Greek troops captured Pogradec.
The capture of strategic operating points in the region of Premet, about 25 miles north of Konitza, Greece, was reported tonight by the Greek high command and a spokesman declared the Greek advance was continuing along the entire Albanian front despite extremely bad weather.
The Greeks on 1 December 1940 continue reinforcing their troops on the Albanian front. Today, III Corps receives 17th Division, while the 13th Division is pulled out of the line for a rest.
Greek II Corps begins attacking beyond Pogradec, but Italian resistance is stiffening.
Greek I Corps opens a new attack against the Italian 11th Army in the important southern sector.
A major battle is developing around Argyrokastro. The Greeks approached the city fairly easily, but the Italians have decided to make a stand there. Much of the battle takes place as artillery duels.
Pogradec has become somewhat of a symbol for the Italians. Its partial loss on the last day of November has caused a crisis in the Italian hierarchy, and Mussolini is making it plain to everyone that if the troops don’t start fighting, heads will roll — and they may roll anyway.
The SS forms its 5th SS Panzer Division. Hitler renames it to “Wiking” on 21 December 1940. Its first commander is SS-Gruppenführer Felix Steiner. The division is formed from the Germania regiment and two regiments of volunteers.
A bomb exploded near Major Vidkun Quisling, Norwegian Nazi leader, but did not injure him during a recent visit to Frederikstad in southern Norway, the newspaper Dagens Nyheters reported from Oslo today. Quisling is the leader of the sole political party permitted since the German occupation. Whether anyone was injured was not stated. Fighting between political opponents in the town of Soarpsborg in which four persons were arrested and several injured also was reported.
Flour, spaghetti, macaroni and rice are rationed from this date in Italy.
Further developments in Spain’s policy are expected this week when Alexander W. Weddell, the United States Ambassador, presents to Foreign Minister Ramon Serrano Suner a detailed offer to supply credits for gasoline and food products.
The Swiss Government imposes rationing of soap, detergent, shoes, and textiles.
The fascist Iron Guard remains stirred up by the reburial of their founder Codreanu and numerous other reasons. There is rioting in the vicinity of the Ploesti oil fields. Ion Antonescu is not specifically the target, but the Iron Guard clashes with government forces. The Iron Guard gradually is pulling Antonescu to a more warlike position, as his government increasingly needs a steady partner like Germany in the face of these types of internal disturbances — and Germany wants a war partner.
Severe fighting is taking place in the Ploesti oilfields in Rumania. The Fascist Iron Guards and the army are in conflict. A message from Budapest states that Premier Antonescu seems to have lost all authority and that Hitler may be forced to take control of the country to restore order.
Diplomats heard early today that the chief of the German supreme command, General Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, has been sent to Rumania, ostensibly to crush internal disorders that have spread bloodshed across the Balkan nation. General Keitel presumably was acting on direct instructions from Adolf Hitler.
Rumania established diplomatic relationship with the Japanese-sponsored puppet state of Manchukuo.
Allied convoy HX 90 was sighted by German submarine U-101.Allied convoy HX.90 became undefended 340 miles west of Ireland after her ocean escorts departed and coastal escorts failing to arrive due to poor weather. At 2012 hours, German U-boat U-101 sank the already-damaged British tanker Appalachee (7 killed, 32 survived) and damaged British ship Loch Ranza. The Germans would sink a total of 11 ships from the convoy from this day through December 3.
Two issues are coming to a head for the British: they are running out of money to buy goods from the Americas, and they are ranked by the Irish refusal to be more helpful in the war effort. Prime Minister sends a memorandum to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Kingsley Wood:
“The straits to which we are being reduced by Irish action [at denial of the Southern Irish ports] compel a reconsideration of the subsidies [to Ireland]. Surely we ought to use this money to build more ships or buy more from the US… let me know how these subsidies can be terminated, and what retaliatory measures the Irish may take.”
Churchill obviously believes in playing tough. In his view, the Irish are being disloyal and freeloading off of the British defense against Hitler. However, the Irish have a very long history of the British use of their resources during recurrent conflicts and really are trying to practice absolute neutrality this time — without any new British “use” of their land.
