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Saturday, September 14, 2019

February 15, 1942: Japan Takes Singapore

Sunday 15 February 1942

Surrender of Singapore 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

In Singapore, British troops surrender to the Japanese, 15 February 1942 (Daily Mail).

Battle of the Pacific: At about 19:00 local time on 15 February 1942, the British in Singapore surrender to the Japanese 25th Army. Hostilities are agreed to cease at 20:30. Local commander General Arthur Percival cites shortages of water, food, oil, and ammunition. According to contemporaneous estimates in London, approximately 55,000-60,000 British and Imperial Troops (including many Indian and Australian formations) go into captivity (later estimates are higher, at about 85,000). Many small ships are captured in port, including 296-ton Siushan, 65-ton Mersing, and a requisitioned yacht, Silvia. The Japanese also come into possession of a few larger ships, including 254-ton freighter Rhu. This begins a long and oppressive Japanese occupation of Singapore.

Putting a brave face on events in Singapore, the media notes the "desperate attempt to break the stern spirit of the defenders." The People, Sunday 15 February 1942.

Many feel (on 15 February 1942 and later) that Percival mishandled the defense and surrendered without having upheld the honor of the British Army. The British Army never forgives Percival, and he is excluded from the final Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri on 2 September 1945 (even though US General Wainwright, the loser at Bataan, the Philippines, pointedly is given a position of honor). ABDA Commander General Wavell, however, in a classified report (only released in 1992) blames poor discipline among the defending Australian troops - a view that is not widely shared after the fact but may influence future British decisions. Many observers place the true blame on poor British Army and Navy strategy that emanates from Whitehall.

General Percival (right) leads the surrender parley on 15 February 1942 (Daily Mail).

In Burma, British Brigadier Sir John Smyth's 17th Infantry Division of the British Indian Army at Bilin River holds its ground against a determined Japanese attack. This is the first combat for the 17th, but the soldiers fight well. The Japanese 55th Division, however, sends units around the British strongpoints in an attempt to cut the British line of communications. The British 46th Brigade abandons Thaton. Brigadier Smyth is winning his defensive struggle but worries that his unit may be completely destroyed if his supply route is cut off. He resolves to hang on to his fortified position for another day.

Java Sea battle, 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

"Java Sea. 15 February 1942. Bomb spray obscures the British cruiser HMS Exeter, as Exeter and the Australian cruiser, HMAS Hobart, manoeuver during a Japanese air attack. Exeter survived this attack to be later sunk in the Java Sea on 1 March 1942 by a torpedo from the Japanese destroyer, Inazuma. HMS Encounter and USS Pope were with the Exeter, and all three ships sunk off the southern coast of Borneo. (Donor J. King)" Australian War Memorial P02620.007.

Today is decisive in the defense of Sumatra. Early in the day, the ABDA naval force, composed of five cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter, HNLMS Java, HNLMS Tromp, HMS Exeter, HMAS Hobart) and ten destroyers under the command of Admiral Karel Doorman, attempt to disrupt a Japanese invasion force off Palembang. However, after Japanese land-based planes and bombers from aircraft carrier Ryujo attack his force, Doorman withdraws to the south of Sumatra. In the afternoon, the Allies begin withdrawing all air units from southern Sumatra to Java and other personnel by sea to Java and India. The Japanese invasion fleet, under fierce air attack from Palembang II airdrome, enters the mouth of the Musi River and lands its invasion force. The Japanese capture Palembang and its precious refinery, while the British and Dutch defenders withdraw to the west coast for eventual evacuation to Java.

General Yamashita at the surrender of the British garrison of Singapore on 15 February 1942.

There are many shipping losses near Singapore and Palembang. The British and Dutch scuttle Dutch patrol boats 217-ton Jerantut and 207-ton Klias before they leave Palembang. Japanese ships sink 191-ton tug Yin Ping about 20 miles off Muntok, with 50 deaths and 25 survivors, as it flees Palembang. Also off Muntok, a Japanese cruiser captures Auxiliary patrol boat Dymas, which departed Singapore on the 13th, and everyone aboard becomes a prisoner. Off Banka, Japanese gunfire sinks auxiliary anti-submarine ship Mata Hari, with the crew taken prisoner.

The Sunday Times notes the "stubbornly maintained" defense at Singapore. February 15, 1942 edition of The Sunday Times. Via NewspaperSG.

The Allies have not given up on the Netherlands East Indies. Australian Army 7th Division from the Middle East arrives aboard liner SS Orcades at Oosthaven in southern Sumatra. However, it is redirected to Batavia after urgent pleading to General Wavell by Lieutenant General John Lavarack, General Officer Commanding 1st Australian Army. A US Navy convoy sails today from Port Darwin for Koepang, Timor, Netherlands East Indies. Their mission is to defend the only military airfield on Timor, Penfoie airdrome, which serves as an important transit point to Java. Both sides are building up forces in the area, but the Japanese have the initiative and the naval and air power that is vital in this region.

In Bataan, the Philippines, Japanese troops withdraw out of a salient they have driven into the US Army I Corps lines in the western half of the Main Line of Resistance (MLR). There is a small Japanese attack on the eastern half of the Bataan Peninsula in the II Corps sector which is designed to distract the Allies and aid in this evacuation. The Allies have been extremely successful in recent days at eliminating Japanese pockets behind the MLR. This has allowed them to focus more forces on the MLR. However, the Japanese on the other side of the MLR are biding their time, building up their forces and waiting for the right moment to unleash a set-piece offensive.

