Joining the war on the Axis side, Italy declares war on France and Britain. At 1645, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs informs the British Ambassador in Rome that at one minute past midnight on the 11th, a state of war would exist between Italy and the United Kingdom.
At 6 p.m., Benito Mussolini appeared on the balcony of the Palazzo Venezia to announce that in six hours, Italy would be in a state of war with France and Britain. After a speech explaining his motives for the decision, he concluded: “People of Italy: take up your weapons and show your tenacity, your courage and your valor.” The Italians had no battle plans of any kind prepared.
From the balcony of the Palazzo Venezia, Benito Mussolini announces that Italy is at war. The Italian government ended its neutrality and declared war on France and Great Britain. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini said to Pietro Badoglio, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Royal Army “I only need a few thousand dead so that I can sit at the peace conference as a man who has fought.” Mussolini had the immediate war aim of expanding the Italian colonies in North Africa by taking land from the British and French colonies.
Premier Mussolini told the Italian nation today “an hour important to the destiny of Italy has now begun.” Mussolini, speaking from a balcony of the Palazzo Venezia overlooking the Piazza Venezia, jammed with cheering, shouting members of the Fascist party, soldiers and civilians, said: “Our conscience is perfectly tranquil.” The crowds in the piazza roared approval. All the world knows, he said, that Italy has tried in vain for peace. “The allies should not have repulsed the peace offers made by Hitler,” he shouted.
Italian troops attacked southern France from Savoy. Italian forces mostly remain in defensive positions on the French border
Anti-Italian riots broke out in major cities across the United Kingdom after Italy’s declaration of war. Bricks, stones and bottles were thrown through the windows of Italian-owned shops, and 100 arrests were made in Edinburgh alone.
Canada declared war on Italy.
Italy broke off relations with Poland.
Belgium broke off relations with Italy.
Italian forces prepare to invade French territory in the Alps from Savoy. The French do not divert any additional troops there. Fighting would be mostly limited to skirmishing for the first ten days since both sides along the Franco-Italian border were deployed in defensive positions at the beginning of hostilities.
The Italian fleet joining the Axis theoretically changes the balance of power within the Mediterranean. Italy has two battleships at sea and four more on the way, along with a large support fleet. Of perhaps more interest to the Kriegsmarine, Italy has 116 submarines, which ranks as the largest such force in the world. A major imponderable, though, is what happens to the very large French fleet, which would nullify any Italian naval advantage in the Mediterranean.
Everybody knows that the Italian military is no threat. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who specializes in wisecracks about Italian military weakness, comments:
“People who go to Italy to look at ruins won’t have to go as far as Naples and Pompeii again.”
Minister of Information Duff Cooper reacts to the Italian decision:
“[he] has declared war upon the Allies with whom Italy fought in the last Great War and who … saved Italy from destruction.”
Erwin Rommel’s troops continued to march down the French coast, now west of Paris, France. To the east, Heinz Guderian’s tanks advanced towards Chalons-sur-Marne, threatening Paris, causing the French government to declare Paris an open city.
7th Panzer Division reached Dalles near Dieppe. General Erwin Rommel continues his own separate campaign against the French IX Corps and British 51st (Highland) Division, reaching Dalles near Dieppe. The Seventh “Ghost” Division continues pressing the Allies into a pocket along the coast north of Le Havre (St-Valery-en-Caux) which resembles the Dunkirk situation of May, though on a much smaller scale.
Elements of the French 10th Army along with some British forces were still fighting around St. Valery.
From La Ferte to the Channel coast only remnants of French forces remain to block the German offensive.
Panzer Group Guderian advances in the direction of Chalons-sur-Marne. French 3rd Division Cuirasse de Reserve (DCR) attacks Guderian’s spearhead at Juniville with 86 Char B and Hotchkiss 35/39 tanks. The French counterattacks take about two miles of occupied territory back and destroy about 100 German armored vehicles. General Guderian, who always leads from the front, personally mans a captured French 47 mm anti-tank gun and finds that the Char B tanks are impervious to direct hits. It is a real, but minor, French success with no lasting impact.
The French line at Péronne proves obstinate, so 16th Panzer Corps sidesteps it and support Panzer Group Guderian.
The German 38th Corps (Manstein) crosses the Seine west of Paris.
After fighting for two hours, French reserves fail to stop the Germans crossing the Aisne at Joinville.
After a brief artillery preparation, the 1st Panzers together with infantry break out and advance towards the Retourne River at Chateau-Porcien, which they manage to cross by 4pm.
At 5 pm a French armored group of two divisions counter-attacks along both banks of the Retourne. While the 1st Panzers were held up, and even repelled, the 2nd Panzers advanced towards Reims.
In Operation CYCLE, 3,321 Allied troops embarked aboard ships at St-Valery-en-Caux for evacuation, and 11,059 embarked ships at Le Havre to be transferred to Cherbourg for continued fighting.
The French government declares Paris an open city. German 18th Army advances toward the city.
The French government heads south from Paris, to Tours. Official French broadcast: “The government is compelled to leave the capital for imperative military reasons….”
The French government officials are busy burning official documents. One of them in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris sets his chimney on fire.
French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud again appealed to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to intervene in the war in Europe.
Operation CYCLE begins with the evacuation of allied troops from the French north coast. On 10 and 11 June, 3321 troops were embarked at St Valery. British warships in CYCLE were destroyers HMS Codrington (Captain G. L.Warren, SO ), HMS Ambuscade, HMS Bulldog, HMS Boadicea, HMS Harvester, HMS Broke, HMS Saladin, and HMS Fernie, Canadian destroyers HMCS Restigouche and HMCS St Laurent, sloop HMS Wellington, corvette HMS Gardenia, and auxiliary minelayer HMS Hampton. Codrington had completed repairs and was due for return to Dover when she was detached to the Portsmouth Command for this operation. Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta departed Harwich at 0917/10th for Portsmouth to arrive at 1800. On the 10th during the evacuation of the Le Havre Peninsula, destroyer Ambuscade was damaged by shore guns off Fecamp near St Valery. Damage was limited to minor hull damage and splinter damage. There were men killed in Ambuscade. She was repaired at Portsmouth from 12 to 15 June. After working up from 16 to 22 June at Portland and 23 to 27 June at Portsmouth, she arrived at Harwich for duty on the 27th. Bulldog and Boadicea were badly damaged by German bombing off Le Havre at 1738/10th in 49-53N, 0-28E. Boadicea was hit by three bombs and immobilized due to flooded and wrecked machinery spaces. Ambuscade, later relieved by tug Krooman, towed destroyer Boadicea to Portsmouth. Commissioned Engineer F. R. J. Drake and five ratings were killed and two ratings were wounded on Boadicea.
HMCS St Laurent and HMCS Restigouche exchanged fire with a German artillery battery at St Valery-en-Caux during the evacuation of the British 51st Highland Division. These were the first shots fired in anger by the RCN during World War II.
HMS Bulldog was also struck by three bombs, one of which came to rest in number three boiler without exploding and a second passing into number three boiler and exploding ten minutes later. No men were killed. Destroyer HMS Broke found Bulldog at anchor damaged and unable to proceed, and towed her to Portsmouth. Bulldog and Boadicea, taken to Portsmouth for repairs, did not return to duty until 26 July 1940, and 16 February 1941, respectively. The delay in Boadicea’s repair was due to mechanical defects.
