The Last Day of the “Phony War” on the Western Front. German troops silently move into their jumping-off positions.
Adolf Hitler issued the order to commence the invasion of France and the Low Countries at dawn on the following day. At noon German meteorologists made a firm forecast of clear skies on the following morning; Adolf Hitler gave the meteorology officer a medal on the spot. In the afternoon, Hitler departed Berlin, Germany for this temporary forward headquarters codenamed Felsennest near Bad Münsereifel in the Rhineland region of Germany to observe the coming invasion.
No more postponements. The invasion date for Fall Gelb, the invasion of France and the Low Countries, remains 10 May 1940 as the day drifts into night. Hitler departs on his command train Amerika for his forward headquarters at Felsennest (Rock Nest). It is located near the small village of Rodert, 30 km south of Bonn and consists of four bunkers and three barracks. While his presence there is not necessary for the conduct of the war, it symbolically places Hitler at the head of the army during Fall Gelb.
Reports of German troop movements reached Luxembourg City during the night and prompted the immediate flight of the Royal Family and four of the Grand Duchy’s five cabinet ministers. The entourage would arrive in Paris after a harrowing four day journey over the refugee clogged roads of eastern France.
The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg and most of its government fled westward into France due to reports of German troop movements.
Colonel Oster of the Abwehr once again warns the Dutch military attache of the invasion. The Dutch take this seriously and order the highest alert.
The Dutch Army is ordered to highest alert level due to warnings from their attaché in Berlin and German troop movements on the border.
Belgium declared a state of emergency and placed the army on alert for the possible German invasion.
During the late evening of 9 May, the German Western Offensive begins as German forces invade and occupy Luxembourg virtually unopposed. List’s 12th Army and Busch’s 16th Army of German Army Group A invade Luxembourg.
Actions in Nordland continue. On 9 May, the Germans drove the Norwegian defenders from Fellingfors, 25 miles (40 km) south of Mosjøen. No. 5 Independent Company and two Norwegian companies occupied a position 10 miles (16 km) from Mosjøen, where the road from the south ran between the Bjørnaa River and steep hillsides. There are strong British forces at Mosjøen, with other Allied forces at intermediate positions.
The British are sending ships full of troops to Iceland to occupy it.
British No. 3 Independent Company occupies Bodø, north of Mo.
Allied forces ready to commence operations against German-held Narvik.
Four battalions of the Polish Armed Forces in the West arrived at Narvik. They assemble five miles to the west of the port, reinforcing the South Wales Borderers. They are supported by 24 guns (French 75’s & British 25-pounders) and 10 small French tanks — which is overwhelming firepower against the German regiment holding the town.
The Kriegsmarine minesweeper M-134 was bombed and sunk at Bergen, Norway by Blackburn Skua aircraft of 806 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm or Bristol Blenheim aircraft of 254 Squadron, Royal Air Force. She was later salvaged by the Germans and re-entered service as a patrol boat named Junegingen.
With 806 Squadron newly operational, the base commander, Acting Captain C. L. Howe, RN re-instituted his attacks on shipping at Bergen. Lieutenant C. P. Campbell-Horsfall, RN led off eight Skuas, each armed with a single 500-lb. SAP bomb. They are joined by six Blenheim fighters of Coastal Command’s 254 Squadron; each armed with 8 x 20 lb. Cooper bombs. Even at this late date, the Germans have been unable to get a substantial amount of AA to Bergen, and the attack meets little opposition. One hit is obtained on a docked merchant vessel, an oil tank is hit, and several small warships are strafed in the harbor. One Blenheim of 254 Squadron was lost when it was struck by flak. Observer Lt (A) R. B. Nuthall and the two Coastal Command crew were lost in the Blenheim. Two Skuas were able to fly directly back to Hatston. However, the other six had to land at Sumburgh for fuelling. One Skua, flown by Petty Officer Airman A. Jopling, crashed arriving back at Sumburgh, but there were no injuries. A second Skua, flown by Probationary S/Lt (A) S. G. Orr RNVR, was damaged by shrapnel, but after repair at Sumburgh, returned to Hatston.
