Friday 11 July 1941

A Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun that crashed within the Reich province of Bohemia and Moravia (Czechoslovakia) on 11 July 1941.

Eastern Front: On 11 July 1941, the Soviets mount counterattacks against the advancing panzer spearheads of the Wehrmacht. The attack fails, as have all the others, and it is easy to forget about these bloody battles. However, there is a cumulative effect on the Germans that may not be apparent now - but will tell in the end.

Despite the spectacular successes of the past few weeks, Hitler, who has too much free time on his hands at Rastenburg, is worried. Field Marshal Keitel telephones General Halder, operations boss at OKH, at noon and lists Hitler's concerns:

1. Some following units are closing up too slowly on the most advanced units;
2. The south flank of Army Group North and north flank of Army Group Center are not cooperating together properly, as Hitler thinks that von Bock's troops to the south are not sufficiently helping von Leeb's troops to the north;
3. General Hoepner's 4th Panzer Group is "losing contact" with following infantry because it is moving too quickly.

Halder does not take these concerns very seriously. However, they reflect concerns that Hitler will return to repeatedly and, in some cases (such as the lack of cooperation between Army Groups), will pose real problems down the road as German forces get more stretched.

In the Far North, the Finnish offensive in Karelia toward the Svir River that began on 10 July continues. The Finns are pounding against strong Soviet defenses on the eastern shore of the Jänisjärvi Lake north of Lake Ladoga. Aggressive offensive operations are not a Finnish strength, they are better suited to defensive operations, but they continue attacking in order to open the way south.

Further north in the Salla area, the Finnish 3rd Division of III Corps continues beating against Soviet positions on the Vyonitsa River. Elsewhere, the front is stable today, and the Germans ask the Finns to send reinforcements to get their offensives rolling again. The Finns agree to send Infantry Regiment 14.

In the Army Group North sector, the Soviets launch counterattacks against General Hoepner's 4th Panzer Group, but without much effect. The German Army Group is preparing for an advance to the southeast of Leningrad to isolate it. The Soviets are using Nevel as a "straggler collection point" that is setting up divisions to be sent back to the front.

In the Army Group Center, General Guderian's Panzer Group 2 is across the Dnepr and attacking along two axes. General Hoth's Panzer Group 3 is hit by Soviet counterattacks from the southeast and stopped. Hoth's advance units on the south are on the Orsha-Vitebsk highway.

German troops of Panzer Group 1 secure the road from Kyiv to Odesa, 11 July 1941.

In the Army Group South sector, German Panzer Group 1 is within ten miles of Kyiv. XIV Panzer Corps (General Gustav von Wietersheim and 48 Panzer Corps (General Eberhard von Mackensen) advance to the south of Kyiv and reach the Dnepr River at Kremenchuk. The Germans are at the inner ring of Kiev's defenses but choose not to attack frontally at this time. The Romanian forces on the right flank of the advance have been weakened by Soviet counterattacks and the Germans now feel that they are no longer capable of offensive operations. During the day, the Soviets launch counterattacks at Panzer Group 1 at Berdichev in the south and Zhytomyr in the north.

The Germans are keeping a close eye on the Soviet commanders. General Halder notes in his war diary that the commander of Soviet Northwest Front (opposing Army Group North) is Voroshilov, that of Western Front is Marshal Timoshenko, and of Southwest Front, Budenny (Budyonny). Overall, Halder is pleased with the day's fighting, noting that "The bulk of the enemy forces apparently is being taken back to the east."

Inverted and destroyed heavy tank KV-2, belonging to the Soviet 14th Tank Division of the 7th Mechanized Corps of the Red Army. The city of Vitebsk, July 11, 1941.

Syrian/Lebanon Campaign: The Commonwealth troops continue converging on Beirut from all directions. The situation is hopeless, and the Vichy French navy has evacuated Beirut and headed to Tripoli.

