The Ordeal of Convoy OB.290
Germany’s armored troops and fliers are taking over efforts to blunt the British spearhead driven deep into Italian Libya, the Fascist high command indicated today in a report of the first battle between Nazi and British mechanized detachments in that North African colony. “Enemy trucks and tanks were destroyed,” the Italian war bulletin said, “and prisoners were taken without German losses,” in this initial contact.
In North Africa, the Australian 6th Infantry Division is designated for reassignment to Greece. Their replacement is the Australian 9th Infantry Division, a new formation assembled from a hodgepodge of random units. The 9th is training in Palestine and thus is not gaining experience with the extreme climate of Libya. There are skirmishes at Mescelit Pass as the British feel out the Italian defenses. The port of Benghazi basically is closed due to Luftwaffe attacks, forcing supplies to come by truck (over bad roads) from Tobruk and points further east such as Bardia. However, this sort of logistical issue is considered a mere inconvenience, not a potential real vulnerability against the Italians. The British still seem unclear that their true enemy in North Africa no longer is the Italians — it is the Germans.
The battle at Kufra in southwest Libya continues between the Free French under Colonel Leclerc and the besieged Italians in El Tag fortress. The French have been bombarding the fortress for days, and today they score a lucky hit. A shell hits the Italian ammunition dump and blows it up, igniting 250 cases of explosives.
The Albanian front is quiet on 26 February 1941. Both sides are under pressure to make advances, the Italians to salvage some national pride after a terrible winter of military reverses, the Greeks to expel the Italians to free up forces to defend against an anticipated German invasion.
D.N.B., German news agency, reported today in a Sofia dispatch that assault charges had been made in the Bulgarian capital against U. S. Minister George H. Earle as a result of last Saturday’s cafe bottle-throwing incident. D.N.B. said Earle was accused of “inflicting light bodily wounds.” The agency added that “numerous Bulgarian citizens appeared as witnesses.”
The 11th African Division occupies Mogadishu in force today, with the 7th Field Brigade taking up billets in the Motor Transport Park. The troops find a city in crisis, full of shallow graves, unburied corpses, and generally unsanitary conditions. The 12th African Division, meanwhile, continues moving up the Juba River and gradually reduces remaining Italian columns. They Take the road junction at Tassin and take up positions at Modun and Brava. The British advance is hampered more by lack of adequate water and fuel supplies than anything the fleeing Italians are doing.
British announced today the capture of Mogadishu, capital of Italian Somaliland, and unofficially claimed effective control of all its 270,000 square miles, picturing it as the first entire colony to be knocked out ‘of the Fascist empire. Mogadishu, a city of 55,000, fell to British imperial troops who had I thrust forward 400 miles from British Kenya, and other columns were declared to have struck on 60 miles up the Juba River to entrap the main Italian forces between the captured towns of Gelib and Brava and cut their last road of retreat. Italian prisoners already in hand were put by “conservative estimate” at 3,000. In Eritrea, said the British Middle Eastern command, British imperial troops striking at Cheren, which dominates the approaches to the colonial capital of Asmara, have made “satisfactory progress.” In Ethiopia, the native insurgents and their British allies were declared to be pushing on in Gojjam province and to have forced the Italians to evacuate a series of posts. The British field victory in Somaliland was supported by bombers and warships, which heavily bombarded Italian coastal positions.
British Secretary of State Anthony Eden and Field Marshall Sir John Dill, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, continue their Middle East mission with a visit to Ankara, but they get no real response to their efforts to interest the Turks in an alliance. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and Gen. Sir John G. Dill, chief of Britain’s imperial general staff, met diplomats and Turkish leaders here today in conferences which are expected to determine the course of British-Turkish action in the Balkan crisis The Britons were welcomed tumultuously upon their arrival. Persistent rumors in both Istanbul and Ankara said Sir Stafford Cripps, British ambassador to Soviet Russia, is flying to Turkey to consult with Eden. Istanbul airport officials said they expect Sir Stafford to land there tomorrow, but British sources said they had no knowledge of such a flight.
The British still occupy Kastellorizo, having invaded the island with about 200 commandos on the 25th. However, there have been several problems with Operation ABSTENTION, such as poor communications and failure to land most of the planned troops for one reason or another. The Italians have a major base relatively nearby in Rhodes, and the Regia Aeronautica has been punishing the occupying British forces and the Royal Navy ships standing offshore. The situation remains relatively stable until shortly after sunset when Regia Marina torpedo boats Lince and Lupo land about 240 soldiers north of the port. They bring with them 99 mm artillery, which they use to shell the port and kill three and wound seven commandos. The Italian boats then evacuate some Italian civilians.
