Germany and Italy have made five all-inclusive demands on Greece, calling for territorial concessions to both Italy and Bulgaria, the use of Greek air bases by the axis powers, and reorganization of the government to fit the axis pattern, Greek diplomatic circles reported tonight. The demands were said also to stipulate that Greece break off trade relations with Great Britain. Specifically, the five points were said to have been set down by the axis partners in this order: Immediate severence of economic relations with the British. The cession of a strip of territory adjacent to the Albanian border to Italy and the cession of a corridor to the Aegean sea to Bulgaria. The grant of the right to Italy to construct a road from Albania to Salonika, Greek port “and so-called key to the south Balkans. The use of certain Greek air bases by Germany and Italy. The abdication of King George II of Greece, the resignation of Premier-Dictator John Metaxas and the formation of a pro-axis government.
Having made his decision to invade Greece on the 15th, Mussolini has been studiously quiet about it. Italian Foreign Minister Count Ciano has told neither the German ambassador nor his German counterpart. The decision has immense implications for Germany, but Mussolini throughout the war occasionally allows his annoyance at being the junior partner in his relationship with Hitler to manifest itself.
Finally, word starts seeping out today. First, Lt. General Emil (Enno) von Rintelen, Wehrmacht liaison to Rome, tells the OKW that Mussolini has decided to attack Greece on the 26th. In this sense, he is almost acting in the role of a spy, as perhaps the Italian Generals don’t even realize this is still top secret information. The information is outdated because army commander Marshal Badoglio already had convinced Mussolini to postpone the attack for two days, until the 28th. However, it is the first information Germany receives about Mussolini’s intentions at all.
Then, Ciano sends an odd telegram to German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop stating that army commander Marshal Badoglio had opposed any Greek invasion and even Mussolini had been hesitant. Ciano professes himself enthusiastic about it, which is at odds with his usual attitude toward military entanglements. The telegram does not even say that such an invasion has been planned — it comes out of the blue as if the Germans already should know about the operation. All of this rather casual communication creates an appearance of insincerity or deception, to put it mildly.
All of this information sends the German command at Zossen and the Foreign Ministry into a whirlwind of activity. They contact their agents from Belgrade to Ankara to Tirana to Rome to get confirmation, and General von Pohl (liaison to the Italian Air Force) confirms that he has heard the same thing. Ribbentrop, meanwhile, remains in the dark about the status of the projected Italian operation, as the Italians are being cute about divulging the information.
Allied convoy SC.7 was intercepted by a U-boat wolfpack in the Western Approaches. 20 of the 35 cargo vessels were sunk in the ensuing battle.
Vichy France officially published the Statute of 4 October 1940 in which Jews who were not French citizens were no longer protected by French law. ‘Special camps’ were established to begin housing these stateless Jews.
General de Gaulle meets with General Catroux. This is a relationship fraught with intrigue because technically Catroux outranks de Gaulle (though technically they both no longer serve in any nation’s army). De Gaulle is known to fear that the British will replace him with Catroux. This meeting allays some of de Gaulle’s fears on that score, but this will not be the last time that a possible battle for supremacy of the Free France movement arises.
Another evacuation of London children begins. Some 2000 depart every day for the more rural parts of the country. In fact, many Londoners now are living in caves in Kent. Most, however, have relocated to places such as Reading, Basingstoke, and Oxford.
The pro-Axis Falange Espanola, Spain’s only political party, moved rapidly toward sole control of the government today when its leader, Ramon Serrano Suner, took over the Foreign Ministry.
The Italian submarine Durbo was scuttled east of Gibraltar after being attacked by the British destroyers HMS Firedrake and HMS Wrestler.
The Yugoslav government today drastically curtailed railroad passenger service effective October 28 in a move said to have resulted from pressure by Germany which seeks a quick route across the Balkans. Usually Adolf Hitler’s blitzkrieg moves have been preceded by a sharp curtailment of public use of the railroads in Germany, virtually halting passenger traffic and turning the lines over entirely to the military forces.
Soviet Russia disavowed tonight any intention of having a conference here with the Axis powers — Germany, Italy and Japan.
At Malta, Governor Dobbie responds to a recent memorandum from the Chief of the Imperial Staff which suggested that additional forces need not be stationed on the island to repel an invasion, as forces could be transported in quickly. This degenerates into an argument over tactics — Dobbie wants the ability to attack the landing zones, while the Imperial Staff feels a counter-attack after a four-day delay (the minimum amount of time to bring in new forces) would suffice. Dobbie is probably right because the islands are so small that any delay likely would result in quick defeat.
