In Eritrea, Italian East Africa, British troops offered surrender terms to Italian Admiral Mario Bonetti’s fleet which had sortied out of Massawa on the previous day; Bonetti chose to press on with his planned attack on Port Sudan in British Sudan. British armored cars under Colonel Bernard Fletcher cut off the Italian retreat from Eritrea at Adigrat, as British troops advance from Asmara towards the seaport of Massawa on the Red Sea. Finally, in Abyssinia, 22nd East African Brigade of the British 11th African Division reached the Awash River.
The Italians at Massawa know that, with The Indian 5th Infantry Division moving quickly from Asmara toward Massawa, time is short. They send five destroyers (Battisti, Manin, Pantera, Sauro, and Tigre) on a one-way mission to attack Port Sudan and then scuttle themselves. The Royal Navy and RAF both have strong forces in the area, so the Italian destroyers face a daunting task in carrying out their mission.
Around this date, British Major General Lewis Heath, commander of the Indian 5th Infantry Division, gets on the telephone and calls Massawa. Italian commander Rear Admiral Mario Bonetti gets on the line and refuses an ultimatum to surrender. Heath also demands that Bonetti not block the harbor with sunken ships, else the British would not protect Italians from natives after the Italian troops are disarmed (which has become a problem recently for the Italians remaining behind in cities to be occupied by the British). Bonetti also refuses this obvious attempt at extortion.
German troops captured Agedabia (Ajdabiya) and Zuetania in North Africa. Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel, commander of the Afrika Korps, orders the 5th Light Division to continue its advance and take Agedabia. The British then begin a withdrawal to Antelat, 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Agedabia. After a number of unit engagements during the day, the British 2nd Armoured Division is ordered to withdraw to Antelat leaving the coast road to Benghazi open. Rommel also sends one column apiece toward Derna and Tobruk. Tellingly, Rommel only issues these orders verbally, knowing that they are contrary to standing orders not to attack.
Despite the stunning Afrika Korps advance, perhaps the most interesting thing that happens during the day is Italian Commander General Gariboldi’s reaction to it. Gariboldi previously has forbidden further advances until more Wehrmacht and Italian troops arrive. Late in the day, Rommel receives a message from the Commando Supremo:
“From messages I have received I take it that your advance continues. This is contrary to what I have ordered. I politely request that you wait for me before you continue the advance.”
This rather perfectly encapsulates the state of Italian generalship during World War II.
Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down a Hurricane fighter near Tobruk, Libya at 1250 hours.
At sea, Operation WINCH begins. This is a resupply of Malta, including a flight of a dozen Hurricanes to be flown off HMS Ark Royal. The Ark Royal is accompanied by battlecruiser HMS Renown and light cruiser HMS Sheffield.
A convoy of five freighters departs from Naples bound for Tripoli.
The New Zealand Division under Major General Sir Bernard Freyberg completes its concentration in Greece on a position stretching from the Aegean coast north of Katerini westwards along the south bank of the river Aliakmon. The British Operation Lustre has brought over large British Army troop concentrations by 2 April 1941, and more are arriving daily. Major General Freyberg positions his New Zealand Division on the Aliakmon Line, which follows the river Aliakmon from the Aegean coast around Katerini westwards on the river’s south bank. This is as far forward as the British feel may be defensible, but the Greeks prefer a line along the border with Bulgaria.
The British Chief of the Imperial General Staff, General Sir John Dill, is in Belgrade meeting with the head of the government, General Dusan Simovic. Dill is attempting to reach an alliance with Yugoslav officials but they refuse. The Yugoslavian military attaché reports to Prime Minister Simovic that the Germans are to invade on the 6th. Simovic continues to refuse to contemplate military coordination with Great Britain.
Gerhard Feine, the Counsellor at the German Legation at Belgrade, reported that morale generally was low. People were having second thoughts about the coup d’état, and it seemed likely that the government would be willing to make concessions in order to avoid war, including adherence to the Tripartite Pact. It is too late though. Feine is instructed by Berlin to reduce the size of the Legation to four or five men, destroy all secret files and warn friendly Legations in Belgrade, so that they could draw their own conclusions.
Colonel-General Heinrich Werth, chief of the Hungarian General Staff, made private arrangements with the German High Command for the transport of the German troops across Hungary to invade Yugoslavia. Prime Minister Pál Count Teleki de Szék denounced this action as treasonous.