The British commandos are forced by the Italian bombardment to abandon the port and retreat to their landing point near Cape Nifti. They inform the destroyers Hereward and Decoy standing offshore about the Italian landings, but they are too far away to intervene until the Italian landings are over and the Italian ships have departed. Other British troops (Sherwood Foresters) are on armed yacht HMS Rosauro and could be landed to help the commandos, but due to the difficult situation onshore, those landings are canceled.
The operation rapidly descends into chaos for the British commandos. They never were intended or supplied to hold a position indefinitely; instead, the plan was for them to seize key facilities, then hand off to well-prepared and supplied static troops. As night falls, they are isolated without shelter or food and subject to bombardment by the Italian guns. They can do nothing but wait for evacuation.
Offshore, there are Italian and Royal Navy ships near the island, but for the most part they are just ships passing in the night. The British naval part of Operation ABSTENTION is Operation Mar2, and there are several destroyers ready for action. HMS Hereward does see the Italian ships but loses contact before it can team up with HMS Decoy to mount an attack. Destroyer HMS Jaguar is fired upon by Italian destroyer Crispi, including two torpedoes which do not hit. The action is confused in the darkness, and the Crispi gets a lucky shot which puts out the Jaguar’s searchlight, making her firing ineffective. Later, destroyers Jaguar, Nubian and Hasty sail toward Rhodes to find the Italian ships, but they are long gone.
German submarine U-47 attacked Allied convoy OB.290 190 miles northwest of Ireland before dawn, sinking 3 merchant ships and damaging one more. U-47 was attacked by depth charges, which called for assistance in the form of Fw 200 bombers of I. Gruppe KG 40 based in Bordeaux, France. The aircraft attacked the convoy from 0900 to 1845 hours, sinking 8 ships.
U-47 (Kptlt. Günther Prien) starts the ball rolling at 01:37. Prien goes to work as only he can:
5254-ton Belgian freighter Kasongo (sunk, 6 deaths)
3636-ton Norwegian freighter Borgland (sunk, all survive)
3197-ton Swedish freighter Rydboholm (sunk, 28 survivors)
8106-ton British freighter Diala (1 dead, damaged, makes port).
The Rydboholm becomes a flaming wreck, abandoned by its crew. The derelict eventually is sent to the bottom by the Luftwaffe. In all, Prien’s U-47 helps to sink three ships of 12,087 tons.
Prien calls for help (he is a master at stage-managing convoy destructions). Help indeed is available, both from other U-boats (U-73, U-97, Italian submarines Michele Bianchi and Barbarigo) and the Luftwaffe.
Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of I,/KG 40 first arrive around noontime. There are multiple attacks throughout the afternoon. The attacks are pressed home at wavetop level with great daring. The Condors get credit for sinking:
7181-ton British freighter Mahanada (three deaths)
4659-ton British freighter Swinburne (all survive)
4966-ton British freighter Llanwern (25 deaths)
4340-ton Greek freighter Kyriakoula (all survive)
2580-ton Norwegian freighter Solferino (3 deaths)
4368-ton Dutch freighter Beursplein (21 deaths, the ship sinks on the 27th after the crew finally abandons ships).
In addition, 5273-ton British freighter Melmore Head is damaged. The crew abandons ship, and it later is towed into Rothesay Bay and beached. Another victim is 4758-ton British freighter Leeds City, which eventually is towed into the Clyde. A third damaged ship, 7915-ton Dutch freighter Suriname, makes it into St. Michaels apparently under its own power. Swedish 4719 ton freighter Samuel Bakke is bombed and strafed (and also may have shot down a Condor), but is able to continue with the convoy to Halifax.
Also joining the attack on Convoy OB 290 is Italian submarine Michele Bianchi (Capitano di corvetta Adalberto Giovannini). Captain Giovanni makes the Bianchi one of the more aggressive Italian boats. Tomorrow, it sinks 6803-ton British freighter Baltistan. There are 51 deaths and 18 survivors from Baltistan.
The anti-Nazi “Februari Strike”, organized to protest against the pogrom against the Jews as well as the forced labor in Germany, has spread from Amsterdam to other areas of the Netherlands including Zaanstad, Kennemerland and Utrecht.