The British surrender Singapore on 15 February 1942. Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival the British commander, is the tall figure just behind the white flag surrounded by Japanese soldiers.

Martin Clemens, His Majesty's Commissioner for Guadalcanal and Coastwatcher for the Royal Australian Navy's Islands Coastwatching Service, takes up his post on Guadalcanal. His role is to report anything relevant to the war over his radio. Clemens becomes the unofficial British ruler of Guadalcanal for the time being, acting as a judge for tribal disputes and maintaining the British presence in an ostentatious way.

Japanese submarine HIJMS I-65 torpedoes and sinks 4681-ton Dutch freighter Johanne Justesen off southwest India. There are one death and 58 survivors.

Captured Soviet T-50 tank used by Finns, 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

A captured Soviet T-50 tank, very rare, in Finnish service, 15 February 1942 (SA-Kuva).

Eastern Front: The Red Army continues its push south of Lake Ilmen when II Guards Rifle Corps makes contact with elements of Third Shock Army northeast of Kholm. The Soviet forces have slid between the large German garrisons at Staraya Russa and Demyansk and between Demyansk and Kholm to meet between Demyansk and Kholm. These are all considered major strong points by the Wehrmacht and anchors of the line, but the Germans don't particularly care about surrounding forests and fields. These Red Army advances have resulted in two German pockets forming, one at Demyansk and the other at Kholm slightly to the southwest. This meeting is of little significance because both German pockets already are surrounded and the Germans are not interested in defending the ground in between them. German II Corps under Generalleutnant Graf Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt at Demyansk has almost 100,000 with him and thus can hold out for some time as long as he is adequately supplied. A Luftwaffe airlift which began on 12 February is bringing the forces in the Demyansk Pocket just enough to keep from starving and being overrun, but not much more.

British Royal Navy ship HMS Mata Hari, sunk on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

British Royal Navy anti-submarine vessel HMS Mata Hari, sunk at Bangka, Netherlands East Indies on 15 February 1942.

European Air Operations: The British Air Ministry clarifies its Area Bombing Directive of 14 February 1942 after being requested to do so by Chief of the Air Staff Charles Portal. Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Norman Bottomley who had drafted the Area Bombing Directive, states:

ref the new bombing directive: I suppose it is clear the aiming points will be the built-up areas, and not, for instance, the dockyards or aircraft factories where these are mentioned in Appendix A. This must be made quite clear if it is not already understood.

This clarification makes clear that bombing efforts henceforth are, in the absence of specified targets, to be directed at the hearts of civilian population centers.
The Luftwaffe continues its raids against British shipping, bombing and damaging 489-ton British coaster Empire Head about 11 nautical miles (20 km) east of Hartlepool. It proceeds to Middlesbrough for repairs.

RAF Bomber Command sends 20 Whitley and 6 Halifax bombers against the U-boat base of St. Nazaire. The conditions are cloudy, and only 9 of the bomber crews even attempt to bomb the target. There are no losses until the bombers return to England to land and three are lost due to the poor weather.

Greek freighter Meropi, sunk on 15 February 1942.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-432 (Kptlt. Heinz-Otto Schultze), on its fourth patrol out of La Pallice, torpedoes and sinks 5152-ton Brazilian freighter Buarque about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Cape Henry, Virginia. There are 84 survivors and one death when a Portuguese passenger dies of a heart attack. The survivors are picked up quickly by USCGC Calypso (WPC 104) and are in Norfolk by the 17th.
U-98 (Kptlt. Robert Gysae), on its sixth patrol out of St. Nazaire, torpedoes and sinks 5298-ton freighter Biela southwest of Newfoundland. The freighter is part of Convoy ON-62. All 50 men on board perish.

U-566 (Kptlt. Dietrich Borchert), on its fourth patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and sinks 4181-ton Greek freighter Meropi south of Nova Scotia. Meropi is part of Convoy ON-62 but is a straggler. There are 24 dead and 15 survivors.

HMS Thrasher, returning to port on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

HMS Thrasher on its return to port after sustaining bomb damage in the Mediterranean. The letters indicate damage. 15 or 16 February 1942. © IWM (A 8711).

Battle of the Mediterranean: With both sides building up their forces in Libya, all of the action is at sea. U-81 reports attacking a Royal Navy light cruiser but missing. Royal Navy motor launch ML-169 catches fire and blows up at Gibraltar when the starts it, with four deaths.

Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, KIA 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, who perished at Singapore on 15 February 1942.

War Crimes: At Bukit Chandu ("Opium Hill") in Pasir Panjang, Second Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, commander of C Company of the Malay Regiment of the 1st Malay Brigade, mounts a ferocious defense in the British last stand in front of Singapore City. He orders his troops to fight to the last man. During the fighting, he sees through a Japanese trick of disguising Japanese soldiers in British Indian uniforms in an attempt to infiltrate his positions. The reason he spots this is the Japanese march in the wrong style. Adnan has his men open fire at close range, killing many disguised Japanese soldiers. Finally, Adnan, wounded, is forced to surrender. The Japanese beat Adnan, tie him to a tree, and bayonet him to death. Adnan Saidi is considered a war hero in Singapore and Malaysia.

US/Canadian Relations: US President Franklin Roosevelt makes a radio broadcast directed specifically to Canadians. In he, he praises the country, saying:

Yours are the achievements of a great nation. They require no praise from me-but they get that praise from me nevertheless. I understate the case when I say that we, in this country, contemplating what you have done, and the spirit in which you have done it, are proud to be your neighbors.

