Year 1940

Diary for Thursday, June 13, 1940: Home Fronts Britain: 120,000 school-children to be evacuated from London. Germany: Hitler gives an interview to American journalist Carl von Wiegand: he had no […]

Diary for Wednesday, June 12, 1940: France Rommel captures remnants of French IX Corps and British 51st Highland Division at St.Valery-en-Caux, near Le Havre. Germans reach the Marne and cross

Diary for Tuesday, June 11, 1940: France German vanguards approach Pontoise, thereby threatening Paris from the northwest. Sea War Mediterranean: British Mediterranean Fleet and French cruiser squadron sweep Eastern Mediterranean

Diary for Monday, June 10, 1940: Politics ITALY DECLARES WAR ON BRITAIN AND FRANCE. Hostilities to begin at midnight. CANADA DECLARES WAR ON ITALY. French Government leaves Paris for Tours,

Diary for Sunday, June 9, 1940: France German Army Group A (45 divisions) attacks on the river Aisne. 5th Panzer Division captures Rouen. Norway GERMAN-NORWEGIAN ARMISTICE. General Dietl receives surrender

Diary for Saturday, June 8, 1940: Sea War Carrier Glorious and escorting destroyers Acasta and Ardent sunk in desperate battle with Gneisenau and Scharnhorst south-west of Narvik. Acasta scores damaging

Diary for Friday, June 7, 1940: France Rommel advances 30 miles (ca. 48 km) to Forges-Ies-Eaux, north of Rouen. Air War French Naval Air Force attempts token bombing raid on

Diary for Thursday, June 6, 1940: France Despite strong French resistance, Rommel breaks through west of Amiens and advances 20 miles (ca. 32 km). Air War 21 LeO-451 bombers (11

Diary for Wednesday, June 5, 1940: Western Front BATTLE OF FRANCE BEGINS – Operation Rot (Red): 119 German divisions (with 10 armored) against 65 French divisions (3 armored, 3 mechanized

Diary for Tuesday, June 4, 1940: Western Front Germans capture Dunkirk, taking 40,000 French prisoners (rearguard plus many stragglers), and great quantities of abandoned British equipment, inc. 2,472 guns, 84,427

Diary for Monday, June 3, 1940: Sea War Last evacuation ships leave Dunkirk (night June 3-4). Dunkirk Evacuation: Total evacuated: 338,226 men inc. about 120,000 French and Belgians; 861 ships

Diary for Sunday, June 2, 1940: Sea War 26,200 troops evacuated from Dunkirk; destroyers Malcolm and Sabre damaged (night June 2-3). Air War Further German raids on Lyons and Rhone

Diary for Saturday, June 1, 1940: Sea War 64,400 troops evacuated from Dunkirk. Destroyers Keith (flagship), Basilisk and Havant, French destroyer Foudroyant and large transport Scotia bombed and sunk. Fife

Diary for Friday, May 31, 1940: Western Front French 1st Army surrenders in Lille sector after 4-day siege. BEF withdraws from Belgian sector of Dunkirk pocket (night May 31-June 1).

Diary for Thursday, May 30, 1940: Sea War 53,800 troops evacuated from Dunkirk. French destroyer Bourrasque sunk by artillery fire and mine damage; three British destroyers damaged by bombing. Three

Diary for Wednesday, May 29, 1940: Air War Two elite units of Junkers Ju 88 bombers join assault on Dunkirk. Squadron of RAF Defiant two-seat fighters claim 37 ‘kills’ over

Diary for Tuesday, May 28, 1940: Norway NARVIK CAPTURED by French Foreign Legion and Norwegians. Sea War 17,800 troops evacuated from Dunkirk; destroyer Windsor damaged by bombs; small steamer sunk

Diary for Monday, May 27, 1940: Western Front Guderian is permitted, by his superiors, to continue the advance from river Aa towards Dunkirk, employing motorized infantry (tanks to be held

Diary for Sunday, May 26, 1940: Sea War DUNKIRK EVACUATION (Operation Dynamo) begins. Zeebrugge harbor sabotaged by Royal Navy; 4 block ships sunk. Air War Spitfire Mk Is destroy 6

Diary for Saturday, May 25, 1940: Western Front BEF despatch two divisions to block the gap between Menin and Ypres. Germans capture 5,000 British and French troops at Boulogne. British