Wednesday 1 January 1940

Churchill as St. George the Dragon Slayer, By E.H. Shepard, 'Punch', January 1, 1941. It is refreshing to see Churchill caricatured as something other than a bulldog.

Italian/Greek Campaign: Fighting continues on 1 January 1941 in the Klisura Pass between Greek II Corps and the Italian Julia Division. The Italians are hurriedly throwing up fortifications across central Albania.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command sends 95 bombers against the port of Bremen, which has an important Focke-Wulf aircraft factory. Another 46 bombers attack other various other targets. Some sources say that 141 bombers attack Bremen, but that appears to have been all the planes used on various missions, which included attacks on Flushing, Ostend, and Brest.

The Luftwaffe, meanwhile, resumes night bombing after taking the previous two nights off. However, they go off course and bomb Dublin and four other Irish counties (Counties Meath, Carlow, Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin). Three people perish in Darlow, and there are injuries there and in the other counties.

As of the first of the year, the two Luftflotten facing England, 2 and 3, have a total of 1214 aircraft. This is down from 1291 in September when the area bombing campaign against England began. However, front-line strength only tells part of the story: many of those bombers are in the shop awaiting repair or overhaul (such as engine replacement). Whereas in September about 20% of the planes were in the shops, as of early January the number is almost 50%. The cause is not so much RAF defenses as the almost daily use of the equipment in difficult weather.

Generalmajor Theo Osterkamp becomes Jagdfliegerführer 2 (commander of the fighter aircraft in Luftflotte 2).

The Luftwaffe continues transferring units to the Mediterranean. III,/ZG 26 begins the journey today, flying to the Treviso coast. The ultimate destination is Tripoli.

Lt. Rudolf Stradner of 1,/NJG 2 shoots down his first victim, a Wellington I of RAF No. 301 Squadron near Digby at 22:25.

Battle of the Atlantic: Five Royal Navy destroyers intercept a French convoy of four ships off Gibraltar which are headed to France from Casablanca. After a brief fight in which destroyer HMS Jaguar fires upon 9986-ton freighter Chantilly (2 dead, four wounded), the Vichy ships are taken to Gibraltar.

A force of light Royal Navy light cruisers and destroyers conducts Operation DZ, a minelaying operation off Jaederens Point and Obrestad.

British 1016 ton freighter Attendant hits a mine off Sheerness in the Thames Estuary. The crew beaches it, and then it is refloated and towed to Gravesend for repairs.

Dutch coaster Catharina collides with Norwegian freighter Madrono in the English Channel south of the Lizard in Cornwall. The Catharina sinks, but everybody survives.

Convoy OB 268 departs from Liverpool, convoy FN 373 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 377 departs from Methil, Convoy SL 61 and SLS 61 depart from Freetown, Convoy HX 100 departs from Halifax, Convoy BHX 100 departs from Bermuda.

Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Mauritius is commissioned.

U-216 is laid down.

The Chrysler Corporation Tank Arsenal in Warren, Michigan, seen here under construction in January 1941. This was an early Defense Plant Corporation (DPC) plant, in which the government funded the construction of factories which then were leased to private companies for nominal fees (Government-owned contractor-operated plants, GOCO). (Automotive Council for War Production Collection, National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library)

Battle of the Mediterranean: General O'Connor's Western Desert Force gets the official designation XIII Corps. It is scheduled to attack Bardia on 3 January with troops of the 6th Australian Division. In preparation for that attack, the RAF drops 20,000 pounds of ordnance on Bardia during the night. Wellingtons based on Malta chip in with a raid on Tripoli.

Royal Navy trawler HMS Bandelero collides with HMAS Waterhen in the Gulf of Sollum and sinks. Some sources place this on 30 December 1940.

The Southern Rhodesia Air Force (SRAF) bombs Italian positions at Keru, east of Kassala.

The Indian 7th Infantry Brigade arrives at Port Sudan from Egypt.

Spy Stuff: British Scotland Yard police break into the home of Free French Vice-Admiral Émile Muselier and arrest him on charges of high treason. Muselier is de Gaulle's commander of Free French naval forces. The police have in their possession four incriminating documents, including a letter in which the Admiral acknowledges receipt of 2,000 pounds sterling in exchange for information about the (failed) British attack on Dakar (Operation Menace) in September. Another document shows that Muselier was plotting to transfer the French submarine Surcouf to the Vichy French government.

Muselier, according to the information in the possession of the British, communicated through the Brazilian Embassy. Churchill is furious and wants to line the Admiral up against a wall and declare war on Brazil for good measure. However, cooler heads prevail and an investigation is launched. General de Gaulle stands beside Admiral Muselier and works to clear him.

As it turns out, the letters supposedly incriminating Muselier have been forged. The culprit is the former head of security of the Free French headquarters in London who recently has been fired due to internal intrigue there. Right-wingers (known as "Cagoulards") and supporters of the leftist Popular Front have been fighting for priority and the usual favoritism. This security man, known as "Howard" but apparently a Captain Collins, has used a forger named "Colin" to craft the documents in order to discredit Muselier. Howard and Colin both confess, and Admiral Muselier is released within about a week.

The whole affair further roils the Free French cause because Muselier suspects that de Gaulle set him up, while de Gaulle suspects the British intelligence service, MI5, of setting him up. Meanwhile, Muselier may not be a traitor, but he is a serious piece of work who seems determined to embarrass everyone who comes in contact with him at some point or another.

In actuality, neither MI5 nor de Gaulle was involved in this, Muselier was simply being used as a pawn in a continuing battle between people within the Free French movement but at opposite ends of the political spectrum. The so-called Cagoulards, who may somewhat simplistically be thought of as Monarchists, generally have the upper hand with de Gaulle, and this is an attempt to disrupt that influence. This internal battle against the communists - and them firing back - has been waging throughout the war and takes many twists and turns.

The entire affair is a tremendous embarrassment for everyone. The British Foreign Secretary is forced to write a contrite letter of apology:

Dear Admiral Muselier,

I have been charged to convey to you an expression of the deep regret of His Majesty's Government that you should have been detained by the British authorities on suspicions which have now been proved to be unsubstantiated.

