Tuesday 3 September 1940

Spectators easily can watch the air battles over Kent as the planes form condensation trails in the blue sky on 3 September 1940. (AP Photo).

German Military: Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering convenes his Luftlotten commanders along the Channel (Kesselring, Sperrle) and others at the Hague on 3 September 1940. Apparently, Hitler either is in attendance or following the discussion closely elsewhere. The topic is the future strategy against England. Goering first asks for suggestions (as he has in the past, without ever taking anyone's advice). This is a common German command method at such conferences, and not just in the Luftwaffe: to ask for opinions before announcing a decision already made by the high command.

Kesselring advocates bombing London. Sperrle, however, contends that the attacks on airfields are of primary importance, are working, and must continue. Everyone gets into a violent argument.

To reach a resolution, Luftwaffe intelligence provides its estimate of British fighter strength. Staff officer (and Goering crony) German Intelligence Chief Oberst Josef ‘Beppo’ Schmid, claims the RAF only has 100-350 fighters left. This may be based on a combination of wishful thinking and anecdotal reports from pilots, but it certainly is not based on solid intelligence. Goering accepts the estimate and announces that there is to be a change in the air objective (Zielwechsel). Since the RAF is finished, he orders, the final destruction of the British economy and morale will commence with the terror bombings of London. Or so Goering hopes.

Major (later Lt. General) "Beppo" Schmid, head of Luftwaffe Intelligence.

Initiating terror bombing in London, of course, is a decision that only Hitler can make, pursuant to his 16 July Fuhrer Directive. The best reading of this conference is that Hitler already has made the decision to bomb London in private with Goering, and the Hague conference is just a formality. Goering would have known Schmid's figures going in, so they add nothing to the discussion. In such situations, the only chance to influence the patently bad decision made here (and this happens at several key junctures of the war) is for the local commanders to express unanimous opposition. Since Kesselring (unwisely) favors the change to terror bombing, as he has in the past with even less foundation, that does not happen. There always is someone at these conferences who supports the decision, no matter how profoundly stupid it may be.

Since the opposition to the change in direction is split, the change of tactics is implemented (as it likely would have even in face of unanimous opposition). London is to be bombed. Aside from Hitler and Goering, the blame here lies with lousy Luftwaffe intelligence and with Kesselring, who places far too much faith in the power of terror bombing due to his experiences at Warsaw and Rotterdam. Kesselring throughout the war has a well-known reputation for being very optimistic (he is known to both sides as "Smiling Albert"). This serves him quite well at times and is usually considered an admirable trait in a leader. However, in this specific case, it hurts the German war effort. Hugo Sperrle, on the other hand, who receives virtually no press, displays sound judgment throughout the war but is forced into bad tactics by dreadful orders and declining forces.

Adolf Hitler regards the conference's decision with satisfaction (since it ultimately is his decision) and states:

[T]he British air force is down to its last reserves, they cry for pity, and I will give them pity. I will wipe London from the face of the earth! I want fire everywhere, thousands of them and then they will unite into one gigantic area of conflagration.

As the wording of this statement suggests, there may be things other than purely military logic at play in this decision. It is worth pointing out that Hitler several times during the war seems to take a fetishistic delight in wishing to burn out his enemies.

Hitler also reaches a decision on Operation Sea Lion based on this discussion or at least flowing from the decision announced at it. Operation Sea Lion is on. Hitler's orders provide that the Wehrmacht will be given 10-days lead time before the invasion. The new earliest date for Operation Sea Lion landings now is moved from 15 September to 21 September (S-Day), with the ships to sail on 20 September.

The plan now (it has gone through numerous revisions) is to land two airborne divisions first, followed by nine other divisions. Included will be 250 panzers. The 16th Army will land four divisions at Folkestone, while 9th Army will and 2 divisions at Eastbourne and 3 divisions at Brighton. They would face a dozen British divisions of varying states of readiness. The UK has an inventory of roughly 350 Valentine and Matilda tanks (Prime Minister Churchill having just sent off several shiploads to the Middle East) and 500 antitank weapons - a strong, but not overwhelming, defensive force. The 9 picked Wehrmacht divisions against the assorted British divisions would be a fair fight.

With the benefit of omniscience derived from hindsight, knowing the true state of affairs on both sides as of 3 September 1940, the decision to invade England probably already is too late. The British military has recovered, strengthened its defenses, and fought the Luftwaffe to a standstill. RAF Fighter Command is bowed but not broken; even after large recent losses, it has 600-700 fighters ready to defend the beaches - not the 100-350 believed by the Luftwaffe. The Royal Navy remains amply able to defend the Channel. More importantly, the British (via Churchill's rapport with Roosevelt) have solidified their arrangements with the Americans and made them virtual allies in the war. An invasion in July 1940, with a maximum Luftwaffe effort to establish temporary local air superiority rather than frittering away strength on other attacks, would have made infinitely more sense despite the obvious risks.

However, as it stands in early September, if Sea Lion is ever to be attempted, it should be done immediately. The imminent arrival of the 50 destroyers from the United States (see below) would turn the naval equation solidly and permanently against the Germans, but those ships will take time to arrive. Having Luftwaffe bases established on both sides of the Channel before their arrival would largely nullify their local impact.

It is now or never for the Wehrmacht in terms of defeating England by frontal assault (as opposed to either economic strangulation at sea or a peripheral strategy in the Mediterranean, neither of which have worked against the British previously). At least making the effort with a reasonable possibility of success would be worth any number of losses. Leaving the British undefeated at your back - especially if you have some half-cocked notions of starting new wars in the East - is never a winning proposition. The British must be finished off once and for all, and any price is worth paying once they have their hands around your neck. Peace terms must be slapped down on the throne at Buckingham Palace quickly or the British will never go away and ultimately find a way to beat you: there is 300 years of history to prove that, going back to Philip II. Napoleon would nod in agreement.

Operation Sea Lion is a huge gamble, and Hitler is the biggest military gambler of the millennium. The attempt seems worthwhile - but right away, not in 1941. Time is the Wehrmacht's enemy. This decision is perhaps the biggest of the war.

Soldiers with part of a Bf 110 that came to a violent end over Essex, England, 3 September 1940 (AP Photo).

Battle of Britain: While the German high command makes far-reaching decisions, the day-to-day battle continues over the skies of England. The weather continues clear and bright, and the Luftwaffe once again gets off the mark by mid-morning.

The first major attacks begin around 09:15, as two large formations approach over the Thames estuary and North Foreland. Further formations follow directly behind. Keith Park's No. 11 Group gets 11 squadrons in the air, and Leigh-Mallory's 12 Group adds the Czech No. 310 Squadron. Fighter Command continues its recent practice of waiting as long as possible to intercept to gain a tactical advantage, and once again it allows more bombers to get through to their targets than if the interceptions had been made earlier.

RAF North Weald takes a beating, with extensive damage to the main buildings. The airfields at Debden and Hornchurch also suffer heavy damage, with RAF Manston being attacked around 11:40. The London docks also take a pounding.

Noontime is when massive dogfights take place along the coast. Other raids take place along the Kent coast around 14:00, but the RAF gets its fighters in the air earlier and chases most of them off.

