Year 1941

Diary for Tuesday, March 25, 1941: Politics YUGOSLAVIA SIGNS TRIPARTITE PACT in Vienna, allying herself with the Axis Powers. North Africa Marshal Graziani, CinC Italian Armies in Libya and Chief […]

Diary for Monday, March 24, 1941: North Africa ROMMEL OPENS HIS FIRST OFFENSIVE in the Western Desert and captures El Agheila. Sea War Mediterranean: British submarine Rorqual lays mines west

Diary for Sunday, March 23, 1941: Air War Ju 87 Stukas with fighter escort carry out major raid on Malta: 13 Stukas shot down (2 RAF fighters lost in air

Diary for Saturday, March 22, 1941: Sea War Atlantic: German battlecruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst return to Brest having sunk 22 ships totalling 116,000 t during ‘Operation Berlin‘. Neutrals Vichy France:

Diary for Friday, March 21, 1941: North Africa Italian garrison of Jarabub, Southern Libya, surrenders to British and Australians after 15-week siege. Neutrals USA: New York bus strike ends after

Diary for Thursday, March 20, 1941: Air War RAF and South African AF bomb Italian positions around Keren (Eritrea).

Diary for Wednesday, March 19, 1941: Air War Britain: Heaviest night raid on London since last December.

Diary for Tuesday, March 18, 1941: East Africa Ethiopian ‘Patriot’ tribesmen attempt to surround Italian garrison at Debra Marcos. Politics British Foreign Minister, Eden, meets his Turkish counterpart in Cyprus

Diary for Monday, March 17, 1941: East Africa Italians launch unsuccessful counter-attack in Eritrea. Home Fronts Britain: Jam and marmalade rationed to 8 oz. (225 g) per person per month.

Diary for Sunday, March 16, 1941: Sea War Atlantic: Two U-boat ‘aces’ Kretschmer (U-99) and Schepke (U-100) lost while attacking Convoy HX.112. U-100 rammed by HMS Vanoc; U-99 depth-charged by

Diary for Saturday, March 15, 1941: Sea War Atlantic: German U-boats U-105 and U-106 hound Convoy SL.68 for a week off West Africa, sinking 7 ships and damaging battleship Malaya.

Diary for Friday, March 14, 1941: Air War Britain: Night raids on Glasgow and Sheffield.

Diary for Thursday, March 13, 1941: Air War Britain: Devastating night raids on Glasgow and Clydeside (March 13-14 and 14-15); 35,000 homeless in Clydebank (total population 47,000). 460 killed, 750

Diary for Wednesday, March 12, 1941: Air War Germany – RAF raid on Berlin: first of 10 heavy raids during 1941. Halifax four-engined bombers participate in night raid on Hamburg.

Diary for Tuesday, March 11, 1941: Neutrals ROOSEVELT SIGNS LEASE-LEND BILL: USA now able to supply all Britain’s arms requirements. see also: Lease-Lend-tanks and aircrafts for Russia 1941-1945 Politics Thai-Vichy

Diary for Monday, March 10, 1941: Air War Europe: Handley Page Halifax four-engined bombers attack Le Havre (night March 10-11). Britain: Heavy night raid on Portsmouth (repeated March 10-11). Occupied

Diary for Sunday, March 9, 1941: Balkans Major Italian counter-offensive (spring offensive) launched in Albania. Greeks repel all attacks and inflict heavy casualties on Giulia Division, but are weakened themselves

Diary for Saturday, March 8, 1941: Air War Britain: Night raids on London; Cafe de Paris hit (34 killed, 60 injured).

Diary for Friday, March 7, 1941: Sea War Atlantic: U-boat ‘ace’ Cdr. