Thursday 24 October 1940

Hitler and Petain in Montoire. This was taken by Hitler's personal photographer Heinrich Hoffmann, the only photographer authorized to take pictures of Hitler and who received royalties (along with Hitler) for use of the shots. Ribbentrop in the background. (Federal Archives).

Battle of Britain: Air Marshal Dowding, still in charge of Fighter Command on 24 October 1940 despite being targeted for removal, remonstrates with AVM Keith Park at No. 11 Group, telling him to cut AVM Leigh-Mallory some slack at No. 12 Group. Leigh-Mallory has been dilatory in responding to requests for assistance over London, standing firm in his commitment to the "Big Wing" strategy which takes longer periods of time to assemble. Relations between the leaders of the two groups continue to deteriorate, and Dowding is helpless to smooth over their differences.

The weather remains poor for flying, rainy and low-hanging clouds. However, this is an important day in the Battle of Britain because the Italians join in. They are based in Belgium, the zone of Luftflotte 2, and engage in operations with them against Harwich and Felixstowe after dark. The standard Italian fighter is a biplane long past its prime, and Italian bombers are 1930s tri-motor marvels that are, by late-1940 standards, lumbering and inadequately armed. Handled properly, though, they can be effective.

Italian General Corso Fougier has his Corpo Aereo Italiano (CAI, literally, "Italian Air Corps") HQ in Petite Espinette of Rhode-St-Genesis (between Brussels and Waterloo) and other operations are based at Evere airfield. The Italians operate under the command of II Fliegerkorps

Shown is the train bridge on Blackfriars Road between London Bridge and Waterloo Station, which, along with the trams beneath is, has sustained bomb damage. 24 October 1940). (London Fire Brigade).

The morning is extremely quiet. A Dornier Do 215 reconnaissance plane is shot down over St. Neots by a Hurricane of RAF No. 1 Squadron around 11:00. That is about the only activity until the afternoon.

Around 14:30, the Luftwaffe sends across a small formation of Dornier Do 17s. They attack Hayes and damage the Farley Aviation Company.

As has been happening quite a bit lately, the weather causes some casualties. Two Hurricanes collide in the clouds near Taunton. One pilot is killed, the other plane, which only suffered damage to its tail, makes it back to base. The third Hurricane of No. 43 Squadron crashes upon landing due to fierce cross-winds, killing pilot Sgt. D.R. Stoodley. Another Hurricane of No. 303 Squadron crashes during dog-fight exercises.

After dark, the primary targets are London, Liverpool, and Manchester. The raids begin around 19:00 and come from all along the Channel coast. In London, New Street Station is engulfed in flames. Bombing accuracy in the iffy weather is poor, and bombs drop at random. The RAF somewhat charitably figures that the Luftwaffe was aiming for water mains and the like, and indeed there are some lucky hits. The Luftwaffe also continues mining the Thames Estuary and all along the eastern coastline.

The Italians send twelve BR.20Ms of 13o Stormo and six from 43o Stormo against Felixstowe and Harwich. They get off to a bad start when one of the bombers crashes shortly after takeoff near the church at Houtem, Belgium. Ten of the bombers make it to the target and drop their bombs, but two get lost on the way back and the crews have to bail out. A third bomber lands at the wrong airfield (Lille-Epinoy), damaging the aircraft. Only 8 of the 12 bombers sent off manage to return to their original base.

Losses for the day are low - assuming that you do not include the Italian bomber losses - at about 8 for the Luftwaffe and 4 for the RAF.

"A group of pilots of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron walking towards the camera from a Hawker Hurricane (probably Hurricane Mk.I, RF-F, V6684) after returning from a fighter sortie at RAF Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Left to right, in the front row are - Pilot Officer Mirosław "Ox" Ferić; Flight Lieutenant John A. Kent "Kentowski" (the CO of 'A' Flight); Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak; Pilot Officer Jerzy Radomski; Pilot Officer Witold "Tolo" Łokuciewski; Pilot Officer Bogusław Mierzwa (obscured by Łokuciewski); Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg; Sergeant Jan Rogowski; Sergeant Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. In the center, to the rear of this group, wearing helmet and goggles is Pilot Officer Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach." © IWM (CH 1535).

European Air Operations: During the day, RAF Bomber Command attacks shipping off Zeebrugge, industrial targets around Calais, and the ports of Gravelines and Ostend.

After dark, the RAF launches the first attacks on Berlin which produce extensive civilian casualties. Other targets include oil installations at Hamburg, Hanover, and Gelsenkirchen; the ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Wilhelmshaven, Rotterdam, Le Havre, and Lorient; and various airfields in northwest Europe.

Battle of the Atlantic: Things at sea continue to quiet down after the massive destruction recently visited upon Convoys SC 7, HX 79 and elsewhere. The U-boats are returning to port for re-stocking - but they will be back. It is this stage of the war - the "Happy Time - that the Kriegsmarine would most benefit from having more U-boats of ocean-going design.

In Operation DNU, Royal Navy destroyers HMS Matabele, HMS Punjabi and HMS Somali engage in a sweep off Norway. They are supported at a distance by the Home Fleet, represented by battlecruisers HMS Hood and Repulse and two cruisers. The destroyers sink German weather ship WBS 5 Adolf Vinnen (a 391-ton trawler) off Stadtlandet, Norway (north of Bergen) (some accounts state that accompanying submarine HMS Seawolf actually sank the weather ship). The destroyers attempt to intercept a group of 20 fishing vessels escorted by one ship nearby but make no contact. After this, the destroyers and supporting battlecruisers head back to Scapa Flow. It is an unproductive operation not worth the fuel and time; the Admiralty must have thought something more important was happening off Norway. Kriegsmarine battlecruiser Admiral Scheer is heading that way and may have been the real target, but it has not yet left German waters.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Mendip is sailing just off Barrel of Butter when it accidentally sets off one of its own depth charges. This blows the stern of the ship off and it must be towed to Scapa Flow. The repairs, made at the Tyne, will take until February 1941.

German 3664 ton freighter Helgoland departs from Puerto Columbia, Colombia in a risky bid to return to a French Atlantic port of St. Nazaire. Not only must it evade the Royal Navy, but also patrolling US destroyers who typically make sure that the Royal Navy is informed of their whereabouts. The journey will pass by St. Thomas on its way toward the Atlantic. The US destroyers are alerted to its departure and give chase.

Convoys OA 234 (last of this OA series) and Convoy FS 319 depart from Methil, Convoy OB 234 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 318 departs from Southend, Convoy HX 83 departs from Halifax, Convoy SC 9 departs from St John.

RAF ground crew preparing a bomb to be used against Italian positions in North Africa, 24 October 1940.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF bombs Italian supply lines in both Libya/Egypt and East Africa. Also attacked are Benghazi, Berka, Gura, and Asmara. Swordfish flying out of Fuka lay mines in Tobruk Harbor.

