World War II in real time

Day 594 of World War II, April 18th 1941

YouTube (Yugoslavia Crushed - Battle for Greece Continues)



Balkans Campaign: invasion of Yugoslavia - Battle of Greece: Operation Marita

Headline: New York Times, April 18th 1941



Yugoslavia is officially out of the conflict and the Greek government is descending into chaos. Prime Minister Alexandros Koryzis, who succeeded Ioannis Metaxas on 29 January 1941, commits suicide by shooting himself. King George II, who has been running things anyway, assumes control of the government during the crisis of the German invasion. He imposes martial law on Athens.

Local British commander General Henry Maitland Wilson informs Greek Commander in Chief Alexander Papagos that his forces will fight until the first week in May on a new line, but to do so requires the Greek Epirus Army in Albania to withdraw in good order to cover their flank. That, as everyone knows, is becoming increasingly problematic due to the swift German advance and the Greeks' very slow start and inability to hold the main roads. The main factor in the Allies' favor at this point is the rough terrain - while it is preventing the Epirus Army from moving south fast enough to help form a new line, it also is providing excellent defensive positions for the Commonwealth troops.

In the field, Germany's Operation Marita, the invasion of Greece, is proceeding at a brisk pace. The British are trying to make a fighting withdrawal to a line between Thermopylae and Corinth, but the Wehrmacht's panzers are hot on their heels. A key action takes place at the Battle of Tempe Gorge.

As a preliminary to the Battle of Tempe Gorge, the German 6th Mountain Division (General Ferdinand Schörner) has advanced to the Pinios River. Facing them on the other side is the New Zealand 21st Battalion, which has been conducting a series of delaying actions against the advancing Germans. Recently, the ANZAC troops successfully delayed advancing motorcycle troops and panzers at the Battle of Platamon, at which both sides took a fair number of casualties, and this is their next switch position. The ultimate goal is Larissa, a communications hub that essentially controls Greek north/south traffic.

The Germans attack at 07:00, with another attack at noon from Lieutenant-Colonel Hermann Balck's troops. The defending New Zealand 21st Battalion and two companies of the Australian 2/2nd Battalion had a bad experience (though positive strategically) with Balck's troops at Platamon previously, and they do not fare any better this time. The ANZAC troops are on their own, whereas the Germans are steadily getting reinforcements as additional Wehrmacht units close up on the river.

Photo: "Australian Army Ford 4x4 artillery tractor towing a No 27 Mk I limber and an 18 pounder Mk IV field gun in the Verroia Pass, Greece, April 1941"



After some panzers and/or Stug assault guns of the 3rd Regiment, 2nd Panzer Division find a way across the Pinios River on a pontoon bridge against fierce opposition, the New Zealanders have to give up that crossing by 17:30 and retreat into the hills. This leaves a gap in the Allied defenses. With only the Australian 2/2nd left defending the river, the battle turns into a route. At 18:45, the remaining Allied troops are ordered to retreat with all due haste. They suffer terribly in this retrograde movement, and their ordeal is not yet over - they have to stage a fighting withdrawal throughout the night to find the protection of other Allied troops.

Photo: The approach to Pharsala bridge from the north, after German aircraft had scored a direct hit on a truck loaded with ammonal.



By dawn, the surviving Australians and New Zealanders are able to join the Allied convoys streaming south on the main road to Thermopylae, having suffered 80 casualties and an additional 120 captured. The Germans, who take about 140 casualties, occupy Larissa, which closes the escape route for any remaining Allied troops further north. The Australian 2/2nd Battalion's troops are apportioned to other units for the remainder of the campaign due to their heavy losses. While the ANZAC troops are not able to delay the Germans for more than a day, that time enables many other Allied troops to retreat through Larissa to the new British line.

Photo: Australian troops on the march in Greece, circa April 1941



The Luftwaffe strafes the Allied convoys heading south, but the British retreat in good order. One problem for the Allies is that the German forces are accumulating more power steadily, while the British no longer are reinforcing their troops and instead are making plans to evacuate them (British Rear Admiral Harold T. Baillie-Grohman arrives today to coordinate that effort). Thus any defensive lines will be temporary at best.

The Italians continue tentatively occupying towns that the Greek Epirus Army is evacuating in Albania. Today, they occupy Argyrokastro.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 7138-ton British freighter British Science north of the Kythera Channel. Everyone survives.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 1158-ton Greek freighter Fokion and 968 ton Greek freighter Leon off Euboea Island.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 1121-ton Greek freighter Chios off Chalkis, near Eretria. Near the same spot, the Luftwaffe badly damages 5199-ton Greek freighter Moscha L. Goulandri. The captain beaches her at Chalkis, where she makes a tempting target for further attacks.

Anglo-Iraqi War

The Indian 20th Infantry Brigade, sent from Karachi by GHQ India, lands at Basra, Iraq. The 20th Infantry Brigade quickly seizes the key port of Basra. It is the first new element to arrive of Iraqforce, at this time called Sabine Force, under the command of Major-General W.A.K. Fraser.

The British government does not recognize the new pro-Axis Iraq government of Rashid Ali and wishes to install a friendly government in Baghdad. Meanwhile, upstream, the Iraqis have begun moving troops and artillery toward the British airfield at Habbaniyah, but have not attacked at this time. Ali already has requested aid from Germany, but that technically is a very difficult thing to accomplish at such a distance with the Royal Navy in complete command of the seas. Luftwaffe support is possible, but the British control the airfields and much of the intervening airspace.

North African Campaign

Prime Minister Winston Churchill memos CIGS General Sir John Dill about what is being done in North Africa. He chastises Dill (and indirectly Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell) for sending the 7th Armoured Division back to Cairo to refit. Churchill views this 400-mile journey as incredibly inefficient and unnecessary:

It was an act of improvidence to send the whole Division all his way back, in view of the fact that German elements were already reported in Tripoli. The whole of the Tanks in this division could not have been all in simultaneously in a condition of needing prolonged heavy repairs. Workshops should have been improvised at the front for lighter repairs, and servicing personnel sent forward.... General Wavell and his officers seem, however, to have thought that no trouble could arise before the end of May. This was a very serious miscalculation, from which vexatious consequences have flowed.

Generals Dill and Wavell, of course, know all about "workshops" and the like and do not need to be lectured to about the same. Wavell is privy to the Ultra intercepts which did support a rational conclusion that the Germans would have to wait until May to launch an offensive. In fact, only Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel's initiative and dash contrary to orders resulted in the German offensive beginning early. Rommel confounded everyone - on both sides.

Churchill is not alone in his disparagement of the Middle East Command - his influence is affecting those around him, too. Visiting Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, who met with Wavell only a couple of months ago and at that time found him capable, now notes in his diary that:

I must insist upon Australians getting proper commands, for I have more confidence in them than I do in Wavell & Co., whose gross miscalculations have brought us to this pass.

On the ground in North Africa, little changes during the day. General Rommel moves his headquarters three miles from the Green Mountain, about 30 km west of Tobruk. This is further from the port than where it had been previously and suggests that he is preparing for a lengthy siege. He awaits more units of the 15th Panzer Division before launching another attack - something that the German High Command wanted him to do before starting his most recent (and very successful) offensive.

