Sunday 8 December 1940

"The British warship approaches the IDARWALD." 8 December 1940. © IWM (A 2843)

Italian/Greek Campaign: Mussolini on 8 December 1940 continues his ongoing purge of Italian military leadership. He dismisses three admirals, including Chief of Naval Staff Domenico Cavagnari. He is replaced by Admiral Arturo Riccardi. Cavagnari is a "battleship" admiral who has little use for aircraft carriers, which in theory are unnecessary in the Mediterranean due to the prevalence of airbases. However, having naval aircraft close at hand - and not a half-hour away - can make all the difference in the short, sharp engagements that characterize this war's encounters.

General Cesare Maria de Vecchi, commander of the Italian forces based in the Aegean Sea, and Inigo Campioni, a commander with the Italian Navy 1st Naval Squadron. also are rumored to be leaving their posts. However, there is no official announcement of this at this time.

The Greeks, meanwhile, continue pressing forward. Today, Greek I Corps captures Gjirokastër (Argyrokastro) and Delvinë (Dervitsani).

European Air Operations: After taking a day off at least partly due to the weather, the Luftwaffe comes back with full force. KG 55 and other formations send 413 bombers against London, maintaining a prolonged bombardment that lasts from dusk to dawn. Damage is extensive, including the Tower of London and House of Commons. There are seven hospitals destroyed along with four churches from the 115,000 incendiaries drop and 387 tons of high explosives. The Luftwaffe loses only two bombers, one of which crashes during takeoff at Villacoublay airfield.

RAF Bomber Command attacks Dusseldorf, Lorient, Bordeaux, Brest, Flushing, Gravelines, Dunkirk and various airfields in northwest Europe.

"The IDARWALD was cast off overnight, and next morning the British warship coming alongside again finds the midships section of the German freighter burnt out and the ship very low in the water." © IWM (A 2842).

Battle of the Atlantic: German freighters Idarwald (5098 tons) and Rhein are attempting at least their third breakout from their refuge at Tampico, Mexico, but are being shadowed by the US Neutrality Patrol ship USS Sturtevant (DD-240). Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diomede (D 92), alerted by the US ships broadcasting the situation in the clear, approaches the Idarwald off Cabo Corrientes, Cuba to take possession. The German captain, however, instructs his crew to scuttle the ship. They set fires and take to their lifeboats. The British fight the fires and take the ship in tow, but it later sinks. Adolf Hitler specifically refers to this incident on 11 December 1941 in his declaration of war on the United States.

U-103 (Kptl. Viktor Schütze), on its 2nd patrol out of Lorient and sailing in the Western Approaches, torpedoes and sinks British 5186-ton freighter Calabria. The Calabria is carrying 4000 tons of iron, 3050 tons of tea and 1870 tons of oilcake. It also has 230 passengers, primarily Indian sailors being brought to England to crew other ships, in addition to 130 crew. The U-boat puts two torpedoes into the freighter in bright moonlight. The ship sinks quickly - typical for ships carrying heavy cargo - and all 360 aboard perish. The losses include the 79-year-old ship's cook, Santan Martins, believed to be the oldest merchant marine crewman to lose his life during the war. The Calabria's ship's bell had been removed prior to this voyage and occasionally comes up for auction.

U-140 (Kptlt. Hans-Peter Hinsch), on its only war patrol (it is a small Type IID submarine unsuited to ocean work), is sailing north of Ireland when he spots a victim. It is the steel 3-masted 2816-ton Finnish bark Penang, which has sailed all the way from Australia with a load of grain for Ireland. Hinsch torpedoes and sinks the bark, and all 18 crew aboard perish.

Later in the day, Hinsch hears a ship nearby requesting assistance by radio. The 5652-ton British freighter Ashcrest has suffered in the recent storms and its rudder is damaged. Hinsch puts a torpedo into it as well, sinking it and causing the deaths of all 37 crew. These are U-140's final victories in the Atlantic and it soon heads back to port.

British 311-ton freighter Actuality hits a mine about 6 km off the Isle of Sheppey, Kent (near Mouse Light Vessel) and sinks. There are six deaths.

British 5186-ton freighter Anthea collides with Dutch freighter Maasdam off the Grand Banks of Canada and the crew abandons it, with the ship later sinking.

Canadian freighter Beothic runs aground about two miles from Griquet in the Straits of Belle Isle off Cape Bauld, Newfoundland and is lost.

British 429-ton freighter Goosethorn sinks in rough weather in Liverpool Bay.

German 3210-ton freighter Adalia collides with fellow freighter Mendoza during the night in Flushing Roads in the North Sea near Vlissingen, Zeeland, and sinks.