Overhead, a Vichy French Dewoitine D.520 fighter shoots down a Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk - the only Tomahawk shot down during the entire campaign. Offshore, during the early morning hours, the Royal Navy sends a squadron from Haifa led by light cruisers HMS Ajax and Phoebe on a sweep along the coast looking for Vichy French shipping, but find none.

At his headquarters in Beirut, General Dentz is busy trying to arrange a ceasefire, followed by an armistice. He reaches an agreement for a ceasefire against the wishes of the Petain regime in France. The terms officially are to go into effect at one minute past midnight on 12 July, but in reality, the fighting is over around 21:00.

The Bf-109F of II/JG 51 Luftwaffe Gruppenkommandeur Josef Fözö, 11 July 1941.

European Air Operations: During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends 6 Stirling bombers of RAF No. 7 Squadron to attack the Le Trait shipyard and Hazebrouck. All of the planes return.

The RAF conducts Circus missions to Lille and Yainville, and a Rhubarb mission to Norrent-Fontes.

After dark, RAF Bomber Command sends 36 Hampdens to attack Wilhelmshaven. The bombs damage a fishing boat and destroy a barrack hut, killing two people.

Josef “Joschko” Fözö, Gruppenkommandeur of II/JG 51 in Russia, claims his 24th victory today. However, later in the day, he crashes on take-off at Stava Bychow and is hospitalized. Fözö is out of action until 3 May 1942.

Josef “Joschko” Fözö, injured on 11 July 1941.

Battle of the Baltic: German minesweeper M-23 hits a mine and sinks in shallow water off Parnava, Estonia. It is later raised, repaired and returned to service.

Finnish submarine Iko-Tursu lays mines.

Battle of the Atlantic: British 215-ton fishing trawler FV Suzette runs aground in thick fog and is wrecked on Girdle Reef, Peterhead.

The RAF bombs and sinks German 2575-ton transport SS Delos/Donau of the Hamburg America Line off Tobruk.

British 246-ton freighter River Trent hits a mine and is damaged north of Sheringham. It is taken under tow to Great Yarmouth.

Convoy OB-345 departs from Liverpool bound for Halifax, Convoy HX-138 departs from Halifax bound for Liverpool.

Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Felixstowe is commissioned.

Canadian corvette HMCS Algoma (Lt. John Harding) is commissioned.

German S-Boat DKM S-49 is commissioned.

HMS Defender sinking in the Mediterranean, 11 July 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Right before dawn, the Luftwaffe (Junkers Ju 88 aircraft of Lehrgeschwader 1, piloted by Gerhard Stamp) catches one of the nightly Royal Navy supply missions to Tobruk as it is withdrawing to Alexandria. At 05:20, the German planes damage destroyer HMS Defender about 60 miles east of Tobruk. Fellow destroyer Vendetta tows Defender for a while, but eventually, Defender settles too low in the water and has to be scuttled. It sinks about seven miles north of Sidi Barrani. There are no deaths and five wounded.

After dark, the Luftwaffe raids Port Said and Ismailia with 52 bombers.

In Malta, the Italians conduct a fierce fighter attack that begins at 13:21. The Macchi 200 fighters strafe Luqa Airfield and destroy a Wellington bomber, damage four Wellingtons, and damage two Marylands. Hawker Hurricanes of RAF No. 185 Squadron intercept the Italian planes and while chasing them north, shooting down three Italian fighters and damaging four others.

Battle of the Black Sea: Soviet gunboats BKA-111 and BKA-134 advance into the Danube Estuary. Romanian coastal artillery opens fire and sinks them. Soviet gunboats No. 103 and No. 501 also are lost today, perhaps in this same action.

Under the supervision of German troops, women are inducted into the Labor Service in Riga, 11 July 1941 (Stupid, Federal Archives, Bild 146-1994-090-06A).

US Military: William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan becomes "Co-ordinator of Defense Information." Donovan is in the early stages of forming the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which is the forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Both of those are based upon Donovan's observations in Great Britain early in 1941 of the British intelligence service, MI6. The Presidential statement on the appointment states in part:

In his capacity as Coordinator, Mr. Donovan will collect and assemble information and data bearing on national security from the various departments and agencies of the Government and will analyze and collate such materials for the use of the President and such other officials as the President may designate.

