Thursday 21 November 1940

Wally’s barber shop on St Martin Street remains open during the London blitz. 21 November 1940.

Italian/Greek Campaign: The Greek K Group of Divisions in the Korçë plateau sector capture the summit of Morava on 21 November 1940. It continues attacking in the direction of Darza Pass. This forces the defending Italian IX Army to withdraw during the night, opening up the Devoll valley. This makes the city of Korçë itself vulnerable, and that is the next Greek objective in the area.

Greek II Corps captures Ersekë.

Greek I Corps is reinforced with the 3rd Division. It is moving forward along the Gjirokastër–Tepelenë–Valona axis. Its objective is Valona, a major Italian supply port. Once the Greek K Group captures the city of Korçë, the main weight of the Greek offensive will shift to this line of attack.

Western Front: German 6th Army stages a simulated invasion of Ireland.

The Daily Mirror, 21 November 1940. "Huns" is a dated World War I term even in 1940, used here to express obvious disgust. The picture at the upper right symbolizes the destruction of Coventry a week earlier.

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe stages only minor operations during the day. However, in what appears to have been an oddly lucky hit, a bomber hits Bletchley Park. This is the home to the Ultra Operation, otherwise known as the British Government Code and Cypher School at Buckinghamshire. While there are no casualties, the diplomatic section, telephone exchanges, typists' rooms, and other areas are damaged. The damage could have been much greater, as three of the bombs are duds. The somewhat inexplicable incident - nobody is supposed to know about Bletchley Park - is likely due to a Luftwaffe bomber returning from Coventry and dropping unreleased bombs at random, as bombers are not supposed to land with any bombs.

I,/JG 77 is redesignated IV,/JG 51 at Marquise.

Battle of the Atlantic: German cruisers Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Köln, and Leipzig leave port for a breakout into the Atlantic shipping lanes.

German 375 ton coaster Birgitte Raabe collies with another ship about 33 km south of Utklippan, Sweden in the Baltic. The damage is too great, and the crew scuttles the ship.

British 6426 ton freighter Dakotian hits a mine and sinks off Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. Everybody aboard survives.

U-103 (Kplt. Viktor Schütze) is on its second patrol out of Lorient. At 07:40, it spots Convoy OB 244 in the shipping lanes northwest of County Donegal, Ireland and fires three torpedoes. U-103 torpedoes and sinks 4768-ton British freighter Daydawn. There are 37 survivors and 2 deaths. The survivors are picked up by HMS Rhododendron.

U-103 also torpedoes and sinks 6085 ton Greek freighter Victoria in Convoy OB 244. Everybody survives, rescued by escort destroyer HMS Castleton.

U-103 attacks another freighter who tries to ram it, but the torpedo glances off the ship and does not explode. U-103 then has to break off the attack due to escort activity.

Corvette HMS Rhododendron responds to the U-103 attacks with a depth charge attack and claims to have sunk the U-boat. However, in fact, the submarine is undamaged - and apparently isn't even the U-103, but another U-boat stalking the convoy, U-104.

German 125 ton Kriegsmarine whaler Wespe NB17 sinks today of unknown causes.

Royal Navy 96 ton drifter Xmas Rose hits a mine and sinks in the Thames Estuary. There are four deaths.

Greek 4695 ton freighter Peleus hits a mine and is damaged at Milford Haven.

Convoy FN 339 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 341 departs from Methil, Convoy HX 90 departs from Halifax, Convoy BHX 90 departs from Bermuda, Convoy SL 56 departs from Freetown.

U-110 (Kapitänleutnant Fritz-Julius Lemp) is commissioned.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Royal Navy anti-submarine trawler HMS Lydiard attacks a submarine near Port Said but is damaged by its own depth charges and returns to port.

The RAF bombs Benghazi.

At Malta, there are two air raid alerts in quick succession early in the morning. In the darkness, a single Italian bomber flies across Malta and bombs the vicinity of the RAF airfield at Ta Qali. The night is cloudy, and the plane gets away.

Noel Coward with troops at the Grovely Camp in Brisbane. Taken from The Telegraph, 21 November 1940

Battle of the Indian Ocean: German raider Pinguin, having recovered its seaplane in the morning after its enemy action on the 20th, is still using the captured freighter Storstad as its lookout. The Storstad spots a freighter, and Pinguin approaches it in the dark. The freighter is armed with two 6-inch guns, and Pinguin opens fire. Eight shots slam into the freighter, destroying the radio room and setting the bridge on fire. The steering gets jammed, sending the ship in circles, causing the crew to abandon ship. It turns out to be Australian refrigerated freighter Port Brisbane, traveling from Adelaide to Durban. Pinguin takes 61 prisoners (including one woman passenger), then sinks the freighter using scuttling charges and a torpedo. A lifeboat carrying 27 people escapes in the darkness. The Pinguin can't find it quickly in the dark, so it gives up and heads off to the southwest, followed by the Storstad.

Australian cruiser HMS Canberra is in pursuit of Pinguin. It knows the general location from radio messages received from another victim. The Canberra later picks up the passengers in the Port Brisbane's missing lifeboat.

Australian 5826 ton passenger liner Orungal runs aground at Barwon Heads, Victoria. The ship is salvageable, but ultimately catches on fire on 13 December and is written off.

Convoy US 7, carrying the Australian 26th Infantry Brigade, departs from Australia bound for Egypt.

Spy Stuff: The US House of Representatives' "Investigation of Un-American Propaganda Activities in the United States," better known as the Dies Committee after its chairman, Rep. Martin Dies, Jr., releases a 500-page White Paper. The White Paper examines German activities in the United States. It reveals that Manfred Zapp, head of the German Trans-ocean News Service, had been working to poison US/Japanese relations. The purpose was to divert US attention from the war in Europe in order to help the Germans. Another finding of the White Paper is that Germany has been engaging in a "Damned clever scheme" involving commercial relations in both North and South America.

There is an element of paranoia and overkill in this committee and its reports, as subversive German activities in the US actually are quite minimal. However, stoking such fears works in favor of increased assistance to Great Britain in its war against Germany, a covert policy of the Roosevelt administration (as exemplified by today's transfer of the final tranche of destroyers to Great Britain pursuant to the destroyers-for-bases deal). The Dies Committee remains in existence until 1944, never really accomplishing much of use beyond propaganda value of its own, when it morphs into another, broader investigative committee.