Photo: Indian troops man a Bren gun on an anti-aircraft mounting, Western Desert



Australian General Leslie Morshead, in charge at Tobruk, reorganizes his defenses. He has his men build a secondary defensive line behind the one built by the Italians and creates additional reserve forces in case of a breakthrough.

At sea, the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet puts out to sea for a major operation aimed at bombarding the German positions in Libya. The two related operations are MD 2 and MD 3. This will play out over the next few days.

Battle of the Mediterranean

The Luftwaffe begins receiving some reinforcements as I,/JG 27 begins arriving at Ain-el-Gazala.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 2190-ton Royal Navy convoy service ship HMS Fiona about 50 miles (80 km) off Sidi Barrani. There are 53 deaths flowing from the attack.

Two separate Italian convoys, one of four ships with five escorts and the other of four ships, depart from Palermo bound for Tripoli. The first convoy sails at 08:00, the other at 23:00.

Air War over Europe

RAF Bomber Command returns to bombing coastal targets, sending 26 bombers to attack invasion ports in France and points north.

The Luftwaffe forms a new night-fighter unit, NJG 4 (Major Rudolf Stoltenhoff is Kommodore). The unit is based at Metz and at first, is composed of Bf 110s and Do 217s.

Battle of the Atlantic

There are several collisions at sea today. That is both a reflection on the rough seas of April and the difficulties of operating without navigational lights during wartime.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Urge torpedoes and sinks 10,535-ton Italian tanker Franco Martelli in the Atlantic about 300 miles (500 km) west of St. Nazaire. The Franco Martelli was trying to pierce the Royal Navy blockade en route from Brazil.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 6998-ton British tanker Scottish Musician just off St. Ann's Head. The Scottish Musician is towed to Newport. There are two deaths.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 3938-ton Panamanian freighter Csikos off the Scottish coast. The ship manages to make it to Lough Foyle. There are two deaths.

The RAF torpedoes and sinks 289-ton German torpedo boat V-709 Guido Möhring in the Bay of Biscay off Port Ley. By some accounts, this is just a local fishing boat.

Two Royal Navy destroyers, HMS Newark and Volunteer, collide north of Rathlin Island and are seriously damaged. They are both towed to Belfast and take four months to repair. There are five deaths.

Destroyers HMS Whitshed and La Melpomene (French) are in a collision off of Harwich. The La Melpomene is under repair for just over a month.

Royal Navy 88 ton drifter Young Ernie collides with another ship in the Tyne and sinks.

French cargo ship Champenois, carrying a load of Barley, runs aground about 37 km north of Casablanca, Morocco. The ship is written off. Some accounts place this incident on the 19th.

Royal Navy minelayer HMS Teviotbank lays minefield BS 54 off the east coast of England.

Convoy OB 312 departs from Liverpool.

Battle of the Indian Ocean

British steel flat Punduah sinks in rough seas while under tow in the Bay of Bengal.

Anglo/Soviet Relations

Winston Churchill memos Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, asking, "Has Sir Stafford Cripps yet delivered my personal message of warning about the German danger to Stalin?"

Anglo/German Relations

Churchill and the War Cabinet order publication of a statement to the effect that if the Germans bomb Athens and Cairo, the RAF will bomb Rome. RAF Chief Air Marshal Sir Charles Portal objects that bombing Rome is not really within the RAF's capabilities without extraordinary effort, to which Churchill replies that they will assess the situation at the time should the need to bomb Rome arise. This is basically how the two sides communicate throughout much of the war - through press releases.

Pan-American Relations: The United States defines a Pan-American Security Zone based upon the 3 October 1939 Declaration of Panama. It extends to 26 degrees west longitude, which is about 2300 nautical miles west of New York City. It comes to within 50 miles of Iceland, where Royal Navy escorts can take over.

Convoy BM 7 departs from Karachi with ten troop transports. It carries an Indian brigade and an artillery group bound for Malaya, with the first stop at Shatt el Arab.

German Military

The first test flights of the most advanced fighter under development anywhere in the world, the Messerschmitt Me 262, begin today. The Me 262 is designed around jet engines, but those are not ready yet. Instead, a Junkers Jumo 210 engine is mounted on the Me 262 V1 in the nose. Eventually, when they are ready, BMW 003 turbojets will be fitted to the Me 262. For now, however, the prototype airframe is tested for basic airworthiness and flight characteristics.

Drawing: Me 262 v1 with a Jumo 210 propellor engine mounted in the nose



The Me 262 has been under development since shortly before the beginning of the war as Projekt 1065 (P.1065). It is not the only German jet fighter under development in Germany, either. In fact, the competing Heinkel He 280 already has flown on jet power. However, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM, Ministry of Aviation) is placing its bets on the Me 262, perhaps because it has more confidence in the BMW 003 engine than in the independently produced Heinkel engine. In any event, the RLM is not too concerned about jet aircraft at this time - Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe, cut the engine development program to just 35 engineers in February 1940. Everything depends upon the engine, so critical decisions are being made at this stage of the war that will greatly impact the development of the Me 262 later when it is really needed.

Japanese Military

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service sends a Mitsubishi G3M2 "Nell" bomber based in Formosa (Taiwan) over Luzon for some photo-reconnaissance.

Photo: a G3M from Kisarazu Air Group over Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Nanking, 1938



Vichy France

The French abandon the League of Nations, which is inert anyway.

China

The Japanese launch another in a series of air raids against Chungking.

Day 596 of World War II, April 20th 1941

Balkans Campaign: Battle of Greece - Operation Marita

Newspaper: a summary of the situation published on April 20th 1941 in The New York Times. Note that the Greek Epirus Army is shown as being completely behind German lines.



Greek troops in the north essentially drop out of the war today, with the agreement to surrender of the Greek Epirus Army. General Sepp Dietrich's 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH - only brigade-size at this time) has been fighting the Greeks in the 1,500 m Metsovon Pass in the Pindus Mountains, but that is not the only problem facing the Greeks. Germans occupy the only route to safety south through Ioannina, and the British are no help because they are beating a retreat to the Thermopylae/ Corinth Line far to the south.

The events leading to the surrender involve feats of great daring. Sturmbannfuehrer Kurt "Panzer" Meyer leads his LSSAH men in a surprise attack on the headquarters of the 3rd Greek Army Corps, and 12,000 Greek soldiers surrender to him. Sepp Dietrich personally drives to the Greek headquarters near Ioannina and negotiates terms with the Greek General Tsolakoglu. Dietrich consents to Tsolakoglu's request that the Greek officers be allowed to retain their sidearms and return home - a mark of respect previously offered by the Germans to officers in Norway, too. Dietrich later recalls the capitulation as marking the greatest day of his life. Tsolakoglu, for his part, wants to surrender to the Germans rather than the Italians as a subtle mark of contempt for Mussolini's unsuccessful troops. The surrender is a bit suspect because it purports to apply to all Greek forces on the mainland - including those behind British lines, at least theoretically.

The Greek high command in Athens is against this surrender and orders him not to sign the papers, an act scheduled for the 21st. Somewhat surprisingly, so is Benito Mussolini, who demands that the Greeks surrender to an Italian general. Out of spite or some other emotion, Mussolini orders his troops to accelerate their attacks against the Greeks - which achieves little. Many military incidents of World War II are like this, stemming from the bent emotions of some of the leaders.