President Roosevelt adds to his appropriations request of 10 July for $4.7 billion with an additional request for $3.3 billion for the US Navy. These are all unheard-of sums, particularly stacked one upon the other, but Congress is firmly behind the war effort (with some notable isolationist exceptions).

CA-34 USS Astoria at Mare Island Navy Yard on July 11, 1941.

German Military: Adolf Hitler issues Fuhrer Directive No. 32, "Preparations for the Time After Barbarossa." Reflecting utter confidence in the outcome of the war in the East, the directive begins:

After destruction of the Soviet Armed Forces, Germany and Italy will be military masters of the European Continent, with the temporary exception of the Iberian Peninsula. No serious threat to Europe by land will then remain.

The lengthy directive instructs the Commanders-in-Chief of the different services to "begin the planning and organization" of a list of things to be done once the Soviet Union is defeated. The most salient point in the directive and the only one that comes close to having any impact is Hitler's order that:

The main efforts of the armaments industry can be diverted to the Navy and Air Force.

The directive contemplates a renewed prosecution of the "peripheral strategy" against Great Britain in the Mediterranean. Hitler only gives passing reference to England, noting only that tighter ties with France will further isolate London and that:

In addition to these contemplated operations against the British position in the Mediterranean, the 'Siege of England' must be resumed with the utmost intensity by the Navy and Air Force after the conclusion of the campaign in the East.

Preparations for an invasion of England will continue in the hopes of tying down English forces at home (and thus not in the vital Mediterranean battleground) and "and of bringing about a final English collapse through a landing in England."

The directive also offhandedly contemplates "a German operation from Bulgaria through Turkey" to advance toward the Suez Canal, and "Exploitation of the Arab Freedom Movement." Hitler also has plans for Iran, Afghanistan, and India, which he previously offered to Stalin in exchange for joining his war.

Finnish Military: Julius Johannes Björklund is appointed the first Field Bishop (kenttäpiispa) for the Finnish Army. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Church of Finland.

British Military: General Archibald Wavell takes up his new command in India.

17-year-old Jeanne Cline won the Women's Western Golf Association junior championship at St. Charles (IL) Country Club on July 11, 1941.

German Government: Hitler talks late into the night with his cronies, expounding as usual on his philosophical theories. He notes that "Russian atheists know how to die." However, Hitler has no use for atheism, concluding, "We don't want to educate anyone in atheism."

US Government: Robert Jackson is sworn in as a new Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Holocaust: The Germans, who took Vitebsk on 10 July, begin creating the Vitebsk Ghetto. The Germans will incarcerate 16,000 Jews in the ghetto, which will be notorious for its poor conditions.

It is the first day of executions at Ponary, Lithuania. A resident, Kazimierz Sakowicz, writes in his diary that he hears shots from a nearby forest where Jews have been taken, and that "the shots last an hour or two." He puts the number of Jews at 200.

Autographed promotional shot from Three Stooges comedy "I'll Never Heil Again," released on 11 July 1941.

American Homefront: Paramount Pictures releases "Forced Landing." Starring Richard Arlen, Eva Gabor, J. Carrol Naish, Nils Asther and Evelyn Brent, "Forced Landing" follows the travails of a pilot in fictional, tropical "Mosaque" who must thwart plans by a treacherous foreigner to steal US military secrets. This is Eva Gabor's film debut.

Columbia Pictures releases "I'll Never Heil Again," starring the Three Stooges. A short, "I'll Never Heil Again" follows the trio as they attempt to take over Europe along with their "Axel" partners. The film is notable because it is the first sequel to another film in the Three Stooges canon, and also because the Stooges break the fourth wall and directly address the audience.

A flier from the continuing strike at Disney Studios, 11 July 1941.