The General Strike in Holland by 300,000 people continues, but already it has past its peak. Largely organized by the Communist Party of the Netherlands, it originally was intended for only two days. Nobody really expected the massive outpouring of support for resistance organized by an outlawed — and largely reviled — political organization. There are 78 deaths as the SS shoots the strikers without mercy, and others are sent to camps, where they invariably disappear.
The February strike was largely put down. Six civilians were killed in Amsterdam and a number wounded today in clashes between the police and “disturbers of the peace,” it was announced officially tonight. A brief German announcement stated that these deaths had occurred in police actions during which “the ringleaders of nightly attacks against the police patrol and a secret Jewish organization were uncovered.” “During the act of restoring order six disturbers of the peace were killed and a number more or less severely injured. A great number of persons responsible for the disturbances or having participated therein were arrested.”
The Dutch government-in-exile discusses moving from London to Australia with Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies. With extensive naval forces remaining in the Dutch East Indies, the Dutch government would have more direct influence over events there than in England.
Vichy-France makes religious education in school mandatory.
Francisco Franco belatedly replied to Hitler’s three-week-old letter, expressing support for the Axis but making exorbitant demands for the price of Spain’s entry into the war. Franco refused Hitler’s 6 February 1941 request for Spain to enter the war. Dictator Francisco Franco, in response to Chancellor Adolf Hitler’s appeal to enter the war, says, “I stand today already at your side, entirely and decidedly at your disposal,” but refuses to enter the war.
Franco begins by expressing the “confirmation of my loyalty.” However, thereafter the tone quickly degenerates into reasons why Spain cannot join the war. He notes that “Germany has not fulfilled her offers of effective support [of grain] until very recently.” He also sets forth his requirement for entry into the was as diplomatically as possible: “it is also necessary that that Suez Canal be closed.” Failure to accomplish, he writes, would result in an “inordinately prolonged war” and make Spain’s participation “extremely difficult.” He concludes that the discussions that he and Hitler had at Hendaye in October now are “outmoded.” While he never comes right out and says it, Franco basically tells Hitler that they have no deal for Spanish entry into the war, and won’t until the Germans capture Cairo. This letter concludes their correspondence for the time being.
Franco’s letter really just confirms the obvious: that Italy’s disastrous downfall in North Africa and Albania had devastating strategic consequences for the Axis emanating far from those battlefields. However… there is someone who might just pull off the capture of Cairo and satisfy Franco’s condition, a new face on the scene in North Africa: General Erwin Rommel of the Afrika Korps.
While Franco is turning down Hitler, the Turkish President, İsmet İnönü, is doing the same to the British. British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and CIGS Sir John Dill are in Ankara to try to cajole the Turks to join the Allies. However, just as on the other end of the Mediterranean to Hitler, the answer is a very diplomatic “No.” The leaders of both Turkey and Spain, incidentally, both will be ruling long after the current leaders of Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and the United States have departed the scene, so they simply being shrewd.
The fighting capacity of Russia’s Red Army and Navy “must be strengthened in every possible manner,” the Supreme Soviet was warned today in a recommendation that the 1941 defense budget be increased another 250,000,000 rubles.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 12 Blenheims during daylight on a Circus operation; 11 aircraft bombed Calais. 1 Blenheim on cloud-cover raid to Germany turned back. No losses.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 126 aircraft of all types except Stirling overnight to 2 targets in Cologne. 106 aircraft bombed and reported large fires. Cologne only reports 10 high-explosive and 90 incendiary bombs on the western edge of the city and more bombs in 3 village areas to the west. (This was out of 353 high-explosive and 15,060 incendiary bombs carried by the bomber force.)
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 9 Blenheims and Wellingtons overnight to Boulogne and 5 Hampdens minelaying off Cuxhaven. 1 Blenheim lost.
The Luftwaffe’s activity during the day is light, with a few scattered bombs dropped in Kent and East Anglia. At night, the German attacks largely focus on towns in Wales, primarily Cardiff. The damage at Cardiff is fairly heavy, concentrated on the docks, St. Martin’s Church, and parts of Violet Street. The railway lines nearby are not damaged. There are several deaths and two firemen fighting fires at the docks are injured.
The RAF is swapping out front-line units to give them a rest and refit. Today, RAF No. 65 flies north and trades its new Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIs for older Mk IAs at Kirton. The planes go to RAF No. 616 Squadron, which takes No. 65’s place on the front lines at RAF Tangmere.