Admiral Sir John Tovey succeeds Admiral Forbes as C-in-C, British Home Fleet.
At Malta, the dockyard workers and all staff of the Inspecting Ordnance Office hurriedly unload and stockpile ammunition brought to the island during Operation COLLAR. The freighters, Clan Forbes and Clan Fraser constitute a hazard so long as they are full of ammunition and exposed at the docks in Grand Harbour.
This month, Emanuel Ringelblum begins compiling a secret archive of Jewish life in the Warsaw Ghetto.
Also during December, General Petain replaces Vichy France’s independent-minded Vice-Premier, Pierre Laval, with Admiral Jean Darlan.
Southampton has a second successive night of heavy bombing. The last of the three worst nights of the Southampton Blitz occurred. The Luftwaffe bombs Southampton for the second time in a row, this time with 120 bombers. This continues the recent German strategy of causing heavy damage to one moderate-sized town after another. Previous victims have included Coventry and Birmingham.
Adolf Galland was promoted to the rank of Oberst.
Werner Mölders claimed his 55th victory.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 10 Hampdens overnight to Wilhelmshaven, but only 3 reported bombing the target. The Wilhelmshaven civil diary has no entry for this night. No aircraft losses.
RAF Coastal Command makes a daylight raid on the U-boat pens at Lorient.
The RAF continues its support operations in Albania. It attacks Italian communications in southern Albania.
The RAF Army Co-operation Command was formed under the command of Air Marshal Sir Arthur S. Barratt.
The Spitfire Mk.V enters service this month. The Mk.V is a straightforward modification of the Mk.I or Mk.II, with a Merlin 45 engine. Like the Mk.I, it is produced as the Mk.VA with eight.303 guns, and the Mk.VB with two 20mm cannon and four.303 guns. The Mk.VC introduced the “C-wing” or “universal wing” which is not only capable of accepting either armament, but also is stronger, has the landing gear moved slightly forward, and allows 120 rounds to be carried for the 20mm cannon instead of 60. Another variation is the Spitfire LF Mk.V, which has an engine with a cropped supercharger impeller, and thus superior performance at low altitude. The LF Mk.Vs can have clipped wingtips.
The first Soviet Red Air Force Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber is delivered. It reaches 540km/h at 5000 meters altitude.
There are several convoys during this period that suffer quite heavily. Convoy HX.90 takes some of the worst losses, and they begin today while the convoy is about almost 1000 km south of Iceland. Ultimately, the convoy loses 11 ships over three days. When the attacks begin, Convoy HX.90 still does not have any escorts from the Western Approaches due to rough weather, though they begin arriving late today. U-101 spots Convoy HX.90 today and its captain, Kptlt. Ernst Mengersen is ordered to shadow it after reporting its position.
U-37, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Asmus Nicolai Clausen, sank British steamer Palmella (1578grt) in 40‑30N, 13‑30W, straggling behind convoy OG.46. At 2022 hours on 1 Dec 1940 the unescorted Palmella (Master Joseph Every) was struck on the port side a little forward of the midship line by one torpedo from U-37 while steaming on a non-evasive course at 7 knots about 225 miles west of Oporto, Portugal. The ship had been in station #65 of convoy OG.46, but proceeded independently after straggling due to very bad weather on 24 November. The explosion broke the back of the ship, causing her to sag in the middle, but as a precaution all ventilators had been plugged and the locking gear was wedged across the hatch beams and it seems that this prevented her from sinking at once. No distress signals were sent as the radio had been damaged and the 28 crew members and one gunner (the ship was armed with one 12pdr and one machine gun) began to abandon ship in the starboard lifeboat as both boats on port side had been blown out of the davits. While doing so the U-boat was seen to close the ship from astern and shone a small searchlight on them before leaving in a northerly direction without questioning the survivors. The crew left the ship about 20 minutes after being torpedoed in rough sea and just when they got clear, the Palmella broke clean in two. The two halves floated separately for a little while, the after part disappearing first followed by the fore part. The boat then searched the area for a missing crewman but only found an empty raft. He had been on watch below and was probably killed by the explosion. At daylight the boat set sail for the nearest land, but on the second day the weather became very calm and they were unable to make any headway. However, they were in good spirit as the master made fire in a bucket and used a bully beef can as a saucepan to provide the survivors with hot soup and milk. In the morning of 5 December, they were picked up by the Spanish trawler Navemar in 38°33N/12°11W and landed at Lisbon in the night of 5/6 December. The 1,578-ton Palmella was carrying general cargo and 1,000 bags of prisoner mail and was bound for Oporto.