His Majesty's Government have satisfied themselves that the documents, which at first appeared to cast suspicions on you, are spurious. As soon as this conclusion was reached, instructions were given for your immediate release.

His Majesty's Government look forward to continuing their collaboration with yourself and with the Free French Naval Forces under your command, which are rendering such signal services to the Allied cause.

I would beg at the same time to convey the regrets of His Majesty's
Government to Lieutenant Villers.

With renewed and deep regrets, believe me,

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Eden

New Zealand Home Guard, 1 January 1941 (Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19410326-30-2).

Belgian/German Relations: Léon Degrelle, a journalist who founded the fringe Rexist party in 1935, declares his support for Germany. This is not a surprise, and Degrelle will make several speeches in the coming days and months declaring his support for Hitlerism.

US/Japanese Relations: US Ambassador to Japan Joseph Clark Grew confides to his diary that:

Japan . . . is on the warpath . . . If . . . Americans . . . could read . . . articles by leading Japanese . . . they . . . would realize the utter hopelessness of a policy of appeasement.

Grew sees growing militarism in Japan and is actively looking for ways to communicate that to the US government.

Soviet Military: Georgy Zhukov prepares to command "Western" or "Blue" forces in a war games exercise that simulates a German invasion. His opponent is Colonel General D. G. Pavlov, the commander of the "Eastern" or "Red" forces. The exercises are to begin on 2 January 1940.

Holland: During the month, the occupation authorities clamp down on people's ability to listen to anything related to the Allies, such as BBC and Radio Orange from the Dutch government-in-exile. These Allied broadcasts already are forbidden, but now even broadcasts based in the Netherlands are heavily restricted. Broadcasting of English and American songs is forbidden, and radio stations are ordered to play approved German shows such as "Wunschkonzert" (a call-in song request show) and "Gruss aus der Heimat" ("Greetings from the Fatherland").

Canada: CBC (for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) is formed.

The Coca-Cola float at the 52nd Tournament of Roses Parade held on 1 January 1941. It shows pandas climbing a giant iceberg, apparently to get at a coke.

British Homefront: The government announces the "suppression" of the communist Daily Worker and a related journal "The Week" pursuant to Regulation 2D of the Defence (General) Regulations. The government claims this is due to "systematic publication of matter calculated to foment opposition to the prosecution of the war to a successful issue." The means of suppression is that:

The effect of the Orders (the announcement continues) is that if any person prints, publishes, or distributes, or is in any way concerned in printing, publishing, or distributing either of these papers, he will be committing an offence.

The rest of the media is supportive of this measure, as even the most sympathetic outlets consider the Daily Worker "dishonest" in its supposed support of the working man.

The Forces radio service airs "The Brains Trust" for the first time. Created by BBC producers Howard Thomas and Douglas Cleverdon, it at first is called "Any Questions?" The program proves popular right from the beginning despite - or perhaps because of - its high-brow aspect. The Brains Trust, apparently named after a Roosevelt Administration term, remains on the air for decades, and last appeared in the early 2000s.

American Homefront: A major snowstorm begins in the Midwest. It will lead to immense snowfall in Minnesota, Iowa, and nearby states.

The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) engages in a sort of strike. It removes all of its music from the airwaves over a licensing dispute. This will last for most of 1941.

The Stanford Indians defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers 21-13 in the 27th Rose Bowl, while the Boston College Eagles beat the Tennessee Volunteers 19-13 in the 1941 Sugar Bowl and the Mississippi State Maroons defeat the Georgetown Hoyas 14-7 in the Orange Bowl. Many consider this to be the Boston College Eagles' best team in its history.

In Chicago's Chicago Stadium, Detroit Red Wings player Jimmy Orlando punches out a fan, knocking him out. Orlando then escapes into the night before a wild melee results, with berserk fans storming the ice seeking revenge.

Incidentally, a lot of sources claim that Jimmy Stewart was sworn in as a member of the US Air Corps on this date. I'm unable to find any confirmation of this whatsoever. Stewart was initially drafted in October 1940 but failed the physical for weight reasons. He did get in during March 1941 after strenuous effort. How 1 January 1941 became his supposed date of entry is a bit of a mystery, but I put it here because perhaps I overlooked something.

The war news fights for attention with the football games, The Baltimore News-Post, 1 January 1941.

December 1941

December 1, 1940: Wiking Division Forms
December 2, 1940: Convoy HX 90 Destruction
December 3, 1940: Greeks Advancing
December 4, 1940: Italian Command Shakeup
December 5, 1940: Thor Strikes Hard
December 6, 1940: Hitler's Cousin Gassed
December 7, 1940: Storms At Sea
December 8, 1940: Freighter Idarwald Seized
December 9, 1940: Operation Compass Begins
December 10, 1940: Operation Attila Planned
December 11, 1940: Rhein Wrecked
December 12, 1940: Operation Fritz
December 13, 1940: Operation Marita Planned
December 14, 1940: Plutonium Discovered
December 15, 1940: Napoleon II Returns
December 16, 1940: Operation Abigail Rachel
December 17, 1940: Garden Hoses and War
December 18, 1940: Barbarossa Directive
December 19, 1940: Risto Ryti Takes Over
December 20, 1940: Liverpool Blitz, Captain America
December 21, 1940: Moral Aggression
December 22, 1940: Manchester Blitz
December 23, 1940: Hitler at Cap Gris Nez
December 24, 1940: Hitler at Abbeville
December 25, 1940: Hipper's Great Escape
December 26, 1940: Scheer's Happy Rendezvous
December 27, 1940: Komet Shells Nauru
December 28, 1940: Sorge Spills
December 29, 1940: Arsenal of Democracy
December 30, 1940: London Devastated
December 31 1940: Roosevelt's Decent Proposal

