In the Western Approaches, the German submarine U-47 spotted the lightly escorted Allied convoy HX.72. Other U-boats were radioed to the area and the wolfpack would sink a total of 11 ships.
Throughout most of the day, the German Luftwaffe only dispatched reconnaissance missions against Britain. The only major raid of the day came at 1800 hours when over 200 aircraft flew toward London, England, United Kingdom; this attack was turned back by British fighters.
Weather over Great Britain: The day opened to scattered cloud although along the Estuary and the River Thames as far as London there was considerable haze. Once this cleared, most of the south was fine with scattered cloud but by midday cloud had started to build up. In the north there was cloud with sunny spells but it remained dry.
Early morning dawned with cloudless skies as no sign of the enemy. It was to remain that way for most of the day. Radar picked up an occasional aircraft, but these were believed to be on reconnaissance flights as they kept clear of the English coast. This was to be one of the quietest days of the battle, with more action being seen behind the scenes than in the air.
The invasion of German troops on the island of Great Britain was called “Cromwell” and all stations had been placed on standby as the possibility was always there that an invasion was always a possibility. But just as the Battle of Britain in the air seemed to be slowing down, so was the possibility of any German invasion for at least this year. Now, almost into the month of October, the days would be becoming shorter, the weather would soon deteriorate with the waters of the Channel becoming rougher and the signs from the German held Channel ports indicated that Bomber Command had all but destroyed any hope of the German infantry using the ports as a dispersal point for the Channel crossing.
No hint of relaxation of alertness against the threat of invasion was allowed to percolate through to the armed forces, nor the civilian population. It was premature for that. But the view of the War Cabinet and of the most senior officers in all the Services was that with the days shortening, the weather deteriorating and the equinox approaching, it would now be most foolhardy of Hitler to attempt a crossing in 1940.
On 21st September ‘Cromwell’ was cancelled and Alert No. 2 reinstated. Anthony Eden, while relaxing one morning at Elham, was therefore all the more surprised to hear from Churchill by telephone on 22nd September that he had just received a call from the American President that, for sure, the Germans would invade that very day. Eden took a walk to the Dover cliffs. He peered down through the fog and noted an exceedingly choppy sea. He then returned home and telephoned Churchill. An invasion, he said, seemed highly unlikely, and in any case they would all be sea-sick by the time they arrived by barge.
The next day Roosevelt telephoned again, this time to apologize. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he said. ‘The codes got mixed. It was Indo-China, not England, and Japan, not Germany.’ And that, indeed, was the case.
- Hough and Richards Battle of Britain A Jubliee History Hodder & Stoughton 1989 p294
But if one was to get the impression that tensions were easing, what with a day of very little combat action and “Cromwell” being cancelled. Fighter Command was in fact strengthening its commitment to battle with the introduction of 421 Flight.
One of the problems that Fighter Command encountered was the fact that when radar picked up approaching enemy aircraft and formations, it was not known as to what type of aircraft they were until clarified by spotters or the Observer Corps. With the approach of German bombers, Keith Park had just enough time to scramble his fighters, get to the correct height to attack and intercept the enemy as it crossed the coast. But with this new tactic of sending formations of Bf 109s, often in Geschwader force, there was not enough time to scramble the fighters and meet them as they crossed the coast. As experienced over the last few days and on those occasions that Bf 109 formations made their intended attacks on British targets, they generally would be well over the coastline and much closer to London before they were intercepted by British fighters.
It was on this day that Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding was to authorize the formation of a new unit that was to become known as 421 Flight. This was instigated in collaboration with Keith Park because it was now felt that with Bf 109 formations that could cross the Channel quicker than the bombers that they once escorted, there would be no chance of British fighters intercepting them in time once they had been positively identified.
The task of 421 Flight that was equipped with Hurricanes, was to fly in small formations on reconnaissance missions over the Channel to report on any build up and composition of these formations prior to them reaching the English coastline. This way, as well as the detection being made on radar stations along the coast of their location, 421 Flight would be vectored into a position where they could provide details back to their sector station of type and strength of the enemy much earlier than if it was left to the Observer Corps alone. Initially, the flight was formed at Gravesend in mid-October and on October 31st was posted to West Malling and before the end of 1940 they had been moved to Hawkinge.
