The Albanian front is quiet on 27 February 1941 aside from some artillery duels.
The Italians landed the remainder of their reinforcements on Kastellorizo. Operation ABSTENTION on Kastelorizo turns from bad to worse for the British, who landed troops successfully on the 26th but then saw them chased out of the main port by newly landed Italian soldiers. The weather is poor, and both sides suspend any landing operations after dark on the 26th. The Italians, however, have more troops on the way from their bases in the Aegean. This leaves the Italian troops already onshore, equipped with 99 mm artillery, free to harass the defenseless British commandos who now are back at their embarkation point. Before dawn, Italian torpedo boats Lupo and Lince landed 240 troops on the Greek island of Kastelorizo near Turkey, then bombarded British positions after daybreak, killing 3 and wounding 7. British destroyers HMS Decoy and HMS Hereward, instead of counterattacking the Italian torpedo boats, departed for Egypt.
Faced with overwhelming force, the commandos are forced to flee from their position and the British who arrive later to try to evacuate them find nothing but a few stragglers and a dead body. At 03:00, the Royal Navy ships finally locate the commandos on the east side of Kastelorizo and come in to evacuate them. However, not all of the commandos can escape; the Italians take a number of them as prisoners.
Offshore, HMS Hereward spots the Italian naval force, but, instead of attacking immediately, looks for fellow destroyer HMS Decoy. It does not find the Italian ships again, which proceed with their operations unmolested. Italian destroyer Crispi attacks patrolling destroyer HMS Jaguar, inflicting some damage, then escapes.
After evacuating the commandos, the British retreat to Alexandria. This leaves the Italians in possession of the valuable island and marks a rare victory for the Italian military. Admiral Cunningham later opines that Operation ABSTENTION was “a rotten business and reflected little credit to everyone.” As usual, there are some claims that the operation served as a good “learning experience,” but the evidence for this is scant. The Admiralty is not amused by the whole affair and court-martials the captain of HMS Hereward for lack of initiative in engaging the Italian destroyers when he first sighted them (found guilty).
Operation ABSTENTION is another failed British commando mission, in company with the assault on an Italian aqueduct in southern Italy earlier in the month and several other rough operations. While many fondly remember the successful commando exploits from later in the war, remembering these early difficult operations provides a more balanced picture.
At Malta, the Luftwaffe drops mines across Grand Harbour and Marsamxetto. Four of the mines drop on land. The British close the harbor while the Royal Navy isolates the mines. There are several air raids during the day.
The Free French continue bombarding the Italians holed up in El Tag fortress at the Kufra Oasis in southwestern Libya. The Italians are taking a lot of damage and do not have any artillery to match that of the French.
The South African troops in Mogadishu become increasingly apprehensive about sanitary conditions. They discover unburied bodies, shallow graves, and other issues. However, they have to occupy the city, so strict sanitation and health practices are mandated.
Gazelle Force is disbanded, having achieved its mission of harassing the Italians north of Kassala. It is replaced by a new force named Kestrel under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel P. S. Myburgh DSO, MC, 25 Field Regiment.
At Mersa Taklai, Eritrea, the 14th Battalion of the Free French Foreign Legion arrives by boats to supplement the Indian 7th Infantry Brigade.
Winston Churchill challenged his House of Commons opponents today with a demand that his government be given a vote of confidence and the house responded with a resounding and unanimous “yes.” It was the first time the British prime minister had made such a demand since his government, then just formed amidst the German invasion of the Low countries, received a 381 to 0 confidence vote last May 13. In the same session Churchill, declaring impatiently that “I really must emphasize that there is a war on,” turned down a request for a debate on the leasing of western hemisphere defense bases to the United States, an issue on which there has been some persistent if faint British grumbling.
At a meeting of the British War Cabinet in London, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies agrees to send Australian troops to Greece.
Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, visiting London and meeting with all the government ministers, notes a simple but unassailable fact in his diary:
“Another convoy beaten up. The shipping strain is enormous, and represents our only real chance of defeat.”