The Luftwaffe damages 5281-ton British freighter Treverbyn.

Royal Navy destroyer HMS Windsor hits a mine off Aldeburgh and sustains heavy damage. It requires a tow to Harwich by the fellow destroyer HMS Garth.

German battleship Bismarck exits the Kiel Canal.

Convoy OB 256 departs from Liverpool, Convoys FS 356 and 357 depart from Methil, Convoy SC 15 departs from St. John, New Brunswick, Convoy AS 8 from Piraeus is postponed, .

Bears coach George Halas and Quarterback Sid Luckman win the NFL Championship, 73-0.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The British make final preparations for Operation Compass, their attack on the advanced Italian positions in Egypt. The operation is planned as a five-day raid, with the British sending approximately 30,000 troops and 275 tanks between widely separated Italian camps southwest of Mersa Matruh. The troops march until 1 a.m. on the 9th and then rest until dawn.

The Operation Compass preparations include RAF raids on Italian airfields and ports in North Africa. Wellingtons based on Malta and near Cairo attack Benina airfield in Libya, bombing 10 Italian aircraft.

The Italians begin to become aware that something is going on. An Italian reconnaissance crew flying over the air spots the British and advises superiors that something is imminent. However, they do not pass the information to General Pietro Maletti, commander of the Raggruppamento Maletti (Maletti Group) of the Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali della Libia (Royal Corps of Libyan Colonial Troops). In any event, it is probably too late for the Italians to take any effective action at this late point anyway.

French light cruiser Primauguet, carrying 1200 tons of gold reserves of the Banque de France and the Polish government, arrives at Casablanca from Dakar.

Waco Sunday Tribune-Herald of Waco, Texas, December 8, 1940.

Battle of the Pacific: German raiders Orion and Komet (accompanied by supply ship Kulmerland) are operating just off the island of Nauru, west of the Gilbert Islands. The two ships join forces during the night. Together, they sink:

• Triadic (6480 tons) (one death)
• Triaster (6129 tons)
• Komata (4000 tons) (two deaths).

The two raiders had intended to bombard the port and land a raiding party to destroy its important phosphate production facilities. However, the weather is bad, and after these sinkings, the German ships withdraw to the east of the island.

Battle of the Indian Ocean: German raiders Atlantis and Pinguin rendezvous in the middle of the Indian Ocean and plan future operations. They await the arrival of captured Norwegian tanker Storstad, which has a full load of 10,000 tons of diesel oil.

Anglo/US Relations: British ambassador to the US Lord Lothian suggests to Winston Churchill that he write to President Roosevelt summarizing events during the year. Churchill complies with a lengthy telegram in which he requests:

• US Neutrality Patrols further into the Atlantic;
• That the US pressure Ireland to allow British bases there, in exchange for a post-war unified Ireland;
• 2,000 combat aircraft per month;
• More merchant shipping construction.

Churchill summarizes:

The danger of Great Britain being destroyed by a swift, overwhelming blow, has for the time being very greatly receded. In its place, there is a long, gradually-maturing danger, less sudden and less spectacular, but equally deadly.

As both men know, the rub is that Great Britain is running out of money. However, Roosevelt has been doing some creative thinking about that issue which he still wants to think about some more.

Bears coach George Halas and Sid Luckman begin a dynasty on 8 December 1940.

US/Latin American Relations: The US agrees to lend Argentina $50 million to stabilize its currency. This is part of a coordinated effort to counter growing pro-German sentiment in Latin America, especially Argentina and Uruguay.

Canada: Parliament imposes a 25% excise tax on Canadian luxury manufacturers and suspends imports of manufactured goods from the United States. The government also orders eight new minesweepers.

British Homefront: The London press speculates about what is going on within the Mussolini high command, saying it is in "disarray."

American Homefront: Super Bowls have a reputation for being blowouts, but back in the day the situation was even more lopsided. The NFL has the biggest blowout in its entire history, and it is in the Championship Playoff Game held in Washington. The Chicago Bears, behind Sid Luckman, beat the Washington Redskins, 73-0. It also is the first NFL championship game broadcast nationally on Mutual Radio, narrated by Red Barber. The Redskins had beaten the Bears, 7-3, behind Sammy Baugh just a few weeks earlier, so everybody anticipated a defensive struggle.



December 1940

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

2020

Saturday 5 October 1940

An air-raid shelter run by the Salvation Army in Clapton, East London. 5 October 1940.

