Operation Weserübung is proceeding with minimal interference so far from either outside powers or the Norwegian military. Locals are responsible for quartering Wehrmacht troops, and, as usual, the German government pays for their billets in Reichsmarks.
The Norwegian government admits in a communique to losing Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen, Agdense, Trondheim and the Vaernes military base. The rest of southern Norway, it claims, remains in Norwegian hands, along with the entirety of northern Norway save Narvik. The government continues to strike a defiant tone, minimizing the extent of the German invasion. The Germans are annoyed at the Norwegians’ refusal to acquiesce like the Danes and express this with an air attack against the small town sheltering the King and government, Elverum, around 17: 20.
Elverum is overflowing with refugees who have followed the government there. Journalist Erik Seidenfaden notes that “The hotels are full of ministers huddling ’round stoves and breaking icicles to clean teeth. All the town’s stationery has been bought for government business.” King Haakon is distressed at the harm he is bringing to the locals by his presence, stating: “I cannot bear to watch children crouching in the snow as bullets mow down trees.” He cannot stay there indefinitely, because the Wehrmacht knows exactly where he is.
Norwegian defenses are firming around Trondheim. An artillery officer, Major Hans Holtermann, collects 250 volunteers and occupies a venerable fort at Ingstadkleiva near Trondheim. This will become known as Hegra Fortress. The fort has been out of operation for some time, but it has four 10.5 cm and two 7.5 cm in half-turrets and 4 Krupp m/1887 field guns, along with a storehouse full of ammunition. The Germans nearby notice the sudden activity at the fort, and a Wehrmacht Major comes to request their surrender. Holtermann refuses.
German forces are pushing out from Oslo in all directions. They take Kongsberg to the southwest of the capital. Elements of German 163rd Infantry Division occupy Kongsberg in the Oslo sector. Elements of German 196th Infantry Division occupy Moss, Frederickstad, and Sarpsborg in the Oslo sector in Norway.
Informed quarters in Berlin indicate that the Germans are beginning to despair of reaching the “political understanding” sought with the “old Norwegian Government.” Contacts that German officials have had with the “old” government since the invasion began, it is said, have not led to any positive result.
Sweden should not wait until Norway was crushed and she found herself isolated and helpless, while Britain for her part ought to open an air offensive against Germany, Leopold S. Amery, Conservative Member of Parliament, told a meeting of the party at Birmingham tonight.
The Royal Navy destroyers HMS Havant and HMS Hesperus arrive in the Faeroe Islands and make arrangements for British troops to occupy the islands.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 83 aircraft to attack German shipping at Stavanger without success, with nine bombers lost.
The Gneisenau, Scharnhorst and Admiral Hipper are moving southwest of Stavanger back to Germany. After RAF reconnaissance spots them, the RAF launches both land- and carrier-based air attacks. None hits the ships, two of which already have been damaged, and they make it back to base.
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Furious launches air strikes against German 3rd Mountain Division positions at Narvik. Fleet Air Arm bombers also attack German positions around Bergen.
Six Blackburn Skuas of 800 Squadron from Hatston attacked Bergen. Several near misses were scored on merchant ships and motor torpedo boat S.24 was strafed by Lt Lucy’s aircraft and sustained three crew wounded. A Skua of 803 Squadron forced landed in Korsfjord. Petty Officer J.A. Gardner and Naval Airman A. Todd were rescued and returned to Hatston by air on the 27th.
The New Zealand (No. 75 NZ) Squadron flies long-range reconnaissance from R.A.F. Bassingbourn in northern Scotland over the Lofoten Islands and Narvik. This requires Wellingtons specially fitted with range petrol tanks, and stripped of armour plating, self-sealing tanks and some armament. Everything considered non-essential, including some chairs and oxygen bottles, is removed to save weight. The reconnaissance, which covers over 2,000 miles, is successful. While near Narvik, the crew spots a Luftwaffe Ju 86 apparently performing similar reconnaissance. Nobody really knows what is going on at Narvik, but everybody is quite interested.
Luftflotte 5 was formed in Hamburg, Germany under the command of Generaloberst Erhard Milch for operations in Norway. Milch would soon establish his headquarters in Oslo, Norway. Luftwaffe chief Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Göring creates Luftflotte 5 to cover Norway. Its first commander is Generaloberst Erhard Milch, who operates his headquarters out of Hamburg for the time being. Luftflotte 5 for the time being will assist the ground troops with supplies, transport, and targeted attacks. The planes themselves will be based in Norwegian airfields such as Stavanger.