It’s unclear which particular convoy Menzies is talking about because two separate convoys have been “beaten up” within the past week: OB 289 and OB 290. He notes that this will have a direct effect on his country, as “Australia’s export trade is going to suffer” due to the shipping losses.
Yosuke Matsuoka arrived in Berlin, Germany.
The former U.S. Ambassador to France made a public announcement in which he accused the United States of not doing nearly enough or working fast enough in the present international crisis.
Martial law is declared in Amsterdam, Netherlands, as 389 Jews, arrested last week, are deported to Buchenwald camp. The SS and local Dutch police take extreme measures, shooting protesters and taking others captive, to suppress the General Strike. By today, it basically is over, and Martial Law is in effect. This is the only direct action by civilians in Europe against the Holocaust.
Dr. Karl Becker, a German businessman, identified himself today as a principal in a cafe altercation with U.S. Minister George H. Earle last Saturday night, asserting that the American diplomat had called him “you damned Nazi” and attacked him “without provocation.” Becker, who said he had lived three years in Sofia and had no connection with the army or politics, received American newspapermen to give his version. “I was seated at my table,” he said. “I did not know that the man was the American minister. He either threw or struck me with a bottle while I was seated.”
With Spanish leader Francisco Franco having refused to side with the Axis per his letter to Adolf Hitler dated 26 February 1941, the reaction from the Axis is swift. The Axis leaders, with some justification, feel that Franco owes his position to their assistance during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. They take Franco’s refusal as an abrogation of an implicit bargain: we help you, you help us. Accordingly, Italian Duce Benito Mussolini has his ambassador deliver to Spain a bill for sums expended by Italy to support Franco during that earlier war: 7.5 billion Lire.
Oxygen is being administered to former King Alfonso XIII of Spain who remains “extremely weak” after a series of heart attacks during the past 48 hours, his physician, Dr. Giovanni Collaza, reported tonight. Dr. Collaza told the United Press at 9 p.m. that the special oxygen treatment had been given to the 55-year-old former monarch to facilitate his breathing during the day and that he still breathed with great difficulty. His heart condition is unchanged, although it shows the effects of Wednesday’s attacks, the physician said.
Discussions conclude today between the British (Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and CIGS John Dill) and the Turks (Turkish Prime Minister Dr. Saydam, and Mr. Sarajoglu, the Foreign Minister). While no real agreement on anything of consequence is reached, the official communique makes the best of it, stating “deep gratification at the tenor of the conversations” — whatever that means. Unofficial statements by Ankara Radio take a more pro-British stance, but nothing sufficient to suggest a swing in Turkish support toward the Allies. Ankara Radio said tonight that Mr. Eden “is the champion of civilization and humanity against the Axis powers.”
During the night, 30 British Wellington bombers from Wyton in Cambridgeshire, Marham in Norfolk, and Stradishall in Suffolk attacked battleship Tirpitz. The 26 aircraft that arrived attacked and reported success, though the actual results were questionable. The official report blames the poor weather on the failure, which is but one of many RAF failures against the battleship.
The Luftwaffe sends some planes over the English east coast, which drop some bombs and cause some damage. The Germans stay on the ground after dark.
Light cruiser HMS Dido departed Scapa Flow to escort convoy SL.65.
Destroyer HMS Legion arrived at Scapa Flow at 1600 from Greenock to take part in Operation CLAYMORE.
Destroyer HMS Arrow was transferred to the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow from the Western Approaches.
French destroyer Mistral was damaged in a collision with British oiler RFA Black Ranger. There was slight damage to the destroyer.
German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau refueled at sea from tankers Ermland (6528grt) and Friedrich Breme (10,396grt). One hundred and eighty prisoners from the sunken British ships were transferred to the tankers.
