Yugoslavia officially is out of the conflict as of noon on 18 April 1941, and the Greek government is descending into chaos. Prime Minister Alexandros Koryzis, who succeeded Ioannis Metaxas on 29 January 1941, commits suicide by shooting himself. King George II, who has been running things anyway, assumes control of the government during the crisis of the German invasion. He imposes martial law on Athens.
The German News Bureau reported: “At 9:00 PM on April 17, all the Yugoslav forces that had not yet been disarmed surrendered unconditionally. The surrender came into force at 12:00 today, April 18.”
After telling the King George II that he felt he had failed him in the task entrusted to him, Prime Minister of Greece Alexandros Korizis committed suicide by shooting himself. Korizis had assumed the office of Prime Minister on January 29, 1941, when his predecessor, the dictator Ioannis Metaxas died.
Athens was placed under martial law after Greek Prime Minister Alexandros Koryzis committed suicide.
Local British commander General Henry Maitland Wilson informs Greek Commander in Chief Alexander Papagos that his forces will fight until the first week in May on a new line, but to do so requires the Greek Epirus Army in Albania to withdraw in good order to cover their flank. That, as everyone knows, is becoming increasingly problematic due to the swift German advance and the Greeks’ very slow start and inability to hold the main roads. The main factor in the Allies’ favor at this point is the rough terrain — while it is preventing the Epirus Army from moving south fast enough to help form a new line, it also is providing excellent defensive positions for the Commonwealth troops.
German 3rd Regiment and 2nd Panzer Division crossed the Pinios River in Greece while German 6th Mountain Division reached Mount Olympus in Greece, putting the Australian and New Zealand troops at the Pinios Gorge in danger. Throughout daylight the Germans attacked the 16th Australian Brigade in the Pinios Gorge and the 21st Battalion 6th New Zealand Brigade at Elasson. The 16th Australian Brigade held the road until late that night but the German tanks forced the two battalions (2/2Nd and 2/3rd) of the 16th Brigade Australian Imperial Force into the hills. From the air, the Luftwaffe attacked the long lines of vehicles along the 70 miles escape route to Lamia. Although the air attacks continued all day and were noisy and nerve wracking, the Luftwaffe failed to exploit its superiority and was unable to halt the retreating column and did remarkably little damage to men and vehicles. As German troops continued to move south in Greece, Prime Minister Alexandros Koryzis committed suicide in the evening; in response to this suicide, Athens was placed under martial law by the government to maintain stability.
Recently, the ANZAC troops successfully delayed advancing motorcycle troops and panzers at the Battle of Platamon, at which both sides took a fair number of casualties, and this is their next switch position. The ultimate goal is Larissa, a communications hub that essentially controls Greek north/south traffic.
The Germans attack at 07:00, with another attack at noon from Lieutenant-Colonel Hermann Balck’s troops. The defending New Zealand 21st Battalion and two companies of the Australian 2/2nd Battalion had a bad experience (though positive strategically) with Balck’s troops at Platamon previously, and they do not fare any better this time. The ANZAC troops are on their own, whereas the Germans are steadily getting reinforcements as additional Wehrmacht units close up on the river.
After some panzers and/or Stug assault guns of the 3rd Regiment, 2nd Panzer Division find a way across the Pinios River on a pontoon bridge against fierce opposition, the New Zealanders have to give up that crossing by 17:30 and retreat into the hills. This leaves a gap in the Allied defenses. With only the Australian 2/2nd left defending the river, the battle turns into a route. At 18:45, the remaining Allied troops are ordered to retreat with all due haste. They suffer terribly in this retrograde movement, and their ordeal is not yet over — they have to stage a fighting withdrawal throughout the night to find the protection of other Allied troops.
By dawn, the surviving Australians and New Zealanders are able to join the Allied convoys streaming south on the main road to Thermopylae, having suffered 80 casualties and an additional 120 captured. The Germans, who take about 140 casualties, occupy Larissa, which closes the escape route for any remaining Allied troops further north. The Australian 2/2nd Battalion’s troops are apportioned to other units for the remainder of the campaign due to their heavy losses. While the ANZAC troops are not able to delay the Germans for more than a day, that time enables many other Allied troops to retreat through Larissa to the new British line.
