Hitler issued Führer Directive 17, declaring his intention to intensify air and sea warfare against the English in order to “establish the necessary conditions for the final conquest of England.” The army plans have been revised to reflect naval problems. The intensification of the air war was to set to begin on August 5, 1940:
The Führer And Supreme Commander Of The Armed Forces.
The Führer’s Headquarters. 1st August, 1940. 10 copies
Directive No. 17 — For The Conduct Of Air And Sea Warfare Against England
In order to establish the necessary conditions for the final conquest of England I intend to intensify air and sea warfare against the English homeland. I therefore order as follows:
- The German Airforce is to overpower the English Airforce with all the forces at its command, in the shortest possible time. The attacks are to be directed primarily against flying units, their ground installations, and their supply organisations, but also against the aircraft industry, including that manufacturing antiaircraft equipment.
- After achieving temporary or local air superiority the air war is to be continued against ports, in particular against stores of food, and also against stores of provisions in the interior of the country. Attacks on south coast ports will be made on the smallest possible scale, in view of our own forthcoming operations.
- On the other hand, air attacks on enemy warships and merchant ships may be reduced except where some particularly favourable target happens to present itself, where such attacks would lend additional effectiveness to those mentioned in paragraph 2, or where such attacks are necessary for the training of aircrews for further operations.
- The intensified air warfare will be carried out in such a way that the Airforce can at any time be called upon to give adequate support to naval operations against suitable targets. It must also be ready to take part in full force in Undertaking Sea Lion.
- I reserve to myself the right to decide on terror attacks as measures of reprisal.
- The intensification of the air war may begin on or after 5th August. The exact time is to be decided by the Airforce after the completion of preparations and in the light of the weather. The Navy is authorized to begin the proposed intensified naval war at the same time.
(Signed) Adolf Hitler.
The strategy (for the moment) is to focus all attacks on the Royal Air Force, its installations and production facilities. Interestingly, it calls for scaled-back attacks on the southern ports “in view of our own forthcoming operations.” The implication is that Hitler wants to keep the English ports in that area operational so that the Kriegsmarine can use them during the invasion. The priority of attacks on English naval units “may be reduced.”
The overall tone of the Directive is that the entire outcome of the proposed invasion lies with air superiority. Once you gain that, everything else falls into place. Gone is the gibberish about sealing off both ends of the English Channel with mines, picayune details about where landings will take place, and so forth. While German doctrine during the Battle of England is widely derided, this is an extremely modern tactical perspective that remains in place today – and this is the doctrine’s first application in history.
Hitler does hedge his bets in one key regard. He states, rather ominously: “I reserve to myself the right to decide on terror attacks as measures of reprisal.”
To date, London and other large cities largely have been spared (save for production facilities and bombing errors). However, the clear implication of this phrase is that London will become a target should the air superiority campaign falter. There is a large body of thought, and not just in Germany, that terror bombing of large cities alone will force a government to sue for peace. Evidence on this as of 1 August 1940 is inconclusive, as the Luftwaffe terror bombing of places like Warsaw and Rotterdam did not by themselves force immediate surrenders by the bombed governments. However, those bombings were in fact closely followed by surrenders — which may or may not have been coincidences.
Another way of looking at this phrase is that, once the bombings of London commence, Hitler has given up on the invasion. This may be bad news for the citizens of the large cities being bombed, but is good news in a strategic sense – for those that survive.
Within the German government, this directive is seen by the Naval command (OKL) as Hitler “siding with the Luftwaffe.” However, even they concede in the OKL war diary that “it will be necessary to wait until the first phase of the air operation is over” before the navy can start transporting troops. The reality is that airpower is entering “the next level” of importance at this point in history, and indeed any navy — while vitally important in and of itself — must have air cover to survive.
Not contained in the Directive is a tacit understanding, not formalized but “understood,” that the Luftwaffe will have to make serious progress within the first week of a full-scale attack for a 1940 invasion to be feasible. Despite the supposed “start” of the Battle of Britain on 10 July, the Luftwaffe still has not brought all of its power to bear in a focused attack. That campaign is still in the planning stages.
It already is highly likely that the invasion will have to be postponed to 1941, as the summer months are drifting away. However, British aircraft production is above that of Germany, and the submarine blockade of England is proving to be extremely porous. Battles of attrition and production never play to Germany’s strengths against a strong and capable adversary with a solid industrial base. Time for one big heave of the dice.
Battle of Britain: During the day Luftwaffe activity was light and mostly consisted of reconnaissance operations and raids by single aircraft or small formations. Shipping was attacked and one land target was bombed. During the night Luftwaffe activity was not heavy with only sporadic raids being plotted. There was some minelaying operations in the Thames Estuary and off the North-East and Scottish coasts. [battleofbritain1940 web site]
Weather: Although it was fine in the west and in the north, there was 8/10ths low cloud over the Channel and in the Thames Estuary regions during the morning, but this was to clear by afternoon and becoming warm.