Armed merchant cruiser HMS Forfar, destroyers HMS Viscount (escort commander), HMS Vanquisher and HMS Castleton, Canadian destroyer HMCS St Laurent, sloop HMS Folkestone, and corvette HMS Gentian were escorting convoy HX.90 in the Western Approaches on the 1st. Destroyer Castleton was damaged in a collision on the 1st during escort operations.
U-101, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Ernst Mengersen, in attacks on convoy HX.90 sank British tanker Appalachee (8826grt) in 54‑30N, 20‑00W and damaged British steamer Loch Ranza (4958grt) in 54‑37N, 18‑54W.
At 2212 hours U-101 attacked the convoy HX.90 about 340 miles west of Bloody Foreland and claimed one ship of 8,000 grt sunk (Loch Ranza was only damaged), one ship of 6,000 grt damaged (not confirmed) and one tanker of 12,000 grt sunk (Appalachee). Seven crew members from the Appalachee (Master Warwick Armstrong) were lost. The master and 31 crew members were picked up by HMS Heliotrope (K 03) (LtCdr J. Jackson, RNR) and landed at Londonderry. The 8,826-ton Appalachee was carrying aviation fuel and was bound for Avonmouth, England.
The Loch Ranza was damaged by a torpedo, but managed to continue under own power at 6 knots, later beached by a tug in Rothesay Bay on 9 December. The ship was refloated and repaired at Glasgow, returning to service in May 1941. Of the ship’s complement, all 40 survived. The 4,958-ton Loch Ranza was carrying lumber, grain, and plywood and was bound for Swansea, England.
U-101 is not done with its attacks for the night, but the remainder occurs in the early hours of the 2nd. We’ll get to them on that day’s entry.
Canadian destroyer HMCS Saguenay, which had departed the Clyde on 27 November, escorting convoy HG.47, was torpedoed and damaged by Italian submarine Argo three hundred miles west of Ireland in 54‑40N, 15‑50W. Twenty one ratings were killed. Destroyer HMS Highlander assisted Saguenay and the Canadian destroyer was able to reach, largely under her own power, Barrow in Furness on the 5th for repairs. Destroyers HMS Achates and HMS Anthony from convoy SL.55 joined the convoy as escorts. Saguenay was under repair at Greenock until 22 May 1941.
Lord Mountbatten reassumed command of Destroyer HMS Kelly, completing repairs at Hebburn.
Destroyer HMS Georgetown arrived at Scapa Flow at 1700 to work up.
Destroyers HMS Bulldog, HMS Beagle, and HMS Keppel departed Scapa Flow at 1730 for Rosyth. Bulldog and Beagle were to escort battleship HMS King George V. Keppel was to escort battleship HMS Nelson. The destroyers arrived at Rosyth at 0615/2nd.
Destroyer HMS Punjabi departed Scapa Flow at 0400 for Plymouth as a replacement for damaged destroyer HMS Javelin. Punjabi arrived at Plymouth at 0830/2nd.
Sloop HMS Hastings collided with steamer Limslade on the east coast.
British paddle steamer Her Majesty (235grt) was sunk by German bombing at Southampton Harbor Board Yard. There was no crew members on board at the time of her loss.
British tanker British Officer (6990grt) was sunk on a mine one quarter mile east of North Pier Light, Tyne. The tanker broke in two. The forepart was towed to port. Five crewmen were lost on the British tanker.