HMS Codrington was slightly damaged by air attack. She was repaired at Portsmouth completing on the 21st. Motor torpedo boat MTB.69 was damaged in this operation.
On 11 June, light cruiser HMS Cardiff departed Dover to cover the evacuation at St Valery. She was joined by destroyer HMS Harvester off the French coast. Destroyer HMS Broke and corvette HMS Gardenia evacuated wounded from St Valery on the 11th. Canadian destroyer HMCS Restigouche embarked troops off Veules on the 11th. Destroyer HMS Saladin reported St Valery was occupied by German troops at 0100/12th.
Troopship Bruges (2949grt) was sunk by German bombing on the 11th near Le Havre. During the night of 12/13 June, 11,059 troops were evacuated from Le Havre; 9000 of them were taken to Cherbourg.
Kriegsmarine battlecruiser Scharnhorst at Trondheim is attacked by Fleet Air Arm Skuas launched from RN carrier Ark Royal.
Allied operations in Norway end. This has cost the British and French 1 carrier; 2 cruisers; and 9 destroyers plus other smaller craft. There were 6,100 men KIA. The cost for the Germans was 3 cruisers, 10 destroyers, and several U-boats. There were 5,600 men KIA. There were also many Norwegian casualties.
All Norway was surrendered to Germany Sunday at midnight after a fight of exactly two months against the Nazi invaders, but King Haakon and his government, who fled to England, announced they would help the British and French on the western front. The British and French, who gave aid to Norway throughout the conflict, were reported withdrawing from their hard-won gains at Narvik and along the Narvik railway in the far north, only territory they had been able to wrest from the Germans since the invasion began April 9 with Nazi seizure of that ore port, Oslo, and other Norwegian cities, “Necessity of the war forces the allies to gather all their forces on other fronts where all soldiers and all materials are necessary,” said an announcement today by the Norwegian government news agency.
British transport ships of Group I reached Clyde, Scotland at 0600 hours with troops evacuated from Narvik, Norway.
King Haakon, Prime Minister Nygaardsvold, and the Norwegian government arrive from Tromsø aboard RN cruiser Devonshire.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches aircraft to attack German troops and lines of communication
After proceeding to one of the inner evacuation rendezvouses after British forces had already departed, armed boarding vessel HMS Vandyck (13,241grt, Captain G F W Wilson Rtd) was sunk by German bombing off Andesnes, Norway. Temporary Lt Cdr (E) E Watson RNR, Refrigerating Engineer D Elias and five ratings were lost. The rest of the crew, Captain Wilson, Lt K L Alger RNR, Temporary Paymaster Lt J E L Jones RNR, Temporary Lt (E) W Henderson RNR, Cdr J L Croasdaile RNR, Temporary S/Lt R L Callaghan RNR, 3rd Electrician C Bell, Temporary S/Lt J B Kennedy RNR, Chief Steward G S Thorpe, 4th Engineer E Champion, Lt W F Graves RNR Rtd, Temporary Probationary S/Lt D F Rees RNR, 10th Engineer W Purdy, 11th Engineer R T Frost, Junior Engineer W B Carter, Acting Temporary Surgeon Lt Cdr R G Knight, 3rd Engineer R G Beatty, 7th Engineer R Smith, Acting Paymaster Lt Cdr C W Linton RNVR, 8th Engineer A J Green, 9th Engineer T H Parry, Engineer T Yates and one hundred and thirty two ratings, were able to row ashore in the ship’s boats and taken prisoner. Temporary S/Lt (E) J Lavender RNR, C G Evans, 2nd Engineer and five ratings were wounded. Lt D Conolly RNR, died as a prisoner of war on the 22 June 1940 and Gunner S.J. Gooch Rtd on 20 February 1941. Two ratings also died as prisoners of war. Destroyer HMS Delight was sent to unsuccessfully search for her when she failed to arrive at the rendezvous.
German battlecruiser Gneisenau, heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, and destroyers Lody, Steinbrinck, Schoemann, and Galster departed Trondheim to attack the Allied Convoys evacuating Norway. It was soon decided that the convoys were beyond reach and the German ships arrived back at Trondheim late on the 10th.
Submarine HMS Clyde at 1400 reported one German pocket battleship and one Hipper class cruiser in 64-35N, 9-45E, steering 300°.
Continuing to shepherd the troop convoy’s home to England, Ark Royal made her first true effort to both cover the convoy and to look for what must be out there somewhere, survivors from the missing ships, which at this point included HMS Glorious, HMS Acasta, HMS Ardent, SS Orama, ST Oilpioneer, and HMS Jupiter. At 0245 she put up a 360 degree search, out to 120 miles, using 10 Swordfish. One Swordfish failed to return, signaling it was making a deferred forced landing at sea. While continuing to maintain a fighter patrol over the convoy, she next sent off three Walrus amphibians to search for the crew of the missing Swordfish, but found nothing Fortunately, the missing trio, S-Lt.(A) R. C. Eborn, RN, Mid.(A) G. T. Shaddick, RN, and LA P. W. Clitheroe, RN had been rescued by the fishing vessel Syrian and would make it safely home on her.
At 1100, her service escorting the convoy was deemed complete and the ship separated, steaming for a rendezvous with C-in-C Home Fleet, joining at 1440.
At 1530 a snooper was sighted by the bridge personnel, and 10 minutes later a trio of Skuas from 800 Squadron, led by Lt. K. V. V. Spurway zoomed into the air to run it down. The patrol spotted and attacked the He-115, but unable to close the range sufficiently, the German pilot skilfully using the low cloud to escape destruction. At 1650, a further trio, Lt.Cdr. J. Casson’s section of 803 took off to run down the still elusive He-115. This time they were able to get in a few telling bursts, and the snooper left leaving a trail of smoke behind it.
After a relief fighter patrol was sent up, at 2000 nine Swordfish search was put up to cover the sector ahead of the Task Force, from 020 eastward to 210 degrees, still looking for the elusive German battleships which were, by now, safely in Trondheim harbour. That ended flying for the day. Destroyer HMS Echo arrived at Scapa Flow at 1130/11th to oil, and departed at 1530 to rejoin British Troopship Group II. The Group, with anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Coventry and destroyers HMS Firedrake, HMS Fame, HMS Havelock, HMS Beagle, HMS Delight, and HMS Echo arrived at Greenock at 2300/12th. French troops on troopship Ormonde were transferred to troopship Ulster Prince, which then went to Brest, arriving on the 15th. Troopship Royal Ulsterman arrived at Lorient on the 16th and troopship Royal Scotsman arrived at Brest on the 17th to disembark French troops. Light cruiser HMS Southampton and anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Coventry were detached to Scapa Flow. Coventry went on to Glasgow, then the Clyde. Southampton arrived in the Clyde at 1306/12th. Coventry departed the Clyde on the 15th and arrived in the Tyne for refitting on the 16th. Following a short refit, she departed on the 29th for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 30th.