The morning period was exceptionally quiet, but thick overnight mist in low lying regions aborted most of the minelaying that the Luftwaffe usually carried out during the hours of darkness. But a Spitfire from one of the Photographic Reconnaissance Units, on patrol over the north of France notices heavy aircraft concentration at Cherbourg. He circles round capturing the airfield on film and heads back to base. Fighter Command are notified at once of the buildup, and they decide that the German held airfield should be bombed before they are committed in any offence against Britain.
1145 hours: The task is given to 59 Squadron (Coastal Command) based at Thorney Island using Blenheim IV bombers, and these would be escorted by 236 Squadron Thorney Island (Long range Blenheim fighters). Ground crews begin to load up the 13 Blenheim bombers with the required bomb loads while 10 Blenheim fighters are prepared and placed at readiness.
1250 hours: Radar picked up enemy aircraft in the north when a formation was detected approaching two shipping convoys “Agent” and “Arena” just off of the Yorkshire coast. The sector controller at Church Fenton is alerted and dispatches 607 Squadron Usworth (Hurricanes) and 616 Squadron Leconfield (Spitfires) to be scrambled to intercept.
1310 hours: Both squadrons take a little time in locating the enemy bombers but eventually visually sight a Junker’s Ju 88 and a Dornier Do 17 out to sea just below cloud base. It is not known whether the two aircraft are alone, or a part of a larger formation using the cloud as cover. The RAF fighters are observed and the enemy bombers gained height and disappeared into the protection of the cloud after a short exchange of gunfire from both sides. Reports state that about this time a Junker’s Ju 88 of 9/KG4 crashed into the North Sea while on operational duties, but there are no records of 607 or 616 Squadrons claiming a Ju 88 damaged in this combat. One Spitfire of 616 Squadron Leconfield is damaged by gunfire from the Ju 88 but lands safely at base.
1430 hours: Radar at Pevensey detects enemy aircraft over the Channel heading for the south coast. In clearing conditions, 145 Squadron Westhampnett (Hurricanes) is scrambled to intercept. This is done about eight miles off the coast from Hastings where Hurricanes engage a Henschel Hs126 shooting it down into the sea. Other Hurricanes engage a Ju 88, and one of the Hurricanes that attacked the Hs126 was seen to crash into the Channel. The Junker’s tried to make good his escape, but became damaged in doing so. It managed to land at its base, but Feldwebel Kohl was seriously injured and was to die two weeks later of these injuries.
1500 hours: The Blenheim’s of 236 Squadron (Thorney Island) that were being prepared earlier, were now taking off. The Blenheim bombers of 59 Squadron had taken off a little earlier and the Blenheim fighters were to rendezvous with them just prior to the French coast and strafe the Cherbourg aerodrome after the bombs are dropped by the bombers. The forecast given to the crews was that conditions would be fine with good visibility. The Blenheim fighter escort was to take off in three waves, with five minutes separating each wave and the last wave of four is to stay clear of the target area and stay off the French coast covering the withdrawal of the others. But all was not to go according to plan. The forecasters had got it all wrong as heavy low cloud covers the entire French coast around Cherbourg. The leading three Blenheim’s led by F/Lt R.M.Power miss the Cherbourg Peninsular completely and unaware overtake the Blenheim’s of 59 squadron and fly deeper into enemy territory before deciding to return to base.
1540 hours: A break in the cloud appears just as the Blenheim’s of 59 Squadron near the coast. They are on course and the aerodrome on the peninsula can be seen and they commence their bombing run. Not far behind is the second wave of three Blenheim fighters led by S/L P.E.Drew. 59 Squadron manage to drop their bombs successfully causing considerable damage amidst heavy AA and machine gun fire from aerodrome gun emplacements. S/L Drew leads with Australian P/O B.M.McDonough and Sgt R.C.Smith at about 50-70 feet strafing the airfield and gun batteries. Many of the batteries are hit, fires start to follow explosions as hangars and buildings are hit, aircraft in the open are either destroyed or damaged, for the RAF the mission seemed to be a success. But it was short lived.
1715 hours: Some of the Blenheim bombers of 59 Squadron are hit as they pull out of their bombing run, Sgt Smith’s aircraft receives a number of hits as his low level strafing run endows further damage to the aerodrome, he pulls out on completion, turns and heads back across the Channel losing contact with the others.
Returning to Thorney Island, the crews are briefed about the mission, and it undergoes scrutiny. Itself, it was a success, considerable and severe damage had been done, but at a price. One of the Blenheim’s of 59 Squadron fails to return, it was piloted by the squadron commanding officer Wing Commander Weld-Smith. Two Blenheim’s of 236 Squadron also fail to return. A number of Bf 109’s of III/JG27 got into the air and could have been responsible for shooting down the Blenheim’s of P/O McDonough and S/L Drew, or they may have been hit by gunfire from ground defenses.