There is a major air battle over Athens that is so intense that it becomes known as the Battle of Athens. A very large formation of Bf 109s and 110s (accounts vary, estimates range up to 200) from 5,/ZG 26 and JG 27 escorting Junkers Ju 87 Stukas jumps about fifteen Hawker Hurricanes. The RAF loses five pilots and a total of 6-10 planes. The Luftwaffe losses are tremendous, some estimates place them over 20 planes. Author Roald Dahl and South African Squadron Leader ace Marmaduke "Pat" Pattle participate in this battle, with Pattle perishing. The RAF loses a dozen Blenheims on the ground at Menidi.

By some accounts, Pattle is the top-scoring British Commonwealth (and western ally) ace of the entire war, with 51 claims. He generally is acknowledged as having at least 24-40 kills and likely more, with 26 Italians and 15 achieved in Gloster Gladiators. Pattle is the top ace in victories achieved in Gladiator and Hurricane fighters (at least 35 in the Hurricane).

The British digging in far to the south watch this with some bemusement. The British column passing through Thermopylae is ten miles long and being strafed by the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica. The Italians have joined the pursuit, with the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment using flamethrowers to incinerate Greek bunkers - and those in them. An Italian war correspondent claims that the Greeks lose two entire regiments of Evzones (Greek soldiers), though such figures are often exaggerated in the heat of war.

General Freyberg's 2nd New Zealand Division forms up at the historic pass of Thermopylae, while General Mackay's 6th Australian Division focuses inland at the village of Brallos. Today, the British line encompasses Kalamata, Monemvasia, and Nauplia.

The Regia Aeronautica bombs and sinks Greek submarine Psara off Megara.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 1344-ton Greek freighter Assimina Baika north of Chalkis, near Politika. The Luftwaffe also bombs and sinks 176 ton Greek coaster Pteroti near Chalkis.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 311-ton Greek coaster Moschanthi near Voslizza.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Stoke south of Piraeus. The Stoke makes it to Alexandria and is repaired by early May.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 379 ton Greek tanker Chryssoroi at Phleva and 675-ton Greek freighter Ithaki at Suda Bay.

British landing ship Glenroy is leaving Alexandria when it runs aground at Boghas Pass. The landing party on board is transferred to freighter Thurland Castle. The Glenroy will be floated off eventually.

The Greeks attempt to scuttle their destroyer Basileus Georgios I in a floating drydock at Salamis. However, the Luftwaffe disables the floating drydock, and the Greeks decide not to scuttle the ship where it is. The Greeks ultimately do scuttle it where it is in shallow water, but the Germans raise it, re-use it, and rename it Hermes.

Looking far ahead, Lieutenant General Kurt Student, commander of the XI. Fliegerkorps (German Airborne troops), approaches Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering with a proposition. So far, General Student's Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) has had a mixed record. They successfully completed the capture of the Belgian fortress of Eben Emael in May 1940 but had great difficulties near Rotterdam (where Student had been shot in the head). General Student is eager to prove the worth of his airborne troops (which include glider forces), so he points to the map at an objective not yet contemplated by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW): the island of Crete. He proposes to take it via aerial assault.

Goering is interested because he wants to embellish his own prestige, which has slipped somewhat following the lost Battle of Britain. He brings General Student in to meet Hitler, who essentially approves the concept. This idea eventually will blossom into Unternehmen Merkur - Operation Mercury.

Convoy AS 27 departs from Piraeus with 14 British and 11 Greek ships, bound for Alexandria.

Anglo-Iraqi War

ritish Prime Minister Winston Churchill memos Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden about the Iraq situation. He notes that, while the recent landings at Basra were made pursuant to the treaty:

Our position at Basra... does not rest solely on the Treaty, but also on a new event arising out of the war.

He notes that the British government does not owe any "undertakings" regarding troop movements to "a Government which has in itself usurped power by a coup d'etat."

North African Campaign

The Germans in their daily summary of operations that the British attempt to land troops at Bardia during the night failed miserably, and that they took 56 soldiers and four officers prisoner. There are a few other minor skirmishes along the Tobruk perimeter, along with heavy bombing. The Germans are preparing a "decisive attack" against the port.

Churchill, having received a pessimistic appraisal from Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell, is extremely concerned about the German advantage in tanks in Libya, so in a memo that he reads to General Ismay in person, he makes a daring proposal: send at least 250 tanks on fast transports directly through the Straits of Gibraltar to the British forces in Egypt. Many of these tanks already are loaded on ships and designated for convoy WS (Winston Special) 7 (Churchill adds another ship). This would be much quicker than using the normal route around the Cape of Good Hope - but also much more dangerous due to Axis attacks. General Ismay immediately gathers his staff together and later recalls that, while the Chiefs of Staff initially opposed the idea due to safety concerns, "opposition petered out" after "a very long meeting." The plan immediately acquires the code Operation Tiger.

Battle of the Mediterranean

At Malta, the Regia Aeronautica bombs Fort San Rocco around noontime. They lose three CR 42 fighters, maybe four, to defending Hawker Hurricane fighters, with all the Italian pilots perishing. Another raid overnight on Grand Harbour destroys several houses, killing a civilian.

Air War over Europe

In honor of Hitler's birthday, the Luftwaffe attacks London. They send 712 sorties (some planes make multiple sorties) which drop 1000 tons of bombs. The center of the attack is the London docks. Firefighters take a beating in this raid, losing 13 firefighters in London and 21 in Beckenham. The bomb that kills the firefighters hits a school at 01:53, which fortunately has no students in it at the time. Included in the deaths are two firewomen. This is the largest single loss of firefighters in British history. Council housing will be built on the spot in 1955, with each block of flats named after one of the Beckenham victims - one is called Vick House, another Beadle House, etc.

During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends 24 bombers against Rotterdam and 22 against various coastal targets. After dark, the RAF mounts a large raid of 61 bombers against Cologne.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-73 on its second patrol out of Lorient, is operating southwest of Rockall when it spots 8570-ton British freighter Empire Endurance. The Empire Endurance is carrying two 46-ton launches on its deck, HMS ML 1003 and 1037, bound for Egypt. Rosenbaum sinks the Empire Endurance, sending all three ships to the bottom. There are 60-65 deaths, including one passenger, while 20 crew and four passengers are rescued by a passing British tanker British Pride. Incidentally, the British Pride is the renamed German ship Alster that was captured in Norway in 1940.

The Luftwaffe, during its attack on London, sinks a 60-ton spritsail ship, R.S. Jackson.

The Luftwaffe also sinks two barges, Harry and Percy, during its attack on London at Miller Moorings at Shadwell. The two barges are laters salvaged for scrap.

Battleship HMS Rodney collides with 608-ton Royal Navy anti-submarine Gem-class trawler HMT Topaze. The Topaz sinks, killing 18 men.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Intrepid lays minefield HB in the English Channel.

The Kriegsmarine overseas supply network remains intact. Tanker Nordmark services Italian submarine Perla, raiders Atlantis and Kormoran and supply ship Alsterufer in the Atlantic.

Photo: Perla sporting her camo scheme



Convoy HX 122 departs from Halifax with an escort that includes battleship HMS Ramillies.

East African Campaign

The South African 1st Infantry Brigade continue up the road to Dessie. The Indian 29th Infantry Brigade advances south toward Amba Alagi to meet them. The Italians under the General Frusci group in Cambolcia Pass as a blocking point.