This is part of a very calculated United States wartime effort to establish and maintain the best possible relations with its neighbors in North and South America. It is an extension of FDR's "Good Neighbor" policy that he began upon his assumption of office in 1933.

General Percival, captured on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, the British commander in Singapore (Daily Mail).

British Homefront: Prime Minister Winston Churchill broadcasts to Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the British Commonwealth about the state of the war and the alliance with the United States and the Soviet Union. Speaking at night, he breaks the news of the fall of Singapore, which comes as a great shock to many people who have become accustomed to hearing good news out of "Fortress Singapore." Churchill notes that "Three-quarters of the human race are now moving with us," adding, "The whole future of mankind may depend upon our actions and upon our conduct."

American Homefront: The United States Department of Justice technically begins enforcing "Category A" areas. These are locations in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington which now are prohibited to enemy aliens. Entire cities in Oregon and Washington are included, but only certain counties in California (including Los Angeles County). However, there remains great disagreement within the higher reaches of the United States government as to how to implement these bans, including who is covered by the bans and what personnel will enforce them. For the time being, the bans are not enforced. Everyone, however, expects a final decision shortly.

Lobby card from "To Be Or Not To Be," premiering in Los Angeles on 15 February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Lobby card for "To Be Or Not To Be" (1942).

Carole Lombard's final film, "To Be or Not to Be," premieres in Los Angeles (it goes into general release in Los Angeles on 19 February and wide release on 6 March 1942). A United Artist film directed by Ernst Lubitsch and also starring Jack Benny, "To Be or Not to Be" revolves around actors in Occupied Europe who deceive the German occupiers. The film generally is considered to be a comedy classic and led to a popular remake by Mel Brooks. The film is somewhat controversial because it is a light-hearted look at people in Poland under German oppression, somewhat similar to the situation portrayed twenty years later in "Hogan's Heroes."

Future History: Sherry D. Jackson is born in Wendell, Gooding County, Idaho. She becomes an actress who appears as one of the children in the 1950s "Ma and Pa Kettle" movies. In 1953, she is cast as the oldest daughter in "The Danny Thomas Show" (aka "Make Room For Daddy"), which runs for five years. She becomes a guest star in numerous classic 1960s and 1970s television series, including "My Three Sons," "Star Trek," and "Batman." Sherry Jackson is retired as of 2019.

Glyn Thomas Johns is born in Epsom, Surrey, England. He becomes one of the great sound engineers of the rock era. After learning his craft at IBC Studios in Portland Place, London, Johns becomes famous for his work on The Beatles' "Get Back" sessions in early 1969. Johns records the songs that become the "Let It Be" album in 1970 before they are turned over to Phil Spector for refinement. He then goes on to work with The Who, Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and many, many other famous acts as an engineer and sometimes producer. Johns develops what becomes known as the "Glyn Johns Method" for recording drums. On 14 April 2012, Johns is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. As of 2021, Glyn Johns still works with top acts such as Eric Clapton.

Black Mask magazine, February 1942 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Black Mask Vol XXIV, No 10, February 1942 [Volume 24, Number X].

February 1942

February 1, 1942: The US Navy Strikes Back
February 2, 1942: Germans Recovering in Russia
February 3, 1942: Japanese Shell and Bomb Singapore
February 4, 1942: Battle of Makassar Strait
February 5, 1942: Empress of Asia Sunk
February 6, 1942: The Christmas Island Body
February 7, 1942: The Double-V Campaign
February 8, 1942: Japan Invades Singapore
February 9, 1942: French Liner Normandie Capsizes
February 10, 1942: US Car Production Ends
February 11, 1942: Tomforce Fails on Singapore
February 12, 1942: The Channel Dash
February 13, 1942: Japanese Paratroopers In Action
February 14, 1942: RAF Orders Terror Raids
February 15, 1942: Japan Takes Singapore
February 16, 1942: Operation Neuland Begins
February 17, 1942: Indian Troops Defect to Japanese
February 18, 1942: Battle of Badung Strait
February 19, 1942: FDR Authorizes Internment Camps
February 20, 1942: O'Hare the Hero
February 21, 1942: Crisis in Burma
February 22, 1942: Bomber Harris Takes Over
February 23, 1942: Bombardment of Ellwood, California
February 24, 1942: US Raid on Wake Island
February 25, 1942: Battle of Los Angeles
February 26, 1942: Gneisenau Eliminated
February 27, 1942: Battle of Java Sea
February 28, 1942: Battle of Sunda Strait

2020

Monday, April 24, 2017

April 17, 1941: Yugoslavia Gone

Monday 17 April 1941

17 April 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Dubrovnik Italian troops

Italian Bersaglieri (Marksmen) march through the city streets of Dubrovnik as crowds watch on following the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia following the Yugoslav capitulation of 17 April 1941.

Operation Marita/Operation 25: Yugoslavia unconditionally surrenders to Germany and Italy on 17 April 1941. Or, rather, the Yugoslav Army surrenders, effective at noon on 18 April, which amounts in practice to the same thing. In addition, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Cincar-Marcovic signs surrender documents to Italy and Germany on behalf of the Yugoslav government - but he does not have the authority to do so. While Hungary has invaded Yugoslavia, it decides that it is not "at war" with Yugoslavia and thus does not have to sign any peace treaties with it. And what about Bulgaria? And the new Independent State of Croatia? In fact, it's not clear what the heck actually happened today.

The situation may be legally muddled, but the inescapable conclusion is that Yugoslavia is now out of the war.