After dark, the Luftwaffe continues its raids on Liverpool and areas to the south of it. Bristol and South Wales receive their usual visits. The Avonmouth docks are one target, but the bombers' aim is particularly bad and bombs fall all around without many falling on the target.

The RAF bombs the Grunewald Park in the north of Berlin, apparently by accident. It also drops bombs on oil installations at Magdeburg, storage facilities at Schwere and Hamm, a blast furnace at Merzig, and the barges at Beveland Canal and the Scheldt estuary, and the Ostend docks. Special attention is paid to various airfields in northwest Europe, particularly those near the Pas de Calais where most of the recent Luftwaffe attacks have come from.

Losses for the day are about even, in the mid-teens for both sides. This is a rarity and further grist for the mill of those in the Luftwaffe who think the RAF may be on the ropes. The conclusion certainly can be drawn that the current Luftwaffe strategy - after much trial and error - finally is achieving results.

Adolf Galland of JG 26 gains his 28th victory during the noontime battles. Several other pilots in the squadron get their first victories, while Lt. Gustav Sprick of 8./JG 26 gets his 15th kill.

Hitler directs the Luftwaffe to procure larger bombs than usual - 2200lb - for attacks on cities.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-57 (Oblt.z.S. Erich Topp), returning from her 11th patrol, collides with Norwegian freighter Rona at Brunsbüttel (northwest of Hamburg at the entrance to the Kiel Canal). There are six deaths and 19 crew survive. The U-boat sinks in shallow water where it can be recovered.

U-60 (Oblt.z.S. Adalbert Schnee), on her 8th patrol, torpedoes and sinks 1401 ton British freighter Ulva northwest of Donegal, Ireland. There are three deaths and 17 crew survive.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Truant stops the German wheat freighter Tropic Sea in the Bay of Biscay. The crew of the Tropic Sea scuttles the ship. The submarine takes the Captain and some others aboard as prisoners, and a fishing boat and a Short Sunderland flying boat rescue the other crewmen. The Tropic Sea had been captured by the German raider Orion, and among the prisoners on the ship are some crew from the Haxby.

British 880 ton British collier Philotus collides with the SS Lublin and sinks about 8km northwest of St. Govan's lighthouse off Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.

The RAF bombs and sinks 3077-ton Norwegian ship Anna Sofie at Haugesund, Norway. The ship settles in shallow water and can be salvaged.

U-101 (Kptlt. Fritz Frauenheim) undergoes a depth charge attack (five passes) northwest of Ireland. U-101 survives, but with some flooding.

Convoy FN 271 departs from Southend, Convoy MT 159 departs from Methil, Convoy FS 271 departs from the Tyne, Convoy OB 208 departs from Liverpool, Convoy SL 46 departs from Freetown.

British submarine HMS Upright (N 89, Lt. Francis J. Brooks) is commissioned.

U-455, a longer Type VIIC submarine, is laid down in Kiel.

Light cruisers HMS Orion and HMAS Sydney, accompanied by destroyers, bombard the Italian bases at Scarpanto (Karpathos) and Port Valecana in Stampala in the Dodecanese. Italian motorboats VAS 356 and VAS 537 attack the force off Stampal, with destroyer Ilex sinking MAS 357. (Some accounts place this action on 1 September).

At Malta, an Italian MAS (Motor Torpedo Boat) buzzes the island at dawn but makes a clean getaway despite attempted interceptions by the RAF. An Italian submarine also is reported northeast of the island, but depth charge attacks produce no result.

Battle of the Pacific: Australian cargo ship Coraline runs aground on Point Kialla, New South Wales (Jervis Bay) and is wrecked. There are six survivors and one crewman perishes.


US/Anglo Relations: Subsequent to the exchange of notes between US Secretary of State Cordell Hull and British Ambassador Lord Lothian on 2 September 1940, President Roosevelt sends a message to Congress setting forth the terms of the exchange of US destroyers for British bases:

• "The right to bases in Newfoundland and Bermuda are gifts";
• "in exchange for fifty of our over-age destroyers."
• "act of preparation for continental defense in the face of grave danger."

The British bases to be turned over to the US, most under 99-year leases, are set forth as:

• on the eastern side of the Bahamas, 
• the southern coast of Jamaica, 
• the western coast of St. Lucia, 
• the west coast of Trinidad in the Gulf of Paria, 
• on the island of Antigua and 
• in British Guiana within fifty miles of Georgetown.

President Roosevelt emphasizes throughout his official communication that the bases are important for the defense of the Western Hemisphere - though why the defense from those locations would be better in the hands of the neutral US military occupying those bases and not the Royal Navy and Air Force is not explained. Some things are better left to the imagination.

US Rear Adml J. W. Greenslade, along with his team ("the Greenslade Board"), boards the cruiser USS St. Louis at Norfolk to inspect British bases acquired under the deal. They head toward Bermuda first.

"Two destroyers, HMS CASTLETON (formerly American Wikes Class destroyer USS AARON WARD) and HMS CLARE (formerly Clemson Class, USS ABEL P UPSHER), sit moored alongside each other alongside the Devonport Dockyard, September 1940. They still show their US Navy pennant numbers. Dockyard workers are aboard preparing the ships for service in the Royal Navy." © IWM (A 724). You can see that the "dockyard workers" (probably British sailors) have cans of paint at the ready. They don't look that over-age.

US Military: Cruisers USS Wichita (CA 45) and Quincy (CA 39) depart from Buenos Aires, Argentina for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as part of their "Show the Flag" mission.

Soviet/German Relations: Responding to Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov's complaints about the Second Vienna Award, German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop denies any German wrongdoing. In addition, he accuses the Soviets of breaching the pact in the Baltic States.

Walt Disney stands before his new Animation Building in Burbank, California, in September 1940.

Romanian/Hungarian Relations: Many Romanians in northern Transylvania are not happy about the Second Vienna Award and stage demonstrations. There also are reports of incidents between Romanian and Hungarian troops as the Hungarians move in to occupy the region.

Romania: The fascist Iron Guard agitates to have Ion Antonescu appointed Prime Minister. Antonescu is considered a somewhat moderate figure - among those in the far right - since he is a member of the elite and thus (presumably) not interested in any "death ride" military campaigns. However, Antonescu does sympathize with the aim of restoring the borders of "Greater Romania" in the East. King Carol refuses.

Vichy France: Pierre Laval issues orders to arrest anyone who poses a threat to national security, with priority given to communists.

China: The Nationalist 18th Army moves to block the Communist advance under Mao Tse-tung along the Yangtze River in Jiangsu Province. Heretofore, the two forces have had an uneasy alliance or at least co-belligerency against the Japanese.

German Homefront: The government releases figures showing that the unemployed number only 32,000. This type of number typically suggests a labor shortage - and with millions of men in the Wehrmacht, that is understandable. In 1932, right before Hitler came to power, the figure was around 5 million and 30% of the workforce was unemployed. Those mystified by Hitler's popularity - and he was popular across a broad swathe of the country - should take note. In addition, the low number hints as to why the Germans embraced forced/slave labor.

The Germans seize the French television service, which has a television antenna on the Eiffel Tower. Eventually, the German Ministry of Post and Radiodiffusion Nationale will resume programming in Paris, broadcasting in both German and French (Fernsehsender Paris) from 7 May 1943.
American Homefront: Long Island daily Newsday begins publication under the editorship of Alicia Patterson, daughter of the founder of New York Daily News.