The Daily Mail in a front page editorial today declared the government of 71-year-old Neville Chamberlain “must resign” and advocated selection of 79-year-old David Lloyd George World war prime minister, as his successor with First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill in complete control of strategy. The Laborite Daily Herald and the Liberal News Chronicle likewise demanded a new ministry. The Daily Express, however, felt regaining ‘air supremacy was the solution to Britain’s dilemma. It said: “With airplanes we’re safe whether Chamberlain or Churchill are in or out of office. Without planes we’re sunk no matter who sits in power at Downing street and in Whitehall.” The Times of London commented: “After the disclosures of opinion in parliament and the press during the present week there can be no question of the strength of the demand for a ministry more broadly based and therefore differently constituted.” The only question is how it can be achieved and how soon. If the Labor party fails to answer the clear public call it leaves the prime minister more free to choose his own means of showing the setback in southern Norway was not merely a failure successfully extenuated but a new starting point for British energy and valor.” The Herald said: “Parliament has dismissed the premier. Morally and politically Mr. Chamberlain was defeated beyond hope of recovery in Commons.”
Prime Minister Chamberlain’s fate is a done deal, though early in the morning he is determined to fight on. The opposition Labour Party rejects an offer to join the government and keep Chamberlain in power, though the official communication of this is dragged out until the afternoon of the 10th.
Prime Minister Chamberlain was reported tonight to have failed in his first attempt to form a reconstructed cabinet under his standard to mollify a nation aroused and angry at ‘ bungling” in Norway. Labor leaders refused to come into such a government, and thereby Chamberlain edged nearer to resignation. Sources reporting the labor refusal, given at a 45-minute conference with the prime minister tonight, said Chamberlain indicated his willingness to resign if he thought that would lead to formation of a new national government representative of all political factions. In the afternoon, Chamberlain began to discuss with Halifax and Churchill, the two leading contenders to be his successor, about the possibility of his resignation.
The question is who shall replace Chamberlain. Foreign Minister Lord Halifax is a leading candidate, and he would garner a majority of support if put to a vote. As a member of the House of Lords, however, it is seen as poor public relations to elevate him at a time of crisis. Halifax also feels that Churchill would continue to control defense policy anyway, the only thing that really matters in wartime, and thus he would be relegated to a sort of supernumerary status. In the event, Halifax could have accepted the position, but he bows out and helps a meeting of conservative leaders choose Winston Churchill as the new Prime Minister.
Conscription maximum age in the United Kingdom was raised again to 36.
Due to dissension within the French government, Reynaud threatens to resign. Reynaud has been growing more and more unhappy with the leadership of Gamelin, the Supreme Commander. He has been unable to dismiss him because he is supported in Cabinet by Daladier, who remains influential although he is no longer prime minister. These quarrels now come to a head but no announcement is made pending the formation of a new government. The German attack on May 10th will cause the changes to be deferred.
Premier Mussolini kept an anxious Europe guessing tonight as to Italy’s intentions in the war, telling a cheering throng that “only facts” could break his silence. By “facts,” II Duce undoubtedly meant developments perhaps in the Balkans, perhaps elsewhere which might force Italy off the fence of non-belligerency and bring from him a call to arms.
The fourth anniversary of the founding of the new Italian Empire was celebrated today in an atmosphere of warlike preparation. The army was honored, Italian armed strength was glorified, and the country was told by its leading commentators that the empire would soon earn that “freedom of the seas” which to Italians means domination of the Mediterranean. Rome, like every other city in the empire, resounded today to martial music while thousands of soldiers paraded through streets from whose buildings hung innumerable flags. The great ceremony was at the Piazza Venezia this morning. Premier Mussolini awarded gold and silver medals to the kin of soldiers fallen in Fascismo’s three wars in Ethiopia, Spain and Albania. Later, responding to the insistent appeal of the thousands of men massed below his balcony, he spoke very briefly, only to say that he was resuming his cloak of silence.