Norwegian artillery Major Hans Holtermann and 250 volunteers began reactivating the old fort at Ingstadkleiva near Trondheim, Norway, which would become known as Hegra Fortress for defense against the Germans.
The disarmed Royal Norwegian Navy offshore patrol vessel HNoMS Michael Sars was bombed and damaged by British Fairey Swordfish aircraft from HMS Furious (Royal Navy) in Narvik harbour. She sank the next day. Later raised and pressed into Kriegsmarine service.
The Royal Navy submarine HMS Snapper on patrol in the Skagerrak at 0340 encountered the small German tanker Moonsund (321grt) near Larvik, south of Oslofjord in 58-53N, 10-43E. Snapper fired two torpedoes which missed. The submarine then chased the tanker for seven miles before being able to stop it, took off the crew and sank her with gunfire.
The captured Norwegian offshore patrol vessel Senja, manned by a prize crew from the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) destroyer Z17, was bombed and sunk by British Fairey Swordfish aircraft from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Furious in Narvik harbor. The Senja was later raised and pressed into Kriegsmarine service.
The Royal Norwegian Navy guard ship HNoMS Sperm was scuttled by her own crew at Vikedal, Rogaland, Norway, to prevent capture by the Germans.
The Royal Norwegian Navy torpedo boat HNoMS Storm ran aground at Stangholmene, Norway. She was beached, and sank the next day.
Germans charged British planes bombed an unnamed railway station in eastern Schleswig-Holstein, in Germany south of the border with Denmark. Well-informed Germans added grimly that England might expect reprisals, if this is a “new British air policy.” British bombs were said to have been the first to fall on a German rail line distant from the front. British sources in London, however, denied any such raid. Germany issued a sharp warning to Britain today that she may be forced to alter the commands to her air force and order it to attack objectives other than ships and anti-aircraft defenses on the British Isles.
The German threat between the Rhine and Moselle Rivers has not eased, although the communiques issued from the Allied High Command today reported an uneventful night followed after sunrise only by artillery exchanges on the east between the Vosges and the Rhine.
Cannon roared along a 30-mile stretch of the French-German front today and French anti-aircraft guns barked at Nazi planes near Paris. The significance of the extensive artillery duel was not disclosed in the high command’s evening communique. Scattered local actions heretofore have characterized the front fighting. Roughly, the fire between opposing batteries extended from the Bitche region to Lauterbourg, between the Vosges and the Rhine. This is the Maginot “hinge.”
France and Britain cancel all leave and order forces to be ready to fight at 6-hours notice.
Germany notifies southeastern European nations that any country moving to switch trade from the Reich to the allies will be considered “unneutral,” it was reported reliably in southeastern European capitals early today. A German news bulletin issued in the same capitals also stated the Nazis had reached a full understanding with the Danube nations, particularly Rumania, that “river shipping will be safeguarded with all means.” The Reich has demanded the right to send its gunboats down the river to protect transport of oil and wheat against “British sabotage.”
Rumania tonight suspended the loading of freight cars for Germany. At the same time it was learned the loading of Danube oil barges had been stopped for several days. Foreign diplomats, pointing out the action might amount to a virtual embargo on exports to Germany, expressed the belief that the move would speed a crisis in German-Rumanian economic relations. The suspension of freight car loadings, it was learned, followed presentation by Germany to Rumania of a long list of commodities on which the Reich is placing a virtual embargo against shipment to Rumania. The Rumanian general staff held an urgent meeting with Premier Ghcorghe Tatarcscu tonight.
The Cyprus Regiment was founded. The British Cyprus Regiment was established from volunteers from the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus.
The French Navy submarine chaser Chasseur 107 collided with Shelspra (France) in the Loire and sank.
The unescorted British steam merchant Stancliffe was torpedoed at 0942 hours and sunk by the U-37, commanded by Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartmann, 45 miles northeast of Muckle Flugga, Shetlands in the northern Atlantic Ocean (61° 39’N, 0° 07’W). Stancliffe (Master Henry Herbert Sudbury) was hit on the starboard side just ahead of the bridge by one G7e torpedo from U-37 about 50 miles north-northeast of Muckle Flugga, Shetlands. The ship sank within 8 minutes after the foreship had broke off. The master and 21 crew members were lost. The U-boat went alongside of a lifeboat and took a man aboard for questioning. He was allowed to return to the boat with cigarettes and a bottle of rum. The 16 crew members in the lifeboat made landfall at Haroldswick, Unst Island, Shetlands. The 4,511-ton Stancliffe was carrying iron ore and was bound for Immingham, England.