The recently recruited No. 12 Forestry Company, Canadian Forestry Corps gets in the local papers today. The unit "gave a good account of itself" at Kirkland Lake Ontario on 3 September 1940.

September 1940

September 1, 1940: RAF's Horrible Weekend
September 2, 1940: German Troopship Sunk
September 3, 1940: Destroyers for Bases
September 4, 1940: Enter Antonescu
September 5, 1940: Stukas Over Malta
September 6, 1940: The Luftwaffe Peaks
September 7, 1940: The Blitz Begins
September 8, 1940: Codeword Cromwell
September 9, 1940: Italians Attack Egypt
September 10, 1940: Hitler Postpones Sealion
September 11, 1940: British Confusion at Gibraltar
September 12, 1940: Warsaw Ghetto Approved
September 13, 1940: Zeros Attack!
September 14, 1940: The Draft Is Back
September 15, 1940: Battle of Britain Day
September 16, 1940: italians Take Sidi Barrani
September 17, 1940: Sealion Kaputt
September 18, 1940: City of Benares Incident
September 19, 1940: Disperse the Barges
September 20, 1940: A Wolfpack Gathers
September 21, 1940: Wolfpack Strikes Convoy HX-72
September 22, 1940: Vietnam War Begins
September 23, 1940: Operation Menace Begins
September 24, 1940: Dakar Fights Back
September 25, 1940: Filton Raid
September 26, 1940: Axis Time
September 27, 1940: Graveney Marsh Battle
September 28, 1940: Radio Belgique Begins
September 29, 1940: Brocklesby Collision
September 30, 1940: Operation Lena

2020

Saturday 31 August 1940

HMS Express after losing her bow to a mine. Photo was taken from HMS Kelvin. © IWM (A 537).

Battle of Britain: This is known as the "Bad Weekend" for the RAF. On 31 August 1940, the heat is on the Luftwaffe, as Hitler is on the cusp of making a decision about Operation Sea Lion. If results are to to gained that mean anything, they have to be gained soon. Changes in strategy by the Luftwaffe, and some occasional strokes of luck, also are giving new life to the German effort.

The main Luftwaffe tactic remains to destroy the RAF in the air and its installations on the ground. Radar stations are subject to attack, but they are a distinctly secondary priority. While cities such as Liverpool are receiving damage, London for the most part has been spared.

As the day dawns, all of the RAF airfields are operational - though Biggin Hill just barely. The raids begin around 08:00, an unusual hour for the Luftwaffe to mount major operations in recent weeks. The RAF gets its fighters into the air earlier than on the 30th, when being too cute with trying to time the raids so that they could be attacked only after the fighter escorts were low on fuel led to a large percent of the bombers getting through to their targets. Two RAF Squadrons head out into pursuit.

However, the first Luftwaffe attack turns out to be a "freie jagd" - fighters without bombers. Air Vice Marshal Keith Park realizes quickly that he has been conned and tells his fighters to return to base - he isn't going to waste them on dogfights. RCAF No. 1 Squadron, though, does not receive the message and loses three planes in a pointless encounter. The Bf 109s, meanwhile, have free reign of the skies otherwise and destroy all 23 barrage balloons over Dover.

A little later, the bombers do appear. This time, Park of No. 11 Group decides to get almost everything he has into the air - he sends up 13 squadrons to attack the formation and keeps three squadrons at home to protect the airfields. Previously, nearby No. 12 Group would have protected his airfields, but after the problems in that area on the 30th, Park is taking no chances.

As is usually the case, the large Luftwaffe formation splits up into numerous smaller formations to attack different targets. Several airfields receive damage, including the vital field at Hornchurch. Duxford is another target, but the tables turn today and No. 12 Group has to call on Park at No. 11 Group for assistance. Park sends over No. 111 Squadron, and they break up that attack.

A third Luftwaffe formation, however, gets through unscathed and hits RAF Debden. Over 100 bombs are dropped on it, causing extensive damage and 18 casualties.

About an hour later, the Luftwaffe sends more planes over the Thames estuary. Eastchurch is hit, along with RAF Detling.

Pilot James Coward has his foot blown off after his guns jam on 31 August 1940. He manages to bale out, ties a tourniquet around his leg, then has his leg amputated below the knee.

Another 100 bombers head over around noontime. This formation splits up and one part heads for Biggin Hill, where the bombers cause extensive damage on top of that of previous days. While the RAF maintains the fiction that Biggin Hill remains operational, in fact, it is cut off from the outside world and fighters are instructed not to land there.

The other part of the formation attacks Hornchurch again. The defending fighters get a late start again, and the bombers destroy numerous planes on the ground and in the process of taking off.

Another raid an hour or two later targets radar station at Foreness. This raid does not get any lucky hits, as on the 30th, so the stations remain operational.

At 15:15, another attack comes across over the Thames estuary. Hornchurch suffers again, and Biggin Hill takes more damage. The Dornier Do 17s are carrying heavy 1000lb bombs. A direct hit on the Operations Room roof destroys the plotting room, and there is extensive damage elsewhere.

The attacks continue into the night. Liverpool is hit again, Bristol receives some damage, but the damage to Liverpool is significant (20 civilians killed in a shelter that gets a direct hit). A trawler in the harbor is hit, the gas works at Birkshaw Lane is damaged, and numerous shops and flats are destroyed.

During a Luftwaffe attack on Birkenhead, the Royal Navy battleship Prince of Wales is damaged by a near miss. British tanker British Energy also is damaged there, while British tanker Athelviscount is damaged in the River Mersey near Liverpool.

This is considered to be the nadir for the RAF during the Battle of Britain. More flying personnel are killed or wounded, and the RAF loses its greatest number of planes in one day (30-40). The Luftwaffe loses roughly the same number of planes. More ominously for the RAF, it loses 14 pilots.

This rate of exchange highly favors the Luftwaffe, particularly when you add in all the damage being caused to RAF infrastructure and the country at large. The British media, of course, is full of its usual wild tales of Luftwaffe losses approaching triple figures. If all such claims over the month of August 1940 were tallied and reflected reality, the Luftwaffe would be out of planes already. As it is, Luftwaffe losses are higher than RAF losses when everything is accounted for - but not by much.

As a result of the day's events, RAF No. 610 Squadron is transferred out of Biggin Hill to Acklington for a rest, and No. 72 Squadron replaces it.

RAF Pilot Officer Gerard H "Gerry" Maffett, KIA 31 August 1940.

Battle of the Atlantic: It is a bad day for the Royal Navy. Already desperately short of convoy escorts, the situation gets worse. After dark, a British flotilla of five destroyers (Destroyer Flotilla 20) is sailing not far off the Dutch coast near Texel to lay a minefield (CBX 5). After reports are received of an enemy convoy heading westward - invasion forces? - the flotilla jettisons the mines and heads to intercept. The destroyers run into a German minefield shortly after 23:00.