January 1941

January 1, 1941: Muselier Arrested
January 2, 1941: Camp Categories
January 3, 1941: Liberty Ships
January 4, 1941: Aussies Take Bardia
January 5, 1941: Amy Johnson Perishes
January 6, 1941: Four Freedoms
January 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor Plans
January 8, 1941: Billions For Defense
January 9, 1941: Lancasters
January 10, 1941: Malta Convoy Devastation
January 11, 1941: Murzuk Raid
January 12, 1941: Operation Rhubarb
January 13, 1941: Plymouth Blitzed
January 14, 1941: V for Victory
January 15, 1941: Haile Selassie Returns
January 16, 1941: Illustrious Blitz
January 17, 1941: Koh Chang Battle
January 18, 1941: Luftwaffe Pounds Malta
January 19, 1941: East African Campaign Begins
January 20, 1941: Roosevelt 3rd Term
January 21, 1941: Attack on Tobruk
January 22, 1941: Tobruk Falls
January 23, 1941: Pogrom in Bucharest
January 24, 1941: Tank Battle in Libya
January 25, 1941: Panjiayu Tragedy
January 26, 1941: Churchill Working Hard
January 27, 1941: Grew's Warning
January 28, 1941: Ho Chi Minh Returns
January 29, 1941: US Military Parley With Great Britain
January 30, 1941: Derna Taken
January 31, 1941: LRDG Battered

2020

Wednesday 25 September 1940

A dogfight over England. "This camera gun film still shows tracer ammunition from an RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mark I, flown by Flight Lieutenant J H G McArthur, hitting a German Heinkel He 111. These aircraft were part of a large formation which attacked the Bristol Aeroplane Company's works at Filton, Bristol, just before noon on 25 September 1940." © IWM (CH 1823).

Operation Menace: With the British/Free French invasion frustrated, the French turn to the attack on 25 September 1940. The Vichy French Air Force (Armée de l'Air de Vichy), based in Morocco and Algeria, launches another, larger strike on Gibraltar than on the 24th. This is in retaliation for the Operation Menace attack on Dakar by the British and Free French. It is even larger than the attack on 24 September, this time including 80-100 aircraft dropping some 300 bombs. This is the largest air raid of the war to date on Gibraltar, causing extensive damage to the dockyard facilities. British 550 ton anti-submarine trawler HMT Stella Sirius is sunk by direct hits in the harbor with 12 deaths. Some accounts state that four Vichy French destroyers also bombard the port.

The British fleet again bombards Dakar at first light. French submarine Bévéziers, the only one remaining at Dakar after two have been sunk, manages at 09:00 to evade detection by the assembled fleet and torpedoes British battleship HMS Resolution. It loses power and must be towed back to Freetown, Sierra Leone, by HMS Barham, which also takes damage from the French battleship Richelieu. This forces the Royal Navy to end the operation, which has been accomplishing nothing anyway.

The affair has been a fiasco for the Allies. Long in the planning, involving extensive Royal Navy movements throughout September, Operation Menace accomplishes nothing but further poison relations with the Vichy French. General Charles de Gaulle suffers a huge loss in prestige, as his assumption of the mantle of resistance to his former French bosses turns out to have less appeal than he has claimed. It is easier now to portray de Gaulle as nothing but a tool of British interests. The Royal Navy itself does not come off well, either.

In a wider sense, Operation Menace is a learning experience. It is the first in a series of Allied raids along the length of the Atlantic Coast that will grow in intensity over the coming years. While a shaky start, it sets the foundation for later efforts at Dieppe, in Norway, and ultimately at Normandy. However, there is no question whatsoever that, in the short run, this is a major Vichy French victory.

U-48, with commander Heinrich Bleichrodt, returns to base at Lorient. 25 September 1940. Note the numerous victory pennants.

Battle of the Atlantic: A Coastal Command flying boat flying over the shipping lanes in the mid-Atlantic spots a lifeboat and vectors in destroyer HMS Anthony. It turns out to be from the City of Benares, sunk on the 18th. Lifeboat 12 contains about 40 survivors, including six boys from the Children's Overseas Reception Board (CORB) program. Also on board are Mary Cornish and Father Rory O'Sullivan, the children's escorts, along with numerous crewmen.

U-32 (Oblt.z.S. Hans Jenisch) torpedoes and sinks 6694-ton British freighter Mabriton 500 hundred miles west of Ireland at 03:25. There are 25 survivors and 12 crew perish. The Mabriton was sailing with Convoy OB 216, which had dispersed.

U-43 (Kptlt. Wilhelm Ambrosius) torpedoes and sinks 5802-ton British freighter Sulairia about 400 miles out in the Atlantic west of Ireland around 13:30. There are 56 survivors and one fatality. The Sulairia was sailing with Convoy OB 217, which had dispersed.

U-29 (Kptlt. Otto Schuhart) torpedoes and damages 6223-ton British freighter/passenger ship Eurymedon (John Faulkner Webster) west of Ireland around 14:00. The ship stays afloat for two days before sinking. There are 66 survivors (42 crew and 22 passengers) and 29 perish (9 passengers and 20 crew). Captain Faulkner, who survives, later receives the Lloyd's War Medal for bravery at sea. The Eurymedon was part of Convoy OB 217, which had dispersed.

Italian 569 ton cargo ship Rina Croce hits a mine and sinks about 6 nautical miles west of Capo di Torre Cavallo (near Brindisi). The HMS Rorqual laid the minefield on 14 June 1940.

British 79 ton naval trawler HMT White Daisy founders in the North Sea near Lerwick.

The Royal Navy seizes Vichy French 1344 ton ocean-going trawler Finland near the Vichy French base at Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Canada. They transfer it to de Gaulle's Free French movement.

The Royal Canadian Navy AMC Prince Robert captures 9170-ton German freighter Weser off Manzanillo, Mexico just before midnight. The Weser is a supply ship for German raider Orion. The Canadians, approaching in the dark, get aboard before the crew can scuttle the freighter. The Canadians put aboard a prize crew who sail it to Esquimalt, where it is renamed Vancouver Island.