The formation of 421 Flight (which was later to become 91 Squadron) was naturally too late for the Battle of Britain. Some authorities say that such a squadron should have been formed earlier so as to provide early indications of strength and composition of the enemy. But again, this would have been another of the many debatable points that arose during the Battle of Britain.
In general, this was an exceptionally quiet day. Small nuisance raids by small formations of enemy aircraft had attacked both Kenley and Biggin Hill aerodromes but these were thwarted by fighters from Kenley, Biggin Hill and Croydon. 238 Squadron had accounted for one destroyed while the Spitfires of 602 and 611 Squadrons accounted for one each destroyed. One of the Do 17s damaged by 802 Squadron managed to get back to the French coast, but was to crash land at Landerneau killing all on board.
The usual night raids continued on London and Liverpool which was now becoming a regular occurrence. Although the East End of London still came under constant bombardment, other targets in and around London were now being hit. Spasmodic raids around Tynemouth and County Durham also occurred but records indicate that no casualties were recorded.
RAF Casualties:
There were no casualties on either side on this day.
Werner Mölders was awarded Oak Leaves to his Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross medal for being the first fighter pilot to achieve 40 victories.
Overnight, London and Liverpool were bombed.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 18 Blenheims on daylight sea and coastal sweeps. 9 aircraft bombed Belgian ports. No losses.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 92 aircraft overnight to Channel ports. 91 reported bombing. No losses. Bomber Command continues attacking the Channel ports as the Germans disperse their barges. They have been quite successful in decimating the barges, sinking just over 10% of the total assembled. Coastal Command also attacks shipping near Boulogne and near Borkum and Ameland.
The RAF bombs Sidi Barrani and makes reconnaissance flights across the desert. The South African Air Force chips in as well. The Italians, for their part, raid Alexandria and Haifa, with the latter a particularly productive raid.
In London, the British government officially sanctioned the usage of the Tube underground rail stations as air raid shelters, though this usage had already been in place for some time; many stations had already been equipped with first aid stations, food canteens, bunks, and toilets. The Tube tunnel near the Aldwych branch of the Piccadilly Line was reinforced with concrete and was used to store antiques and artifacts from the British Museum such as the Elgin Marbles. The British also have constructed many massive underground bunkers in discreet locations to protect government officials in case of an invasion.
Handling unexploded bombs has turned into a major project for the British. At Ipswich, a 1000kg “land mine” has to be blown up where it lands, creating a crater 50 feet wide and 25 feet deep. It destroys an estimated 70 houses and damages 750 more, with a lot of broken glass. At the Hawker Aircraft Factory, Lt. John MacMillan Stevenson Patton of the Royal Canadian Engineers tows a bomb to a nearby bomb crater to detonate it. He receives the George Cross. Lt-Cdr Richard John Hammersley Ryan and CPO Reginald Vincent Ellingworth perish as they are trying to defuse a magnetic mine in a warehouse (both earn the George Cross posthumously). Another man, Leonard John Miles, also earns the George Cross when he perishes while warning others of a nearby unexploded bomb.
When Guy La Chambre, former Air Minister, reached Riom this afternoon he was immediately confined in the ordinary prison there instead of being transferred to the Chateau de Chazeron, where other former Cabinet Ministers have been interned.
The subject of the Polish pilots comes up over dinner conversation at 10 Downing Street. The No. 303 Polish Squadron has been leading the RAF in victories, and it is not a particularly close race. Everybody tries to quantify just how good they are. Prime Minister Winston Churchill ventures that one Polish pilot is worth three French pilots. Lord Gort, however, demurs, along with Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding. The ratio is not 3:1, they opine, but more along the lines of 10 to 1. The Polish pilots are more “seat of the pants” flyers who do not rely on radio and radar, and they also are a little older and better trained.
The Bulgarian 3rd Army takes possession of Southern Dobruja, incorporating it into Bulgaria per the agreement with Rumania. In an atmosphere of enthusiastic gayety the Bulgarian Army began the military occupation of Southern Dobruja today, moving into the wide strip of the province peacefully ceded by Rumania and taking over the little Black Sea town of Balcic.
Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, preparing for a new offensive further into Egypt, sent advanced mechanized Italian units ahead from Sidi Barrani today and his engineer corps sweated under British bombing attacks to consolidate the Fascist position at that coastal base. The job of establishing a more solid entrenchment at Sidi Barrani appeared to have been given an added urgency by the threat of continuing assaults on Italian ships, supplies and airdromes by the British air corps and fleet. Fleet bombardments already had wrought damage along the coastal area between Sidi Barrani and Salurn. This British activity, it was said here, gave the marshal the alternatives of beginning his big push quickly or leaving the bulk of his war machine open to steady harassment. Graziani, it was reported, is bringing in more troops from Libya. British quarters here repeated their claim that, because of the royal navy’s control of the Mediterranean, Aegean and Ionian seas, he had no hope of getting fresh supplies from Italy or the Dodecanese islands, and they declared that his position was reflected in Italian broadcasts threatening to dispatch warships to deal with the British fleet. To this the British thus answer: “We are ready to meet the Italian fleet anywhere, any time.”
At Malta, the police are instructed to investigate shops for hoarding. These spot checks are authorized by The Food and Commerce Control Officer (FCCO). Shortages, the FCCO reports, are appearing in common staples despite supplies of these items on hand that are known to be adequate. The theory is that the owners of stores that have large hoards figure they will be able to charge high black-market prices in the event of real shortages. Homeowners, too, are stockpiling staples.
Four Saadist party members of the Egyptian cabinet resigned tonight to enforce the party demand for a declaration of war against Italy. Premier Haasan Sabry Pasha sought to fill their places with men who would support the government policy of no war declaration at present. Observers doubted that the Saadist action would precipitate a war declaration, but expressed belief it would compel greater cooperation of Egyptian defense forces with the British.
The wolfpack assembled by Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien in U-47 and U-boat Control (BdU) shadows Convoy HX.72 throughout the night. The convoy, about 400 miles west of Ireland, has over 40 ships, temporarily, no escorts.
In attacks on convoy HX.72, which was escorted by sloop HMS Lowestoft and corvettes HMS Heartsease and HMS LA Malouine, German submarines U-47, U-48, U-99, and U-100 made successful attacks. Destroyers HMS Scimitar, HMS Skate, HMS Keppel, and HMS Active joined the convoy escort on the 21st.
U-48, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Bleichrodt, sank British steamer Blairangus (4409grt) in 55-18N, 22-21W. Seven crew were lost on steamer Blairangus. At 0614 hours the Blairangus (Master Hugh Mackinnon) in convoy HX.72 was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 about 320 miles west-southwest of Rockall. Six crew members were lost. The master and 27 crew members were picked up by the British merchant Pikepool and landed at St. John’s, where one of the survivors died of wounds. The 4,409-ton Blairangus was carrying timber and was headed for Methil, Scotland.
U-48 also damaged British steamer Broompark (5136grt) in 55-08N, 18-30W. At 2338 hours the Broompark (Master Olaf Paulsen) in convoy HX.72 was torpedoed and damaged by U-48 in 55°08N/18°30W. One crew member was lost in the attack. The ship had been en route from Vancouver to Glasgow with a cargo of lumber and metal and remained afloat on her cargo. Most of the 40 crew members had abandoned ship, but returned when the master and eight crew members managed to bring her on an even keel by shifting ballast and restarted the engines. She eventually reached port, was repaired and returned to service. The master was later awarded the OBE and Lloyds War Medal for Bravery at Sea. The 5,136-ton Broompark was carrying lumber and metal and was bound for Glasgow, Scotland.