1530 hours: While a number of combat actions were taking place up and down the Essex coast, 30 He 111 bombers approach the Norfolk coast and for some reason no RAF fighters were sent to intercept them. They continued on towards the city of Norwich where the attacked Norwich Railway Station inflicting minor damage, but doing far greater damage at the Boulton-Paul Aircraft Works on the outskirts of the city. Also receiving direct bomb hits were a timber yard, and a factory. A total of 6 people were killed and nearly 60 injured in this bombing raid.
Two Dornier’s were intercepted of the east coast near Harwich during the day. One was shot down while the other headed home trailing thick smoke. Two Spitfires got entangled with a small skirmish over the Channel just off the Sussex coast near Worthing. By night, minelaying continued in north east Scotland and near Scapa Flow and also in the Thames Estuary. German bombers dropped “Last Appeal to Reason” leaflets over many parts of southern England and South Wales. Some authors have made mention of the fact that most of the leaflets fell in the open pasturelands of Hampshire and Somerset, amongst grazing cattle and sheep. We know that English beef and lamb is amongst the finest, but it is going a bit far to expect them to be educated as well.
RAF Statistics for the day: 207 patrols were flown involving 694 aircraft. Luftwaffe casualties: Fighters – None; Bombers – 1 confirmed, 2 unconfirmed; Reconnaissance -1 unconfirmed. RAF casualties: 1 Hurricane.
RAF Casualties:
1500 hours. Hastings. Hurricane P3155. 145 Squadron Westhampnett (Lost at sea)
Sub/Lt I.H. Kestin. Missing. (Shot down by gunfire from Hs126 and crashed into Channel)
1715 hours. Querqueville (France). Blenheim IV. N3601. 236 Squadron Thorney Island (Aircraft destroyed)
S/L P.E. Drew. F/O B.Nokes-Cooper. Both killed. (Shot down on bomber escort by ground fire)
1715 hours. Querqueville (France). Blenheim IV. R2774. 236 Squadron Thorney Island (Aircraft destroyed)
P/O B.M. McDonough. Sgt F.A.P.Head. Both killed. (Shot down on bomber escort by ground fire)
At night, there is a friendly fire incident. A British night-fighter of RAF No. 29 Squadron shoots down an “enemy” plane that turns out to be a No. 1 Group Fairey Battle.
AI Mk.IV interception radar is tested in Great Britain this month. This is the first really effective Air Interception radar. It has a maximum range of 20,000ft and a minimum range of 500ft.
The Spitfire Mk.II enters service this month. This is a Mk.I with a Merlin XII engine. This is slightly more powerful and has a Coffman cartridge starter. The Mk.II also introduces pressurized water-glycol cooling.
Adolf Galland was awarded the Knights Cross for achieving 17 kills.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 12 Blenheims to attack airfields in the Netherlands during daylight, only 5 bombed, 1 lost.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 43 Wellingtons and Whitleys to attack 7 targets in the Ruhr overnight, including the Krupp factory in Essen, Germany. No losses. A proportion of these aircraft released leaflets as a secondary task. This economical method of carrying leaflets to Germany and on flights across occupied countries became a regular practice and continued for the remainder of the war, although training aircraft continued to make leaflet-only flights to France and Belgium. Bomber Command delivered at least 1,500 million leaflets during the war,
Great Britain has so strengthened herself against invasion that tonight she was preparing elaborately for an “offensive defense.” This entailed removal of barriers once counted on to slow an enemy but now cast out as handicaps to her own troops’ mobility. An order today by the new commander-in-chief, General Sir Alan Brooke, to remove many steel and concrete traps and road blocks studding roadways throughout England announced this startling shift of strategy. It is a return to the traditional theory that attack is the best defense — provided there is sufficient manpower and machine power to execute it.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor left Lisbon, Portugal today aboard the U.S. liner Excalibur after the collapse of a Nazi plot to pressure them into leading peace moves against the duke’s brother, King George, and Churchill. The couple, who was living in France, fled to Spain when the Germans invaded and went on to Lisbon. At Von Ribbentrop’s request, the Falangist Miguel Primo de Rivera contacted the Duke and was gratified to be told that Churchill was a warmonger. Rivera suggested that the Duke might again be King. “Oh, no”, said the Duke, “That would be unconstitutional!” He turned down Ribbentrop’s request for him to help bring peace between Britain and Germany, citing his loyalty to the British government. He did, however, maintain a channel of communications with Germany in the future should his assistance be helpful once again. To Ribbentrop’s dismay, the duke departed for the Bahamas by the end of the day, ending the German attempt to use him to form a new pro-German leadership in Britain.
Petrol is rationed and new car sales are banned. A solution? Electric cars! Government figures show that the number of such registrations in June zoomed to 79, and they are becoming popular in Australia, too. Electric cars, of course, are a very old idea from the turn of the century. They have the advantage of being small and fitting into tiny parking spots.