The British prepare Operation Lucid, which is designed to use obsolete warships as fire ships against the invasion barges in Channel ports. The operation is set for the 26th. It is a throwback to the use of fireships against the Spanish Armada and during the Napoleonic Wars. Escorted by destroyer forces, the fire ships are old tankers Nizam and Nawab. The tankers are packed with various flammables including heavy fuel oil, gasoline, and diesel oil. The force leaves port today (Sheerness and Portsmouth) - the old fire ships are very slow. En route, the Nizam breaks down less than 10 miles from Boulogne Harbor and the operation is canceled.

Royal Navy submarine Cachalot fires torpedoes and U-138 in the Bay of Biscay but misses. The British submarines like to lie in wait on the typical routes taken by U-boats from their main bases to and from their Atlantic patrol stations.

British minelayers Plover and Willem van der Zaan run aground on the Goodwins but are brought off by a tug. They are prevented from laying their mines.

Convoy FS 290 departs from the Tyne, Convoy FN 291 departs from Methil, Convoy OB 219 departs from Liverpool, Convoy SLS 49 departs from Freetown.

German freighter Weser is captured on 25 September 1940.

Battle of the Mediterranean: On the desert front, the RAF attacks Tobruk, while the Royal Navy shells Sidi Barrani. The RAF raids Berbera in British Somaliland and the port of Assab in Ethiopia.

A Royal Navy destroyer flotilla operating out of Alexandria bombards an Italian land convoy west of Sidi Barrani, causing extensive damage to the vehicles.

At Malta, there is an air raid around noontime which drops some bombs on the countryside. The Italians lose one Macchi C. 200 Saetta ("Arrow") fighter. The soldiers at Malta already are occupied defusing unexploded bombs at Hal Far and Luqa airfields which have been dropped over the previous two weeks.

Leading B Flight of No. 152 Squadron from RAF Warmwell took off just before 11:30 on 25 September 1940 to intercept KG55. 29-year-old S/L Peter K Devitt claims a Ju 88 damaged south of Bristol during the Filton Raid. However, he sustains hits to the fuel tank of his Spitfire Mk I UM-A by return fire. Temporarily blinded, Devitt somehow makes a belly landing at Skew Bridge, Newton St Loe. He is lucky: Spitfire UM-C in his flight crashes at 12:00 near Church Farm, Woolverton, killing Sgt Kenneth C "Ken" Holland (see picture below)

Battle of Britain: Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering continues fine-tuning his aerial assault on England. This time, he cuts back on raids against London and shifts his focus toward British aircraft factories. These are primarily located in the western half of Britain, and Luftlotte 3 (Sperrle) is given primary responsibility. While perhaps justified by changing priorities, these types of changes are demoralizing to Luftwaffe crews who see no lasting results from all their efforts. These changes do, however, catch the RAF off guard now and then, and this happens today, to England's detriment.

Spy Stuff: The US Signals Intelligence Service has been hard at work on breaking the Japanese military codes. Today, it reads the Japanese Purple Code for the first time.

German/Soviet/Japanese Relations: German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop informs the German embassy in Moscow that Japan is joining the German-Italian alliance (Axis). He emphasizes that this is not directed against the Soviet Union - which is absolutely true. Germany has other plans for the USSR. Ribbentrop instructs the Chargé d'affaires to tell Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov about the coming agreement on the 26th and explain that the alliance is directed against "American warmongers."

German/Spanish Relations: Adolf Hitler meets with Spanish Interior Minister - and Franco's brother-in-law - Serrano Suner. It is likely that the topics discussed include arranging a meeting between Hitler and Franco. Hitler's objective is to bring Spain into the war on his side in order to capture the British naval base at Gibraltar, while Franco demands an exorbitant price for his cooperation.

US/Chinese Relations: The US grants a $25 million loan to China that is designed to help stabilize the Chinese currency.

US Military: Heavy cruiser USS Louisville departs from Colon in the Panama Canal Zone on another "Show the Flag" tour. Its first stop will be Recife, Brazil.

The Greenslade Board investigating new US bases acquired from the British in the destroyers-for-bases deal arrives in Norfolk, Virginia.

Norway: Pursuant to decisions taken earlier, the German Reich-Commissar for Norway (Reichskommissar für die besetzten Norwegischen Gebiete), Josef Terboven, dissolves all political parties except for the pro-German Nasjonal Samling. He appoints 13 commissars to govern the country. As the leader of Nasjonal Samling, Vidkun Quisling forms the new collaborationist government. In addition, the King and his former government are formally deposed.

Sgt Kenneth C "Ken" Holland of No 152 Squadron RAF, KIA 25 September 1940. He opened fire on He 111P-1 G1+EP of KG55 at 400yds from astern and slightly to the port side in the morning. He was seen turning for a second burst at 2000ft. His Spitfire Mk I UM-C was hit by the rear gunner still in the stricken bomber. Both aircraft were strewn across the fields of Church Farm, Woolverton when crashing less than 500yds apart at 12:00. The 20-year-old Australian was found to have been shot in the head. See below for another related photo.

French Homefront: The Vichy French begin court-martial trials for the various government officials arrested for alleged misdeeds which led to to the loss of the Battle of France.

French Indochina: The Japanese invasion of French Indochina continues. The Japanese have aircraft carriers off the coast in the Gulf of Tonkin that are launching raids on French bases. The French shore batteries remain under orders to repel any invasion. The French have sent a special envoy to Tokyo to negotiate. The Japanese are primarily interested in northern Indochina in the Haiphong area, not as much in the area further south by Saigon. The Japanese 5th Infantry Division consolidates its hold on Lang Son, site of a key airfield.

New Caledonia: The government of Noumea reaffirms that it is siding with Free France.

American Homefront: Eleanor Roosevelt attends the American Newspaper Guild meeting in New York City (of which she is a member, with voting privileges). At issue is whether to approve a report critical of President Roosevelt as trying to force the United States into the European War. She votes against the report, but it passes 140-85. Afterward, she meets with the Guild's leaders and expresses her disagreement. The incident is an early foray by Mrs. Roosevelt into politics and an indication of the widespread isolationist sentiment in the country.