Submarine HMS Taku, which had departed the Clyde on the 24th, broke down in the Atlantic when the after hydroplane was carried away in heavy weather. Sloop HMS Enchantress, corvette HMS Gladiolus, and tug HMS Salvonia were sent to assist the submarine. Submarine TAKU arrived at Londonderry on 10 March. She was under repair from 16 to 21 March.
Destroyer HMS Chesterfield, which departed Londonderry on the 27th, collided with submarine HMS H-32 off Londonderry. The destroyer was able to continue on her duties. The damage was later repaired and required one week to complete.
Minesweeping trawler HMS Remillo (266grt, Skipper H. H. Jarvis RNR) was sunk on a mine off the Humber. 1.76 miles 274° from Spurn Point Light House. Jarvis and sixteen ratings were lost on the trawler.
British steamer Stanwold (1020grt) was lost to unknown cause ten miles west, southwest of Selsey.
German bombers sank British steamer Old Charlton (1562grt) in 51-57N, 1-40W. One crewman was lost. Steamer Catherine Hawksfield rescued the survivors.
British steamer Blacktoft (1109grt) was damaged by German bombing in 51-57N, 1-40E. The steamer was taken in tow and arrived at Harwich on the 28th.
British steamer Newlands (1556grt) was damaged by German bombing in Barrow Deep. The steamer was considerably damaged by a bomb which failed to explode.
German bombers attacked British steamer Anchises (10,000grt) in 55-30N, 13-17W. The steamer was attacked again the next day 140 miles west of Bloody Foreland and sunk. Thirteen crewmen and three passengers were lost. The most of crew were picked up by Canadian destroyer HMCS Assiniboine. Later the Captain and a skeleton crew were taken off by corvette HMS Kingcup.
British steamer Noss Head (438grt) was lost to unknown cause in the vicinity of Gardenstown, E. Scotland.
Italian submarine Bianchi attacked British steamer Empire Ability (7603grt) in convoy OB.290 in 54N, 14W without success.
British trawler Christabelle (203grt) was sunk on a British mine in 61-27N, 6-05W. Ten crewmen were lost.
British steamer Cape Clear (5085grt) was damaged on a mine in 53-27N, 4-01W. The steamer anchored off Bar Light Vessel with engine room problems. She was docked at Liverpool on 1 March.
German steamer Adele Ohlrogge (1371grt) was sunk on a mine in the Jade.
Italian armed merchant cruiser Ramb I (3667grt) was sunk in the Indian Ocean at 1N, 70E by New Zealand light cruiser HMS Leander, which had left convoy US 9 at Bombay on the 22nd. The light cruiser picked up 103 survivors and took them to Addu arriving on the 28th.
Operation ABSTENTION continued. Destroyers HMS Decoy and HMS Hasty departed Alexandria at 0700. Destroyer Decoy was carrying half the HMS Rosaura troops. Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Bonaventure and Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth and destroyers HMS Hero and HMS Jaguar departed Alexandria in the forenoon. Destroyer Hero was carrying half the Rosaura troops. Destroyers Decoy and Hero landed the troops.
Italian torpedo boats Lupo and Lince returned to Castelorizzo. The two torpedo boats and two MAS boats landed troops at Castelorizzo. Italian destroyers Crispi and Sella arrived later the same day to land troops.
Destroyer HMS Jaguar engaged Italian destroyer Crispi inside the harbor. Both destroyers launched torpedoes, but neither ship was hit. Destroyer Jaguar reported hitting Crispi with two gunfire hits. The British ships withdrew to Suda Bay.
At 0600/28th, light cruiser HMS Ajax with destroyer HMS Nubian departed Alexandria to take charge of the Aegean forces. Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Bonaventure, screening destroyers HMS Decoy and HMS Hero, detached light cruiser HMAS Perth and destroyers HMS Hasty and HMS Jaguar to join the Ajax group. At dark on the 28th, cruiser Bonaventure proceeded to Alexandria. Destroyers HERO and Decoy were ordered to land the Commando unit for ABSTENTION at Suda Bay and return to Alexandria. Destroyers Nubian, Hasty, and Jaguar carried out a sweep after dark on the 28th between Castellerizo and Rhodes. Radio traffic from an Italian warship was detected between Castellerizo and Rhodes, but the destroyers were unable to make contact. Cruisers Ajax and Perth covered the passage of convoys AN.16 and ANF.16 through the Kaso Straits during the night of 28 February/1 March.