Luftwaffe bombers are intercepted by RAF fighters off British coast.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 31 aircraft on minelaying operations overnight.
The Luftwaffe conducts minelaying operations off Belgian and Dutch ports overnight.
The French Navy (Marine Nationale) Circé-class submarine Doris (Q 135) was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea at 0014 hours, 40 miles west of Petten, North Holland, Netherlands (53°40’N 4°00’E) by the Kriegsmarine U-boat U-9, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Lüth. The surfaced Doris (Q 135) (CC J.E.M. Favreul) was hit by one of two G7a torpedoes from U-9, exploded and disappeared within one minute. Three of the 45 men lost were from the Royal Navy. There were no survivors.
The British cargo ship Ashley ran aground of the Goodwin Sands, Kent and sank.
The German tanker Corrientes, being used to refuel German U-boats, was sabotaged and sunk at Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain by French divers.
German minelayers Roland, Cobra, Preussen, and Kaiser laid minefield 16 west of Jutland escorted by German destroyers Beitzen, Schoemann, and Heinemann, torpedo boat Greif, Schnellboote S.30, S.31, S.32, S.33 of the 2nd Flotilla.
Light cruiser HMS Birmingham (Captain I. G. Glennie aboard in command of the sweep) and destroyers HMS Hyperion, HMS Hereward, HMS Havock, and HMS Janus departed Rosyth at 0900 to attempt to intercept this German force reported off the Isle of Sylt in 56 39N, 03 37E in the North Sea.
British destroyer HMS Kelly with Lord Louis Mountbatten aboard went on patrol in the Skagerrak between Sweden and Germany, escorted by cruiser HMS Birmingham and destroyers HMS Kandahar, HMS Bulldog, HMS Kimberley, and HMS Hasty. Five German torpedo boats attacked this fleet in the evening. Torpedo boat S-31 damaged HMS Kelly with one torpedo, killing 27; she would require HMS Bulldog to tow her back to port.
The minelaying destroyers HMS Express, Esk & Intrepid lay 180 mines in known German swept channels in operation XMG.
French large destroyers Tartu and Chevalier Paul departed Greenock escorting steamers Djenne, Flandre, President Doumer, and Providence. The convoy arrived at Brest on the 11th.
Convoy OG.29F was formed from convoys OA.143GF, which departed Southend on the 6th, escorted by corvette HMS Arabis from 6 to 8 May, OB.143GF, which departed Liverpool on the 6th, escorted by destroyer HMS Vimy and sloop HMS Deptford from 6 to 9 May, with fifty six ships. Corvette HMS Arabis’s role was the first use of the new Flower corvettes in an OG.convoy. Destroyer VIMY was detached to convoy HG.29 F. Sloop Deptford escorted the convoy from 10 to 14 May. Destroyer HMS Windsor and corvette HMS Periwinkle escorted the convoy on the 9th and then were detached to convoy HG.29 F. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 14th.
Convoy BC.37 of steamers Baron Carnegie, Glenlea, Ilvington Court, Kufra (Commodore), Lottie R, Ronan departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyer HMS Vesper. The convoy arrived at Loire on the 11th.
Convoy SA.40 of two steamers arrived at St Malo from Southampton.
Convoy FN.167 departed Southend, escorted by sloop HMS Londonderry. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 11th.
Convoy MT.66 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers HMS Vivien and HMS Vimiera. The convoy included two Danish steamers under armed guard. The convoy arrived the next morning.
Convoy FS.167 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer HMS Vivien. The convoy was recalled when it was thought there were mines being laid in the channel.
Convoy SL.31 departed Freetown escorted by armed mechant cruiser HMS Dunnottar Castle until 23 May. On 23 May, destroyer HMS Winchelsea, sloop HMS Deptford, corvette HMS Periwinkle joined the convoy and escorted it to arrival on the 28th.