U-99, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer, damaged British steamer Elmbank (5156grt) in 55-20N, 22-30W. At 0447 hours the Elmbank (Master Harold Tyler Phillips) in convoy HX.72 was hit by one torpedo from U-99 and fell behind the convoy. About 0600 hours, the U-boat began shelling the ship, firing 88 rounds, many of them hitting the vessel. After 1500 hours, U-47 (Prien) helped to shell the abandoned Elmbank, setting her on fire. Eventually, U-99 administered a coup de grâce and the ship sank south of Iceland. The master and one crew member were lost. 54 crew members were picked up by the British steam merchant Pikepool and landed at St. Johns, Newfoundland. The 5,156-ton Elmbank was carrying general cargo, including timber and metals and was headed for Belfast, Ireland.
U-99 sank British tanker Invershannon (9154grt) in 55-40N, 22-04W. At 0312 hours on 21 September 1940 the Invershannon (Master William Richardson Forsyth) in convoy HX.72 was torpedoed by U-99 about 480 miles west of Bloody Foreland. The tanker was sunk by a coup de grâce at 1142 hours. 15 crew members and one gunner were lost. The master and 16 crew members were picked up by HMS Flamingo (L 18) (Cdr J.H. Huntley, RN) and landed at Londonderry. 15 crew members were picked up by HMS Fandango (T 107) (T/Lt F.C. Hopkins, RNVR) and landed at Belfast on 29 September. The 9,154-ton Invershannon was carrying Admiralty fuel oil and was headed for Scapa Flow, Scotland.
U-99 also sank British steamer Baron Blythswood (3668grt) in 56-00N, 23-00W. There was only one survivor from Baron Blythswood. At 0419 hours the Baron Blythswood (Master John Maclarly Robertson Davies) in convoy HX.72 was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-99 and sank within 40 seconds south of Iceland. The master, 33 crew members and one gunner were lost. The 3,668-ton Baron Blythswood was carrying iron ore and was headed for Port Talbot, Wales.
At 2310 hours on U-100 attacked the convoy HX.72 for the first time about 340 miles west of Bloody Foreland and reported sinking two steamers with 9000 grt and the tanker Torinia and another steamer probably sunk. In fact, the Canonesa, Torinia and Dalcairn were hit, which all sank during the night.
U-100, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke, sank British steamer Canonesa (8286grt) in 54-55N, 18-25W. One crewman was lost on the steamer Canonesa. The master, 60 crew members and one gunner from the Canonesa (Master Frederick Stephenson) were picked up by HMS La Malouine (K 46) (LtCdr R.W. Keymer, RN). One crew member was lost. The 8,286-ton Canonesa was carrying refrigerated and general cargo, including bacon, cheese, fish, and ham and was headed for Liverpool, England.
U-100 also sank British tanker Torinia (10,364grt) in 54-55N, 18-17W. The Torinia (Master Henry Jackson) was later scuttled by HMS Skate (H 39) (Lt F.B. Baker, DSC) in 55°N/19°W. The master and 54 crew members were picked up by the destroyer and landed at Londonderry on 23 September. The 10,364-ton Torinia was carrying Admiralty fuel oil and was headed for Clyde, United Kingdom.
U-100 also sank British steamer Dalcairn (4608grt) in 55-00N, 19-00W. The master, all 46 crew members and one gunner from the Dalcairn (Master Edgar Brusby) were picked up by HMS La Malouine (K 46) (LtCdr R.W. Keymer, RN) and landed at Greenock. The 4,608-ton Dalcairn was carrying wheat and was headed for Hull, England.
U-100 attacked and claimed sinking another tanker at the same location as Dalcairn, but no confirmation is available.
At 0227 hours the Empire Adventure (Master Thomas O. Phinn) in convoy OB.216 was torpedoed and damaged by U-138, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Lüth, 52 miles northwest of Rathlin Island. The ship was taken in tow by HMS Superman to the Clyde but sank on 23 September. The master and 20 crew members were lost. 18 crew members were picked up by Industria and landed at Belfast.
Destroyer HMS Punjabi departed Rosyth during the afternoon for the Tyne to escort British troopship Empire Trooper (13,994grt) to Liverpool. However, the troopship’s boilers would not hold water and they returned to the Tyne, arriving on the 22nd. Destroyer HMS Punjabi then proceeded to Scapa Flow for repairs to her rudder, arriving at 0600/23rd.
Destroyer HMS Woolston’s engines were damaged by the explosion of a mine close aboard in the Thames. The destroyer proceeded to the Humber for repairs.