The invasion scare turns out to be a false alarm, but the damage to the destroyer is about as bad as if it had turned out to be real. Destroyer HMS Express is the first one to hit a mine off Texel. The mine hits near "B" gun forward, and it blows off the entire bow. The Express losses 59 crew in the explosion

Destroyers HMS Esk and Ivanhoe then close to help the Express, while the remaining two destroyers retrace their route out of the minefield. Esk then hits a mine, then Ivanhoe hits one. There now are three destroyers dead in the water. Esk then hits another mine that detonates her magazine, sinking the ship quickly. There are 136 dead and two survivors.

The Express and Ivanhoe now are left, badly damaged, in the middle of the minefield. Express, saved only by watertight doors underneath the bridge, goes into reverse to get out of the minefield and relieve pressure on the strained bulkhead - the only thing keeping her afloat.

The Admiralty dispatches motor torpedo boats, which take off the crew of the Express. After resolving several problems with the tow, the Express makes it to Hull for repairs at Chatham Dockyard. The Ivanhoe attempts the same maneuver as the Express, but something happens to her propeller or driveshaft and she is dead in the water.

Eventually, the Luftwaffe takes an interest, and the British have to scuttle the Ivanhoe. Thus, the British lose two destroyers and have a third out of action for an indefinite, but obviously very long, period. The Luftwaffe rescues 24 men from the Ivanhoe and makes them POWs.

HMS Express, her bows blown clear off by a German mine, as seen from HMS Kelvin. © IWM (A 534).

Elsewhere, the day is not much better for the British.

U-59 (Joachim Matz) continues its successful patrol northwest of Ireland. At 02:06, it sends two torpedoes into and sinks 4616-ton British collier Bibury. All 39 men on board perish. The Bibury had just dispersed with two other ships from Convoy OB 205. The ship sinks in five minutes. This sinking remained a mystery for some time due to the lack of any survivors - it just vanished.

U-38 (Kptlt. Heinrich Liebe), toward the end of her sixth patrol and operating out of Wilhelmshaven, stalks Convoy OB 225 as it departs the British Isles for the United States. Spotting a straggler - always easy prey - northwest of County Donegal, it torpedoes and sinks 2508 ton British fertilizer freighter Har Zion. There is only one survivor, seaman Osman Adem, and the other 35 men on board perish. After this, U-38 heads for her new home port of Lorient.

U-60 (Oblt.z.S. Adalbert Schnee) is on her eighth patrol several hundred miles off Malin Head, Northern Ireland. While not an unlucky boat, she has few kills under her belt, and that string continues. At around 2300, Schnee sends two torpedoes at 15,434-ton Dutch passenger liner Volendam. One of the torpedoes explodes, but the large liner survives likely due to watertight doors. After the crew and passengers (878 total onboard) are taken off (one death), she is towed to the Clyde by the salvage tug Salvonia. During repairs, the workers find the second torpedo in the hull, unexploded - a very lucky break for the liner.

U-46 (Kptlt. Engelbert Endrass) stalks Convoy OB 205 about 100 miles northwest of Barra Head, Scotland. It torpedoes and sinks the 7461-ton Belgian freighter Ville de Hasselt. Everyone on board survives.

A British motor torpedo boat goes to the assistance of HMS Express after it has had its bow blown off due by a German mine. © IWM (A 535).

Vichy French naval trawler Vivagel hits a mine and sinks in the Bay of Biscay near Royan.

Dutch 175-ton freighter Marne, carrying a load of ammunition and copper pipe, hits a mine and sinks off the Tyne. The mine blows the ship to pieces and it sinks completely within three seconds with the loss of three crewmen in the hold. Captain Stam and the mate are thrown clear and survive.

Royal Navy 43 ton armed yacht HMY Emelle disappears. This is one of those mystery sinkings about which virtually nothing is known.

The Kriegsmarine lays minefield SW 3 in the western Baltic.

A major troop convoy departs from Britain for Freetown under heavy escort. It carries 8,000 British and French troops for undetermined operations in Africa. The ultimate destination turns out to be Dakar, but this is not known yet - Dakar remains under Vichy control. These are the opening moves of Operation Menace.

Convoys OA 207 and MT 156 depart from Methil, Convoy FN 268 departs from Southend, Convoy FS 268 departs from the Tyne.

U-95 (Kapitänleutnant Gerd Schreiber) is commissioned.

For the month of August, shipping losses are:

• 84 Allied ships lost 353,004 tons in the Atlantic;
• 8 Allied ships lost 44,225 tons in the Mediterranean, Indian and Pacific Oceans;
• 4 Axis ships 10, 064 tons in the Mediterranean;
• 3 U-boats lost, 28 remain in the Atlantic.

A Stuka brought down on 31 August 1940.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Operation Hats is in full swing, with Force F heading east from Gibraltar and Admiral Cunningham bringing his big ships west from Alexandria. The objectives are to re-supply Malta and cause Italian bases problems in the process.

As part of the diversionary scheme, Royal Navy aircraft from HMS Ark Royal bomb Sardinia. Destroyers are sent in that direction (Operation Squawk) to mislead the Italians into thinking that an attack on Genoa is the objective.

The Italians lightly damage Polish destroyer Garland.

Admiral Cunningham's force meets up with Admiral Tovey and the 3rd Cruiser Squadron off the southern coast of Greece.

A convoy (MF 2) of three merchant ships with a destroyer escort makes a break for Malta. The Italian air force attacks and damages British refrigerated ship Cornwall. Despite fierce fires caused by three bombs, the crew gets the engines running again and it continues on toward Malta.

Aircraft carrier HMS Eagle spots the Italian battle fleet about 180 miles away from Cunningham's ships in the Aegean. Cunningham heads toward them, but no contact is made during the day. There is a heavy storm during the night.

Elsewhere, the RAF bombs Derna and other Italian positions in Libya.

Italy: The Caproni Ca.331 Raffica (Fire Burst) prototype takes its first flight at Ponte San Pietro at the hands of test pilot Ettore Wengi. The Italians are developing both jet aircraft and biplane planes like this at the same time, and the Raffica is well-designed.

Soviet Union: Upon learning of the Second Vienna Award that resolves territorial disputes between Romania and Hungary, Moscow, apparently miffed at not being involved, launches a diplomatic protest.

China: Chiang Kai-shek appoints Chen Cheng as the new head of the political bureau (propaganda arm) of the Nationalist armed forces.

British Homefront: It is reported that, as of the end of August, over 51,000 British civilians have registered a conscientious objection to serving in the military.

American Homefront: Using his newly granted legal authority, President Roosevelt calls up 60,000 men of the National Guard to serve in the US Army.

A Douglas DC-3 of Pennsylvania Central Airlines crashes near Lovettsville, Virginia. All 25 aboard perish, including US Senator from Minnesota Ernest Lundeen.

The Tizard Mission continues its journey across the Atlantic, while Sir Henry himself is in Washington to coordinate the technology exchange.

Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh marry at San Ysidro Ranch, California.

Queen Wilhelmina's birthday parade near the Esplanade in Porthcawl, Wales, 31 August 1940. That is a Dutch anti-aircraft truck.