The Luftwaffe strafes the Allied convoys heading south, but the British retreat in good order. One problem for the Allies is that the German forces are accumulating more power steadily, while the British no longer are reinforcing their troops and instead are making plans to evacuate them (British Rear Admiral Harold T. Baillie-Grohman arrives today to coordinate that effort). Thus any defensive lines will be temporary at best.
The Italians continue tentatively occupying towns that the Greek Epirus Army is evacuating in Albania. Today, they occupy Argyrokastro.
The Greek High Command announced: “Our position in West Macedonia has remained substantially unchanged. Our troops on the Albanian front have carried out an ordered retreat.”
Dispatches from the Greek front said tonight the Italian Eleventh Army was decisively nearing Ioannina, capital of Epirus, and recapture of Porto Edda, Albania, was imminent. A correspondent for Stefani, Italian news agency, said the Greek armies were leaving behind “numerous prisoners and huge quantities of war materials of all kinds.” The Greeks were described as retiring in disorder, under Italian air attack and ground pursuit. The Italians said they already were within sight of Porto Edda, once called Santi Quaranta, but renamed for Premier Mussolini’s daughter. Other motorized divisions reported complete occupation of the Dalmation coast of Yugoslavia, claiming it as Italy’s war booty. Fascist divisions driving north and south met at Dubrovnik. Italian correspondents reported Fascist forces were trying to bottle the Greeks by taking the Viosa river bridge at Perat, called the Greeks sole route for retreat. The Yugoslav collapse was not an armistice but a “submission,” Italians said. They said “independence” would be accorded Croatia and Montenegro.
Foreign diplomats said tonight that Greek resistance was likely to continue at best only a few weeks and that honor and prestige were the only considerations to keep Great Britain from pulling out of the Balkans at once. Looking beyond the battle of Greece, they said the next big clash expected was an epic battle for Egypt and the Suez Canal. The belief prevailed that if Adolf Hitler can eliminate Greece from the field he likely will shun Turkey in favor of sending vast mechanized reinforcements to Tripoli for a major Egyptian campaign. Though diplomats believe Russia would remain militarily inactive even if the Germans crossed the Dardanelles and crossed Turkey, they contended that Hitler would elect to avoid even the most slender chance of provoking the Red army force until a more opportune moment. Foreign diplomats said that If Britain refrained from pulling her expeditionary force out of Greece at once and sending it to Alexandria, she would be thinking more of honor than of strategic interests. The British forces in Greece could play a big and possibly decisive role against the Germans and Italians in Egypt.
British Headquarters in Egypt announced: “Under growing pressure from the German forces receiving reinforcements daily, Greek and British troops along the Greek northern front are making a gradual retreat to a shorter defensive line.”
Churchill and the War Cabinet order publication of a statement to the effect that if the Germans bomb Athens and Cairo, the RAF will bomb Rome. RAF Chief Air Marshal Sir Charles Portal objects that bombing Rome is not really within the RAF’s capabilities without extraordinary effort, to which Churchill replies that they will assess the situation at the time should the need to bomb Rome arise. This is basically how the two sides communicate throughout much of the war — through press releases.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill memos CIGS General Sir John Dill about what is being done in North Africa. He chastises Dill (and indirectly Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell) for sending the 7th Armoured Division back to Cairo to refit. Churchill views this 400-mile journey as incredibly inefficient and unnecessary:
“It was an act of improvidence to send the whole Division all his way back, in view of the fact that German elements were already reported in Tripoli. The whole of the Tanks in this division could not have been all in simultaneously in a condition of needing prolonged heavy repairs. Workshops should have been improvised at the front for lighter repairs, and servicing personnel sent forward…. General Wavell and his officers seem, however, to have thought that no trouble could arise before the end of May. This was a very serious miscalculation, from which vexatious consequences have flowed.”
Generals Dill and Wavell, of course, know all about “workshops” and the like and do not need to be lectured to about the same. Wavell is privy to the Ultra intercepts which did support a rational conclusion that the Germans would have to wait until May to launch an offensive. In fact, only Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel’s initiative and dash contrary to orders resulted in the German offensive beginning early. Rommel confounded everyone — on both sides.
Churchill is not alone in his disparagement of the Middle East Command — his influence is affecting those around him, too. Visiting Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, who met with Wavell only a couple of months ago and at that time found him capable, now notes in his diary that:
I must insist upon Australians getting proper commands, for I have more confidence in them than I do in Wavell & Co., whose gross miscalculations have brought us to this pass.
This incident indicates why many military men who deal with Churchill directly, such as Dill, take a much dimmer view of Churchill than does the public at large.