Franz Halder and his staff began planning for the invasion of the Soviet Union.
Swiss Commander-in-chief Guisan continues his martial tone. He gives a radio speech in which he reiterates the country’s neutrality and vows to “defend the passage of the Alps to the end.” While the Germans have made some small gestures toward the country such as closing the border, they have not indicated any interest in subduing Switzerland.
Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov made a speech to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union proudly recounting the recent annexation of the Baltic states and clearly signalling the USSR’s wish to recover all the territories that had been “stolen” from it during the country’s military weakness at the end of World War I. Molotov reaffirmed Soviet neutrality while bad-mouthing the United States and the United Kingdom. “Imperialist designs” in the United States may turn the war into a “world imperialist” struggle, Premier-Foreign Minister Vyacheslaff Molotov told the Supreme Soviet, today in predicting England would be “assisted” by America in fighting Germany and Italy. In a speech filled with antagonism toward England and the United States, he said he hesitated to dwell on Russian relations with the United States because “there is nothing good that can be said about them.”
“Imperialist appetites are growing,” he told the Supreme Soviet (parliament), “not only in distant Japan but also in the United States, where there are not a few people who like to conceal their imperialist designs behind well-advertised ‘concern’ for the interests of the entire ‘western hemisphere’ which these gentlemen are prepared to turn into their property with all its numerous republics and with the colonial possessions of other countries on islands in the neighborhood of the American continent. “All this harbors danger of further extension and fanning of the war and its being turned into a, world imperialist war. Under these conditions the Soviet Union must enhance its vigilance in the matter of its external security and in the matter of strengthening all its positions, both at home and abroad.” Germany, Molotov said, will have the advantage of a “calm feeling of security in the east,’ thanks to the Russo-German non-aggression pact. Relations with Italy, Germany’s ally, also “have lately improved.”
The Italian Royal Navy sets up a submarine base (BETASOM) in Bordeaux, France to support operations in the Atlantic south of Lisbon.
The Gross-Rosen concentration camp is established by the SS in Silesia this month.
U-59, commanded by Joachim Matz, sank Swedish steamer Sigyn in 56-10N, 09-25W. At 0345 hours the unescorted Sigyn was hit in aft part by one torpedo from U-59 and sank by the stern with a sharp list about 70 miles northwest of Tory Island. The ship had been spotted at 0057 hours and missed with two torpedoes at 0217 and 0343 hours. The survivors were picked up by HMS Warwick (D 25) (LtCdr M.A.G. Child, RN) later that day and landed at Liverpool on 3 August. The entire crew was rescued. The 1,981-ton Sigyn was carrying pit props and was headed for Sunderland, England.
Submarine HMS Narwhal (Lt Cdr R. J. Burch DSO), which departed the Humber on 22 July to lay mines in operation FD.22, was declared lost after failing to return from a patrol southwest of Stavanger. Her loss most likely took place in a German bombing attack on 23 July in 58-50N, 02-20E off Aberdeen. Lt Cdr Burch, Lt Cdr S. R. White, Lt C. S. Green DSC, Lt H. R. W. Twynar, Lt (E) J. E. Ackery DSC, S/Lt J. Cringle RNVR, the fifty four ratings of the crew were lost with Narwhal.
Submarine HMS Spearfish (Lt Cdr J. H. Forbes DSO), which departed Rosyth on 31 July, was sunk by U-34, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rollmann, off Cape Nose Head west of Stavanger. At 1904 hours, HMS Spearfish (N 69) (LtCdr J.H. Forbes, DSO, RN) was hit in the forepart by one torpedo from U-34 and sank immediately about 180 miles west-southwest of Stavanger. The U-boat was returning from its last patrol as a combat boat and only had one torpedo remaining, when they first spotted a periscope at 1817 hours and dived. At 1848 hours, the conning tower of the British submarine became visible and Rollmann fired the last torpedo over the bow. One minute after the hit, the Germans surfaced and approached the sinking position where they picked up the sole survivor Able Seaman William V. Pester (on his first patrol) and took him as prisoner to Wilhelmshaven. Spearfish was declared lost by the Admiralty on the 5th. Lt Cdr Forbes, Lt D. A. Pirie, Lt A. R. Gimblett RNR, S/Lt J. P. Best, Warrant Engineer H. E. Archer, thirty six ratings of the crew were lost with Spearfish.
Destroyer HMS Duncan departed Rosyth at 1500 to rendezvous with destroyer HMS Maori and escort steamer Lochnagar from Aberdeen to Lerwick. Destroyer HMS Mashona departed Scapa Flow at 0145 on the 2nd to relieve Duncan escorting Lochnagar. Duncan proceeded to Scapa Flow, but was delayed entering Harbor due to fog. She did arrive at Scapa Flow at 1730/3rd. On arrival at Lerwick at 1300/2nd, destroyers Maori and Mashona proceeded to an anti-submarine search in the vicinity of the one hundred fathom line north of the Shetlands. No contact was made.