The only survivor of He 111P-1 G1+EP when bailing out following hits by Sgt Kenneth C "Ken" Holland (see above ) of No. 152 Squadron RAF near Woolverton on the morning of 25 September 1940 was pilot Hptm Helmut Brandt of KG55. He stated on interrogation that the first burst had already crippled the bomber and that there was no need for Holland to go in for a second attack. Holland failed to heed a basic lesson: take out the rear gunner first, then the engine.

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

Tuesday 24 September 1940

Adolf Galland is greeted back at the airfield in Wissant by his mechanic, Unteroffizier Gerhard Meyer, after recording his 40th victory. He shot down a Hurricane of RAF No. 17 Squadron over Rochester at 10:45 on 24 September 1940.

Operation Menace: The Allies on 24 September 1940 remain offshore of Dakar during Operation Menace, with the Vichy French sitting tight. Both sides are lobbing shots at each other, but the basic situation remains unchanged. During the day, the British battleship HMS Barham, sitting 13,500 yards (about 8 miles) offshore, lobs in some 15-inch shells that strike the French battleship Richelieu sitting in port. The Richelieu, unfinished, also has issues with its guns, with 380mm guns 7/8 in Turret 2 going out of service today when a shell explodes. However, the port defense guns aren't fully manned, so some Richelieu crew just switch to coastal guns, where they have success. The biggest problem for the Vichy French is ammunition, as they are using an old powder which causes problems.

The Vichy French have submarines in the area, and shortly after sunrise the British force their submarine Ajax to surface. This is a joint exercise between Swordfish operating from the Ark Royal and patrolling destroyers. The Swordfish bomb the submarine and force it to surface. The Vichy French crew then scuttles the badly damaged sub. Destroyer HMS Fortune rescues the 61-man crew. There are different versions of this action in which the destroyer, and not the planes, cause the sub to surface and scuttle, and likely it was some combination of forces.

The freighter Tacoma under fire at Dakar, 24 September 1940. The Tacoma was bombarded in the harbor, then towed out to sea where she sank. (Tentative credit: Frederick Milthorp, Frederick Milthorp Collection).

The British fleet approaches the port in the morning but retreats under fire around 10:00. It then approaches in the afternoon again, then retreats again. British battleship HMS Resolution, for its part, takes damage which eventually requires it to be put under tow down to Cape Town, South Africa. Barham and two British cruisers are damaged by coastal defense guns manned by the Richelieu crew.

The Vichy French retaliate for the attack by sending 64 aircraft based in Morocco and Algeria over Gibraltar. They drop 150 bombs on the British base and cause damage to the dock area, especially the South Mole area. This attack is somewhat unusual because heretofore the Armée de l'Air de Vichy bombers have made perfunctory runs and dropped many of their bombs out at sea. Somewhat perversely, this is the largest air raid of the war to date by the French Air Force, including the Battle of France.


Battle of the Atlantic: The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks classic 1815 ship of the line HMS Wellesley at its dock on the Thames. The ship sinks in shallow water and can be salvaged, but it is damaged beyond repair. HMS Wellesley has the distinction of being the last ship of the line to be lost in enemy action and the only one lost by air attack. Its figurehead now graces the entrance to Chatham Dockyard.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 169-ton British trawler Bass Rock about 40 km southwest of County Cork, Ireland. Four crew perish and four perish, that's the lottery of the Battle of the North Atlantic, pick your number and take your chances.

German torpedo boat S-30 torpedoes and sinks 555 ton Continental Coaster off Happisburgh, Norfolk (off Great Yarmouth) in the North Sea. Four crew perish.

Royal Navy 20 ton motor torpedo boat HMS MTB 15 hits a mine and sinks 56 km northeast of North Foreland, Kent (Thames Estuary) in the North Sea. These carry a complement of 9-12 men, and it is unclear if there are any survivors.

HMS Tuna torpedoes and sinks 1280 ton submarine tender ("catapult vessel") Ostmark southwest of Saint-Nazaire in the Bay of Biscay. The Ostmark is a Deutsche Lufthansa vessel on its way to Germany for commissioning into the Kriegsmarine, and the plan is to use the Ostmark to launch long-range reconnaissance aircraft from Brest (contemplated as the new main U-boat base in France). So, technically, it is not a loss for the Germany Navy. However, the loss is noticed in Berlin and is an early indication to the Germans that the Atlantic coast shipping area is vulnerable and security there needs to be upgraded - a turn to the defensive. The Tuna, for its part, is having an excellent patrol, having sunk the Tirranna on the 22nd.

The Luftwaffe damages anti-submarine trawler HMT Loch Monteith operating in the Channel. Seven crew perish.

British submarine Cachalot spots an unidentified U-boat in the southwest approaches and fires torpedoes but misses.

Convoy OA 219 departs from Methil, Convoy FN 290 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 289 departs from the Tyne, Convoys OB 218 and OL 4 depart from Liverpool, Convoy SL 495 departs from Freetown.

German cruiser Admiral Hipper leaves Wilhelmshaven to attempt to break out into the Atlantic but soon loses all engine power due to a fire in the engine oil feed system. It drifts aimlessly for several hours before repairs are effected and the ship can return to Hamburg for more permanent repairs.

U-106 (Oberleutnant zur See Jürgen Oesten) is commissioned.

Harold 'Birdie' Bird-Wilson, RAF No. 17 Squadron, RAF Debden. He becomes Adolf Galland's 40th victim today. Birdie takes two months to recover from his burns but then returns to service. His nose is one of the first reconstructed by pioneering plastic surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe. (Via WW2 Colourised Photos, Colourised by Doug UK).

Battle of Britain: The morning is foggy, but clears up rapidly. While bombing is fairly light and mainly on secondary targets, there is intense fighter activity throughout most of the morning.

The first Luftwaffe attacks begin around 08:30. This time, it is 200+ plane formation that includes a large formation of Junkers Ju 88s. RAF Fighter Command sends up 11 squadrons, which intercept the Luftwaffe planes over the Thames Estuary. The bombers turn back, some badly damaged, and the fighters engage in dogfights which result in some RAF losses.