Werner Mölders, Kommodore of JG 51, continuing his recent roll of victories after a long vacation, claims No. 60 today during the operations over Calais. Fellow ace (experten) Hans-Karl Keitel (8 victories) perishes in the action.
The Luftwaffe makes another major raid on Malta after several weeks of scattered attacks. This time, 60 heavily escorted bombers (including Junkers Ju 87 Stukas) attack the RAF airfield at Luqa (British reports inflate this into a 100-plane raid, which, with escorts, may technically be true). The raid is damaging to both sides, but more so to the British. The RAF loses three Hawker Hurricane fighters and 13 Wellington bombers destroyed or damaged. The Stukas lose seven of their number, demonstrating once again that they are fearsome weapons of destruction both to their enemies and their pilots.
The Germans have become active against the convoys again, and their efforts are producing results. Recently, OB.289 was devastated by U-boat attacks. While U-boats gain fame, the Luftwaffe also contributes greatly to the blockade effort at this point in the war, as they prove today. Convoy OB.290 is heading west and is south of Iceland when the Germans attack. The convoy disperses after the first U-boat attacks, but that does not help its ships.
In attacks on convoy OB.290, U-47, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien, sank Belgian steamer Kasongo (5254grt) in 55-50N, 14-20W, damaged British tanker Diala (8106grt) in 55-50N, 14W, damaged Swedish steamer Rydboholm (3197grt) in 55-32N, 14-24W, sank Norwegian steamer Borgland (3636grt) in 55-50N, 14W.
Six men from the Kasongo (Master Emile Mathieu) were lost. The ship carried 44 crew members and two gunners. The survivors were picked up by HMS Campanula (K 18) (LtCdr R.V.E. Case, DSC, RNR) and landed at Gourock. The 5,254-ton Kasongo was carrying general cargo and ammunition and was bound for Matadi, Belgian Congo.
One crew member on the British motor tanker Diala was lost.
At 0137 hours, the Borgland (Master Anders Andresen) in station #35 was struck by one torpedo on the port side in the #2 hold. The crew abandoned the slowly sinking ship with an increasing list in 55°53N/13°33W and was picked up by HMS Pimpernel (K 71) (Lt F.H. Thornton, RNR). The 3,636-ton Borgland was carrying ballast with six aircraft as deck cargo and was bound for Takoradi, Ghana.
At 0210 hours, the Rydboholm (Master B. Ryberg) in station #14 was hit on the port side in the bow by one torpedo. She settled slowly by the head until her propeller was above the water while the 26 crew members and two passengers abandoned ship in the lifeboats. The survivors reboarded the vessel when she was still afloat in the morning, but abandoned her again because the wind increased and the weather worsened. Rydboholm eventually foundered in 55°48N/14°25W. The survivors were picked up by HMS Pimpernel (K 71) (Lt F.H. Thornton, RNR) and taken to Britain. “Lloyds War Losses” mentions that the damaged Rydboholm was bombed and sunk by German Fw200 aircraft later that day, but this is not confirmed by Swedish sources. The 3,197-ton Rydboholm was carrying ballast and was bound for Freetown, Sierra Leone.
German bombers sank British steamers Mahanada (7181grt) in 54-07N, 17-06W, Swinburne (4659grt) in 54-00N, 16-58W, and Llanwern (4966grt) in 54-07N, 17-06W from convoy OB.290. Three crewmen were lost on steamer Mahanada. The entire crew of steamer Swinburne was rescued. Twenty five crewmen and two gunners were lost on steamer Llanern.
Greek steamer Kyriakoula (4340grt) was sunk by German bombing in 55-02N, 16-25W. The vessel was not hit, but the bombs fell alongside the steamer which had already been abandoned. The entire crew was rescued.
Norwegian steamer Solferino (2580grt) was sunk by German bombing in 55-02N, 16-25W. Three crewmen were lost.
Dutch steamer Beursplein (4368grt) was badly damaged by German bombing in 54-12N, 16W. Twenty one crewmen were lost. The ship was abandoned on fire on the 27th and later sank.
British steamer Melmore Head (5273grt) was damaged by German bombing in 55-07N, 16-00W from convoy OB.290. The steamer was abandoned. She was towed into Kames Bay on 5 March and then to Rothesay Bay where she was beached pending repair.