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

September 1940

September 1, 1940: RAF's Horrible Weekend
September 2, 1940: German Troopship Sunk
September 3, 1940: Destroyers for Bases
September 4, 1940: Enter Antonescu
September 5, 1940: Stukas Over Malta
September 6, 1940: The Luftwaffe Peaks
September 7, 1940: The Blitz Begins
September 8, 1940: Codeword Cromwell
September 9, 1940: Italians Attack Egypt
September 10, 1940: Hitler Postpones Sealion
September 11, 1940: British Confusion at Gibraltar
September 12, 1940: Warsaw Ghetto Approved
September 13, 1940: Zeros Attack!
September 14, 1940: The Draft Is Back
September 15, 1940: Battle of Britain Day
September 16, 1940: italians Take Sidi Barrani
September 17, 1940: Sealion Kaputt
September 18, 1940: City of Benares Incident
September 19, 1940: Disperse the Barges
September 20, 1940: A Wolfpack Gathers
September 21, 1940: Wolfpack Strikes Convoy HX-72
September 22, 1940: Vietnam War Begins
September 23, 1940: Operation Menace Begins
September 24, 1940: Dakar Fights Back
September 25, 1940: Filton Raid
September 26, 1940: Axis Time
September 27, 1940: Graveney Marsh Battle
September 28, 1940: Radio Belgique Begins
September 29, 1940: Brocklesby Collision
September 30, 1940: Operation Lena

2020

Tuesday 13 August 1940

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 of Oberleutnant Paul Temme, Gruppe Adjutant of I/ JG 2 "Richthofen" which crashed near Shoreham airfield in Sussex on 13 August 1940.

Battle of Britain: Today is the projected start of the final Luftwaffe offensive designed to destroy England. There is morning fog on 13 August 1940, so Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering decides at the last minute to postpone Operation Adlerangriff, which is scheduled to commence today on "Adler Tag" (Eagle Day). However, Goering waits too long and, while he stops some formations, other formations already are in the air on their way to their targets. Rather than an overpowering start, there is a confusing series of disjointed attacks on random targets.

The Luftwaffe is in the air at first light. With radar spotting gathering formations at 05:30, RAF Fighter Command gets Nos. 64 and 111 Squadrons airborne over RAF Hawkinge and Manston to protect the airfields which have become the Luftwaffe's new favorite targets.

Instead of those airfields, though, KG 2 sends over 50 Dornier Do 17s against Eastchurch airfield and the port of Sheerness. Goering's interference, though, prevents most of the escort fighters from meeting them. This is the infamous "bombing raid without escorts." Paradoxically, at first, this works to the Luftwaffe's advantage, as the RAF radar spotters figure the bombing raid is on a much smaller scale than it actually is and fails to send a massive force of interceptors. With little interference, the bombers wreck Eastchurch, destroy a handful of Blenheim bombers on the ground and head back to base. RAF Nos. 74 and 151 make a belated interception and shoot down five of the Dorniers on the way home, but "the damage is done." There are 16 deaths and 48 other casualties at Eastchurch, but the station is back in operation by the end of the day.

Goering finally sends the code for the operation to begin - "Adlerangriff" - in the afternoon at 14:00. This time, the attack is designed to open a seam in the defenses via an elaborate head-fake. A diversionary "free ride" mission by Bf 110s with no target over the south coast draws off the RAF interceptors. The twin-engine fighters lose five planes, but also mete out damage to the Spitfires. Unfortunately, the bombers arrive late - three hours late - and the RAF fighters are back in the air ready to meet them. StG 77 sends 52 Stuka Ju 87 dive bombers against Southampton, the Isle of Wight and nearby points. Despite a fighter escort from JG 53, the massive RAF fighter presence downs 5 bombers, which in any event have little success with their bombing mission due to the weather.

There are other bombing raids that do a little better. An attack on RAF Andover is successful, but it is a secondary airfield and not of much consequence to the overall battle. RAF Middle Wallop takes some damage, but it is not put out of action for long.

An afternoon attack by Stukas proceeding over the Thames estuary is protected by JG 26, probably the premier Luftwaffe formation at this stage of the battle. The Stukas get through, and RAF Detling is their objective. They completely wreck the airfield, which is used by Coastal Command for patrols and reconnaissance. The Stukas kill 67 people and destroy 22 aircraft on the ground for probably the biggest Luftwaffe success of the day. A secondary target, RAF Rochford, is hidden by cloud cover and the Stukas allocated to that target return to their French bases with their bombs.

Towards midnight, Heinkel He 111s attack one of their favorite targets, the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton, and also the Spitfire factory at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. As part of the war of nerves, the Luftwaffe drops special packages by parachute over England and Scotland. The contents of the parachute decoys, which include radios, maps and similar items of use by ground troops, are designed to suggest that the invasion already is in progress - which it, of course, is not.

Top RAF ace James Harry Lacey is shot down during the day by a Heinkel He 111, but survives and immediately returns to his No. 501 Squadron unit at RAF Croydon.

The Grosser Kurfurst battery in Pas de Calais, France. It is composed of four 28 cm (11 inches) guns at Cap Gris Nez, French. It begins firing on Dover on 13 August 1940. The shells could reach several miles inland.

Overall, the day is close to a disaster for the Luftwaffe. The Germans fly twice as many sorties, about 1500 (1000 by fighters) versus 700 by the RAF fighters, and lose several times the number of planes as the RAF does. The Luftwaffe losses are not insignificant. Most estimates place the losses as 37-42 Luftwaffe planes and 13 RAF fighters (many planes on both sides make it back to base but are badly damaged and essentially write-offs, so loss figures vary widely). It appears most accounts of the battle fail to take into account the planes lost by the RAF on the ground, and there are other mitigating factors mentioned below, so the day is not quite as devastating as the traditional lopsided "loss" figures indicate. However, it absolutely is not a good day for the Luftwaffe and a feeble beginning to the Adlerangriff offensive.

The fault for the fiasco lies in several places: the weather, the meteorologists who predicted good weather, Goering for his interference, the over-complex planning by the Luftwaffe planners, poor target selection (why not just throw everything at the radar stations?), and the quite fundamental fact that the Luftwaffe planes, particularly the medium bombers and dive-bombers, are not suited for their new strategic mission.

At heart, the Luftwaffe failure on Adler Tag is an intelligence failure: the Luftwaffe high command does not realize that the airfields are not the weak link of the RAF defenses, but rather the radar stations are. If the fragile radar masts can be knocked down and their control centers demolished, they will require time and effort to replace them. Simply putting craters into airfields that bulldozers can cover over in a couple of hours is not a strategic solution. The rabid and unproductive attacks against the same targets over and over and over - such as the aircraft factory at Filton near Brighton - show a clear lack of imagination and insight by the planners.

Does Adler Tag by itself decide the campaign? Absolutely not. The Luftwaffe remains ready to ramp up the attacks and the day's losses are manageable. However... things cannot continue like this for the Luftwaffe. The ratio of their losses of both planes and experienced pilots relative to those of the RAF is becoming alarming.

The day is a rude awakening for the Luftwaffe top brass who have been hearing fantasy tales from their pilots who cannot see the forest for the trees and depict a British Empire on the verge of defeat. It is a classic case of the pilots who make it back shouting loudly that everything is going wonderfully, while dead men tell no tales. Anecdotal tales of German aircrew taken prisoner indicate that morale in the Luftwaffe remains sky-high, and the confident captured Germans fully expect to be returning home soon after the invasion (the Luftwaffe, as the youngest of the three services, has the highest concentration of died-in-the-wool Hitler supporters).

