The first to be lost was Uffz. Walter Bader of I./JG 2 who was hit by German anti-aircraft or ‘friendly’ fire and crashed at Cherbourg, severely wounding Uffz. Bader. Later the Adjutant of III./JG 2, Oblt. Erich Wolf, failed to return from a sortie and was officially listed as missing in action. But JG 2 was not alone in its losses. Killed in a flying accident this day was Ofw. Horst Götz of 5./JG 3, who had five victories. Also lost from JG 3 was Oblt. Egon Troha, the Staffelkapitain of 9./JG 3, who with five victories to his credit, was shot down and captured, ending the war as a prisoner.

Twelve HEs of light calibre were dropped at 1830 hours in the petrol compound at Billingham Reach and immediate vicinity. Four petrol tanks and one foamite tank were perforated by splinters. There were no casualties but a quantity of the petrol escaped from the tanks before they were plugged. There was no fire. An engine house and steam, water and oil pipes were damaged, also a reaper which was standing in a field.

Lt. Gerhard Barkhorn of 6./JG 52 on his thirty-eighth sortie was shot down into the Channel but was picked up by a German rescue boat after floating for two hours in his lifeboat. Sgt W.T.Page of RAF No. 1 Squadron force landed his Hurricane I (P3318 ) near Peterborough after combat with a Dornier Do 17 at 1730 hours.

During the night the main targets were London, Birmingham and Coventry with scattered raids made on Liverpool, Oxford and Reading areas. London received less raids than usual but activity was widespread over the Home Counties. A severe fire was caused at the works of Messrs Wrays Optical Works Ltd by incendiary bombs which were dropped at 1940 hours. The centre part of the factory was completely gutted, the whole of the factory heating system is damaged, the boilers probably being destroyed, and the store containing all raw materials for glass work was burnt out. Production will be seriously curtailed. Another large raid on Birmingham at night and another feint by a single Dornier of KGr 606 over Bristol at 2155 hours. Mines were dropped in the Thames Estuary and off Hartlepool.

Hptm. Hans ‘Assi’ Hahn was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 2 on the Channel Coast in place of Hptm. Otto Bertram.

A new type of German mine, set off by the noise of a ship was discovered near Porthcawl. Two Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officers, Lieutenant Baker and Sub-Lieutenant Cummins, succeeded in recovering safely a German acoustic mine from the River Ogmore near Porthcawl, allowing its mechanism to be studied at HMS Vernon and counter-measures developed.

Photo: RAF personnel dismantle Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 (W.Nr. 5153), flown by Oberleutnant Egon Troha, Staffel Kapitan of 9./JG 3, and which crash-landed near Wootton Cross Roads, Shepherdswell, Kent



Italian/Greek Campaign

There are three main sectors of the Greek front with varying degrees this day.

Along the coastal sector, the main Greek 8th Infantry Division force on the coast breaks contact and retires in good order to the Kalpaki line. This area has swamps at the mouth of the Kalamas River directly in front of Kalpaki which would retard any attack. Two Greek battalions under Major-General Nikolaos Lioumbas hold this area. Further inland, nine Greek battalions hold the Kalpaki pass. This line looks sturdy due to its natural advantages despite the presence of Italian warships offshore that can bombard the Greeks.

In the central sector, the Julia Division is moving forward in the critical Pindus Mountains sector of the front. Their goal is the crossroads of Metsovo, which would cut Greek lines of communications to their forces further north. The Greeks of the scratch Pindus Detachment (soon to be supplemented by the 1st Infantry Division) are retiring in good order to Samarina. It begins to snow in this area, which helps the defense.

The northern Macedonian sector is fairly static, with minimal Italian gains. Advances in this sector depend upon the Italian forces further south taking Metsovo, through which Greek supplies and reinforcements pass.

A planned Italian landing on Corfu is scrubbed due to poor weather.

German/Italian Relations

An underlying tension between the Italians and the Germans concerns North Africa. The Germans want to put their own troops there for a variety of reasons, including sheer imperialism. The Italians, however, consider North Africa their own private domain and want it to remain German-free. Mussolini has been uncertain about the ability of the Italian Army to advance past the British defensive line at Mersa Matruh and take Alexandria without German assistance. At the Brenner Pass meeting on October 4th, Mussolini had waffled on whether to allow German troops to participate in this "third stage" of the North Africa offensive, indicating that he "might be forced" to use German tanks to take the British base (which would lever the British completely out of the Middle East entirely).

In hindsight, it is fairly obvious that the Italian Army had absolutely no hope of reaching Alexandria by itself, much less capturing it. However, the Italians are full of themselves at this point and truly believe they are world-conquerors.