British steam barge Enchantress (56grt) was damaged by German bombing in the London Victoria Dock.
Submarine HMS Triton departed Gibraltar for patrol off Gibraltar.
Submarine HMS Rorqual attacked two Italian transports off Ras el Hilal and claimed sinking them, although no damage is recorded.
Heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland arrived at Freetown.
At 0645, Heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire, destroyers HMS Faulknor, HMS Forester, and HMS Fury, sloop HMS Milford, with transports Ettrick, Kenya, Sobieski, and Karanja departed Freetown on Operation MENACE at 0645. French sloops Commandant Domine, Commandant Duboc, and Savorgnan de Brazza departed Freetown at the same time with transports Westernland and Pennland and foot ship Belgravian. At 0930, aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, battleships HMS Barham and HMS Resolution, and destroyers HMS Inglefield, HMS Fortune, HMS Foresight, HMS Greyhound, HMS Echo, and HMS Escapade departed. Heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland departed Freetown at 1430. Early on the 22nd, the MENACE convoys were joined at sea by heavy cruisers HMS Cumberland and HMAS Australia and light cruiser HMS Dragon.
Heavy cruiser HMS Hawkins arrived at Simonstown from Montevideo.
Heavy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire departed Simonstown for Freetown.
Convoy OB.217 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer HMS Walker and anti-submarine trawlers HMS Arctic Explorer and HMS Man O War. The trawlers were detached that day. Destroyer HMCS Ottawa joined the escort on the 22nd. Destroyer Walker was detached on the 24th and destroyer Ottawa on the 25th.
Convoy FN.287 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers HMS Vega and HMS Vortigern. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 23rd.
Convoy FS.288 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers HMS Valorous and HMS Westminster. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 23rd.
Convoy HX.75 departed Halifax at 1340 escorted by Canadian destroyers HMCS Assiniboine and HMCS Saguenay and auxiliary patrol boats HMCS Elk and HMCS Husky. At 1930/22nd, the destroyers departed the convoy and left it to the ocean escort, armed merchant cruiser HMS Aurania, which was detached on 3 October.
Convoy BHX.75 departed Bermuda on the 20th escorted by ocean escort armed merchant cruiser HMS Voltaire. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.75 on the 25th and the armed merchant cruiser was detached. Destroyers HMS Amazon and HMS Anthony, corvettes HMS Arabis, HMS Calendula, and HMS Clematis, escort ship HMS Jason, and anti-submarine trawler HMS Lady Elsa joined on 3 October. The escort ship was detached later that day and the trawler the next day. The remainder of the escort arrived with the convoy at Liverpool on 7 October.
Holding the new deal administration partially responsible for the European war, Wendell L. Willkie advocated tonight that the United States continue to help Great Britain, “render economic assistance” to China, and develop new air bases in the Pacific. Ending his California campaign tour with a speech in the San Francisco Civic Auditorium, the Republican presidential nominee said: “We must send, and we must keep sending, aid to Britain, our first line of defense and our only remaining friend.. We must aid her to the limit of prudence and effectiveness, as determined by impartial experts in this field.
The U.S. census bureau announced tonight that the population of the United States on April 1 was 131,409,881, or 8,634,835 more than in 1930, William Lane Austin, Director of the Census Bureau, announced today in preliminary figures for the sixteenth census. The rise in population in the decade was only 7 percent, compared with 16.1 percent between 1920 and 1930, and was one-half less than any rate of increase in any ten years since the first census was taken in 1790. Decline of the national birth rate and virtual stoppage of immigration were ascribed as the reasons for the drop in the rate of increase. “We don’t have enough babies and we are not building up with immigration from abroad,” Mr. Austin said.
“There has been no contact with the kidnapper.” Those words came through the dread silence of the De Tristan home 24 hours after 3-year-old Marc, scion of several wealthy families, was abducted by a man who left a demand for $100,000 ransom. The $100,000 was ready, to be paid for the safe return of the little boy, son of Count and Countess Marc de Tristan, socially prominent members of this exclusive neighborhood. The kidnaper, who had signed the ransom note as “Unconventional Eccentric,” had a free hand, police said, to open negotiations with the family. Police and federal agents withdrew from the case at the family’s urgent plea, lest the kidnaper’s threat of the “fatal result” of interference be carried out.
