Saturday 5 October 1940

An air-raid shelter run by the Salvation Army in Clapton, East London. 5 October 1940.

Battle of Britain: The weather clears during the night, so on 5 October 1940 the Luftwaffe follows the pattern of alternating periods of activity by mounting a sustained effort today following some slow days. The battle has developed a definite rhythm, with the Luftwaffe adopting patterns that can last for days or weeks. This gives the RAF cues for successful interceptions, but it also can cause Fighter Command to be out of position when the patterns suddenly change due to some edict from Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering.

The early morning is occupied by German reconnaissance flights. The first large raid occurs at 09:30, when about 30 Bf 109 fighter bombers attack Dover, strafing the town and attacking barrage balloons. Fighter Command takes its time intercepting, and the German planes are long gone by the time any Hurricanes or Spitfires arrive.

A much more serious raid transpires around 10:45, when about 150 aircraft of Bf 109s and 110s raid Kent. about two-thirds of the fighters head for London, while the remainder lingers on the coast. This is another fighter-bomber attack, and as soon as the Germans spot RAF fighters, they drop their loads at random and engage the British. This results in massive dogfights over London. The bombs drop on Hastings, causing unintended damage.

Following behind the first formation is a second, composed of Bf 110s. This raid appears to be timed to catch the RAF fighters "in-between" the opening attacks and their ability to refuel and engage again. RAF No. 303 (Polish) Squadron is scrambled, though, and engages the Bf 109 escort. Once again a big battle takes place, and the Polish pilots shoot down 4 Bf 110s and 2 Bf 109s. The Poles lose just one plane. There is light bombing damage to London as well as RAF Mailing.

After a by now regular break for lunch, the next attack takes place at 14:00. This time, thirty Junkers Ju 88 bombers of KG 77 are included in the mix, so it is a much more serious affair. These head to Southampton and points further north. Another formation crosses at Swanage heading toward Weymouth. This time, the bombers get through, as the Bf 109s have a better time than they did during the morning battles. About half a dozen British fighters go down, though most of the pilots survive.

Another, smaller raid crosses the Isle of Wight toward Portsmouth at 17:15. While the bombers don't cause much damage, there are some dogfights which result in two Spitfires lost.

After dark, the London area is the target again, along with Liverpool, the Midlands, Northampton, East Anglia, and Leicester. The Luftwaffe also mines the Thames Estuary. A major priority tonight for the Germans is the cluster of RAF airfields in the Kenley/Biggin Hill/Debden/Martlesham area. Large fires are started at the West India Dock, a Millwall food plant and a factory at Erith. Railway installations at Cricklewood also suffer, along with the Portland dock area.

The day is notable for a record number of sorties by the RAF, who are getting more planes in the air than during the dark days of August and early September. Total losses are about 16 for the Luftwaffe and half that number for the RAF, though accounts vary widely.

Hauptmann Helmut Wick, Gruppenkommandeur of JG 2, claims three Spitfires during the 14:00 raid and two more during the 17:15. That makes him an "ace in a day" and gives him a grand total of 41 claims, which is right behind the two leaders, Molders and Galland. He is awarded the oak leaves (Eichenlaub) for his total.

Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF, October 1940.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command targets Gelsenkirchen oil installations, the Krupp factory at Essen, and the usual airfields and ports along the Channel. RAF Coastal Command chips in with raids on Brest and Gravelines. The German invasion barges remain in many ports and provide tempting targets, as they are a key part of the German transportation network.

Battle of the Atlantic: Italian submarine Nani torpedoes and sinks 356 ton British Royal Navy trawler HMT Kingston Sapphire about 20 miles south of Cadiz, Spain. There are three deaths, the survivors wind up interned in Spain.

British freighter Adaptity hits a mine and sinks in the Thames Estuary. One crewman perishes.