The British troops on Castellorizo surrendered to Italian forces.
Destroyers HMS Hero and HMS Decoy arrived at Suda Bay during the morning of 1 March. They sailed again that day for Alexandria, arriving at 1500 on 2 March.
Destroyers HMS Nubian, HMS Jaguar, and HMS Hasty arrived at Alexandria at 1800 on 1 March.
Convoy OB.291 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyer HMS Caldwell. On the 27th destroyers HMS Volunteer and HMS Walker, sloop HMS Fleetwood, corvette HMS Tulip, and seaplane carrier HMS Pegasus joined the escort. The escorted was detached when the convoy dispersed on 3 March.
Convoy OB.292 departed Liverpool escorted by French destroyer Ouragan, destroyer HMS Ambuscade, sloop HMS Aberdeen, corvette HMS Hollyhock, and anti-submarine trawlers HMS King Sol, HMS Daneman, and HMS St Apollo. When the convoy was dispersed on 6 March, the escorts proceeded to escort convoy SC.23.
Convoy ANF.16 of two British, one Greek, two other ships departed Ports Said escorted by destroyers HMAS Vampire and HMS Hotspur. The convoy was joined by anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta, and arrived at Piraeus on 2 March.
In Washington today, President Roosevelt conferred with Representative Doughton, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, on pending tax legislation and with other officials.
The Senate debated the Lend-Lease bill, completed Congressional action on the $393,687,775 urgent deficiency bill and recessed at 5:37 PM until noon tomorrow. The Finance Committee approved the bill revising the excess profits tax.
The House approved the conference report on the $393,687,775 urgent deficiency bill, approved the bill appropriating $1,533,000,000, for further Army and Navy expansion projects, adopted a resolution of regret on the death in an airplane accident today of Representative W. D. Byron and adjourned out of respect at 1:03 PM until noon tomorrow.
President Roosevelt declared tonight that the Lend-Lease bill was “an all-important factor in hemispheric defense” and remarked that its “early enactment by the Congress we confidently anticipate.” The President chose the occasion. of a radio speech from the White House to the annual awards dinner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood to answer charges made by opponents of the aid-to-Britain bill that this is a “dictatorship” measure. Mr. Roosevelt did so by condemning “dictators” for suppression of free ideas and emphasizing the point that “in our democracy officers of the government are the servants, never the masters of the people.”
The debate in the Senate today on the Lend-Lease bill was marked by a charge by Senator Taft that President Roosevelt was deliberately holding up the legal sale of surplus Army equipment to Great Britain to force the bill through Congress, and counter-charges that some of the bill’s opponents were motivated by a personal animus against the President and were falsely declaring he was bent on involving the United States in war. The question of the use of the United States Navy again came up when Senator Tydings of Maryland asked about President Roosevelt’s intentions regarding disposition of any units in the event the bill was enacted. Senator Tydings’s inquiry was addressed to Senator Brown of Michigan, who was delivering a speech in favor of the bill. Mr. Tydings said that he favored the measure, but that he wanted its sponsors to explain to him whether or not it would permit the President to give away any naval unit he saw fit. Senator Wheeler of Montana interjected that the bill would authorize the President to transfer any part of the fleet or all of it.
John Gilbert Winant, recently appointed United States Ambassador to Great Britain, left for his new post in London yesterday morning aboard the Lisbon-bound Atlantic Clipper. Mr. Winant was beginning his seventeenth crossing of the Atlantic by Pan American Airways clipper.