British steamer Leeds City (4758grt) was damaged by German bombing in 54-00N, 17-45W from convoy OB.290. On 6 March, the steamer was towed into the Clyde.
Dutch steamer Suriname (7915grt) was damaged by German bombing in 54-12N, 16-40W. The steamer arrived at St Michaels on 5 March.
U-70 sank Swedish steamer Göteborg (820grt) southeast of Iceland. The Göteborg with 20 crew members and three passengers was reported missing after leaving Reykjavik on 25 Feb 1941. It is probable that she was sunk by U-70 southeast of Iceland the next day, which was herself lost shortly afterwards. The 820-ton Göteborg was carrying herring and was bound for Gothenburg, Sweden.
Heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk departed Scapa Flow at 1247 to meet convoys HX.112 and SC.24 in 52W.
Destroyer HMS Georgetown, which departed Aultbrea on the 20th, was in a collision with an unknown ship. The destroyer arrived in the Clyde on the 28th. She was repaired in the Tyne completing in early June.
Destroyers HMS Intrepid, HMS Icarus, and HMS Impulsive, escorted by destroyers HMS Vansittart and HMS Wivern, laid minefield JL in the English Channel during the night of 26/27 February.
In a minelaying operation from North Coates, a Swordfish of 812 Squadron forced landed and Sub Lt E. David and Sub Lt K. J. Cole were killed.
P/T/Sub Lt (A) J. Stafford-Clark RNVR, was killed when his Miles Master of 760 Squadron crashed near Somerton Erleigh. P/A/Sub Lt (A) J. E. Scott RNVR, also in the aircraft, was not hurt.
British steamer Minorca (1123grt) was sunk by German S.28 in 53-04N, 1-21E, off Cromer. Seventeen crew and two passengers were lost. Two crewmen and one passenger were rescued.
Dutch steamer Amstelland (8156grt) was badly damaged by German bombing in 54-12N, 16W. The steamer was taken in tow, but was abandoned on the 28th in a sinking condition.
British power barge Brackelier (230grt) and barge Monarch, under tow, were sunk on mines eighty feet off Alexandra Jetty, at the entrance to Alexandra Dock, Hull. Two crewmen were lost from the power barge and one crewman was rescued from barge Monarch.
Norwegian steamer Teneriffa (5655grt) was sunk by German bombing in 51-30N, 4-55W. The entire crew was rescued.
British steamer Empire Steelhead (7744grt) was damaged by German bombing at ten miles 80° from Cromarty. The steamer was set on fire. She was towed to an anchorage of Invergordon.
British trawler Hopton (202grt) was damaged by German bombing six miles east, southeast of Girdleness.
German lugger Schaumburg-Lippe (200grt) was sunk on a mine in the Elbe.
Ocean boarding vessel HMS Corinthian arrived at Gibraltar from Western Patrol.
Convoy AN.16 of British steamer Alavi (3566grt) and four Greek ships departed Port Said for Piraeus and Port Said escorted by destroyer HMS Greyhound. Destroyer HMS Havock joined the convoy. Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Coventry joined on the 28th. On the 28th at 1925, cruiser Coventry’s temporary bow was badly shaken and the cruiser was forced to hove to. At 2306, the cruiser was ordered to return to Alexandria. The cruiser arrived at Alexandria at 1500 on 1 March. Destroyer Greyhound continued with the convoy. The convoy arrived at Piraeus on 3 March.
Today in Washington, President Roosevelt held a series of conferences on British aid plans with Cabinet members, officials of the War and Navy Departments and Harry L. Hopkins and also conferred with Sir Hugh Dowding, British air marshal. He received from Gano Dunn of the Office of Production Management a report of facilities of the steel industry and discussed with William Paley of the Columbia Broadcasting System plans for an interchange of radio programs with South American countries.
The Senate debated the Lend-Lease bill and recessed at 6:10 PM until noon tomorrow. The Temporary National Economic Committee heard Isador Lubin on proposals to care for defense workers after the emergency is past.
The House debated the $1,533,429,702 fourth defense deficiency appropriation bill and adjourned at 3:24 PM until noon tomorrow. The Committee on Executive Expenditures approved a bill to make permanent the Office of Government Reports after hearing Lowell Mellett, director of the office.