In Malta, there is an air raid alert around noontime. As they often do, however, the Italian raiders stay far off the coast, circle for a while, then return to base. It is a curious routine, perhaps the pilots are not interested in actually attacking the island but want to make it look like they did to their superiors. The citizenry on the island shows increasing signs of anti-Italian sentiment, with many wishing to change street names and accusing neighbors of being secret Italian sympathizers. The sight of Italian POWs also sets off many residents.

German/French Relations: Following his unproductive meeting with Franco at the Spanish border, Hitler travels to Montoire-sur-le-Loir and meets with Marshal Philippe Pétain. This location is both convenient to the main railway line from Berlin-Paris-Hendaye but also has a tunnel nearby in case of an air attack. That railway tunnel, in fact, has steel doors affixed to it for this meeting that still remain in the 21st Century.

Hitler is on much more solid footing with Petain than with Franco, but things do not go particularly well in this meeting. Yes, Petain does state that he is willing "to collaborate," but those are just words that must be fleshed out with substance to have any real consequences. As in his meetings with Mussolini and other leaders, Hitler engages in long monologues while Petain says little. Petain says nothing that could be considered sympathetic to Germany. At the end of the meeting, Petain takes out a list of French demands for collaboration and sticks it in Hitler's pocket.

The most important thing that happens at the meeting is that Petain says "no" when Hitler asks him to join the war against England. This is usually what the French take away from this meeting, that Petain "said no to Hitler." However, to the Allies, collaborating alongside the Germans was almost as bad. French resources prove immensely valuable to the Reich's war effort from this point forward.

There is also a feeling among some that Petain "stared Hitler down." The story goes that Petain's advisor, Rene Gillouin, had told Hitler to stare at him unflinchingly. This very basic trick supposedly unnerves Hitler. It is fair to say that modern French opinion about Petain is overwhelmingly negative, but there is an undercurrent of pride in the way he handled this meeting.

An interesting outcome in this meeting is in the way that Petain describes it a week later in a radio broadcast. On 30 October, he refers to "the new European order," a phrase that resonates with one Ribbentrop has been using in secret communications with the Soviet Union (though there he uses "New World Order"). In that speech, Petain also states that he will "enter today the path of collaboration." While Montoire is not the start of a new war for France, it is the beginning of the long, dark collaborationist journey that blackens the name of the Vichy regime. In that sense, the meeting constitutes an overwhelming success for Hitler.

US/French Relations: The US State Department cautions the Vichy government not to permit the Germans to use French warships.

Arming one of the bombers heading to Berlin. 24 October 1940 (AP Photo).

German/Italian Relations: Mussolini is outraged that Germany has been dickering with Spain and France behind his back without offering him (and Italy... of course) any stroking at the same time. "Since this is how it is going to be," he has ordered his Foreign Ministry to start making noises about Italian demands for further cooperation - including cession by France of large stretches of the French coastline stretching clear to Marseilles.

The Italians hint darkly that Petain and de Gaulle are actually in cahoots to hoodwink Hitler and demand numerous territorial and economic demands to be imposed upon France, including her overseas colonies. Basically, Spain and Italy now both want to dismember France to their own benefit - or, put more accurately, they want Hitler to do it for them.

Having, at last, realized that Italy - or at least Mussolini - is acting like a spurned lover over the German wooing of Spain and France, German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop (traveling with Hitler in his own separate train) springs into belated action. Ribbentrop calls his Italian counterpart, Count Ciano, during the evening. The call does not go well - Ciano conveys his "fears and suspicions" that Germany is about to sell out its staunch ally Italy in favor of the French and Spanish floozies. Ribbentrop immediately drafts a letter which summarizes the current situation:

• The talks with Spain had failed;
• France was willing to cooperate with Germany (how far he does not explain, and in fact that remains an open question);
• Hitler would soon send Mussolini a letter of his own summarizing matters and would like to set up another meeting with Mussolini ASAP in northern Italy.

Ribbentrop's sudden agitation about the Italian situation is underlined by the extreme speed with which he prepares this soothing letter (Ribbentrop is notorious for going through numerous drafts): he stays up all night and has the letter typed out on the large-lettered "Fuhrer typewriter" and approved by Hitler in the early morning hours (also a sign of how sensitive the matter is). The signed letter is at the Foreign Ministry for delivery before daylight. Sent by a fast courier plane, Ribbentrop's letter is in the hands of German ambassador Mackensen in Rome by 08:00 on the 25th, only about 12 hours from start to finish. He just could have, you know, called a florist and sent over some roses instead.

US Military: Heavy cruiser USS Louisville departs from Rio de Janeiro for Montevideo, Uruguay as part of its "Show the Flag" mission.

Lighter cruiser St. Louis arrives at Hamilton, Bermuda with the members of the Greenslade Board who are inspecting British bases acquired in the destroyers-for-bases deal.

Belgium: Taking a much different route than France, Belgium opens a government-in-exile in London. It is led by Hubert Pierlot and Paul-Henri-Spaak, who only recently escaped from detention in Francoist France, and Camille Gutt. The new government quickly declares war on Italy for operating air missions from Belgian airfields.

British Homefront: The recent call to outlying cities to supply buses to London produces its first results. The first provincial buses appear on London streets. Driving in London is increasingly dangerous due to the deteriorating streets and the continued need for the blackout. You never know when a recent bomb hit may have left some debris in the road, and that is tough to see in the dark. Ultimately, about 2000 buses will go into service to keep the capital functioning.

Unlike in 1939, the government decides to extend British Summer Time throughout the winter.

American Homefront: The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938’s mandate of a 40-hour workweek with time-and-a-half overtime pay for hours of work beyond that takes effect. The same basic scheme has been in place ever since.

October 24, 1940. Publicity shot by Virgil Apger at MGM and used to promote the new "Judy Garland Doll" to be marketed at Christmas 1940. Not a particularly good likeness, but it's the thought that counts. (MGM serial number MG81797).

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

Thursday 17 October 1940

U.S. Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, left, with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill outside 10 Downing Street in London on Oct. 17, 1940. (AP).

Battle of Britain: Both sides draw some conclusions from the course of the battle so far on 17 October 1940. They are vastly different conclusions, and both are completely unwarranted - for vastly different reasons.

Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering attempts to put a bit of a period on the disastrous Battle of Britain by praising his pilots:

In the past few days and nights you have caused the British world enemy disastrous losses by your uninterrupted disastrous blows. Your indefatigable, courageous attacks on the heart of the British Empire, the City of London, with its eight and a half million inhabitants, have reduced British plutocracy to fear and terror. The losses which you have inflicted on the much-vaunted Royal Air Force in determined fighter engagements is irreplaceable.

It is true that recent attacks on London have been especially severe. However, throughout the battle, there has been a decided tendency for the Luftwaffe to think that it has been doing than it has. The RAF's losses are hardly "irreplaceable," and its losses are quickly replaced by newer and better aircraft and more pilots coming from Canada and elsewhere. The Royal Air Force has survived, and the Luftwaffe's night attacks are doing little to curb its growth.