Yugoslav assistant to Commander General Danil Kalafatovic, Lieutenant General Mihailo Bodi, and German Colonel General Maximilian Freiherr von Weichs sign an armistice in the building of the Czechoslovak ministry in Belgrade. Separately, the Ban and National Assembly of Slovenia surrender to the Italians. The Yugoslavs resisted for twelve days.

Virtually the entire Yugoslav government, including King Peter II, already has fled to Athens via RAF Flying boat flying from the island of Kotor. The military situation clearly is hopeless for the Yugoslavs and has been for several days. All that remains is for them to see how the Axis powers will divide up the country. The Germans have very definite ideas on that, and they revolve around a complete abnegation of the treaties signed after World War I.

Others in Yugoslavia are not so fortunate as King Peter and Prime Minister Simovic. Around 6,000 Yugoslav officers and 335,000 troops are put in POW camps. The dispersal of Yugoslav units along the frontier and in remote areas where they have not been captured, though, provide the seeds for a partisan campaign.

Greece is still fighting alongside their British allies. However, it is plain to see how things are going. Prime Minister Winston Churchill reads the contents of a telegram from Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell. In it, Wavell recounts discussions held in Athens between local British commander General Henry Maitland Wilson and Greek Commander in Chief General Alexander Papagos. While agreeing to the British withdrawal down the waist of Greece, Papagos noted (according to Wavell's message):

as things might become critical in future, he [Wilson] should re-embark British troops and save Greece devastation.

The War Cabinet minutes note that "arrangements to this end [the British evacuation from the mainland] were being made."

17 April 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Westminster London Blitz damage

Jermyn Street looking towards St. James's Street, 17 April 1941 (Copyright Westminster City Archives).

However, that is not the extent of Papagos' requests:

In this telegram [from General Wilson], General Wavell had also been informed that Crete must be held in force, and that it was important that strong elements of the Greek Army should establish themselves in Crete, together with the King and Government.

The War Cabinet Minutes again state that the members "expressed their agreement with the line taken in this telegram."

In the field, British troops in Greece continue moving back to the line Thermopylae-Corinth that Papagos has approved. This requires a retrograde move of at least 100 miles for most units. The New Zealand 21st Battalion, which delayed the panzers at the Platamon railway tunnel yesterday, continue performing delaying maneuvers at the Tempe and Pinios Gorges.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 1196 ton Greek freighter Damaskini in Oreos Channel near Euboea.

The Luftwaffe bombs and badly damages 7020 ton Greek freighter Petrakis Nomikos at Piraeus. The skipper beaches the ship quickly, which saves it from sinking but also makes it an attractive target for further attacks.

The Yugoslavs scuttle destroyer Zagreb in Cattaro Harbor. There are four deaths. The Germans, however, capture largely intact destroyers Beograd and Dubrovnik and damaged destroyer Ljubjana.

The remaining 18 planes of the Yugoslav Air Force fly to Greece, ending their operations in Yugoslavia.

17 April 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Hayling Island Decoy site

Hayling Island, with the decoy site marked with an arrow (Natural History Museum in Cumberland House Portsmouth, via Portsdown Tunnels).

European Air Operations: The Wehrmacht High Command issues a statement:

In retaliation for the British air raid on the residential and cultural center of the German capital on the night of 9th-10th April, the German Luftwaffe last night carried out a grand assault on the British capital.... In future, any British air raid on residential quarters of Germany will be answered by increased retaliation.

Needless to say, perhaps, but the Luftwaffe has been pounding British "residential quarters" relentlessly since September 1940. Also, note the reference to a "cultural" center - meaning, don't bomb the Berlin Opera House again.

Visiting Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies must drive through the London devastation to reach 10 Downing Street. He notes in his diary:

It takes a long time to reach Downing Street. All round Victoria there is damage and confusion. The Admiralty has a great chunk cut out of it. Charing Cross Station is ablaze, and the Halifax Building in the Strand also. Shell-Mex building has a great unexploded bomb, and is evacuated. Two bombs fell on either side of the street from Australia House. In Middle London, every street shows the marks. There are at least 1000 dead and 2000 seriously injured.

Among many, many others, Lord and Lady Stamp are killed. Lord Stamp was the Government adviser on Economic Coordination.

RAF Bomber Command replies to the Luftwaffe's massive raid on London last night with another large raid of their own on Berlin. About 118 bombers, the largest raid so far, including for the first time in operations heavy Stirling bombers, hit the German capital. The RAF loses a Wellington, two Hampdens, five Whitleys, and a Stirling. There also are diversionary raids by 35 planes against Cherbourg and 13 planes against Rotterdam. One RAF bomber can't make it to Berlin because of thick haze and cloud cover and drops its stick on Cologne or a nearby area instead. This factor also makes the entire raid inaccurate.

The Luftwaffe also is active after dark. It raids one of its favorite targets, Portsmouth. The raid, however, is very unusual. The large force of Luftwaffe bombers drops their 170 tons of high explosives and 5400 incendiaries on a brightly lit target that they assume to be the city of Portsmouth. In fact, it is a "Q" decoy site set up in Farlington Marshes on Hayling Island just to the south of Portsmouth in Hampshire. The decoy involves a number of decoy fires that burn for four hours, attracting the bomber navigators away from the city. The bombs destroy a Heavy Anti-aircraft Artillery battery at Southwest Hayling, killing the soldiers there, along with some pillboxes and other military installations. Portsmouth itself largely is spared. The residents of Hayling Island, though, are not, and they are somewhat annoyed at having the decoy site set up in their own backyards.