German/Romanian Relations: Adolf Hitler continues his succession of diplomatic meetings, meeting Romanian leader Ion Antonescu at the Reich Chancellory. Hitler apparently gives Antonescu a preview of Operation Barbarossa, still in its early planning stages.

Anglo/US Relations: The sixth and final tranche of US destroyers arrives at Halifax for transfer to the Royal Navy pursuant to the September destroyers-for-bases deal. The ships are:

• USS Bailey
• USS Meade
• USS Shubrick
• USS Swasey
• USS Claxton
• USS Fairfax
• USS Robinson
• USS Ringgold
• USS Sigourney
• USS Tillman.

The destroyer handover is made by the Commander Destroyer Squadron 33, Captain Schuyler F. Heim.

Photos published on 21 November 1940 showing Hungary joining the Axis. Looking on are the Foreign Ministers of Spain (Serrano Suner) and Italy (Count Ciano).

US/Vichy French Relations: Pursuant to acting US Secretary of State Sumner Welles' instructions, US Chargé d'Affaires ad interim H. Freeman Matthews meets again with Vichy French leader Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain. Matthews again asks Petain if he would be willing to part with his two battleships, and perhaps other warships. The US is concerned that the warships will fall into German hands. Petain responds:

Then why not leave those vessels at Dakar and Casablanca where they now are? I shall keep them there and if there should be any change in this plan I will give you previous notice.

This closes attempts by the Americans and the British (who are following along intently behind the scenes) to take possession of the ships.

British Military: British No. 2 Commando Battalion becomes the 11th Special Air Services Battalion. It now undergoes training as paratroopers.

British Government: It is the opening day of the new session of Parliament, and the King gives an address. He confirms that the Crown and its allies are committed to fighting against the aggressor nations until freedom is safe. Prime Minister Winston Churchill also gives remarks, revealing that the Greeks have pushed the Italians back across the Albanian border (though not everywhere yet). He also expresses confidence in the security of Egypt and the Suez Canal.

US Government: US Secretary for the Interior Harold Ickes gives a speech in New York which he excoriates national hero Charles Lindbergh, calling him:

one of America's leading fifth columnists, apparently representing small but dangerous groups of American-born Fascists.

Lindbergh is a leading figure in the America First Committee, a peace group organized at Yale University. The America First position is that the US should stay out of foreign wars. The official US position also remains one of neutrality, making Lindbergh's stance in accordance with the government's own policies. However, Ickes reflects widespread sentiment in Democratic Party circles in favor of intervention, and they brand those advocating peace as traitors and foreign agents. Ickes' speech appears to be related to the release of the Dies White Paper.

Australia: The government raises taxes to pay for a vastly expanded war budget, which will consume 20% of spending.

"Superman," a fairly recent cartoon creation of  Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, graces the 21 November 1940 New York City Thanksgiving Day Parade. Superman is big this year in more ways than one, having gotten his own daily radio serial (which eventually will lead to the famous 1950s television series).

American Homefront: Today officially is Thanksgiving in the United States, one of the most important holidays of the year. At least, it is for most of the country. Following on an idea he had had a year earlier to move Thanksgiving up a week in order to extend the Christmas shopping season, Roosevelt again (by proclamation dated 9 November 1940) has ordained that the third Thursday of November, rather than the traditional fourth, be the date on which the holiday is celebrated.

This creates a bifurcated national celebration which predictably splits along political lines. Many people resent the government (even the saintly Roosevelt) meddling with the holiday schedule. Today, 32 states and the District of Columbia celebrate Thanksgiving, while 16 other states wait another week to celebrate, until the "Republican" Thanksgiving date. Today's celebration is given the derisive name "Franksgiving."

This is not one of Roosevelt's better ideas. A study of shopping patterns shows no appreciable increase in sales due to the earlier date. However, parades are mounted today in the largest states, as they were on the third Thursday of November in 1939.

Future History: Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack is born in New Orleans. In his mid-teens, he meets Professor Longhair, a local artist. Professor Longhair takes a liking to Rebennack and teaches him the music business. At age 16, Rebennack is hired by Johnny Vincent at Ace Records as a producer. Rebennack becomes a fixture in local clubs, playing guitar and then the piano. Along the way, Rebennack changes his professional name to Dr. John, provides backing to top acts like Sonny & Cher, and reaches pop stardom in the 1970s. Dr. John is famous for hits like "Right Place Wrong Time" and has won six Grammy awards. He also has scored numerous popular films, such as Martin Scorsese's "The Last Waltz." Dr.John remains active in the music business with his band Dr. John and the Nite Trippers.

Pre-Christmas parade (traditionally the closing part of Thanksgiving Day parades) in downtown Los Angeles. It features a Buck Rogers-style rocketship float with Santa Claus in Los Angeles, California. Photo published in the Los Angeles Daily News (the photo, somewhat ironically, is in front of the Examiner building), 21 November 1940.

Below are some swing from Occupied Europe on 21 November 1940, courtesy of Fud Candrix and his orchestra.


November 1940

November 1, 1940: Hitler Irate
November 2, 1940: U-31 Sunk - Again
November 3, 1940: Kretschmer's Master Class
November 4, 1940: Spain Absorbs Tangier
November 5, 1940: Jervis Bay Meets Admiral Scheer
November 6, 1940: San Demetrio Incident
November 7, 1940: Galloping Gertie
November 8, 1940: Italian Shakeup in Greece
November 9, 1940: Dutch Fascists March
November 10, 1940: Fala and Doc Strange
November 11, 1940: Taranto Raid
November 12, 1940: Molotov Takes Berlin
November 13, 1940: Molotov Foils Hitler
November 14, 1940: Moonlight Sonata
November 15, 1940: Warsaw Ghetto Sealed
November 16, 1940: France Keeps Battleships
November 17, 1940: Malta Hurricane Disaster
November 18, 1940: Hitler Berates Ciano
November 19, 1940: Birmingham Devastated
November 20, 1940: Hungary Joins Axis
November 21, 1940: Dies White Paper
November 22, 1940: Italians Take Korçë
November 23, 1940: U-Boat Bonanza!
November 24, 1940: Slovakia Joins In
November 25, 1940: Molotov's Demands
November 26, 1940: Bananas Be Gone
November 27, 1940: Cape Spartivento Battle
November 28, 1940: Wick Perishes
November 29, 1940: Trouble in Indochina
November 30, 1940: Lucy and Desi Marry

2020

Tuesday 17 September 1940

With HMS Kent already hit off Bardia, an Italian SM 79 attacks British light cruiser HMS Liverpool (September 17, 1940).