US/Canadian Relations

President Roosevelt and Canadian leader Mackenzie King, who have been meeting together for the past four days, issue the Hyde Park Declaration. This establishes a common military construction program for the two countries. In practical terms, what this means is that the US pays Canada to make Lend-Lease equipment for shipment to Great Britain. This enables the Canadians to produce equipment specifically for Great Britain that the US does not already make for its own armed forces, such as the Bren gun (.303-caliber) and the 25-pounder artillery piece. In other words, it gives the British the unique non-American equipment they prefer without the US having to retool its own factories to make it, because the Canadians - as part of the Commonwealth - already have factories set up to make it.

Anglo/Czechoslovakian Relations

Churchill memos Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden recommending that the government recognize the Czech government-in-exile in the same fashion as the British recognize the Polish government-in-exile. He pointedly cautions that "In neither case should we be committed to territorial frontiers."

Italian/German Relations

Italian Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano meets with Hitler at the temporary Fuehrer headquarters Frühlingssturm in eastern Austria, no doubt to convey birthday greetings. Of course, they also have serious business to discuss regarding the situations in Greece and North Africa.

US Military

Under Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson reviews prototype 20-ton M2A1 tanks for the US Army at the army's arsenal at Rock Island, Illinois. These tanks are an interim step between the Light Tank M2, which the army is gradually realizing from events in Europe to be obsolete already, and the 28-ton M3 Grant. Chrysler engineers also attend, as chair of the National Defense Advisory Council William S. Knudsen is interested in having the company build the tanks for the army.

Photo: M2A1 Medium Tank and M3 Medium mock-up



The aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5) departs from Pearl Harbor in company with USS Warrington (DD-383), USS Somers (DD-381), and USS Jouett (DD-396). This is part of the redeployment of US naval forces to meet the growing German threat. The ships are heading for Bermuda via the Panama Canal. The sailors on the ships operate on a wartime footing, not knowing if the Kriegsmarine will respect their neutrality.

China

The Japanese land at several points on the Fukien and Chekiang coast and take Ningbo in northeast Zhejiang province (just south of Shanghai). Ningbo is a notorious city in World War II lore. In 1940, in one of the most notorious incidents of World War II, the Japanese bombed Ningbo with ceramic bombs full of fleas carrying bubonic plague. The Japanese also occupy Wenchow.

Day 598 of World War II, April 22nd 1941

Balkans Campaign: Battle of Greece - Operation Marita

The Greek government, including King George, departs from Greece aboard Greek destroyer Vasilissa Olga, bound for Suda Bay. The Germans begin absorbing their conquests in the Balkans by creating the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia.

Photo: Greek destroyer Vasilissa Olga in 1939-40



The Italians remain violently upset that they have been excluded from the surrender of Greek forces in Albania. In fact, they open an offensive on the Epirus front, where the Greeks fight back and, following the established pattern, give little ground and inflict heavy casualties on the Italian attackers.

Hitler - conflicted between his roles of military warlord and statesman - tries to placate Mussolini. He has his military headquarters (OKW) rush a draft of the surrender terms to Rome to "keep Italy in the loop." Mussolini, however, loudly proclaims that Italy could have defeated Greece by itself and demands to be included in the setting of any surrender terms. After looking over the OKW agreement, he objects to provisions allowing Greek officers to keep their sidearms because they have humiliated the Italian troops. The Germans - meaning Hitler - reject Mussolini's quibbles on that one score, but basically give him everything else that he wants. This includes handing over the entire Yugoslav and Greek navies to Italy (which admittedly are not that large).

A surrender conference begins late in the day at Salonika (Thessaloniki). The Germans agree to an Italian demand that Axis troops stage a ceremonial entry into Athens with German and Italian troops marching side-by-side. The Italians - meaning Mussolini - also demand that the Greeks offer to surrender to them on the Epirus front before they will sign any surrender documents. The Germans are uncertain how to respond to this - Hitler briefly considers letting the Italians fight on - but the Greeks agree to surrender to Mussolini's generals as well as the German ones.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sends a message to Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell telling him, regarding the evacuation from Greece:

In the execution of this policy you will no doubt not worry about vehicles or stores, but get the men away. We can re-arm them later.

The main problem for the Allied troops in Greece is that their left flank was supposed to be defended by Greek troops, but the Greek Army for all intents and purposes has been prevented from doing that. The campaign is turning into a race for the ports that the British can use to evacuate their troops, with the Germans hurrying toward the Gulf of Patras in order to cross over to the Peloponnese and shut off escape routes there.

The New Zealand 4th Infantry Brigade begins the withdrawals from the Thermopylae Line. The British 1st Armoured Brigade also heads south towards Athens. The RAF withdraws its last fighters from Athens to a base at Argos further south.

The Luftwaffe engages in major raids throughout the Aegean against Allied shipping and sinks numerous ships throughout the region, almost all Greek ships. With the Wehrmacht grinding forward on the mainland, the Luftwaffe aims to cut off the British escape route to Crete and Alexandria.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks the Greek destroyer Hydra and 13 other ships, mostly merchants.

Photo: Greek freighter "Macedonia", being bombed and sunk by Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers at Spilia Phocidos and being one of the 12 merchants sunk this day.



The Luftwaffe bombs and damages two Royal Navy ships, cruiser HMS York and net layer Protector, at Suda Bay. The two ships are hit while attending to beached heavy cruiser York (being used for antiaircraft defense). A lighter (A.16) is lost as a result of this bombing.

The Luftwaffe bombs and near-misses 1054-ton Greek tanker Theodora off Antikyra, Gulf of Corinth. There are twelve deaths. The Theodora is moored next to tanker Thedol 2 and catches fire from the burning Thedol 2, causing the Theodora to sink also.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages Greek destroyer Leon in Suda Bay, Crete.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 2747-ton Greek freighter Teti in the Gulf of Corinth. The master beaches it to prevent sinking.

Yugoslavian torpedo boats Kajmakcalan and Durmitor make it to Suda Bay.

Yugoslavian 4294-ton freighter Serafin Topic is interned at Oran, Algeria for use by the Italians.

The Italians seize 5387-ton Yugoslavian freighter Tomislav in Shanghai. The Italians rename it Venezia Giulia for their own use.

Convoy AG 13 departs from Alexandria bound for Suda Bay. This is the genesis of Operation Demon, the evacuation of British forces from Greece, though that operation technically does not begin for another couple of days. The ships of Convoy AG 13 will take off some of the British troops on the mainland.

Convoy ANF 29 departs from Alexandria bound for Suda Bay.

Anglo-Iraq War

Tensions are simmering in Iraq. The British hold several bases, including the port of Basra and the airfield at Habbaniyah, while the pro-Axis government of Rashid Ali controls the rest of the country. The Iraqis surround the British base at Habbaniyah. They also cut some oil pipelines. As yet, despite demands from both sides to the other to abandon their positions, there has been no fighting.

North African Campaign

Skirmishing continues on the Tobruk perimeter, with the Allied troops focusing on the Italian troops. At dawn, the British send armored vehicles against the 5th Light Division. Australian soldiers of the 2/48th Battalion, including three tanks and 25-pounder artillery, mount a raid southwest of Ras el Medauar. The Fabris detachment holding a hillock there loses 370 men as prisoners and 2-4 guns. A company of the 2/23rd Battalion advance toward Derna and takes about 100 prisoners of the Italian 27th Infantry Division "Brescia." The German war units note, "The Italians are surrendering."