Destroyers HMS Tartar (D.6), HMS Bedouin, HMS Maori and HMS Ashanti departed Scapa Flow at 1130/13th to rendezvous with the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet in 65N, 4W. Destroyers HMS Veteran, HMS Campbell, and HMS Mashona departed Sullom Voe at 0400/13th and destroyer HMS Forester departed Scapa Flow at 2100/12th also to rendezvous with the Commander in Chief Home Fleet, in 63-00N, 4-00W at 1300/13th. At dawn on the 13th, aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal launched an air attack of fifteen Skuas on Trondheim harbor to be coordinated with a Royal Air Force strike of four Beauforts of 22 Squadron and six Blenheim aircraft on the Vaernes airfield near Trondheim. German battlecruiser HMS Scharnhorst was hit by a bomb that did not explode and no other ships were hit. Eight Skuas were shot down. From the 800 Squadron, Captain R. T. Partridge, RM, was made a prisoner of war, but his observer Lt R. S.Bostock was killed in the crash. Lt G. E. D. Finch-Noyes. DSC, was shot down and killed, but Petty Officer Airman H.G. Cunningham survived. Midshipman (A) L.M. Gallagher, DSC and Acting Petty Officer W. Crawford died when their Skua crashed. Midshipman (A) D. T. R. Martin was shot down and was taken prisoner, but Leading Airman W. J. Tremeer was killed. Martin was picked up by the German seaplane which had just picked up the two HMS Ardent survivors. From the 803 Squadron, Lt Cdr J. Casson and his observer Lt P. E. Fanshawe, and Lt C. H.Filmer and his observer Midshipman (A) T. A. McKee were shot down and made prisoners of war. S/Lt J. A. Harris and Naval Airman S.R. Stevenson were shot down; Harris died of injuries shortly thereafter and Stevenson died of injuries on 31 May 1941. S/Lt R. E. Bartlett and Naval Airman 1/c L.G. Richards were shot down and were made prisoners of war. Surviving aircraft, piloted by Lt K. V. V. Spurway and Petty Officer Airman H.A. Monk of 800 Squadron and S/Lt (A) G. W. Brokensha, Petty Officer Airman T. F. Riddler, Midshipman (A) A. S.Griffiths, Midshipman (A) A. S.Gibson, Petty Officer Airman H.Gardiner of 803 Squadron returned to the aircraft carrier.
Later on the 13th, destroyers HMS Electra and HMS Antelope collided, while escorting HMS Ark Royal off central Norway in heavy fog. Destroyer HMS Zulu took HMS Electra in tow, while destroyer HMS Inglefield stood by HMS Antelope. This signaled an end to the Norwegian operations. The retirement of the two damaged destroyers was covered by battleship HMS Rodney and battlecruiser HMS Renown. Tug HMS Brigand proceeded on the 15th and joined Electra, which was taken in tow, and at 2000 they were proceeding at eight knots in 60-36N, 4-00W. Electra arrived at Scapa Flow at 1430/16th, attended by tug Brigand and escorted by HMS Zulu and HMS Escapade. She then departed on the 18th escorted by destroyer Campbell and arrived at Troon on the 20th. Repairs were completed on 24 August. Antelope arrived at Scapa Flow at 0330/15th escorted by destroyer Inglefield. She departed the Scapa Flow at 2213/15th to the Tyne, and returned to duty on 16 August. Ark Royal with destroyers HMS Kelvin, HMS Escort, and HMS Campbell arrived at Scapa Flow on the 14th at 1545. Rodney, and Renown, and destroyers Tartar, Fearless, Ashanti, Bedouin, Mashona, and Maori arrived at Scapa Flow at 1640/15th.
Thus ends Operation ALPHABET, the evacuation of Norway.
The Gestapo organization took control of the Theresienstadt Fortress in occupied Czechoslovakia and began its conversion into a concentration camp.
Angry crowds participated in wild anti-Italian riots tonight in London, Liverpool, Edinburgh and elsewhere, smashing Italian cafe and shop fronts with bricks and bottles. Several persons were injured. Mace-brandishing police charged the crowds in Edinburgh, where several were hurt, but failed to stem the throng of persons protesting what they regarded as Italy’s “stab in the back” in declaring war on Britain and France. Similar scenes, involving thousands of milling persons, were enacted in Liverpool. Police already had begun a general roundup of alien Italians immediately upon Italy’s declaration of war.
The fearsome thought of a breakdown in the organization for removing children from London under bombing raids led the government to decide to start the exodus immediately instead of waiting for an attack.
King Haakon and the rest of the Norwegian Government-in-exile arrives in London.
Thousands of World War I veterans demonstrated in the streets of Budapest tonight demanding that Hungary support Germany and Italy, even to the point of war if necessary, after an official government communique had reaffirmed Hungary’s non-belligerency.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches aircraft to attack various targets overnight
RAF Air Commodore Collishaw reputedly conducts an unofficial bombing mission overnight, dropping grenades on Italian positions in North Africa.
Flying Officer Edgar James “Cobber” Kain, 21-year-old New Zealand fighter pilot whose rapidly mounting score of victories and hairs-breadth escapes put him among Britain’s leading war heroes, was killed in a flying accident on 7 June, it was reported. His success early in the war and consequent media reports made him well known in Britain and the Dominions. By early June, he was physically exhausted and ordered to return to England. On 7 June 1940, having bid farewell to his squadron and in a gesture to his comrades, he took off in a Hurricane to perform a series of low-level aerobatics over Échemines airfield. While performing one of these manoeuvres, he crashed at high speed and was killed instantly. At the time of his death he was ranked flying officer and was officially credited with 14 aerial victories. Subsequent research suggests he destroyed 16 enemy aircraft.
Minelayers HMS Atreus and HMS Linnet were ordered to lay a controlled minefield in Bressay Sound, Lerwick with a guard loop to seaward. Following the operation, Atreus proceeded to Scapa Flow and Linnet proceeded to the Clyde.
Trawler River Ness (203grt) was sunk by German bombing eight miles northeast by north of the Skerries. Eight crewmen were lost and two rescued.
Destroyer HMS Vega (Captain G. A. Garnons-Williams on board) took blockships Jacobus (1262grt), Kaupo (2420grt), River Tyne (1525grt) to Dieppe from Portsmouth in Operation C P to block the harbor which was accomplished.
French destroyers Frondeur and Fougueux departed Brest escorting troopships El Mansour, El Kantara, and Ville D’Alger to Plymouth. British steamer Princess Beatrix joined the convoy en route. The convoy arrived on the 11th and embarked Canadian troops. El Mansour and Ville D’Alger departed Plymouth on the 11th, escorted by the same two destroyers and arrived at Brest on the 12th. EL Kantara departed Plymouth on the 12th and was escorted by destroyer HMS Wanderer. They arrived at Brest on the 13th. On the 12th, El Mansour and Ville D’Alger departed Brest, escorted by French destroyer Epervier on another trip to Plymouth, arriving on the 13th. On the 13th, the troopships returned, escorted by French destroyers Epervier and Mistral, arriving at Brest on the 14th. El Kantara departed Brest on another trip to Plymouth, escorted by French sloop Suippe, on the 13th, arriving on the 14th. On the same day, she departed Plymouth and arrived at Brest on the 17th. On 14th June, El Mansour and Ville D’ Alger departed Brest on a third trip, again escorted by Epervier and Mistral. That evening, the mission was cancelled and the ships returned to Brest.
Destroyer HMS Vivien, escorting convoy FN.192, east of Lowestoft, reported attacks by German E-boats. Astern of the convoy, steamer Baron Elphinstone (4635grt) was attacked by the E-boats near Smith’s Knoll. Destroyers HMS Jackal and HMS Foresight and two Anson and two Hudson aircraft joined the convoy. The Hudson aircraft attacked the German vessels northeast of Schouwen Bank at 0355. Foresight was relieved by destroyer HMS Fury from Rosyth in mid-morning.
Anti-submarine trawler HMS Hickory (530grt) attacked a submarine contact three miles 120° from Hartlepool. Destroyer HMS Woolston and anti-submarine trawler HMS Cypress (548grt) joined in the hunt.
German light cruiser Nurnberg with Luftwaffe stores and mining equipment for Trondheim departed Kiel the evening of 10 June escorted by torpedo boats Jaguar and Falke and at the start by escort ship F.3. On the 12th, the torpedo boats were detached to Stavanger for refueling. On the 13th, Nurnberg arrived at Trondheim escorted on the last leg of her voyage by minesweepers of the 2nd Flotilla. After disembarking the supplies, she continued north arriving at Harjangerfjord and Narvik on the 17th.
Norwegian vessel Tirranna, captured by German raider Atlantis, is subsequently dispatched with prize crew to Italian Somaliland carrying prisoners.
Anticipating Italian entry for some time, destroyers HMS Hyperion, HMS Havock, HMS Hero, HMS Waterhen, HMS Hostile, HMS Imperial, HMS Decoy, and HMS Defender of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla and two flying boats departed Alexandria early on the 10th to sweep for Italian submarines. They were to return to Alexandria to refuel at 0400/11th, and then join the Fleet at sea. Just before 2200, Decoy made an attack on an Italian submarine south of Crete.
Light cruiser HMS Calypso had just relieved light cruiser HMS Capetown on patrol in Kithera Channel. Capetown, returning from the patrol off Crete to Alexandria, was diverted to Port Said. Light cruiser HMS Caledon was at Port Said.
Late on the 10th, submarine HMS Rorqual departed Malta to lay mines off Brindisi on the 14th. HMS Odin, HMS Orpheus, HMS Oswald and HMS Grampus also departed Malta on the 10th to operate off Gulf of Taranto, off Syracuse, southwest of Rhodes, and off Augusta, respectively.
Submarines HMS Parthian from 14 June, HMS Pandora, HMS Proteus from 14 June, and HMS Phoenix from 4 June operated from Alexandria in the Eastern Mediterranean. Parthian operated off Tobruk, Pandora in the Doro Channel, Proteus in the Kithera and Antikithera Channels, and Phoenix off Suda Bay.
French submarines Le Centaure, Pascal, Fresnel, Vengeur, Redoutable, Narval, Caiman, Morse, Souffleur, Monge, Pegase, and Le Tonnant departed Bizerte and Sousse to operate in the Central Mediterranean. Phoque, Espadon, Protee, Acheron, and Acteon from Beirut operated in the Dodecanese, Protee and Espadon east of Leros, and Phoque east of Rhodes. Iris, Venus, Pallas, and Archimede from Toulon operated in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ariane, Eurydice, Diane, and Danae from Oran operated off Gibraltar. Saphir, Nautilus, Perle, and Turquoise were at sea to lay mines off the Italian coast.
Destroyer HMS Diamond departed Malta and shortly after departure attacked a submarine off Malta, nine miles 92° from St Elmo Light without success.
Italian heavy cruisers Pola, Trento, and Bolzano of the 3rd Cruiser Division with destroyers Maestrale, Libeccio, Grecale, and Scirocco of the 10th Destroyer Division departed Messina. The Italian light cruisers at Naples sortied for operations.
Italian steamer Umbria (9349grt) scuttled herself at Port Sudan after being brought into port by sloop HMS Grimsby. Light cruiser HMS Leander took off the crew.
Italian steamers Olterra (4995grt), Lavoro (7886grt), and Libano (5192grt) scuttled themselves at Gibraltar and Pagao (6101grt) scuttled herself at Rada di Algeciras, across the harbor. Libano was salved for British service.
Italian steamer Polinice (1373grt) was captured at sea and sent into Malta. On the 11th at Malta, she was scuttled.
Italian steamer Capo Noli (3921grt) was captured in the Gulf of St Lawrence by Canadian auxiliary minesweeper HMCS Bras D’or, and renamed Bic Island for Canadian use.
Italian steamer San Pietro (5199grt) was seized by French forces at Bordeaux and taken to Casablanca. She was later returned to the Italian owners.
Italian steamers Capo Olmo (4781grt) and Nicolo Odero (6003grt) were seized by French forces at Marseilles. Capo Olmo was later used by the British under the same name.
Rear Admiral David M. LeBreton relieved Rear Admiral Charles E. Courtney as Commander Squadron 40-T on board the light cruiser USS Trenton (CL 11) at Lisbon, Portugal.
The heavy cruiser USS Vincennes (CA 44), escorted by destroyers USS Truxtun (DD 229) and USS Simpson (DD 221), departed Casablanca, French Morocco, for New York. The USS Vincennes’s mission was to load the 200 tons of gold brought to Casablanca by the French auxiliary cruiser Ville d’Oran. The precious metal cargo (the Bank of France gold reserves) would be transported to New York for deposit in U.S. banks.
The U.S. passenger liner Washington arrived at Lisbon, Portugal, to embark American nationals desiring passage to the United States. The destroyer USS Dickerson (DD 157) arrived the same day with her passengers who were to embark on the liner.
Convoy OA.165 departed Southend escorted by corvette HMS Arabis.
Convoy OB.165 departed Liverpool escorted by sloop HMS Leith from 10 to 11 June.
Convoy BC.39 of steamers Baron Carnegie, Baron Nairn, Gloucester City, Kufra (Commodore), and Lurigethan departed Loire escorted by anti-submarine trawlers HMS Agate (627grt) and HMS Lord Hailsham (445grt). The convoy arrived in Bristol Channel on the 11th.
Convoy MT.86 departed Methil, escorted by sloops HMS Black Swan and HMS Hastings. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day.
Convoy FN.193 departed Southend, escorted by sloops HMS Lowestoft and HMS Weston. Upon reaching the Tyne, Lowestoft was detached to escort minelayer HMS Port Quebec to Rosyth. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 12th.
The War at Sea, Monday, 10 June 1940 (naval-history.net)
After proceeding to one of the inner evacuation rendezvouses after British forces had already departed, armed boarding vessel VANDYCK (13,241grt, Captain G F W Wilson Rtd) was sunk by German bombing off Andenes. Temporary Lt Cdr (E) E Watson RNR, Refrigerating Engineer D Elias and five ratings were lost. The rest of the crew, Captain Wilson, Lt K L Alger RNR, Temporary Paymaster Lt J E L Jones RNR, Temporary Lt (E) W Henderson RNR, Cdr J L Croasdaile RNR, Temporary S/Lt R L Callaghan RNR, 3rd Electrician C Bell, Temporary S/Lt J B Kennedy RNR, Chief Steward G S Thorpe, 4th Engineer E Champion, Lt W F Graves RNR Rtd, Temporary Probationary S/Lt D F Rees RNR, 10th Engineer W Purdy, 11th Engineer R T Frost, Junior Engineer W B Carter, Acting Temporary Surgeon Lt Cdr R G Knight, 3rd Engineer R G Beatty, 7th Engineer R Smith, Acting Paymaster Lt Cdr C W Linton RNVR, 8th Engineer A J Green, 9th Engineer T H Parry, Engineer T Yates and one hundred and thirty two ratings, were able to row ashore in the ship’s boats and taken prisoner. Temporary S/Lt (E) J Lavender RNR, C G Evans, 2nd Engineer and five ratings were wounded. Lt D Conolly RNR, died as a prisoner of war on the 22 June 1940 and Gunner S.J. Gooch Rtd on 20 February 1941. Two ratings also died as prisoners of war. Destroyer DELIGHT was sent to unsuccessfully search for her when she failed to arrive at the rendezvous.
Destroyer WHIRLWIND at 2048 attacked a submarine contact in 61-42N, 3-56W.
Destroyer ATHERSTONE and ANTELOPE departed the Clyde at 1930 for Scapa Flow.
Destroyers WOLVERINE, VISCOUNT, and WITHERINGTON departed the Clyde at 1600 for Sullom Voe, arriving on the 11th. Destroyers ESCAPADE, VISCOUNT, and ANTELOPE had arrived earlier on the 11th. They joined destroyers FEARLESS and AMAZON.
Destroyers VOLUNTEER and WHIRLWIND from the Clyde and VETERAN, VANOC, and WALKER arrived at Sullom Voe for refueling. VETERAN and VANOC arrived at 2350. After refueling, WALKER joined the slow store convoy.
Destroyer ESCAPADE departed Liverpool at 1200. She proceeded to Sullom Voe, proceeding at twenty knots, due to a loss of lubricating oil.
Anti-submarine trawlers LE TIGER and LEICESTER CITY were ordered to investigate a direction finding bearing in Fair Isle Channel.
Submarine TRIBUNE departed Rosyth for patrol off Fro Havet.
German battlecruiser GNEISENAU, heavy cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER, and destroyers LODY, STEINBRINCK, SCHOEMANN, and GALSTER departed Trondheim to attack the Allied Convoys evacuating Norway. It was soon decided that the convoys were beyond reach and the German ships arrived back at Trondheim late on the 10th.
Submarine CLYDE at 1400 reported one German pocket battleship and one HIPPER class cruiser in 64-35N, 9-45E, steering 300°.
Destroyer ECHO arrived at Scapa Flow at 1130/11th to oil, and departed at 1530 to rejoin British Troopship Group II. The Group, with anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY and destroyers FIREDRAKE, FAME, HAVELOCK, BEAGLE, DELIGHT, and ECHO arrived at Greenock at 2300/12th.
French troops on troopship ORMONDE were transferred to troopship ULSTER PRINCE, which then went to Brest, arriving on the 15th. Troopship ROYAL ULSTERMAN arrived at Lorient on the 16th and troopship ROYAL SCOTSMAN arrived at Brest on the 17th to disembark French troops.
Light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON and anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY were detached to Scapa Flow. COVENTRY went on to Glasgow, then the Clyde. SOUTHAMPTON arrived in the Clyde at 1306/12th. COVENTRY departed the Clyde on the 15th and arrived in the Tyne for refitting on the 16th. Following a short refit, she departed on the 29th for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 30th.
Destroyers TARTAR (D.6), BEDOUIN, MAORI, and ASHANTI departed Scapa Flow at 1130/13th to rendezvous with the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet in 65N, 4W. Destroyers VETERAN, CAMPBELL, MASHONA departed Sullom Voe at 0400/13th and destroyer FORESTER departed Scapa Flow at 2100/12th also to rendezvous with the Commander in Chief Home Fleet, in 63-00N, 4-00W at 1300/13th.
At dawn on the 13th, aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL launched an air attack of fifteen Skuas on Trondheim harbour to be coordinated with a Royal Air Force strike of four Beauforts of 22 Squadron and six Blenheim aircraft on the Vaernes airfield near Trondheim. German battlecruiser SCHARNHORST was hit by a bomb that did not explode and no other ships were hit.
Eight Skuas were shot down. From the 800 Squadron, Captain R. T. Partridge, RM, was made a prisoner of war, but his observer Lt R. S. Bostock was killed in the crash. Lt G. E. D. Finch-Noyes. DSC, was shot down and killed, but Petty Officer Airman H.G. Cunningham survived. Midshipman (A) L.M. Gallagher, DSC and Acting Petty Officer W. Crawford died when their Skua crashed. Midshipman (A) D. T. R. Martin was shot down and was taken prisoner, but Leading Airman W. J. Tremeer was killed. Martin was picked up by the German seaplane which had just picked up the two ARDENT survivors. From the 803 Squadron, Lt Cdr J. Casson and his observer Lt P. E. Fanshawe, and Lt C. H. Filmer and his observer Midshipman (A) T. A. McKee were shot down and made prisoners of war. S/Lt J. A. Harris and Naval Airman S.R. Stevenson were shot down; Harris died of injuries shortly thereafter and Stevenson died of injuries on 31 May 1941. S/Lt R. E. Bartlett and Naval Airman 1/c L.G. Richards were shot down and were made prisoners of war.
Surviving aircraft, piloted by Lt K. V. V. Spurway and Petty Officer Airman H.A. Monk of 800 Squadron and S/Lt (A) G. W. Brokensha, Petty Officer Airman T. F. Riddler, Midshipman (A) A. S. Griffiths, Midshipman (A) A. S. Gibson, Petty Officer Airman H. Gardiner of 803 Squadron returned to the aircraft carrier.
Later on the 13th, destroyers ELECTRA and ANTELOPE collided, while escorting ARK ROYAL off central Norway in heavy fog. Destroyer ZULU took ELECTRA in tow, while destroyer INGLEFIELD stood by ANTELOPE. This signaled an end to the Norwegian operations. The retirement of the two damaged destroyers was covered by battleship RODNEY and battlecruiser RENOWN. Tug BRIGAND proceeded on the 15th and joined ELECTRA, which was taken in tow, and at 2000 they were proceeding at eight knots in 60-36N, 4-00W. ELECTRA arrived at Scapa Flow at 1430/16th, attended by tug BRIGAND and escorted by ZULU and ESCAPADE. She then departed on the 18th escorted by destroyer CAMPBELL and arrived at Troon on the 20th. Repairs were completed on 24 August.
ANTELOPE arrived at Scapa Flow at 0330/15th escorted by destroyer INGLEFIELD. She departed the Scapa Flow at 2213/15th to the Tyne, and returned to duty on 16 August.
ARK ROYAL with destroyers KELVIN, ESCORT, and CAMPBELL arrived at Scapa Flow on the 14th at 1545. RODNEY, RENOWN, and destroyers TARTAR, FEARLESS, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, MASHONA, and MAORI arrived at Scapa Flow at 1640/15th.
Light cruisers MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, and SHEFFIELD departed the Humber on the 9th and arrived at Rosyth on the 10th. They joined heavy cruiser YORK, which had been there since 28 May.
Minelayers ATREUS and LINNET were ordered to lay a controlled minefield in Bressay Sound, Lerwick with a guard loop to seaward. Following the operation, ATREUS proceeded to Scapa Flow and LINNET proceeded to the Clyde.