On the British side, the continued conflict about tactics once again breaks out into the open. Air Vice-Marshal Leigh Mallory of No. 12 Group, along with his second Douglas Bader, pushes his favored tactic of the "Big Wing" again. This is the assembly of large fighter formations composed of multiple squadrons before attacking intruders. AVM Keith Park at the more stretched No.11 Group, however, resists this tactic as it wastes valuable time and allows many intruders to complete their missions and escape. He would rather continue the strategy of sending squadrons into battle as soon as they assemble rather than go through the added complication of stacking squadrons. Air Marshal Dowding basically backs Park, while Leigh Mallory has the support of the Air Ministry - partly due to war hero Bader's political connections with it and Churchill.

There are pros and cons to each approach, but Park has been the point man who essentially saved England in its darkest days. His leadership worked, as did Dowding's. Leigh-Mallory has been a carper who at times appeared to disregard Park - to the detriment of operations. Bader, for his part, is a propaganda hero (somewhat overblown, but his personal story, of course, is inspirational) with a Member of Parliament in his unit. This has become a classic power struggle that has more to do with becoming a master of the domain rather than tactics. There are going to be winners and losers in short order.

With this background, after some delay, a long-anticipated meeting is held today under the rubric of Major Day Tactics in the Fighter Force. This becomes a classic bureaucratic set-up, with the guys on the front-lines - Dowding and Park - completely outmatched by the REMFs (or, as Hitler would put it, the swivel-chair Generals). Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Sholto Douglas chairs the meeting, and Leigh-Mallory brings junior officer Bader - a clear sign that this is a political affair, as otherwise, Bader has no reason to be there. It really doesn't matter whose ideas are better - Leigh-Mallory and Bader are "in good" with the powers that be, and that is it.

As a direct result of this meeting - handled quite discreetly, with no blame attached and decorations granted and so on and so forth - both Dowding and Park get the ax. Dowding "decides to retire," and Park is given a temporary post in the training sector. The Air Ministry's description of the battle issued later does not even bother to mention either man. Leigh-Mallory takes over the more prestigious No. 11 Group from Park (made cushier because Park has done all the heavy lifting), and Bader is promoted to Wing Commander at Tangmere. Douglas, meanwhile, takes the job he quietly had coveted all along - Dowding's spot in charge of Fighter Command.

As George Carlin would say, there's a big club, and you ain't in it.

Sir Hugh Dowding and Douglas Bader in 1945.

Over England, the weather turns better again, allowing large-scale raids, though visibility remains poor. The days are getting shorter, and the Luftwaffe no longer has its heart in the battle - which even a fool could see that it has lost, as evidenced by Goering's spurious valedictory quoted above.

The day's first raid occurs at 08:30, with fighter-bomber (Jabo) raids toward London. This group also includes some Dornier Do 17s and numbers altogether about 100 planes. The Germans bomb Margate, Broadstairs, and Stanmore without too much interference due to the cloudiness.

After lunch, another Jabo raid at 13:00-15:00 targets East London, Kenley and Biggin Hill. The RAF sends up 14 Squadrons, and massive dogfights break out all across southern England. Central London takes some damage, as does RAF Kenley.

At 17:00, another Jabo raid targets various objectives in Kent and Sussex. Three Fighter Command squadrons handle this attack.

After dark, the Luftwaffe targets the usual suspects of London, Liverpool, Birmingham, the Midlands, and East Anglia. There also is some mining in the Thames Estuary and off the Suffolk coast. The night's biggest casualty is the automatic signaling equipment at Waterloo Station, which is replaced until repair by human signallers.

Overall, it is a fairly bad day for the Luftwaffe. It loses about 15 planes, while the RAF only loses a few. As usual, when the Luftwaffe launches major raids as today, it loses disproportionately, whereas when it keeps the raids small and varied as in recent days, the losses are about equal.

Two Home Guard officers, Sub-Lt Jack Maynard Cholmondeley Easton, RNVR, and AB Bennett Southwall, RN, attempt to disarm a mine in a house. The mine slips and goes off, killing Southwall and badly injuring Easton. They both receive the George Cross. Another man, 2nd Lt Alexander Fraser Campbell of the 9 Bomb Disposal Coy Royal Engineers, also perishes while working on a bomb and receives the award. While all involved undoubtedly earned their awards many times over - what more can you give than your life? - this continues a trend where the George Cross - originally conceived as a way to reward civilians - typically is awarded instead to men working (and often dying) in their official capacities.

Luftwaffe ace Hans-Karl Mayer, Gruppenkommandeur I./JG 53, never returns from a test flight today. His body washes up on a beach 10 days later. He was possibly a victim of RAF ace F/L D. McMullen of No. 222 Squadron. Mayer had 39 victories, just under the leaders.

Luftwaffe ace Hans-Karl Mayer.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command has no operations due to the foul weather. Coastal Command makes a daylight attack on Brest.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-boats have infested the major sea lanes, and today all the hard work to change bases from Germany to forward bases in Norway and France pays off.

Several convoys get hit in running battles that last several days. In addition, four German destroyers (Hans Lody, Karl Galster, Friedrich Ihn, and Erich Steinbrinck) with six torpedo boats are sighted off Brest, forcing the Admiralty to re-route Convoys OG 44, SL 50 and HG 45 to the west. The Admiralty despatches Two light cruisers (HMS Newcastle and Emerald) and destroyers from Plymouth to confront the German ships, and the British cruisers chase the German ships from 16:00 to 18:00 before the faster Kriegsmarine ships slip away as the light fades.

Convoy SC 7 is entering the Western Approaches from Canada and only has as escorts three ships: destroyer HMS Scarborough, sloop HMS Fowey and corvette HMS Bluebell. This is one of those early-war situations where the number of U-boats watching actually is greater than the number of escorts. There is air cover by Coastal Command, but it can only do so much. This is only the beginning of the torture of Convoy SC 7.

U-38 (Kptlt. Heinrich Liebe), on her seventh patrol out of Lorient, is shadowing Convoy SC 7 about 150 km northeast of Rockall when it spots 3554 ton Greek freighter Aenos. The freighter is a straggler from the convoy. U-38 fires a torpedo at 09:57 but misses. The U-boat then surfaces and uses its 105 mm deck gun on the ship, sinking it at 10:52. There are 25 survivors and 4 crew perish. Canadian freighter Eaglescliffe Hall rescues the crew and takes them to Scotland.

U-38 is not the only U-boat stalking Convoy SC 7; in fact, half a dozen submarines have their eyes on the large convoy. U-48 (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Bleichrodt) sets up and fires three torpedoes into the convoy. All three hit.

U-48 (Kptl. Heinrich Bleichrodt) torpedoes and badly damages 9512-ton British tanker Languedoc in Convoy SC 7. After all 41 crew survive and are taken off on other ships, the tanker is deemed irrecoverable. Royal Navy corvette HMS Bluebell scuttles it.