Battle of Britain: The weather clears during the night, so on 5 October 1940 the Luftwaffe follows the pattern of alternating periods of activity by mounting a sustained effort today following some slow days. The battle has developed a definite rhythm, with the Luftwaffe adopting patterns that can last for days or weeks. This gives the RAF cues for successful interceptions, but it also can cause Fighter Command to be out of position when the patterns suddenly change due to some edict from Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering.

The early morning is occupied by German reconnaissance flights. The first large raid occurs at 09:30, when about 30 Bf 109 fighter bombers attack Dover, strafing the town and attacking barrage balloons. Fighter Command takes its time intercepting, and the German planes are long gone by the time any Hurricanes or Spitfires arrive.

A much more serious raid transpires around 10:45, when about 150 aircraft of Bf 109s and 110s raid Kent. about two-thirds of the fighters head for London, while the remainder lingers on the coast. This is another fighter-bomber attack, and as soon as the Germans spot RAF fighters, they drop their loads at random and engage the British. This results in massive dogfights over London. The bombs drop on Hastings, causing unintended damage.

Following behind the first formation is a second, composed of Bf 110s. This raid appears to be timed to catch the RAF fighters "in-between" the opening attacks and their ability to refuel and engage again. RAF No. 303 (Polish) Squadron is scrambled, though, and engages the Bf 109 escort. Once again a big battle takes place, and the Polish pilots shoot down 4 Bf 110s and 2 Bf 109s. The Poles lose just one plane. There is light bombing damage to London as well as RAF Mailing.

After a by now regular break for lunch, the next attack takes place at 14:00. This time, thirty Junkers Ju 88 bombers of KG 77 are included in the mix, so it is a much more serious affair. These head to Southampton and points further north. Another formation crosses at Swanage heading toward Weymouth. This time, the bombers get through, as the Bf 109s have a better time than they did during the morning battles. About half a dozen British fighters go down, though most of the pilots survive.

Another, smaller raid crosses the Isle of Wight toward Portsmouth at 17:15. While the bombers don't cause much damage, there are some dogfights which result in two Spitfires lost.

After dark, the London area is the target again, along with Liverpool, the Midlands, Northampton, East Anglia, and Leicester. The Luftwaffe also mines the Thames Estuary. A major priority tonight for the Germans is the cluster of RAF airfields in the Kenley/Biggin Hill/Debden/Martlesham area. Large fires are started at the West India Dock, a Millwall food plant and a factory at Erith. Railway installations at Cricklewood also suffer, along with the Portland dock area.

The day is notable for a record number of sorties by the RAF, who are getting more planes in the air than during the dark days of August and early September. Total losses are about 16 for the Luftwaffe and half that number for the RAF, though accounts vary widely.

Hauptmann Helmut Wick, Gruppenkommandeur of JG 2, claims three Spitfires during the 14:00 raid and two more during the 17:15. That makes him an "ace in a day" and gives him a grand total of 41 claims, which is right behind the two leaders, Molders and Galland. He is awarded the oak leaves (Eichenlaub) for his total.

Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF, October 1940.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command targets Gelsenkirchen oil installations, the Krupp factory at Essen, and the usual airfields and ports along the Channel. RAF Coastal Command chips in with raids on Brest and Gravelines. The German invasion barges remain in many ports and provide tempting targets, as they are a key part of the German transportation network.

Battle of the Atlantic: Italian submarine Nani torpedoes and sinks 356 ton British Royal Navy trawler HMT Kingston Sapphire about 20 miles south of Cadiz, Spain. There are three deaths, the survivors wind up interned in Spain.

British freighter Adaptity hits a mine and sinks in the Thames Estuary. One crewman perishes.

Dutch 2202 ton collier Ottoland (Capt G. Tigchelaar), traveling in Convoy FS 300, hits a mine and sinks off Sunderland, County Durham in the North Sea. Everybody aboard survives in a dinghy because the ship remains afloat for nine hours, giving plenty of time to escape, and is picked up by paddle-steamer Glenn Gower.

British submarine HMS Tigris spots what its captain describes as an Italian submarine in the Bay of Biscay, but misses.

Convoy FN 300 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 301 departs from Methil, Convoy OB 224 departs from Liverpool, Convoy SC 7 (34 ships) departs from Sydney, Canada, Convoy BS 6 departs from Suez.

US destroyer USS McFarland (DD-237) is recommissioned at Philadelphia.

HMS Regent, a Rainbow class submarine.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF raids Benghazi, Tobruk, and Bardia, concentrating on Italian supply points. The Italians send 80 aircraft, half bombers, to raid Mersa Matruh.

British submarine HMS Regent is operating about 10 miles off Bari, Italy in the Adriatic when it spots 188-ton Italian freighter Maria Grazia. It rams the small ship, an auxiliary barquentine (sailing ship), sinking it without taking much damage to itself from the wooden ship.