Acting upon the assurances of Senate and House leaders that the Lend-Lease bill will be passed without further substantial amendment, President Roosevelt took steps today looking to the transfer to Great Britain of all war supplies from the present stores of the Army and Navy which could be spared without crippling the American armed forces. A series of conferences at the White House was attended by key officials and advisers, including Harry L. Hopkins, who is mentioned to an increasing degree as the prospective coordinator of the Lend-Lease program. Attending the first conference were Secretaries Hull and Stimson, James V. Forrestal, Acting Secretary of the Navy: General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, and Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations. They were with the President for most of the morning. Immediately after luncheon they returned for another conference and were joined by Secretary Morgenthau. Meanwhile Mr. Roosevelt talked with Sir Hugh Dowding, British Air Marshal, and during this conversation Mr. Hopkins, who lives at the White House, was called in. The meeting between the British air official and the President was arranged by John G. Winant, who is preparing for his departure to his new post as Ambassador to England.
Today’s was the first definite major move the President or any one else in the government has made toward assembling existing American war supplies and moving them in the direction of embarkation ports for England. Mr. Roosevelt has refrained from moving supplies out of arsenals and Navy yards pending adoption of the Lend-Lease bill. Congress leaders informed him yesterday that the measure would be voted soon despite the increasing fury of debate in the Senate. Administration sources revealed that the final inventories of British war needs and existing American supplies were checked at the White House conferences to determine what war sinews the United States can spare so that they can be shipped to the docks without any loss of time when the green light is given by Congress. Britain has listed long-range bombers, ships, field guns, machine guns, ammunition and a host of supplies which are needed quickly, and some informed officials today expressed the opinion that about $500,000,000 worth of material would be shipped as soon as Congress acts.
In a tumult of snapping tempers, the Senate today heard Senator Chandler, Kentucky Democrat, accuse opponents of the Lend-Lease bill of endeavoring to undermine public confidence in President Roosevelt. In turn, Senator Wheeler, Montana Democrat, angrily replied that Mr. Roosevelt was trying to “flim flam” the public. He repeatedly described as “shocking” the president’s statement of yesterday that the task of winning the war must take precedence over any talk of peace aims. He called it indicative of an attitude that the United States was already in the war. The opposition, represented by Senators Wheeler of Montana, Nye of North Dakota and Clark of Missouri, quoted President Roosevelt’s remark at his press conference yesterday to the effect that there could be no peace in Europe until Hitler were defeated, and Secretary Jones’s remark last week that “we are alreuty in the war,” and cited Mrs. Roosevelt’s endorsement of Dorothy Thompson’s recent lecture here, in which military action against Hitler was advocated, as proving their contentions.
Senator Norris of Nebraska, one of the six Senators who voted against the declaration of war by the United States in 1917, declared in an address over the networks of the National Broadcasting Company tonight, that he was in favor of the Lend-Lease bill as “necessary to keep us out of war.” “I have been criticized by many honest, well-meaning people, who tell me that I have reversed myself since the World War when I voted against the declaration of war,” Mr. Norris said. “I am moved deeply by the criticisms, the honest, courteous criticisms, that come from many well-meaning people on that score. I have wondered during the long hours of the night on many occasions whether they were right. I tried my best to reason myself into a position where I could agree with them, but my reasoning power will not permit me. I hate war as deeply as I did in the days of the first World War. It has no redeeming feature. It is a relic of barbarism, and in a peaceful, liberty-loving world it has no place, except as a means of self-defense.”
U.S. State Department officials said today that George H. Earle, U.S. minister, cannot legally be arrested or tried on the assault charges reported to have been filed against him in Sofia. They asserted that Earle has diplomatic immunity. The State Department had received no report late today that charges had been filed against the envoy.
The United Automobile Workers-C.I.O., in a formal notice required by Michigan law, today threatened three principal Michigan plants of the Ford Motor Co. which employ nearly 95,000 with their first strike. In a telegram to President Roosevelt, however, high union officials declared that their organization was “wholeheartedly in support of our national defense program” and that “if there can be avenues opened for adjustment of our grievances without a strike, we are ready to use those avenues.” The Ford company has orders for 4,000 Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines and several thousand “midget” or “pygmy” trucks for the U.S. army. It also is to produce parts and sub-assemblies for bombing planes for the Douglas and Consolidated companies.
A plan for a new labor board to serve as a supreme court for strikes and disputes in defense industries which cannot be settled by the established machinery of federal mediation was reported taking shape today in the hands of high officials. One well-informed official who declined to be quoted by name said an executive order for the creation of such a board was in the final stage of drafting.