Churchill sends Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal a strongly worded "Action this Day" memorandum criticizing the RAF's failure to "hit the enemy cruiser in Brest." In fact, the RAF has hit Gneisenau, but apparently the British do not know this yet. Churchill chastises the Air Ministry for "neglecting the dive-bomber type of aircraft," which of course is exemplified by the Luftwaffe's Junkers Ju 87 Stuka.

Lt. Ernest Oliver Gidden, RNVR, earns the George Cross for defusing a bomb on Hungerford Bridge.

17 April 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Hayling Island antiaircraft battery

South Hayling antiaircraft battery, destroyed as the result of a British Q decoy operation that spared Plymouth.

East African Campaign: The South African 1st Infantry Brigade skirmishes with Italian forces near Cambolcia Pass in Abyssinia.

Battle of the Atlantic: German raider Atlantis is operating in the south Atlantic when lookouts spot 8,299-ton Egyptian liner Zamzam in the pre-dawn hours. Captain Rogge mistakes the liner for a British liner being used as a troop transport. He orders his crew to open fire at a range of 5 miles (8 km). The Atlantis quickly destroys the Zamzam's radio and takes aboard 202 passengers as prisoners. Among those on board are 138 Americans, including Fortune magazine editor Charles J.V. Murphy. Rogge puts the neutrals on German supply ship Dresden for transport to Portugal.

One of the passengers is Life magazine photographer David E. Scherman, who takes some pictures of the ship. Rather than surrender the film to the Germans as they demand, he puts them in tubes of toothpaste and shaving cream and smuggles them out for publication in his magazine in the 23 June 1941 issue.

17 April 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com German raider Atlantis

This is German raider Atlantis at dawn on April 17, 1941. This was taken by Life photographer David Scherman from a lifeboat shortly after the attack. He then successfully smuggled the film out past German guards.

Much farther north, off the coast of England, the Kriegsmarine sends its 2nd MTB Flotilla against Convoy FS 464 near Great Yarmouth. They hit:

1446-ton British freighter Effra (sunk, two dead)
1298-ton Dutch freighter Nereus (sunk, all survive)
5673-ton British freighter Ethel Radcliffe (towed to Yarmouth)

The Luftwaffe attacks the city of Rochester and, in the process, sinks 623-ton British coaster Montalto. Everyone survives.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 394-ton Danish trawler Naeraberg between the Faroes and its destination of Fleetwood. Everyone survives.

British 1578-ton collier Parnu sinks following its collision on the 16th with freighter Fluor about a dozen miles off Cape Wrath.

U-123 (Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Moehle), on its fourth patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and sinks 6991-ton Swedish tanker Venezuela. This is an inefficient attack, requiring five torpedoes, which can be quite frustrating for a U-boat commander. Reportedly, the crew of 49 takes to the lifeboats, but there are no survivors... which may not be a coincidence with the difficulty of the sinking.

Norwegian 1608-ton freighter Profit hits a mine and sinks while en route from London to Hull. There are 12 deaths.

Convoy SL 72 departs from Freetown.

U-566 is commissioned.

Jermyn Street, Westminster, 17 April 1941 (Copyright Westminster City Archives).

Battle of the Mediterranean: The British in Libya mount an attempt to retake Fort Capuzzo in the morning, losing four tanks. The German troops in Gruppe Schwerin also launch an attack against the northeast section of the Tobruk perimeter but also are repulsed.

Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel personally supervises an attack on Tobruk by two companies of motorcycle troops, reinforced by artillery, at Ras Mdaauar. This attack makes progress close to the barbed wire, which is held as a jump-off point for future operations. Rommel decides to wait for reinforcements - which were supposed to arrive on the recent convoy that the Royal Navy destroyed off Tripoli - before launching a set-piece attack on Tobruk.

Both sides use their planes to harass the other. The Luftwaffe sends 41 Junkers Ju 87 Stukas against key points within the Tobruk perimeter, while the RAF bombs the investing German and Italian troops.

The Royal Navy has another success with its patrols off Libya. Submarine HMS Truant torpedoes and sinks the 279-ton Italian ammunition barge Vanna off Appolonia. The Truant also attacks 2576 ton German freighter Samos near Benghazi but misses. Some accounts state that the Samos sinks today due to a mine, but other accounts state that happens on 19 April.

Royal Navy destroyers HMS Greyhound and Voyager shells and sinks Italian bark Romagna in the Mediterranean off Libya.

A British flotilla of torpedo boats, the 3rd Motor Launch, arrives in Gibraltar. It is composed of seven launches.

The Luftwaffe bombs Malta with 15 aircraft at 20:47. They hit the St. Paul's Bay area.

Anglo/US Relations: The US turns over four newly completed fast freighters to the British under Lend-Lease.

Canadian/US Relations: Canadian leader Mackenzie King continues his meetings with President Roosevelt. Among other things, they discuss defense production cooperation.

17 April 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Igor Sikorsky VS-300 helicopter pontoons

Igor Sikorsky, Homburg securely in place, flying his VS-300 helicopter with pontoons, 17 April 1941 (Sikorsky Historical Archives).

US Military: Igor Sikorsky slaps some "auxiliary floats" (pontoons) his VS-300 helicopter with which he recently set a US duration record. By lifting the helicopter, thus equipped, above the water near his Stratford, Connecticut plant, Sikorsky sets another first. He lands the helicopter both on land and water, making it a truly amphibious aircraft.

US Government: William S. Knudsen, director of the Office of Production Management (OPM), announces that automakers and motor truck manufacturers agree to cut production by 20% beginning on 1 August 1941. He states that this is expected to cut the production of such civilian vehicles by about 1 million over the first year. The purpose is to switch resources to war production. The automakers agree to the cuts for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the likelihood that cut would be imposed upon them if they did not do so voluntarily.