July 1941

July 1, 1941: US TV Broadcasting Starts
July 2, 1941: MAUD Report
July 3, 1941: Stalin Speaks
July 4, 1941: Pogroms in Eastern Europe
July 5, 1941: Germans on Schedule
July 6, 1941: Australians Attack Damour
July 7, 1941: US Marines in Iceland
July 8, 1941: Flying Fortresses In Action
July 9, 1941: British Take Damour
July 10, 1941: Sword and Scabbard Order
July 11, 1941: Cease-fire in Syria and Lebanon
July 12, 1941: Anglo/Russian Assistance Pact
July 13, 1941: Uprising in Montenegro
July 14, 1941: Katyusha Rocket Launchers in Action
July 15, 1941: Smolensk Falls
July 16, 1941: Stalin's Son Captured
July 17, 1941: Heydrich Orders Mass Executions
July 18, 1941: Twin Pimples Raid
July 19, 1941: V for Victory
July 20, 1941: The Man Who Wouldn't Shoot
July 21, 1941: Moscow in Flames
July 22, 1941: Soviet Generals Executed
July 23, 1941: Secret Plan JB 355
July 24, 1941: Operation Sunrise
July 25, 1941: US Naval Alert
July 26, 1941: Italian E-Boat Attack on Malta
July 27, 1941: MacArthur Returns
July 28, 1941: Auschwitz Exterminations
July 29, 1941: Rescue From Crete
July 30, 1941: Raid on Petsamo and Kirkenes
July 31, 1941: Final Solution Order

2020

Tuesday 29 October 1940

Father Louis Cheray stands in his ruined Edmundite church in Whitton, England. It was destroyed on the night of 29 October 1940. Unlike today, when someone (usually the government) steps in and fixes things, back then if your building was bombed, you were out of luck. Father Cheray raised some money and set to work repairing the church himself. He completed repairs in 1941, doing a lot himself, and the church as he fixed it remains in service today.

Italian/Greek Campaign: There are three main sectors of the Greek front with varying degrees of activity on 29 October 1940.

Along the coastal sector, the main Greek 8th Infantry Division force on the coast breaks contact and retires in good order to the Kalpaki line. This area has swamps at the mouth of the Kalamas River directly in front of Kalpaki which would retard any attack. Two Greek battalions under Major-General Nikolaos Lioumbas hold this area. Further inland, nine Greek battalions hold the Kalpaki pass. This line looks sturdy due to its natural advantages despite the presence of Italian warships offshore that can bombard the Greeks.

In the central sector, the Julia Division is moving forward in the critical Pindus Mountains sector of the front. Their goal is the crossroads of Metsovo, which would cut Greek lines of communications to their forces further north. The Greeks of the scratch Pindus Detachment (soon to be supplemented by the 1st Infantry Division) are retiring in good order to Samarina. It begins to snow in this area, which helps the defense.

The northern Macedonian sector is fairly static, with minimal Italian gains. Advances in this sector depend upon the Italian forces further south taking Metsovo, through which Greek supplies and reinforcements pass.

A planned Italian landing on Corfu is scrubbed due to poor weather.

A Paris shopgirl displays her wares for appreciative Wehrmacht boys, October 1940.

German/Italian Relations: An underlying tension between the Italians and the Germans concerns North Africa. The Germans want to put their own troops there for a variety of reasons, including sheer imperialism. The Italians, however, consider North Africa their own private domain and want it to remain German-free. Mussolini has been uncertain about the ability of the Italian Army to advance past the British defensive line at Mersa Matruh and take Alexandria without German assistance. At the Brenner Pass meeting on 4 October, Mussolini had waffled on whether to allow German troops to participate in this "third stage" of the North Africa offensive, indicating that he "might be forced" to use German tanks to take the British base (which would lever the British completely out of the Middle East entirely).

In hindsight, it is fairly obvious that the Italian Army had absolutely no hope of reaching Alexandria by itself, much less capturing it. However, the Italians are full of themselves at this point and truly believe they are world-conquerors.