The office of production management asked the Bethlehem Steel Co. and the Steely Workers Organizing committee (C.I.O.) tonight to agree to a three-point program to end the strike in the company’s Lackawanna, New York, plant immediately. The proposal: 1 All employees of the plant to be fully reinstated as soon as resumption of operations will permit. 2 A conference to he held between the company and the union to seek adjustment of differences. 3 The O.P.M. to “explore” with the labor relations board the possibility of holding an election to determine the bargaining agency at the Lackawanna plant.
Eastern Air Lines Flight 21, registration NC28394, was a Douglas DC-3 aircraft that crashed while preparing to land at Candler Field (now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 26, 1941. On the beam, on course but too low, an Eastern Airlines sky sleeper aircraft careened into a pine woodland near Atlanta, killing Maryland Congressman William D. Byron and six other persons and injuring nine, including Airman Eddie Rickenbacker. The wreckage was found in a pine grove five miles southeast of the Atlanta Range station just after 6:30 AM today. Rescuers found a number of survivors still alive in the wreckage, including Eastern Air Lines President Eddie Rickenbacker, who had suffered a dented skull, other head injuries, shattered left elbow and crushed nerve, paralyzed left hand, several broken ribs, a crushed hip socket, twice-broken pelvis, severed nerve in his left hip, and a broken left knee. Most shocking, his left eyeball was expelled from its socket. Rickenbacker recovered from his injuries after months in a hospital, and regained full eyesight.
Diplomatic conversations looking to an improvement in relations between the United States and Russia were resumed at a long discussion late today between Sumner Welles, Under-Secretary of State, and Constantin A. Oumansky, the Soviet Ambassador.
As key officials proceeded with details of plans to rush more materiel to Britain immediately after enactment of the Lend-Lease bill, further acknowledgment came from the government today that it regarded its own preparedness efforts as immediately linked with those of the British.
William C. Bullitt, former Ambassador to France and Soviet Russia, declared in an address last night that the United States had “done worse than any man had reason to expect” in providing war materials for its own defense, Britain, China and Greece, and urged the proclamation of an immediate national emergency, if necessary, to speed action.
The automotive industry is already making substantial progress in filling defense requirements and it will be ready to increase production sharply as new plants and facilities become available this Spring and Summer, the Automobile Manufacturers Association said today in a “progress report.”
The Bell XFL-1 Airabonita fighter is delivered to the U.S. Navy for evaluation.
A United States Army bomber of the B-18 type fell into Panama Bay tonight and burned. Search failed to disclose a trace of its seven-man crew. Witnesses said that two men leaped with parachutes.
The 1940 (13th) Academy Awards are held at the Biltmore Hotel. The format changes dramatically to inject more suspense into the proceedings; instead of the previous practice of releasing the names of the winners beforehand, now the identities of the winners are kept secret until the actual award. This change leads to the use of “May I have the envelope, please?” for each award. This is done because, before the previous ceremony, the LA Times published the names of the winners before the ceremony.
In terms of awards, David O. Selznick produces the Best Picture winner for the second consecutive year. Having won for “Gone With The Wind” previously, this year he wins for “Rebecca.” However, “Rebecca” wins only one other award, for Best Cinematography (Black and White), making it the least successful Best Picture winner from 1940 onward. Walt Disney’s “Pinocchio” makes history by winning competitive Oscars for Best Song and Best Score, while “The Thief of Baghdad” wins three Academy Awards, the most of the night.
James Stewart wins for Best Actor for “The Philadelphia Story,” Ginger Rogers wins Best Actress for “Kitty Foyle,” John Ford is named the Best Director, Walter Brennan wins his third Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for “The Westerner,” and Jane Darwell wins Best Supporting Actress for “The Grapes of Wrath.” Henry Fonda does not win Best Actor for “The Grapes of Wrath,” but his performance endures and is often reckoned the best of his legendary career.