Dutch 2202 ton collier Ottoland (Capt G. Tigchelaar), traveling in Convoy FS 300, hits a mine and sinks off Sunderland, County Durham in the North Sea. Everybody aboard survives in a dinghy because the ship remains afloat for nine hours, giving plenty of time to escape, and is picked up by paddle-steamer Glenn Gower.

British submarine HMS Tigris spots what its captain describes as an Italian submarine in the Bay of Biscay, but misses.

Convoy FN 300 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 301 departs from Methil, Convoy OB 224 departs from Liverpool, Convoy SC 7 (34 ships) departs from Sydney, Canada, Convoy BS 6 departs from Suez.

US destroyer USS McFarland (DD-237) is recommissioned at Philadelphia.

HMS Regent, a Rainbow class submarine.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF raids Benghazi, Tobruk, and Bardia, concentrating on Italian supply points. The Italians send 80 aircraft, half bombers, to raid Mersa Matruh.

British submarine HMS Regent is operating about 10 miles off Bari, Italy in the Adriatic when it spots 188-ton Italian freighter Maria Grazia. It rams the small ship, an auxiliary barquentine (sailing ship), sinking it without taking much damage to itself from the wooden ship.

The Italian Navy begins Operation CV, a resupply operation between Taranto to the Italian bases in Libya.

Some Fulmars flying off HMS Illustrious are forced to land on Crete. The Greeks intern the four crew.

At Malta, new procedures are implemented by the War Office for unexploded bombs. German bombs have electrical fuses that are more difficult to handle, and the instructions provide useful information that helps in their disposal.

French submarine Narval is now operating out of Malta and completes its first patrol today. It is a quiet day despite fair weather, with no air raids.

Helmut Wick, who filed five claims for Spitfires today.

Italian Military: Following his big meeting with Hitler at the Brenner Pass on the 4th, Prime Minister Mussolini announces a few planning changes. From a historical perspective, his decisions today are an insight into the attitude permeating the Axis that even Italy, with well-known weakness in all three major military branches, can accomplish major strategic military objectives. In essence, he views himself as an equal military partner to Hitler. This attitude, of course, is a bit... fanciful. For now, though, it instructs very real military decisions with lasting consequences for the entire Axis war effort.

One must remember that, while Mussolini's army is weak, he has just as much ability as Hitler does to embroil the Axis in new wars. Mussolini does the following today in a series of directives and messages:

• Orders Marshal Graziani to cancel all plans to attack Yugoslavia;
• Emphasizes the necessity of the Italian Army at Sidi Barrani to attack and occupy Mersa Matruh;
• Steps up planning for an attack on mainland Greece through Albania soon after occupying Mersa Matruh.

The basic strategy is for the army in Egypt to push the British back another 80 miles, then switch the main effort to Albania/Greece. While one operation does not depend upon the other, accomplishing them in sequence would lessen the strain on Italian resources. The Italians are having enough problems with just one front in North Africa, taking on another active front would be imprudent. At this stage, though, Mussolini views the Allies as weak and the Axis - including his own shaky troops - as strong enough to accomplish his objectives.

A key issue is Crete. Taking it would enhance Axis naval operations in the eastern Mediterranean and support an attack on the major British military bases at Alexandria and Cairo. The Italian army seriously considers invading it, but ultimately rejects such an operation as too difficult, especially before the capture of the Greek mainland. The Italian navy is strong, but replacing losses would be impossible in any reasonable time frame, and the Royal Navy would have something to say about an operation so close to its bases.

Mussolini's directives today somewhat suggest that he is acting at the very least with the Germans' knowledge, and possibly with their blessing (some of the wording in his messages sounds similar to Wehrmacht phrases). However, that is controversial, and the extent of German involvement in any of Mussolini's actions at this stage is unknown.

Anglo/US Relations: Another tranche, the fourth, of US destroyers arrive at Halifax for transfer to the Royal Navy:

• USS Branch, 
• USS Hunt, 
• USS Mason, 
• USS Satterlee, 
• USS Laub, 
• USS Aulick, 
• USS Edwards and 
• USS McLanahan.

