Friday 11 October 1940

Bomb damage in Berlin being cleared up, 11 October 1940 (Ang, Federal Archives).

Battle of Britain: The flying weather is good on 11 October 1940, so the Luftwaffe attacks throughout the day. The raids once again are conducted almost exclusively during the day by fighter-bombers (Jabos), so they don't cause as much damage as regular bombers would. They do, however, entice the RAF up to do battle, which is the main intent. The Jabos can fly much higher than regular bombers, upwards of 30,000 feet, so interception is difficult except underneath - which is the worst position for a dogfight. Small-scale attacks by small groups continue incessantly throughout the day.

The Jabos start early in the morning, attacking a convoy off Deal around 08:00. RAF No. 72 Squadron rises to intercept, and JG 53 pilots claim two Spitfires.

At 10:30, the Luftwaffe begins sending across four waves of Jabos on the Kent coast, one every fifteen minutes or so. They try to reach London, but after RAF interception mostly drop their bombs at random along the southern outskirts (Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Folkestone, Whitstable, and the Thames Estuary). This is a major operation by Fighter Command.

After lunchtime, at 14:00 another major raid develops near Hastings. This group splits up and heads for London, Portland, and Hornchurch. Other raiders cross the Essex coast and head for North Weald and favorite target Biggin Hill. This leads to another major confrontation, and the RAF takes a number of losses.

As daylight dwindles, a final raid is made by Dornier Do 17s against the Midlands and Merseyside regions around 18:00 onwards. RAF No. 312 (Czech) Squadron intercepts, as does No. 611 Squadron. The RAF fighters shoot down three bombers at the cost of two RAF fighters.

After dark, raider head across from all along the Channel coast. They all head for London. Wimbledon Tennis Club takes damage, including Centre Court, and so does the nearby golf course. In London, there is major damage to the City of London Electric Light Co. Bankside Power Station.

Further north, Liverpool also receives its usual visit, along with Aberdeen and the Firth of Forth area. The Liverpool docks area takes particular damage, and four ships in the port are sunk (discussed below). As the night wears on, London becomes the major target, though there are scattered raids (intentional or not) all along the southern coastline and in Scotland. The Luftwaffe also drops mines in the Thames Estuary and East of Scotland.

The day is notable for being a rare Luftwaffe win. The RAF loses 8 planes and the Luftwaffe 7. This is almost certainly due to the prudent use of Jabos during the shank of the day bombers only as daylight dwindles.

Oberst Werner Mölders of JG 51 shoots down a Spitfire over Canterbury during the morning raids for his 43rd victory. This maintains his lead in the top tier of Luftwaffe aces, followed closely by Adolf Galland.

The first Beaufighter night fighter squadron becomes operational.

The coastal guns at Hellfire Corner (Dover/Calais) exchange fire during the night, without any significant hits.

Major Werner Mölders, commander of JG51, shoots down P/O John H "Pickle" Pickering (shown) today for his 43rd victory. Posted to No 66 Squadron RAF at RAF Coltishall on 23 June, 19-year-old Pickering bails out and is admitted to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital. He had been shot down before on 30 August when landing in the sea during an attack on a Do 17 20m east of Aldeburgh and rescued by the crew of a lightship, unhurt. He had been credited with 2 and 1 shared.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command concentrates on the invasion ports, and also sends some planes to attack targets in Germany. An attack during the night on the Tirpitz by 4 Hampden bombers produces no result.

The first production Handley Page Halifax I (L 9485) bomber makes its maiden flight.

Battle of the Atlantic: German E-boat attacks can be short, sharp and extremely destructive. Such is the case today.

Very late in the day, Kriegsmarine E-boats Falke, Greif, Kondor, Wolf and Seeadler, operating out of Cherbourg, cruise to within 25 miles SW of St. Catherine Point off the Isle of Wight. They sink two Free French anti-submarine ships, including 778 ton HMT L'Istrac (12 men lost) and 445 ton HMT Warwick Deeping. The first is sunk by torpedo, the second by gunfire. There are no deaths on the Warwick Deeping, but 25 men are wounded. Both ships are part of the 17th Anti-submarine Group, and both trawlers are now popular wrecks for diving.