U-48 also torpedoes and sinks 3843-ton British freighter Scoresby (Master Lawrence Zebedee Weatherill) in Convoy SC 7. The entire crew survives when also picked up by HMS Bluebell.

U-48 torpedoes and damages 4678-ton British freighter Haspenden. The ship makes it to port.

After the U-48 attacks, the U-boat is chased by the Scarborough. This forces the U-boat to go deep, putting it out of action as far as Convoy SC 7 is concerned. However, this incident also takes the Scarborough, one of only three escorts, out of the picture as well. From this point, the Convoy SC 7 only has two escorts - and more than double that number of U-boats are watching and waiting for opportunities to attack.

U-93 (Kptlt. Claus Korth), on her first patrol out of Kristiansand, Norway, is tracking Convoy OB 228 south of Iceland. At 03:39, he torpedoes and badly damages 2715 ton British tanker Uskbridge (Master Wilfred Breckon Smith). Tankers are very difficult to sink. After waiting for it to sink, Korth finally puts another torpedo into it at 13:36, splitting it in two. There are 27 survivors and six crew perish.

After being spotted by the British escorts of Convoy OB 228, U-93 is attacked twice with ships and once by a flying boat. After surviving these attacks, Korth gets down to business again. He torpedoes and sinks 1168 ton Norwegian freighter Dokka. There are seven survivors and ten crew perish. He questions the survivors, then proceeds on his way after being spotted by the convoy escorts again.

Popeye animation "My Pop, My Pop" released today.

E-boat attacks off the East Anglia coast are so common that the area has become known as "E-boat Alley." Today, a major E-boat attack cements that nickname.

E-boat S-27 attacks Convoy FN 11. It torpedoes and badly damages British collier Gasfire about 11 km northeast of Smith's Knoll at Great Yarmouth. There are 11 deaths. Having lost her stern, the collier is towed to Spurn Head at the mouth of the Humber and beached, where it will be repaired after being towed to the River Wear.

E-boat S-18 (Christiansen) torpedoes and badly damages 1595 ton coaster Hauxley in Convoy FN 11. HMS Worcester takes her in tow, but she sinks on the 18th. There is one death.

E-boat S-24 torpedoes and sinks 3754-ton French ship P.L.M. 14 in Convoy FN 11.

British freighter Brian claims to have sunk one of the E-boats that attacked Convoy FN 11, but there is no record of that in the German archives. In addition, British long-range coastal guns at Dover shell the E-boats, but the distance is too great and the boats too fast for any hope except a very lucky hit.

British 1361 ton freighter Frankrig hits a mine and sinks off Orford Ness, Suffolk. All 19 crew survive, taken on board HMS Holderness.

Royal Navy trawler HMT Kingston Cairngorm hits a mine south of the Isle of Portland, Dorset. Taken in tow, it sinks on the 18th.

Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Dundalk hits a mine off Harwich, Essex and suffers extensive damage. Fellow minesweeper HMS Sutton takes it in tow, but the Dundalk sinks. There are four deaths.

The Faroe Islands 65-ton fishing trawler Cheerful hits a mine and explodes off the Faroe Islands.

British 15 ton fishing boat Albatross hits a mine and blows up off Grimsby, Lincolnshire. All five onboard perish, including skipper J.A. Ward. The crew is listed on Tower Hill Memorial in London.

Sailing ship Janna A (unknown flag) hits a mine and sinks in the Oosterschelde, Zeeland. It lies just offshore and becomes a fairly popular diving wreck, with lots of lobsters.

British 936 ton freighter Ethylene hits a mine just northeast of East Oaze Light Buoy but makes it back to port.

British 1570 ton freighter George Balfour hits a mine just off Aldeburgh Light Vessel. The ship makes it back to port.

Convoy OB 230 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 311 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 312 departs from Methil.

Vice-Admiral J. C. Tovey replaces Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles M. Forbes as Commander-In-Chief of the Home Fleet.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Royal Navy control of the Straits of Gibraltar continues to be somewhat shaky, at least as far as the French Navy is concerned. Previously, some French cruisers had reinforced Dakar by passing through the Strait, causing the British commander there to be sacked. Today, French torpedo boat La Batailleuse escorts submarines Pegase, Monge, Espoir and Vengeur westbound to Casablanca. Why the British are allowing these transits is a mystery because they have enough ships to at least attempt interceptions. It may simply be that the French vessels simply sneak through without being spotted - which also raises questions about British operations on Gibraltar.

The South African Air Force bombs Italian transports at Neghelli, Abyssinia.

Orde Wingate arrives in Cairo.

The Chief of Imperial General Staff in London informs Governor Dobbie on Malta that it will be sending some tanks and artillery to Malta. In addition, a battalion will be shifted from Egypt to Malta. This is completely inadequate to repel a serious invasion but does mitigate the military's weakness on Malta. The General Staff somewhat puckishly suggests that building dummy tanks might convince the Italians to stay away from the island.

Marion Michael: born 17 October 17, 1940, Königsberg Germany (now Kaliningrad, Russia); star of “Liane, Jungle Goddess” (1956), “Jungle Girl and the Slaver” (1957) and “Davon träumen alle Mädchen” (1961). Michael passed away on 13 October 2007 at Brandenburg Germany.

German/Soviet Relations: German Foreign Minister Joachim Ribbentrop's lengthy letter to Soviet Premier Josef Stalin is finally fully translated (after several days) and delivered to Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov. Among the ideas in the far-reaching letter is the institution of a New World Order led by Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union. Ribbentrop is furious at the delay in delivering the letter and feels it should have been hand-delivered to Stalin himself, but the embassy staff knows what it is doing and handles things properly.

Molotov is somewhat nonplussed by the letter - he virtually directs Soviet Foreign policy, with of course the required approval of Stalin, and the letter does not address concerns he has about recent German activities in Finland - but decides to accept Ribbentrop's invitation for a visit in November. Molotov begins preparing a response to be signed by Stalin.

Holland: Consistent with other changes in occupied Europe, Holland now institutes a requirement that Jews carry special documents with them.

Japan: There is a general amnesty which releases Buddhist priest Inoue Shirō (Inoue Nissho ) of the infamous League of Blood incident of 1932 (assassinations of several liberal political figures). Inoue is an ultra-nationalist hero to some, and it is possible to interpret this gesture as an increasing nationalism and imperialism within the Japanese government.

China: Following through on its recent vow, Great Britain reopens the Burma Road from Burma to China after it has been closed for three months.

British Homefront: The London bus system has taken a beating during the Blitz. Today, the London Transport requests provincial bus systems to send replacement buses to keep the London transport system running.

American Homefront: "My Pop, My Pop" is released by Paramount. Popeye's Pappy produces problems.

British actress Madeleine Carroll being escorted into a Red Cross benefit at the Orpheum Theater, Royal Mounties clear a path. Vancouver. 17 October 1940.

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 30 August 1940

A captured German crew member on 30 August 1940.

