Year 1940

Diary for Tuesday, September 24, 1940: Air War Vichy French bombers make ineffectual reprisal raids on Gibraltar (September 24 and 25). Strongest French bombing attack since the beginning of WW2.

Diary for Monday, September 23, 1940: Sea War Atlantic – DAKAR EXPEDITION (Operation Menace): Unsuccessful British-Free French attempt to occupy Dakar, Vichy stronghold in West Africa. Vichy battleship Richelieu (partially

Diary for Sunday, September 22, 1940: Neutrals Egypt: Saadist Party ministers withdraw from Coalition Government in protest against Prime Minister’s failure to declare war on Italy.

Diary for Friday, September 21, 1940: Sea War German invasion fleet in Channel ports now totals 155 steamers, 1,277 barges, 471 tugs and 1,161 motor boats. U-boat U-100 sinks 7

Diary for Friday, September 20, 1940: Sea War Atlantic: First successful U-boat Wolf-pack operation: three of the ‘ace’ commanders – Schepke (U-100), Prien (U-47) and Kretschmer (U-99) – scatter Convoy

Diary for Thursday, September 19, 1940: Sea War Hitler orders dispersal of invasion fleet to reduce losses from British bombing raids. Home Fronts Britain: Waterloo railway station reopened (bombed September

Diary for Wednesday, September 18, 1940: North Africa Italian 10th Army halts near Sidi Barrani, Egypt (captured September 16), and remains inactive for next 3 months because of ‘supply difficulties’

Diary for Tuesday, September 17, 1940: Air War Large formations of Me 109Es carry out sweeps over Kent. Germans lose 8 aircraft; RAF, 5 fighters. Night raiders (total 268) destroy

Diary for Monday, September 16, 1940: Air War Minor daylight raids on Southeast England (bad weather). Night raids on London by 150 aircraft; damage in West End. Göring orders fresh

Diary for Saturday, September 14, 1940: Air War Bombs dropped on Kingston, Wimbledon, Brighton, Eastbourne, Ipswich and in Northwestern England. These relatively successful daylight raids in cloudy weather encourage Göring

Diary for Friday, September 13, 1940: Air War China: Debut of Japan’s Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter: 13 Zeros escort bomber formation to Chungking and shoot down all defending fighters (20-plus);

Diary for Wednesday, September 11, 1940: Air War Dover suffers its worst attack of the war. Sea War Vichy French squadron (3 cruisers and 3 destroyers) makes high-speed dash in

Diary for Tuesday, September 10, 1940: Air War Little daylight activity; ‘hit-and-run’ raiders attack airfields and Portsmouth Dockyards. 148 night raiders sent to London, but massive AA barrage from 199

Diary for Monday, September 9, 1940: Air War Battle of Britain: RAF foils series of intended raids on London, Thameshaven, Tilbury and aircraft factories. Losses: German, 23; British, 20. Bombs

Diary for Sunday, September 8, 1940: Air War Small-scale raids on airfields in southeastern England and Dover. 9 1/2-hour night raid on London by 170 bombers: 12 large fires, all

Diary for Saturday, September 7, 1940: Air War BATTLE OF LONDON BEGINS: Göring launches massive day-light ‘reprisal’ raid, in answer to RAF attacks on Berlin, with 1,000 aircraft (inc. 350

Diary for Friday, September 6, 1940: Air War Battle of Britain (Day 59): Airfield attacks continue; Hawker factory at Weybridge bombed. Home Fronts Britain: King and Queen visit RAF Fighter

Diary for Thursday, September 5, 1940: Air War Luftwaffe raid Biggin Hill and Detling airfields; Ju 88s and He 111s fire oil storage tanks at Thameshaven (these burn for many

Diary for Wednesday, September 4, 1940: Air War Me 110 fighter-bombers (6 lost) make devastating low-level raid on Vickers’ factory at Brooklands (Surrey) killing 88, injuring 600 and halting production

Diary for Tuesday, September 3, 1940: Sea War Hitler postpones launching of Operation Sea Lion from September 15 to September 21. US forces to occupy naval and air bases in