On the ground in North Africa, little changes during the day. General Rommel moves his headquarters three miles from the Green Mountain, about 30 km west of Tobruk. This is further from the port than where it had been previously and suggests that he is preparing for a lengthy siege. He awaits more units of the 15th Panzer Division before launching another attack — something that the German High Command wanted him to do before starting his most recent (and very successful) offensive.
Australian General Leslie Morshead, in charge at Tobruk, reorganizes his defenses. He has his men build a secondary defensive line behind the one built by the Italians and creates additional reserve forces in case of a breakthrough.
Britain landed the first elements of Iraqforce, the Indian 20th Infantry Brigade, at Basra, Iraq, unopposed. It was originally based in Karachi, India and had arrived in Iraq in 8 transports which were escorted by carrier HMS Hermes, cruiser HMS Emerald, cruiser HMS Leander, 6 sloops, and gunboat HMS Cockchafer. The 20th Infantry Brigade quickly seizes the key port of Basra. It is the first new element to arrive of Iraqforce, at this time called Sabine Force, under the command of Major-General W.A.K. Fraser.
The British government does not recognize the new pro-Axis Iraq government of Rashid Ali and wishes to install a friendly government in Baghdad. Meanwhile, upstream, the Iraqis have begun moving troops and artillery toward the British airfield at Habbaniyah, but have not attacked at this time. Ali already has requested aid from Germany, but that technically is a very difficult thing to accomplish at such a distance with the Royal Navy in complete command of the seas. Luftwaffe support is possible, but the British control the airfields and much of the intervening airspace.
The Vichy French government announced its withdrawal from the League of Nations.
Memorial for a Royal Air Force Hampden bomber that crashed in the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland on 18 April 1941, with 4 deaths.
Winston Churchill memos Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, asking, “Has Sir Stafford Cripps yet delivered my personal message of warning about the German danger to Stalin?”
RAF Bomber Command: Day of 18 April 1941
20 Blenheims and 6 Hampdens on operations to enemy coasts. A convoy off Holland was bombed and barges containing troops were also attacked. 1 Blenheim and 1 Hampden lost.
The Messerschmitt Me 262 prototype had its first test flight, although only with a piston engine at first. The first test flights of the most advanced fighter under development anywhere in the world, the Messerschmitt Me 262, begin today. The Me 262 is designed around jet engines, but those are not ready yet. Instead, a Junkers Jumo 210 engine is mounted on the Me 262 V1 in the nose. Eventually, when they are ready, BMW 003 turbojets will be fitted to the Me 262. For now, however, the prototype airframe is tested for basic airworthiness and flight characteristics.
The Me 262 has been under development since shortly before the beginning of the war as Projekt 1065 (P.1065). It is not the only German jet fighter under development in Germany, either. In fact, the competing Heinkel He 280 already has flown on jet power. However, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM, Ministry of Aviation) is placing its bets on the Me 262, perhaps because it has more confidence in the BMW 003 engine than in the independently produced Heinkel engine. In any event, the RLM is not too concerned about jet aircraft at this time — Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe, cut the engine development program to just 35 engineers in February 1940. Everything depends upon the engine, so critical decisions are being made at this stage of the war that will greatly impact the development of the Me 262 later when it is really needed.
The Luftwaffe forms a new night-fighter unit, NJG 4 (Major Rudolf Stoltenhoff is Kommodore). The unit is based at Metz and at first, is composed of Bf 110s and Do 217s.
The Luftwaffe in North Africa begins receiving some reinforcements as I,/JG 27 begins arriving at Ain-el-Gazala.
The flag of CS 10 was transferred from light cruiser HMS Kenya to the accommodation ship HMS Dunluce Castle at Scapa Flow.
Light cruiser HMS Manchester arrived at Scapa Flow at 0552 after refitting in the Tyne.
Destroyer HMS Sikh departed the Tyne at 1825 for Scapa Flow, but was diverted at 2310 to search for a dingy in 58-15N, 00-30W. The dingy was not found and destroyer SIKH arrived at Scapa Flow at 1630/19th.
Destroyers HMS Newark and HMS Volunteer collided north of Rathlin Island in 55-28N, 6-21W. Both destroyers were seriously damaged. Five ratings were lost in Volunteer. The destroyers were both repaired at Belfast, destroyer Newark completing on 9 August and destroyer Volunteer on 20 August.