Battle of Britain: In some ways, 30 August 1940 is the most encouraging day of the entire Battle of Britain for the Luftwaffe. There are several rays of sunshine in what has been a bleak campaign for it to date.

The Luftwaffe Luftflotten commanders in France (Sperrle and Kesselring) are changing tactics on a daily basis. Their orders are to destroy the RAF, but they can't do it if the British fighters stay on the ground. The British, for their part, are wise to this game and refuse to offer combat (as on 29 August) unless there are bombers operating over British targets. The Luftwaffe knows that the bombers are vulnerable, so Sperrle and Kesselring are trying to minimize their operations during the day but still draw up Spitfires and Hurricanes to be shot down. It is an intricate dance that requires "baiting" the RAF fighters into battle - something they won't do unless there is sufficient "bait."

The weather is bright and clear, but the Luftwaffe gets a late start as it increasingly has done as the battle has proceeded. The morning is devoted to minor shipping raids in the Thames estuary, one of the convoys from Methil, with no significant results on either side. RAF Vice-Marshal Keith Park, in charge of the sector, considers this a "bait" operation and only sends up minimal forces to intercept.

Later, Kesselring sends over JG 26 on a "Freie Jagd" (no bombers), but again the British fighters stay on the ground to avoid losses.

At 10:30, the Luftwaffe sends across a large force from the Pas de Calais region. This time, there are bombers (Heinkel He 111s). The Luftwaffe has slightly new tactics, a close escort and another group of fighters much higher (25k feet). The RAF gets a little too cute and keeps its fighters on the ground as long as possible, waiting for the escorts to run low on fuel and turn back. Partly as a result, the bombers get through and cause great damage to RAF airfields at Biggin Hill, Detling, Kenley, Rochford, Shoreham, and Tangmere. There are 40 deaths at Biggin Hill, and there are casualties all across the area.

Bomb damage in East Hull, 30 August 1940. This raid was at 01:05 and saw 9 high explosive bombs dropped, damaging docks, railway tracks, and various buildings.

In addition, a lucky hit on a power station deprives several radar stations of power (Beachy Head, Dover, Foreness, Pevensey, Rye, and Whitstable). While they are only offline for a few hours, this leaves the RAF blind and provides an opening for the Luftwaffe. It also shows what might be accomplished but for Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering's insistence that the radar stations are not worthwhile targets.

RAF Nos. 43, 79, 85, 111, 253, 603, 610 and 616 Squadrons make a belated entry. This leads to massive dogfights over much of eastern England.

Another wave of bombers approaches at 11:15, heading for Kent. The fact that the radar chain is out of operation causes massive confusion on the British side, and they have to rely on observers. Once again, the RAF gets a late start on intercepting the bombers, and more and more keep coming across. Biggin Hill and Kenley are among the targets, and poor bombing aim rains bombs everywhere nearby. There are many RAF planes on the ground with battle damage, and these further attacks just add to the damage.

28-year-old Flight Leader Edward J "Jumbo" Gracie exhausts his ammunition downing one Heinkel He 111 and damaging another on 30 August 1940. He then lands his Hurricane Mk 1 at RAF in a field near Halstead when his engine seizes. He returns to base and, two days later, is diagnosed with a broken neck. He later receives the DFC for his gallantry.

The conflict between Keith Park at No. 11 Group and Leigh-Mallory at No. 12 Group flares into the open again, this time during the actual battle. The latter is supposed to be supporting Park's effort against the bombers by protecting his airfields - a subsidiary role. However, instead, Leigh-Mallory's fighters go looking for targets themselves - and leave Park's airfields unprotected. Park is furious and gets on the phone shortly afterward, demanding to know:

...where in the hell were your fighters that were supposed to have protected my airfields?

The damage has been done, however, and the Luftwaffe bombers that cratered the fields are long gone by this time.

Kesselring at Luftflotte 2 is not done yet. With both sides having spent their main efforts in the morning, he sends over smaller forces at 13:00. The radar stations being down (unknown to the Germans), these forces attack Hawkinge and Manston, badly damaging them. The Luftwaffe roams over southern England at will, with the defending RAF squadrons virtually blind.

The Luftwaffe then sends over yet more bombers - most likely the ones from the morning refueled and re-armed - at 16:00. The RAF is full of damaged aircraft, refueling aircraft, and damaged fields. Virtually every RAF plane is in the air. Park once again calls No. 12 Group and tries to take over the entire RAF effort, directing Leight-Mallory where to send his fighters (this time to attack the bombers rather than defend the airfields). The day is full of chaos and fury, and many bad feelings.

The Luftwaffe target now is Luton's industrial region, with many bombs dropped erroneously on Vauxhall. The Vauxhall Motor Works is hit, killing 53 workers and 140 casualties. Due to the lack of radar warning, the air raid sirens have not sounded, leaving people above-ground and vulnerable.

The attacks continue throughout the afternoon. RAF Biggin Hill, Detling, and surrounding areas are badly hit. Junkers Ju 88s are carrying unusually large bombs - 1000lbs - and drop them right on target at Biggin Hill.

After dark, the Luftwaffe attacks Liverpool again with a massive force of Heinkel He 111s from KG 27 and Junkers Ju 88s from LG1 and KG 51. Bristol, London, Manchester, and Portsmouth also are hit.

Almost lost in the day's events, the British attack Berlin again with No. 149 Squadron. However, they cause little damage, attacks on Berlin at this point are more nuisance raids than anything else. RAF Bomber Command also attacks oil installations near Rotterdam and other targets in Belgium and Holland with over 80 Hampdens, Wellingtons, and Whitley bombers.

Overall, while not a completely catastrophic day for the RAF, it is perhaps the worst of the entire campaign. The one silver lining for it is that the Germans don't really understand their good fortune, and why it happened. Fighter Command can only hope that things return to "normal" on the morrow and that there are no more lucky hits on the power plants supplying the radar chain.

Losses for the day are estimated at around 41 for the Luftwaffe and 39 for the RAF - an almost equal score for one of the very few times in the entire campaign. Some accounts even give the Luftwaffe the absolute advantage. If one includes the RAF planes lost on the ground and on the raids over Europe during the night (four bombers), the day almost certainly is a big win for the Luftwaffe in terms of planes lost - let alone the ground damage.

More troubling for the RAF is that well over 50 of its men perish during the day and there are numerous badly wounded and other casualties. Biggin Hill is all but out of action and its operations transferred to RAF Hornchurch - already hard-pressed in its defense of the Thames estuary.

RAF No. 303 Squadron (Polish) begins operations.

RAF Flight Officer Anthony "Tony" Eyre is awarded the DFC for numerous victories with his No. 615 Squadron Hurricane Mark I operating out of RAF Kenley.

22-year-old Flight Officer Tony Eyre (left), DFC.