The Hunt-class escort destroyer HMS Cattistock was completed. She worked up at Scapa Flow with the 23rd Destroyer Division, and departed on the 30th for the Nore and duty in the 21st Destroyer Flotilla.
Temporary S/Lt (A) I. H. Kestin, flying a Hurricane of RAF 145 Squadron Westhampnett, was killed when he was shot down ten miles south of Hastings.
Dutch submarine HNLMS O-21 attacked U-62 with two torpedoes as she was arriving in the Helgoland from patrol in the North Sea, at a range of 2,000 meters, but without result.
Helmuth Brinkmann was named the commanding officer of German cruiser Prinz Eugen.
Steamer City Of Canberra (7484grt) was damaged on a mine in 52-06N, 01-52E.
Steamer Kerry Head (825grt) was damaged by German bombing at four miles east, southeast of Old Head of Kinsale.
Tanker Gothic (2444grt) was damaged by German bombing 12 miles 310° from Flamborough Head.
Submarine HMS Oswald (Lt Cdr D. A. Fraser) was sunk by Italian destroyer Ugolino Vivaldi off Calabria. Vivaldi was part of an anti-submarine sweep of destroyers Da Noli, Usodimare, Da Recco, and Pessagno, which departed Augusta 1 August. Ugolino Vivaldi detected British submarine HMS Oswald on the surface 15 miles south of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea, charging batteries and performing routine maintenance. Oswald was sunk by ramming and depth charges. Three ratings were lost with Oswald, but the remainder of the crew, Fraser, Lt G. R. Marsh, Lt M. D. Pope, Lt M. S. Hodson, Warrant Engineer G. Mitchell and forty seven ratings, were rescued by Vivaldi and made prisoners of war. The Royal Navy submarine makes no attempt to escape or to attack the Italian ship, possibly because the commander suffers from night blindness when he is suddenly called to the bridge. The RN commander (who ordered abandon ship BEFORE the ramming occurred, when Vivaldi was 100 yards away) is court martialed on 5 charges for the loss of his ship and found to have been negligent in performing his duties. He is sentenced to forfeit all seniority as a lieutenant commander, to be dismissed and to be severely reprimanded.
Force H departed Gibraltar on 31 July for Operation HURRY with battlecruiser HMS Hood, battleship HMS Valiant, aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal and HMS Argus, light cruisers HMS Arethusa and HMS Enterprise, and destroyers HMS Faulknor, HMS Forester, HMS Fearless, HMS Escapade, HMS Active, HMS Wrestler, HMS Encounter, HMS Gallant, HMS Greyhound, and HMS Hotspur. HMS Argus set sail for Malta with 12 Hurricane fighters for reinforcement. Light cruiser Enterprise was southeast of Minorca simulating activity in the northern part of the Western Basin in Operation SPARK. The light cruiser was also to have contacted French steamer General Gueydon, but contact was not made. Diversion for HURRY was by the Mediterranean Fleet which departed Alexandria on 31 July with light cruisers HMS Neptune, HMAS Sydney, HMS Orion, and destroyers HMS Nubian, HMS Juno, and ORP Garland as Force A and battleships HMS Royal Sovereign and HMS Malaya, aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, and destroyers HMS Hero, HMS Hereward, HMS Hostile, HMS Hasty, HMS Ilex, HMS Imperial, HMS Jervis, and HMAS Vendetta as Force B. However, when a mechanical breakdown occurred on battleship Malaya, Force B returned to Alexandria on the 1st. Force A returned the next day. On the 2nd, HURRY, the flyoff of fighters from aircraft carrier Argus to Malta was conducted. While the rest of Force H turned north, aircraft carrier Argus, escorted by destroyers Encounter, Gallant, Greyhound, Hotspur, conducted the operation. Aircraft carrier Ark Royal, screened by battlecruiser Hood, light cruiser Enterprise, destroyers Faulknor, Forester, Foresight, Foxhound, launched aircraft to raid Cagliari in Operation CRUSH. Lt J. R. Robins, Lt J. M. M. Tarver, Petty Officer J. Clarke of 810 Squadron were lost when their plane crashed on takeoff. Lt (A) G. R. Humphries, Lt D. Williams, Leading Airman C. Pendleton in a Swordfish of 820 Squadron were shot down and made prisoners of war. Force H arrived back at Gibraltar on the 4th.