The War at Sea, Thursday, 9 May 1940 (naval-history.net)
French submarine DORIS was sunk by U-9 thirty miles west of Terschelling Bank in 53 40N, 04 00E.
British Lt R. E. Westmacott, an observer on submarine DORIS, two British communications ratings were lost with the French crew on submarine DORIS.
There were two SCISSORS landings during the night of 9/10 May.
Landings on 8/9 May were cancelled due to fog.
Destroyers JUNO and VETERAN arrived at Mosjoen escorting British troopship ULSTER PRINCE (3791grt) with 290 officers and men.
After the landings, at 1403/10th, destroyer JUNO was ordered to leave ULSTER PRINCE and proceed to Scapa Flow at high speed.
Destroyer VETERAN and troopship ULSTER PRINCE returning to the Clyde called at Sullom Voe to refuel on the 11th. They arrived at Greenock at 0330/13th.
Destroyer FIREDRAKE conducted a reconnaissance of Ranenfjord on report of enemy activity.
Destroyer NUBIAN and British troopship ROYAL SCOTSMAN (3244grt) arrived at Bodø at 2000/9th with 290 men.
Destroyer FIREDRAKE rejoined destroyer NUBIAN and troopship ROYAL SCOTSMAN at 2100/9th.
Early on the 10th ferried the troops ashore in a SCISSORS operation.
Destroyers FIREDRAKE and NUBIAN then departed Bodø at 0200/10th with the troopship.
Destroyer FIREDRAKE arrived at Scapa Flow at 2210/11th.
Destroyer NUBIAN and the troopship arrived safely at Scapa Flow at 0030/12th.
Eight Skuas of 806 Squadron and six Blenheims of 254 Squadron departed Hatston to attack Bergen, where German training ship BREMSE was reported.
German minesweeper M. 134 was sunk with three dead by British bombing at Bergen, but was later salved and restored to service as patrol boat JUNGINGEN.
One Blenheim of 254 Squadron was lost when it was struck by flak. Observer Lt (A) R. B. Nuthall and the two Coastal Command crew were lost in the Blenheim.
Two Skuas were able to fly directly back to Hatston. However, the other six had to land at Sumburgh for fueling. One Skua, flown by Petty Officer Airman A. Jopling, crashed arriving back at Sumburgh, but there were no injuries. A second Skua, flown by Probationary S/Lt (A) S. G. Orr RNVR, was damaged by shrapnel, but after repair at Sumburgh, returned to Hatston.
A Skua of 803 Squadron force landed near Grondalen in Haugfjell. Midshipman C. Treen and Naval Airman A. E. T. Goble were later picked up by destroyer BEDOUIN.
In operations from aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, a Swordfish from 810 Squadron crashed on take off. Lt A. W. Stewart, Midshipman G. T. Shaddick, Leading Airman H.W. V. Burt were picked up by a destroyer.
British Midshipman P. L. Atkinson was killed when his Walrus of 765 Squadron crashed in the Solent.
Destroyers EXPRESS, ESK, and INTREPID departed Scapa Flow at 0500 to lay mines for ZMC, minelaying in the North Sea off Helgoland, then proceed to Immingham.
German minelayers ROLAND, COBRA, PREUSSEN, and KAISER laid minefield 16 west of Jutland escorted by German destroyers BEITZEN, SCHOEMANN, and HEINEMANN, torpedo boat GREIF, Schnellboote S.30, S.31, S.32, S.33 of the 2nd Flotilla.
Light cruiser BIRMINGHAM (Captain I. G. Glennie aboard in command of the sweep) and destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HAVOCK, and JANUS departed Rosyth at 0900 to attempt to intercept this German force reported off the Isle of Sylt in 56 39N, 03 37E in the North Sea.