Destroyer HMS Whitshed and French destroyer La Melpomene were in a collision off Harwich. There was no damage to destroyer Whitshed. The French destroyer was under repair at the Humber until 20 May.
Minelayer HMS Teviotbank, escorted by patrol sloops HMS Guillemott and HMS Kittiwake, laid mines in minefield BS.54 off the east coast of England. Minesweepers HMS Snaefell and HMS Thames Queen accompanied the ships on the minelay.
Submarine HMS Urge, en route to the Mediterranean, sank Italian blockade runner tanker Franco Martelli (10,535grt) in 46-31N, 8-46E, two hundred miles from Belle Isle.
Free French submarine Minerve attacked unsuccessfully a German steamer two miles southwest of Tungenes.
Naval drifter Young Ernie (88grt, T/Skipper R. Milligan RNR) was sunk in a collision in the Tyne.
British tanker Scottish Musician (6998grt) was damaged by German bombing at three miles 205° from St Ann’s Head. One crewman and one gunner were lost. The tanker arrived at Newport on 2 May in tow.
Panamanian steamer Csikos (3938grt) was damaged by German bombing in 55N, 11-46W. Two crew were killed on the steamer. The steamer arrived at Lough Foyle in tow on the 19th.
German fishing vessel Guido Mohring (289grt) was sunk by a torpedo near Port Ley.
Mediterranean Fleet departed Alexandria to send supply ship Breconshire into Malta and bring out empty ships in Operation MD2 and bombard Tripoli in MD3. Battleships HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant, and HMS Barham, aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, light cruiser HMS Phoebe, anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta, and destroyers HMS Juno, HMS Jaguar, HMS Kingston, HMS Kimberley, HMS Griffin, HMS Havock, HMS Hereward, and HMS Encounter departed at 0700. Destroyer Defender fouled the buoy on departure and joined the Fleet later in the day. On the 18th, a Fulmar of 803 Squadron was lost when it crashed during landing. Lt D. C. E. F. Gibson was rescued wounded, but Sub Lt P. C. B. Ashbrooke was lost. The force arrived at Suda Bay at 1200/19th. The destroyers were refueled. Battleship Warspite carried air compressors, timbers, and equipment to repair the cruiser HMS York. The fleet sailed at 1530/19th.
Light cruiser HMAS Perth and destroyer HMS Hotspur departed Alexandria at dusk on the 19th escorting supply ship Breconshire to join the Fleet southwest of Kithera at daylight on the 20th. Cruisers HMS Phoebe and HMS Calcutta were detached during the morning of 19 April to join a convoy escorted by sloop HMS Flamingo departing Athens. After passing the Kithera Straits, cruisers Phoebe and Calcutta returned to the Main Fleet and the convoy safely proceeded to Alexandria. Destroyers HMS Jervis, HMS Janus, HMS Nubian, and HMS Diamond (completed of refitting) departed Malta at dark on the 19th with British steamers City of Lincoln (8039grt), Clan Ferguson (7347grt), City of Manchester (8917grt), and Perthshire (10,496grt) in convoy ME.7. Light cruisers HMS Orion, HMS Ajax, HMS Gloucester and destroyers HMS Hero and HMS Hasty rendezvoused with Cunningham on the 20th. At noon on the 20th, convoy ME.7 was met by the Main Force. Destroyers Nubian and Diamond took the convoy on to Alexandria. Destroyers Jervis and Janus joined battleship Warspite.
The Tripoli bombardment was a substitute for the original plan of blocking the harbor. At first, old battleship HMS Centurion, coming round the Cape from England, was proposed for this purpose to be sunk in the channel. Later battleship HMS Barham and light cruiser HMS Caledon were proposed. However, all blocking plans were refused by Cunningham. At dark on the 20th, aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, light cruisers HMS Orion, HMAS Perth, and HMS Ajax, and destroyers HMS Griffin, HMS Kimberley, HMS Kingston, and HMS Nubian were detached for flying operations. Lt J. H. Shears and P/T/Sub Lt (A) E. J. H. Dixon RNVR, of 806 Squadron from aircraft carrier HMS Formidable were shot down and lost on the 20th. Supply ship Breconshire and destroyer HMS Encounter were detached to Malta. Early on the 21st, Tripoli was bombarded by Naval forces, consisting of battleships HMS Warspite, HMS Barham, and HMS Valiant, light cruiser HMS Gloucester, and destroyers HMS Hasty, HMS Havock, HMS Hereward, HMS Hero, HMS Hotspur, HMS Jaguar, HMS Janus, HMS Jervis, and HMS Juno. Submarine HMS Truant acted as beacon ship. Submarine HMS Triumph was also at sea in the area. Aircraft carrier Formidable aircraft dropped flares. Italian torpedo boat Partenope and six freighters were damaged in the bombardment.