Italian Commander in Chief Marshal Badoglio - adamantly opposed to German involvement in North Africa - today convinces Mussolini that the "third stage" of the offensive, taking Alexandria, is completely impossible with or without German assistance. He convinces Mussolini to cancel any plans for an Italian advance beyond Mersa Matruh (which itself would be extremely difficult for the Italians to take). This eliminates any excuse for the Germans to intrude troops into North Africa. It cripples the "peripheral strategy" favored by many of Hitler's Generals and Admirals - at least for the time being. Armchair historians who wonder why the Germans didn't just boot the British out of Egypt and Gibraltar early on when it would have been feasible - here is your reason.

This is an eminently sensible conclusion for the Italians to draw from the situation. Italian troops have miserable morale and terrible equipment and supplies. The important thing to note, though, is that the Italians don't make this decision at this time because of the British defenses or anything to do with the state of the Italian military - but because of their desire to keep the Germans out of North Africa.

Japan's home fleet on October 29, 1940, off the coast of Yokohama, Japan.

Battle of Britain: The Luftwaffe steps up its raids today, requiring a maximum effort by the RAF. It is a bad day for the Luftwaffe's fighter force, which suffers heavily. Today's operations usually are considered the last major, or climactic, Luftwaffe daylight attacks over England, though the battle continues of course.

German fighter-bombers (Jabos) cross the coast around 10:30, with many evading interception and bombing central London. The Charing Cross bridge is hit. A Hurricane of RAF No. 213 Squadron bales out near Selsey but perishes.

Some Dornier Do 17s mount a rare daylight raid just past noontime. They are intercepted by RAF No. 1 Squadron and don't accomplish much.

The largest operations of the day begin at 13:00 when 100+ Jabos and accompanying fighters head for central London and nearby airfields (Biggin Hill, Hornchurch, Maidstone). JG 51 runs into the main force of RAF fighters and is attacked from above, losing 8 fighters. The Jabos drop their bombs and scramble for home quickly.

Around the same time, a large formation approaches Portsmouth from the south. This includes a dozen Junkers Ju 88s, and they run into RAF Nos. 145 and 213 Squadrons. The Luftwaffe bombs cause 39 casualties, with three deaths, along with dozens of houses destroyed and damage to the railway line.

As these other raids are in progress, the Italian CAI force sends over 15 BR 20 bombers with 39 CR 42 and 34 G.50bis escorts to bomb Ramsgate. They stray off course and bomb the Royal Marines Barracks at Deal, killing 8 men and wounding a dozen others.

The Jabos have great success later in the afternoon, and they are accompanied again by Junkers Ju 88 bombers. These raids proceed against airfields across East Anglia. This is Operation Opernhall (Opera Hall). There are 71 Ju 88s and 52 Jabos escorted by well over 120 Bf 109s and Bf 110s. North Weald, Leeming, Linton, Wattisham, Honington, Leeming, Newmarket, West Raynham, and Linton-on-Ouse and other airfields take damage.

The fighting is wild and wooly all afternoon. There are Luftwaffe planes going every which way, including a diversionary attack on the London docks by Epr210. There were planes falling out of the sky in all directions, most of them German.

After dark, the main targets are London, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Coventry. The raids are spread out all across southern England. One bomber raids Bristol, another causes a fire at the Wrays Optical Works which destroys the factory. Junkers Ju 88s act as dive bombers (all Luftwaffe bombers are required to have some dive-bombing capability), attacking airfields in East Anglia, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire.

The Luftwaffe drops mines in the Thames Estuary. These include new acoustic mines, which explode due to noise caused by ship propellers. One of the mines is recovered by two Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officers in the River Ogmore for study.

Overall, as with most days when the Luftwaffe mounts a major effort, it is a bad day for the Germans. They lose over two dozen planes (22 Bf 109s, 3 Bf 110s and 2 Do 17s), and the RAF fewer than a dozen planes.

Werner Mölders claimed his 54th victory, keeping his lead over second-place Adolf Galland. Major Helmut Wick of JG 2 files two claims for Hurricanes over Portsmouth, giving him 44 victories.

Check out Tommy Dorsey and Frank at the Palladium tonight.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command sends its 25th raid against Berlin.