Chicago Bears Quarterback Sid Luckman at the New York Polo Ground, 5 October 1940.

US Military: US Navy Secretary Frank Knox responds to news of the tripartite pact (Japan, Germany, Italy), which he views as being directed against the US, by calling up the naval reserve. This includes the Air Detachment, Marine Barracks, Parris Island along with all organized aviation squadrons and reserve divisions.

Major General Henry "Hap" Arnold, Chief of Air Corps since 1938, submits a plan to George Marshall, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to create a separate organizational structure for the US Army Air Corps.

Soviet Military: Stalin approves of plans submitted by the Stavka Chief of the General Staff Meretskov.  These call for the greatest weight of defense to be attached to the Southwest Front, i.e., in the direction (from Germany) of Kyiv. After the initiation of Operation Barbarossa, this will be the destination for Army Group South. On the German side, the initial plans of attack didn't even contemplate any attack on this axis of advance, but more recent drafts do have an army group heading toward Kyiv from Romania.

French Indochina: Empire Hirohito directs that some French prisoners in Indochina be released. The elite 5th Infantry Division begins withdrawing to China.

China: The Nationalist Chinese having attacked the Communist New 4th Army at Huangqiao ("Yellow Bridge"), Jiangsu Province, on the 4th, the Communists counterattack today. They drive the attacking Japanese off and capture much-needed equipment and other supplies.

American Homefront: Our Gang in "Waldo's Last Stand" is released, starring Robert Blake as Mickey, George Spanky McFarland, Darla Hood, and Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer.

The Our Gang lemonade stand in "Waldo's Last Stand."

October 1940
October 2, 1940: Hitler's Polish Plans
October 3, 1940: British Cabinet Shakeup
October 4, 1940: Brenner Pass Meeting
October 5, 1940: Mussolini Alters Strategy
October 6, 1940: Iron Guard Marches
October 7, 1940: McCollum Memo
October 8, 1940: Germans in Romania
October 9, 1940: John Lennon Arrives
October 10, 1940: Führer-Sofortprogramm
October 11, 1940: E-Boats Attack!
October 12, 1940: Sealion Cancelled
October 13, 1940: New World Order
October 14, 1940: Balham Tragedy
October 15, 1940: Mussolini Targets Greece
October 16, 1940: Japanese Seek Oil
October 17, 1940: RAF Shakeup
October 18, 1940: Convoy SC-7 Catastrophe
October 19, 1940: Convoy HX-79 Catastrophe
October 20, 1940: Convoy OB-229 Disaster
October 21, 1940: This Evil Man Hitler
October 22, 1940: Aktion Wagner-Burckel
October 23, 1940: Hitler at Hendaye
October 24, 1940: Hitler and Petain
October 25, 1940: Petain Woos Churchill
October 26, 1940: Empress of Britain Attack
October 27, 1940: Greece Rejects Italian Demands
October 28, 1940: Oxi Day
October 29, 1940: US Draft Begins
October 30, 1940: RAF Area Bombing Authorized
October 31, 1940: End of Battle of Britain

2020

Friday 4 October 1940

Bombs dropping on Tillbury, England. This port is the source of London's food supply. The bomb cluster on the left will hit ships, the second to the right will hit the docks. 4 October 1940.

Battle of Britain: The weather remains lousy on 4 October 1940, and air operations remain minimal. In any event, given the pattern of the battle so far, this probably would have been an "off" day for the Luftwaffe anyway, which has alternated periods of attacks and quieter days since June.

RAF Fighter Command, for its part, is focusing on developing more lead-time for its fighters. These measures, championed by Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park, include a new reconnaissance squadron based at Gravesend. The new guidelines are that Spitfires are to assemble at 25,000 feet and Hurricanes at 20,000 feet before embarking on patrol.