Count Pál Teleki, Prime Minister of Hungary, left the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his apartment in the Sándor Palace around 9 PM. At around midnight, he received a call that is thought to have informed him that the German army had just started its march into Hungary Teleki committed suicide with a pistol during the night of 3 April 1941 and was found the next morning.
The entire German legation staff in Belgrade, with the exception of the charge d’affaires and military attaché, was ordered home to Berlin today in a sudden move interpreted by diplomatic circles as indicating Germany believes that war with Yugoslavia is inevitable. The orders were received here in a coded telegram from the German capital at 7:30 a.m. as heavy new Nazi troop concentrations were reported on the Rumanian frontier opposite the Yugoslav town of Bela Crkva less than 50 miles from Belgrade. Fast German divisions also were reported massing near Szeged, in southern Hungary, opposite the Yugoslav border. Fifty German legation attaches and clerks and two Nazi news agency correspondents were routed from bed and ordered to begin packing immediately when the recall order was received from Berlin. A legation secretary said an attempt would be made to leave during the day but that “it may be safe to stay as long as evening so we can catch a fast train to Budapest.”
Four United States citizens were arrested and held for several hours late Wednesday in what German criminal police admitted might have “some connection with German reprisals” for the U. S. seizure of axis ships in American ports. All of the arrests were connected with passport regulations, authorized German quarters stated. Possibility of confiscation of United States property in Germany in reprisal for the seizure of German, Italian and Danish ships in U. S. ports meanwhile was rumored in political quarters as the Reich government prepared a formal answer to the American action.
Five French schoolboys, condemned to death for hissing at German soldiers passing, were understood tonight to have been pardoned by German occupation authorities after Marshal Henri Philippe Petain intervened in their behalf. The boys, who live near Troyes in the occupied zone, were sentenced to death by a German court.
The German occupier disallows the Dutch scouting association.
Battleship Bismarck received two aircraft.
Canadian armed merchant cruiser Prince Henry intercepted two German merchant ships off Peru; the German ships were scuttled by their own crews to prevent capture.
German bombers attacked Allied convoy AS.23 25 miles south of Crete, Greece, sinking 2 freighters and damaging 2 others.
Allied convoy SC.26 ran into a patrol line formed by eight German submarines 460 miles southwest of Iceland. Overnight, German submarines U-46, U-69, U-73, and U-74 sank 6 merchant ships, damaged 1 merchant ship, and damaged the escorting British armed merchant cruiser HMS Worcestershire; 110 men were killed.
Subhash Chandra Bose, having fled British custody in India, finally reaches Berlin after a circuitous route.
During one of his radio broadcasts, the anonymous pro-Nazi commentator derisively nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw confirmed his identity as William Joyce.
Rashid Ali consolidates power in Baghdad after his successful coup. British ambassador Sir. Kinahan Cornwallis arrives in a situation vastly changed from when he set out from London.
Alfred Rosenberg meets with Hitler. Afterwards he writes in his diary: “What I do not write down today, I will nonetheless never forget.” Presumably, this is in regards to the war of extermination Hitler is preparing for the Soviet Union.
The RAF drops 75,000 tea bags over the Netherlands bearing the words, “Holland will arise. Keep your courage up.” RAF Bomber Command conducts one of its most famous missions. It is a propaganda flight over Holland during which it drops 75,000 bags of Dutch East Indies Tea. Each bag contains about 20 grams (10 oz) of high-quality tea. The bags have tags bearing the Dutch flag and the words, “The Netherlands will rise again. Greetings from the Free Netherlands East Indies. Chins Up.” The Dutch East Indies Teaplanters donated the tea for this purpose. The Dutch News Agency reports the event:
“Never have the Dutch people so gratefully received a gift from the Dutch East Indies, Especially as it is almost impossible to get an ounce of tea in the Dutch shops.”
While undoubtedly a propaganda coup, the tea-raid presents a couple of odd contradictions. One, the British love tea, but Lord Woolton has had to ration it due to its short supply — making a showy expenditure of so much fine tea a slap in the face of British tea drinkers. Second, the British have been adamantly opposed to any US humanitarian aid to Occupied Europe — and then they drop perfectly usable tea on it.