German Military: Adolf Hitler meets on 17 September 1940 with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring and Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt, his two closest military advisors, to discuss the prospects for Operation Sealion. He concludes that there are three insuperable obstacles to the invasion:

1. The Luftwaffe has not established aerial supremacy over England;
2. Such supremacy is not likely to be achievable before winter;
3. The three service branches cannot adequately coordinate their activities to overcome these other obstacles.

After mulling it over, Hitler issues five copies of the lapidary order "Nr. 00 761/40 g. Kdos" to the heads of the three military services. It provides that his previous 3 September 1940 order "Nr. 33 255/40 g. Kdos. Chefs." establishing S-Day as 21 September 1940 is canceled, with no new date established.

Operation Sealion effectively has been canceled. The order also provides that no new barges are to be moved to the invasion ports, although the shipping already collected in them (1700 barges and 200 ships) are to remain there. Hermann Goering is ordered to continue attacks on England, but the sense of urgency is lost. The plan is to continue the illusion of a threatened invasion of Great Britain.

Later in the day, the OKW sends a radio message telling the German authorities in Holland to dismantle the special equipment required to load transport aircraft for the invasion. This signifies to everyone there that the invasion is off for good, though of course, the official order from Hitler does not actually say that.

The question arises whether this was a good decision. At best from the German perspective, it is a good decision that flows from a series of really terrible decisions that made Operation Sealion's success impossible. War Games held at the Sandhurst Military Academy in 1974 concluded that Operation Sealion could not have succeeded at this point in time. A series of absolutely horrible military decisions followed by an undeniably good one that prevents outright catastrophe is a hallmark of the German World War II strategy.

Hitler most likely figures that, like a year previously while contemplating the invasion of France, he can simply suspend operations for the winter and just pick them up again in the spring where he left off. In the meantime, Hitler's bombers and U-boats can weaken Great Britain as he plans for a really important project in the East. However, this is a much different situation than the invasion of France, and Hitler is under extreme time pressure to finish off England quickly for a variety of reasons that he does not appreciate, some of his own making (such as the contemplated Operation Barbarossa).

Separately, and in an indication of where the real priority in the German High Command now lies, the deputy chief of the German General Staff (Oberquartiermeister I), Lieutenant General Friedrich Paulus, presents a revised plan for Operation Barbarossa. This new plan expands the operation from focusing just on the northern sector to three separate thrusts in the north (Leningrad), center (Moscow) and south (Kiev).

A surface shelter that received a direct hit on Stevenson Street, Wavertree, Liverpool. 17 September 1940.

British Government: The Enigma decoding operation at Bletchley Park (Ultra) intercepts Hitler's order postponing Operation Sealion, and also the second, seemingly less important, order about the Luftwaffe equipment in Holland. The Air Ministry concludes from the latter order that the invasion really is off for real and that the invasion cannot take place in 1940.

Battle of Britain: Hitler's order postponing Operation Sealion arrives before the day's raids, while morning reconnaissance is out and about. The day is cloudy and rainy again, though it clears up a bit during the afternoon. The Luftwaffe has new orders from Goering issued on the 16th to press the RAF with fighter sweeps and shoot it out of the sky, but the weather prevents any big attacks until late in the day.

The largest raid occurs in the afternoon against Bristol, a favorite target, and further north in Kent. A major dogfight breaks out over Dover, with the Germans losing several Bf 109s. Another dogfight over Ashford sends two Hurricanes and a Bf 109 down.

During the night, the raids begin about 20:00, with London the main target. Subsidiary attacks are launched against Liverpool, Glasgow, South Wales, East Anglia, and Middlesborough. Overall, the bombing accuracy is particularly poor. The bombers use 1000kg cylindrical bombs that are adapted from sea mines and which fall with parachutes. These are particularly fearsome bombs that cause widespread damage.

Losses for the day are even, with both in the single digits.

RAF No. 29 Squadron, equipped with new Beaufighter Mk.1F night fighters, uses them for the first time on patrol after dark. Two other squadrons (No. 600 and 640) also have the day version.

Hans-Joachim Marseille receives the Iron Cross 1st Class for his fourth air victory.

James Lacey is shot down over Ashford, England, but is quickly back at his base.

The dockland area of London, 17 September 1940.

Battle of the Atlantic: At Dakar, Vichy French Force Y (two cruisers) joins with other Vichy units based at Dakar departs for stressed Vichy possessions to the south (Douala, Cameroon, Libreville, Gabon, and Pointe Noire, Congo) in a "Show the Flag" mission. The Royal Navy fleet assembling for Operation Menace, the attack on Dakar, is docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

A wolfpack composed of U-65 (K.Kapt. Hans-Gerrit von Stockhausen) and U-99 ( Kptl. Otto Kretschmer)is stalking Convoy HX-71. Both U-boats notch successes.

U-99 torpedoes and sinks 2372 ton British freighter Crown Arun at 08:32. All 25 men aboard survive.

U-65 waits until the afternoon to strike. At 16:26, it torpedoes 5242-ton steel British freighter Treganna. There are only four survivors, 33 men perish.

At 23:45, U-48 (Kplt. Heinrich Bleichrodt) at 23:45 launches two torpedoes at the British liner City of Benares, carrying refugees to Canada, but misses. He remains in a position to attack as the day ends.

The Italians chip in success in the Atlantic, too. While their success rate is far below that of the U-boats, the Italian submarines do get their share of ships. Operating to the south, they tend to get more Spanish and Portuguese ships than do the U-boats, which feast on British shipping.

Italian submarine Alpino Bagnolini (Lieutenant Commander Tosoni Pittoni) torpedoes and sinks 3812-ton Spanish freighter Cabo Tortosa in the Atlantic off Oporto, Portugal. The ship takes 90 minutes to survive, and everybody aboard survives. The Alpino Bagnolini has just arrived from its base at Trapani, Sicily to take up station in the Atlantic, and will be based at Bordeaux. Commander Pittoni tries to signal the ship to see if it was carrying war material, but smoke on the horizon compels him to attack before the Spanish ship can tell him that it is simply a local freighter not going to the UK.

The Luftwaffe scores a major success At Glasgow, Renfrewshire. It bombs and sinks the British cruiser HMS Sussex. Three crewmen are lost. The ship sinks in shallow water and is refloated to re-enter service.