The Dutch coaster Velocitas struck a mine and sank in the North Sea east of Margate, Kent, United Kingdom (51°25’N 1°50’E) with the loss of three of her five crew. The survivors were rescued by the British ship Mavis.
Convoy OA.128GF departs Southend.
Convoy FN.143 departed Southend, destroyer HMS Wolsey and sloop HMS Fleetwood. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 14th.
Convoy FS.144 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloops HMS Pelican and HMS Weston. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 14th. Convoy FS.145 was cancelled.
The War at Sea, Friday, 12 April 1940 (naval-history.net)
Destroyers HAVANT and HESPERUS were recalled from anti-submarine hunting and arrived at Scapa Flow at 2200/11th. They departed Scapa Flow at 2300/11th and arrived at Thorshavn on the 12th to inform the Governor of the Faroes Islands that a garrison of Royal Marines would be garrisoned there to forestall German invasion. The destroyers then went back out to sea to await the arrival of heavy cruiser SUFFOLK. This garrison movement was codenamed VALENTINE. Armed boarding vessels NORTHERN FOAM and NORTHERN SKY arrived at Thorshavn at 0700/13th.SUFFOLK, which departed the Clyde on the 12th, arrived early on the 13th and landed the 250-man Marine detachment. The operation was completed at 2200/13th. Following this duty, SUFFOLK proceeded to patrol off Vestfjord and HAVANT and HESPERUS arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1030/14th. NORTHERN SKY returned to Northern Patrol duties. NORTHERN FOAM was left at Thorshavn to transport troops and to escort Danish, Norwegian and neutral shipping from the Faroes to Kirkwall. This garrison was relieved on 25 May by a force carried by steamer ULSTER PRINCE (3791grt), escorted by destroyers ARDENT and ACASTA.
Light cruiser ENTERPRISE departed Portsmouth for Scapa Flow and service off Norway.
Destroyer IMPULSIVE’s bow protection boom was removed by depot ship WOOLWICH and was carried on the deck of destroyer IMPULSIVE. Destroyer IMPULSIVE, after emergency repairs, departed Scapa Flow for Immingham to repair her paravane boom.
Submarine TRUANT arrived at Rosyth after patrol.
French submarines ANTIOPE and AMAZONE arrived at Harwich after their first patrols in the 10th Submarine Flotilla. French submarine ANTIOPE departed Harwich later that day to return to patrol.
Norwegian torpedo boat STORM was run aground a total loss after German air attack south of Bergen at Bomlo.
Destroyer FURY arrived at Scapa Flow for duty after repairs at Newport. Destroyer NUBIAN arrived at Scapa Flow at 0600 for duty after repairs in the Tyne.
Submarine SNAPPER on patrol in the Skagerrak at 0340 encountered the small German tanker MOONSUND (321grt) near Larvik, south of Oslofjord in 58-53N, 10-43E. SNAPPER fired two torpedoes which missed. The submarine then chased the tanker for seven miles before being able to stop it, took off the crew and sank her with gunfire.
At 0415, submarine SUNFISH fired a torpedo at a trawler, probably either Schiff 35 or Schiff 40, near Maseskar Light. The torpedo missed.
Submarine STERLET fired torpedoes at 2130 at a convoy of three merchant ships and escorts in 57-47N, 9-39E. The torpedoes missed.
Tanker BRITISH LADY (6098grt), escorted by destroyers GRENADE and ENCOUNTER, which departed Scapa Flow at 1600 on 9 April, arrived at Skelfjord at 1700 to replenish British ships in the Vestfjord area.
Light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON with destroyers ELECTRA and ESCAPADE departed Scapa Flow at 1320 with General Mackesy to command the Narvik ground forces en route to Narvik on convoy NP.1.
Light cruiser AURORA arrived at Rosyth on the 11th from Scapa Flow. Light cruiser AURORA departed Rosyth on the 12th with Lord Cord Orrery, Naval Commander of the Narvik Expedition. AURORA made the voyage, for the most part, unescorted.
Destroyers NUBIAN and FORTUNE departed Scapa Flow at 1930 with tanker WAR PINDARI for Skelfjord, but they were diverted en route to Lillesjona.