Battle of the Atlantic: British 1500 ton sludge barge G.W. Humphreys hits a mine and sinks Thames Estuary north of Leysdown-on-Sea, Kent. Seven crewmen perish.

U-31 (Kptl. Wilfried Prellberg) torpedoes and sinks 5389-ton British freighter Matina. The Matina is a drifting derelict that was attacked by U-28 on 26 October. This will be U-31's final success.

U-29 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart) rendezvouses with German raider Widder in the Bay of Biscay. Widder is operating at a reduced power of 5 knots due to engine difficulties and is slowly returning to base.

Norwegian 3015 ton freighter Jamaica hits a mine and is damaged.

Dutch submarine O-24 attacks a freighter off Norway but misses.

German E-boats Iltis and Jaguar lay minefield Alfred off Dover.

Convoy OB 236 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 322 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 322 departs from Methil, Convoy SC 10 departs St. John, Convoy OG 45 departs from Liverpool/Milford Haven/Glasgow, Convoy BM 3 departs from Bombay.

Daily Worker, 29 October 1940.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Greece formally requests British military assistance per the guarantee of 13 April 1939, which states:

[I]n the event of any action being taken which clearly threatened the independence of Greece, His Majesty's Government would feel themselves bound at once to lend all the support in their power.

England already has offered its assistance, so this request is a mere formality.

Operation BN: Pursuant to their mutual defense obligations to the Greeks, the British land troops on Greece. It is a reconnaissance party drawn from members of the Royal Navy, RAF, and the army. The men arrive at Suda Bay in a flying boat. The Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet based at Alexandria, led by battleships HMS Warspite, Valiant, Malaya, and Ramillies along with aircraft carriers HMS Eagle and Illustrious sorties to the west of Crete to cover landing operations there. A convoy of troopships also depart for Suda Bay. Operation BN is planned to continue for the next week and land a large body of British troops. The initial force of battleships also carries an extempore initial landing force of 158 sailors from the crew of damaged HMS Liverpool to form a shore party at Suda Bay.

Italian submarine Scirè parks off Gibraltar and releases its three manned torpedoes. All three submersibles, however, experience technical difficulties and the mission is scrubbed.

Italian submarine Atropo lays mines off Zante in the Aegean.

RAF bombers raid Italian positions in North Africa.

At Malta, the Malta Fighter Plane Fund is closed to contributions today, being announced a great success. A total of £12900 has been raised over three months, which is to be sent to the Minister for Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook, in London.

Battle of the Pacific: German raider Pinguin and converted minelayer Passat continue laying mines off southeast Australia. The Passat lays 30 mines in the Banks Straits.

Italian Military: The government begins full mobilization of the Italian Blackshirt units.

Actress Carole Landis learns her future from phrenology, 29 October 1940.

Vichy France: French Brigadier-General Paul Legentilhomme, who has been the Commander in Chief of the French military units stationed in French Somaliland, arrives in London to join Charles de Gaulle. Legentilhomme condemned the French Armistice on 18 June and left his command on 2 August.

China: At the continuing Battle of South Kwangsi, the Japanese withdraw from Nanning as the Chinese advance. The Chinese capture Kaofengyi, Santang, and Chientaohsu.

American Homefront: The first draft number is drawn pursuant to the  Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 lottery by Secretary of War Henry Stimson. He uses a blindfold to fish a number out of a fishbowl. This is the beginning of the first peacetime draft in US history. Chinese laundryman Yuen Chong Chan is the first choice and announces that he is eager to fight Japan.

October 29, 1940, U.S. Attorney General Robert Jackson draws the third draft lottery number, watched by President Roosevelt. You can see the first two numbers drawn on the board.

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

Monday 5 August 1940

Spitfires over England, August 1940.

Battle of Britain: It is typical summer weather for a change on 5 August 1940, and the Luftwaffe gets busy. It is not a bad day for its forces at all. The Luftwaffe still is preparing for its maximum effort, though, so this is just another warm-up.

First thing in the morning, bombers attack shipping south of Selsey Bill. They have no success and wisely depart upon sighting RAF fighters.