Trawler RIVER NESS (203grt) was sunk by German bombing eight miles northeast by north of the Skerries. Eight crew were lost and two rescued.
Destroyer VEGA (Captain G. A. Garnons-Williams on board) took blockships JACOBUS (1262grt), KAUPO (2420grt), and RIVER TYNE (1525grt) to Dieppe from Portsmouth in Operation C P to block the harbour which was accomplished.
Operation CYCLE was the evacuation of allied troops from the French north coast. On 10 and 11 June, 3321 troops were embarked at St Valery.
British warships in CYCLE were destroyers CODRINGTON (Captain G. L.Warren, SO ), AMBUSCADE, BULLDOG, BOADICEA, HARVESTER, BROKE, SALADIN, and FERNIE, Canadian destroyers HMCS RESTIGOUCHE and HMCS ST LAURENT, sloop WELLINGTON, corvette GARDENIA, auxiliary minelayer HAMPTON.
CODRINGTON had completed repairs and was due for return to Dover when she was detached to the Portsmouth Command for this operation. Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA departed Harwich at 0917/10th for Portsmouth to arrive at 1800.
On the 10th during the evacuation of the Le Havre Peninsula, destroyer AMBUSCADE was damaged by shore guns off Fecamp near St Valery. Damage was limited to minor hull damage and splinter damage. There were men killed in AMBUSCADE. She was repaired at Portsmouth from 12 to 15 June. After working up from 16 to 22 June at Portland and 23 to 27 June at Portsmouth, she arrived at Harwich for duty on the 27th.
BULLDOG and BOADICEA were badly damaged by German bombing off Le Havre at 1738/10th in 49-53N, 0-28E. BOADICEA was hit by three bombs and immobilized due to flooded and wrecked machinery spaces. AMBUSCADE, later relieved by tug KROOMAN towed destroyer BOADICEA to Portsmouth. Commissioned Engineer F. R. J. Drake and five ratings were killed and two ratings were wounded on BOADICEA.
BULLDOG was also struck by three bombs, one of which came to rest in number three boiler without exploding and a second passing into number three boiler and exploding ten minutes later. No men were killed. Destroyer BROKE found BULLDOG at anchor damaged and unable to proceed, and towed her to Portsmouth.
BULLDOG and BOADICEA, taken to Portsmouth for repairs, did not return to duty until 26 July 1940 and 16 February 1941, respectively. The delay in BOADICEA’s repair was due to mechanical defects.
CODRINGTON was slightly damaged by air attack. She was repaired at Portsmouth completing on the 21st. Motor torpedo boat MTB.69 was damaged in this operation.
On 11 June, light cruiser CARDIFF departed Dover to cover the evacuation at St Valery. She was joined by destroyer HARVESTER off the French coast. Destroyer BROKE and corvette GARDENIA evacuated wounded from St Valery on the 11th. Canadian destroyer HMCS RESTIGOUCHE embarked troops off Veules on the 11th. Destroyer SALADIN reported St Valery was occupied by German troops at 0100/12th.
Troopship BRUGES (2949grt) was sunk by German bombing on the 11th near Le Havre. During the night of 12/13 June, 11,059 troops were evacuated from Le Havre; 9000 of them were taken to Cherbourg.
Convoy OA.165 departed Southend escorted by corvette ARABIS.
Convoy OB.165 departed Liverpool escorted by sloop LEITH from 10 to 11 June.
Convoy BC.39 of steamers BARON CARNEGIE, BARON NAIRN, GLOUCESTER CITY, KUFRA (Commodore), and LURIGETHAN departed Loire escorted by anti-submarine trawlers AGATE (627grt) and LORD HAILSHAM (445grt). The convoy arrived in Bristol Channel on the 11th.
Convoy MT.86 departed Methil, escorted by sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day.
Convoy FN.193 departed Southend, escorted by sloops LOWESTOFT and WESTON. Upon reaching the Tyne, LOWESTOFT was detached to escort minelayer PORT QUEBEC to Rosyth. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 12th.
Light cruisers BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER, and SHEFFIELD departed the Humber and arrived at Rosyth later the same day.
After delivering the Narvik ALPHABET Group I, destroyers WOLVERINE, VISCOUNT, WITHERINGTON, ATHERSTONE, and ANTELOPE departed the Clyde for Scapa Flow.
French destroyers FRONDEUR and FOUGUEUX departed Brest escorting troopships EL MANSOUR, EL KANTARA, and VILLE D’ALGER to Plymouth. British steamer PRINCESS BEATRIX joined the convoy en route. The convoy arrived on the 11th and embarked Canadian troops.
EL MANSOUR and VILLE D’ALGER departed Plymouth on the 11th, escorted by the same two destroyers and arrived at Brest on the 12th. EL KANTARA departed Plymouth on the 12th and was escorted by destroyer WANDERER. They arrived at Brest on the 13th.
On the 12th, EL MANSOUR and VILLE D’ALGER departed Brest, escorted by French destroyer EPERVIER on another trip to Plymouth, arriving on the 13th. On the 13th, the troopships returned, escorted by French destroyers EPERVIER and MISTRAL, arriving at Brest on the 14th.
EL KANTARA departed Brest on another trip to Plymouth, escorted by French sloop SUIPPE, on the 13th, arriving on the 14th. On the same day, she departed Plymouth and arrived at Brest on the 17th.
On 14th June, EL MANSOUR and VILLE D’ ALGER departed Brest on a third trip, again escorted by EPERVIER and MISTRAL. That evening, the mission was cancelled and the ships returned to Brest.
Destroyer VIVIEN, escorting convoy FN.192 east of Lowestoft, reported attacks by German E-boats. Astern of the convoy, steamer BARON ELPHINSTONE (4635grt) was attacked by the E-boats near Smith’s Knoll. Destroyers JACKAL and FORESIGHT and two Anson and two Hudson aircraft joined the convoy. The Hudson aircraft attacked the German vessels northeast of Schouwen Bank at 0355. FORESIGHT was relieved by destroyer FURY from Rosyth in mid morning.
Anti-submarine trawler HICKORY (530grt) attacked a submarine contact three miles 120° from Hartlepool. Destroyer WOOLSTON and anti-submarine trawler CYPRESS (548grt) joined in the hunt.
Submarine TRITON departed Rosyth for patrol off Fro Havet.
Submarine SEVERN arrived at Dundee.
Submarine STURGEON arrived at Blyth.
Polish submarine ORP WILK arrived at Rosyth.
German light cruiser NURNBERG with Luftwaffe stores and mining equipment for Trondheim departed Kiel the evening of 10 June escorted by torpedo boats JAGUAR and FALKE and at the start by escort ship F.3. On the 12th, the torpedo boats were detached to Stavanger for refueling. On the 13th, NURNBERG arrived at Trondheim escorted on the last leg of her voyage by minesweepers of the 2nd Flotilla. After disembarking the supplies, she continued north arriving at Harjangerfjord and Narvik on the 17th.
German armed merchant cruiser ATLANTIS captured Norwegian steamer TIRRANNA (7230grt) in the Indian Ocean near 12S, 68E. Eight crew and one passenger were lost.
On the 10th, Italy declared war on France and Britain.