OPM also is in discussions with manufacturers of tin cans to reduce the amount of tin being used. They are arguing with the manufacturers about the percentage, 10% less tin versus 17%. The savings are expected to amount to 5000-7500 tons of tin for a 10% cut.

Duke Street looking toward Piccadilly, 17 April 1941 (Copyright Westminster City Archives).

Iraq: The situation in Iraq is tense. The British remain holed up in Habbaniyah Airfield near Baghdad, while new Iraqi leader Rashid Ali applies to Germany for military assistance to evict the British. The British have a convoy on the way by the sea which is expected very shortly - some sources say the 1st Battalion King's Own Royal Regiment arrives today at Basra. Iraqi forces surround the British airbase but make no provocative moves at this time.

Holocaust: At the direction of SS-Untersturmfuehrer Maximilian Grabner, Auschwitz Concentration Camp ceases sending Polish relatives the ashes of now-deceased political prisoners after they have been cremated.

British Homefront: Popular singer Al Bowlly, who reached his peak in the late 1920s and early 1930s but since has faded badly in popularity, is killed during the Luftwaffe raid on London that lasts throughout the night of 16-17 April 1941. Bowlly had taken the last train home the night before from a performance at the Rex Cinema in Oxford Street, High Wycombe, despite being offered a place to stay there overnight. A Luftwaffe parachute mine explodes just outside his flat at 32 Duke Street, Duke's Court, St James, London, at 03:10 and blows the bedroom door off its hinges - it strikes Bowlly in the head, killing him instantly. There is a blue commemorative plaque in his honor at Charing Cross Mansion, 26 Charing Cross Road, a previous residence which the plaque describes as "his home at the pinnacle of his career."

American Homefront: Charles Lindbergh at 20:00 speaks to an overflow crowd of 10,000 at the Chicago Arena, with an additional 4,000 outside the arena, on behalf of the America First Committee. By one count, he is interrupted by applause 31 times while giving an address of only about 2,000 words. His main points:

The US is being led into war by a minority of war-mongers;
That 80% of the public opposes joining the war;
The US is unable at this time to defeat Germany.

Among issues favored by the America First Committee is an anti-convoy bill. Isolationists believe that participating in convoys inevitably would lead to war.

17 April 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Chicago Daily Tribune cartoon

The front-page cartoon on the Chicago Daily Tribune, 17 April 1941.

April 1941

April 1, 1941: Rommel Takes Brega
April 2, 1941:Rommel Takes Agedabia
April 3, 1941: Convoy SC-26 Destruction
April 4, 1941: Rommel Takes Benghazi
April 5, 1941: Rommel Rolling
April 6, 1941: Operation Marita
April 7, 1941: Rommel Takes Derna
April 8, 1941: Yugoslavia Crumbling
April 9, 1941: Thessaloniki Falls
April 10, 1941: USS Niblack Attacks
April 11, 1941: Good Friday Raid
April 12, 1941: Belgrade and Bardia Fall
April 13, 1941: Soviet-Japanese Pact
April 14, 1941: King Peter Leaves
April 15, 1941: Flying Tigers
April 16, 1941: Battle of Platamon
April 17, 1941: Yugoslavia Gone
April 18, 1941: Me 262 First Flight
April 19, 1941: London Smashed
April 20, 1941: Hitler's Best Birthday
April 21, 1941: Greek Army Surrenders
April 22, 1941: Pancevo Massacre
April 23, 1941: CAM Ships
April 24, 1941: Battle of Thermopylae
April 25, 1941: Operation Demon
April 26, 1941: Operation Hannibal
April 27, 1941: Athens Falls
April 28, 1941: Hitler Firm about Barbarossa
April 29, 1941: Mainland Greece Falls
April 30, 1941: Rommel Attacks

2020

Monday, February 20, 2017

February 20, 1941: Prien's Farewell

Thursday 20 February 1941

20 February 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Beaufighter Mk 1F cockpit

Italian/Greek Campaign: The situation remains stable in Greece on 20 February 1941, with neither side making much progress. However, the British military mission in Athens chooses to see the glass as half full. It sends a telegram to the War Office in Whitehall that is full of optimism:

All Italian counter-attacks have been repulsed. Today concentric Greek attacks are to take place southwards and westwards with a view to clearing up Southern portion of Shennell ridge north-east of Tepelene. If these succeed Tepelene should fall and second-phase operation will include operations towards Berat and also between Tepelene and the sea.

The report does note that the 5th Cretan Division has incurred "about 3000 casualties... many with frostbite." In fact, the division has suffered horribly, over 5000 casualties, both from the weather and fierce Italian resistance near Tepelene. When one reads reports such as this, a natural conclusion is that the military observers know that Prime Minister Churchill is bent on sending troops to Greece, so they are painting a rosy picture to support or buttress that decision that may not exactly comport with the actual fighting. Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we'll see the same tendency within the Wehrmacht in 1945. It is the same as regurgitating to a teacher answers that you know may not quite be accurate - but you want to secure that "A" by hook or by crook.

The Germans make an offer to mediate in the Greco-Italian war. Greece immediately rejects it.

East African Campaign: The South African assault across the Juba River near Jumbo continues today. At 06:30, the Natal Carbineers head across the pontoon bridge under fire. Some troops head north to cut the road north of Jumbo that the Italians could use to escape, while the Transvaal Scottish heads directly toward the town.