The RAF continues attacking Axis shipping off the Dutch coast. In addition, the RAF flies Circus and Rhubarb missions over occupied France. The British are aware that the Luftwaffe is sending units east and wants to take advantage of their absence and perhaps force the Germans to bring some back.
RAF Bomber Command: Day of 2 April 1941
19 Blenheims to Belgian, Dutch and Danish coasts; many targets attacked. 1 aircraft lost.
The Heinkel He 280 V1, the first turbojet-powered aircraft designed as a potential fighter, makes its first flight at Marienehe. The aircraft, carrying minimum fuel, circles the field once at a maximum height of 900 feet (274 meters) with the landing gear (undercarriage) down. The works test pilot, Fritz Schafer, is at the controls.
The RAF bombs and sinks two Italian freighters near Dalac Island off Abyssinia: 7669 ton Giuseppe Mazzini and 7099 ton Urania. The British later will salvage these for their use.
German U-boat U-46, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Engelbert Endrass, made attacks on convoy SC.26.
British tanker British Reliance (7000grt) was sunk in 58-21N, 28-30W. At 2329 hours on 2 April 1941, U-46 attacked the convoy SC.26 southwest of Iceland for the first time and reported a hit on the British Reliance and on a steamer of 5000 grt, but was not able to observe the ships sink. In fact, only the British Reliance (Master Alexander Henney) was hit and foundered later in 58°25N/28°21W. The master, 47 crew members and two passengers were picked up by Tennessee and landed at Reykjavik. They were later brought to Gourock by the British motor merchant Royal Ulsterman. The 7,000-ton British Reliance was carrying gas oil and was bound for Clyde, United Kingdom.
The submarine made another attack on a steamer on the 2nd. The attacks continued on the 3rd.
British steamer Beaverdale (9957grt) was sunk by U-48, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Herbert Schultze, in 60-50N, 29-19W. Twenty crewmen and one gunner were lost on the steamer. At 0100 hours on 2 April 1941 the unescorted Beaverdale (Master Charles Draper) was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-48 southeast of Cape Farewell. At 0125 hours, the U-boat began shelling the ship which exploded after 35 minutes, heeled over to port side and sank. 20 crew members and one gunner were lost. The master and 25 survivors in the first lifeboat landed at Ondverdarnes, Iceland. The survivors in the second boat were picked up by the Icelandic trawler Gulltoppur and landed at Reykjavik. They were later transferred to the British merchants Royal Scot and Royal Ulsterman and landed at Greenock on 17 April. The 9,957-ton Beaverdale was carrying general cargo and was bound for Liverpool, England.
Battleship HMS King George V, heavy cruiser HMS London, light cruiser HMS Dido, and destroyers HMS Somali, HMS Bedouin, HMS Matabele, and HMS Mashona departed Scapa Flow at 1100 to relieve battlecruiser HMS Hood and light cruisers HMS Nigeria and HMS Fiji on the OG/HG route. Light cruiser Fiji was ordered to Gibraltar to join temporarily Force H. The destroyers were detached to Londonderry on the 6th to refuel, arriving at 0600/6th. They sailed again on the 7th and rejoined at 0937 on the 8th. On the 8th at 2000, the ships left patrol and battleship King George V and destroyers Somali and Mashona arrived at Scapa Flow at 1730/10th. Destroyer Matabele was detached at 0600/10th and proceeded to Barrow for refitting, calling at Belfast to refuel en route. Destroyer Bedouin was detached at 1547 on the 10th to investigate a burning ship west of Flannan Island. The destroyer was unable to locate the ship and arrived at Scapa Flow on the 12th.
Battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth with destroyers HMS Inglefield, HMS Eskimo, and HMS Eclipse departed Scapa Flow at 1701. Destroyers Inglefield and Eclipse on the 6th were detached to Reykjavik, arriving at 0600/7th, and operated under Flag Officer Iceland to screen cruisers in and out of Reykjavik. Destroyer Eskimo returned to Scapa Flow. Destroyer Eskimo was ordered to return to Scapa Flow. The battleship continued to Halifax to escort convoy TC.10 due to depart on the 10th.
Destroyer HMS Eridge departed Scapa Flow at 1200 to meet steamer Amsterdam off the entrance to Aberdeen and escort her to Lerwick. The ships arrived at Lerwick at 0800/3rd and departed at 2000 that day to return to Aberdeen. Destroyer Eridge arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1600/4th after this duty.