Battle of the Atlantic: The British Admiralty is on high alert because military intelligence suggests that the Germans will be invading today. Cruisers Birmingham and Manchester put to sea with a flotilla of destroyers, but it is a false alarm. The Admiralty is torn between defending against an invasion and defending the convoys. Having to defend against threats in opposing directions causes an intolerable strain, as the Royal Navy has only so many ships at Scapa Flow to divert to flashpoints.

Partly as a result, two U-boats have big days today. It is a demonstration that the Royal Navy escorts for convoys are inadequate, and illustrates why British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is so covetous of the 50 US destroyers that he is trying to get. It also is an illustration that any attempted German invasion could have unforeseen beneficial results for them, as it would weaken already poorly defended convoys as scarce ships are diverted to the east. Even the mere threat of an invasion is helping the U-boats.

U-32 (Oblt.z.S. Hans Jenisch) stalks Convoy HX 66A just off the Isle of Lewis and attacks at 02:20. It gets three quick victories in less than half an hour and damages a fourth. The feat is similar to U-boat ace Joachim Schepke's sinking of four ships in another convoy on the 29th.

U-32 torpedoes and sinks 4804-ton British freighter Chelsea. There are 11 survivors and 24 perish.

U-32 torpedoes and sinks 4318-ton British freighter Mill Hill. There are no survivors, all 34 aboard perish.

U-32 torpedoes and sinks 3971-ton Norwegian freighter Norna. There are 11 survivors and 17 perish.

U-59 (Joachim Matz), meanwhile, is on her 11th patrol west of Scotland. He is stalking Convoy OB 205 about 70 miles off of Scotland. He strikes at 09:34.

U-59 torpedoes 4943 ton Greek freighter San Gabriel. There are 22 survivors and 2 crew perish. The ship stays afloat long enough to be towed to land, but the ship is a blazing wreck and is beached near Cardross in the Clyde and forgotten. This incident shows one of the rare advantages of attacking convoys because Matz was shooting at one ship, but missed and hit the San Gabriel instead.

U-59 torpedoes and damages 8009-ton British tanker Anadara. Tankers are notoriously difficult to sink due to their construction, and the HMS Schelde manages to tow it into the Clyde.

The Luftwaffe adds a ship to the day's losses at 21:30. Sailing in one of the local convoys, WN.11, 1832 ton Norwegian freighter Marstenen goes down in the northeast part of the Moray Firth by the Scottish Highlands about 22 miles southeast of Duncansby Head. The vessel is struck by an aerial torpedo and sinks by the stern in only 10 minutes. Everybody survives when picked up by an escort. This leads to an inquiry because the ship has watertight doors that might have prevented the sinking, but the master abandoned the ship quickly while it was still afloat and without knowing whether the doors were closed. While his quick action perhaps saved some lives, he also might have been able to save the ship with a little due diligence.

Convoy FN 267 departs from Southend, Convoy MT 155 departs from Methil, Convoy FS 267 departs from the Tyne, Convoy OB 206 departs from Liverpool.

U-93 is commissioned.

British armed merchant cruiser HMNZS Monowa (F 59, Captain Hubert V. P. McClintock) is commissioned.

HMS Illustrious.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Hats is a huge, complex Royal Navy operation that involves ships going in contrary directions (technically, it refers only to the forces heading out of Gibraltar, with subsidiary operations elsewhere). Force F is heading east from Gibraltar, while Admiral Cunningham's fleet based at Alexandria is heading west pursuant to Operation MF2. The joint operations have several objectives:

1. Run supplies to Malta, which is the main reason for the operation in the first place;
2. Provide multiple distractions for the convoy to Malta;
3. Attack Italian shore targets in Libya, Italian and the Aegean.

The overall Royal Navy forces in operation are extremely powerful and illustrate the enduring scope and might of that service throughout the world. Force H includes the aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal and Illustrious (fitted with new radar gear) and battlecruisers HMS Renown and Sheffield. Admiral Cunningham's fleet, meanwhile, has the battleships (HMS Warspite and Malaya), aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, and numerous supporting ships. The Italians spot the ships moving out of Alexandria by 14:30, but there are no interceptions yet.

At Malta itself, there are no air raids or alerts. Governor Dobbie sends a telegram to the War Office expressing his concern that the island's air defenses remain inadequate to repel attacks that might occur if Malta is chosen to lead heavy offensive operations against Italy.

Hungarian/Romanian/Italian/German Relations: The events of the Second Vienna Award are unique. It is one of the only times when Adolf Hitler intervenes to prevent a war (between Hungary and Romania), rather than to start one.

Hungary has been demanding territory from Romania. Romania, on the other hand, has been losing territory to seemingly everyone (the Soviet Union and Bulgaria have grabbed big chunks recently), and resents any more loss of territory. This sets up the (Second) Vienna Award.

The Hungarian argument goes like this: the Treaty of Trianon which ended World War I in the East had split Hungary apart, and these divisions did not reflect ethnic reality. Hungary feels that it has been given a raw deal by the victors of World War I - a very common feeling during that time - and wants some of its former territories now lying in northern Romania back. This particular territory is the province of Transylvania.

Romania, for its part, is trying hard to ingratiate itself with Germany to protect itself from the colossus to the northeast, the Soviet Union, which already has extorted large portions of its territory. Romania knows that it stands no chance against the USSR without German help. Thus, they have consented to binding arbitration by Germany and its Italian ally over the Transylvanian question. The Germans, it need hardly be said, are no fans of any of the agreements that ended the Great War, so the whole issue presents itself as an open question with no regard to the Treaty of Trianon, the "Victors' Peace."

Foreign Ministers Joachim von Ribbentrop of Germany and Galeazzo Ciano of Italy meet at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna and decide to strike a compromise. Hungary has been demanding 69k km², but Ribbentrop and Ciano cut the area down to 43,492 km². Significantly, there are no population transfers. This is the Second Vienna Award.

Neither the Hungarians nor the Romanians are happy, because Hungary does not achieve its wish of scooping up all the Magyars to the south, and Romania loses well over a million Romanians in the north. These latter people are particularly unhappy, as they fear the Hungarian government under Regent Admiral Miklós Horthy, which fulfills those qualms by quickly committing various atrocities against their new Romanian subjects.

The Romanian government, however, quickly approves the decision during the night, realizing that it has no choice and that half a loaf is better than none at all. The Romanians get the one thing that they absolutely require: a promise from the Germans to defend their borders from here on out. Given that the Soviets have been aggressive with their territorial seizures lately, this creates a potentially unstable situation in a very critical part of Europe. It also shows how confident the Germans are and what they are willing to give as guarantees in the face of Soviet power.

The Second Vienna Award is hardly forgotten in years to come. It remains a huge issue in the region throughout the war. A common joke within the Wehrmacht with a large element of truth is that the Romanians and Hungarians would rather fight each other than fight the Soviets and need to be separated. This mutual hatred and resentment cause a detrimental effect on troop dispositions, particularly during the Stalingrad campaign.

Vickers Mk VI light tanks pass through the village of Linton in Cambridgeshire, 30 August 1940 (Puttnam (Mr), War Office official photographer, Imperial War Museum).