Another formation of Junkers Ju 88s attacks the convoy about an hour later, around 08:00. The Spitfires of No. 65 Squadron based at Hornchurch intervene, and a dogfight erupts between them and Bf 109s of I,/JG54. The British lose a plane and the Luftwaffe has two damaged.

Another battle erupts around the same time along the coastline near Kent. RAF No. 64 Squadron sends its Spitfires up against more JG 54 fighters, both sides losing a fighter and another Bf 109 damaged.

The afternoon features the main event of the day. Junkers Ju 88s escorted by Bf 109s of JG 51 once again fall on Channel shipping. RAF Nos. 41 and 151 Squadrons intercept. A wild melee develops, with 7,/JG51 claiming three Spitfires for one loss of their own.

There also are various small-scale raids around Dungeness, with RAF No. 145 downing a Junkers Ju 88 and Henschel Hs 126, but also losing a Hurricane. Around 15:12, a lone raider bombs Norwich and causes more damage than you might think, blowing up a railroad installation and some nearby lumber yards. Lone intruders also hit various unconnected spots such as Brighton, Leighton Buzzard, Milford haven, Isle of Grain and Middlesborough. There also are some bombs dropped basically in the middle of nowhere around midnight in Northumberland, likely by a lost bomber or two. The attacks are random and scattered, thus difficult to defend against.

Another convoy attack takes place during the afternoon off Yarmouth. RAF No. 242 Squadron downs a bomber or two.

For its part, RAF Bomber Command continues its raids on airfields and ports in northwest Europe, attacking its usual targets of Schiphol/Amsterdam, Borkum, Hamburg, Kiel and nearby areas.

Most accounts give the day to the RAF by a wide margin, but a close look at the individual actions suggest a much closer score.

1,/JG51 suffers perhaps the most serious loss on its home field when Staffelkapitän Hptm. Douglas Pitcairn of 1./JG 51 runs into his wingman on takeoff. He has to be replaced by Oblt. Hermann-Friedrich Jöppien.

Stukas, August 1940.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-56 (Oberleutnant zur See Otto Harms) stalks Convoy OB 193 off the Western Approaches. Just after dark, at 21:38, it fires off two torpedoes, one of which hits the 5408-ton British coal freighter Boma. There are 50 survivors, 3 crew perish.

276 ton trawler River Clyde hits a mine and sinks off Aldeburgh Light float, a dozen men perish.

British 5112 ton rice freighter Cape St. George hits a sunken wreck southeast of Cape Verde and sinks. All 65 aboard survive.

German raider Atlantis embarks the captured freighter Tirranna with 274 prisoners - all that will fit, there are still almost 100 left on the Atlantis - and sends it back to France with a prize crew.

Troop convoy WS 2 departs a British port, bound for British garrisons in India and Egypt via the Cape of Good Hope.

The Queen Mary enters a graving dock in Singapore for full conversion to a troopship, complete with paravanes.

Convoys MT 131 and OA 194 depart from Methil, Convoy FS 243 departs from the Tyne.

Battle of the Mediterranean: On Malta, there is an air raid alert at 15:15, but it is only an Italian decoy mission to attempt to engage the new Hurricane fighters. They fly over the island for a while, then fly off after briefly tangling with one of two Hurricanes which rise to challenge them. The Italians may figure that the new pilots brought in on the 2nd via Operation Hurry are inexperienced and thus would be easier to dispose of now rather than after more time passes - a view shared by Malta's Governor-General Dobbie.

General Sir Archibald Wavell flies in from his headquarters in Alexandria. Visits like this are extremely important for island morale. This is the first leg on an extremely hazardous journey to London for consultations, and of course, the entire thing is extremely hush-hush.

British Somaliland: The Italian invasion from Abyssinia continues against light opposition. Two of the three Italian columns capture their objectives, Hargeisa and Zeila, without much hindrance. The third column is approaching its objective, Odweina. Italian bombers are active throughout the region, attacking various British strong points on the coast such as Berbera, Burao, and Zeila. The British have virtually no air presence in the region.