HMS Argus reaches the intended flying off position for the RAF reinforcements for Malta. At the pre-flight briefing, the RAF pilots are shocked to discover that distance to Malta is well beyond the capability of their aircraft. Acknowledging their willingness to follow orders, they casually bring up the point that plunking the 12 Hurricanes in the Mediterranean Sea can hardly be the desired goal of their lordships. Unwilling to take the pilots word for their aircraft’s capability, a series of hasty messages are dispatched to England; the answers subsequently verify that the RAF pilot’s assessment of their aircraft is correct. Having already been discovered by Italian reconnaissance planes, this means that the need for HMS Argus to close Malta will entail heavy risk, as the flight must be delayed until tomorrow. Sure enough, later that afternoon the expected attacks from Regia Aeronautica’s units based in Sardinia develop. Numerous interceptions by HMS Ark Royal’s Skua II fighter aircraft of both 800 and 803 Squadrons down one contact plane and chase off another, then break up the actual attacks while downing an S-79. The RN sustains no damage. In an effort to curb further attacks on the 2nd, HMS Ark Royal plans for a dawn attack on the Italian bomber bases in Sardinia.
After HURRY, Somerville took Force H with battlecruiser HMS Hood, battleship HMS Valiant, aircraft carrier HMS Argus, light cruiser HMS Arethusa, and the destroyers of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla back to England. Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, light cruiser HMS Enterprise, destroyers HMS Greyhound, HMS Gallant, HMS Encounter, and HMS Hotspur sailed with Force H, but returned to Gibraltar on the 8th after parting with the rest of Force H on 9 August, Force H was met west of Ireland by destroyers HMS Punjabi, HMS Tartar, and HMS Bedouin which escorted battlecruiser Hood, light cruiser Arethusa, destroyers Escapade and Foxhound to Scapa Flow, arriving 0600/10th. Battleship Valiant, aircraft carrier Argus, and destroyers HMS Faulknor, HMS Foresight, and HMS Forester arriving at Liverpool at 1530/10th. Destroyer HMS Fearless was in a minor collision with Armed patrol trawler HMS Flying Wing (226grt) at 0312 off the Mull of Cantyre in 55-14N, 5-58W. Destroyer Faulknor stood by to assist. Destroyer Fearless proceeded to the Clyde and then was taken to Glasgow where she was under repair until 8 October. Aircraft carrier Argus and destroyer Forester were detached to enter Liverpool together.
Italian submarine Mameli sank Greek steamer Roula (1044grt) in 34-06N, 26-30E. The entire crew was rescued.
The Italian Royal Navy established its BETASOM submarine base in Bordeaux, in the German occupation zone of the southwestern coast of France. The Italians were allocated a sector of the Atlantic south of Lisbon to patrol.
Convoy FN.239 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer HMS Winchester, sloop HMS Weston, patrol sloop HMS Mallard. Steamer Highlander (1216grt) was damaged by German bombing in 56-56N, 02-04W. One plane shot down crashed on the poop deck of Highlander. Weston also shot down a German bomber. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 3rd.
Convoy MT.127 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day.
A convoy consisting of 6 troop transports carrying 8,077 Canadian troops arrived in Scotland from Nova Scotia.
In Washington, President Roosevelt chose Edward J. Flynn as new chairman of the Democratic National Committee, conferred on the proposed excess-profits tax bill with Senator Harrison and discussed war-refugee problems with Noel Coward.
The Senate considered bills on the calendar, confirmed Representative Lindsay Warren of North Carolina 28 Controller General and Fred H. Brown, former Controller, as a member of the Tariff Commission; listened to a defense of a third term by Senator Guffey and a plea for a standing army of 750,000 men by Senator Lodge, and adjourned at 1:32 PM until noon, Monday. The Banking and Currency Committee reported favorably a bill appropriating $500,000,000 for Export-Import Bank loans to Latin America, and the Military Affairs Committee delayed final action on the military training bill.
The House passed bills providing for SEC regulation of investment trusts and increasing by $500,000,000 the borrowing power of the Commodity Credit Corporation; received a bill by Chairman May of the Military Affairs Committees authorizing the President to call out the National Guard and reserves, and adjourned at 4:30 PM until noon Monday. The Judiciary Committee approved a bill to grant representation in the House to the District of Columbia; the Naval Affairs Committee named a subcommittee to investigate the advisability of constructing a graving dock in New York, and the NLRB investigating committee heard members of that board.
Edward J. Flynn of New York, one of the leaders in the pre-convention campaign to renominate President Roosevelt for a third term, accepted today the Democratic national committee chairmanship. He succeeds another New Yorker, James A. Farley, under whose management two Democratic campaigns rolled up huge majorities for Mr. Roosevelt.
A drive for $5,000,000 to finance evacuation from Britain of 200,000 children was launched yesterday by the United States Committee for the Care of European Children. That many have been registered for evacuation and United States visas have already been cleared for more than 3,000. Passage has been arranged, however, for only 1,000.