German Military: Adolf Hitler sets 10 September as his own personal deadline for making a decision on Operation Sea Lion (with an actual operation to follow at least a week later). The day's successes against the RAF are breathing just a modicum of life into the dormant plans for the operation. The OKM (German Naval Command) tells him that they can't be ready before 20 September anyway.

US Military: The new commander of the 13th Naval District and Commandant of the Puget Sound Navy Yard is Rear Admiral Charles S. Freeman.

Australia: Lt. General Vernon Sturdee (rank restored from Major General) becomes the new Chief of the General Staff. He replaces General Sir. Brudenell White, who perished in the tragic airplane crash near Canberra on 13 August.

Troop Convoy US 4, another in the series of troop transfers to Egypt, departs.

Gabon: The Vichy French government, alarmed at recent successes by the Free French in Africa, dispatches submarine Sidi Ferruch from patrol to Libreville to shore up the Vichy authorities there.

China: The Japanese and Vichy French sign the Matsuoka-Henry Pact. This allows the Japanese transit rights in French Indochina (Vietnam) and base rights there. The Japanese are permitted to station 6,000 troops there and begin occupying key points in the country immediately. From here on, the Vichy French are only in nominal control of the country.

A Heinkel He 111 shot down during an attack on Biggin Hill, 30 August 1940 (Getty Images).

August 1940

August 1, 1940: Two RN Subs Lost
August 2, 1940: Operation Hurry
August 3, 1940: Italians Attack British Somaliland
August 4, 1940: Dueling Legends in the US
August 5, 1940: First Plan for Barbarossa
August 6, 1940: Wipe Out The RAF
August 7, 1940: Burning Oil Plants
August 8, 1940: True Start of Battle of Britain
August 9, 1940: Aufbau Ost
August 10, 1940: Romania Clamps Down On Jews
August 11, 1940: Huge Aerial Losses
August 12, 1940: Attacks on Radar
August 13, 1940: Adler Tag
August 14, 1940: Sir Henry's Mission
August 15, 1940: Luftwaffe's Black Thursday
August 16, 1940: Wolfpack Time
August 17, 1940: Blockade of Britain
August 18, 1940: The Hardest Day
August 19, 1940: Enter The Zero
August 20, 1940: So Much Owed By So Many
August 21, 1940: Anglo Saxon Incident
August 22, 1940: Hellfire Corner
August 23, 1940: Seaplanes Attack
August 24, 1940: Slippery Slope
August 25, 1940: RAF Bombs Berlin
August 26, 1940: Troops Moved for Barbarossa
August 27, 1940: Air Base in Iceland
August 28, 1940: Call Me Meyer
August 29, 1940: Schepke's Big Day
August 30, 1940: RAF's Bad Day
August 31, 1940: Texel Disaster

2020

Tuesday 27 August 1940

Polish aviators in England, with a light day due to poor weather, exercise (IWM).

Battle of Britain: The fickle summer of 1940 turns rainy again throughout most of England on 27 August 1940, though the Channel is only cloudy and hazy. Operations largely are on hold until the afternoon. The rain causes some accidents, as a Blenheim of RAF No. 219 Squadron crashes on landing and a Spitfire of No. 72 Squadron crashes on landing. These types of accidents also are a function of the overstrained nature of the RAF. In terms of combat, there are only a few scattered losses on both sides.

Early in the morning just after midnight, Gillingham is hit hard, with its bus depot, fire station and several other structures destroyed or heavily damaged. There are 20 killed and 40 injured.

Around noontime, a large formation approaches from Cherbourg. RAF No. 10 Group sends up a couple of squadrons to chase them off, with each side losing a plane.

Toward the evening, Dornier Do 17s raid the southwest area, and No. 10 Group sends up three squadrons. The RAF downs three bombers and disrupts the attack. Another raid around midnight on the Bristol area results in some small-scale damage.

Ireland receives some bombs again at Port Clarence in County Durham.

The Luftwaffe raids Scapa Flow during the evening, interrupting Home Fleet operations for a few hours.

Royal Navy armed 23 ton yacht HMY White Fox II catches fire and sinks after being bombed by the Luftwaffe at Plymouth.

Freighter Sir John Hawkins is hit by the Luftwaffe and damaged at Plymouth.
RAF Bomber Command continues its raids on Italian factories, bombing the Turn Fiat works and the Sesto San Giovanni (near Milan) Marelli automotive parts factory. Other raids are sent against the north German ports of Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, the Augsburg Messerschmitt factory, oil installations at Mannheim, and various airfields in northwest Europe.

The RAF shuttles units around, sending RAF No. 603 Squadron to Hornchurch, No. 65 Squadron to Turnhouse, No. 32 Squadron to Acklington and No. 79 Squadron to Biggin Hill.

The Luftwaffe awards the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) to Oblt. Helmut Wick of JG 2. He has 20 victories.

Oberleutnant Helmut Wick.

British Military: Simmering tensions between Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park of Group 10 and Air Vice Marshal Leigh-Mallory of Group 11 break out into the open at a meeting between the RAF fighter commanders. Park believes in getting fighter squadrons up as quickly as possible, while Leigh-Mallory insists on assembling at least three squadrons into a group (the "Big Wing") before sending them to intercept. Park considers the Big Wing tactic inefficient and tardy, while Leigh-Mallory considers it dangerous to send out-numbered fighter forces. There is the additional complication that Leigh-Mallory resents Park having the more prestigious command of Group 10, which protects the most sensitive areas in the south. Nothing is resolved at this point.

German Military: Contrary to many media accounts, the Luftwaffe has not been ordered at this point to bomb London, and it does not do so today. In fact, Hitler has not issued any orders on terror bombing, a decision he expressly reserved to himself in his mid-July Fuhrer Directive. Conceivably, the tit-for-tat raids on London and Berlin may still turn into one-offs.

The London press is full of stories about attacks on London that are wildly overblown, like much of the reporting about the Battle of Britain. There is widespread reporting that the Luftwaffe is "trying" to raid London but is only prevented from doing so by the valiant RAF.

Operation Sea Lion remains active within the German High Command even though nothing seems to be going as hoped in the continuing Battle of Britain. The Army still wants a broad landing area, while the Navy says that it can only supply a smaller invasion. General Keitel sides with the army, but Hitler intervenes and agrees with the Navy, with landings to take place between Eastbourne and Folkestone.

Another proposed operation, Operation Felix, receives a blow when Abwehr chief Admiral Canaris returns from Madrid with a pessimistic outlook. He tells OKH Chief of Staff Franz Halder that the operation depends upon a completely unreliable potential ally. During their meeting, Spanish General Juan Vigón Suerodíaz had made the discouraging request for Germany to supply food and fuel because the Spanish food situation was deteriorating.  Franco, Canaris reports, is steadily losing domestic support. Canaris tells Halder that Spain would be "unpredictable" and concludes:

We shall get an ally who will cost us dearly.