Destroyer PUNJABI in Vestfjord engaged a German Do.18 aircraft at 1906.
Destroyers ASHANTI and MAORI arrived at Sullom Voe for refueling. Refueling was completed at 2030.
Antisubmarine trawlers NORTHERNSPRAY (SO), NORTHERN DAWN, NORTHERN GEM, NORTHERN PRIDE, and NORTHERN WAVE of the 12th Antisubmarine Striking Force departed Aberdeen for Skjelfjord.
Six Skuas of 800 Squadron (Captain R.T. Partridge RM, Acting Lt E.W.T. Taylour, Petty Officer Airman J. Hadley, Lt E.G. Finch-Noyes, Lt J.A. Rooper, Petty Officer Airman H.A. Monk),six of 801 Squadron (Lt Cdr P. Bramwell, Lt R.L. Strange, Probationary Temporary S/Lt (A) B.F. Wigginton RNVR, Lt (A) W. H. Martyn, Probationary Temporary S/Lt (A) J.B. March RNVR, Petty Officer Airman H.C. Kimber, eight of 803 Squadron (Lt W.P. Lucy, Lt C.H. Filmer, Lt H.E.R. Torin, Lt L.A. Harris RM, Lt (A) W.C.A. Church, Lt K.V.V. Spurway, Acting Petty Officer T.F. Riddler, Petty Officer J.A. Gardner) from Hatston attacked Bergen. Several near misses were scored on merchant ships and motor torpedo boat S.24 was strafed by Lt Lucy’s aircraft and sustained three crew wounded. A Skua of 803 Squadron forced landed in Korsfjord. Petty Officer J.A. Gardner and Naval Airman A. Todd were rescued and returned to Hatston by air on the 27th.
U-37 sank steamer STANCLIFFE (4511grt) forty-five miles northeast of Unst Island, Shetlands. Twenty-two crew were lost. On 16 April, survivors arrived on the north coast of Scotland in their lifeboats.
U-38 reported a destroyer and two merchant ships in Vestfjord on a northeasterly course.
German supply ship LEVANTE (4770grt) arrived safely at Trondheim, three days behind schedule.
Steamer THORLAND (5208grt), which had been laid up since 1937, was seized by German forces at Sandefjord.
Early on the 12th, Admiral Forbes joined Battlecruisers RENOWN and REPULSE off Vestfjord. The plans for destroying German naval forces, believed to include two light cruisers, at Narvik was to be an attack by a battleship heavily escorted by destroyers in conjunction with an airstrike by aircraft carrier FURIOUS aircraft. Swordfish aircraft were launched against the Narvik area by aircraft carrier FURIOUS. 818 Squadron with nine aircraft under Lt Cdr P.G. Sydney-Turner reached Narvik, despite poor weather, but was driven off by anti-aircraft fire without causing any damage to the German ships, except slight splinter damage to destroyer GIESE. Three small Norwegian craft, taken over by the Germans were sunk and Dutch steamer BERNISSE (951grt) was scuttled during the attack. Two planes, piloted by Sydney-Turner with Lt W.B. Kellett, Petty Officer W.H. Dillnutt and S/Lt S.G.J. Appleby with Leading Airman E. Tapping, were shot down, but their crews were picked up by destroyers PUNJABI and GRENADE, respectively. 816 Squadron with nine Swordfish under Lt Cdr H.H. Gardner did not even reach Narvik and did not return to FURIOUS until after dark. An aircraft landing from this group, piloted by Lt M D Donati, plunged off the flightdeck of the carrier. Destroyer HERO picked up Donati and Leading Airman F.A.J. Smith.
At 2345, destroyers FEARLESS, GRIFFIN, and BRAZEN departed Sullom Voe to rendezvous with the northbound convoy, then screen battleship VALIANT during her passage north.
Battleship RESOLUTION with destroyers ANTELOPE and WITCH arrived in the Clyde from Plymouth in preparation of going to Norway.
Destroyer BASILISK arrived at Dover to rejoin the 19th Destroyer Flotilla after repairs.
Troopship ORION (23,456grt) departed Southend escorted by destroyer WHITLEY for Leith.
Convoy FN.143 departed Southend, destroyer WOLSEY and sloop FLEETWOOD. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 14th.
Convoy FS.144 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloops PELICAN and WESTON. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 14th. Convoy FS.145 was cancelled.
German trawler WILHELM REINHOLD (259grt) was seized by Norwegian forces, but was sunk by German bombing before the end of the month in the Skagerrak.