The new pattern of using primarily fighter-bombers by day and regular bombers by night continues, but especially on days like this with heavy clouds and rains, the Luftwaffe does sneak a fair number of Junkers Ju 88s, Dornier Do 17s and Heinkel He 111s into the mix.

The morning is occupied with lone bombers seeking out specific targets. Some hit London, others various other targets in the southeast. Among the areas hit are RAF Penrhos, which destroys some buildings, and Fairlight (home of the Air Ministry). Some bombers are intercepted at sea before they can even make land.

Around 13:00, the Luftwaffe sends over some Bf 109E-7 Jabos (fighter-bombers) and Bf 110s. This is the first organized raid, but does not accomplish much in the muck.

Another raid at 17:00 crosses the coast apparently heading for London. A timely interception by RAF No. 605 Squadron Hurricanes, though, sends them running.

The weather clears up a bit after dark, just in time for the Luftwaffe to get to its main task, the bombing of English cities. Airfields around Abbeville send out a steady stream of bombers beginning around 19:00. The aircraft are in parade formation, regularly spaced in true Germanic precision. These raids last for about two hours and all head for London, which is fairly easy to find even in the poor weather conditions. Southwest and Northwest London take the brunt of the attack, with some bombers hitting the RAF stations at North Weald and Debden. The most significant damage to infrastructure is at the Hawkers Aircraft Factory at Kingston, the New Cross Telephone Exchange, and the railroad track near Crews Hill Station. This last attack stops all rail traffic on the line in both directions for a while.

The Luftwaffe also mines all along the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts.

Losses are light today. The Luftwaffe loses about 10 planes, the RAF about 3.

Squadron Leader M. Lister Robinson, DSO, DFC, becomes commanding officer of RAF No. 609 Squadron.

Hauptmann Walter Adolph becomes Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26.

A Wehrmacht man enjoying wine and some artichokes. This is why France is one of the most sought-after billets in the German Army. Dieppe, 4 October 1940.

Battle of the Atlantic: The Royal Navy once again tries to implement Operation Lucid, the fireship attack on Channel ports. Once again, creaking old tankers Nizam and War African, loaded with volatile fuel oil, diesel oil, and petrol, head across the Channel. The previous time the Royal Navy attempted this, the Nizam broke down within sight of the target. This time, a massive force of 11 destroyers, 6 minesweepers and various torpedo boats escorts the tankers toward France. However, this time it is the weather that does not cooperate (the tankers are barely seaworthy), and once again the operation is scrubbed.

British paper mill tug HT Sirdar hits a mine and sinks in The Swale near Kent. Some accounts state that the Luftwaffe sank it, but an oral history by local Keith Chisman states that it hit a mine, with the loss of all three crew. The Luftwaffe story is unlikely due to the foul weather, but memories can be shaky 70 years later, too.

Convoys OA 224 and FS 300 depart from Methil, Convoy FN 299 departs from Southend, Convoy HX 78 departs from Halifax.

British patrol ship HMCS Otter is commissioned.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Due to the foul weather in the Atlantic, all of the action at sea today is in the Mediterranean for a change - where the weather also is cloudy and rainy. It is a very mixed day for British submarines in the Mediterranean. Despite some successes, it is a sad day for the Royal Navy's Mediterranean fleet.

British submarine HMS Rainbow (Lt. Colonel Moore), operating in the Adriatic 20 miles north of Brindisi, gets too close to 6860-ton Italian freighter Antonietta Costa, which is on a supply run to Durazzo. The sub is rammed and sunk, with all 55 crew perishing. This is a very rare instance of a freighter "evening the score" with the submarines that terrorize them.

British submarine HMS Triton approaches Genoa and uses its deck gun to get in some target practice and shell Savona and Vado Ligure. During this action, it sinks passing 1854 ton Italian passenger ship Franca Fassio about 30 km off Capo Noli, Liguria (Vado Roads, Gulf of Genoa).

British submarine HMS Tetrarch is operating in the same general area as Triton and attacks another (unknown) Italian freighter, but misses.