Battleship HMS Valiant detonated a mine. She sustained slight damage. On the 21st, light cruisers HMS Orion, HMAS Perth, HMS Gloucester, and HMS Ajax were detached at dark to sweep to the northward of the Battle Fleet. Destroyers HMS Jervis, HMS Janus, HMS Juno, and HMS Jaguar were detached to Malta on the 21st, arriving on the 22nd. Light cruisers Orion, Perth, Gloucester, and Ajax rejoined the Battle Fleet at daylight on the 22nd. Light cruiser Gloucester and gunboat HMS Ladybird bombarded Bardia, commencing at 0700. Light cruiser Gloucester then proceeded to Alexandria to refuel. Destroyer HMS Kandahar joined the Fleet at noon on the 22nd and destroyer HMS Griffin was detached to reinforce convoy ANF.29 after oiling at Suda Bay. At 1600, light cruiser Gloucester was detached to Malta, arriving on the 24th. Light cruiser Perth joined anti-aircraft cruiser Phoebe in the Aegean. Convoy ME.7 arrived at Alexandria at 0700/22nd. The Fleet arrived at Alexandria at 1030/23rd.
After delivering convoy AN.27 at Suda Bay, Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Carlisle and destroyers HMS Isis and HMAS Vampire continued to Pireaus to escort convoy AS26.
Convoy service ship HMS Fiona (2190grt, Cdr A. H. H. Griffiths, RD RNR) was lost 50 miles 311° from Sidi Barrani Light to German dive bombing attack. Griffiths, Lt J. Dorrance RNR, T/Lt W. E. Simkin RNR, P/T/Surgeon Lt A. K. Beardshaw RNVR, and forty nine ratings were lost on the ship. Lt J. B. Shillitoe RNR, died of wounds on the 23rd.
British steamer British Science (7138grt) was sunk by German bombing in 36-06N, 24-00E, north of the Kithera Channel. The entire crew was rescued by destroyer HMS Hero which took them to Suda Bay.
Greek steamers Fokion (1158grt) and Leon (968grt) were sunk by German bombing near Psara, Euboea Island.
Greek steamer Chios (1121grt) was sunk by German bombing at Eretria, near Chalkis.
Greek steamer Moscha L. Goulandri (5199grt) was badly damaged by German bombing off Chalkis. The steamer was beached at Chalkis. She was bombed again on 20 and 23 April and left a total loss.
British steel flat Punduah sank while in tow of HM ship at 19-15N, 86-53E.
Destroyer HMS Highlander departed Gibraltar for Freetown.
Destroyer HMAS Napier, en route from England to the Mediterranean Fleet, was docked at Capetown from 18 to 20 April.
Convoy OB.312 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyer HMS Wanderer, corvettes HMS Dianthus, HMS Marigold, HMS Nasturtium, HMS Periwinkle, and HMS Primrose, and minesweepers HMS Bramble, HMS Hazard, and HMS Speedy. Destroyer HMS Scimitar, corvette HMS Mallow, and anti-submarine trawler HMS Northern Wave joined on the 23rd. Destroyers HMS Inglefield and HMS Maori joined the convoy. On the 24th, all were detached except destroyer HMS Scimitar, corvette HMS Mallow, and anti-submarine trawler HMS Northern Wave which were detached on the 25th when the convoy dispersed.
An Afrika Korps supply convoy of steamers Alicante (2140grt), Maritza (2910grt), Santa Fe (4627grt), and Procida (5366grt), escorted by destroyers Aviere, Geniere, Camicia Nera, and Grecale and torpedo boat Pleiada departed Naples on the 14th and arrived at Palermo on the 17th to avoid contact with British forces. The convoy departed Palermo at 0800/18th for Tripoli, arriving on the 20th. Italian tanker Alberto Fassio (2289grt) departed Trapani with torpedo boat Climene and joined an Italian convoy of Nicolo Odero (6003grt), Maddalena Odero (5479grt), and Isarco (5915grt) which sailed from Palermo at 2300/18th escorted by torpedo boats La Farina, Mosto, and Calliope for Tripoli. Tanker Luisiano (2552grt) with torpedo boat Orione from Marilibia joined the convoy. The convoy arrived on the 21st. Both convoys passed without event.