Foggy weather limited German ability to attack southern England, United Kingdom, thus only few aerial battles were fought with no losses for either side. Overnight, London was bombed, hitting the Rose and Crown Pub which resulted in 42 killed and 6 injured; Liverpool and Birmingham were also attacked.
Long, uneasy lulls between the boom of bombs and the blast of anti-aircraft fire early today marked the forty-first consecutive overnight German air attack on London. The raiders, who had come over in mass flights through the previous day, stabbed at the city by dark in small groups or singly. Air-wary Britons, however, anticipated heavier onslaughts, later in the morning. Five German bombs fell in one residential area, one of them hitting an apartment house under reconstruction. In another area a bomb smashed a water main and rendered houses uninhabitable.
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, perhaps gilding the lily a bit too much, on 18 October 1940 continues his lavish praise of the Luftwaffe’s lackluster campaign during the Battle of Britain. He thanks his pilots for “reducing the British plutocracy to fear and terror.” This statement smacks of overkill, but the Luftwaffe’s success or failure reflects directly upon him, so the better he makes their failures sound, the better he looks as well.
The fickle weather of 1940 once again puts many flying operations to a stop. The increased strength of the RAF is shown as it successfully prevents the usual reconnaissance flights over England during the morning.
There are no large-scale raids. Instead, there are numerous small-scale intrusions. The largest incident involves some Junkers Ju 88s that Fighter Command intercepts over Kent on the way to London. However, that is the exception.
After dark, the Luftwaffe swings back into action. It bombs London, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Southampton, and East Anglia. A direct hit on the Rose and Crown Pub results in 42 killed and 6 injured. The night’s activity ends early, though, by 01:45, giving Londoners a chance to get some good rest. The Luftwaffe also lays mines in the Thames Estuary.
The Luftwaffe manages to lose 15 planes and the RAF only four. In the foul weather, pilots get disoriented and planes head off in the wrong direction. This happens on both sides. The RAF loses four Hurricanes when RAF No. 302 (Polish) Squadron becomes disoriented over Surrey and runs out of fuel and the planes have to land with dead sticks. This leads to four Hurricanes lost, along with their pilots. The Luftwaffe also has two planes crash back in France, killing the pilots.
There is an exchange of gunfire by the big coastal guns at Hellfire Corner (Straits of Dover), with little consequence. German guns near Calais, France fired 10 shells at Dover, England, United Kingdom; two of the shells detonated.
First British operational use of a GCI (Ground Controlled Interception) radar, which tracks aircraft over Britain with sufficient accuracy to guide night fighters.
Major Werner Streib replaces Hptm. Radusch as Gruppenkommandeur of night fighter unit I./NJG 1. Meanwhile, a night fighter Do 17Z-10s of 4./NJG 1 shoots down an RAF Wellington bomber over the Zuider Zee in Holland.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 1 Blenheim during daylight to Hamburg docks, returned early because of lack of cover.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 28 Blenheims, Hampdens and Whitleys overnight to Hamburg docks and Lunen aluminum works. No losses. Hamburg reports no fires but 4 people were injured. Poor weather restricts operations. RAF Bomber Command attacks the ports of Duisberg, Kiel and Hamburg, warehouses at Schwerte, Osnabruck, and Dortmund (also a factory there), and an aluminum factory at Lunen.
The South African Air Force, based in Sudan, attacks the Italian airfield at Barentu. The RAF attacks various Italian bases, including Benghazi, Sollum, Gura, Diredawa, Rhodes (an airfield) and the Dodecanese Islands.
The Allies’ bad weekend at sea becomes catstrophe.
Convoys, by and large, and relatively speaking, have been unmolested until now. U-boats have been picking off stragglers and “independents,” ships traveling alone. There have been various attacks on convoys, but they have been uncoordinated affairs that have not sunk more than a few ships at a time. That changes today with the first true wolfpack, directed and coordinated by U-boat headquarters in France. This marks a new phase in the naval war.