Anti-aircraft ship HMS Curacoa departed Scapa Flow at 0945 to meet convoy WN.7 in the Pentland Firth and remain in company until dark. The ship arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0430/3rd.
Minelayer HMS Plover laid minefield ZME.27 in the Irish Sea. The minelayer laid minefields ZME.28 on the 5th, ZME.29 on the 16th, ZME.30/18th, and ZME.31 on the 21st. Minefield ZME.31 completed the series.
Minesweeping trawlers HMS Cramond Island (180grt, P/T/Skipper E. C. Garnett RNR) and HMS Fortuna (259grt, T/Skipper W. T. M. Charlton RNR) were sunk by German bombing five miles 120° from St Abb’s Head. Trawler Fortuna was proceeding to the assistance of trawler Cramond Island when sunk. The entire crew, Charlton and fourteen ratings, of trawler Fortuna were lost. Two bodies washed ashore at Berwick on the 5th. Two ratings were killed and three ratings died of wounds on trawler Cramond Island.
British steamer Fermain (759grt) was sunk by German bombing in 50-35N, 00-52E. The entire crew was rescued.
British steamer Melrose Abbey (1908grt) was damaged on a mine in the River Ythan (north of Aberdeen). The steamer settled onto the river bed. The steamer was refloated on 26 July and towed to Aberdeen.
British tanker Wild Rose (873grt) was damaged by German bombing twelve miles southeast of Tuskar Light House. The tanker was taken in tow and beached near Rosslare Harbour. The tanker was later refloated and towed to Dublin arriving on 4 May.
Battlecruiser HMS Renown, aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (with twelve Hurricanes embarked from aircraft carrier HMS Argus), light cruiser HMS Sheffield, and destroyers HMS Faulknor, HMS Fearless, HMS Foresight, HMS Fortune, and HMS Fury departed Gibraltar on Operation WINCH. On the 3rd, the flyoff of the Hurricanes to Malta was successfully accomplished. The Force arrived back at Gibraltar on the 4th. Aircraft carrier Ark Royal and destroyers Faulknor and Fortune were sent ahead to receive aircraft from aircraft carrier Furious in Operation TENDER. Four Swordfish, fitted with ASVs, of 825 Squadron and ten Fulmars of 807 Squadron were transferred to Ark Royal and four Swordfish and nine Skuas of 800 Squadron were transferred to aircraft carrier HMS Furious. The remainder of Force H arrived at Gibraltar an half hour later. After the transfer, aircraft carrier Furious, escorted by destroyers Faulknor and Fortune, proceeded to join battlecruiser HMS Repulse, en route to England.
Light cruiser HMS Ajax and Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth departed Piraeus to cover convoys ANF.24 and AG.10. They returned to Pireaus on the 5th.
Greek steamer Teti (2747grt) was damaged by near misses of German bombing off Gavdo Island. Steamer Teti was able to proceed to Crete.
British steamer Devis (6054grt) in convoy ANF.24 was damaged by German bombing off Gavdo Island.
Corvette HMS Hyacinth in the convoy ANF.24 escort attacked a submarine contact 170 miles south of Scarpanto.
Yugoslavian steamers Karadjordje (1293grt) and Prestolonaslednik Petar (1726grt) were sunk by mining off Sibenik. The crews of both steamers were rescued.
Italian steamers Giuseppe Mazzini (7669grt) and Urania (7099grt) were sunk by British bombing near Dalac Island. The steamers were later salved by the British.
Convoy OB.305 departed Liverpool, escorted by corvette HMS Abelia and anti-submarine trawler HMS Rowan. The trawler was detached the next day. On the 3rd, destroyers HMS Broke, HMS Douglas, HMS Roxborough, HMS Salisbury, and HMS Viceroy, corvette HMS Anchusa, and anti-submarine trawlers HMS St Elstan, HMS St Kenan, and HMS St Zeno joined the convoy. The escort was detached on the 6th when the convoy dispersed.
Convoy AS.23 was attacked by German bombers in the Aegean British steamer Homefield (5324grt) and Greek steamer Coulouras Xenos (4914grt) were sunk by German bombing off Gavdo Island. Steamer Homefield was later scuttled by destroyer HMS Nubian of the convoy ANF.24 escort. Her survivors were taken off by destroyer HMAS Voyager.
