Year 1940

Diary for Monday, November 4, 1940: Air War Sneak raiders active over southern and eastern England and London; second strafing attack on London streets in two days. 150 night bombers […]

Diary for Sunday, November 3, 1940: Balkans In Pindus Mountains Greeks defeat 3rd Alpini Division. Sea War Atlantic: German U-boat U 99 torpedoes two British armed merchant cruisers: Laurentic (18,700

Diary for Saturday, November 2, 1940: Air War Italians bomb Salonika (on November 2 and 3).

Diary for Friday, November 1, 1940: Balkans Italians reach river Kalamas, near Adriatic coast. Air War Britain: Ju 87 Stukas attack convoy off Thames Estuary. Germany: Eight RAF raids on

Diary for Thursday, October 31, 1940: Balkans British forces land on Crete. Air War BATTLE OF BRITAIN ENDS (Day 114). Luftwaffe loses 116 fighter-bombers and escort fighters during raids on

Diary for Wednesday, October 30, 1940: Sea War Atlantic: U-boat U-32 sunk while attacking convoy by destroyers Harvester and Highlander. Destroyer Sturdy wrecked in Hebrides.

Diary for Tuesday, October 29, 1940: Home Front Britain: General Legentilhomme (ex-commander of French-Somaliland) joins General de Gaulle in London.

Diary for Monday, October 28, 1940: Politics Italian ultimatum to Greece, demanding right of passage for Italian forces to unspecified ‘strategic points’, by 6 a.m. Greek Prime Minster Metaxas rejects

Diary for Sunday, October 27, 1940: Neutrals USA: New York World’s Fair closes after only two seasons (first opened April, 1939).

Diary for Saturday, October 26, 1940: Sea War Atlantic: Liner Empress of Britain (42,300 t) bombed, strafed and set on fire by Focke-Wulf Condor, 150 miles West of Donegal; she

Diary for Friday, October 25, 1940: Air War Formations of high-flying Me 109Es make several attempts to reach London, but few penetrate RAF fighter screen: heavy casualties when loaded tram-cars

Diary for Thursday, October 24, 1940: Politics Hitler meets Petain and discusses Franco-German collaboration. Air War RAF night raids on Berlin and Hamburg: first raids to inflict significant civilian casualties.

Diary for Wednesday, October 23, 1940: Politics Hitler and General Franco meet at Hendaye on French-Spanish border to discuss an alliance against Britain. Sea War Atlantic: Pocket-battleship Admiral Scheer sails

Diary for Tuesday, October 22, 1940: Air War South African Air Force planes attack Birikau, Italian East Africa, for the fifth time. Shortest night raid on London since onset of

Diary for Monday, October 21, 1940: Home Front Britain: Churchill broadcasts to France, in French; he pours scorn on the threatened invasion of Britain: ‘We are waiting …. So are

Diary for Sunday, October 20, 1940: Air War RAF night raids on Berlin, Milan and Turin. Italian aircraft drop bombs near Cairo. Italian bomber formation flies 4,506 km from Dodecanese

Diary for Saturday, October 19, 1940: Sea War Destroyer Venetia mined and sunk in Thames Estuary.

Diary for Friday, October 18, 1940: Air War RAF and South African Air Force raid targets in Italian East Africa. Indo-China Japanese bomb Bunna Road.

Diary for Thursday, October 17, 1940: Air War Messerschmitt Me 109E fighter-bombers raid London: bomb destroys all signalling equipment at Waterloo Station. Sea War German destroyers and torpedo boats carry

Diary for Wednesday, October 16, 1940: Sea War Atlantic: Four U-boats operating off Northern Channel (October 5-16) sink 4 merchant ships and damage 3 other vessels, inc. armed merchant cruiser