Captured German trawlers FRIESLAND, NORDLAND, and BLANKENBURG under British control arrived at Aberdeen during the night of 12/13 April. Later on 18 May, trawler NORDLAND sailed for Glasgow for fitting out and BLANKENBURG departed on 19 May for North Shields for fitting out.
Dutch coastal steamer VELOCITAS (197grt) was lost on a mine in 51 25N, 01 50E. Three crew were lost and two rescued by British steamer MAVIS (935grt).
French submarine chaser C.107 was lost in a collision with French steamer SHELSPRA (1951grt) in the River Loire.
Destroyers DAINTY and DIAMOND arrived at Gibraltar, escorting destroyer depot ship RESOURCE from Freetown.
French steamer MEXIQUE departed Marseilles and was escorted by destroyer LE MARS from Gibraltar. The steamer arrived at Brest on the 16th.
En route to duty in the Malaya Force, following conversion, Australian armed merchant cruiser HMAS WESTRALIA captured Norwegian steamer FERNLANE (4310grt) north of Australia and sent her under a prize crew to Singapore.
In Washington, President Roosevelt signed the act extending the trade agreements program for three years; asked the Red Cross to study the problem of giving relief to Eskimos in Greenland, and conferred with officials on possible enlargement of the navy’s building program.
The Senate approved House amendments to a bill for reapportioning Congressional representation on the basis of the new census; debated a bill to create eight new Federal judgeships, adopted a resolution temporarily shelving a bill to reimburse cotton cooperatives for losses under the old Farm Board program, and recessed at 4:26 PM until noon Monday.
The House accepted a conference report on the $1,120,243,528 Independent Offices Appropriation Bill and adjourned at 3:44 PM until noon Monday.
During a press conference at the White House, reporters asked President Roosevelt whether a violation of the integrity of Greenland, such as a German invasion, would raise the question of applying the Monroe Doctrine. The president called the reporters “very, very premature” and “awfully hypothetical,” explaining that the U.S.’s primary interest in Greenland was currently in providing relief for its 17,000 inhabitants if their supply ships from Denmark were cut off. The president also took a question about television. He said that while it had “a great future”, the FCC still needed to work out the matter of monopoly prevention to ensure that no single company would control it.
Displaying deep interest in Greenland, President Roosevelt disclosed today he was ready to send Red Cross relief, if needed, to the 17,000 Danish island inhabitants, cut from their mother country by Germany’s invasion of Scandinavia. The president, at a press conference, geographically placed Greenland in the western hemisphere, but brushed aside queries as to whether the United States would in voke the Monroe Doctrine if Ger- many should assert control of Greenland.
President Roosevelt signed today the measure extending the reciprocal trade program for three years. At a special White House ceremony he called it “a powerful instrument for promoting our national economic wellbeing and for strengthening the foundations of stable peace.”
FDR also answers a question about television, which is still very early in its broadcast history. He opines that it has “a great future,” but that there were anti-trust issues which the FCC was working on. NBC currently has the most experience with broadcasting locally in the New York City area.
The 3,371 Americans in Scandinavia were offered tonight full assistance by the state department in fleeing that area, rapidly becoming the main European war theater. The department instructed United States diplomats to route Americans who wished to leave via Germany to Genoa, Italy, for embarkation on American vessels. Simultaneously, it sought transit permits from the German government.
The forces backing Thomas E. Dewey’s Presidential candidacy took over control of the New York Republican State Committee today, electing Edwin F. Jaeckle of Erie as State chairman, and taking the first step to oust Kenneth F. Simpson of New York County as the State’s national committeeman.
Naval officials cleared the way tonight for construction of 19 new warships in anticipation of congressional passage of the $963,797,478 navy appropriation bill. It was approved earlier in the day by the senate appropriations committee. Developments in the European war, it was said, have made it advisable to hasten construction of the vessels. The bill authorizes start of work on two 45,000-ton battleships, two cruisers, one aircraft carrier, eight destroyers, and six submarines. As reported by the committee, the measure represents a new peacetime record for naval funds, but is $123,514,099 under recommendations of President Roosevelt’s “bedrock” 1941 budget. The total is $48,437,229 above the amount appropriated for the current fiscal year, when congress provided funds for inauguration of the navy’s current expansion program. The biggest change made by the senate committee restored $15,000, 000 of contractual authority for future airplane purchases, which had been deleted by the house.