There are bright spots for the Germans here and there.  One silver lining for the Luftwaffe is that the RAF loses six pilots permanently - but the Germans can't know that, and they also lose valuable pilots and aircrew. A sinister Wehrmacht factor enters the battle today: artillery fire from France. The English Channel at its narrowest is roughly 20 miles (30 km) wide, and there is plenty of German artillery that can reach that far (any battleship main gun could do it, and the Germans actually have bigger guns in their on-land arsenal). Today, the first shells drop on Dover. They are from the Siegfried Battery at Audinghen, south of Cap Gris Nez, the Grosser Kurfürst battery at Cap Gris Nez, as well as various railway guns.

The 13 August 1940 headlines are full of tales of glory.

European Air Operations: There is another mitigating factor for the Germans which gets short shrift in the historical accounts of the day. RAF No. 82 Squadron of Bomber Command mounts a disastrous raid on the Luftwaffe airfield at Aalborg West in northern Germany, sending over a dozen bombers. They fly right into a swarm of defending fighters that the RAF has no idea are based there. The Luftwaffe fighters get in the air quickly and shoot down all eleven attacking Blenheim bombers (one turns back). These losses, one of the worst RAF missions of the entire war, are never included in the day's losses during the Battle of Britain, but definitely even up the score a bit.

There also are other RAF operations all along the coast. Several airfields in northwest Europe are hit, and RAF Bomber Command mounts raids of 35 bombers against Italian aircraft factories in Turin and Milan. There also are attacks on German plants at Dessau, Bernburg and elsewhere that cause extensive damage.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-60 (Oberleutnant zur See Adalbert Schnee) torpedoes and sinks 1,787-ton Swedish wood freighter Nils Gorthon about 20 miles north of Ireland. There are 16 survivors and 5 crew perish.

Convoy OA 198 departs from Methil, Convoy 19 departs from Liverpool.

Blenheim bombers of the type shot down over Aalborg on 13 August 1940.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Malta Governor-General Dobbie proposes to Whitehall that stocks of all strategic and non-perishable items be maintained at an 8-months reserve (six months plus two months for the time it takes convoys to make it around Africa). He emphasizes that all items must be maintained at such levels:

If the ability of this fortress to resist attack is not uniformly strong, weakness at one point will affect the whole.

Whitehall is sympathetic, and also asks for lists of items which might improve soldier morale on the island, including such things as cigarettes and books.

Malta remains a functioning RAF base which mounts missions of its own, not just defensive ones. Today, it sends nine Swordfish bombers against shipping in Augusta Harbor, Sicily. Three planes are lost.

In a sign of increasing frustration with the Italians, all Italian street names in the major cities are replaced with English names. This type of switch is a common theme on both sides throughout the war.

British Somaliland: At the Battle of Tug Argan, the Italian attacks on the hills defending the approaches to Berbera continue, with little progress. Having occupied the hills to the south of the coast road, the Italians begin to maneuver around the British blocking position to the south in an attempt to cut the British communications. The British, vastly outnumbered, can do little to prevent this.

The Royal Navy provides support for the British ground forces defending Berbera. Cruiser HMS Carlisle provides air defense, shooting down an Italian bomber, while destroyer HMS Kimberley and sloop HMS Auckland fire on El Sheikha.

US Military: The heavy cruisers USS Wichita and Quincy continue their "Show the flag" mission in South America and leave Pernambuco, Brazil for Montevideo, Uruguay.

British soldiers inspect a gun mount from a Luftwaffe bomber downed on Adler Tag.

US Government: Having returned from his inspection of New England naval facilities aboard the USS Potomac, President Roosevelt confers with his top aides about sending destroyers to the United Kingdom. They hit upon a plan of transferring the destroyers in exchange for long-term leases on British overseas bases and various other promises. Ambassador Joseph Kennedy forwards this welcome news on to Prime Minister Winston Churchill contained in the President's telegram. Churchill, of course, has been asking for this assistance for weeks.

Commanding officer Admiral Thomas C. Hart departs from Qingdao, Shandong, China for Shanghai aboard submarine USS Porpoise.

German Government: Admiral Erich Raeder meets with Hitler and his top cronies about Operation Sea Lion. The heady days of July are gone when he proposed a landing on a broad front all along the southern coast of England. Now, he proposes a much smaller invasion front due to the true state of the Kriegsmarine.

Wreckage of the fatal Canberra, Australia crash, 13 August 1940.

Australia: A plane crash near Canberra in "ideal flying conditions" takes the lives of ten people, including three Cabinet Ministers, the Chief of the General Staff, and several other government officials. The losses include:

• Brigadier Geoffrey Austin Street, Minister for the Army and Repatriation;
• James Valentine Fairbairn, Minister for Air and Civil Aviation;
• Sir Henry Somer Gullett, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research;
• General Sir Cyril Brudenell Bingham White, Chief of the General Staff;
• Lieutenant Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, Staff Officer to General White.

The effects are felt within the government of Robert Menzies. The crash, which received little notice outside of Australia due to the war events of the day, is well-remembered in Australia and there are memorials at the crash location. One theory of the crash is that the pilot was unqualified and handled the throttles in such a way as to create a stall, a known problem with Hudson bombers on landing approach.

Albania: The uprising against the Italian occupation government continues, with unverified reports of hundreds of Italian deaths.

Vichy France: Trials for war guilt open in secret session at Riom, France.

The government bans secret societies such as the Freemasons.

The government also attempts to reassure the public that it will not pass any (more) laws directed against Jews.

Miss Pauline Revere, a 19-year-old from Rockford, Ill., a college sophomore, rides her horse into Times Square, N.Y on Aug. 13, 1940, to protest proposed conscription. The name sounds a bit too perfect for the occasion, but that is what is reported by news sources (AP Photo).

American Homefront: Conscription remains a hot topic, with fierce partisans on both sides. There is a large anti-war movement with many college students fiercely opposed to the draft.

Future History: The graves of the crew of one of the Dornier Do 17 bombers shot down in the first raid of the morning, the one without fighter escorts, were dug in a Whitstable, Kent churchyard. The two men were buried in a standard plot, but then the crew of another bomber downed a few days later was buried directly above them in the same plot. When German war graves were transferred to a military cemetery at Staffordshire in 1962, the graves of the crew of the first bomber, buried deeper down than the later crew, were not noticed. Finally, in 2012, historians uncovered the error, and the graves were transferred. The two crewmen were Oberleutnant Horst von der Groeben and Oberleutnant Gerhard Muller, who had bailed out but whose parachutes failed to open. The plane wound up in pieces on the mudflats.

The crashed Dornier of Oberleutnant Horst von der Groeben and Oberleutnant Gerhard Muller on 13 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

Thursday 1 August 1940

Hawker Hurricane of 56. Sqn "Punjab" in low pass - RAF North Weald, August 1940.

Battle of Britain: Hitler on 1 August 1940 issues Fuhrer Directive No. 17, "For the Conduct of Air and Sea Warfare Against England." It elaborates on the previous Fuhrer Directive of 16 July which set forth specific preconditions for Operation Sea Lion (Unternehmen Seelowe). The Directive's main difference is that it places the sole emphasis on the Luftwaffe to:

overpower the English Air Force with all the forces at its command, in the shortest possible time.