Today in Washington, President Roosevelt received the President of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Minister and Antanas Smetona, held his regular press conference and left for Hyde Park for the weekend.
The Senate confirmed the nominations of John J. McCloy and Robert A. Lovett to be assistant secretaries of war, heard Senator Tobey charge that the Administration was using United States naval vessels to escort convoys of British merchantmen and a denial by Senator Barkley, majority leader; heard Senator Taft criticize the price-fixing activities of Leon Henderson, Director of the Office of Price Administration and Civilian Supplies, and adjourned at 1:31 PM until noon on Tuesday.
The House heard Representative Monroney criticize strikes in defense industries, Representative Taber charge the Administration with responsibility for the lag in defense production and adjourned at 1:35 PM until noon on Monday.
The United States declared that the Pan-American Security Zone, last defined with the 3 October 1939 Declaration of Panama, to be extended to 26 degrees west longitude, 2,300 nautical miles east of New York on the east coast of the United States. It was just 50 nautical miles short of Iceland, which was a major Allied convoy staging area.
General Motors Corporation announced today it was discarding all plans for new models for 1943 to alleviate the pressure for machine tools and plant needed for defense. The tooling up for 1942 models, it was explained, is now about done, so that the call upon the machine tool industry would come if the big auto maker now were to start work upon models changes for 1943. The announcement followed a disclosure in Washington by Director William S. Knudsen of the office for production management that the motor industry had agreed to cut its production 20 percent next year to increase its arms output.
An internal debate is raging at General Motors about how far it must go to support the Roosevelt administration in its anti-German posture. A main issue on the table is administration pressure for GM to sever its association with South American car dealers suspected of having pro-German sympathies. Another issue is the administration’s demand that U.S. auto manufacturers drastically curtail their production to aid the war effort — when the U.S. is not at war. The company is resisting both of these administration initiatives.
Today, Walter Carpenter, a GM board member, writes to GM President Alfred P. Sloane:
“The country today seems to be pretty well committed to a policy opposite to Germany and Italy. If we don’t listen to the urgings of the State Department in this connection, it seems to me just a question of time… The effect of this will be to associate the General Motors with German or Fascist propaganda against the interests of the United States.”
Around this time, the US FBI is investigating GM senior executives for disloyalty to America. What they find is an absence of disloyalty, but some collusion with Germany by GM’s head of overseas operations James D. Mooney. This issue will continue to haunt GM for decades.
President Roosevelt expressed belief today that public awareness of the gravity of the situation abroad was increasing although still inadequate and, meanwhile, there were numerous developments elsewhere in the capital related to the defense drive. In the senate, Senator Barkley, Kentucky Democrat, the majority leader, took Senator Tobey, New Hampshire Republican, to task for charging American destroyers had been secretly assigned to convoy duty. Both Secretary of the Navy Knox and Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, had assured him, Barkley said, that the charges were unfounded. From the War Department came announcement the first contingent of troops had sailed to man the new outpost base at Bermuda. It was understood artillery as well as infantry units were included. The maritime commission awarded contracts for construction of 184 cargo ships at a cost of $364,800,000, 112 of them standardized, emergency type ships of 10,000 tons, and the others 16,000 ton ships.
With the deadlock between the United Mine Workers and the Southern soft-coal operators still unbroken, President Roosevelt indicated yesterday that be hoped to ease the conflict over wage differentials through Federal action to eliminate what he characterized as unfair differentials in freight rates affecting Southern coal producers.
Sharply conflicting views regarding imposition of a general sales tax to help raise $3,500,000,000 of new revenue developed in the House Ways and Means Committee today, after President Roosevelt indicated opposition to such a levy. At his press conference, the chief executive asked about his attitude toward a sales tax, replied it was the same as always. “That means that you do not care for it?” he was asked. “Not very much,” Mr. Roosevelt replied. A few members of the committee took the position, however, that inasmuch as many excise taxes now in force actually are sales taxes, there was no reason why a general impost of that character should not be employed in the current emergency.