Around 11:00, the Luftwaffe sends over more planes. One force attacks coastal towns, but Adolf Galland's JG 26 is hunting for RAF fighters over the Thames Estuary and finds them. Both sides lose a plane.

An eerie calm descends around noontime. Luftwaffe pilots jokingly praise the "Anglo-Saxon custom of lunch" for such a quiet period. However, things heat up again soon thereafter.

The Luftwaffe sends more fighters over during the early afternoon. RAF No. 41 Squadron loses a couple of planes. Some Bf 110s of  I./Epr.Gr 210, 4./ZG 76 and III./ZG 76 then raid Southampton and Portsmouth, bombing the Woolston Spitfire factory. A "lucky" hit on a shelter there kills 100 workers, but the factory itself is unscathed. For some reason, Fighter Command does not intercept this formation, accounting for its great success, but anti-aircraft fire downs three of the fighter-bombers.

Around 16:00, another formation crosses near the Isle of Wight. This time, Fighter Command intercepts and downs four bombers.

After dark (which is coming much earlier now), the Luftwaffe targets London, Shoreham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Hull, Humberside, Newcastle, Manchester, Middlesborough, and South Wales. The London West End takes some damage, as does Westminster. The attacks are widespread and scattered, causing fairly random damage. The largest raid is in Liverpool, which is bombed by II,/KG 27 from midnight until first light. RAF Feltwell takes some damage during the final raids of the night.

Overall, losses are fairly light on both sides. The Luftwaffe loses about 10 planes (depends how you count the several bombers heavily damaged but which make it back to France), while the RAF loses about half that number.

Adolf Galland gets credit for his 40th claim. The victim is ace Harold Bird-Wilson of RAF No. 17 Squadron (baled out badly burned into the Thames, picked up by a riverboat). Galland is hot on the trail of Werner Mölders, who has a few more victories at this point. This victory entitles Galland to the Oak Leaves, which he receives at the hand of Adolf Hitler. Hitler, aware of Galland's somewhat impertinent comment to Reichsmarschall Goering in August, jokes with Galland about also wanting a squadron of Spitfires.

Staffelkapitän Oblt. Hans 'Assi' Hahn, 4./JG 2, receives the Ritterkreuz.

Charlie Chaplin has to explain why he made fun of Hitler in "The Great Dictator" in the 24 September 1940 Look Magazine.

European Air Operations: RAF Coastal Command attacks the ports of Zeebrugge and Brest, while Bomber Command attacks Berlin with 20 bombers, Frankfurt, the German coastal guns at Cap Gris Nez, and the usual ports and airfields in northwest Europe. By far the greatest effort is made against the invasion ports, where the barges are gradually dispersing.
Battle of the Mediterranean: Italian submarine Scirè departs La Spezia, Italy carrying three special manned torpedoes. Its mission is to drop off the torpedoes, which then will penetrate Gibraltar Harbour and sink large Royal Navy ships (which, apparently unknown to the Italians, are operating off Dakar). Prince Junio Valerio Borghese, who has trained with U-boats in the Baltic, is in command of this prestige assignment. Italy leads the world in the area of manned torpedoes.

At Malta, it is a quiet day with no air raids. The island receives word that three warships are on the way (arrival date unknown) carrying supplies, so unloading parties are put on standby throughout the day. Arriving ships must be docked and unloaded immediately so they can depart again to avoid air/naval attack.

Anglo/US Relations: The formal transfer of the third tranche of US destroyers is made pursuant to the destroyers-for-bases deal at Halifax. The destroyers are:

• USS Mackenzie > HMCS Annapolis, 
• USS Haraden > HMCS Columbia, 
• USS Williams > HMCS St. Clair, 
• USS Thatcher > HMCS Niagara, 
• USS McCook > HMCS St. Croix
• USS Bancroft > HMCS St. Francis.

French Indochina: The Japanese 5th Infantry Division seizes Lang Son, where the French briefly held out due to the airfield there. Fighting continues further south.

Australia: General Gordon Bennett now commands the Australian 8th Infantry Division.

The 24 September 1940 issue of Look Magazine contains a photo-story on starlet Lucille Ball.

US Military: President Roosevelt establishes the Defense Communication Board, headed by Director of Naval Communications Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes.

British Homefront: The German blockade is biting. Petrol prices rise to 2 shillings 2 pence per gallon.

The government announces that 444,000 children have been evacuated from London and plans to evacuate more.

American Homefront: Jimmie Fox, 32, of the Boston Red Sox hits home run No. 500 in a game against the Phillies. He is only the second man to do so and trails Babe Ruth, retired since 1935, by 214 home runs. He is the youngest to reach 500 home runs until Alex Rodriguez in 2007, but Foxx has health issues of one form (exactly what and why is controversial) which impair his skills going forward.

On 24 September 1940, former World Heavyweight champion James Joseph "Gene" Tunney meets with competitors of the American Institute of New York's science fair at the Westinghouse Pavilion, New York World's Fair. Tunney, always considered a scholarly boxer, was there to give a speech at the official sealing of a time capsule. Shown with Tunney, left to right: Irving Lazarowitz, Alan Bernstein, Theresa Zinghini, and Jack Zimmer. The Science Talent Search became an annual event the following year.

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

Monday 23 September 1940

Damage caused by the RAF raid on Berlin. This photo receives very wide press exposure on both sides of the Atlantic.

Operation Menace: The British invasion of Dakar in French West Africa (Senegal), after weeks of preparation, gets underway on 23 September 1940. The British fleet, which includes three battleships including HMS Barham and aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, stands offshore with transports full of Free French soldiers. Early in the morning, the Fleet Air Arm drops propaganda leaflets over the city delivering an ultimatum to surrender (one Skua lost at sea, pilot saved). Vichy French Governor of West Africa, Pierre Boisson, is not interested in talking things over, so the game is on.