British submarine Rorqual lays mines off neutral Portugal.

At Lisbon, British troopship Neuralia takes off various refugees and Polish troops who failed to escape over the summer. The troopship makes it back to Gibraltar escorted by destroyer Wishart - which is only a marginally better location for the people aboard, and perhaps worse.

Italian 2180 ton freighter Nina Bianchi collides with fellow freighter Veloce near Brindisi. The Nina Bianchi sinks.

The RAF sends raids against railway infrastructure serving Italian bases in Eritrea and Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

Force H, which participated in Operation H, returns to Gibraltar.

At Malta, there is a sustained Italian air raid shortly after 10:00. The formation is composed of fighters, and the defending Hurricanes only rise to defend when they attack Luqa and Hal Far airfields. The Italians lose one Macchi C.200 Saetta ("Arrow") and the pilot perishes.

Hitler and Mussolini exchange a few last words through the window of his Führersonderzug "Amerika."

German/Italian Relations: Hitler and Mussolini meet in the Brenner Pass, which is convenient for their command trains. They talk for three hours. The main subject apparently is new plans in the Mediterranean, as the Germans have given up on Operation Sealion. This pleases Mussolini militarily because his priority always is the "Italian Lake." However, there may be more to Mussolini's good humor than merely a convenient military decision. Foreign Minister Count Ciano confides to his diary that Mussolini appears to be delighted by this setback for the Germans, happier than at almost any other time. This is an attitude that Mussolini reprises throughout the war even as it can't be good news for himself personally in the long run.

However, Hitler also is in an expansive mood and declares "The war is won" - which somewhat contradicts the topic of the conference, to change the Axis' focus away from the country that he cannot defeat, Great Britain, to the Mediterranean. Hitler states that the British people are about to "crack" - a constant refrain of his about his accumulating enemies throughout the conflict.

Hitler offers his support for Italy's (now stalled) drive into Egypt. Mussolini, however, indicates that he doesn't need the help yet, perhaps during the final drive into Alexandria and Cairo. Mussolini still sees his armed forces as capable of defeating Allied resistance and Italy being an equal partner in the relationship. Perhaps Mussolini feels it would be a slight to Italian prestige to require German help. This is one of Mussolini's quirks - perhaps fantasies is a better word - that leads him into a lot of difficulties and actual loss of prestige.

Another major issue at this conference is France. Hitler wants to upgrade Vichy France to virtually a full partner in the war. Mussolini, however, adamantly opposes any French rearmament, perhaps because he has his eyes cast in a completely different direction. France recently has shown its potential value in the successful defense of Dakar against Charles de Gaulle's and the Royal Navy's Operation Menace, and Hitler wants to build upon that. Vichy France occupies vast overseas dominions such as Madagascar and could be a big help to the Axis. The outcome of the discussion on this point is unclear, but Hitler seems to have succeeded in keeping Mussolini from interfering with his plans for Vichy France.

What is most significant about this meeting is what is not said. Hitler does not bring up Operation Barbarossa - which is consuming Wehrmacht planning. Mussolini also (apparently) does not mention that he also has plans of his own. These involve perennial Italian nemesis Greece, Italy's ancient enemy stretching back before even Roman times. Mussolini has a springboard against Greece in Albania - the traditional European route of the Middle Ages to attack Constantinople/Istanbul - and he intends to use it, and soon. In Mussolini's defense, these meetings according to accounts of other meetings usually turn into Hitler monologues, with Mussolini probably trying to stay awake in a comfortable chair.

Little is known about this meeting, and there are some subtle indications that maybe the topic of an Italian invasion of Greece did come up, at least tangentially. It is known that Mussolini speaks at the meeting with contempt of Greek "double-dealing," but Hitler may not "take the hint." Hitler's later reaction to the Italian invasion suggests that this meeting at least did not bring him completely on board. Immediately after this meeting, Mussolini quickly gives up plans to invade Yugoslavia as well - which is almost always overlooked by historians - so Hitler and Mussolini may have made some kind of deal on that score.