Outside Rosyth, destroyers KELLY (D.5), KIMBERLEY, KANDAHAR, and HOSTILE rendezvoused with the BIRMINGHAM force. However, KIMBERLEY, just arriving from Greenock and short on fuel, was later detached for refueling at Rosyth. After refueling, KIMBERLEY went to Sheerness and arrived at 2120/10th.
Destroyers FORESIGHT, FURY, BULLDOG, and GALLANT departed Scapa Flow at 0630 to operate with battlecruiser REPULSE and light cruisers SHEFFIELD and MANCHESTER for gunnery trials east of Pentland Firth. The light cruisers departed Scapa Flow at 0900, but returned at 1020.
The force returned to Scapa Flow and the destroyers, joined by destroyer MOHAWK, were sent at 1200 to operate in coordination with the Rosyth units. These destroyers were to proceed to 57-21N, 2-33E to intercept six German motor torpedo boats and sink them before joining light cruiser BIRMINGHAM.
When destroyer KANDAHAR made a submarine contact, KELLY and KANDAHAR were detached to hunt down the contact. Destroyer BULLDOG, which lost touch with her group, later joined them.
At 2230, destroyer KELLY was torpedoed and badly damaged by German S.31 in 56 48N, 05 09E in the North Sea. Twenty-seven ratings were killed and Commissioned Engineer E. W. Cole was wounded. KELLY was taken in tow by destroyer BULLDOG.
At 0010/10th, German S.33 in heavy fog collided with destroyers BULLDOG and KELLY, glancing off both ships and doing no further damage to them, but badly damaging herself. She was able to return to Wilhelmshaven.
At 0700/10th, destroyer KELLY in tow of destroyer BULLDOG was in 56-56N, 4-05E and proceeding at five knots. Destroyers KANDAHAR, FURY, and GALLANT were escorting the two destroyers.
At daylight on the 10th, destroyer KELLY’s wounded were transferred to destroyer KANDAHAR.
Light cruisers SHEFFIELD and MANCHESTER departed Scapa Flow at 0330/10th to provide a screen for damaged destroyer KELLY. The cruisers joined KELLY at 1400.
At 0926/10th, light cruiser BIRMINGHAM and destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HAVOCK, HOSTILE, FORESIGHT, and KIMBERLEY came under the Command of Commander in Chief, Nore. They were ordered to proceed towards Terschelling. They later arrived at Harwich on the 10th.
Coastal Command Hudsons of 233 Squadron provided cover for the KELLY through the withdrawal.
Destroyer KANDAHAR departed the KELLY screen at 0410/11th and arrived at Rosyth to refuel and land the wounded at 0400/11th. She departed at 1820 that day and rejoined KELLY.
On 11 May, Commander Cruiser Squadron 18 requested a tug for destroyer KELLY as destroyer FURY could not tow the destroyer faster than three knots and Aircraft had reported two German submarines in the area.
Light cruisers SHEFFIELD and MANCHESTER departed the screen at 1609/11th and arrived at Rosyth that evening.
At 0500/12th, tugs WATERMEYER (621grt) and BRAHMAN (230grt) joined relieving BULLDOG of the tow at 0645.
Destroyers KELLY in tow of tugs WATERMEYER and BRAHMAN, KANDAHAR, FURY, BULLDOG, and GALLANT arrived in the Tyne at 1730/13th.
Destroyer KELLY had been in tow for ninety-one hours.
Destroyer KELLY was repairing in the Tyne at Hebburn until 18 December 1940.
Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY (Rear Admiral 1st Anti-air Craft Squadron) after refueling departed Sullom Voe on the 9th for Bogen where she arrived on the 14th.
On her arrival, anti-aircraft cruisers CAIRO and CALCUTTA departed Skelfjord for Rosyth for refueling and ammunition.
Destroyer GRENADE departed Greenock at 1700 for Liverpool for boiler cleaning.
Convoy OG.29F was formed from convoys OA.143GF, which departed Southend on the 6th, escorted by corvette ARABIS from 6 to 8 May, OB.143GF, which departed Liverpool on the 6th, escorted by destroyer VIMY and sloop DEPTFORD from 6 to 9 May, fromwith fifty six ships.