In an analysis of the new Hatch act prohibiting political activity by persons employed by agencies financed in whole or part by Federal funds, the Civil Service Commission gave today its interpretation of the acts which the law forbids.
An advisory committee of six members to assist in coordinating plans for the procurement of man power for national defense under the Selective Service Training Act was designated today by President Roosevelt.
Most of the Roosevelt family were gathered at the New York family home tonight celebrating the eighty-sixth birthday anniversary of Mrs. Sara Delano Roosevelt, who still presides with unimpaired vigor over Hyde Park House.
The Senate Interstate Commerce Committee reported unanimously today a resolution which would authorize a Senate investigation of possible leaks in defense secrets through German and other foreign connections in American industry.
Aid for Britain “even at the risk of war” was favored by 52 percent of the voters canvassed by the American Institute of Public Opinion in a survey just completed, it was disclosed yesterday by Dr. George Gallup, director. The percentage supporting “keeping out” has fallen from 64% to 48% since May.
For the first time in a number of weeks the Spanish Ambasador, Don Juan Francisco de Cardenas, called at the State Department today. He conferred with Sumner Welles, Under-Secretary of State.
Nineteen members of the House of Representatives, nearly all from Western States, complained to President Roosevelt today that public utility corporations were raising funds to defeat them in their districts. They asked that the alleged conditions be investigated and exposed.
A search for a missing army plane in which Brigadier General Francis W. Honeycutt and two others were making a routine flight focused tonight on a desolate area of tidewater swampland near the mouth of the Satilla River after a tugboat hand reported seeing a plane fall in flames there last night. About three score army and coast guard planes scoured the section until dusk and the search was continued tonight by parties in small boats.
Britain is in immediate need of long-range bombers such as the American B-17 “Flying Fortress,” said Brigadier General George V. Strong today upon his return to Washington from England.
The light cruiser USS St. Louis departed Argentia for Boston, Massachusetts with the Greenslade Board aboard. The Greenslade Board was a committee formed “to make a comprehensive study of the shore establishment (naval and commercial) necessary to support the Fleet in peace and war.” With the strategic requirements of the fleet in mind, the board was instructed to make recommendations for additional facilities in new locations and as to the expansion, limitation, contraction, abandonment, or conversion of existing shore facilities. The board was known by its senior member, Rear Admiral John W. Greenslade. The board, headed by Rear Admiral John F. Greenslade, which would evaluate base sites acquired from the British on September 5 in the destroyers-for-bases agreement.
The first two PBMs, a new type of long-range flying boats—first American planes to be equipped with power-operated turrets—have been delivered to the Navy by the Glenn L. Martin Company of Baltimore, it was learned yesterday.
Rear Admiral H. Kent Hewitt hauls down his flag as Commander Special Service Squadron; gunboat Erie (PG-50) is assigned to the Fifteenth Naval District and sister ship Charleston (PG-51) to the Thirteenth.
The drama film “City for Conquest” starring James Cagney, Ann Sheridan and Arthur Kennedy was released.
Major League Baseball:
The Phillies beat the Dodgers, 4–2. It was Brooklyn’s fifth loss in a row. Kirby Higbe (14–18) gets the victory. He also tripled and scored the first philadelphia run in the third inning.
Against the Reds, Pittsburgh’s Debs Garms laces 5 hits in game 2 of the doubleheader, including the game winning RBI. His batting average stands at .379. Despite going 0–for-23 the rest of the way, he will sew up the National League batting title with a .355 average. Garms has only 358 at bats but has appeared in 103 games, thus qualifying him for the crown. He will have just 6 strikeouts on the year. The Reds win, 8–1, to extend their winning streak to 11 games, all on the road, then lose 8–7 in 10 innings.
The Giants break their 11–game losing streak, beating the Bees, 3–1, in Boston. Harry Gumbert won with ninth-inning relief help from Jim Lynn.