Back in Berlin, one of the Foreign Ministry's tasks is to brief neutral governments (such as the United States) about what is going on with things like the Mussolini/Hitler meeting. A spokesman says that the discussion at the Brenner Pass was about reaching a peace deal with Great Britain - which is far-fetched because Great Britain would need to be interested, or at least consulted, and it isn't. The Italian newspaper Il Popolo di Roma harps on the fact a German invasion of Great Britain is impossible in 1940. There is always an underlying resentment during World War II of the Italians at their military domination by the Germans, who in the 1920s were seen as little more than beggars across the Alps.

Cole sorghum mill near Camden, Tennessee, October 4, 1940. This sorghum mill belongs to John Cole, located about 5-6 miles south of Camden, Tennessee on Highway 69. Nelson Cole, grandson of John Cole, reports that the individuals in the photograph are Pauline Hargis, Rural Cole (son of John Cole), Fay Howe, Johnell Moore, Reba Nell Pace, and Harold Cole. Two mules are visible, "Bigun" and "Littleun." Department of Conservation Photograph Collection, Courtesy of the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN (USA).

Anglo/US Relations: Churchill sends a message to President Roosevelt requesting a US naval presence in Singapore.
British Government: The re-shuffling of government and military posts that began on the 3rd continues. Sir Charles Portal takes over as British Chief of Air Staff from Sir Cyril Newall, who becomes Governor-General of New Zealand. This change is effective on 24 October 1940. Sir Richard Peirse takes over at RAF Bomber Command.

Free France: Charles de Gaulle (still referred to as a "General," but in fact no longer a member of any army) arrives in Douala, French Cameroon. His arrival fits into grand British strategy to wrest all of Africa from the Axis by picking off the low-hanging fruit first. While an overlooked part of World War II, control of central and southern Africa is of immense importance for many reasons, not least the ability it gives to extend the range and scope of U-boat and Luftwaffe operations against vulnerable British supply routes.

PM Weekly Magazine, 4 October 1940.

Vichy France: The Petain/Laval government continues the persecution of communists that has lasted ever since the first days of the German invasion and arrests communists in Paris.

China: The Japanese launch a typical raid by 27 G3M bombers escorted by 8 A6M Zero fighters against Chengdu, Sichuan. Half a dozen Nationalist Hawk 75 fighters intercept. The Zeros once again demonstrate their superiority and destroy three of the Hawks.

The Nationalists at Huangqiao attack the communist Chinese New 4th Army forces which have been advancing along the Yangtze. The communists struggle to hold the town.

American Homeland: "Knute Rockne, All American" premieres at four separate venues in South Bend, Indiana, the home of Rockne's alma mater, Notre Dame. The film stars Pat O'Brien and Ronald Reagan. Ticket prices range from $1.10 to $1.65 for reserved seating on the main floor (about $23 today).

Boxer Fritzie Zivic beats Henry Armstrong for the world welterweight title at Madison Square Garden.

Future History: Barbara-Maria "Barbi" Henneberger is born in Oberstaufen, Bavaria. Germany. She becomes a top alpine skier who competes in the 1960 and 1964 Winter Olympics, winning the bronze medal in the Slalom in the former. She perishes in an avalanche accident not long after the latter Olympics.

The War Illustrated magazine, 4 October 1940. One of the reasons we have so many excellent photographs of World War II is that picture magazines were in vogue in the 1940s, much more so than today when television and other media has lessened their importance.