Things get rolling around first daylight when the Ark Royal launches aircraft manned by Free French. In an overly optimistic miscalculation, they land at Dakar airport to be greeted as liberators but are immediately taken prisoner. In addition, a launch representing the Free French enters the port expecting to be greeted warmly, but turns back when fired upon.

The Vichy French lose two submarines. British destroyer HMS Fortune detects a Vichy French submarine, the Ajax (Q148), which it forces to surface and then sinks. All 61 on board survive. HMS Dragon, Foresight and Inglefield spot French submarine Persée (Q154) attempting to attack cruiser HMS Dragon and shell it, sinking it. Some reports state that torpedo planes sank the submarines, and with all the Royal Navy ships in the vicinity it well may have been a joint effort.

Around 10:00, Vichy French ships in the port sally. Cruiser HMAS Australia fires upon them and forces them back. This leads shore batteries to open fire on the Australia, which, along with the rest of the Royal Navy ships, returns fire. The Australia hits the Vichy French destroyer L'Audacieux, which turns it into a flaming inferno that has to be beached. There are 81 deaths and 186 survivors.

Royal Navy battleships Barham and Resolution exchange fire with anchored French battleship Richelieu and damage it, though it remains able to fire its main guns. HMS Dragon is damaged by shell splinters, wounding a crewman, while HMS Cumberland is hit in the engine room and retreats to Bathurst for repairs. Vichy French freighters Porthos Korsholm and Tamara are damaged.

The Royal Navy then moves further offshore after also damaging freighter Tacoma in the harbor, causing six crew deaths. The Tacoma has to be beached.

The British make the next move. They send three sloops full of Free French soldiers to Rufisque, southeast of Dakar. The Vichy French open fire, completely defeating the landing attempt (a very rare event during World War II) and damaging the Commandant Duboc. General de Gaulle, who is present, gives the order to retreat personally as he does not want to "shed the blood of Frenchmen for Frenchmen."

During the afternoon, the Royal Navy ships approach the port again. This time, the French coastal batteries score some hits on the Barham. The Vichy French then launch an air raid on Gibraltar with 64 bombers based in Morocco and Algeria which causes minor damage.

As the day ends, little has changed, with the British standing offshore and the Vichy French holding tight to the port. That, in essence, is a victory for the Vichy French, but the British continue to lurk.

Another widely distributed photo showing Berlin bomb damage.

European Air Operations: The RAF targets Berlin in the early morning hours with 129 bombers. The raid causes minor damages that receives extensive worldwide publicity. A subsequent press release from the British Air Ministry describes it:

Throughout last night [Monday] strong bomber forces of the R.A.F. delivered a heavy attack on military objectives in and around Berlin. This attack was on a much larger scale than any yet carried out, and preliminary reports show that extensive damage was done. 

Among the targets selected by our aircraft and heavily bombed were Rangsdorf railway station and several goods yards, including that at Grünewald; the west tower of Wilmersdorf electric power station; gasworks at Dantzigerstrasse and Neukölln; factories at Charlottenburg and Spandau, including Brandenburg motor works, and other objectives.

Lesser raids also take place on the Kiel Canal, an aircraft factory at Wismar, the Hamburg ports, and the usual northwestern airfields and Channel ports.

Battle of Britain: The weather finally turns clear and bright today after an extended period of clouds and occasional rain over much of Great Britain. The Luftwaffe sends over a large raid of fighters unusually early, about 09:00, with the 200+ planes breaking in all directions once they cross the coast. RAF Fighter Command responds with 14 Squadrons but is late off the ball, miscalculating the raiders' rate of approach due to the fact that they are fighters and not bomber formations.

Fierce dogfights break out all across the Kent countryside. Both sides take losses about equally, with the RAF losing eleven fighters.

Hans-Joachim Marseille has to bail out over the Channel after his plane takes damage about 10 miles off Cap Gris Nez. He is shaken up and spends hours in the water. Fortunately, a Heinkel He 59 spots him and returns him to a field hospital. As usual, there is disputed credit for his shoot-down, but the best case seems to lie with Robert Stanford Tuck. Marseille, developing into a very talented pilot, also is developing a reputation as an uncontrollable pilot who does not follow orders, in other words, a bit of a prima donna.

The early afternoon is fairly quiet, with a dogfight over Dover that is fairly uneventful. Another large formation approaches around 17:30 and spreads out all across southern England. The RAF again intervenes, but there are no reported losses.

After nightfall, the Luftwaffe sends 261 bombers against London and various points in the southwest. There are additional waves of attack thereafter. London is attacked all night long until shortly before sunrise. Particularly hard hit are the Clarnico factory, West Ham (numerous fires), Stevenage Wharf, Bexhill, Hastings, and Seaford.

Overall, the Luftwaffe takes about 15-20 losses and the RAF about a dozen. It is a higher loss rate than in recent days, but much less than the hardest days of August and early September.

Werner Mölders was awarded the 2nd Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 21 September 1940 for becoming the first pilot to get credit for 40 victories. Adolf Hitler personally pins it on him today in the new Reichskanzlei in Berlin. Afterward, his boss Hermann Göring invites Mölders to his hunting lodge in the Rominter Heide.

Hptm. Wilhelm Balthasar from Stab III./JG 3 is credited with downing two Spitfires.

Oblt. Hans "Assi" Hahn of 4,/JG 2 receives the Ritterkreuz for his 20th victory.

The paint scheme on Adolf Galland's Bf 109E fighter as of 23 September 1940. Source: Robert Michalec, "Messerschmitt Me 109," AJ-Press.

Battle of the Atlantic: British submarine HMS H49 (Lt. Michael Armitage Langley) apparently torpedoes and sinks 2186 ton German freighter Heimdal 13 km north of Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands. There is some uncertainty about this sinking, the Heimdal may have hit a mine.

German minesweeper M-1604 hits a mine and sinks.

British freighters Empire Adventure and Empire Airman, torpedoed on 21 and 22 September, respectively, sink while in tow.

The Luftwaffe damages British freighters Pacific Grove and Corinia at Channel ports.