Italian Commander in Chief Marshal Badoglio - adamantly opposed to German involvement in North Africa - today convinces Mussolini that the "third stage" of the offensive, taking Alexandria, is completely impossible with or without German assistance. He convinces Mussolini to cancel any plans for an Italian advance beyond Mersa Matruh (which itself would be extremely difficult for the Italians to take). This eliminates any excuse for the Germans to intrude troops into North Africa. It cripples the "peripheral strategy" favored by many of Hitler's Generals and Admirals - at least for the time being. Armchair historians who wonder why the Germans didn't just boot the British out of Egypt and Gibraltar early on when it would have been feasible - here is your reason.

This is an eminently sensible conclusion for the Italians to draw from the situation. The Italian troops have miserable morale and terrible equipment and supplies.The important thing to note, though, is that the Italians don't make this decision at this time because of the British defenses or anything to do with the state of the Italian military - but because of their desire to keep the Germans out of North Africa.

Air War over Europe
 
RAF Bomber Command sends its 25th raid against Berlin.

Battle of the Atlantic

British 1500 ton sludge barge G.W. Humphreys hits a mine and sinks Thames Estuary north of Leysdown-on-Sea, Kent. Seven crewmen perish.

U-31 (Kptl. Wilfried Prellberg) torpedoes and sinks 5389 ton British freighter Matina. The Matina is a drifting derelict that was attacked by U-28 on 26 October. This will be U-31's final success.

U-29 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart) rendezvouses with German raider Widder in the Bay of Biscay. Widder is operating at reduced power of 5 knots due to engine difficulties and is slowly returning to base.

Norwegian 3015 ton freighter Jamaica hits a mine and is damaged.

Dutch submarine O-24 attacks a freighter off Norway, but misses.

German E-boats Iltis and Jaguar lay minefield Alfred off Dover.

Convoy OB 236 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 322 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 322 departs from Methil, Convoy SC 10 departs St. John, Convoy OG 45 departs from Liverpool/Milford Haven/Glasgow, Convoy BM 3 departs from Bombay.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Greece formally requests British military assistance per the guarantee of 13 April 1939, which states:

In the event of any action being taken which clearly threatened the independence of Greece, His Majesty's Government would feel themselves bound at once to lend all the support in their power.
England already has offered its assistance, so this request is a mere formality.

Operation BN: Pursuant to their mutual defense obligations to the Greeks, the British land troops on Greece. It is a reconnaissance party drawn from members of the Royay Navy, RAF and the army. The men arrive at Suda Bay in a flying boat. The Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet based at Alexandria, led by battleships HMS Warspite, Valiant, Malaya and Ramillies along with aircraft carriers HMS Eagle and Illustrious sorties to the west of Crete to cover landing operations there. A convoy of troopships also depart for Suda Bay. Operation BN is planned to continue for the next week and land a large body of British troops. The initial force of battleships also carries an ex tempore initial landing force of 158 sailors from the crew of damaged HMS Liverpool to form a shore party at Suda Bay.

Italian submarine Scirè parks off Gibraltar and releases its three manned torpedoes. All three submersibles, however, experience technical difficulties and the mission is scrubbed.

Italian submarine Atropo lays mines off Zante in the Aegean.

RAF bombers raid Italian positions in North Africa.

At Malta, the Malta Fighter Plane Fund is closed to contributions today, being announced a great success. A total of £12900 has been raised over three months, which is to be sent to the Minister for Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook, in London.

Battle of the Pacific

German raider “Pinguin” and auxiliary minelayer “Passat” began to lay mines off Sydney, Newcastle, Hobart, Melbourne, and other locations along the long Australian coast line.

Italian Military

The government begins full mobilization of the Italian Blackshirt units.

Vichy France

French Brigadier-General Paul Legentilhomme, who has been the Commander in Chief of the French military units stationed in French Somaliland, arrives in London to join Charles de Gaulle. Legentilhomme condemned the French Armistice on June 18th and left his command on August 2nd.

China

At the continuing Battle of South Kwangsi, the Japanese withdraw from Nanning as the Chinese advance. The Chinese capture Kaofengyi, Santang, and Chientaohsu.

American Homefront

Conscription, as allowed by the Selective Training and Service Act, began. It was the first military draft during peacetime in US history. In New York, Secretary of War Stimson, blindfolded with a strip of linen cut from the covering of a chair in Independence Hall, put his left hand into a glass bowl whose contents had been stirred by a wooden ladle cut from an Independence Hall rafter, and, after leaving it there for a minute in response to cameramen's shouts of "Hold it!" withdrew from the bowl a small capsule which enclosed a slip of paper. This historic incident was the start of the gigantic conscription lottery. Honor of holding the first place on the draft list in the biggest city of the land fell, by chance to a serious young Chinese laundryman named Yuen Chong Chan, of 18 Pell St., New York City, who thus became, for 24 hours, the most celebrated military figure in the U.S. Apparently under the impression that a draftee may choose his adversary, he announced that he wanted to fight Japan.

   Lordroel