Photo: Italian gunners in position on the Tobruk front line.



The Luftwaffe bombards Tobruk with about 30 Junkers Ju 87 Stukas.

Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel drives to Acroma to assess the situation. He orders the Italian Trento Division to take over for the mauled Fabris detachment. The report notes (apparently based on Rommel's inspection) that the Italian troops simply abandoned their guns and other equipment "undamaged" when surrendering and did not even take out their breechblocks. It is standard procedure in all armies to disable artillery when abandoning it to take out the breechblocks.

Rommel continues to assemble his forces for a massive set-piece battle to take Tobruk. The 15th Panzer Division continues to assemble in Tripoli, and the Allied attempts to break out of Tobruk give him a sense of urgency to move his troops across Libya for that purpose.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Churchill sends a message to Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell in which he confirms that the Royal Navy will deliver "307 of our best tanks through the Mediterranean... around May 10." This is Operation Tiger. Churchill notes that "99 are cruisers Mark IV and Mark VI... and 180 I tanks." He asks for a "plan for bringing these vehicles into action at the very earliest moment" and adds, hopefully:

If this consignment gets through the hazards of the passage, which, of course, cannot be guaranteed, the boot will be on the other leg and no German should remain in Cyrenaica by the end of the month of June.
Of course, the Germans continue to reinforce their troops in Libya, too, with elements of several units of Infantry Regiment 19 arriving. An arms race is developing in North Africa with a very uncertain outcome.

Churchill also memos CIGS Sir John Dill, stating that it is the War Office's estimation that the British/Australian Tobruk defenders "are four or five times as strong as the besiegers," adding somewhat characteristically that "some of them are Italians." The War Office estimates that there are 4500 Axis troops besieging Tobruk.

Visiting Australian Prime Minister Menzies notes in his diary that "Bombardment of Tripoli not, I think, a great success, but some damage done."

Around 20:30, the Luftwaffe sends a very large air raid after dark on Valletta, the surrounding area, and RAF airfields. The attack destroys 40 homes and kills about six people. The attack is very professional, with pathfinders dropping flares on a moonless night. The Luftwaffe escapes without loss.

Air War over Europe

The Plymouth Blitz continues with another classic Luftwaffe all-night raid. This continues the devastation of the center of town. A direct hit on a communal air-raid shelter at Portland Square kills 72 people inside. The raid damages the Royal Navy ships (cruiser Kent and destroyers Lewes and Leeds) in drydock at the Devonport facility.

KG 55, which carries out the raid, loses two bombers.

Churchill sends Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal a memorandum noting that the US will soon "bombard" (not perhaps the aptest word choice) the RAF with a "very great mass of aircraft." He suggests that Portal "start another 10 Squadrons and cut into this surplus of Spitfires and Hurricanes." As he concedes in the memo, however, the real bottleneck for the RAF's expansion is not planes - it is a lack of pilots.

During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends 14 planes on coastal sweeps off southern Norway. After dark, RAF Bomber Command raids Brest with 26 aircraft.

East African Campaign

The 1st South African Brigade troops in Abyssinia Take Camboicia Pass. They make 1200 Italian troops (mainly natives) as prisoners. This is a major step on the road to Dessie, one of the main Italian strongholds in the country.

Battle of the Atlantic

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 364-ton salvage ship Miss Elaine at Plymouth. Miss Elaine is later raised and repaired.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 5225-ton British freighter Antonio off Tyne. The ship makes it to Shields in tow.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 391-ton British freighter Croham at Peterhead.

British 87-ton steam barge Coronation of Leeds hits a mine and sinks off Thames Haven. All three men on board perish. Part of the barge is later salvaged.

German 551-ton freighter Obra hits a mine and sinks off Greifswald.

Convoy OB 313 departs from Liverpool.

Royal Navy anti-submarine warfare trawler HMS Tango is commissioned.

Australian minesweeper HMAS Geelong is launched.

U-611 is laid down.

US destroyer USS Wilkes is commissioned.

War of the Pacific

The ABD Conference continues in Singapore to develop a coordinated plan in case of Japanese attacks. Participating are military officials from Great Britain, the Netherlands (who control powerful naval forces in the Dutch East Indies) and the United States. The British are nonplussed by the low-level participants that the United States has sent.

German/Soviet Relations

The Soviets lodge a diplomatic protest with Germany over German overflights of Soviet territory. They complain that there have been 80 such incidents during the period 27 March 1941 - 18 April 1941. Among the proofs offered are a downed Luftwaffe reconnaissance plane complete with maps of the Soviet Union and rolls of exposed film.

US Military

Congress raises the authorized enlisted strength of the US Navy and Marine Corps. The Navy is allocated 232,000 men, with the Marine Corps strength set at 1/5 of the Navy's complement.

German Military

Admiral Erich Raeder meets with Adolf Hitler to discuss provocative US Navy conduct.

Japanese Government

Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka returns to Tokyo, completing his productive journey to Europe. He states:

We should not confuse deliberation with procrastination just as the Tripartite Pact does not affect the relations of the Three Powers vis the Soviets so that the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact and the declaration do not affect in the least the Tripartite Pact which remains the immutable basis of our foreign policy.

China

The Japanese occupy Fuzhou, Fujian Province, directly across from Taiwan and south of Shanghai.

Day 600 of World War II, April 24th 1941

Balkans Campaign: Battle of Greece - Operation Marita

The Battle of Thermopylae takes place after some initial skirmishes. The Allied ANZAC Corps holds the pass with rearguards, but the orders already have been issued for the complete evacuation of all Operation Lustre forces. General Blamey, the Australian general in charge of the Commonwealth troops, flies to Alexandria.

The British maintain a blocking detachment on the road from Larissa to Athens at the pass composed of the 4th New Zealand Brigade. The 6th New Zealand Brigade holds the east portion of the pass line and the 19th Australian Brigade holds the western sector. The German 6th Mountain Division (Generalmajor Ferdinand Schörner) attacks at 11:30 and attempts to break through the defensive line. The 5th Panzer Division also sends a battlegroup into the pass. New Zealand and Australian troops repulse these attacks, the Wehrmacht losing about 12-15 panzers. After the dark, the ANZAC troops withdraw from the pass toward Thebes, having delayed the panzers for over 24 vital hours.

There are no Greek troops involved in the Battle of Thermopylae despite the fact that the nation of Greece officially has not surrendered, only the army group in the north.
Photo: Thermopylae under the control of German forces, 1941. This photograph was later captured by British forces.



Operation Demon, the evacuation of British and Commonwealth troops from mainland Greece, begins. Many ships depart from Suda Bay, Crete bound for ports on mainland Greece. On the first day, about 5200 men, mostly from the 5th New Zealand Brigade, are evacuated from Porto Rafti in East Attica, and another 8000 from Nauplia on the Peloponnese. Other ports being used for evacuations include Megara and Rafina.

The Germans continue pressing against the British line anchored at Thermopylae, but they also are making an end-around run toward the Gulf of Patras. The Greek Army was supposed to protect this sector, but it in effect no longer exists, having surrendered on the 23rd. The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler ("LSSAH," still of brigade-size) is racing to the southwest from Ioannina, with its ultimate objective seizing ports on the Peloponnesus which the British need for their evacuation.