The Italian auxiliary cruiser Ramb I was sunk off Maldives in the Indian Ocean by the New Zealand Division light cruiser HMNZS Leander. Leander spots and challenges her. Not receiving satisfactory responses, Leander’s commander orders the ship to stop, at which point the Ramb I raises its real flag and opens fire. The Italians miss, but when Leander returns fire, it doesn’t. With Ramb I a burning wreck, its captain lowers the colors and orders the crew to abandon ship. Shortly after most of them take to the boats, Ramb I blows up. Ultimately, 113 men survive, including the Captain, and they all become prisoners of war (save one who later perishes) in Colombo, Ceylon.
The Japanese have delivered an ultimatum to French Indo-China, reliable sources said tonight, demanding that she yield by Friday midnight to Japan’s final proposal for settlement of the border war with Thailand or suffer “forceful action.” (The expiration hour is 7 AM, Friday, P.S.T.) What the Japanese meant by “forceful action to win justice for Thailand” was not disclosed, but it was understood that the foreign office had notified both the colonial administration and the Vichy government that unless a favorable reply is forthcoming the matter would be put in the hands of Japanese military officers already in Indo-China. Competent sources said the foreign office would accept no alteration of the mediation proposal reported by the Japanese press to call for cession to Thailand of large sections of Laos and Cambodia and would extend the deadline only if convinced the French were not “playing for time.”
Vice Admiral Koki Yamamoto was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
It was announced officially today that the minefield guarding the eastern approaches to Singapore harbor has been extended, closing these approaches except for a small craft channel. (The eastern approaches to the Singapore naval base are those leading to the China sea which now are dominated by the Japanese navy).
Australia announced tonight she had broken off diplomatic relations with Rumania, asserting that the Balkan country is “now enemy territory.” (Great Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Rumania two weeks ago and recalled her minister and staff from Bucharest.)
The Japanese Consulate in Honolulu sends a message to Tokyo stating that “apparently the (U.S.) Fleet goes to sea for a week of training and stays in Pearl Harbor one week. Every Wednesday, those at sea and those in the harbor change places. This movement was noted on last Wednesday, the 26th.” Okuda also, as usual, provides a detailed summary of the ships in port, noting that the USS Yorktown is absent.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 121.87 (-0.52)
Born:
Paddy Ashdown, British politician and diplomat, leader of Liberal Democrats (1988-1999), in New Delhi, British India (d. 2018).
Ian McGarry, British unionist and general secretary of the British Actors’ Equity Association (1991-2006).
Died:
William D. Byron, 45, American Democratic congressman from Maryland, in the Eastern Airlines Flight 21 plane crash.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Shakespeare-class minesweeping trawler HMS Othello (T 76) is laid down by Hall, Russell & Co. Ltd. (Aberdeen, Scotland) .
The U.S. Navy SC-497-class (110-foot wooden hull) submarine chaser USS SC-500 is laid down by the Fisher Boat Works (Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boats U-603 and U-604 are laid down by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 579 and 580).
The Royal Navy modified Black Swan-class sloop HMS Wren (U 28) is laid down by William Denny & Brothers (Dumbarton, Scotland).
The Royal Navy Hunt-class (Type IV) escort destroyer HMS Brecon (L 76) is laid down by Thornycroft (Southampton, U.K.).
The Royal Navy Fairmile B-class motor launch HMS ML 204 is commissioned.
The U.S. Navy coastal patrol yacht USS Amethyst (PYc-3) [ex-Samona II] is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Herman Reich, DE-V(G), USNR.
The U.S. Navy coastal patrol yacht USS Onyx (PYc-5) [ex-Pegasus] is commissioned.
The U.S. Navy patrol yacht USS Coral (PY-15) [ex-USS Sialia (SP 543)] is recommissioned. Her commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander W. H. Meyer, USN.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-559 is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Oberleutnant zur See Hans Heidtmann.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Spiraea (K 08) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is T/Lieutenant Louis Clifford Head, RNVR.
History Diaries 