The Luftwaffe (1,/KG40) bombs and severely damages Greek freighter Kalliopi S about 10 nautical miles northeast of Tory Island, Ireland. The crew abandons ship, but the Kalliopi S remains afloat and eventually drifts ashore at Sheephaven Bay, where it breaks in tow and is a complete write-off.

Norwegian freighter Hild gets caught in a storm and grounds while approaching the pier at Petite-Vallée, Quebec, Canada. A court of inquiry is held on 30 September. It finds that the Hild had picked up some sailors from another ship sunk in the Atlantic, but already offloaded them at Sydney, Nova Scotia. There, it received orders from the British Ministry of Shipping to proceed to Petite Vallee to pick up some timber. The ship also had been cleared to enter Petite Vallee by a local patrol boat. In fact, the ship is too large for the port. The master blames his decision to follow orders and try to dock at the pier anyway on poor charts. The ship comes to rest on a reef and is lost, condemned by the underwriter on the 19th.

Kriegsmarine 296-ton flak ship (vorpostenboot) V-304 hits a mine and blows up.

The Bismarck exits the Kiel Canal and docks at Scheerhafen, Kiel.

Destroyer USS Lansdale (DD 426, Lt. Commander John D. Connor) is commissioned.

A 1000 kg Luft Mine B (called Bomben B when used against land targets) of the kind dropped on 17 September 1940. These were known informally as "Land Mines." They had a charge ratio of 60-70% and descended with parachutes. The blast radius typically was 0.25 miles.

Battle of the Mediterranean: HMS Illustrious launches 15 of its Swordfish torpedo bombers against the port of Benghazi. Six of the planes (RAF No. 819 Squadron) lay mines, the rest (No. 815 Squadron) attack shipping. The Italians lose two destroyers (Aquilone from a mine, Borea from a torpedo) and two merchant ships (5551 ton Gloria Stella (formerly Klipfontein) and 4601 ton Maria Eugenia, the ships can be salvaged). Cruiser HMS Kent, shelling Bardia around noontime, is severely damaged in the stern by an Italian torpedo plane, with 31 dead. Separately, RAF Blenheim bombers destroy three Italian planes on the ground at Benina.

The Alexandria fleet sends two destroyers (HMS Janus and Juno) to shell the new Italian position at Sidi Barrani, while gunboat HMS Ladybird does the same to the vulnerable coast road on the escarpment near Sollum. The raids are very successful and damage Italian morale, causing them to move their camps further inland. Marshal Graziani already is worried about his supply line, so this enhances his caution. After this, the Italians stay put, dig in, and work on their supply lines.

At Malta, a pilot of a downed Stuka Ju 87 is fished out of the sea and gives the British valuable intelligence. He reveals that the Stukas are operating out of the fortified island of Pantelleria and are Italian.

There are two air raids during the day, one at 10:40 and the other at 16:00. The attackers lose two Stukas and an Italian CR 42 fighter in the morning raid, the afternoon one turns out to be only Italian reconnaissance. Three are 15 unexploded bombs at Luga which require a big area to be fenced off for a week to see if they have time fuzes.

Spy Stuff: In the murky world of "black propaganda," the British are second to none. Black propaganda is the circulation of false rumors by the government for covert purposes. In this case, the British conduct a "whisper campaign" claiming that the Germans had attempted an unsuccessful invasion with heavy losses on 7 September 1940. The cause of this supposed German defeat is ascribed to using flaming oil on the seas near the beaches, a particularly vivid image. The rumors are complete rubbish that both the German and British governments officially deny. However, they gain currency (as intended) among the Americans, who see in the fictional victory a resolute England fighting off the dreaded German hordes and likely to survive.

Vichy French/Japanese Relations: The two sides return to the bargaining table over French Indochina, but the Japanese alter their attitude. They become more demanding and less willing to negotiate. Behind the scenes, they have begun shifting troops to the Chinese border with the territory.

German/Spanish Relations: Spanish Interior Minister Serrano Suner continues his meetings in Berlin, meeting with Hitler. Minister Suner responds to German requests for bases in Spanish possessions with a laundry list of items that Spain wants in return.

Holocaust: Polish workers - not just Jewish ones - now are required to wear yellow badges. Those for Poles have the letter "P" on them (P-badges).

A crater caused by a German "Land Mine" Bomben B bomb.

September 1940

September 1, 1940: RAF's Horrible Weekend
September 2, 1940: German Troopship Sunk
September 3, 1940: Destroyers for Bases
September 4, 1940: Enter Antonescu
September 5, 1940: Stukas Over Malta
September 6, 1940: The Luftwaffe Peaks
September 7, 1940: The Blitz Begins
September 8, 1940: Codeword Cromwell
September 9, 1940: Italians Attack Egypt
September 10, 1940: Hitler Postpones Sealion
September 11, 1940: British Confusion at Gibraltar
September 12, 1940: Warsaw Ghetto Approved
September 13, 1940: Zeros Attack!
September 14, 1940: The Draft Is Back
September 15, 1940: Battle of Britain Day
September 16, 1940: italians Take Sidi Barrani
September 17, 1940: Sealion Kaputt
September 18, 1940: City of Benares Incident
September 19, 1940: Disperse the Barges
September 20, 1940: A Wolfpack Gathers
September 21, 1940: Wolfpack Strikes Convoy HX-72
September 22, 1940: Vietnam War Begins
September 23, 1940: Operation Menace Begins
September 24, 1940: Dakar Fights Back
September 25, 1940: Filton Raid
September 26, 1940: Axis Time
September 27, 1940: Graveney Marsh Battle
September 28, 1940: Radio Belgique Begins
September 29, 1940: Brocklesby Collision
September 30, 1940: Operation Lena

2020

Thursday 27 June 1940

Italian 500 lb bombs destined for Malta, June 1940.

European Air Operations: During the night of 27 June 1940, the Luftwaffe's Junkers Ju 88s from I and III./KG 51 raid dockyards at Avonmouth and Portishead and the airfield at Bristol.

RAF Bomber Command sends a dozen bombers to attack German targets during the day, and more at night. Bomber Command also attacks Dutch targets, primarily airfields, and French targets along the coast.

The Luftwaffe continues returning fighters to Germany for rest and refit. II./JG 52 returns from Luxemburg/Sandweiler to Nordholz to work on its Bf 109E fighters. JG 2 flies to a new "airfield" at Beaumont-le-Roger which is actually an uncut wheatfield. The flight lands successfully and spends the evening clearing the field.