The Germans also are using the port of Salonika (Thessaloniki) to occupy the islands in the Aegean. These include Samothrace, Lemnos (occupied today by elements of the 164th Division) and Thasos. The Greek garrison on Lemnos puts up a brief fight, then surrenders.

Somewhat belatedly, Bulgaria, under Tsar Boris III, declares war on Yugoslavia and Greece. The Bulgarian Army is in the process of occupying Western Thrace, and much of Macedonia.

At the War Cabinet meeting held in London, visiting Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies "said that he was uneasy as to whether our forces in Greece... would be given sufficient protection from the air." Prime Minister Winston Churchill decides to send a telegram to Middle East Air Marshal Longmore, ordering him "to spare all the aircraft he could for Greece during the immediately critical days." Menzies himself notes darkly in his diary that "I am afraid of a disaster... Better Dunkirk than Poland or Czechoslovakia." He also wonders how anyone could have thought that the Greek expedition had "military merits," something he always argued against.

Photo: Wehrmacht Troops enter Zagreb, April 24th 1941



The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 2269-ton British freighter Cavallo at Nauplia. There is nobody on board, and the ship sinks on the 25th.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 370-ton Royal Navy armed yacht Calanthe at Milos. There are five deaths.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 2083-ton Greek freighter Popi S. at Milos.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 932-ton Greek freighter Pylaros at Galaxeidion.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 379-ton Greek coaster Speitsai off Psathopyrgos, Gulf of Corinth.

The Luftwaffe bombs and badly damages 4810-ton Greek freighter Point Judith off Kythnos Island. Everyone survives, and the ship officially sinks on the 26th.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks Greek torpedo boat Pergamos at Salamis.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 2295-ton Hellas at Piraeus. This is a tragic event, as at the time the Hellas is boarding 500 British civilians and 400 wounded Allied soldiers. The Hellas catches fire and rolls over, claiming the lives of up to 500 people.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 1968-ton Greek freighter Kehrea in the Bay of Frangolimano.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 5528-ton Greek freighter Kyriaki at Suda Bay.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 238-ton Greek coaster Manna at Aedipsos.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 634-ton Greek freighter Petros at Porto Heli. The Germans later salvage it for scrap.

Greek Navy torpedo boat Aigli is scuttled in Saronis Bay.

Greek Navy torpedo boat Alkyoni is scuttled in Vouliagmeni Bay.

Greek Navy torpedo boat Arethousa is scuttled off Varkizy.

Greek Navy contraband chaser A-4 is lost on this date from unknown causes.

British troopship Ulster Prince, part of Operation Demon, runs aground at Nauplia. This leads to her eventual destruction because beached ships become tempting targets for the Luftwaffe.

Yugoslav submarine Nebojsca arrives in Suda Bay after escaping from the Germans. It is never put into service.

Convoys AG 14 (six troopships) and AG 15 (six troopships) depart from Alexandria bound for Suda Bay.

North African Campaign

Both sides launch attacks on the Tobruk perimeter without major results, but there are some ominous omens for the Axis. The Germans mount a series of coordinated assaults on the Tobruk perimeter, but the daily D.A.K. staff report notes that "Italian troops cannot be relied upon." This is a brewing problem for the Germans, and one of Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel's major tasks is figuring out a way to get effective use out of the Italians. In their defense, the Italians are taking heavy casualties and holding large portions of the perimeter, but they do show an inclination to surrender.

At Ras el Medauuar, an Italian battalion attacks at 07:00 and manages to make its way in the perimeter wire, but after a hail of artillery fire, it surrenders. A British report notes sardonically that white flags "appeared to have become standard battle equipment of the Italian infantry at Tobruk." The British take 107 mainly Italian POWs, with the Italians losing about 40 dead. The German 15th Panzer Division then makes an attack in the same area around midday that is supported by about 18 Junkers Ju 87 Stukas, but this also is beaten off. In repelling the Axis attacks, the Australian defenders follow their typical pattern and allow the panzers to approach closely to their positions, then open fire as if in an ambush and send the attackers packing.

Photo: Members of the 2/48th Battalion manning a defensive position around Tobruk in 1941



The British Army launches its own attack in the Gazala area which is quickly broken off but causes genuine alarm. The Royal Navy assists by bombarding the Capuzzo/Bardia area during the night, with the RAF joining in. The British obviously are building up large tank forces near Bardia and Sollum, with the German high command realizing that loss of those areas "would lead... also to the abandonment of the fight for Tobruk."

The German summary notes that the battle is developing into a "crisis-like situation" that requires "immediate reinforcement" - which the OKH (Army High Command in Berlin) notes is "currently not possible." The Tobruk battle is developing into a classic stalemate.

Churchill sends a telegram in which he continues his veiled attacks on Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell. After making some elementary tactical suggestions - using smoke screens in Tobruk Harbor to protect shipping - he turns to his usual theme of Wavell providing insufficient information about the situation. "We still await news" of recent battles in Libya, he writes, noting "Evidently there was a severe defeat." He continues:

Surely the reports of the survivors should have made it possible to give us a coherent story of this key action. I cannot help you if you do not tell me.... While I recognize the difficulties of giving information of the fighting in Greece set out in your telegram, I cannot feel that the explanation is complete.

He demands that General Henry Maitland Wilson, the commander in Greece, send a "short report" every night setting forth the positions of the troops. Of course, the troops are heading for embarkation ships now and won't be on mainland Greece much longer.

Italian torpedo boat Simone Schiaffino hits a mine and sinks off Cape Bon.

Battle of the Mediterranean

The Luftwaffe continues its heavy raids on Malta. About 30 planes spend an hour over the dockyard area and the airfields at Luqa and Hal Far. Valetta is hammered, and four auxiliary antiaircraft gunners of the 4th Battalion perish when a bomb hits their position. St. Frederic Street takes the most damage, but everyone in the shelters survives after temporarily being trapped under the rubble.

Operation Dunlop, a supply effort to Malta, begins when Force H departs from Gibraltar. HMS Ark Royal carries 22 Hurricane fighters for delivery to Malta. There also is a supply component from Alexandria, led by three battleships escorting fast transport Breconshire. Convoy ME 7 departs from Malta bound for Alexandria.

Battle of the Atlantic

President Roosevelt extends Neutrality Patrols to 26W longitude (the vicinity of Iceland) and as far south as Rio de Janeiro and orders the US Navy to report any movement of German ships west of Iceland. US Rear Admiral Robert Ghormley, President Roosevelt's Special Naval Observer in England, meets with Churchill to discuss joint operations in the Atlantic. Among the topics is the possibility of German bases on the island groups in the Atlantic, including the Canary and Cape Verde Islands. US Navy ships simply transport their sightings in the clear, and the signals invariably are picked up by Royal Navy listeners who can vector in British ships or aircraft.

US Task Force 3 consisting of the light cruisers USS Cincinnati, Memphis, Milwaukee Omaha, departs from Newport, Rhode Island bound for the Caribbean and the Cape Verde Islands.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 5507-ton British freighter Dolius southwest of Montrose. It manages to make port in Leith.

German raider Thor makes port in Cherbourg. It is en route to Hamburg.