A supply convoy for the Afrika Korps departed Naples with steamers Alicante (2140grt), Maritza (2910grt), Santa Fe (4627grt), Procida (5366grt), and Tembien (5584grt) escorted by destroyers Saetta and Turbine and torpedo boat Orsa for Tripoli, arriving on the 5th. Italian destroyers Pantera, Tigre, Manin, Battisti, and Sauro departed Massawa to bombard Port Sudan.
In the U.S. capital today, President Roosevelt discussed defense, labor and aid to Britain problems with Secretaries Hull, Stimson, Knox and Morgenthau, Attorney General Jackson, Harry L. Hopkins, General George C. Marshall, Admiral Harold R. Stark and Major General Thomas Holcomb. He conferred with Bernard M. Baruch, Admiral Emory S. Land, chairman of the Maritime Commission; Sumner Welles, Undersecretary of State, and Thomas G. Corcoran.
The Senate considered the Agricultural Appropriation Bill, received the agreement with Mexico for reciprocal use of air bases, approved the resolution permitting the House to take an eleven-day recess, heard discussion of the question of permitting the United States to convoy ships to European war areas and of the defense-labor situation, and recessed at 5:06 PM until noon tomorrow.
The House approved a resolution empowering its Military and Naval Affairs Committees to investigate the defense program, approved the resolution for an eleven-day recess, heard discussion of the strike situation in defense industries and adjourned at 5:29 PM until 11 AM tomorrow.
New steps in the ever expanding defense and British aid program apparently were in the making today as President Roosevelt met with an enlarged cabinet and military group after discussing, at a previous conference, ways of meeting British requests for new ship tonnage. With details kept strictly secret, the chief executive conferred late in the day with what has become known as his “lend-lease” cabinet council and with Harry L. Hopkins, Attorney-General Jackson and the heads of the three armed services.
The first rumbles of the gathering storm of debate over the use of American naval vessels to convoy merchant shipping into European war areas were heard in a two-hour discussion in the Senate today. Many members think that the next lively debate over American foreign policy would be waged over this issue.
President Roosevelt sent to the Senate today the new “agreement” between the United States and Mexico for reciprocal use of air fields and bases. Mr. Roosevelt said that he was “glad to recommend the agreement to the favorable consideration of the Senate.”
A request for the immediate release of the crews of the German ships taken into protective custody in American ports and their unrestricted return to the ships was made in a second note of protest sent to the State Department today by Dr. Hans Thomsen, the German charge d’affaires.
The Administration was believed tonight to be moving toward drastic action in dealing with spreading industrial strife unless existing conciliation and mediation machinery quickly produces settlement of strikes holding up hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of defense production.
Four men were slain in the Harlan coal fields of Kentucky yesterday, while strikers and non-strikers slugged each other with wooden staves, iron pipes and wrenches in a wild melee outside the Ford Motor company’s Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan. These acts of violence punctuated a day of fast moving labor developments. There were demands in congress for legislation to curb strikes in defense industries, the house approved two separate investigations of the defense program, and John L. Lewis said in New York that the United Mine Workers would not permit the soft coal wage dispute to be turned over to the defense mediation board.
Harlan County, Kentucky has been the scene of violent Union confrontations throughout the past decade. Today, it explodes into violence once again. On 1 April, miners went on strike due to the expiration of a Union contract. Union pickets (United Mine Workers Association) enter the Crummies Creek Company Store at 10:00 today and attempt to purchase a Coca-Cola using cash. The store’s manager refuses, citing company policy that only company script is accepted there. There are few other places in mining towns to buy supplies, which is a key element of company control. The Union men refuse to leave without their soft drink, and an altercation ensues (with the particulars disputed by both sides). The store has a machine gun hidden under a butcher’s apron, mounted on a meat block, and an employee runs to it and opens fire.
There are four dead and four seriously wounded Union workers, along with a wounded African American bystander and a lightly wounded company worker. The Union charges that the company men opened fire “from the bushes.” The Company, meanwhile states that the shooting occurred only after the Union men roughed up the store manager and tried to force him to sign Union “check-off” slips. He also alleges that the striking Union men had .45 pistols and “started trouble.” There also are reports of various other assaults on journalists and company men.