At Malta, air raids continue throughout the day. Paranoia grows about every violation of the blackout. The Governor and Commander-in-chief reject an offer of French Foreign Legion troops based in Tunis, Tunisia to defends the island. There are no plans to deploy additional British troops to defend the island. The Italian air raids are incessant, but there are no signs of any attempt to invade.

Sea Gladiator "Faith," one of the few RAF defenders of Malta in June 1940.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-47 (Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien) spots 4,005 ton Norwegian freighter "Lenda" at 04:00 off southwest Ireland. U-47 sinks it with gunfire, there is 1 death and 27 crew survive.

At 17:00, U-47 does the same thing to 2,580-ton Dutch tanker Leticia. Three of the crew from the Leticia wind up in the water, and U-47 rescues them, gives them food and wine, and takes them to the lifeboats. Two crew perish and 28 survive.

The British War Cabinet orders the Royal Navy to seize or destroy all French warships in British and North African ports. The newly formed Royal Navy's Force H under Vice-Admiral Sir James Somerville is sent to Algeria pursuant to this directive, which suggests there could be naval combat brewing between the Royal Navy and the French fleet. The French battleship Jean Bart has been moved from St. Nazaire to Casablanca, Morocco and its guns are ready for action.

Convoy OA 175 departs from Southend, Convoy OB 175 departs from Liverpool, Convoy OG 35 forms off Gibraltar.

The keel for battleship USS Iowa is laid at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

U-138 (Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Lüth) is commissioned.

Western Front: German forces are still occupying French towns in the south. There are still some British evacuations pursuant to Operation Ariel along the French Mediterranean coast.

British and French POWs are being marched back to Germany through Holland. They are not treated with much kindness, though the Dutch civilians try to help by giving water.

Italian bombs dropping in Malta.

North Africa: An Italian convoy reaches Tripoli.

British destroyers HMS Dainty, Defender and Ilex sink Italian submarine Console Generale Luizzi south of Crete.

Soviet/Romanian Relations: King Carol has a meeting with German and Italian representatives about the Soviet ultimatum. They encourage him to give in. Accordingly, Romania accedes to the Soviet ultimatum of 26 June and cedes 17,000 square km of land in Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union. The USSR rudely and peremptorily replies to his diplomatic note agreeing to "immediate negotiations" with a precise timetable on when the Romanians should evacuate the territory. The Romanians must be out completely within four days. There will be no "negotiations" when the USSR delivers an ultimatum.

Hungarian/Romanian Relations: The Hungarian government demands the return of Transylvania from Romania and masses nine battalions on the border.

US/Australian Relations: Australian representatives hold a secret meeting with US Secretary of State Cordell Hull. They are worried about growing Japanese aggressiveness and want a bigger US presence in the western Pacific. No agreement is reached.

Spy Stuff: The Wehrmacht sets up radio stations at Brest and Cherbourg using the Enigma machine. The stations are designed in part to direct Luftwaffe bombers to their England targets using, among other things, the Knickebein radio system. These stations are manned by Luftwaffe personnel who are not very security conscious, committing such obvious blunders as sending the identical messages ("Skies clear today") on a daily basis using changed codes. The Allied code-breaking operation at Bletchley Park begins intercepting messages, which they call Ultra.

Fort St. Elmo, Malta, June 1940.

Applied Science: The US National Defense Research Committee is set up under chairman Vannevar Bush. It is under the Council of National Defense. This follows up on discussions held on 12 June 1940.

French Government: The Pétain government, currently at Bordeaux, is considering relocating to Clermont-Ferrand.

The French forces in the Levant announce their (continued) allegiance to the Petain regime.

US Government: President Roosevelt declares a national emergency and invokes the Espionage Act of 1917. He is worried about shipping that passes through the strategic Panama Canal.

General Walter Krueger takes command of the US VIII Corps. He is an innovator of armored warfare along the lines of General Guderian in Germany. In fact, Krueger's troops like to call themselves "Blitzkruegers."

German Government: Hitler moves to his Tannenberg headquarters in the Black Forest.

Latin America: Heavy cruiser USS Wichita (CA 45), with Commander Cruiser Division Seven (Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens) embarked, departs Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, en route to join the heavy cruiser USS Quincy (CA 39) at Montevideo, Uruguay. This is part of the "show the flag" operation to pry South American sympathies away from German influence.

Iceland: The British 146th Infantry Brigade arrives.

Canadian Homefront: The Government announces that it is taking in 10,000 refugee children ages 5-15. The plan is for them to remain with host families until the war is over.

British Homefront: The British are frantically beefing up their beach defenses with whatever is available. These defenses include pillboxes, tank traps, and barbed wire.

Lion Rock Lookout on Table Mountain, Washington, USA, June 27, 1940 (Roslyn Heritage).

June 1940

June 1, 1940: Devastation at Dunkirk
June 2, 1940: Hitler Visits France
June 3, 1940: Operation Paula
June 4, 1940: We Shall Fight
June 5, 1940: Fall Rot
June 6, 1940: Weygand Line Crumbling
June 7, 1940: British Evacuating Narvik
June 8, 1940: Operation Juno
June 9, 1940: Norway Capitulates
June 10, 1940: Mussolini Throws Down
June 11, 1940: Paris an Open City
June 12, 1940: Rommel at St. Valery
June 13, 1940: France Goes Alone
June 14, 1940: Paris Falls
June 15, 1940: Soviets Scoop Up Lithuania
June 16, 1940: Enter Pétain
June 17, 1940: The Lancastria Sinks
June 18, 1940: A Day of Leaders
June 19, 1940: U-boats Run Wild
June 20, 1940: Pétain Wilts
June 21, 1940: Hitler's Happiest Day
June 22, 1940: France Is Done
June 23, 1940: Hitler in Paris
June 24, 1940: Six Million Jews
June 25, 1940: German Celebrations
June 26, 1940: USSR Being Belligerent
June 27, 1940: Malta in Peril
June 28, 1940: Channel Islands Bombed
June 29, 1940: Gandhi Insists on Independence
June 30, 1940: Channel Islands Occupied

2020

Thursday 24 May 1940

Spitfire Mark.1A, P9374 on the beach of Calais sometime soon after 24 May 1940. It went down on 24 May 1940. F/O Peter Cazenove survived the crash-landing and ultimately became a POW. The plane was buried under the sand shortly after this shot for decades, but emerged in 1980 and has been restored. The plane is flyable and is at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.