Steel production in the Youngstown, Ohio, area was slowed down yesterday because of a fuel shortage due to the stoppage in soft coal mining, and New England factories were reported facing immediate shut down in coal deliveries. Two New England railroads reported their fuel situation critical. There were reports the government might ration existing supplies to assure continued operation of vital defense industries. Meantime, negotiations by the C.I.O. United Mine Workers for a new contract covering the entire Appalachian coal-producing area continued stalemated. Southern mine operators, who walked out of New York contract conferences last week, exchanged telegrams with John L. Lewis, U.A.W. head, on their position, but it was not clear whether this would lead to a resumption of direct negotiations.
Preliminary steps to get the Vinson bill “freezing” defense labor at its current status to the House floor next week were taken today by the House Naval Affairs Committee, while Philip Murray, president of the C.I.O., opened an attack on the measure, calling it anti-labor and repressive legislation.
Secretary Knox announced today the commissioning of a new lieutenant, junior grade, in the U.S. naval reserve, film actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Rain-fed floods washed away 25 houses last night in the vicinity of Hico, central Texas, and left 100 persons homeless. Wind storms caused heavy damage near McKinney and St. Jo.
U.S. Navy Admiral Kimmel wrote a letter to Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Stark requesting additional resources for base construction at Wake Island and for a U.S. Marine Corps defense battalion to be stationed there.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the future Consolidated-Vultee aircraft plant in Fort Worth, Texas, United States was held, attended by General Gerald Brant and local civic leader Amon Carter. One of the inviolable rules for the siting of the plant was that it be well away from the coast.
The ground also is broken for the Willow Run Bomber Plant in Detroit, Michigan. The Willow Run plant, run by Ford Motor Company, will produce B-24 components that will be assembled by Consolidated at the Fort Worth plant (and also at the Douglas Aircraft plant at Tulsa, Oklahoma). Willow Run is to be built by Ford, sell it to the government, run operations there under a lease for the duration of the war, and then have an operation to purchase the plant after war production ends.
A single sheaf of contracts awarded today by the Maritime Commission provided for the construction of 184 ships at a cost of $364,800,000.
Major League Baseball:
With the help of the stumbling Boston Bees the Brookly Dodgers backed into their first victory of the season and, thanks to the Pirates’ treatment of the champion Reds, were able to poke their heads a bit above the National League cellar. The score was 11–6, but, as evidence of the tarnished nature of the triumph, the Bees were ahead on earned runs, 5 to 4. Six Boston errors led to seven Brooklyn runs. Bill Swift, who replaced Hugh Casey in the fifth inning with two out and two on base and finished the game, became the first Dodger hurler to win. Jim Tobin, like Swift a former Pirate, was the loser, making two errors on one play to give the Dodgers four runs in the sixth.
Forty-year-old Ted Lyons began his nineteenth season with the White Sox today with a nine-hit, 6–3 victory over the Browns before 6,406 spectators. Johnny Berardino contributed a homer for the White Sox.
The champion Tigers won a ball game today but lost their outstanding star when Hank Greenberg. the American League’s most valuable player of 1940, was made eligible for induction May 7 into military service. With Charlie Gehringer and George (Birdie) Tebbetts belting home runs before 42,165 spectators in the home opener, the Tigers defeated the Indians, 4–2, behind six-hit pitching by the veteran Tommy Bridges. Big Alton Benton came to Bridges’s relief in the ninth inning with the bases full and retired Cleveland with one run.
At the Polo Grounds, Mel Ott hits a grand slam in the Giants 5-run 3rd inning, and the Giants beat the Phillies, 7–2, in their home opener. The Giants have won four in a row. Bob Bowman got the win in his first appearance for the Giants.
Two home runs by Bobby Doerr, one in the ninth inning with Joe Cronin on base, gave the Red Box a 3–2 victory over the Athletics before an opening-day crowd of 11,308 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia today. Herb Hash got the victory in relief.
The Pirates treated an opening-day crowd of 18,644 fans to an exhibition of their slugging power today, beating Bucky Walters and the champion Reds, 4 to 1, with four runs in the seventh inning, three of them on home run by Vince DiMaggio.
After opening the season with three straight victories over the champion Reds at Cincinnati, the Cardinals made their debut at home today by losing to the Cubs, 6–4, before a crowd of 11,989, including 8,391 paid customers. The Cards teed off against Charley Root at the start, but the veteran steadied and blanked them the last five innings. In the meantime, the Cubs nipped at Clyde Shoun and finally drove him from the mound in the seventh with a winning three-run rally. Stan Hack started it with a single, Dominic Dallessandro blasted his second double and Billy Nicholson followed with a finishing home run.