The strategy (for the moment) is to focus all attacks on the Royal Air Force, its installations and production facilities. Interestingly, it calls for scaled-back attacks on the southern ports "in view of our own forthcoming operations." The implication is that Hitler wants to keep the English ports in that area operational so that the Kriegsmarine can use them during the invasion. The priority of attacks on English naval units "may be reduced."

The overall tone of the Directive is that the entire outcome of the proposed invasion lies with air superiority. Once you gain that, everything else falls into place. Gone is the gibberish about sealing off both ends of the English Channel with mines, picayune details about where landings will take place, and so forth. While German doctrine during the Battle of England is widely derided, this is an extremely modern tactical perspective that remains in place today - and this is the doctrine's first application in history.

Hitler does hedge his bets in one key regard. He states, rather ominously:

I reserve to myself the right to decide on terror attacks as measures of reprisal.

To date, London and other large cities largely have been spared (save for production facilities and bombing errors). However, the clear implication of this phrase is that London will become a target should the air superiority campaign falter. There is a large body of thought, and not just in Germany, that terror bombing of large cities alone will force a government to sue for peace. Evidence on this as of 1 August 1940 is inconclusive, as the Luftwaffe terror bombing of places like Warsaw and Rotterdam did not by themselves force immediate surrenders by the bombed governments. However, those bombings were in fact closely followed by surrenders - which may or may not have been coincidences.

Another way of looking at this phrase is that, once the bombings of London commence, Hitler has given up on the invasion. This may be bad news for the citizens of the large cities being bombed, but is good news in a strategic sense - for those that survive.

Within the German government, this directive is seen by the Naval command (OKL) as Hitler "siding with the Luftwaffe." However, even they concede in the OKL war diary that "it will be necessary to wait until the first phase of the air operation is over" before the navy can start transporting troops. The reality is that airpower is entering "the next level" of importance at this point in history, and indeed any navy - while vitally important in and of itself - must have air cover to survive.

Not contained in the Directive is a tacit understanding, not formalized but "understood," that the Luftwaffe will have to make serious progress within the first week of a full-scale attack for a 1940 invasion to be feasible. Despite the supposed "start" of the Battle of Britain on 10 July, the Luftwaffe still has not brought all of its power to bear in a focused attack. That campaign is still in the planning stages.

It already is highly likely that the invasion will have to be postponed to 1941, as the summer months are drifting away. However, British aircraft production is above that of Germany, and the submarine blockade of England is proving to be extremely porous. Battles of attrition and production never play to Germany's strengths against a strong and capable adversary with a solid industrial base. Time for one big heave of the dice.

On 1 August 1940, RAF acting F/L Paterson C "Pat" Hughes leaves No. 234 Squadron RAF to set up No. 247 Squadron at RAF Roborough. This is the only unit operating the Gladiator Mk II during the summer and autumn - yes, the RAF flew biplanes during the Battle of Britain. The same day, and perhaps related, he marries Kay Brodrick, whom he had met and begun dating at RAF Leconfield and who likens him to Errol Flynn (there is a definite resemblance).

As the day begins, there is an overnight mist over the coastal regions which aborts most Luftwaffe minelaying operations. When the mist clears up in the morning, Luftwaffe bombers head out to the Channel to attack two convoys off the Yorkshire coast, "Arena" and "Agent." RAF Nos. 607 and 616 Squadrons scramble. There is a brief exchange of gunfire, but the bombers are a fast Junkers Ju 88 and Dornier Do 17, and they high-tail it back to France. The Ju 88 may have been shot down, and an RAF Spitfire is damaged.

During the afternoon, a large Luftwaffe force heads for Dungeness. RAF No. 145 Squadron scrambles to intercept them off the coast. Both sides lose a plane, the RAF a Hurricane (the pilot is lost) and the Luftwaffe a Henschel Hs 126. One of the Junkers Ju 88s is damaged and the pilot eventually perishes after making it back to base.

Things really heat up around 15:30 when large forces of bombers intrude over the Essex coastline. About 30 Heinkel He 111s and Dornier Do 17s make it to Norwich unnoticed and bomb the railway and Boulton-Paul Aircraft Works there. There also is damage in nearby industries. There are six deaths and 60 other casualties. The Luftwaffe later loses one or two Dornier Do 17s. The lack of interception is perhaps due in part to Fighter Command being distracted by another operation over Cherbourg.

The RAF mounts a rare daylight raid against a Luftwaffe base at Cherbourg after reconnaissance shows a large fighter buildup there. Blenheim bombers of RAF No. 56 Squadron attack the airfield there and the Luftwaffe rises to meet them. The RAF causes damage to the field, but a wild melee develops over the airport. The British lose several bombers - the Luftwaffe awards five claims. While the RAF destroyed and damaged some aircraft on the field, the vital ingredient - eliminating enemy pilots - was missing. Overall, the attack showed that attacking the Luftwaffe at its strength is unwise at this point.

At night, there is a friendly fire incident. A British night-fighter of RAF No. 29 Squadron shoots down an "enemy" plane that turns out to be a No. 1 Group Fairey Battle.

During the night, the Luftwaffe drops pamphlets which contain the text of Hitler's 19 July "Last Appeal to Reason" speech. This is the first propaganda drop since the fall of France. The RAF bombs the Leeuwarden, Holland, Dortmund, and Haamstede airfields, as well as oil installations in northwest Germany. It sends 62 bombers against the Ruhr.

Today is an excellent illustration of how number-counting losses during the Battle of Britain is prone to bias. Many accounts disregard or at least under-count the British Blenheim losses over Cherbourg, while counting any Luftwaffe aircraft that leaves the battle streaming smoke as a loss (many such damaged planes make it back to base). Overall, the losses for the day are about even. However, you will see histories state that the ratio is something like a 9-1 ratio of Luftwaffe to RAF losses.

Lt. Günther Rall, Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 52, is promoted to Oberleutnant. Rall is a top Luftwaffe ace.

Adolf Galland of JG 26 is awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz). He has the top victory total in the Luftwaffe at this point.

Prinz Eugen at its launching in 1938. It now is ready for battle.

Battle of the Atlantic: In a rare battle between submarines, U-34 (Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rollmann) torpedoes and sinks HMS Spearfish in the North Sea 180 miles southwest of Stavanger, Norway. On its way back to base after a successful patrol - now much more successful - U-34 uses its only remaining torpedo. One man, able seaman William V. Pester, survives and becomes a POW. U-34 is on its last patrol before converted to shore-side duties.

After a long chase and two misses with torpedoes, U-59 (Kptl. Joachim Matz) torpedoes and sinks 1981 ton timber freighter Sigyn about 70 miles northwest of Tory Island in the southwest approaches at 03:45. All 23 onboard survive.

Dutch submarine O-21 spots U-60 on its way back to Bergen. It fires two torpedoes, but both miss. Another submarine, O-22, also spots U-60, which is oblivious to all the attention it is receiving but is too far away to attack.