Out of the welter of figures on warplane purchases by the government have begun to emerge certain evidence of the scheme which the Army and Navy have in formulation for the air defense of the Western Hemisphere. Long-range bombing planes, it can now be assumed, are going to be purchased in quantity for offshore operation along the North Atlantic seaboard — and, if necessary. the South Atlantic — to buttress our defensive establishment in that ocean pending completion of the two-ocean navy. While the figures necessarily remain secret, the procurement officers of the armed services are known to have been talking in terms of 5,000 or more of these machines, 3,000 of them by July 1, 1942. Moreover, much larger machines than are now being built in numbers are in contemplation, capable of carrying larger bomb loads over greater distances than any which have made their appearance in Europe, America or Asia.
There was talk in Washington of postponing a vote on the Burke-Wadsworth Universal Military Service Bill until after the November elections as the Senate Military Affairs Committee took action further limiting its scope. The Senate also postponed until Monday any action on President Roosevelt’s request for authorization to call up the National Guard for training.
It became known here today that at least one of the approaches to Wendell L. Willkie. with the object of getting a “clearance” for the President on delicate steps in foreign policy, was made by Archibald MacLeish, the Librarian of Congress. Willkie was said to be cool to the idea.
Two major oil companies entered nolo contendere pleas in federal court today to charges of conspiracy to violate the Sherman anti-trust law and were fined $1,500 each, $500 less than the maximum fine fixed by statute. Federal Judge Paul J. McCormick accepted the pleas on behalf of the Standard Oil Co. of California and the General Petroleum Co. of California, on recommendation of M. S. Huberman, special assistant” to the United States attorney-general, who urged, however, the maximum fines be imposed.
Without waiting for legislative authority such as was granted in 1917, New York Governor Lehman appointed a State Council of National Defense composed of leading industrialists, business men and civic leaders. Their duty will be to assist him in integrating the work of New York State in the national defense program, he said. If necessary legislative approval will be sought later.
The book “Why England Slept,” written by 23-year-old John F Kennedy as his senior essay for Harvard, is published. This, his first book, describes England’s lack of readiness for WWII.
The U.S. Navy established the Alaskan Sector as a military command within the Thirteenth Naval District.
U.S. Army cryptanalysts under William F. Friedman succeeded in breaking Japan’s top secret Purple Code this month, which was used for diplomatic communications.
Major League Baseball:
Brooklyn swept a doubleheader from the Pirates today, winning 8–3 and 8–7. The Dodgers pounded Pittsburgh pitchers for 12 hits in each of the contests. Dolf Camili had a home run in the opener. Four Dodger errors helped the Pirates to stay close in the nightcap, but the Pirates made three of their own. Cookie Lavagetto doubled home the winning run in the seventh inning.
The Tigers really did a job on the Yankees today. While 16,440 fans yelled lusty encouragement, Del Baker’s boys broke out in a rash of extra-base hits against Marvin Breuer and Atley Donald to sink the tottering champions, 11–2, and nudge them into the second division. Schoolboy Rowe got the win, limiting the Yankees to seven hits.
Pounding out a 5–2 victory, the Boston Red Sox wrecking crew dropped Cleveland to second place as Detroit vanquished the Yankees. The Sox pounded two hurlers for ten hits, including Jimmy Foxx’s twenty-second homer of the season, and in winning salvaged one contest from their three-game series here. Four errors, three in the seventh inning, spelled the Indians’ undoing.
The Chicago White Sox “walked” into the first division of the American League for the first time today. With the bases loaded in the eleventh inning, Nelson Potter, Athletics’ pitcher, walked Joe Kuhel to force Bob Kennedy across with the run that gave the Sox a 5–4 triumph. The White Sox battled back from an early 4–1 deficit to tie it in the ninth.
Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Brooklyn Dodgers 8
Pittsburgh Pirates 7, Brooklyn Dodgers 8
Philadelphia Athletics 4, Chicago White Sox 5
Boston Red Sox 5, Cleveland Indians 2
New York Yankees 2, Detroit Tigers 11
Charles de Gaulle made a special appeal to French Canadians for their help.
A broad cleanup of aliens in the Panama Canal Zone, involving the detention of 81 persons described as foreign agents was tersely announced today by Secretary of War Stimson. As the result of a painstaking check, he said, all aliens, other than Panamanians, have been discharged from the employment of either the army or the Canal Zone, for the protection of that vital link in the American defense system.
In Shanghai, Charles Metzler, head of the White Russian community, was assassinated by gunmen this morning in the international settlement within the American defense sector. Metzler for some years after the Bolsheviks came to power in 1917 handled all Russian affairs in Shanghai as a virtual White Russian consul-general. Recently he had resisted attempts to reorganize the Russian emigrants committee of which he is chairman into a pro-Japanese body.
Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yosuke formally announced the concept of a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Foreign Minister Matsuoka made a public policy declaration concerning Japan’s new foreign policy support for a “New Order” in “Greater East Asia.” An aggressively expansive Japanese foreign policy, which seeks domination not merely in “east Asia” as formerly but in “greater east Asia” including French Indo-China and the Dutch East Indies was announced to the people today. The statement, by Premier-Prince Fumimaro Konoe’s regime, did not directly bring Japan closer than it already had been to Germany and Italy, but apparently widened the breach between the British empire and other western powers. It disclosed these intentions:
1 Creation of “a new order for Greater East Asia,” with the ultimate aim as explained by Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yosuke to be “establishment of a stabilizing force for a self-sufficiency embracing not only Japan, Manchoukuo and China, but also Indo-China and the East Indies.”
- Rearmament at a scale “adequate for execution of the national policies by taking into consideration the new developments both at home and abroad.”
- Construction of a government in which every person must serve the state, with national economy to be planned toward strengthening national defense, and a “unitary control system” set up “covering production, distribution and consumption of important commodities.”
- Changes in the educational system to emphasize “service to the state” and “eradication of all selfish and materialistic thoughts.”
- An end of “toadyism” to other powers, with the explanation: “We strive to make whatever friends we can under the prevailing environment, but henceforth we will not make a vain effort to grasp the hands of those countries which cannot be turned into friends.”
Arrests of foreigners on espionage charges are continuing. The Foreign Office spokesman, Yakichiro Suma, told the Japanese press the round-up had been made expressly to eliminate persons and organizations that had been spying on military secrets. Mr. Suma said the British protest against the arrests of thirteen Britons was unreasonable and could not be considered. He declared competent authorities possessed sufficient evidence of spying and denied the drive was aimed exclusively at the British.
The funeral of Melville James Cox, Reuters correspondent, who was reported by the Japanese to have committed suicide while being questioned after his arrest, was held in St. Andrew’s Church yester day. It was attended by the British, United States, and Polish Ambassadors, the Netherland Minister and many newspaper correspondents, including Japanese. The Japanese Foreign Office was represented and also sent a wreath. An autopsy by an American doctor on the body of Mr. Cox revealed nothing suspicious, he said.
The Japanese government releases more of the British citizens it has arrested on espionage charges.
Japanese press efforts to represent every British activity in Japan, however innocent, as part of the “espionage network” touched new depths yesterday. The newspaper Kokumin alleged that the Japanese-British Luncheon Club, which met once a month, was used by the British to obtain information about Japan’s military, political, and economic secrets. The club in fact was a harmless gathering at which distinguished visitors gave short talks under the chairmanship of Sir Robert Craigie, the British Ambassador, or some eminent Japanese. At the last meeting the speakers were Count Kabayama, who described a recent visit to the United States, and Professor Lancelot Hogben, who was passing through Japan. The similar Japanese-British Ladies Luncheon Club also is alleged to have been a source of valuable information for the British.
London feared that British-Japanese relations would get worse before they got better, although it was believed Japan would stop short of war. It was said Britain would not surrender Hong Kong without a fight.
Tokyo demands special rights in French Indochina. Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka asked French Ambassador to Tokyo Arsène Henry whether Japanese troops might be allowed to enter Indochina to occupy certain airfields; Henry implied that his government would reject such a request. Meanwhile, Japanese Army aircraft were transferred from Northern China to Southern China.
Yoshijiro Umezu was promoted to the rank of general.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 126.13 (-0.01)
Born:
Co Hoedeman, Dutch-Canadian animator and director (“The Sand Castle”, “Oddball”), in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 2025).
Ram Loevy, television director and screenwriter, in Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine.
Jack Elwell, NFL wide receiver (St. Louis Cardinals), in Cleveland, Ohio.
Died:
Temulji Bhicaji Nariman, 91, Indian physician and obstetrician.
Naval Construction:
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type 39 torpedo boat T23 is laid down by F. Schichau, Elbing, East Prussia Yard (werk 1482).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boats U-575, U-576, U-577, and U-578 are laid down by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 551–554).
The Royal Australian Navy minesweeper-corvette HMAS Bathurst (J 158), lead ship of her class of 60, is launched by Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Co. Ltd. (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-96 is launched by F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 601).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type 1936A destroyer Z27 is launched by AG Weser (Deschimag), Bremen (werk 961).
The Royal Navy Fairmile A-class motor launch HMS ML 109 is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Anthony Kirk, RNR.
The Royal Navy British Power Boat 70 foot-class motor anti-submarine boat HMS MA/SB 54 is commissioned.
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “M” (Malyutka)-class (3rd group, Type XII) submarine M-98 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy “T”-class (First Group) submarine HMS Tuna (N 94) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander Maurice Kildare Cavenagh-Mainwaring, RN.
The Royal Navy Hunt-class (Type I) escort destroyer HMS Cattistock (L 35) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander Robert Alastair Ewing, RN.
The U.S. Navy Gleaves-class destroyer USS Niblack (DD 424) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander Edward Robison Durgin, USN.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Kapitän zur See Helmuth Brinkmann.
History Diaries 