Half a dozen U-boats have been shadowing Convoy SC 7, which is an eastbound convoy that left Sydney, Nova Scotia on 5 October bound for Liverpool, for several days. SC 7 is composed of 35 ships but has had only a few escorts: destroyer HMS Scarborough, sloop HMS Fowey and corvette HMS Bluebell. Today, a couple of more escorts arrive from Great Britain: sloop HMS Leith and corvette HMS Heartsease. These five escorts, however, are outnumbered by the shadowing U-boats.
This is not a seat-of-the-pants operation, where everybody just “does their thing.” Strict control is maintained throughout by Konteradmiral Karl Dönitz at his headquarters in Lorient. The convoy escorts are completely ineffective and do not prevent any attacks — though they are instrumental in saving a lot of lives of merchant marine sailors. The night becomes a wonderland of flaming and sinking ships, with one torpedoed after another going down in flames, drifting onto other torpedoed ships, and generally causing chaos over many square miles of the open sea.
U-38 damaged British steamer Carsbreck (3670grt) from convoy SC.7 in 58-46N, 14-11W. At 0204 hours, the Carsbreck was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-38 (Liebe) in position 58°46N/14°11W. At 0227 hours, the U-boat fired a G7a torpedo at the ship but missed. The ship stayed afloat on its load of lumber and was escorted to the Clyde by HMS Heartsease (K 15) (LtCdr E.J.R. North, RNR), arrving on 21 October. She was repaired and returned to service in December 1940
U-48 sank British steamer Sandsend (3612grt) from convoy OB.229 in 58-12N, 21-29W. At 1025 hours the Sandsend (Master William Armstrong), a straggler from convoy OB.228, was hit by one torpedo from U-48 and sank by the bow after the crew had abandoned ship in three lifeboats 254 miles west-northwest of Rockall. The U-boat had spotted a group of three stragglers and attacked the one in the middle, but missed with the first two torpedoes at 0808 and 0809 hours before hitting the same target with the third torpedo. The contact to the other two ships was then lost in the mist. Five crew members were lost. The master and 33 crew members were picked up by HMS Hibiscus (K 24) (LtCdr R. Phillips) and landed at Methil.
A straggler from Convoy OB.228, the British steam merchant Sandsend was torpedoed and sunk by the U-48, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Bleichrodt, approximately 250 miles west-northwest of Rockall in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 5 died and 34 survivors were picked up by The Royal Navy corvette HMS Hibiscus. The 3,612-ton Sandsend was carrying anthracite and was bound for Quebec.
U-123 damaged with three torpedoes British steamer Shekatika (5458grt) which was romping ahead of convoy SC.7 in 57-12N, 11-08W.
U-100 damaged with one torpedo British steamer Shekatika an hour later in 57-12N, 11-08W.
U-123 finally sank British steamer Shekatika early on the 19th in 57-12N, 11-08W.
At 2021 hours the Shekatika (Master Robert Paterson), a romper from convoy SC.7, was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-123 about 90 miles east-southeast of Rockall and seven minutes later by a coup de grâce under the bridge, but both hits did not have much effect. When the U-boat surfaced at 2030 hours, U-99 (Kretschmer) made the same about 300 metres away and Kretschmer was a bit angry because he had chased the same ship but planned his attack a few minutes too late. After the crew had abandoned ship on rafts, U-123 fired a second coup de grâce into the vessel at 2046 hours and then left the slowly sinking ship. At 2317 hours, U-100 (Schepke) fired a coup de grâce into the abandoned Shekatika, but she remained afloat until U-123 found her again at 0244 hours on 19 October. At 0317 hours, a fifth torpedo hit the ship amidships, starting a fire in the engine room. The vessel developed a list and the deck cargo of pit props fell overboard before she sank. The master and 35 crew members were picked up by HMS Fowey (L 15) (Lt C.G. de L. Bush, RN) and landed at Grennock on 20 October. The reason that steamer Shekatika was so durable was that she was carrying a cargo of lumber.
U-46 in attacks on convoy SC.7 sank British steamer Beatus (4885grt) in 57-31N, 13-10W and Swedish steamer Convallaria (1996grt) in 57-22N, 11-11W. In a third attack on a steamer, U-46 claimed damage to a large steamer, but no confirmation is available.
Between 2058 and 2104 hours, U-46, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Engelbert Endrass, fired four single torpedoes at the convoy SC.7 about 100 miles west by south of Barra Head and claimed two ships totalling 8000 grt sunk and one ship with 7000 grt damaged. The U-boat is credited with sinking the Beatus and Convallaria in this attack. The master and 36 crew members from the Beatus (Master Wilfred Leslie Brett) were picked up by HMS Bluebell (K 80) (LtCdr Robert E. Sherwood) and landed at Gourock.