U-25 (Kapitänleutnant Heinz Beduhn) is lost around this time in the North Sea, likely by hitting a mine. All 49 onboard perish. When submarines run into mishaps, they often just disappear forever.

The Luftwaffe attacks convoy FN 239 about a dozen miles off of Flamborough Head, Yorkshire and damages British freighters Gothic and Highlander for the loss of two planes.

The Luftwaffe also operates just off of the south coast of Ireland and damages freighter Kerry Head.

Destroyer HMS Fearless collides with patrol boat Flying Wing off of the Mull of Kintyre, causing damage that needs repair. The damage will put it out of action for a couple of months.

The Italian Royal Navy sets up a submarine base (BETASOM) in Bordeaux, France to support operations in the Atlantic south of Lisbon.

Kriegsmarine heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen is commissioned, along with destroyer Z27.

The destroyer USS Niblack (DD 424,  Lt. Commander Edward R. Durgin) is commissioned.

British submarine HMS Tuna (Lt. Commander Maurice K. Cavenagh-Mainwaring) and destroyer HMS HMS Cattistock (L 35, Lt. Commander Robert A. Ewing) are commissioned.

U-96 is launched (Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock).

U-25.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The RAF bombs the Italian airbase at Asmara, an ammunition dump at Bardia, Libya and an oil refinery at Massawa.

In a rare incident, Italian destroyer Vivaldi spots a British submarine south of Sardinia and heads straight for it. The destroyer manages to ram British submarine HMS Oswald and capture its crew. There are 55 survivors who become POWs, 3 men perish.

Italian submarine Goffredo Mameli spots 1041 ton Greek freighter Roula off Crete, surfaces, and sinks it with its deck gun.

Operation Hurry and Operation Spark are in progress. Hurry is a massive fleet operation to ferry a dozen Hurricanes to Malta on the carrier Ark Royal. Spark is a diversionary operation off of Minorca. In addition, a diversionary sortie by Admiral Cunningham's fleet based at Alexandria is at sea, composed of a Force A and a Force B. The latter returns to Alexandria today when battleship Malaya has a mechanical issue, but Force A remains at sea to divert attention from the vulnerable carrier force heading eastward. As the day ends, the Ark Royal is still out of range of Malta but closing quickly.

Another convoy is en route to Malta. It is headed around Africa and through the Suez Canal carrying heavy anti-aircraft guns. Governor Dobbie on Malta informs the War Office that he needs men to man the guns, not just the guns themselves because of the limited population on the island.

Battle of the Indian Ocean: German raider Atlantis captures Norwegian freighter Talleyrand and sinks it, taking the crew prisoner.

Spy Stuff: After their stay near Lisbon, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor depart for the Bahamas, where the Duke is the new Governor-General. While he was expecting the courtesy of at least a British destroyer, instead he is placed on US ocean liner Excalibur.

Switzerland: Commander-in-chief Guisan continues his martial tone. He gives a radio speech in which he reiterates the country's neutrality and vows to "defend the passage of the Alps to the end." While the Germans have made some small gestures toward the country such as closing the border, they have not indicated any interest in subduing Switzerland.

Japan: The Japanese government releases more of the British citizens it has arrested on espionage charges.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yōsuke Matsuoka coins the phrase "The Great East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere" during a press interview. This simply gives a name to Japan's obvious imperialist ambitions which are cloaked in the phrase "Asia for Asiatics." Another euphemism is "New Order in Asia."

As if to emphasize its overseas ambitions immediately, the Japanese government demands additional rights in French Indochina.

Free France: Charles de Gaulle appeals to French Canadians for their support.

United States: The US Navy establishes the Alaskan Sector within the 13th Naval District.

Soviet Union: In a speech to the Supreme Soviet, Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov reaffirms the USSR's neutrality. He also, however, is quite satisfied with the recent acquisition of the Baltic States and indicates that future acquisitions to restore the full pre-World War I extent of the Russian empire are under consideration.

British Homefront: Petrol is rationed and new car sales are banned. A solution? Electric cars! Government figures show that the number of such registrations in June zoomed to 79, and they are becoming popular in Australia, too. Electric cars, of course, are a very old idea from the turn of the century. They have the advantage of being small and fitting into tiny parking spots.



The Führer and Supreme Commander
of the Armed Forces

Führer Headquarters,
1st August 1940.
10 copies

Directive No. 17 For the conduct of air and sea warfare against England

In order to establish the necessary conditions for the final conquest of England, I intend to intensify air and sea warfare against the English homeland. I, therefore, order as follows :

1. The German Air Force is to overpower the English Air Force with all the forces at its command, in the shortest possible time. The attacks are to be directed primarily against flying units, their ground installations, and their supply organizations, but also against the aircraft industry, including that manufacturing antiaircraft equipment.

2. After achieving temporary or local air superiority the air war is to be continued against ports, in particular against stores of food, and also against stores of provisions in the interior of the country.

Attacks on south coast ports will be made on the smallest possible scale, in view of our own forthcoming operations.

3. On the other hand, air attacks on enemy warships and merchant ships may be reduced except where some particularly favorable target happens to present itself, where such attacks would lend additional effectiveness to those mentioned in paragraph 2, or where such attacks are necessary for the training of aircrews for further operations.

4. The intensified air warfare will be carried out in such a way that the Air Force can at any time be called upon to give adequate support to naval operations against suitable targets. It must also be ready to take part in full force in 'Undertaking Sea Lion'.

5. I reserve to myself the right to decide on terror attacks as measures of reprisal.

6. The intensification of the air war may begin on or after 5th August. The exact time is to be decided by the Air Force after the completion of preparations and in the light of the weather.

The Navy is authorized to begin the proposed intensified naval war at the same time.

signed: ADOLF HITLER

Joe Dimaggio on the cover of Life, 1 August 1940.

July 1940

July 1, 1940: Vichy France
July 2, 1940: Arandora Star
July 3, 1940: Operation Catapult at Mers El Kébir
July 4, 1940: Romania In Crisis
July 5, 1940: The Five Freedoms
July 6, 1940: Hitler's High Point
July 7 1940: Dakar And Ringo
July 8, 1940: Tea Rationing in England
July 9, 1940: Battle of Calabria
July 10, 1940: Battle of Britain Begins
July 11, 1940: "Nous, Philippe Petain"
July 12, 1940: Enter Laval
July 13, 1940: German Surface Raiders Attack!
July 14, 1940: Bastille/Mourning Day
July 15, 1940: Tallest Man Dies
July 16, 1940: Plans for Sea Lion
July 17, 1940: Burma Road Closed
July 18, 1940: FDR Runs Again
July 19, 1940: Last Appeal To Reason
July 20, 1940: First Night Fighter Victory
July 21, 1940: Soviets Absorb Baltic States
July 22, 1940: First RAF Night Fighter Victory
July 23, 1940: Invasion False Alarm
July 24, 1940: The Meknés Incident
July 25, 1940: Black Thursday for RAF
July 26, 1940: Capture The Duke?
July 27, 1940: What's Up, Doc?
July 28, 1940: Destroyers Pulled From Dover
July 29, 1940: Barbarossa On The Burner
July 30, 1940: Hitler Delays Sealion
July 31, 1940: Bloody Wednesday of Olkusz

August 1940

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

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