An extensive modification of U.S. aircraft markings added the National Star Insignia to both sides of the fuselage or hull and eliminate those on the upper right and lower left wings; discontinued the use of colored tail markings, fuselage bands and cowl markings; made removal of vertical red, white and blue rudder stripes mandatory; and changed the color of all markings, except the National Insignia, to those of least contrast to the background. This change will be implemented over time, so the old markings will be seen in some units well into 1941.
An Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) Ercoupe enters service with the US Army Air Corps, with designation YO-55 (415-C, Serial Number 41-18875). It is a short-field takeoff plane that is being used to test Rocket-Assisted (RATO) flights (it already has made the first jet-assisted take-off (JATO) flight in history).
Eastern Airlines Flight 21, Douglas DST-318A, msn 3250, registered NC28394, crashes near Atlanta Municipal Airport, Georgia. There are 8 deaths, including Maryland Congressman William D. Byron. Among the six survivors is World War I aviation hero (and head of the company) Eddie Rickenbacker (who has a very rough time riding airplanes during World War II, as we will see). Rickenback is soaked in fuel and trapped in the wreckage. However, he coordinates efforts of the other survivors from his immobile position. The press announces his passing, and in fact (according to his vivid autobiography) the emergency ambulances at first leave him behind for dead. When Rickenbacker finally arrived at the hospital, the Emergency Room people left him for dead. Eventually, they attend to him, and despite extensive injuries (including loss of his left eyeball), Eddie Rickenbacker eventually achieves a reasonably full recovery (to the extent possible considering his missing parts).
The Japanese Foreign Ministry is coordinating spying operations not only in Hawaii (Acting Consul General Okuda), but also in Canada. Today, they send instructions to their consulate in Vancouver:
“Please wire reports covering the positions and movements also of the ships of Canada’s Pacific Fleet. Please transmit to Ottawa and from that office —– to the Naval Attaché.”
German Ambassador Edmund von Thermann, who returned from Berlin several days ago, tonight warned Argentina that her trade relations with the United States have no future and that American aid to Great Britain is only a British “dream.” The ambassador cautioned Argentina not to forget Japan, who is “now on our side.” Von Thermann, who recently went to Berlin by plane to make a personal report, made his statements to the press, pointing out that post-war Germany would become the biggest buyer of Argentine goods. He asked that the Argentines treat Germans in Argentina with “common respect.”
Total acceptance by French Indo-China within this week of Japan’s proposals for a new frontier with Thailand is demanded in the Japanese press this morning with strident warnings against delay or evasion or interference by third powers.
Japanese news agency, reported from Tokyo today it had learned authoritatively Japan had ordered Japanese residents to leave French Indo-China immediately to allow Japan full freedom of action in event of failure of the Thailand-Indo-China peace conference.
At Garbutt airfield in Australia, the military sets up a high-frequency direction finding (HFDF) station.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 122.39 (-0.01)
Born:
George Kopacz, MLB pinch hitter and first baseman (Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates), in Chicago, Illinois.
Bob Cunningham, Canadian NHL centre (New York Rangers), in Welland, Ontario, Canada.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Isles-class minesweeping trawler HMS Inchmarnock (T 166) is laid down by J. Lewis & Sons Ltd. (Aberdeen, Scotland).
The Royal Navy Bangor-class (Reciprocating-engined) minesweeper HMS Fort York (J 119) is laid down by the Dufferin Shipbuilding Co. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada); completed by Montreal-Loco.
The Royal Navy LCT (Mk 1) landing crafts, tank HMS LCT 23 and HMS LCT 24 are launched by the Cammell Laird Shipyard (Birkenhead, U.K.).
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “L” (Leninec)-class (4th group, Type XIII-modified) submarine L-25 is launched by Marti Yard (Nikolayev, U.S.S.R.) / Yard 198.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIB U-boat U-84 is launched by Flender Werke AG, Lübeck (werk 280).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-408 is launched by Danziger Werft AG, Danzig (werk 104).
The Royal Australian Navy depot ship and accommodation vessel HMAS Kuttabul is commissioned. Kuttabul was laid down in Walsh Island Yard, Newcastle, NSW, in 1922, as a passenger ferry. She was requisitioned for the RAN on 7 November 1940.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Convolvulus (K 45) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Richard Sinclair Connell, RNR.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type 1936A-class destroyer Z27 is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Korvettenkapitän Karl Ernst Smidt.
History Diaries 