Sailing with Convoy SC.7, the British steam merchant Beatus was torpedoed and sunk by the U-46, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Engelbert Endrass, approximately 100 miles west by south of Barra Head, Scotland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of 37 died. The 4,885-ton Beatus was carrying steel, lumber, and a deck cargo of crated aircraft and was bound for Middlesbrough, England.
The Convallaria stayed afloat for a short time and sank later in position 57°20N/10°40W. The crew was picked up by HMS Fowey (L 15) (Lt C.G. de L. Bush, RN) and landed at Greenock. The 1,996-ton Convallaria was carrying pulpwood and was bound for Ridham Dock, England.
U-101, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Fritz Frauenheim, in attacks on convoy SC.7 sank British steamer Creekirk (3971grt) in 57-30N, 11-10W and claimed sinking another steamer at the same location, but no confirmation exists for this claim. At 2112 hours, U-101 attacked the convoy east-northeast of Rockall and reported two ships sunk. U-101 was only credited with sinking the Creekirk (Master Elie Robilliard). The master, all 34 crew members and one gunner were lost. The 3,917-ton Creekirk was carrying iron ore and was bound for Workington, England.
U.99, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer, in attacks on convoy SC.7 sank British steamer Empire Miniver (6055grt) 250 miles 310° from Rathlin Head. At 2206 hours the Empire Miniver (Master Robert Smith) was torpedoed and sunk by U-99 about 100 miles west by south of Barra Head. Three crew members were lost. The master and 34 crew members were picked up by HMS Bluebell (K 80) (LtCdr Robert E. Sherwood) and landed at Greenock on 20 October. The 6,055-ton Empire Miniver was carrying pig iron and steel and was bound for Newport, England.
U-46 in attacks on convoy SC.7 sank Swedish steamer Gunborg (1572grt) in 57-14N, 11-00W. At 2225 hours the Gunborg in convoy SC.7 was hit by one G7e torpedo from U-46 and sank about 150 miles west of the Hebrides. The crew was picked up by HMS Bluebell (K 80) (LtCdr R.E. Sherwood, RNR) and landed at Gourock. The 1,572-ton Gunborg was carrying pulpwood and was bound for Ridham Dock, England.
In attacks on convoy SC.7, U-101, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Fritz Frauenheim, damaged British steamer Blairspey (4155grt) in 57-55N, 11-10W with two torpedoes. At 2308 hours U-101 (Frauenheim) attacked the convoy east-northeast of Rockall and claimed two ships with 9500 grt sunk and one with 6000 grt damaged. According to Allied sources only the Blairspey was hit by one or two torpedoes at this time and fell behind the convoy. At 0250 hours on 19 October 1940 the now straggling Blairspey was hit by two torpedoes from U-100, but the badly damaged ship remained afloat because her load of timber and was saved. The Blairspey was not repaired until 1942, when she was rebuilt with a new forepart for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), but still managed by her old owner and renamed Empire Spey. The 4,155 ton-Blairspey was carrying timber and was bound for Grangemouth, Scotland. The Blairspey would be torpedoed again the next day by the U-100 but still remained afloat because of her load of timber.
U-101 attacked two other steamers in SC.7 claiming to have sunk one and damaged one, but no confirmation is available.
U-99 sank Greek steamer Niritos (3854grt) from convoy SC.7 in 57-14N, 10-38W. At 2330 hours the Niritos in convoy SC-7 was hit by one torpedo from U-99 and sank. The 3,854-ton Niritos was carrying sulfur and was bound for Garston, England.
U-100 in attacks on convoy SC.7 damaged Dutch steamer Boekolo (2118grt), which remained behind to rescue survivors, in 56-40N, 10-45W. On 18 October 1940 the Boekelo fell behind the convoy because she rescued survivors from the Beatus, which had been sunk U-46 (Endrass) at 2103 hours. At 2337 hours, she was torpedoed and damaged by U-100 (Schepke) in 56°40N/10°45W and was torpedoed and sunk by U-123 at 0131 hours on 19 October.