Operation Felix remains alive within the planning process, but, like Operation Sea Lion, it is growing more and more unlikely.

Sergeant Jack Stokoe transfers today with the rest of his No. 603 Squadron to RAF Hornchurch. Stokoe is a pre-war auxiliary pilot now in the thick of it.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-46 (Kptlt. Engelbert Endrass) torpedoes and sinks (on the 28th) armed 15,007 merchant cruiser HMS Dunvegan Castle west of Ireland. There are 262 survivors and 27 men perish. The AMC was helping to protect Convoy SL 43.

U-28 (Kptlt. Günter Kuhnke) torpedoes and damages 1599 ton Norwegian freighter Eva west of the Outer Hebrides. There are 17 survivors and one man perishes. The Eva remains afloat due to her timber cargo, and it takes two torpedoes and the deck gun to reduce it to a blazing wreck. It still stays afloat long enough to come ashore at the Butt of Lewis, a total loss. Eva is a straggler due to reduced speed resulting from bad coal. The RAF shows up and interrupts U-28's attempts to help the survivors.

U-37 (Kapitänleutnant Victor Oehrn), on its seventh patrol and operating out of Lorient, uses gunfire to sink 3409 ton Greek maize freighter Theodoros T. southwest of Ireland. Everybody aboard survives.

Convoy FN 264 departs from Southend, Convoy MT 152 departs from Methil, Convoy FS 264 departs from the Tyne, Convoy OB 204 departs from Liverpool.

Troop Convoy US 4 departs from Auckland, New Zealand. It has three troopships and is under escort.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF bombs Derna.

Island commander Governor Dobbie receives a telegram from Whitehall telling him that Malta will receive numerous additional anti-aircraft guns during the winter. However, Dobbie has to recruit people to man some of the guns and there are not a lot of people available.

German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin, identification number Schiff 33 (HSK 5). The Royal Navy called her "Raider F."

Battle of the Indian Ocean: German raider Pinguin, with captured Norwegian tanker Filefjell trailing behind, has a big day. It is sailing a few hundred miles south of Madagascar when it spots a mysterious ship during the night sailing under blackout conditions. After stalking it for an hour, the Pinguin stops the ship, which turns out to be tanker British Commander. After some confusion, the Pinguin takes aboard the 45-man crew and disposes of the ship - which takes some doing, because tankers are very difficult to sink. The Pinguin wastes a torpedo and 40 150mm shells on the ship, finally sinking it. The crew of the British Commander is able to send a distress signal with its position.

Later, the Pinguin captures Norwegian freighter Morviken. After boarding the crew and making them POWs, the Pinguin sinks the Morviken.

Pinguin then takes the trailing 7616 Norwegian ton tanker Filefjell south, away from the shipping lanes, to take aboard its 500 tons of fuel oil. It then sinks the tanker (which still has large quantities of oil products) with its deck guns, causing a huge explosion and fireball.

Separately, Panamanian freighter Bolivar takes on the water without any external factors involved and sinks. Everybody survives.

German/Hungarian/Romanian Relations: Hitler requests a meeting in Vienna with Hungarian and Romanian representatives regarding their border dispute. Tensions remain high as Romania continues to maintain that Hungarian aircraft have violated its airspace. Hungary claims the same, and also claims to have shot down a Romanian bomber. There is no proof that anyone actually was violating anyone's airspace.

Free France: Charles de Gaulle's Free France movement receives a much-needed boost in Africa thanks to, among others, Captain Leclerc. About forty men have launched a coup in Cameroon against the Vichy colonial government. Today, Leclerc, Claude Hettier de Boislambert and a few others leave Victoria, British Cameroon in native canoes (pirogue) bound for Douala, Cameroon, where they occupy the Vichy Government Palace without opposition.

US Government: President Roosevelt signs a law authorizing him to call up Army Reserves and National Guard units for one year of service. Other legislation authorizing him to call up US Navy and US Marine Corps reserve aviators also is in the works. The legislation allows for the appointment of reserve aviators to become regular pilots.

The destroyers-for-bases deal faces some opposition in Congress, but Roosevelt has his people continue with the preparations. Admiral Stark certifies that the destroyers are not necessary to protect US shores. Attorney General Robert H. Jackson certifies the sale as legal under US law.

The Caproni Campini in flight. This was considered a major event at the time because it was the first publicized flight by a jet aircraft. In fact, the Luftwaffe got there a full year before, but that was kept secret.

Italy: Jet aircraft Caproni Campini N.1. (C.C.2.), powered by a motorjet, takes its first flight at Caproni's Talledo factory. Test pilot Mario De Bernardi is impressed, but the plane has very poor fuel economy and other issues. This flight is made public - unlike the August 1939 flight of the jet Heinkel He 178 V1 - so it is recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (for a time) as the first jet flight. Italian engineer Secondo Campini has been working on the project since first proposing it in 1931.

Iceland: RAF Coastal Command establishes its first airbase to protect the sea lanes. This is becoming urgent because the U-boats operating out of French ports now can reach out into the middle of the Atlantic. The first patrols use obsolete Fairey Battles. The patrols are only as good as the aircraft used, and the increasing range of operation of RAF (and later USAAF) aircraft is destined to have a major influence on the Battle of the Atlantic.

Canada: Troop Convoy TC 7 departs from Halifax under heavy escort. It includes six troop transport ships each carrying between 1153-2801 Canadian troops.

All single Canadian men 21-45 become subject to the military call-up.

Downed Luftwaffe planes accumulated in a giant scrap heap in England. 27 August 1940. (AP Photo).

August 1940

August 1, 1940: Two RN Subs Lost
August 2, 1940: Operation Hurry
August 3, 1940: Italians Attack British Somaliland
August 4, 1940: Dueling Legends in the US
August 5, 1940: First Plan for Barbarossa
August 6, 1940: Wipe Out The RAF
August 7, 1940: Burning Oil Plants
August 8, 1940: True Start of Battle of Britain
August 9, 1940: Aufbau Ost
August 10, 1940: Romania Clamps Down On Jews
August 11, 1940: Huge Aerial Losses
August 12, 1940: Attacks on Radar
August 13, 1940: Adler Tag
August 14, 1940: Sir Henry's Mission
August 15, 1940: Luftwaffe's Black Thursday
August 16, 1940: Wolfpack Time
August 17, 1940: Blockade of Britain
August 18, 1940: The Hardest Day
August 19, 1940: Enter The Zero
August 20, 1940: So Much Owed By So Many
August 21, 1940: Anglo Saxon Incident
August 22, 1940: Hellfire Corner
August 23, 1940: Seaplanes Attack
August 24, 1940: Slippery Slope
August 25, 1940: RAF Bombs Berlin
August 26, 1940: Troops Moved for Barbarossa
August 27, 1940: Air Base in Iceland
August 28, 1940: Call Me Meyer
August 29, 1940: Schepke's Big Day
August 30, 1940: RAF's Bad Day
August 31, 1940: Texel Disaster

2020