Just past midnight on the 12th - at 00:07 - the same German torpedo boats also sink Free French submarine chasers CH.6 and CH.7. There are 8-9 deaths on the CH.6, with 12 men taken prisoner; 12 deaths on CH.7, nine men taken prisoner. After these attacks, seven Royal Navy destroyers sortie from Plymouth and Portsmouth and chase away the German attackers without any more damage to either side.
The British get some revenge for this action, with their motor torpedo boats sinking two German trawlers.

Weather is rough in the North Atlantic, with heavy swells and fierce gales. This causes the crews of ships hit by torpedoes extra problems as they scramble to survive in lifeboats.

U-38 (Kptlt. Heinrich Liebe), on her seventh patrol and first out of Lorient, stalks Convoy SL 41. It torpedoes and sinks straggler 4966-ton freighter Llanfair West of Ireland and south of Iceland. There are 29 survivors and 3 crew perish.

U-48 (Kptl. Heinrich Bleichrodt), on her second patrol out of Kiel, stalks convoy HX 77 west of Ireland and south of Iceland. It torpedoes and sinks 4624-ton Norwegian freighter Brandanger, carrying lumber and metal. The ship takes only 20 minutes to sink. There are 24 survivors and 6 crew perish.

U-48 also torpedoes and sinks 8390-ton British refrigerated freighter Port Gisborne in the same Convoy HX 77. There are 38 survivors and 26 crew perish.  Some of the deaths result when a lifeboat capsizes in the rough weather.

Royal Navy 117 ton yacht HMY Aisha, on patrol in the Thames, hits a mine and sinks in the Thames Estuary near the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Everybody aboard survives.

In Operation Medium, battleship HMS Revenge departs from Plymouth on the 10th and shells Cherbourg in company with destroyers (Javelin, Jaguar, Jupiter, Kashmir, Kelvin, and Kipling) and anti-submarine vessels in the early hours (03:33-03:51) of the 11th. The port is lit by flares at the proper time in a well-coordinated effort, and the confused German defenders don't even realize at first that it is a naval, and not air, assault. Eventually, the Germans catch on and shell the Royal Navy ships with large (13-15 inch) coastal guns. The shells all miss as the range is an extreme 36,000 yards, but the misses are so close that they impress the Royal Navy officers, who guess that they are perhaps guided by some new radar detection equipment (they aren't - it is just good gunnery). The flotilla remains at sea with enemy boats in the vicinity as the day ends. The Cherbourg/Channel Islands area is becoming a hot spot for German E-boats and a problem for the Royal Navy.

Destroyer HMS Jersey, which just completed repairs from a previous mine explosion, is departing from the Humber off East Knob Buoy when it hits another mine and suffers minor damage. Jersey makes her way to London for more repairs.

At 09:20, destroyer HMS Zulu is sailing in the Firth of Forth when it detonates a mine about 40 feet off the starboard beam. This causes leaks to spring and other internal damage, so the Zulu heads to Rosyth for repairs. The damage turns out to be more serious than the initial incident might suggest, and the ship requires a lengthy time in drydock. No casualties.

The Luftwaffe attacks ships off Peterhead, causing minor damage to anti-aircraft ship Alynbank but otherwise accomplishing little.

The Luftwaffe also attacks freighter Thyra II in the Thames Estuary, damaging it.

The Luftwaffe damages freighter Bannthorn in Rathlin O'Birne Sound, Eire.

The Luftwaffe damages freighters Clan MacTaggart, Clan Cumming, and Highland Chieftan and tanker Virgilia at Liverpool Harbor.

Destroyer HMS Bedouin hits a rock or other submerged object off the south coast and proceeds to Southampton for repairs.