Corvette ARABIS’s role was the first use of the new Flower corvettes in an OG convoy.
Destroyer VIMY was detached to convoy HG.29 F.
Sloop DEPTFORD escorted the convoy from 10 to 14 May.
Destroyer WINDSOR and corvette PERIWINKLE escorted the convoy on the 9th and then were detached to convoy HG.29 F. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 14th.
Convoy BC.37 of steamers BARON CARNEGIE, GLENLEA, ILVINGTON COURT, KUFRA (Commodore), LOTTIE R, and RONAN departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyer VESPER. The convoy arrived at Loire on the 11th.
Convoy SA.40 of two steamers arrived at St Malo from Southampton.
Convoy FN.167 departed Southend, escorted by sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 11th.
Convoy MT.66 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN and VIMIERA. The convoy included two Danish steamers under armed guard. The convoy arrived the next morning.
Convoy FS.167 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN. The convoy was recalled when it was thought there were mines being laid in the channel.
French large destroyers TARTU and CHEVALIER PAUL departed Greenock escorting steamers DJENNE, FLANDRE, PRESIDENT DOUMER, and PROVIDENCE. The convoy arrived at Brest on the 11th.
Aircraft carrier EAGLE departed Singapore after completing repairs and refit. EAGLE called at Colombo on 14 to 17 May.
The aircraft carrier arrived at Aden on the 22nd and continued on that evening, accompanied by light cruisers GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, and HMAS SYDNEY. On 23 May, light cruiser HMAS HOBART relieved light cruiser LIVERPOOL and on the 24th, both HOBART and GLOUCESTER were detached.
Aircraft carrier EAGLE departed Port Said on the 27th for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet and arrived at Alexandria, escorted by destroyers HEREWARD and HERO.
Convoy SL. 31 departed Freetown escorted by armed mechant cruiser DUNNOTTAR CASTLE until 23 May.
On 23 May, destroyer WINCHELSEA, sloop DEPTFORD, corvette PERIWINKLE joined the convoy and escorted it to arrival on the 28th.
German tanker CORRIENTES (4565grt), used for refueling German submarines, at Las Palmas was sunk by French divers.
President Roosevelt conferred with Secretary Hull and Under-Secretary Welles today in Washington on foreign affairs, discussed Michigan politics with a delegation of Democratic leaders from that State, appointed Rabbi Louis Finkelstein liaison agent with American Jewry in connection with efforts to enlist the support of religious groups in a peace movement, conferred with Harry X. Slattery, Rural Electrification Administrator, and sent to Congress a request for $100,000,000 for the REA in 1941.
The Senate passed the Townsend bill to repeal the foreign purchase provisions of the Silver Purchase Act, and recessed at 5:12 PM until noon tomorrow. The Naval Affairs Committee reported the Naval Expansion Bill, and the Reorganization Committee heard Harold D. Smith, budget director, and others on the Fourth Reorganization order.
The House returned the Wheeler-Lea Transportation Bill to conference, began debate on the Agricultural Appropriation Bill and adjourned at 6:52 PM until noon tomorrow.
The House voted $224,321,188 in unbudgeted farm benefits today and thereby seemed to doom hopes for any substantial economies at this session. A proviso raising the basis for payments from 75 to 100 percent of parity healed a split and solidified the farm bloc which forced through an amendment, already approved by the Senate, providing $212,000,000 in farm benefit payments. The vote was 207 to 176. Next the House, 191 to 172, refused to trim a Senate appropriation of $85,000,000 for surplus crop disposal under the food stamp plan to the budget-requested figure of $72,678,812. Then by a voice vote it approved the $85,000,000 item.
A majority of American voters favors a Presidential candidate who promises to keep us out of war but is willing to give England and France aid in any form short of war, a survey by the American Institute of Public Opinion reveals, according to Dr. George Gallup, its director.