Convoy HG 60 departs from Gibraltar bound for Liverpool,

Royal Navy corvette HMS Polyanthus is commissioned and submarine Sirdar is laid down.

U-127 and U-567 are commissioned, U-207 and U-504 are launched.

Air War over Europe

RAF Bomber Command attacks Kiel with 69 bombers and Le Havre with a dozen bombers. Scattered attacks are made on various coastal targets in Rhubarb missions.

The Luftwaffe sends scattered raiders over the Channel after dark.

Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands becomes an RAF pilot.

East African Campaign

The Indian 29th Infantry Brigade moves toward the Italian redoubt at Amba Alagi.

Battle of the Pacific

American, British, Dutch and Australian representatives continue to meet in Singapore to discuss a joint military strategy in the Pacific.

Anglo/US Relations

Churchill sends a telegram to President Roosevelt summarizing the war situation. He notes that the U-boats have moved further west, from 22 degrees West to about 30 degrees West, and they seem to be heading even further west. He asks for US aerial reconnaissance in this area. He also asks for a US Navy carrier to conduct aerial patrols in the vicinity of the Cape Verde Island, which Churchill characterizes as "Another area in which we are having considerable trouble." Churchill also says that, should Spain declare war, the Royal Navy immediately will occupy the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands, but requests that US Navy ships conduct a "friendly cruise in the region" in order to scare off any German raiders.

Roosevelt is in agreement with Churchill's requests. US Navy Secretary Frank Knox issues a statement:

We can no longer occupy the immoral and craven position of asking others to make all the sacrifices for this victory which we recognize as so essential to us.

That, however, is US doctrine at the moment, amplified by Lend Lease. He will divert the ships of Task Force 3, which sails today from Newport, Rhode Island bound for the Caribbean, to the Cape Verde Island group.

German/Soviet Relations

The German Naval Attaché in Moscow reports to Berlin that the British know about the plans for Operation Barbarossa. The only thing they don't know is the exact date of the invasion - which is not surprising since the Germans have not yet set a date. Hitler, meanwhile, still has not made his "final, final" decision to mount Operation Barbarossa, but his meeting today with Admiral Horthy goes a long way in that direction.

German/Hungarian Relations

Admiral Horthy, Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, lunches with Adolf Hitler at the Fuehrer's command train Amerika near Graz, Austria. This is their first meeting since 1938 when Horthy in effect agreed to participate in the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia. Horthy, as he has in previous correspondence, warns against attempting to invade Great Britain, but enthusiastically argues that by seizing "Russia's inexhaustible riches," Germany can "hold out forever." Walther Hewel writes in his diary that Horthy "talked and talked" during the luncheon, which is unusual because Hitler usually launches into extended monologues with other leaders.

This meeting seems to clarify Hitler's own mind about invading the Soviet Union, or at least allay any of his underlying concerns about Germany's ability to prevail. After today, Operation Barbarossa becomes much more likely to happen. It may be that Hitler' feels that Hungarian military might would seal the deal, but Horthy's influence may be much more subtle: Hitler always has a great deal of respect for foreign leaders of stature and their assessments.

The Admiral tries to work a deal in which Hungary is granted large territorial concessions at Romanian expense - the whole of Transylvania - in exchange for its participation in upcoming Operation Barbarossa (which Horthy fervently advocates). Hitler knows that Hungarian / Romanian relations are a potentially explosive issue, refuses to commit to Hungary taking the whole of Transylvania at Romania's expense. Horthy takes this in stride. As a result of the meeting, Hitler and Horthy maintain their collaborative relationship, with Hungary benefiting directly from Hitler's conquests while trying to keep its own hands as clean as possible. The issue of Hungarian military participation in the Soviet Union remains up in the air, but relations between the two leaders remain excellent.

German/Croatian Relations

German Colonel Lahousen of the Abwehr (German military intelligence) meets with Croatian War Minister General Kvaternik. Kvaternik expresses open hatred for the Italians, reflecting a general sentiment within Croatia, but agrees to Italian annexation of the Dalmatian coastal area. Already, reports are surfacing of insensitive Italian actions in the region.

British Military

Churchill decides to hold regular meetings to discuss issues of the Army's tank and anti-tank weaponry. He characterizes these meetings as a "tank parliament." Among the topics covered will be the organization of Armoured Divisions.

US Military

The Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in Detroit, Michigan delivers its first M3 medium tank to the US Army. The M3 has a 75mm main gun in a sponson mount, not an optimal arrangement because American manufacturers are not at this time capable of creating turrets large enough to handle the gun. The Germans at this time are up-gunning their Panzer IIIs and IVs to handle similar guns at Hitler's personal insistence but in normal turrets. The M3 continues the American pattern of tall and roomy tanks which the crews like - until they have to go into battle in such an exposed target. It is fair to argue that the M3 already is outclassed by tanks in Europe, but this is a controversial topic and, on the other hand, American engineering is very solid and the tanks reliable. Many of these M3s will be sent to Great Britain with different turrets and be called Grants, serving capably in the major battles in North Africa.

Day 602 of World War II, April 26th 1941

Balkans Campaign: Battle of Greece - Operation Marita

The British are racing for the Greek ports to effect a complete evacuation from the Greek mainland, while the Germans are racing just as fast to stop them. It is another "Dunkirk" situation, and this time the Germans don't want to fail to trap their prey. The British Army stages a minor delaying operation at Thebes during the day as they fall back on Athens. The Germans press on toward Athens during the night.

German paratroopers (Fallschirmjäger) stage Operation Hannibal under the command of Colonel Sturm who leads 52 parachute engineers (Fallschirmpioniere) under Leutnant Häffner in a daring drop in the region of the Corinth Canal on the Peloponnesos.

Map: Corinth Canal positions April 26th 1941



The canal provides a handy place to stop the British retreat toward Patras and other ports on the Peloponnesos, and also a good place to stockpile fuel for the advancing panzers. Supported by the 1st and 2nd Battalions of Fallschirmjager Regiment 2 (FJR 2) under respectively Hauptmann Kroh and Hauptmann Pietzonka, the Fallschirmpioniere embark on April 25th in Plovdiv on 270 Junkers Ju 52s and in gliders. They stop to refuel in Larissa, and in at 05:00 on the 26th they take off for the mission. They drop at 07:00.

Photo: The view of the Corinth bridge taken by a Fallschirmjager on the approach to the drop zone, 07:00 on 26 April 1941.



They seize the bridge over the Corinth Canal. The British, almost certainly informed of Operation Hannibal by Ultra intercepts, have artillery positioned and registered.

Photo: The parachutists rushing onto bridge.



The British manage an extremely lucky shot when a shell hits demolition charges that the Germans already have removed from the bridge and placed in a pile - but not actually taken off the bridge yet (a huge "rookie" error). The bridge, already in German hands, collapses into the Corinth Canal, preventing the Germans from bringing panzers across (once they arrive via Athens) until it can be replaced (which is not accomplished until the 28th). The fuel for the panzers, being brought to the Corinth Canal by a tanker, has to be re-routed to Piraeus and laboriously transferred into barrels which can be brought into the Peloponnesos. One British unit, the 4th New Zealand Brigade, is cut off east of the bridge, but it heads to Port Raphti on the Greek east coast for evacuation. The Germans only lose eight engineers in the operation, but the results barely even warrant that.