Anglo/US Relations: Imperial Airways flying boat Clare makes the first of a series of mail/courier flights from Great Britain to New York's La Guardia Field aka New York Municipal Airport via Newfoundland.

British Ambassador Lord Lothian presents his government's proposal for a swap of certain British possessions in exchange for 50 or 60 old US destroyers.

French Vice-Admiral Georges A.M.J. Robert, in command of Vichy forces in the French West Indies, meets with American Rear Admiral John W. Greenslade regarding the powerful French naval forces in the Western Hemisphere. This is a touchy subject: while the US and France are both technically neutral, the US has been supporting the British and Vichy France has been actively collaborating with Germany. However, every overseas French command has been making its own individual decision about who to support.

US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Harold Stark coordinates the exchange of scientific information with Sir Henry Tizard's British mission, which has just arrived.

Life Magazine, 5 August 1940, has a big spread on US Vacations.

Anglo/Polish Relations: The British sign another set of agreements with the Polish government-in-exile. Already, the Poles have staffed two RAF Squadrons which to date are performing extremely well. There have been some agreements before, but the situation continues to evolve. General Sikorski, now Polish Prime Minister and Commander in Chief, signs the agreement. The agreement enables Polish military forces in England to retain their national identity and military customs, such as marches and salutes. They remain under Polish Command in conjunction with the British War Office - ultimately, of course, under British command. They wear British uniforms (with certain modifications to badges and insignia to reflect national traditions) but adopt British Army staff methods, procedures, and organizations. Many locals are taken aback by the presence of the foreign-speaking soldiers with weird badges.

German/Italian Relations: Hitler and Mussolini have discussions. For once, Mussolini has something to brag about in British Somaliland.

German Military: OKW Chief of Staff Franz Halder reviews the first operational plans for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union planned for 1941. They have been prepared by staff officer General of Artillery Erich Marcks. It is called Operation Draft East. It proposes two thrusts to reach the Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan line (the "A-A Line") during a summer campaign. This would require the capture of Leningrad, Kyiv, Moscow, Stalingrad, the occupation of all territory west of the Volga, and most of the industrialized areas of the USSR, the entire Donetz basin, and the Grozny/Maikop oil fields before the snows hit.

While first drafts are not expected to be perfect, the draft's fantastic assumptions demonstrate the extreme confidence - over-confidence - of the Wehrmacht in its outlook following the victory in France. The fact that Marcks is not laughed out of Halder's office, but instead has his draft taken seriously, speaks volumes. Having an artillery officer draft the plans, which will call for extravagant panzer thrusts and highly mobile operations just to occupy that amount of territory in that amount of time, much less pry it out of the hands of the Soviets, shows how unrealistic the entire planning process is.

The Manly ferry in Sydney Australia approaches wharf number three in Circular Quay, August 5, 1940 (Photo from the Fairfax archives).

US Military: Heavy cruisers USS Wichita and Quincy continue their "show the flag" cruise to ports in South America, departing from Bahia for Pernambuco, Brazil.

US Government: President Roosevelt and US Attorney General Robert H. Jackson appear before the Governors of 42 States and urge the passage of laws against foreign spies and "Fifth Columnists."

Baltic States: Latvia joins its fellow Baltic States in "voluntarily" becoming the Soviet Socialist Republic of Latvia.

Holocaust: Germans are now required to carry a Certificate of Ancestry, the Ahnenpass, showing their racial purity stretching back to 1800. Interesting, several German leaders, including Adolf Hitler himself, might have some difficulty producing such documentation themselves.

In Holland, butchers are arrested for violating a new law banning the kosher preparation of meat.

US Homefront: Frederick Albert Cook passes away in New York. He claimed to reach the North Pole a year before Robert Peary in 1908, and while that (along with other claims) soon was dismissed, he did make important discoveries during his expeditions.

"Commander of Britain's Defense" Sir Alan F. Brooke graces the cover of today's Time Magazine.

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

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