Norwegian steamer Oslofjord (18,673grt), escorted by destroyer HMS Vimy, was sunk at 0820 on a mine one half mile 220° from T.2 Buoy, Tyne. The steamer was beached south of South Tyne Pier. One crewman was killed on the steamer.
Dutch steamer Friso (250grt) was damaged by German bombing at Southampton.
Yugoslavian steamer Cetvrti (1936grt) was damaged by German bombing in 51‑30N, 11‑52W.
Light cruiser HMS Newcastle departed Gibraltar for Freetown.
Battleship HMS Royal Sovereign departed Gibraltar for Halifax, escorted by destroyers HMS Jaguar and HMS Kelvin. On the 2nd, destroyer Kelvin attacked a submarine contact in 36-02N, 9-42W.
German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer sank British steamer Tribesman (6242grt) in the South Atlantic near Cape Verde at 15‑00N, 35‑00W. Eight crew members were missing from the steamer. Fourteen crewmen were made prisoners of war. British units began to sweep for Admiral Scheer. Aircraft carrier HMS Hermes, light cruiser HMS Dragon, and armed merchant cruiser HMS Pretoria Castle at St Helena swept northward from St Helena. Heavy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire and light cruiser HMS Neptune swept five hundred miles westward from Freetown. However, no British units contacted Admiral Scheer.
Though the White House remained silent on his plans, there were indications tonight that President Roosevelt would leave tomorrow for a trip to the Caribbean. All Press Secretary Stephen Early would say about it was that “You will have to continue to speculate on where the president is going.” Unofficial word was that Mr. Roosevelt would embark at some southern port for a cruise combining rest and a tour of inspection of defense works in the vicinity of Puerto Rico. Some American naval bases being established on British West Indies possessions also may be included in the itinerary. It was believed the chief executive would be away from Washington about 15 days. Almost every winter, Mr. Roosevelt manages to get away for a short cruise in southern waters to enjoy his favorite pastimes of sailing and fishing. He also has utilized these occasions more than once to witness fleet maneuvers and look over defense preparations. The fact that the navy and marines will be holding practice operations around Culebra island, between Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands, in the next 10 days, led some of the president’s associates to believe he might look in on these.
A tightening of the gift tax provisions in the present revenue law as a means of bringing in additional money needed for defense and other purposes loomed as a possibility in Washington tonight, following President Roosevelt’s conference Friday evening with Congressional leaders on how to meet the general governmental revenue problem.
Joseph P. Kennedy, ambassador to Great Britain, said today that he had tendered his resignation to President Roosevelt on November 6, and would not return to London, The ambassador issued the following statement after a conference at the White House: “On November 6 I tendered to the president my resignation as his ambassador to the court of St. James’s. Today the president was good enough to express regret over my decision, but to say that, not yet being prepared to appoint my successor, he wishes me to retain my designation as ambassador until he is. But I shall not return to London in that capacity. My plan is, after a short holiday, to devote my efforts to what seems to me the greatest cause in the world today, and means, if successful, the preservation of the American form of democracy.” There are reports that his resignation followed a painful scene at the president’s home at Hyde Park in New York State. The ex-ambassador has not gone home empty-handed. He has taken a London air-raid siren to install in his Cape Cod home.
Polls report that 59% of Americans think that the US should go to war, 41% that she should stay out. The Gallup poll shows that U.S public opinion gradually is turning in favor of entry into the European war. The ratio now stands at 59-41 in favor of US entry.
Thirty-four Protestant clergymen and educators made public today a statement opposing former President Herbert Hoover’s proposal for lifting the British blockade to permit food shipments to conquered European nations.
Defense chieftains were disclosed tonight to be urging large contractors to spread defense orders among smaller concerns in an effort to utilize all available machine tools and facilities to expedite military production.
The United States fleet is probably the strongest single sea force in the world, but in the existing international situation it is “not strong enough,” Admiral Harold B. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, warned in his annual report to the Secretary of the Navy today.