The Italians, as so often during the campaign, are abandoning their positions. By 10:30, the remaining troops in Jumbo - not many - surrender. Lieutenant-Colonel G.T. Senescall accepts the capitulation, and the British take 30 officers, 100 other Italian troops and an unknown number of native troops. The South Africans then quickly head for Yonte, making 14 miles in armored cars before coming under fire. They plan an attack on the Italians in the morning.

A separate advance across the Juba River also takes place. The 11th African Division and 22nd East African Brigade, supported by armored cars and South African light tanks, force a crossing at 04:00 near Bardera. This puts them within striking distance of Mogadishu.

The Italians in Massawa, Eritrea see the writing on the wall regarding the advancing British, just as other ships did at Kismayu earlier in the month. Four ships attempt to break out into the Indian Ocean. Italian armed merchant cruisers Ramb I and Ramb II set a course for the Pacific and elude all British patrols, while Italian sloop Eritrea and German supply ship Coburg also make good their escape.

20 February 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Flight Sergeant RW Gellard DFM

An official drawing of Flight Sergeant R.W. Gellard by military artist Eric Henri Kennington. Gellard is awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) on 20 February 1941 (© IWM (Art.IWM ART LD 1319))

European Air Operations: The Luftwaffe's Three Nights Blitz continues in Swansea. The attacks are focusing on the heart of the city - there is no subtlety to these attacks. Most of the damage is done by high explosives, as the British are getting better at putting out incendiaries. During the day, there are the usual random bombs dropped in East Anglia.

RAF Bomber Command attacks the docks at Ymuiden, Holland during the day and does a Rhubarb Mission over France after dark.

The Bristol Beaufighter holds high promise, and the Air Ministry has dispersed its production to several different companies. The first Beaufighter Mk I built by Fairey flew on 7 February 1941, and today the first Weston-built Beaufighter Mk IF (F meaning it is destined for Fighter Command) flies at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. These Beaufighters all use the Hercules engine, but shortages of this engine are anticipated, so Merlin engines will be adopted in future versions.

JG 51 Kommodore Mölders, after a long interval, gets two more victories, giving him 58 total to lead the war. This keeps him ahead of Adolf Galland.

Hans-Joachim Marseille of JG 27 returns to his unit at Berck-sur-Mer from leave. The unit soon will be heading to the East to support Operation Marita.

Luftwaffe ace Heinz Pohland of Stab LG 2 perishes in a flying accident.

20 February 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Guenther Prien U-47

Günther Prien departs from Lorient on his tenth (and last) patrol in U-47, 20 February 1941. Many people see in this picture a much older-looking man than the almost boyish figure who sank HMS Royal Oak in 1939. The strains of war and all that. These are among the last pictures of what some consider the greatest U-boat commander of all time (U47.org).

Battle of the Atlantic: The Luftwaffe is very active against shipping today. It causes havoc in the Northwest Approaches and elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Admiralty is worried about German surface raiders and is implementing - or re-implementing - a policy of including submarines as escorts. Today, the first convoy, HG 54, includes a submarine escort, HMS Tuna.

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 1278-ton British freighter Rigmor south of Falmouth. Everyone survives.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages minesweeper HMS Bramble off Harwich. The damage is light and the ship is back in service by the end of the month.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 162-ton British trawler Scarborough In the Atlantic west of Limerick. The bomb knocks out its engines, but it is towed into port.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 7138-ton British tanker British Splendor just off Lizard. The British Splendor makes it back to port.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 4312-ton British freighter St. Rosario in the Atlantic northwest of Ireland. The ship turns back to port.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 1997-ton British freighter Rosenborg in the same area as the St. Rosario. The St. Rosario also turns back and barely makes it to the Clyde.

The Luftwaffe bombs and damages 12,223-ton British tanker D.L. Harper in the Atlantic northwest of Ireland. The empty tanker continues on to Halifax.

British 5261-ton iron ore freighter Fort Médine hits a mine and sinks in the Bristol Channel near Swansea (off Mumbles Head). There are one death and 46 survivors.

Royal Navy 244-ton minesweeping trawler Marjory M. Hastie hits a mine off the Tyne. The captain quickly beaches the ship at Whitburn. It later is refloated and repaired.

Three destroyers, escorted by four other destroyers, lay minefield GS in the English Channel.

Convoy OB 289 departs from Liverpool, Convoy HG 54 departs from Gibraltar,

U-558 (Oberleutnant zur See Günther Krech) is commissioned, U-128, U-565, and U-566 are launched.

Prien saluting his men as they prepare to depart, 20 February 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: There is a minor skirmish between advance units of General Rommel's Afrika Korps and British troops of XIII Corps in the vicinity of El Agheila.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Regent (Lt. Commander Brown) attacks a convoy of transports bringing the Afrika Korps to Tripoli. It torpedoes 5609-ton transport Menes. Menes is disabled and taken in tow, making it to Tripoli later in the day. Italian escort destroyer Saetta attacks Regent and damages it, forcing it to return to Malta.

Operation MC 8, a typically convoluted supply operation to Malta, continues. Several ships depart from Malta for Alexandria. The Luftwaffe quickly attacks them but fails to make any significant hits.

Royal Navy 462-ton trawler HMS Ouse hits a mine and sinks at Tobruk. There are 12 deaths and nine survivors, including the commander, Sub Lt. W.V. Fitzmaurice.

Convoy AS 15 departs from Piraeus bound for Alexandria and Port Said, Convoy BS 16 departs from Suez.