U-99 sank British steamer Fiscus (4815grt) from convoy SC.7 in 57-29N, 11-10W. At 2355 hours the Fiscus (Master Ebenezer Williams) was torpedoed and sunk by U-99 east of Rockall. The master, 36 crew members and one gunner were lost. The only survivor was found standing on some debris by a lifeboat of Snefjeld, another victim of the same U-boat. On 23 October, they were all picked up by HMS Clematis (K 36) (Cdr Y.M. Cleeves, DSO, DSC, RNR). The 4,815-ton Fiscus was carrying steel, lumber, and a deck cargo of crated aircraft and was bound for Clyde, United Kingdom.
Just to sum up, the ships lost in Convoy SC 7:
Trevisa (1,813 grt. ca.)
Languedoc (9,512 grt. br.)
Scoresby (3,843 grt. br.)
Aenos (3,554 grt. gr.)
Beatus (4,885 grt. br.)
Convallaria (1,996 grt. sw.)
Creekirk (3,917 grt. br.)
Empire Miniver (6,055 grt. br.)
Gunborg (1,572 grt. sw.)
Niritos (3,854 grt. gr.)
Fiscus (4,815 grt. br.)
Assyrian (2,962 grt. br.)
Soesterberg (1,904 grt. nl.)
Boekelo (2,118 grt. nl.)
Empire Brigade (5,154 grt. br.)
Sedgepool (5,556 grt. br.)
Thalia (5,875 grt. gr.)
Snefjeld (1,643 grt. nw.)
Shekatika (5,458 grt. br.)
Clintonia (3,106 grt. br.)
Submarine HMS H 49 (Lt R. E. Coltart) was sunk by German auxiliary submarine chasers UJ.116 (trawler Gronland, 447grt) and UJ.118 (trawler Elbe, 462grt) off Terschelling. Lt Coltart, Lt C. H- Peterkin, S/Lt A. Carew-Hunt, Probationary S/Lt L. H- L. Dearden, twenty two ratings were lost with H-49. One rating was rescued and made a prisoner of war.
Aircraft carrier HMS Argus with destroyers HMS Beagle, HMS Hurricane, and HMS Achates departed the Clyde at 1600 to embark the RAF 701 Squadron at Reykjavík. Aircraft carrier Argus and destroyer Achates arrived at Reykjavík at 2300/20th. Destroyers Hurricane and Beagle were detached during the night of 19/20 October and did not arrive at Reykjavík until 1035 on the 21st.
Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Curacoa transferred from convoy EN.10 to HX.78 off Duncansby Head.
Destroyers HMS Keppel and HMS Douglas of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla at Greenock were placed under the command of the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet.
Hunt-class destroyer HMS Exmoor was completed. She worked up at Scapa Flow and then was transferred to the 21st Destroyer Flotilla operating in the Nore.
Anti-submarine trawler HMS Kingston Cairngorm (448grt), which was mined off Portland on the 17th, sank in tow at 0318 on the 18th.
British trawler King Athelstan (159grt) was damaged by German bombing about fifteen miles off Mizzen Head.
Canadian auxiliary minesweeper HMCS Bras D’Or (221grt, Acting Temporary Lt C. A. Hornsby RCNR) was lost in the Gulf of St Lawrence while shadowing Rumanian steamer Inginer N. Vlasspol (3610grt) during the night of 18/19 October. Hornsby, Lt (E) M. Cumming RCNR, Acting Skipper J. H- Ruel RCNR, Temporary Acting Skipper J. P- L. Burton RCNR, Temporary Acting Skipper E. R. Conrad RCNR, twenty five ratings were lost in the minesweeper. There were no survivors.
Destroyers HMS Firedrake, HMS Wrestler, and HMS Vidette attacked and sank Italian submarine Durbo off Alboran Island in 34-54N, 04-17W. Forty eight survivors were picked up by the British ships and landed at Gibraltar. The Italian personnel were placed aboard troopship Reina Del Pacifico for transport to England.
Italian steamer Cuma (6463grt) was sunk off Gela/Licata, Sicily, in 37-01-50N, 14-06-12E on a mine.
Heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall intercepted French steamer Indochinois, which had departed Casablanca on the 15th for Conakry, in 5-46N, 13-43W. The steamer was sent under prize crew to Freetown, arriving on the 19th.
Convoy OA.231 departed Methil escorted by sloop HMS Hastings and corvette HMS Fleur De Lys from 18 to 23 October.