Matters vitally affecting the national defense and particularly the speeding up of naval construction were the subject of a White House conference today between President Roosevelt, Admiral Harold B. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, and the chairmen of the Senate and House Naval Affairs Committees. The chief topic of discussion was understood to be a deficiency appropriation to finance a twenty-four-hour day construction schedule on the present expansion program as well as additional new vessels not already provided for “to balance out the fleet.” The twenty-four-hour work schedule for which plans are already prepared would apply in all navy yards where construction is underway.
Senator Walsh, chairman of the Senate group, said the amount of a deficiency bill both for speeding up present construction and for laying keels of new ships needed to fill minor gaps in the fleet would be considered at a future White House meeting. Meanwhile, a survey would be undertaken to determine available space and manpower for speeding up presently authorized and prospective construction. While the Senator stressed that the deficiency appropriation was still under consideration, plans for putting the twenty-four-hour day into effect. have been worked out and could be put into operation as soon as money is made available to finance the expanded expense load. It was indicated this would be a major item in the definitely contemplated deficiency measure.
Men who served with international brigades in the Spanish civil war told the House committee investigating un-American activities today that these brigades were formed at the suggestion of the Soviet Government and that they incorporated all elements of the Russian system, including “Communistic cells,” political commissars and espionage. A disillusioned Communist, describing the workings of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain, charged that its leadership, as part of disciplinary punishment, sent American members to the front without food or arms. He added that members of the brigade who were under disciplinary imprisonment were subjected to “the most terrific sadistic pressure.”
Maxwell Wallach of Detroit, in the presence of Anthony De Maio, a former officer of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, asserted that he had been told that his son Albert and six others had been killed by De Maio “rather than let them come back and let Americans know what the Communists really were doing in Spain.” De Maio took the stand and denied these killings as well as killings ascribed to him by other witnesses. Men who served with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade refused to answer questions concerning the passports they used and the names on the passports when they went to Europe for service on behalf of the Spanish Loyalist cause.
Chairman Dies indicated after the session that, since Attorney General Robert H. Jackson had ordered dismissal of seventeen indictments returned in Detroit against those alleged to have been implicated in passport frauds, there did not seem to be anything further that the committee could do.
The Allied purchasing mission was reported tonight to have bowed to a take-it-or-leave-it stand by this government with reference to purchases of United States war planes and is expected to place orders soon for several hundred craft.
Defending his proposal to merge the Civil Aeronautics Authority and the Air Safety Board with the Department of Commerce, President Roosevelt labeled as “pure spinach” today the assertions that the move would imperil the safety of air travel.
U.S. Navy submarine rescue vessel USS Falcon (ASR-2) and U.S. freighter El Oceano are damaged when they collide in heavy fog in Buzzards Bay, near Hen and Chickens Lightship, off Massachusetts.
An accelerated method of applying Dr. Paul Ehrlich’s chemical cure of syphilis, reducing the time of treatment to five days instead of the many months required by existing clinical procedure, was presented to the medical world yesterday at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
The Alfred Hitchcock-directed psychological-thriller mystery film “Rebecca” premiered in the United States. It stars Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.
The science fiction horror film “Dr. Cyclops” was released.
The NFL cuts the clipping penalty from 25 yards to 15 yards.
Under certain conditions the Japanese will reopen the Pearl River for foreign commercial traffic to Canton April 20, according to Domei, the Japanese news agency. Among the conditions are:
- No cargoes prejudicial to Japanese military operations will be permitted.
- Only daytime navigation is permissible.
- Calls are restricted to British Hong Kong, Portuguese Macao and Canton.
- Vessels must agree to stop for examination.
- Photographing en route will be forbidden.
- Passengers disturbing the peace are liable to arrest.
The Japanese authorities asked third powers to give notice of the quantity and type of goods shipped on the river.
The Australian Government bans the sale of foreign magazines and newspapers in order aid the country’s balance of trade.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 149.2 (-0.78)
Born:
Herbie Hancock, jazz musician (“I Thought it Was You”; “Rockit”; “Watermelon Man”), in Chicago, Illinois.
Woodie Fryman, MLB pitcher All-Star 1968, 1976; Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs), in Ewing, Kentucky (d. 2011).
John Hagee, televangelist, in Goose Creek, Texas.
Died:
Nestor Nyzhankivsky, 76, Ukrainian composer.
Naval Construction:
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXB U-boat U-103 is launched by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 966).
History Diaries 