German Military: The OKW (German military high command) issues a stop order (Fuhrer Directive 13) to General Paul Ewald von Kleist on 24 May 1940. It calls for "the annihilation of French, British and Belgian forces in the Dunkirk pocket." Panzer Group Kleist controls the Wehrmacht's spearhead which has been aiming at the sea and, more recently, specifically toward the Channel Ports. All troops are to stop and consolidate their current positions.

This order quite possibly is the most controversial incident of World War II, and not just among historians. The OKH (army high command) led by General von Brauchitsch and General Halder objects at the time. With General Guderian's XIX Corps only 18 miles from Dunkirk and the Germans already in possession of Boulogne, Hitler expresses concern about the "Flanders marshes" that he recalls as a World War I infantry corporal.

In truth, the OKW has been increasingly leery about the over-extension of the panzer forces since the crossing of the Meuse, and not just Hitler. There is a case to be made that the stop order is wise and prevents a chance for an Allied counter-stroke that could surround some of the more advanced Wehrmacht positions. There also is a military theory that you want to provide your enemy a "Golden Bridge," an escape route that is too inviting for them to take rather than stand and fight. In any event, the order is only in place for the day, so perhaps too much is made of it by historians.

The precise reason for the stop order is fertile ground for conspiracy theorists - was Hitler actually trying to save the BEF for some reason? - but will never be known. It existed only inside the head of Adolf Hitler, though Hermann Goering assures the Fuhrer that his Luftwaffe can prevent any escape. Hitler himself commented on this issue on 26 February 1945, claiming that he allowed the British to escape as a "sporting gesture." One way or the other, the order is widely believed to have affected the course of World War II.

Western Front: The XIX Corps is on the line Gravelines - Omer - Bethune. Only one portion of the line is active, at Calais.

The 10th Panzer Division (General der Panzertruppe Ferdinand Schaal) is attacking at Calais and that operation is not considered to be affected by the stop order. The British reinforcements have just arrived within the last day to hold the port, but now they form a solid defensive line and the Germans make no progress. However, the supply of the Allied troops now is a problem, as they are under constant air and ground attack and going through prodigious amounts of ammunition. General Guderian gives Schaal until the morning of the 26th to take the town, or he will withdraw the panzers and order the Luftwaffe to level it.

Both sides begin artillery fire early, at 04:45. German artillery fire destroys large sections of the docks. Some of the ships are evacuated without having unloaded all of their equipment.

The Allies have consolidated their positions into the heart of the town. The 10th Panzer Division attacks all along the line and makes some progress in the south, but British counterattacks push them back. The panzers try again in the afternoon with better success, and French Fort Nieulay surrenders. The panzers get through the defensive line on the south, aided by German snipers within the town (collaborators). While the 10th Panzer Division retains the southern part of the town, it also reports that it has lost a third of its equipment and half of its tanks.

The British maintain a steady stream of supplies to the town, and British destroyers offshore are bombarding the German positions, but the situation is deteriorating. The Admiralty orders all non-combatants to be evacuated. There is dissension on the Allied side, as the French do not want to evacuate the port. The British refuse to send any more reinforcements. There are reports of a relief column advancing from the north, but it is nowhere in sight. The German artillery and panzer fire destroys the dockside cranes, making the job of evacuating more difficult - especially of the wounded.

At Boulogne, there are still some British forces waiting to be evacuated as the day begins. HMS Vimiera takes the last lot off from the docks in the early hours of the morning, arriving back at Dover at 04:00. French General Lanquetot is out of touch with headquarters and continues to resist in the Haute Ville, the ancient citadel. He expects reinforcements that are no longer coming. The German 2d Panzer Division occupies the rest of the town and attacks Lanquetot's holdouts in the evening, but he holds out.

A party of Welsh Guards also has been left behind in Boulogne. They are congregated down by the docks along with a motley collection of other stragglers. Despite having no hope of rescue, they hold out until the 25th.

The 1st Panzer Division is at the Aa Canal, 10 miles from Dunkirk. There is one BEF battalion between them and the port, but they are forced to halt.

The German troops on other sectors of the front are unaffected by the stop order. The German Sixth Army under General Reichenau forces the Belgian 1st and 3rd Divisions back at Kortrijk. They take up a defensive position along the Lys River. The Belgian 9th and 10th Divisions soon join the line there, and the Belgian II Army Corps counterattacks and takes 200 prisoners. The Luftwaffe harasses the Belgian positions, and the RAF cannot respond quickly because it is operating out of England. A German attack on Ypres, which threatens to surround the Belgians, is checked with difficulty by the Belgian 2nd Cavalry Brigade and the 6th Infantry Division.

Maubeuge on the banks of the Sambre falls, with 90% of the town destroyed during the fighting. St. Omer also falls.

The Germans occupy Ghent and Tournai.

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe launches some raids after nightfall in Yorkshire, East Anglia, and Essex. There are 8 civilian casualties in Middlesbrough - the first such casualties in England (previous casualties were in Scotland).

The RAF bombs the Cologne railroad marshalling yards during the night with 59 bombers.

The RAF sends 69 bombers to attack German positions around Calais.

The Luftwaffe sinks British ship Brighton at Dieppe.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-37 (Kapitänleutnant Victor Oehrn) torpedoes and sinks 3,994 ton Greek freighter Kyma about 300 miles west of Ushant. There are 23 survivors and 7 perish.

The Royal Navy is active off the Channel Ports, aiding the BEF and French forces defending them. Royal Navy cruisers Arethusa and Galatea, Polish destroyer Okręt Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (ORP) Burza, and destroyers HMS Grafton, Greyhound, Wessex, Wolfhound, and Verity support the troops.

Canada sends destroyers HMCS St. Laurent (H83), HMCS Restigouche (H00) and HMCS Skeena (D59) from Halifax to the UK to aid in the war effort.

The President of Panama, Augusto S. Boyd, sends diplomatic notes to Germany, Great Britain, the Dominican Republic and the Inter-American Neutrality Committee in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil regarding the Hannover incident of 8 March 1940. He claims that it was a violation of the Pan-American Neutrality Zone.

Convoy OA 154 departs from Southend, Convoy OB 154 departs from Liverpool, and Convoy HX 45 departs from Halifax.

The British commission corvette HMS Gardenia (K 99) (Lt. Commander Trevor A. O. Ellis).