War in the Mediterranean
At 1645, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs informed the British Ambassador in Rome that at one minute past midnight on the 11th, a state of war would exist between Italy and the United Kingdom.
Anticipating this action for some time, destroyers HYPERION, HAVOCK, HERO, HMAS WATERHEN, HOSTILE, IMPERIAL, DECOY, and DEFENDER of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla and two flying boats departed Alexandria early on the 10th to sweep for Italian submarines. They were to return to Alexandria to refuel at 0400/11th, then join the Fleet at sea. Just before 2200, DECOY made an attack on an Italian submarine south of Crete.
Light cruiser CALYPSO had just relieved light cruiser CAPETOWN on patrol in Kithera Channel. CAPETOWN, returning from the patrol off Crete to Alexandria, was diverted to Port Said. Light cruiser CALEDON was at Port Said.
Late on the 10th, submarine RORQUAL departed Malta to lay mines off Brindisi on the 14th. ODIN, ORPHEUS, OSWALD, and GRAMPUS also departed Malta on the 10th to operate off Gulf of Taranto, off Syracus, southwest of Rhodes, and off Augusta, respectively.
Submarines PARTHIAN from 14 June, PANDORA and PROTEUS from 14 June, and PHOENIX from 4 June operated from Alexandria in the Eastern Mediterranean. PARTHIAN operated off Tobruk, PANDORA in the Doro Channel, PROTEUS in the Kithera and antikithera Channels, and PHOENIX off Suda Bay.
French submarines LE CENTAURE, PASCAL, FRESNEL, VENGEUR, REDOUTABLE, NARVAL, CAIMAN, MORSE, SOUFFLEUR, MONGE, PEGASE, and LE TONNANT departed Bizerte and Sousse to operate in the Central Mediterranean.
PHOQUE, ESPADON, PROTEE, ACHERON, and ACTEON from Beirut operated in the Dodecanese, PROTEE and ESPADON east of Leros, and PHOQUE east of Rhodes.
IRIS, VENUS, PALLAS, and ARCHIMEDE from Toulon operated in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
ARIANE, EURYDICE, DIANE, and DANAE from Oran operated off Gibraltar.
SAPHIR, NAUTILUS, PERLE, and TURQUOISE were at sea to lay mines off the Italian coast.
Destroyer DIAMOND departed Malta and shortly after departure attacked a submarine off Malta, nine miles 92° from St Elmo Light without success.
Italian heavy cruisers POLA, TRENTO, and BOLZANO of the 3rd Cruiser Division with destroyers MAESTRALE, LIBECCIO, GRECALE, and SCIROCCO of the 10th Destroyer Division departed Messina. The Italian light cruisers at Naples sortied for operations.
Italian steamer UMBRIA (9349grt) scuttled herself at Port Sudan after being brought into port by sloop GRIMSBY. Light cruiser HMNZSLEANDER took off the crew.
Italian steamers OLTERRA (4995grt), LAVORO (7886grt), and LIBANO (5192grt) scuttled themselves at Gibraltar and PAGAO (6101grt) scuttled herself at Rada di Algeciras, across the harbour. LIBANO was salved for British service.
Italian steamer POLINICE (1373grt) was captured at sea and sent into Malta. On the 11th at Malta, she was scuttled.
Italian steamer CAPO NOLI (3921grt) was captured in the Gulf of St Lawrence by Canadian auxiliary minesweeper BRAS D’OR, and renamed BIC ISLAND for Canadian use.
Italian steamer SAN PIETRO (5199grt) was seized by French forces at Bordeaux and taken to Casablanca. She was later returned to the Italian owners.
Italian steamers CAPO OLMO (4781grt) and NICOLO ODERO (6003grt) were seized by French forces at Marseilles. CAPO OLMO was later used by the British under the same name.
A number of Italian steamers were seized in British ports and taken for allied use.
Italian Steamer Names — B. R. T. — Where seized — British name
ADIGE — 2189 — Malta — name not changed (5)
AMELIA LAURO — 5335 — Immingham — EMPIRE ACTIVITY
ANDREA — 5152 — Newcastle — EMPIRE ADVENTURE
ANGELINA LAURO — 5787 — Liverpool — EMPIRE ADVOCATE
BARBANA C. — 6161 — Newcastle — EMPIRE AIRMAN (1)
CALABRIA — 9515 — Calcutta — EMPIRE INVENTOR (6)
CELLINA — 6140 — Gibraltar — EMPIRE SAILOR
ELIOS — 5202 — Newcastle — EMPIRE BRIGADE
ERICA — 4704 — Liverpool — EMPIRE DEFIANCE
ESQUILINO — 8657 — Straits of Perim — EMPIRE GOVERNOR
FELICE — 5639 — Haifa — EMPIRE DEFENDER
GABBIANO — 6584 — Liverpool — EMPIRE ENERGY(2)
GIOACCHINO LAURO — 5345 — Hartlepool — EMPIRE ENGINEER
LIBANO — 5192 — Gibraltar — EMPIRE RESISTANCE
MARZOCCO — 5106 — North Sea — name not changed (4)
MINCIO — 5404 — Liverpool — EMPIRE FUSILIER
MONTE PIANA — 5890 — Aden — EMPIRE BARON
MOSCARDIN — 4374 — Newcastle — EMPIRE GUNNER (1)
MUGNONE — 5213 — Newcastle — EMPIRE PROGRESS (1)
PAMIA — 6245 — Newcastle — EMPIRE PROTECTOR (1)
PELLICE — 5360 — Newcastle — EMPIRE STATESMAN (3)
POLLENZO — 6470 — Gibraltar — name not changed
PROCIDA — 5366 — Cardiff — EMPIRE VOLUNTEER
REMO — 9780 — Fremantle — REYNELLA
RODI — 3320 — Malta — EMPIRE PATROL
SISTIANA — 5827 — Capetown — EMPIRE UNION
VERBANIA — 6640 — Port Said — EMPIRE TAMAR
(1) BARBANA C., MOSCARDIN, MUGNONE, PAMIA departed the Tyne on the 10th and were captured at sea. PAMIA was seized by British trawler LIFFEY (292grt) . They were all sent to Methil. On 28 June, PAMIA and PELLICE departed for Leith, while MOSCARDIN, MUGNONE, BARBANA C. departed for the Tyne.
(2) GABBIANO was captured by the officers and men of the light cruiser GLASGOW which was repairing near the berth of the Italian ship.
(3) PELLICE departed the Tyne on the 9th and was captured at sea and taken to Methil.
(4) MARZOCCO departed Sunderland at 0619/9th for Falmouth. She was intercepted at 2359/10th by patrol trawlers and was purposely ran aground by her crew on the 10th one and a half miles north of Peterhead. The steamer was abandoned. Tugs SAUCY and IRON AXE stood by.
(5) ADIGE was captured at sea and sent to Malta.
(6) CALABRIA was lost before she was formally renamed EMPIRE INVENTOR.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a commencement speech at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, declared “On this tenth day of June 1940 the hand that held the dagger has struck it in the back of its neighbor.” The president also said that military victories for the “gods of force and hate” were a threat to all democracies in the western world and that America could no longer pretend to be a “lone island in a world of force.”