Major General Thomas Holcomb was appointed to a second term as the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Two divisions of unique structure and great striking power are being created by the Marine Corps, it was learned today. The divisions — the first at Quantico under command of Brigadier General Holland M. Smith and the second at San Diego under command of Brigadier General Barney Vogel — will continue to form the Fleet Marine Force under the command of Major General William Upshur, who, in turn, is directly under the command of the Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet, Admiral William D. Richardson. Each of the new divisions will number about 11,000 men, training strength, and they will be the first divisions in any military organization in the world, so far as is known, to include under divisional command tanks, planes, parachute troops, reconnaissance elements, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, and field artillery and infantry.
Headquarters for Alaskan units of the U.S. Coast Guard is established at Ketchikan.
The motion picture “The Philadelphia Story” is released in the U.S. This romantic comedy directed by George Cukor stars Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey. The film is nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Stewart), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Hepburn), Best Actress in a Supporting (Hussey), Best Director and Best Picture. Stewart wins along with the writer. In a vote, the members of the American Film Institute have rated this film as No. 51 on the list of the 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time, No. 44 on the list of the 100 Greatest American Love Stories and No. 15 on the list of the 100 Funniest American movies.
Manuel Ávila Camacho is sworn in as the 45th President of Mexico. The event is attended by US Vice President Henry Wallace in a pointed gesture of support, as many in Mexico remain upset about what they see as a fraudulent election over the summer. Ávila Camacho, a conservative who favors better relations with the United States, became president of Mexico today, and in an inaugural address in the presence of the United States vice president elect, Henry A. Wallace, pledged Mexico to her share in the defense of the Americas. The inaugural ceremony took place in the chamber of deputies an hour before noon and was singularly devoid of disturbing occurrences, perhaps because some 30,000 soldiers, police and firemen, military cadets, armed peasants and militarized workers and public employees guarded the chamber and the national palace. Ávila Camacho, a plump, agreeable man of 43, elected last July for a term of six years, was in excellent good humor as he promised his administration’s respect for “all enterprises and investments.”
The real significance in Japan’s recognition of the Wang Ching-wei regime at Nanking is the fact that the recognition was withheld until Tokyo leaders had finally and reluctantly abandoned hope that the Chinese Government, at Chungking, would eventually compromise.
Yakichiro Suma, spokesman for the Japanese Foreign Office, said today that Japan “had no reaction” to the United States non-recognition of the Nanking regime of Wang Ching-wei and to the United States extension of $100,000,000 credit to the Government of China, under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, since both had been expected.
Wang Ching-wei’s Publicity Minister, P. S. Lin, declared today that the new United States credit of $100,000,000 to the Chinese Government was “an unfriendly and unjust reply by a government to the friendly peace. concluded between China [Nanking regime] and Japan.” Japan and the Wang regime at Nanking signed treaties of collaboration and “peace” yesterday at Nanking about the time that the White House announced the credit. The credit, Mr. Lin declared, was extended “out of spite and for the sole purpose of enabling Chungking to exhaust China’s strength in useless conflict with Japan, while simultaneously weakening Japan’s position.
French and Thailand warplanes fought for 20 minutes above the border town of Thakhek yesterday, it was reported here today, but the result of the battle was not announced. At the same time, fighting on the Thai-Indo China border appeared to be expanding as the French exacted “reprisals” for two attacks on Thakhek and Savannakhet last Thursday and yesterday. The details of the operations along the border, where the French have been reported concentrating forces, were not made known, however. The principal cities of southern Indo-China are taking blackout precautions against possible Thai bombing raids while all French women and children have been removed from the border regions. Thus far, there have been no reported French or foreign casualties.
General George Grunert, Commander of the Philippine Department, is advised he would receive 75 additional officers for training the Philippine Army but that it would not be federalized.
Born:
Richard Pryor, American stand-up comedian and actor (“Silver Streak”), in Peoria, Illinois (d. 2005).
Al LeBrun, Canadian NHL defenseman (New York Rangers), in Timmins, Ontario, Canada.
Glynn Griffing, NFL quarterback (New York Giants), in Bentonia, Mississippi.
Cecil Perkins, MLB pitcher (New York Yankees), in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2021).
Naval Construction:
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC U-boat U-171 is laid down by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1011).
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