The German coastal guns at "Hellfire Corner" damage freighter Inver near Dover.

Convoy FN 306 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 306 departs from Methil, convoy OG 44 (36 ships) departs from Liverpool, Convoy BS 6A departs from Port Sudan bound for Aden.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Usk (N 65, Lt. Commander Peter R. Ward) is commissioned.

24 Greek Street, Soho, London. The area was hit at 12:35, destroying buildings and a local gas main. Many people were trapped in the rubble. (Westminster City Archives).

Battle of the Mediterranean: Convoy MF 3 (four merchant ships: Clan Ferguson, Clan Macauley, Lanarkshire, and Memnon) arrives at Malta's Grand Harbour at 16:00 without incident. The ships are quickly unloaded, loaded with whatever Malta has to send back to Alexandria, and leave before the end of the day as Convoy MF 4.

The British Mediterranean Fleet is sailing about 100 miles southeast of Malta, and an Italian plane spots it. There are large Italian forces both to the east and west of Malta. The escorting Royal Navy ships (four battleships) begin to head back to Alexandria late in the day after the Malta convoy makes port, is unloaded and returns to the sea. Some Italian naval units set out in pursuit, but the British have a large head start.

While it might seem trivial, the convoy makes a big impression on the British troops on Malta for a specific reason: it brings the first mail in some time. It is quite old, the voyage around Africa has taken weeks, but the experience is greatly treasured by men who have had no word of the safety of their families and friends back home in the Blitz.

Royal Navy cruiser HMS Ajax is sailing south of Sicily in support of a Malta convoy when 7 Italian torpedo boats attack. The Ajax fights them off, sinking two and damaging a third. Cruiser HMS York sinks the third torpedo boat.

Destroyer HMS Imperial hits a mine about 15 miles south of Dellmara near Malta at 11:05. One crewman perishes and the ship must be towed to Malta.

British sloop HMS Auckland, part of Convoy BS 6, is damaged by Italian bombers in the Red Sea about 50 miles south of Italian-held Eritrea.

The RAF bombs Italian positions in Benghazi and Tobruk. It also attacks Asmara, Eritrea and Gura, Abyssinia.

Finnish/Soviet Relations: The two governments complete a convention that demilitarizes the Aaland Islands. The ostensible purpose is "… desiring to strengthen their security and foundations of peace in the Baltic Sea.”

Pilots of No 302 (Polish) Squadron RAF at RAF Leconfield in October 1940. They move south to RAF Northolt on 11 October 1940.

German Government: The issue of propaganda can be very tricky sometimes. The Luftwaffe objects to the use of the term "air pirates" for the lone raiders which are trained to use cloud cover on days of poor weather. However, Hitler specifically wants specially trained raiders to be described thus by the (state-controlled) media. Dr. Goebbels Goebbels tells the OKW, which has communicated this concern to Goebbels to buzz off and see the Fuhrer about it. In the meantime, he will continue calling them "air pirates."

Goebbels does throw the Luftwaffe a bone by agreeing to issue formal denials to British claims that military targets have been hit which in fact have not - unless doing so would blow the cover of a massive deception being launched in which fake "military" sites are created to draw off the RAF bombers.

German Military: Generalleutnant Arnold Christian Rüdiger Joseph Maria Freiherr von Biegeleben (16 April 1883 – 11 October 1940) perishes of a heart attack. A Knight's Cross recipient, he is the commander of the 6th Infantry Division. He is replaced by Generalleutnant Helge Auleb.

Japan: There are annual naval reviews in Tokyo Bay and Yokohama Bay.

French Homefront: Philippe Pétain, who fancies himself somewhere between a satrap and a dictator, addresses the nation by radio broadcast. He urges the people of France to drop their ancient antagonism to Germany and instead focus on the real enemy: Great Britain. Pétain announces that Vichy France henceforth will collaborate with Germany.