The Italian Navy begins Operation CV, a resupply operation between Taranto to the Italian bases in Libya.

Some Fulmars flying off HMS Illustrious are forced to land on Crete. The Greeks intern the four crew.

At Malta, new procedures are implemented by the War Office for unexploded bombs. German bombs have electrical fuses that are more difficult to handle, and the instructions provide useful information that helps in their disposal.

French submarine Narval is now operating out of Malta and completes its first patrol today. It is a quiet day despite fair weather, with no air raids.

Helmut Wick, who filed five claims for Spitfires today.

Italian Military: Following his big meeting with Hitler at the Brenner Pass on the 4th, Prime Minister Mussolini announces a few planning changes. From a historical perspective, his decisions today are an insight into the attitude permeating the Axis that even Italy, with well-known weakness in all three major military branches, can accomplish major strategic military objectives. In essence, he views himself as an equal military partner to Hitler. This attitude, of course, is a bit... fanciful. For now, though, it instructs very real military decisions with lasting consequences for the entire Axis war effort.

One must remember that, while Mussolini's army is weak, he has just as much ability as Hitler does to embroil the Axis in new wars. Mussolini does the following today in a series of directives and messages:

• Orders Marshal Graziani to cancel all plans to attack Yugoslavia;
• Emphasizes the necessity of the Italian Army at Sidi Barrani to attack and occupy Mersa Matruh;
• Steps up planning for an attack on mainland Greece through Albania soon after occupying Mersa Matruh.

The basic strategy is for the army in Egypt to push the British back another 80 miles, then switch the main effort to Albania/Greece. While one operation does not depend upon the other, accomplishing them in sequence would lessen the strain on Italian resources. The Italians are having enough problems with just one front in North Africa, taking on another active front would be imprudent. At this stage, though, Mussolini views the Allies as weak and the Axis - including his own shaky troops - as strong enough to accomplish his objectives.

A key issue is Crete. Taking it would enhance Axis naval operations in the eastern Mediterranean and support an attack on the major British military bases at Alexandria and Cairo. The Italian army seriously considers invading it, but ultimately rejects such an operation as too difficult, especially before the capture of the Greek mainland. The Italian navy is strong, but replacing losses would be impossible in any reasonable time frame, and the Royal Navy would have something to say about an operation so close to its bases.

Mussolini's directives today somewhat suggest that he is acting at the very least with the Germans' knowledge, and possibly with their blessing (some of the wording in his messages sounds similar to Wehrmacht phrases). However, that is controversial, and the extent of German involvement in any of Mussolini's actions at this stage is unknown.

Anglo/US Relations: Another tranche, the fourth, of US destroyers arrive at Halifax for transfer to the Royal Navy:

• USS Branch, 
• USS Hunt, 
• USS Mason, 
• USS Satterlee, 
• USS Laub, 
• USS Aulick, 
• USS Edwards and 
• USS McLanahan.

Chicago Bears Quarterback Sid Luckman at the New York Polo Ground, 5 October 1940.

US Military: US Navy Secretary Frank Knox responds to news of the tripartite pact (Japan, Germany, Italy), which he views as being directed against the US, by calling up the naval reserve. This includes the Air Detachment, Marine Barracks, Parris Island along with all organized aviation squadrons and reserve divisions.

Major General Henry "Hap" Arnold, Chief of Air Corps since 1938, submits a plan to George Marshall, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to create a separate organizational structure for the US Army Air Corps.

Soviet Military: Stalin approves of plans submitted by the Stavka Chief of the General Staff Meretskov.  These call for the greatest weight of defense to be attached to the Southwest Front, i.e., in the direction (from Germany) of Kyiv. After the initiation of Operation Barbarossa, this will be the destination for Army Group South. On the German side, the initial plans of attack didn't even contemplate any attack on this axis of advance, but more recent drafts do have an army group heading toward Kyiv from Romania.

French Indochina: Empire Hirohito directs that some French prisoners in Indochina be released. The elite 5th Infantry Division begins withdrawing to China.

China: The Nationalist Chinese having attacked the Communist New 4th Army at Huangqiao ("Yellow Bridge"), Jiangsu Province, on the 4th, the Communists counterattack today. They drive the attacking Japanese off and capture much-needed equipment and other supplies.

American Homefront: Our Gang in "Waldo's Last Stand" is released, starring Robert Blake as Mickey, George Spanky McFarland, Darla Hood, and Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer.

The Our Gang lemonade stand in "Waldo's Last Stand."

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