An informal agreement among Senate antagonists cleared the way today for a test vote Monday on the proposal by President Roosevelt to transfer the Civil Aeronautics Authority to the Department of Commerce, eliminating the Air Safety Board.
The War Department intends to ask for additional funds for aircraft and air defense at this session of Congress because of what is considered the impressive demonstration of German air power in Norway and the adverse turn which the war has taken for the Allies. It was learned on good authority today that the army is sending to the President a report requesting that provision be made by Congress at this session for the acquisition of about 500 new four-motored flying fortresses at a cost of nearly $400,000 each and for acquiring additional anti-aircraft guns of the latest design. With the problem of possible hemisphere defensive needs occupying officials here to an increasing degree, the army has decided that it is essential that more long-range bombers be obtained.
The War Department had fifty-two of these huge planes ordered before the present air expansion program was begun, of which thirty are now in service. Under the expansion program just under 200 more flying fortresses were ordered, making a total of about 250 on hand and ordered. These, officials hold, are not enough to meet defense requirements under modern conditions of warfare as such conditions are developing from day to day on the battlefields of Europe. Congress has authorized an air force of 6,000 planes and orders have been let to bring the air army up to 5,500 planes. The additional flying fortresses would come close to filling out the total authorized strength and give the country a fleet of long-range, high-speed bombers believed sufficient for present conditions.
The Vinson bill, authorizing an 11 percent expansion in the naval strength of the United States, was approved today by the Senate Naval Affairs Committee with several amendments. The measure had been approved by the House. The chief amendment authorized appropriation of funds for modernizing the battleships Texas, New York and Arkansas to increase their gun range by four miles, according to naval officers, by raising their level of fire. Another offered by Senator Gerry would authorize the President to appoint a civilian naval consulting board of seven members to serve at his pleasure, who would receive a per diem rate for their services. The bill makes no appropriations but would permit the appropriations committees of both Houses to appropriate within the range approved in annual supply bills.
By a vote of 45 to 36, the Senate today approved and sent to the House the bill of Senator Townsend, Republican, of Delaware, terminating the authority of the President under the Silver Purchase Act of 1934 to buy foreign silver.
Harold M. Kennedy, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, rested the government’s case yesterday afternoon at the trial in the Federal court in Brooklyn of sixteen men accused of having conspired to overthrow the United States Government and to steal munitions from government armories.
Michael J. Quill, head of the C.I.O. United Transport Workers Union, asserted today that he had documentary evidence to prove that plans were made in 1935 and 1936 to “sabotage” the New York subway system to discredit his union. He said he would turn over this evidence to the House Committee Investigating Un-American Activities if the committee wished it.
The modern South ended its first year without a lynching last midnight, and today a foe of mob rule credited this new record to effective education, plus swift work of police radio patrols.
The first Vultee Model 48 Vanguard prototype aircraft collided with a Sirius aircraft at Vultee Field in Downey, California, United States.
Major League Baseball:
Pinch-hitter Johnny Peacock punched a single with the bases full in the tenth inning today to give the Red Sox a 6-5 victory over the Tigers and a clean sweep of the two-game series.
The Yankees drop their sixth consecutive game, this time being balnked by fireballer Bob Feller and the Cleveland Indians, 4–0. Feller struck out seven and allowed just three hits. Joe DiMaggio broke up a no-hitter bid in the 7th with the first hit, a single.
The press reports the impending sale of the Yankees by the Ruppert estate to political bigwigs Jim Farley and Jesse Jones. The Sporting News declares the sale will be for $4 million. The imminent sale will resurface on the front page several times during the next year, but it never happens.
Paced by the homers of Jimmy Bloodworth and Jimmy Pofahl, the Senators today beat the White Sox, 8–4. Dutch Leonard scattered ten hits to score his second victory of the year.
The St. Louis Browns beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 4–2. Bob Harris scattered seven hits to get the win for the Browns.