General Charles Hunziger - who signed the Armistice agreements with Germany and Italy - presents the Order of Merit and the Croix de Guerre medals to the American Hospital in Paris, France.

American Homefront: "Down Argentine Way," a rare technicolor musical from the period, is released. It stars Carmen Miranda and Betty Grable, who becomes an "overnight star." There are very few technicolor cameras in existence, so each such release (such as "Gone With The Wind") draws a lot of attention.

President Franklin Roosevelt (in motorcar) at the dedication of the Terrace Village Housing Project. 11 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

Thursday 10 October 1940

HMS Revenge bombards Cherbourg, 10/11 October 1940.

Battle of Britain: The weather on 10 October 1940 is mostly rainy with intermittent sunny periods. This does permit a couple of fairly large raids. While the Luftwaffe is said to change its tactics to targeting only cities today, it doesn't appear that anything has changed from the day's action.

The morning is occupied with minor fighter-bomber (Jabo) raids. At 10:00, about 30 from JG 26 cross into Kent and attack Hastings, Brighton, Eastbourne and Bexhill. The attack does what is really intended - drawing some RAF fighters into the air for battle - but the bombing itself is virtually inconsequential.

Another raid around noontime is more serious. Over 100 aircraft, including fighters from JG 53, head over the Dorset coast. Fighter Command is ready and gets eight squadrons in the air. The Germans shoot down several Spitfires, but again the bombing damage is slight.

After 15:00, another slightly smaller raid of over 65 planes crosses the Kent coast and heads for London, followed by a second wave of 80 planes over Dover. The RAF gets a dozen squadrons in the air. The Bf 109s fly high, even with their bombs, and interception is difficult. Some of the Spitfires do make contact. The bombers hit London, but again it is a raid with minimal effectiveness.

 After dark, the Luftwaffe bombers hit the usual targets in London, South Wales, Gloucester, and RAF Debden and Duxford. There are some "lucky hits" which cause especially bad damage in London. Bombing accuracy is fairly poor, with bombs dropped in the river and other harmless areas. A Wembley war main is hit, some railway lines cut, and some smaller towns also bombed (apparently at random).

At dusk, the German coastal batteries at Cap Gris Nez open fire on Dover and surrounding areas. This leads to a brief artillery duel at a range of 20 miles.

Losses for the day are minimal. Losses are generally given as around 4 apiece. There is enough bomb damage to make this a "win" by the Luftwaffe, but nothing that is of any strategic significance.

War in the air can lead to crazy results at times. Today, for instance, a Luftwaffe reconnaissance Dornier Do 17 is over RAF Tangmere when some RAF fighters intercept it. Two of the fighters collide, killing both pilots, while the bomber's gunner shoots down a third, which crash-lands. The bomber? It limps back to France and crash-lands there, having destroyed three front-line RAF fighters and accomplished its mission.

European Air Operations: Before daylight, RAF Bomber Command attacks Brest. The bombers damage destroyers Eckholdt, Loy, and Riedel. The RAF loses an Albacore bomber, the crew becoming POWs.

During the night, the RAF bombers hit ports up and down the coast, including Hamburg, Hannover, Wilhelmshaven, Kiel, Amsterdam, Calais, Den Helder, Boulogne, Le Havre, and Brest. The Fokker factory in Amsterdam and oil installations at Hamburg receive special attention. At Wilhelmshaven, the RAF has 14 bombers attack the Tirpitz (under construction), without success.

Naval recruits learn to handle a bayonet at their training school in England. October 10, 1940. (AP Photo).

Battle of the Atlantic: After dark, in a rare sortie by a capital ship, the British battleship HMS Revenge departs from Plymouth and bombards the Cherbourg docks from long range. This is Operation Medium. The Revenge is accompanied by six destroyers and seven motor anti-submarine boats, along with a separate cruiser force to the west. The bombardment lasts from 03:33 to 03:51, including 120 15-inch and 801 4.7 inch shells. The objective is to disrupt invasion preparations, and several transport ships are hit. The Germans put E-boats to sea from Cherbourg, but accomplish nothing.

