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

Wednesday 7 August 1940

Prime Minister Winston Churchill inspects 9.2-inch guns of 57th Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery during a tour of East Coast defenses, 7 August 1940.

Battle of Britain: Further to the meeting at Carinhall on 6 August, Generalfeldmarchall Albert Kesselring on 7 August 1840 orders his units to begin focusing on RAF airfields and infrastructure.

German radio claims that the Luftwaffe has closed to the English Channel to British shipping. This is not strictly true, although the remaining daily convoys have been taking horrendous losses. In fact, many convoys have been re-routed north around Scotland. The remaining ships are almost exclusively colliers whose cargo is not considered a priority - there is always more coal to be dug - and the Admiralty refuses to admit that it cannot protect shipping right offshore of England. It convenes a meeting of ship captains and tells them in no uncertain terms:

We don't give a damn for your coal, we'd send you through empty if we had to. . . It's a matter of prestige.

Really, that is what war comes down to in the end. You can practically see them raising their middle fingers at the Germans.

The attack by the Fleet Air Arm on oil installations at Dolvik, five miles south of Bergen, Norway. © IWM (A 3595)

To assert this prestige, one such convoy (20 colliers, 9 destroyers) codenamed Peewit by the RAF and CS9 by the Royal Navy sets out at dusk from the Thames estuary heading north. German Freyda radar at Wissant detects the convoy, but in fact, it is plainly visible to German sentries at Cape Gris Nez anyway. The Germans prepare to attack in the morning.

Luftwaffe raids are few and scattered today despite decent flying weather. There is an attack on the convoy off Cromer, but no damage results. The intrusions are more for nuisance value, often lone raiders designed to wear out the defending RAF fighters, and a gradual shift toward nuisance night attacks (keeping people across the country awake, wearing out the defenders) is becoming obvious. It is easy to make light of these raids, but one bomber can do a lot of damage if it hits sensitive structures and the incident can be long-remembered regardless. Tonight, for instance, Exeter in Devon is bombed for the first time by one bomber which does little damage.

Pilot Officer D. Smith of 616 Squadron perishes when he crashes his Spitfire during the night at Leconfield and is killed.

Hauptmann Karl Valesi of 3./Epr.Gr 210 is killed in a plane crash at St. Omer. He is on special attachment to the unit and is not, as many sources claim, the Staffelkapitän, who remains Oblt. Otto Hintze.

Major Werner ‘Vati’ Mölders, Kommodore of JG 51, returns from his hospital stay that resulted from his recent leg wound. Mölders does not have medical clearance but returns anyway. Just because he has been wounded does not make him "soft" - he immediately turns down a request for a pilot to receive leave to get married, telling him to wait for the final victory over England.

During the day, RAF Bomber Command attacks JG 54's base at Haamstede, causing significant damage but killing no Luftwaffe pilots. The British bombers also attack the airfield at Cherbourg again. During the night, they attack the usual suspects such as Emmerich, Kiel dockyard facilities, oil installations at Hamm and Hornburg, and various airfields in northwest Europe.

Fleet Air Arm Blackburn Skuas attack oil installations at Bergen, Norway. A few observations about this particular raid:

1. Bergen is being used as a major U-boat base;
2. Depriving the U-boats of oil would crimp their patrols and make the Royal Navy's job easier;
3. The Royal Navy would be much more interested in prioritizing the destruction of U-boat oil supplies than would Bomber Command, because Bomber Command has a strategic, and sometimes parochial, perspective with numerous inviting and deserving targets scattered all across Europe;
4. Thus, the Fleet Air Arm makes the attack.