Norway: The Supreme Allied War Council meets in Paris and decides to wind up the Norwegian campaign - but only after capturing the vital port of Narvik and destroying it. They do not inform the Norwegian government. The withdrawal is given the code "Operation Alphabet."

The German 2d Mountain Division continues pursuing Colonel Gubbins' troops north from Mo i Rana. Gubbins has some of his troops hold a switch position about 10 miles (16 km) south of Rognan. The men of the Irish Guards, Nos. 2 and 3 Independent Companies, and Royal Artillery Battery 203 wait for the Germans, equipped with mortars, machine guns and with 25-pound artillery emplaced to sweep the road. The Germans advancing toward Bodo will be walking into an ambush.

French Alpine troops land at Bjerkvik, which is across the fjord from Narvik.

At Narvik, the Germans essentially are surrounded, with the Norwegians on the north, the French on the west, and the Poles on the southwest. The RAF is operating Gladiator Glosters out of Bardufoss just to the north. As cover for Operation Alphabet, the British contemplate launching an attack on Narvik, but not right away. French General Béthouart in particular would like to teach the Germans a lesson here, where they are more vulnerable than back in France.

The Luftwaffe continues its gradual reinforcement of General Dietl's troops in Narvik, dropping another 55 mountain troops by parachute, while seaplanes bring 14 more. The rail line through Sweden also brings 40 German troops, violating Swedish neutrality.

Military Intelligence: Bletchley Park's Code and Cypher School has had great success recently in decoding certain (but not all) German Enigma Machine coded messages. It begins routing its finding in close to real-time to the BEF, the RAF and, of course, Prime Minister Winston Churchill. This is all top secret, of course, and the actual source of the information is rarely provided to any but the absolutely most highly placed individuals.

Belgian Government: King Leopold III remains in the increasingly narrow portion of the country still held by the Allies and has no intention of leaving like Queen Wilhelmina of Holland. He states, "Whatever happens, I have to share the same fate as my troops." His Prime Minister, Hubert Pierlot, strongly suggests that Leopold leave the country, but Leopold refuses. Some feel that his remaining in the country after a capitulation would be contrary to the best interests of the nation. In any event, whether to surrender is a question for the elected government, not the King.

Leon Trotsky

Soviet Government: Stalin has had it in for old rival Leon Trotsky for some time, and today he does something about it. Trotsky has emigrated to Coyoacán, Mexico, but nowhere is far enough when Stalin wants you dead. An armed force attacks Trotsky's fortified compound, throwing bombs and firing machine guns. The attackers eventually leave - but Trotsky and his wife Natalia survive by ducking under the bed.

British Government: King George VI addresses the public by radio broadcast on Empire Day. He states:

"The decisive struggle is now upon us ... Let no one be mistaken; it is not mere territorial conquest that our enemies are seeking. It is the overthrow, complete and final, of this Empire and of everything for which it stands, and after that the conquest of the world. And if their will prevails they will bring to its accomplishment all the hatred and cruelty which they have already displayed."

Sir Samuel is named ambassador to Spain.

German Military: Heinrich "Heinz" Trettner receives the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He is a Major on the General Staff and 1a (operations officer) of the 7th Flieger-Division (parachute division). This is a recognition of the fine service of the paratroopers in the war so far.

Ireland: The government forms a Local Security Force.

Middle East: General Eugene Mittelhauser takes over command of French forces.

French Homefront: In an odd but purely Gallic expression of patriotism, 10 leading Paris fashion houses declare they will not close despite the war. "At this grave hour, couture will continue." Coco Chanel is making a controversial decision.

American Homefront: Night baseball games are introduced at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York and Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

"Our Town," starring William Holden and Martha Scott, is released.

The Polo Grounds, 24 May 1940.

May 1940

May 1, 1940: British Leave Åndalsnes
May 2, 1940: British Depart Namsos
May 3, 1940: Many Norwegians Surrendering
May 4, 1940: Bader Returns
May 5, 1940: HMS Seal Survives
May 6, 1940: Allies Focus on Narvik
May 7, 1940: In The Name of God, Go!
May 8, 1940: Exit Chamberlain
May 9, 1940: Enter Churchill
May 10, 1940: Fall Gelb
May 11, 1940: Eben Emael Surrenders
May 12, 1940: Germans at Sedan
May 13, 1940: Rommel at Work
May 14, 1940: German Breakout in France
May 15, 1940: Holland Surrenders
May 16, 1940: Dash to the Channel
May 17, 1940: Germans Take Brussels
May 18, 1940: Germans Take Antwerp
May 19, 1940: Failed French Counterattack
May 20, 1940: Panzers on the Coast
May 21, 1940: Battle of Arras
May 22, 1940: Attacking Channel Ports
May 23, 1940: British Evacuate Boulogne
May 24, 1940: Hitler's Stop Order
May 25, 1940: Belgian Defenses Creaking
May 26, 1940: Operation Dynamo
May 27, 1940: King Leopold Surrenders 
May 28, 1940: The Allies Take Narvik
May 29, 1940: Lille Falls
May 30, 1940: Operation Fish
May 31, 1940: Peak Day for Dynamo

2020

Wednesday 22 May 1940

Isle of Man ferry Mona Queen steams toward Boulogne on 22 May 1940, carrying Welsh and Irish Guards to reinforce the port defenses. It returned to England carrying 2,000 women and children (photo by Lt. Peter Kershaw RNVR).

Western Front: From the grand occupation of all of Holland and Belgium beginning on 10 May, the French and British in the Low Countries have now, on 22 May 1940, been pushed back into a shrinking perimeter north of Amiens and south of Antwerp. The main changes now are the steady compression of the eastern face of this "box," which is well west of Brussels, toward the sea.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill flies to Paris (Vincennes) to hash out a strategy with the Anglo-French Supreme War Council. General Weygand advances the idea of cutting off the German spearhead at the Channel by launching concentric attacks from north and south. Everyone agrees that it is a good idea, but the mass of French forces remain behind the Maginot Line in the south. Deposed Commander-in-chief General Gamelin not only had proposed this plan but tried to implement it - and now more precious days have passed.

In the morning, the OKW orders Guderian's XIX Corps to head north, toward the isolated BEF and associated French forces. Reorienting the Axis of a major offensive is extremely difficult, and the Wehrmacht has to do it on the fly at the end of a long, tenuous supply network for its advanced troops.

The initial objectives are Boulogne (2nd Panzer Division) and Calais (1st Panzer Division), but this soon changes. The 10th Panzer Division is retained to guard the southern flank. Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk collectively are referred to as the "Channel Ports."