The Washington Senators deluge the Yankees with 17 hits and win 7–4. Spurred by a ladies’ day crowd estimated at 12,000, Ken Chase held the Yanks scoreless for five innings. He weakened after that, but his mates had piled up a six-run lead and he was able to stay ahead to the finish.
Brooklyn Dodgers 11, Boston Bees 6
St. Louis Browns 3, Chicago White Sox 6
Cleveland Indians 2, Detroit Tigers 4
Philadelphia Phillies 2, New York Giants 7
Boston Red Sox 3, Philadelphia Athletics 2
Cincinnati Reds 1, Pittsburgh Pirates 4
Chicago Cubs 6, St. Louis Cardinals 4
New York Yankees 4, Washington Senators 7
Angler POW escape: 80 prisoners attempted to escape from the Angler POW camp near Neys Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. Most were quickly apprehended except for two who managed to get all the way to Medicine Hat, Alberta by train before they were recaptured.
New Zealand Division light cruiser HMS Leander arrived at Bahrein and Basra on the 18th where she joined light cruiser HMS Emerald which also arrived on that day. Armed merchant cruiser HMS Kanimbla, corvette HMS Snapdragon, and gunboat HMS Cockchafer were also at Basra.
On the 12th convoy BM.7 departed Karachi with steamers Lancashire (9557grt), El Madina (3962grt), Egra (5108grt), Vaerla (4651grt), Rohna (8602grt), Rajula (8478grt), Bahadur (5424grt), Jalavihar (5330grt), Risaldar (5407grt), and Jaladuta (4966grt), with one Indian brigade and one artillery group for Malaya, escorted by sloop HMS Yarra, for Basra. Sloop HMS Falmouth and Indian sloop HMS Lawrence joined on the 17th off Basra. On the 19th, the troops from the convoy were landed at Shatt el Arab. The cruisers remained there until 22 April.
Chinese Communist sources, discussing the Russian-Japanese “neutrality” treaty, said today that the primary Communist objective still was the liberation and emancipation of China, including Chinese reconquest of Manchuria.
Japanese forces, supported by warships and airplanes, captured Ningpo, important trade and political center 200 miles south of Shanghai, in a lightning nine-hour drive, it was reported today. The capture of the treaty port was made known by neutral military authorities, but has not yet been announced officially by the Japanese. Ningpo, one of the first ports opened under the 1842 treaty of Nanking, is the chief commercial city of Chekiang Province.
The Japanese launch another in a series of air raids against Chungking.
The British and the Netherlands expect to face a fight in the next few months for their rich colonial possessions in the South Pacific. This painful prospect has become more of a reality in the last few weeks. Allied intelligence services have learned that Japan is preparing to move southward.
A Mitsubishi G3M2 “Nell” bearing no national emblems but belonging to No. 3 “Kukutai” Corps of the Japanese navy, takes off from Takao (Kaohsiung), Formosa (Taiwan) and sets a course for the U.S. base at Legaspi on the Philippine island of Luzon. Keeping just outside the territorial waters 15 miles from shore they photograph the island of Luzon from 28,000 feet.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 116.28 (-1.88)
Born:
Michael D. Higgins, Irish politician, 9th President of Ireland (2011–2025), in Limerick, Ireland.
Walt Sweeney, AFL-NFL guard (AFL Champions-Chargers, 1963; AFL All-Star, 1964–1969; Pro Bowl, 1970–1972; San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins), in Cohasset, Massachusetts (d. 2013).
Died:
Alexandros Koryzis, 55 or 56, Prime Minister of Greece (suicide).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Australian Navy Bathurst-class minesweeper-corvette HMAS Colac (J 242) is laid down by the Morts Dock & Enginering Co. Ltd. (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia).
The U.S. Navy Elco 77′ patrol motor torpedo boat USS PT-22 is launched by the Electric Launch Company Ltd. (Elco), (Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.A.).
The U.S. Navy coastal minesweeper USS Sanderling (AMc-11), formerly the wooden-hulled purse seiner New Conti di Savoia, is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant (j.g.) William C. Kunz, USNR
The U.S. Navy coastal minesweeper USS Condor (AMc-14), formerly the wooden-hulled purse seiner New Example, is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Ensign Monroe H. Hubbell, USNR.
History Diaries 