Swift mediation efforts in the strike paralyzing the Ford Motor company’s great River Rouge plant brought a “plan for settlement” tonight soon after state police were stationed in the plant area. Federal Mediator James F. Dewey, two hours after stepping out of a plane on a hurried flight here, announced the “plan.” It was attained in a 90-minute conference with Governor Murray D. Van Wagoner and C.I.O. officials. Meanwhile state troopers patrolled the suburban Dearborn district, a scene of intermittent violence earlier in the day.
The threat of a strike against San Francisco Bay region shipyards working on millions of dollars’ worth of defense orders was lifted today when A.F.L. and employer representatives reached an agreement covering the entire Pacific coast shipbuilding industry and lasting for the duration of the national emergency.
The calling of strikes during the defense emergency was denounced today by William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, who appealed to workers “to exercise self-discipline” and “make such sacrifices as the exigencies of the situation demand.”
Officials of the Nashville division of Vultee Aircraft, Inc., claimed today completion of the first new major airplane factory in the national defense zone bounded by the Rocky and Alleghany mountains. W. V. Bogart, plant engineer, said 4,600 tons of steel framework was placed in less than nine weeks.
Testimony that members of the Communist party in Los Angeles were called to a labor meeting addressed by Harry R. Bridges and ordered to “follow the party line Harry laid down” was given by a former Communist today at the deportation hearing of the Australian-born, West Coast labor leader.
Mary Pickford was confined to St. Vincent’s hospital for examination and treatment of a kidney ailment, her physician, Dr. Verne C. Hunt, said tonight. Although the condition of Miss Pickford, top star of silent screen days, was not serious, Dr. Hunt said she had considerable pain and probably will be in the hospital for a week or more.
Heavy cruiser USS Astoria departs Hawaii for Long Beach, California. It is to be upgraded with quadruple-mount 1.1 in (28 mm)/75 cal anti-aircraft guns and preparations for air-search radar.
The battle of Shanggao ends in China. The Japanese 11th Army continues its gradual withdrawal to its bases after the Battle of Shanggao. The Chinese continue to pressure the Japanese and recover Hsishan, Wanshoukung, and Shihchachieh. The battle ended with a decisive victory for the Chinese forces, who were able to capture substantial amounts of military equipment and supplies, and boost the morale of the Chinese people.
Dr. Quo Tai-chi, Chinese Ambassador to London, has been appointed Foreign Minister in a shake-up of government personnel and organization decided upon by the Kuomintang [Nationalist party] Central Executive Committee’s eighth plenary session which closed yesterday.
The long-debated “reform” of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association was announced tonight. The association was launched by Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoe as a unitary organization of the Japanese people in place of the political parties, but it has been subjected to an unceasing barrage of criticism by the Diet ever since its inception.
The initial contact between British and American defense forces in the Far East was accomplished today with the arrival in Manila of Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, Commander in Chief of the British forces in Eastern Asia.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 123.43 (+0.17)
Born:
Dr. Demento [Barry Hansen], American disc jockey and novelty record collector, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Sonny Throckmorton, American country music songwriter (“The Last Cheater’s Waltz”, “Why Not Me”), in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Robert Soleau, NFL linebacker (Pittsburgh Steelers), in Amherst, Massachusetts (d. 2014).
Staley Faulkner, AFL tackle (Houston Oilers), in Pampa, Texas.
Naval Construction:
The U.S. Navy Chicopee-class oiler USS Housatonic (AO-35) is laid down by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. (Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.).
The Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) torpedo boat Animoso, lead ship of her class of 5, is laid down by Cantieri Ansaldo (Genova, Italy).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-302 is laid down by Flender Werke AG, Lübeck (werk 302).
The U.S. Navy Delta-class cargo ship USS Delta (AK-29) is launched by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. (Newport News, Virginia, U.S.A.). She will later be converted to a repair ship, USS Delta (AR-9).
The Royal Navy Vosper 70-foot type motor torpedo boat HMS MTB 35 is commissioned. Her first commander is M F Payne, RNVR.
The Royal Navy submarine HMS P 31 [later renamed HMS Ullswater, and then HMS Uproar (P 31)] is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant John Bertram de Betham Kershaw, RN.
History Diaries 