October 1940

October 1, 1940: Wait Daddy October 2, 1940: Hitler's Polish Plans
October 3, 1940: British Cabinet Shakeup
October 4, 1940: Brenner Pass Meeting
October 5, 1940: Mussolini Alters Strategy
October 6, 1940: Iron Guard Marches
October 7, 1940: McCollum Memo
October 8, 1940: Germans in Romania
October 9, 1940: John Lennon Arrives
October 10, 1940: Führer-Sofortprogramm
October 11, 1940: E-Boats Attack!
October 12, 1940: Sealion Cancelled
October 13, 1940: New World Order
October 14, 1940: Balham Tragedy
October 15, 1940: Mussolini Targets Greece
October 16, 1940: Japanese Seek Oil
October 17, 1940: RAF Shakeup
October 18, 1940: Convoy SC-7 Catastrophe
October 19, 1940: Convoy HX-79 Catastrophe
October 20, 1940: Convoy OB-229 Disaster
October 21, 1940: This Evil Man Hitler
October 22, 1940: Aktion Wagner-Burckel
October 23, 1940: Hitler at Hendaye
October 24, 1940: Hitler and Petain
October 25, 1940: Petain Woos Churchill
October 26, 1940: Empress of Britain Attack
October 27, 1940: Greece Rejects Italian Demands
October 28, 1940: Oxi Day
October 29, 1940: US Draft Begins
October 30, 1940: RAF Area Bombing Authorized
October 31, 1940: End of Battle of Britain

2020

Tuesday 31 October 1939

Members of the Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL) (Italian Youth of the Lictor), the consolidated youth movement of the National Fascist Party of Italy, during a practice drill. 1939.

Battle of the Atlantic: Total Allied shipping losses for October 1939, and German U-boat losses:

• 46 Allied ships
• 193,355 tons
• 5 U-boats sunk

The British break their own losses for October out as:

• 19 ships
• 83,000 tons.

This has been a significant drop since the 37 ships of 155,000 tons in the previous month.

The British send four battleships, 14 cruisers and 5 aircraft carriers to hunt down the Admiral Graf Spee in the South Atlantic on 31 October 1939. This weakens convoy protection, one of the hidden benefits to the Germans of the pocket battleship's mission.

U-25 (Kapitänleutnant Viktor Schütze) sinks French freighter Baoulé off the Spanish coast. Thirteen men perish and 33 survive. The freighter was carrying badly needed supplies such as rubber, cotton, cocoa, and coffee.

The British detain the US freighter Black Osprey at the Downs and release the freighter Gateway City. The latter's cargo was seized as contraband.

Theodore Krancke takes command of the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer.

Convoy OA 28G departs from Southend. Convoy SL 7 departs from Freetown for Liverpool. Convoy HXF departs from Halifax for Liverpool.

German/Soviet Relations: Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov gives a speech to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. He summarizes the status of the negotiations with Finland, attacks Great Britain for waging war on the Germans, and professes belief in neutrality. Most importantly, he emphasizes friendship with Germany, supports German peace efforts and wishes continued economic collaboration.

Finland: Negotiations resume about the border. Molotov, now assured of the backing of the Supreme Soviet, issues his first ultimatum to Helsinki. It includes his demands about Hanko, Petsamo and the other items on his wish list.

Italy: Mussolini makes some changes in the Italian (Grand Fascist) cabinet. The new members (six ministries and several secretariats) tend to support continued neutrality. Dismissed are three military chiefs (Alberto Pariani, Giuseppe Valle and Luigi Russo) and two cabinet ministers (Achille Starace and Dino Alfieri). Count Ciano (Mussolini's son-in-law) remains Foreign Minister. Count Grandi remains head of Justice and is known to be an Anglophile.

The British appoint a Consul General to Tirana, Albania, effectively recognizing the occupation Italian government there subsequent to the invasion of April 1939.

Australia: In a sign of slight easing of tensions about the conflict, the government scales back its plan to send an entire expeditionary air force to Great Britain, and instead will send just a reconnaissance squadron.

Poland: The SS establishes the death penalty for all Poles who become a problem, with violators to be tried in SS courts.

Father Nowakowski.