There could be no missing the depth of his feeling, since he put into the words all the emphasis at his command. Italy’s intervention was denounced furthermore as a definite threat to the way of life and the trade and commerce of the Americas. This government, he said, would give all material aid to France and Great Britain as “opponents of force.”
The Chief Executive of the United States spoke to the nation and to the world only a few hours after Premier Mussolini announced his decision to join hands with Chancellor Hitler and unleashed his fascist legions against France and Great Britain. More details were revealed by Mr. Roosevelt of his correspondence with the Italian dictator in an effort to keep Italy at peace and to prevent the spread of war to the Mediterranean basin. “Unfortunately — unfortunately, to the regret of all of us and to the regret of humanity — the chief of the Italian Government was unwilling to accept the procedure suggested, and he has made no counter proposal,” the President said.
“The Government of Italy has now chosen to preserve what it terms its freedom of action and to fulfill what it states are its promises to Germany. In so doing it has manifested disregard for the rights and security of other nations, disregard for the lives of the peoples of those nations which are directly threatened by the spread of this war, and has evidenced its unwillingness to find the means, through pacific negotiation, for the satisfaction of what it believes are its legitimate aspirations.”
Reaction among members of Congress who listened by radio to President Roosevelt’s address tonight ranged from enthusiastic endorsement to expressions of concern lest this nations be drawn into war.
In Washington today, President Roosevelt conferred with Congressional leaders on the legislative program, received Jay Pierrepont Moffat, Minister to Canada, and vetoed a bill which would have allowed the States to intervene in lawsuits where conflicting Federal and State governmental powers were involved. He spoke at commencement exercises of the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, discussing the international situation.
The Senate approved the conference report on the Naval Expansion Bill and on the Naval Air Expansion Bill, considered the bill lifting restrictions on Army construction and provisioning, approved the renomination of Edward C. Eicher to be a member. of the Securities and Exchange Commission, heard Senators Tydings, Lee and Pepper discuss the defense program and the war situation and recessed at 5:11 PM until noon tomorrow.
The House approved the conference report on the Army Appropriation Bill, received the Byrnes bill to increase the Army to 750,000 and adjourned at 5:18 PM until 11 AM tomorrow. The Rules Committee approved a rule for immediate consideration of the Defense Tax Bill and the Military Affairs Committee approved the bill authorizing an increase in the strength of the Army and giving the President authority to muster the National Guard.
A demand that Congress “speak up boldly” by modifying the Neutrality Act to permit President Roosevelt to give all material aid to the Allies was made in a statement tonight by Senator Claude Pepper of Florida. Commenting on the President’s militantly anti-Mussolini speech at Charlottesville earlier tonight, the Senator declared that “Congress should tear away the last vestige of restraint to permit the President to do the things he spoke of this evening.”
President Roosevelt declared, “We will extend to the opponents of force the material resources of this nation,” a statement widely interpreted as ending neutrality as far as the executive department of the government is concerned. President Roosevelt tonight proclaimed the existence of a state of war between Italy on one hand and France and Great Britain on the other and, under other Neutrality Act provisions, invoked wartime regulations governing the use of American ports by Italian vessels, and rigid control of financial and commercial transactions in which the latest European belligerents might be concerned. The President took official action soon after his arrival from Charlottesville. The proclamation and accompanying executive order came. as a climax to a day of rapid-fire reactions in Washington.
“I thought the President’s speech was a magnificent statement of the attitude of the American people, who are so far ahead of the Congress that it’s pitiful,” Senator Pepper asserted. “The plan that he outlined is the best hope of national defense that I know of — namely, sending all material aid to the Allies now while implementing our own defenses. This is the only way we can help and still not send our boys to fight a foreign war.”
The Senator, who has been the foremost advocate of materially aiding the Allies, added that “Congress should speak up boldly and authorize the President to use money and materials in any way he desires to aid the Allies.” Congress, he said, would alone retain the right to declare war and it also should reserve the right to withdraw the President’s power to give material aid to the Allies if that should at some later date seem desirable. The statement of Senator Pepper was regarded as giving expression to the views of others in the legislative branch of the government who were unwilling, so soon after the President’s speech, to predict the effect it might have on Congress.
Senator Pepper’s statement added to the virtual certainty that there would be an early move for repeal or drastic modification of the Neutrality Act, which many officials of the government feel is no longer a realistic statement of this country’s position in the European situation. Even Senator Alva Adams, who tonight criticized the lack of restraint in the President’s remarks about Italy, conceded that “Congress has been so responsive to the President’s wishes that a rebellion there seems unlikely.”
The New York Times notes the dangers afoot:
“The idea that neutrality brings safety is gone. There can be no security, no peace, while Hitler is in the saddle.”
In the Texas town of Brownsville, a young Mexican-American boy turns 11 on this day in 1940. With few prospects at home, he will join the United States Marine Corps after high school. World War II will not be his war; that will be Korea. Some years later, he will leave the Marine Corps and settle in San Francisco, where he marries and fathers a son, to whom he passes along his love of books and interest in military history, among other things. He dies much too young, at just 62. His son goes to college, becomes a geologist, tinkers with writing and develops a time-consuming fascination with World War II and chronology. Happy birthday and early Father’s Day, Roberto Olivares. You are missed.
Major League Baseball:
Seventeen Dodgers and the same number of Pirates fought it out for two and a half hours on Forbes Field today, and the Dodgers finally emerged with an 8–7 victory and a shaky hold on first place in the National League. Freddy Fitzsimmons got the win for Brooklyn.
The eighth-place Bees walloped three Cardinal pitchers for twenty-one hits today, winning the first contest of a series of two games, 12–2. Johnny Mize of the Cardinals hit his 17th home run of the season in the sixth inning.
Scoring two runs in the first inning and five more in the seventh after George McQuinn’s triple, the St. Louis Browns took the opener of a three-game series from Washington today, 7–4.
Brooklyn Dodgers 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 7
Boston Bees 12, St. Louis Cardinals 2
St. Louis Browns 7, Washington Senators 4
Prime Minister W. L. MacKenzie King announced that Canada had declared war against Italy.
Canadian Defence Minister Norman McLeod Rogers, 45, dies in a plane crash.
Both Argentina and Uruguay took hurried measures over the week-end to protect themselves against any attempted Nazi uprising, as a result of reports that a Uruguayan investigation had uncovered a plot to seize Uruguay and establish a base on the River Plate for future German operations.
U.S. Navy destroyer USS O’Brien (DD-415) arrived at Bahia, Brazil during her shakedown cruise.
Battle of Tsaoyang-Ichang: Japanese 11th Army captures Kulaopei and Tangyang and pushes to the outskirts of Ichang.
Japanese bombers attacked Chongqing, China at 1300 hours; Chinese fighters claimed 5 Japanese aircraft shot down in Bishan County west of the temporary capital, including one G3M bomber.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 111.84 (-3.52)
Born:
John Stevens, English jazz drummer (Spontaneous Music Ensemble), in Brentwood, England, United Kingdom (d. 1994).
Daniel J. Sullivan, theatre and film director and playwright, in Wray, Colorado.
Died:
Marcus Garvey, 52, Jamaican publisher and black nationalist leader.
Norman McLeod Rogers, 45, Canadian Defence Minister (plane crash).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Tree-class minesweeping trawler HMS Bay (T 77) is commissioned.
History Diaries 