British submarine HMS Cachalot lays minefield FD 27.

A small destroyer flotilla departs from the Lizard on Operation G, a patrol of the French coast.

Convoy FN 289 departs from Southend, Convoy BN 6 departs from Bombay.

US coastal defense submarine USS R-1 is recommissioned.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF attacks the Italian fortress of Tobruk and the airfield at El-Menastir, Libya. Royal Navy gunboat HMS Ladybird bombards Sidi Barrani.

Prime Minister Churchill has worries about Malta. He agrees with a note from Malta Governor Dobbie that there are insufficient ground troops there. In a note to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, he notes:

The telegram (from Malta Cmd) confirms my apprehensions about Malta. Beaches defended on an average front of 15 miles, and no reserves for counter-attack worth speaking of, leave the Island at the mercy of a landing force. You must remember that we do not possess the command of the sea around Malta. The danger therefore appears to be extreme. I should have thought four battalions were needed....

He also sends another note to the Secretary of State for War warning that Malta could be attacked "at any time."

On Malta itself, three Wellingtons arrive at Lupa Airfield during the morning, but one crashes upon landing and is out of action for the foreseeable future. Two Sunderland Short flying boats arrive at Kalafrana with some workers for the dockyards.

Anglo/US Relations: Seven more US destroyers arrive at Halifax to be turned over to the Royal Navy as part of the destroyers-for-bases deal. The US Greenslade Board, investigating the newly acquired British bases, is now en route to Norfolk, Virginia.

French Indochina: With Japanese troops pouring across the border, a Vichy French garrison at Da Nang, a coastal city about midway down the shoreline, defends the city. The Japanese quickly take control of Tonkin Province and today bomb the French airfield at Lang Son. French negotiators in Japan request a cease-fire.

US Secretary of State Cordell Hull attends a press conference today at which he states:

Events are transpiring so rapidly in the Indochina situation that it is impossible to get a clear picture of the minute-to-minute developments. It seems obvious, however, that the status quo is being upset and that this is being achieved under duress. The position of the United States in disapproval and in deprecation of such procedures has repeatedly been stated. 

This Government has not at any time or in any way approved the French concessions to Japan. The attitude of this Government toward developments in French Indochina is as expressed by the Secretary of State this morning and in previous public statements. 

German Government: Hitler meets with local fascist leaders from Holland.

German Military: Lieutenant-Colonel Hans Speidel, Chief of Staff of the military commander in France, submits a detailed report to OKW and Hitler on the course of the aerial campaign against Great Britain. He notes that the battle opened well for the Luftwaffe, but fierce opposition caused the opening of attacks on London to begin too late, and poor weather made them ineffective. The delays enabled the RAF to recover by speeding up pilot training and plane production, with planes rolling straight from the factories into combat. Speidel observes that the new pilots were incompetent and had resorted to ramming Luftwaffe bombers. While crude, the tactics frustrated the Luftwaffe attacks on London and necessitated the third (current) phase of the battle, attacks on London by night and fighter raids by day. He concludes that the RAF Fighter Command is down to 300 fighters, with a production rate of 250 per month and notes:

Our own forces still feel themselves to have the upper hand over the enemy, and are completely confident that the air war can be prosecuted successfully.

In essence, Speidel places the blame for the Luftwaffe's failures on fanatical and self-sacrificing RAF pilots and the weather. It is a classic evasion-of-blame report which reveals the continued myopia of the Luftwaffe intelligence section. In point of fact, the RAF still has about 700 fighters in good condition, roughly the same level it has had throughout the battle, and the quality of fighter is increasing as older models get shot down and replaced by newer ones. At this point, everyone knows that the Luftwaffe has not met Hitler's objectives, so Speidel simply paints a happy face on the picture and ends with standard hopes for ultimate success.

Prototype Jeep, September 1940. The first driver said, "God but it is fun to drive!" They drove 230 miles to the army testing site, making it half an hour before the deadline.

US Military: The US Army has contacted 135 companies with its request for a new small transport vehicle. American Bantam Car Company today submits its hand-built prototype "Pilot" aka "Blitz Buggy" aka "Bantam Reconnaissance Car" to the Army at  Camp Holabird, Maryland. The Army likes the Karl Probst design, but Bantam is bankrupt and too small to fill the order. The Army turns the design over to Willys-Overland and Ford for further refinement and development. The prototype delivered today ultimately leads to the ubiquitous Jeep.

British Homefront: King George VI addresses the nation. He notes the creation of the George Cross and George Medal, to be given for gallantry "not in the face of the enemy" to members of the British armed forces and to British civilians. These awards typically go to people who perform heroically during the Blitz, such as rescuing people at the peril of their own lives. Many are awarded posthumously. The George Cross is intended as the civilian equivalent of the Victoria Cross, but in practice is awarded to primarily military personnel. The King notes that "our friends in the Americas" will assure final victory.

American Homefront: A Gallup poll illustrates the deep split in US public opinion about the European War. While 52% support helping England win even at the risk of the US getting into the war, 48% feel that it is a higher priority that the US not get into the war.

Charles Coughlin is a well-known opponent of the war known as the "Radio Priest." A Detroit priest who is known as "Father Coughlin," he has had a popular radio show for many years that is widely considered to be anti-Semitic, anti-Roosevelt and anti-war. While his radio audience is immense, reaching up to 30 million per week, he is a very controversial figure not just in the public, but within the Church, where Bishop Michael Gallagher of Detroit allowed him to remain on the air (until his passing in 1937) despite pressure from everyone above.

Today, Coughlin announces in his popular publication Social Justice that he had been forced from the air "by those who control circumstances beyond my reach." This is almost certainly a result of the adoption of new rules which curb the sale of radio time to "spokesmen of controversial public issues" in October 1939, which require that such spokesmen submit copies of their speeches in advance and threaten stations with loss of their licenses.

The British government releases sketchy details on 23 September 1940 of the sinking of the City of Benares in the Atlantic on 18 September. There are many lurid details, but the name of the ship itself remains a state secret.

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