British troops at Calais are under the protection of RAF fighters based in England, and the air battle begins at first light. Both sides take losses, but the RAF is able to attack the advancing panzers. The 1st Panzer (Generallautnant Friedrich Kirchner) and other formations get across the Authie River at 08:00. They meet only scattered resistance at Desvres, Samer, and near Boulogne. Guderian quickly tinkers with the plan and sends the 10th Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Ferdinand Schaal) toward Samer/Calais, and the 1st toward Dunkirk. The 10th Panzer has to stop to garrison Amiens until infantry units arrive.

The British at Boulogne have been reinforced by the 20th Guards Brigade and have had time to dig in. The 2nd Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel) is advancing in two columns makes steady progress toward Boulogne after brushing aside French 48th Infantry Regiment troops at Nesles. A panzer attack on the Boulogne perimeter at 17:00 is repulsed, and another at 19:00. Fighting continues into the night, with the Germans isolating some Irish Guards at 22:00. As the day concludes, 2d Panzer is attacking Welsh Guards positions along the coast.

General Rommel still stands before Arras, waiting for the infantry to aid his assault on the key town. He also is recuperating from the large British tank attack of the 21st, which gave him quite a fright.

The German 18th Army attacks the retreating Belgians near Eeklo. German 6th Army presses forward near Courtrai against the British 4th Infantry Division and 44th Infantry Division.

With the German spearheading turning north, the main front on the Somme/Oise/Aisne starts to solidify. The Belgian army retreats to the Lys River.

View of Rotterdam in May 1940 (Instytut Pamieci Narodowej).

European Air Operations: All the action is over the besieged Allied troops congregating near the Channel Ports. The action starts at 06:00, with 151 Squadron sending up Hawker Hurricanes, shooting down a Junkers Ju 88. No. 74 Squadron Spitfires also get a Junkers Ju 88 - both of the Junkers are from Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1). One Spitfire is lost. There also are some major dogfights over the area, with 54 Squadron and 92 Squadron mixing it up with JG 27 - both sides lose a couple of planes. The numbers become difficult to track, but both sides are taking roughly even losses.

RAF Bomber Command sends 59 planes to attack the advancing Wehrmacht spearhead.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-37 (Kapitänleutnant Victor Oehrn) sends four torpedoes at 9,494-ton British freighter Dunster Grange south of Ireland. When they all miss, it surfaces to use the deck gun. The Dunster Grange is armed, and when the U-boat surfaces, the British ship returns fire. The U-boat departs, and the Dunster Grange continues toward Liverpool.

Convoy OA 153 GF departs from Southend, Convoy OB 153 departs from Liverpool.

Norway: The British retreat from Mo i Rana north toward the British base at Bodø continues apace, and local commander Colonel Gubbins has difficulty trying to stop it. His plan is to man a defensive line at Storjord, 20 miles (32 km) south of the ferry stop at Rognan. His Scots Guards troops, though, under Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Byrnand Trappes-Lomax, are in motion toward the north and showing no signs of stopping. In fact, Trappes-Lomax is putting his men on requisitioned buses to make the trip faster and easier. The German 2d Mountain Division is hot on their heels. The bottom line is that the intended line at Storjord becomes a nullity and some other solution must be found.

The Luftwaffe continues its gradual reinforcement of General Dietl at Narvik, dropping off an additional 63 men there from seaplanes.

The Luftwaffe sinks Royal Navy anti-submarine trawler Melbourne near Narvik.

More RAF units depart from the Continent for England as their bases come closer to the front lines.

British Government: Parliament passes the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1940. While not quite martial law, it gives the government extensive new powers of citizens and property (banks, munitions production, wages, profits, work conditions).

Military Intelligence: Bletchley Park crack some Luftwaffe Enigma settings. Luftwaffe signals officers are notoriously lax about following even the simplest security protocols, whereas, say, Kriegsmarine signallers are much more rigorous.

War Crimes: The Soviet men who liquidated the Polish officers at Katyn Forest - 21,000 without a single escape! - are being given medals and cash awards. The Soviets are also busy deporting relatives to Siberia based on the "last letters" the deceased men were allowed to write,

Belgium: King Leopold has told General Weygand that the area still controlled by Allied troops only has enough food left for two weeks.

Romania: The government mobilizes the reserves.

Albania: Italian Foreign Minister Count Ciano arrives in Durres aboard the Italian Cruiser Garibaldi for an inspection tour.

Finland: In an early sign of Finlandization, the pro-Moscow Finland - Soviet Peace and Friendship Society forms.

Gibraltar: Non-essential personnel are being transported to French Morocco.

Australia: The government authorizes the formation of the 8th Infantry Division.

China: The Japanese aerial attacks on Chungking continue.

After returning late from a strafing run near Arras on 22 May 1940, F/O Roderick MS "Roddie" Rayner (pictured) and F/O Richard Lindsay "Dick" Glyde of No 87 Squadron RAF found their base at Merville in disarray. Carrying only what could be put in the plane, they evacuated to RAF Debden.

May 1940

May 1, 1940: British Leave Åndalsnes
May 2, 1940: British Depart Namsos
May 3, 1940: Many Norwegians Surrendering
May 4, 1940: Bader Returns
May 5, 1940: HMS Seal Survives
May 6, 1940: Allies Focus on Narvik
May 7, 1940: In The Name of God, Go!
May 8, 1940: Exit Chamberlain
May 9, 1940: Enter Churchill
May 10, 1940: Fall Gelb
May 11, 1940: Eben Emael Surrenders
May 12, 1940: Germans at Sedan
May 13, 1940: Rommel at Work
May 14, 1940: German Breakout in France
May 15, 1940: Holland Surrenders
May 16, 1940: Dash to the Channel
May 17, 1940: Germans Take Brussels
May 18, 1940: Germans Take Antwerp
May 19, 1940: Failed French Counterattack
May 20, 1940: Panzers on the Coast
May 21, 1940: Battle of Arras
May 22, 1940: Attacking Channel Ports
May 23, 1940: British Evacuate Boulogne
May 24, 1940: Hitler's Stop Order
May 25, 1940: Belgian Defenses Creaking
May 26, 1940: Operation Dynamo
May 27, 1940: King Leopold Surrenders 
May 28, 1940: The Allies Take Narvik
May 29, 1940: Lille Falls
May 30, 1940: Operation Fish
May 31, 1940: Peak Day for Dynamo

2020