It is common to view the British military as one, big united group of heroes battling the nasty Germans. To a large extent, that is true. In point of fact, though, inter-service rivalries persist throughout the war. The Admiralty could, for instance, have kindly requested that Bomber Command pound the living daylights out of the oil depots servicing the U-boats. It then could have waited until Air Marshal Sir Charles Portal found time to spare from bombing the airfields which are attacking his own bombers and other important targets in Germany and France. The U-boat supplies might make the Bomber Command targeting list tomorrow or next week or next month. On the other hand, the Admiralty could just conduct the raid itself, right now, using its own somewhat less powerful and scarcer resources. This, my friends, is how wars actually are fought, many little wars in the midst of the larger one.

Another view of the day's Dolvik/Bergen raid.  © IWM (A 3590)

Battle of the Atlantic: U-38 (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe) torpedoes and sinks 7527-ton Egyptian liner (used as a troop carrier and also carrying many civilian passengers) Mohamed Ali El Kebir in the Atlantic about 200 miles west of Ireland. There are 1,397 people on board, of whom 60 (ten crew, 50 troops) perish (figures vary wildly by source). U-38 survives two hours of depth charging by destroyer HMS Griffin, which later picks up the survivors.

Kriegsmarine 7381-ton anti-submarine trawler Wiking (VP 1501) hits a mine and sinks in shallow water near Frederickshaven but appears salvageable.

Convoys OA 195 and MT 133 leave Methil, OB 195 departs from Liverpool, Convoy FN 245 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 245 leaves the Tyne.

The Kriegsmarine lays mines in the North Sea and all along the English coast.

German raider Orion, operating in the Pacific, refuels from the Winnetou.

U-140 (Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Peter Hinsch) is commissioned.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF bombs Italian positions at Bardia and Massawa.

The Malta authorities reorganize the ground troops. The Malta Infantry Brigade is broken up into two new units, the Northern Infantry Brigade (Brigadier W H Oxley MC) and the Southern Infantry Brigade (Brigadier L H Cox MC). The day is quiet save for an Italian reconnaissance flight across the island at first light.

British submarine HMS Pandora, which brought in needed supplies on the 6th, departs today.

British Somaliland: The 2nd Black Watch Battalion (73rd Regiment) completes its cross-over from Palestine to British Somaliland to aid in the defense. The 1st Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment arrives from Aden.

Anglo/Japanese Relations: British Foreign Minister Lord Halifax joins with US Ambassador to Tokyo Joseph Grew in cautioning the Japanese about adventurism in French Indochina (Vietnam).

Another view of the day's Dolvik/Bergen raid. © IWM (A 3596).

Anglo/Free French Relations: The British government in the personage of Prime Minister Winston Churchill reaches new agreements with Free French leader Charles de Gaulle regarding the Free Free Volunteer troops. The areas of negotiation involve how much autonomy the French units are to have.

German/French Relations: The Germans complete the annexation of Alsace/Lorraine. This may sound insignificant because the Germans control it regardless, but that region has been an eternal area of dispute between the two countries and its annexation could be considered to be a major German war aim.

British Government: The government is manufacturing Molotov Cocktails for Home Guard use.

American Military: The subject of conscription continues to be debated in Congress.

Destroyer USS Grayson is launched.

British Government: Frank Pick becomes the new Director-General of Information, replacing Sir Kenneth Lee.

Middle East commander General Wavell completes his journey to London from Alexandria via Malta after his plane survives multiple Luftwaffe attacks.

General Cunningham assumes command of the 51st Infantry Division.

Australia: The government requisitions Alanzo Sparkes' paddock in Chermside. The plan is to build a military camp there.

Belgian Homefront: The war has devastated the harvest throughout the Low Countries, making food a valuable commodity. There are reports of Wehrmacht troops raiding houses for food. The British blockade is making the food situation much worse. There remains much controversy in the press about whether the British will allow humanitarian aid to the starving peoples of Europe.

American Homefront: It is hurricane season in the Caribbean, and a hurricane makes landfall at Sabine Pass, Texas.

Future History: Jean-Luc Dehaene, a future Prime Minister of Belgium, is born in Montpellier, France. He passes away in 2014.

Headlines for 7 August 1940.

August 1940

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

2020