Holocaust: Liquidations continue throughout Poland. For instance, and just as an example because to recount sterile numbers alone is just not sufficient to emphasize what is happening, Polish Diocesan Priest Leon Nowakowski is shot in the town of Piotrków Kujawski in Poland.

Future History: Walt Disney uses October 31, 1939, as the date of record for its Tower of Terror ride at Disney Studios in Orlando, Florida. According to studio lore, the Hollywood Hotel, which opened in 1919, is mysteriously struck by lightning on this Halloween day in 1939. An elevator car full of people is then transported to the Twilight Zone. The hotel remains empty until the theme park opens the attraction in 1994 and life within the hotel resume as ... somewhat... normal.

October 31, 1939, is the date for the fictional Tower of Terror hotel at Orlando.

October 1939

October 1, 1939: Occupation of Warsaw
October 2, 1939: Hel Peninsula Falls
October 3, 1939: The Diamantis Incident
October 4, 1939: Otto Kretschmer Gets Rolling
October 5, 1939: Polish Resistance Ends
October 6, 1939: Hitler Peace Effort
October 7, 1939: The British Have Arrived
October 8, 1939: First RAF Kill from UK
October 9, 1939: "City of Flint" Incident
October 10, 1939: Lithuania Under Pressure
October 11, 1939: The Atomic Age Begins
October 12, 1939: England Rejects Hitler's Peace Offer
October 13, 1939: Charles Lindbergh Speaks Out
October 14 1939: Royal Oak Sunk
October 15, 1939: Cuban Rockets
October 16, 1939: First Aircraft Shot Down Over UK
October 17, 1939: Marshall Mannerheim Returns
October 18, 1939: Prien Receives His Award
October 19, 1939: Preliminary Plan for Fall Gelb
October 20, 1939: Hitler Grapples with the Jews
October 21, 1939: Hurricanes to the Rescue!
October 22, 1939: Goebbels Lies Through His Teeth
October 23, 1939: Norway the Center of Attention
October 24, 1939: German "Justice" Gets Rolling
October 25, 1939: Handley Page Halifax Bomber First Flies
October 26, 1939: Jozef Tiso Takes Slovakia
October 27, 1939: King Leopold Stands Firm
October 28, 1939 - First Luftwaffe Raid on Great Britain
October 29, 1939: Tinkering with Fall Gelb
October 30, 1939: Defective Torpedoes
October 31, 1939: Molotov Issues an Ultimatum

November 1939

November 1, 1939: The Jet Flies Again
November 2, 1939: The Soviets Devour Poland
November 3, 1939: Amending the Neutrality Act
November 4, 1939: Roosevelt Signs Neutrality Laws
November 5, 1939: The Spirit of Zossen
November 6, 1939: First Dogfight
November 7, 1939: More Lies About SS Athenia
November 8, 1939: Hitler Almost Killed
November 9, 1939: The Venlo Incident
November 10, 1939: Dutch Panic
November 11, 1939: Poignant Armistice Day
November 12, 1939: Peace Efforts Made and Rejected
November 13, 1939: First Bombing of Great Britain
November 14, 1939: The Dyle Plan
November 15, 1939: Elser Confesses to the Bürgerbräukeller Bombing
November 16, 1939: Martial Law in Prague
November 17, 1939: International Students Day
November 18, 1939: Magnetic Mines
November 19, 1939: Walls Around the Warsaw Ghetto
November 20, 1939: First RN Submarine Victory
November 21, 1939: Salmon & Gluckstein on the Prowl
November 22, 1939: British Recover A Magnetic Mine
November 23, 1939: HMS Rawalpindi Sunk
November 24, 1939: Japanese Enter Nanning
November 25, 1939: The Olympics are a War Casualty
November 26, 1939: Soviets Stage an "Incident" at Mainila
November 27, 1939: German Marriage Becomes Perilous
November 28, 1939: Judenrats in Poland
November 29, 1939: The Soviets Prepare to Invade Finland
November 30, 1939: Winter War Begins

2019