Vern Olsen, young southpaw, pitched the Cubs to a 4–3 victory over the Cardinals in eleven innings today. It was his twelfth triumph of the season as against nine defeats. Hank Leiber had four singles in five trips to the plate for the Cubs.
With the Tigers, Indians, and Yankees neck-and-neck, the Tigers boost their lead to two games, as Schoolboy Rowe shuts out Cleveland 5–0. Rowe, seemingly washed up after anchoring the staff through Tiger championships in the mid-1930s, wins his 16th game with a five-hitter.
The Yankees downed the Red Sox, 5–4, on a nith-inning run-scoring single by Buddy Rosar, to remain 4 ½ back of the Tigers. Red Rolfe tripled and scored the winning run on Rosar’s hit after Charlie Keller and Joe DiMaggio were intentionally walked.
The hottest team in the American League is the Tigers, but almost unnoticed in sixth place is another team on a winning streak, the Browns. Getting two-hit pitching from Vernon Kennedy, the Browns beat the White Sox today, 3–2, for their fourth victory in a row and their ninth in the last ten games.
Philadelphia Phillies 4, Brooklyn Dodgers 2
New York Giants 3, Boston Bees 1
St. Louis Cardinals 3, Chicago Cubs 4
Cleveland Indians 0, Detroit Tigers 5
Boston Red Sox 4, New York Yankees 5
Cincinnati Reds 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Cincinnati Reds 7, Pittsburgh Pirates 8
Chicago White Sox 2, St. Louis Browns 3
Convoy BM.1 departed Bombay with steamers Batory (14,287grt), Orcades (23,456grt), and Strathden (23,722grt), escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Westralia. The convoy arrived at Colombo on the 24th. The convoy set off on the 28th, joined by steamer Ellenga (5196grt), and escorted again by armed merchant cruiser Westralia and light cruiser HMS Capetown and armed merchant cruiser HMS Arawa. The convoy arrived at Singapore on 1 October.
A new complication disturbed the situation resulting from Japanese demands for military rights in French Ind-oChina today when authoritative French sources declared they would refuse to allow Japan to make the State of Tongking (Tonkin) a military base. These sources said they were ready to honor their word and give Japan the military facilities provided in the Vichy-Tokyo understanding but would balk at anything meaning Japanese military occupation of Tongking. This statement followed a new setback in the critical negotiations after earlier hope that an amicable settlement was near.
While Major General Issaku Nishihara, chief of the Japanese military mission, sulked in his hotel room at Haiphong, where he went this morning, several of his subordinates returned here and were believed to be ready to renew the conversations. Japanese who left Hanoi last night remained aboard ships in Haiphong harbor but it was reported that Japanese from Southern Indo-China had left Saigon aboard ships bound for an undisclosed destination.
Federal elections were held in Australia. The incumbent Coalition of the United Australia Party led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies and the Country Party led by Archie Cameron maintained power. The election results were declared in Australia. With the help of two independents Robert G. Menzies remained Prime Minister. Menzie’s Labor was the largest party in both the House and the Senate but had no overall majority.
In addition, the government announces that another division, the 9th Australian, will be raised.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 132.45 (+0.84)
Born:
Bill Kurtis, American newscaster (“American Parade”), in Pensacola, Florida.
Joe Strawder, NBA center (Detroit Pistons), in Belle Glade, Florida (d. 2005).
Jerry Fosnow, MLB pitcher (Minnesota Twins), in Deshler, Ohio.
Naval Construction:
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type 39 torpedo boat T24 is laid down by Schichau, Elbing, East Prussia (werk 1483).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC U-boat U-154 is laid down by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 996).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IID U-boats U-145 and U-146 are launched by Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 274 and 275).
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Nigella (K 19) is launched by George Philip & Sons Ltd. (Dartmouth, U.K.); completed by Clark.
The Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette HMCS Arvida (K 113) is launched by Morton Engineering and Dry Dock Co. (Quebec City, Quebec, Canada).
The Royal Navy Hunt-class (Type I) escort destroyer HMS Quorn (L 66) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Eric Arthur Forbes Drought, RN.
History Diaries 