Further up the coast, Royal Navy motorboats MTB 22, 31 and 32 attack German trawlers Brandenburg and 234-ton Nordenham near Calais. The motorboats torpedo and sink both trawlers. The crew survives and 34 Kriegsmarine sailors are made prisoners. The British force returns to base unscathed.

The British also lose a trawler when 23 ton Royal Navy patrol boat HMT Girl Mary hits a mine and blows up in the Firth of Forth about 7.4 km off Inchcolm. Two crewmen die, another is wounded.

U-123 (Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Moehle) finishes 3697-ton British freighter Graigwen, which had been badly damaged on the 9th by U-103 (Viktor Schütze).

British 367 ton freighter Till hits a mine and is damaged in the English Channel.

British submarine HMS H28, an old World War I sub, is in the Bay of Biscay when it spots a smallish 1000 ton freighter. It fires a torpedo but misses.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Jersey returns to service after repairs from a mine strike, exiting the Humber.

Convoys OA 227 and FS 305 depart from Methil, Convoy FN 305 departs from Southend.

Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Australia arrives at Gibraltar and is temporarily assigned to Force H.

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable is completed and prepares for trials.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF attacks Benghazi and Assab, Eritrea.

In Malta, it is a quiet day. There is a lot of aerial reconnaissance due to a convoy coming from Alexandria, but there is little activity by the Italian fleet at Taranto. The Air Chief of Staff at Whitehall believes that, with winter fast approaching, fighters can be transferred from England to Malta in order to do more good there. Another dozen Hurricanes will soon be on their way.

Battle of the Pacific: German raider Orion meets up with supply ship Regensburg in the Marshall Islands.

The Lake Superior Regiment prepares to depart from Port Arthur, Quebec. 10 October 1940 (Thunder Bay Public Library).

Luxembourg: Somewhat hopefully, the German occupation government decides to conduct an honest plebiscite in Luxembourg (now incorporated into the Reich). The question is: are you happy with the occupation? As a result that surprises nobody except apparently the Germans, 97% of the responses are in the negative. It is the only such plebiscite held.

Cuba: Fulgencio Batista (elected in July) officially becomes the 9th President of Cuba. In practice, he rules like an autocrat.

China: Communist Chinese New 4th Army and 8th New Army link up at Baiju Village, Dongtai County, Jiangsu Province. The former has been engaged recently with the Nationalist Chinese.

Separately, the Japanese launch an air attack against Kunming.

German Homefront: Adolf Hitler begins the new Führer-Sofortprogramm (Leader's Emergency Programme). This is an effort to build bunkers for civilians and other essential personnel. The initial goal is to build 6000 bunkers in 92 cities across the Reich. This program will be a massive undertaking, with deliveries of concrete for the bunkers and other supplies requiring alteration of railroad timetables across German. It is the largest public works program ever, and is a major success of the current German regime, saving countless lives. It includes the construction of the massive flak towers in places like Berlin and Vienna that have such extraordinary structural integrity that they could not feasibly be destroyed after the war and remain in situ to this day (though some were buried). It also is an early acknowledgment that the war is going to last a lot longer, and involve a lot more effort and hardship, than originally thought. The results of this program are visible across Europe.

British Homefront: Pianist Myra Hess gives a dramatic concert at the National Gallery in London. It commemorates the anniversary of her first ceremony a year earlier. The windows are blacked out and the sound of bombing can be heard in the distance. This and similar contributions to morale eventually earn her the honor of being named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1941.

American Homefront: Earl Browder, American Communist Party Candidate for President (and head of the party), is indicted by a federal grand jury for passport fraud. He ultimately is sentenced to 4 years in prison. Browder advocates closer ties between the US and the Soviet Union.

Earl Browder, American Communist Party candidate for President.

October 1940

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

2020