Convoy HX.79, which had departed Halifax on the 8th escorted by Armed merchant cruisers HMS Montclare and HMS Alaunia and Dutch submarine O-14, was reinforced in the Western Approaches by destroyers HMS Whitehall and HMS Sturdy, escort vessel HMS Jason, corvettes HMS Hibiscus, HMS Heliotrope, HMS Coreopsis, and HMS Arabis, and anti-submarine trawlers HMS Lady Elsa (531grt), HMS Blackfly (428grt), and HMS Angle (531grt).
Convoy SL.52 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Mooltan to 5 November, when the convoy rendezvoused with convoy SLF.52. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 10 November.
In Washington today, President Roosevelt said he would make five political speeches before election day, and accused his opponents of deliberate falsification of campaign issues. He conferred separately with Representative Christopher Sullivan and James P. Warburg, and received a delegation of Slovak-Americans, who discussed the future of small countries conquered by dictators. He issued a proclamation requesting observance of Armistice Day on November 11 and signed bills requiring foreign-controlled organizations to register with the Department of Justice and giving to men called for training under the Selective Service Act a moratorium on debts and other obligations. Mr. Roosevelt left tonight for Hyde Park.
The Senate and the House were not in session.
President Roosevelt accused the opposition in the political campaign today of systematic and deliberate “falsification of fact,” and said that he would reply in a series of five speeches. The President made his statement at a press conference as sequel to the announcement by Democratic headquarters in New York that he plans to fulfill speaking engagements which will take him to New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland and perhaps to Baltimore. Baltimore may be substituted for a speech tentatively scheduled for this city on October 30. Mr. Roosevelt I will close his campaign at Hyde Park on election eve.
If he goes to Baltimore, a possibility broached this morning and neither confirmed nor denied by the President, his appearance there might place him in the position of speaking in the same city on the same night as Wendell Willkie. Thus, for that evening, the possibility existed that the campaign might assume to some degree the aspects of the debate to which Mr. Willkie challenged Mr. Roosevelt early in the campaign, although the two candidates would not necessarily see each other.
Quoting Abraham Lincoln in the city in which the martyred President lived and from which he started to be inaugurated at Washington, as having said that “the people have the right to change their form of government if they so desire,” Wendell L. Willkie declared tonight that he subscribed to that principle but asserted that the people should know what the change really meant before they made it. Speaking in the State armory to a crowd of 6,000, 500 more than its seating capacity, the Republican Presidential candidate asserted that the dominant issue of this campaign, in his judgment even more important than that which led to the Civil War in Lincoln’s day, was whether or not the American people wanted to change their present system of government for State socialism. Immediately after the meeting Mr. Willkie went to the Lincoln Monument in Oakridge Cemetery and laid a wreath on the cenotaph, the first Presidential candidate to do so at night.
Senator Hiram Johnson, California Republican, announced his support for Wendell L. Willkie tonight, asserting that while he disagreed with the Republican presidential nominee on some issues he was “eternally right upon the great and the all-important one of a third term.” Addressing the nation by radio, the Californian, one-time supporter of President Roosevelt, said that the third term question presented “in greater degree than a flaming war, with its cruel destruction of peaceful nations, a crisis purely American.” “We are asked,” he said, after a discussion of anti-third term precedents, “to gamble now with the most precious of human rights — liberty. We must not do it.”
Representative Martin Dies, Texas Democrat and HUAC Chairman, today predicted an outbreak shortly of a series of “sabotage incidents” like “the recent Hercules powder explosion in New Jersey” unless the federal government takes active steps at once. “Foreign governments have placed agents and saboteurs in every key industry and unless the government acts within 30 days I predict a series of actual sabotage that will cripple the whole national defense program,” the chairman of the house committee investigating un-American activities asserted in an interview.
Proof that Friedhelm Draeger, German consul here, has for six years led a movement to establish a National Socialist party in the United States is in the possession of the Dies committee, members of that group said today. Reports that Draeger had been identified as head of a sabotage, espionage” and propaganda machine, were neither confirmed nor denied by spokesmen, who said the German diplomat had been under investigation for a “considerable” time. Draeger, at the German consulate, refused to discuss the matter. Identification of the German consul as a leader of Nazi activities in the United States reportedly was based on records obtained in raids on the German tourist Information bureau and the Tranocean press.