Photo: The explosion of the bridge over the Corinth Canal



The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler ("LSSAH," still at brigade-size at this time) has been at the forefront of the German advance into Greece (Operation Marita), and today it embellishes its reputation as the most aggressive unit in the Wehrmacht. The LSSAH, racing down the west coast of the Greek mainland along the Pindus mountains from Ioannina, reaches the Gulf of Patras. At this point, all that stands between the German troops and cutting off the bulk of the retreating British/Imperial troops in the Gulf, as the key port of Patras lies just to the south.

General Sepp Dietrich orders the LSSAH to cross the gulf by any means necessary, so the LSSAH commandeers every fishing trawler and coaster that it can find and so that it can gains a foothold on the Peloponnesos in conjunction with paratrooper landings at Corinth. This process begins today and continues on the 27th. While this is a fantastic technical accomplishment that enhances the reputation of the "Blitzkrieg," the crossing achieves less than might appear because the LSSAH (and paratroopers) cannot bring panzers, artillery, and other heavy equipment with them. The British, meanwhile, are not dependent upon Patras and the other ports of the Peloponnesos and are evacuating many troops from the east coast of the mainland and points south. Wehrmacht troops advancing south through Athens, in fact, are only a day or two away from the LSSAH foothold.

Other German troops on the mainland reach Missolonghi. During the night, the British continue Operation Demon, the evacuation of mainland Greece. The British Army and Royal Navy stage a furious evacuation from Athens beaches and take off the 16th and 17th Brigades from Kalamata and the 1st Armored Brigade - minus its vehicles. In all, the British take off over 20,000 men during the night with Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender evacuating the crown jewels of Yugoslavia from Athens.

Photo: German parachute troops relax after the assault on the Corinth Canal



The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 4917-ton British freighter Scottish Prince north of Crete. The freighter makes it to Alexandria under escort.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks Greek torpedo boat Kydonia at Morea.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 1712-ton Greek freighter Maiotis in the Aegean. It is later raised by the Italians and taken to Trieste.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 6303-ton Greek freighter Maria Stathatou at Mylos.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 960-ton Greek freighter Zakynthos off Monemvasia.

North African Campaign

Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel retains a shaky grasp on Tobruk, where the Australians continue to hold out in large numbers. Rommel attempts to solidify his control over the vital port by sending three motorized columns of German and Italian troops from Group Herff from south of Sollum through Halfaya Pass on the border with Egypt. The Axis troops cross the border into Egypt after the British withdraw during the night, but don't advance much further at this time. Holding the pass enables Rommel to focus more on tightening his grip on Tobruk.

At Tobruk itself, the Australians stand firm, repelling German and Italian assaults and taking numerous prisoners. The Australians make some moves to widen their perimeter with tank and infantry advances, but the German artillery and panzers stop them cold. The German defense is aided by a sandstorm which "blew all day."

Prime Minister Winston Churchill sends a sharp cable to Commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet Admiral Andrew Cunningham. Churchill remarks to Cunningham that "you do not appreciate" British grand strategy in the Mediterranean (which is an odd thing to say to the man most responsible for implementing that strategy). Churchill further states that some of Cunningham's previous comments about strategy are "really not justified." There is a lecturing, churlish tone throughout the message which perhaps reflects the great difficulty the British forces in Greece are facing - an operation that was virtually solely Churchill's responsibility and which he ordered for political reasons against almost unanimous opposition in the military.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Upholder torpedoes and sinks German freighter Arta, which had been badly damaged in a destroyer action on the 16th and grounded on Kerkennah Bank off the coast of Tunisia.

Royal Navy gunboat HMS Ladybird bombards Gazala Airfield during the night, while gunboat HMS Aphis bombards the Italians in Halfaya Pass.

Battle of the Atlantic

The US Neutrality Patrol now extends to the latitude line near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This frees up British escorts, who have had to move further and further west as U-boats and Kriegsmarine surface raiders extend their operations in that direction. US Navy aircraft carrier USS Wasp embarks from Hampton Roads along with support ships on a neutrality patrol in the Atlantic, the first time the US uses a carrier on Neutrality Patrol.

U-110 torpedoes and sinks 2564-ton British freighter Henri Mory in the Atlantic northwest of Achill Head, Ireland. There are 28 deaths and four survivors.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 4648-ton British freighter Mountpark in the Northwest Approaches. There are six deaths.

Finnish 1172-ton freighter Lapponia hits a mine off Aalborg and sinks. It is later raised and repaired.

British 2217-ton collier Murdoch hits a sunken wreck and takes on water. It continues on but eventually sinks in the North Sea off Great Yarmouth at North Scroby Sand.

Convoy WS (Winston Special) 8A departs the Clyde. This includes several ships that will be included in the Tiger convoy past Gibraltar into the Mediterranean. The ships intended for Operation Tiger are Clan Chattanm, Clan Campbell, Clan Lamont,Empire Song, New Zealand Star, altogether, the ships carry 292 tanks for General Archibald Wavell's Middle East Command.

Convoy OG-60 departs from Liverpool.

Canadian corvettes HMCS Nanaimo and Rimouski are commissioned.

Royal Navy sloop HMS Erne is commissioned.

U-432 and U-81 are commissioned.

Air War over Europe

During the day, RAF Bomber Command attacks German shipping near Schiemonikoog and Vlieland with 25 aircraft. RAF Fighter Command stages a sweep over Boulogne. During the night, RAF Bomber Command sends 50 aircraft against Hamburg.

The Luftwaffe (KG 55) attacks Bristol and Liverpool (92 aircraft).

Luftwaffe pilot Wolfgang Falck, Kommodore of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1, attends a briefing in Hamburg (ironically bombed during the night). He learns about new airborne radar systems being developed, including the Morgenstern, Flensburg, and SN-2 (Lichtenstein) systems. The Nachtjagdfliegerdienst coincidentally scores its 100th night victory.

East African Campaign

The South African 1st Brigade takes Dessie in Abyssinia, East Africa. The South Africans bag 4,000 Italians who spend the rest of the war as POWs. Dessie, 130 miles south of Amba Alagi, is a key blocking position for the Italian holdouts in the mountains. The Indian 29th Infantry Brigade, meanwhile, reaches Amba Alagi today from the north.

Soviet Military

Soviet Chief of Staff General Georgy Zhukov orders a stealth mobilization of the Red Army to counter reports of German troop movements to the frontier area.

US Military

General Douglas MacArthur, from his command post in the Philippines, issues a plan for the seizure of New Britain, New Guinea, and New Ireland upon the outbreak of war. The objective would be to envelop the military base of Rabaul, currently in Australian hands but assumed to be in Japanese possession shortly after the outbreak of war. It is a far-sighted plan, but it requires the cooperation of the US Army and Navy - something that can be problematic at times.

German Government

Adolf Hitler has been camped in his command train "Amerika" in Austria throughout Operation Marita. Today, he takes his train from a little station near Graz (Monichkirchen) into Yugoslavia. He disembarks and proceeds by motorcar to Maribor (in German, Marburg). Here, he states:

Make this land German again for me.

After a rapturous reception there (this is a pro-German province), Hitler gets back on his train and heads back to Graz for another happy welcome. Among other things, Hitler visits with his old history teacher, Professor Leopold Poetsch, who Hitler claims in "Mein Kampf" inspired his love of history.