The Free French under Colonel Leclerc continues to invest the El Tag fortress at Kufra. The French are pounding the well-garrisoned Italian base with a 75mm field gun and several mortars. So far, the Italian troops have held firm, but their commander is very unsure of himself and looking for a way out.

Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) Sir John Dill, who is in Cairo with Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, pays a surprise (and surreptitious) visit to Malta with Eden. The two discuss the situation with Governor Dobbie, tour the island's defenses, then return to Cairo on a Sunderland flying boat.

20 February 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Sir John Dill

Battle of the Indian Ocean: The Admiralty is right to be concerned about the German warships, a point proven by heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer. While it has been fairly quiet, Admiral Scheer has been on an extended cruise in the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, defying Admiralty attempts to locate it. Today, operating west of Seychelles, it uses its Arado 196 floatplanes to locate and capture two ships: 6994-ton British tanker British Advocate and 2546 ton Greek freighter Grigorios C II. Admiral Scheer keeps the tanker, but sinks the freighter and takes its 27 men prisoner. A third freighter, 7178 freighter Canadian Cruiser, is also in the vicinity and spots Admiral Scheer, sending a distress call to the Admiralty.

Convoy BA 1 departs from Bombay, bound for Aden.

Anglo/US Relations: Prime Minister Winston Churchill telegrams President Roosevelt with information about Japanese Foreign Minister Yōsuke Matsuoka. Churchill has been a font of information recently about Japanese plans without disclosing the source of his knowledge: decrypts of coded Japanese transmissions:

I have better news about Japan. Apparently Matsuoka is visiting Berlin, Rome and Moscow in the near future. This may well be a diplomatic sop to cover absence of action against Great Britain. If Japanese attack which seemed imminent is now postponed, this is largely due to fears of United States. The more these fears can be played upon the better....

Churchill is painting quite a melodramatic picture. There is no indication that the Japanese are planning an attack in early 1941 aside from idle speculation. He is achieving his purpose, though, of keeping Roosevelt focused on potential war danger to the United States and thereby putting England and the US "in the same boat" - if only in Churchill's (and Roosevelt's) mind. The lingering danger for the United States, of course, is quite real - but not quite yet.

At the War Cabinet meeting, Churchill reveals that he had received a personal telegram from Ambassador to the US Lord Halifax. The ambassador recommended that Great Britain simply hand over its remaining assets to the United States and trust that the Lend-Lease Bill would pass and the US would underwrite the British war effort. The only issue left - as noted by Chancellor of the Exchequer Kingsley Wood - is to provide an orderly liquidation of whatever money the country has left.

20 February 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com jeep Capitol steps

As a stunt to show its capabilities, the Army drives a Willys Quad prototype jeep up the U.S. Capitol steps. In the jeep are US Senators Meade and Thomas (one apparently driving). Driving jeeps up and down steps became a bit of a fad during the war - King Michael of Romania also was photographed doing something similar. Washington Daily News, 20 February 1941.

US/Japanese Relations: Financial attaché of the Japanese embassy in Washington D.C. Nishiyama Tsutomo makes a concrete proposal to the Roosevelt administration to avoid conflict. In effect, he asks that the US allow Japan to take over the Dutch East Indies - with all of its oil - so that the two countries can have a "commercial understanding." Roosevelt, of course, is using oil as an economic weapon against Japan and refuses. Roosevelt asks Secretary of State Cordell Hull to warn the Japanese discretely that if they so much as look at the Dutch East Indies, there will be war. In fact, any Japanese move south of China - which includes Taiwan and Indochina - would be a big no-no. Basically, Roosevelt draws a line in the South China Sea and warns the Japanese not to cross it.

Australian Government: Prime Minister Robert Menzies finally arrives in England, completing the last part of the journey from Lisbon in one hop. This is the most hazardous part of the journey, as the Luftwaffe often strays out into the Atlantic from its French bases. Menzies notes that there is a lot of snow in the fields and "unaccustomed cold." Along the route to his accommodations, Menzies writes, "you see troops in ones or twos." As he goes to bed, he hears "the reasonably distant concussion of guns."

Holocaust: Deportation of 30,000 Jewish residents of Plotzk, Poland to ghettos begins today.

20 February 1941 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Brisbane Australia

A toll booth and office in Brisbane, Australia, 20 February 1941. Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 4054.

February 1941

February 1, 1941: US Military Reorganization
February 2, 1941: Wehrmacht Supermen
February 3, 1941: World Will Hold Its Breath
February 4, 1941: USO Forms
February 5, 1941: Hitler Thanks Irish Woman
February 6, 1941: Operation Sunflower
February 7, 1941: Fox Killed in the Open
February 8, 1941: Lend Lease Passes House
February 9, 1941: Give Us The Tools
February 10, 1941: Operation Colossus
February 11, 1941: Afrika Korps
February 12, 1941: Rommel in Africa
February 13, 1941: Operation Composition
February 14, 1941: Nomura in Washington
February 15, 1941: Churchill's Warning
February 16, 1941: Operation Adolphus
February 17, 1941: Invade Ireland?
February 18, 1941: Panzerwaffe Upgrade
February 19, 1941: Three Nights Blitz
February 20, 1941: Prien's Farewell
February 21, 1941: Swansea Blitz Ends
February 22, 1941: Amsterdam Pogrom
February 23, 1941: OB-288 Convoy Destruction
February 24, 1941: Okuda Spies
February 25, 1941: Mogadishu Taken
February 26, 1941: OB-290 Convoy Destruction
February 27, 1941: Operation Abstention
February 28, 1941: Ariets Warns Stalin

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