A petition of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee charging the Bethlehem Steel Corporation with disobeying Federal labor statutes and demanding that government contracts be withheld from companies falling to comply with the orders of federal administrative bodies was presented to the labor advisory committee of the National Defense Commission today for early action.
U.S. Coast Guard cutter Campbell arrives at Lisbon, Portugal.
Kaufman & Harts “George Washington Slept Here” premieres in NYC.
The Royal Canadian Navy patrol vessel HMCS Raccoon departed Halifax for conversion & arming at Pictou.
The U.S. Navy heavy cruiser USS Louisville arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as she continued “showing the flag” in Latin American waters.
The British in India suspend indefinitely the export of scrap iron to Japan. This follows upon a similar ban imposed by the United States and appears to be tied to the re-opening of the Burma Road.
A typhoon riding a 100-mile-an-hour wind today struck Wake Island, the mid-Pacific base of Pan American clipper planes, the U. S. weather bureau here reported. Pan American airways, whose radio is the only communication with the low-lying coral reef, said it had been out of contact with Wake island for several hours. There were no clipper planes In the area. The nearest one was flying from Manila to Guam, far to the west of the storm. Wake island is almost entirely populated by Pan American base employees.
The Burma Road was reopened to the passage of supplies to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Chinese forces to continue their war against the Japanese. Japanese advances in French Indochina and the lack of serious negotiations with the Nationalist Chinese persuaded the British government to take this action.
The Chinese announce that in the first 18 hours of the re-opening of the Burma Road, more than 1500 tons of cargo have embarked on the long journey from Lashio (the start) to Kunming (the terminus). The truck convoys travel at night and a mile apart to avoid attacks. The trucks are described as “the latest American types.”
Japanese naval planes Friday raided key stations along the Burma munitions route into Nationalist China, a few hours after that highway had been reopened by the British, a navy ministry spokesman said today. Many planes took part in the raid, the spokesman said, and attacked stations along the highway all the way from the Burma border to Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, South China, and a key center on the highway which links the Chinese capital in Chungking with the Burmese port of Rangoon. A number of bridges across the Lantsang River near the Burma border were bombed repeatedly and made useless, the spokesman said.
There are reports that the Japanese and the government in the Dutch East Indies in Batavia have reached a “concrete understanding” on oil deliveries to Japan. The actual agreement will be signed on the 19th.
A typhoon riding a 100-mile-an-hour wind today struck Wake Island, the mid-Pacific base of Pan American clipper planes, the U. S. weather bureau here reported. Pan American airways, whose radio is the only communication with the low-lying coral reef, said it had been out of contact with Wake island for several hours. There were no clipper planes In the area. The nearest one was flying from Manila to Guam, far to the west of the storm. Wake island is almost entirely populated by Pan American base employees.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 132.45 (-0.04)
Born:
Cynthia Weil, American songwriter (“We Got Get Out Of This Place”; “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”; “On Broadway”; “He’s So Shy”), in New York, New York (d. 2023).
H.B. “Toby” Halicki, American filmmaker, stunt driver, and actor (“Gone In 60 Seconds”), in Dunkirk, New York (d. 1989)
Naval Construction:
The U.S. Navy Aloe-class net tender USS Larch (AN-21) is laid down by the Marietta Manufacturing Co. (Point Pleasant, West Virginia).
The U.S. Navy Aloe-class net tenders USS Locust (AN-22), USS Mahogany (AN-23), USS Mango (AN-24), USS Mulberry (AN-27), USS Palm (AN-28), USS Redwood (AN-30), USS Rosewood (AN-31), USS Sandalwood (AN-32), and USS Nutmeg (AN-33) are laid down by the American Shipbuilding Co. (Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.).
The Royal Navy Bangor-class (VTE Reciprocating-engined) minesweeper HMCS Minas (J 165) is laid down by the Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd. (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-251 is laid down by Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 16).
The U.S. Navy 70-foot Elco patrol motor torpedo boat USS PT-12 is launched by the Electric Launch Company Ltd. (Elco), (Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.A.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIB U-boat U-75 is launched by Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 3).
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Rhododendron (K 78) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander William Nelson Mitchell Faichney, RNR.
The Royal Navy Hunt-class (Type I) escort destroyer HMS Exmoor (L 61) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander Robert Tindle Lampard, RN.
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) Project 7U-class (Storozhevoy-class) destroyer Stoyky (Стойкий, “Steadfast”) is commissoned.
History Diaries 