Bucky Walters’s five-hit pitching and good batting put the Reds back in the victory column today with a 4–1 decision over the Bees that gave the tall right-hander his fifth triumph without defeat. Striking out five batsmen and walking one, Walters yielded his first hit to Max West in the fourth. inning, and it went for the Bees’ only score, a home run.
The New York Giants crush the Pirates for the second day in a row, winning 17–6 today. Carl Hubbell gets his first victory of the season.
After yesterday’s rainout at Wrigley, the Dodgers score three in the 10th to beat the Cubs and Larry French, 4–1. Newt Kimball is the winner.
After a wobbly start, the Cardinals, aided by Stu Martin’s fourth homer in three days, handed the Phillies an 8–4 setback for a clean sweep of the two-game series.
Detroit Tigers 5, Boston Red Sox 6
Brooklyn Dodgers 4, Chicago Cubs 1
Boston Bees 1, Cincinnati Reds 4
Cleveland Indians 4, New York Yankees 0
St. Louis Browns 4, Philadelphia Athletics 2
New York Giants 17, Pittsburgh Pirates 6
Philadelphia Phillies 4, St. Louis Cardinals 8
Chicago White Sox 4, Washington Senators 8
Aircraft carrier HMS Eagle departed Singapore after completing repairs and refit. Eagle called at Colombo on 14 to 17 May. The aircraft carrier arrived at Aden on the 22nd and continued on that evening, accompanied by light cruisers HMS Gloucester, HMS Liverpool, and HMAS Sydney. On 23 May, light cruiser HMAS Hobart relieved light cruiser Liverpool and on the 24th, both Hobart and Gloucester were detached. Aircraft carrier Eagle departed Port Said on the 27th for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet and arrived at Alexandria, escorted by destroyers HMS Hereward and HMS Hero.
Battle of Tsaoyang-Ichang: Counterattack by 31st Army Group of Chinese 5th War Area recaptures Hsinyeh.
With their right wing forces executing a sweeping seventy-five-mile enveloping movement from what was the center of their front ten days ago, Japanese troops in Northern Hupeh and Southern Honan have almost completely encircled the mountain and plateau region of many hundred square miles which for the past eighteen months has been the base of Chinese armies menacing Japanese control of the Hankow area. The left wing advancing northward from Changhsiang was within a few miles of contact with the right wing today. Meanwhile, the center had moved up from Shihsien to close the net on the Chinese forces.
The Chinese military spokesman here, however, claimed the Chinese had pulled away and were now outside the encirclement and engaged in a counter-offensive. Describing the fighting as one of the biggest engagements since the Japanese drive on Hankow in October, 1938, he predicted a decisive battle within the next day or two. He said the Japanese were using six divisions, including a cavalry brigade, supported by two hundred planes and four hundred tanks. Neutral sources, basing their estimates on information from Hankow, believe the Japanese strength is nearer three divisions or 60,000 men. The Chinese spokesman said leaflets dropped from planes challenging the Chinese Army to show itself and fight were proof that the Japanese had not found and trapped the main Chinese forces. “However,” he said, “they now know where we are because we are all around them, attacking.”
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 148.17 (+0.21)
Born:
Bill Triplett, NFL running back and safety (St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Detroit Lions), in Indianola, Mississippi.
James L. Brooks, American Emmy and Academy Award-winning television and film writer, director, and producer (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”; “Taxi”; “Terms of Endearment;” “Broadcast News”; “The Tracey Ullman Show”), in Brooklyn, New York, New York.
Dick Morrissey, British jazz saxophonist, in Horley, Surrey, England, United Kingdom (d. 2000).
Fulke Johnson Houghton, English thoroughbred racehorse trainer (St Leger 1967, 1968), in Malpas, England, United Kingdom (d. 2025).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette HMCS Quesnel (K 133) is laid down by Victoria Machinery Depot Co. Ltd. (Victoria. British Columbia, Canada).
History Diaries 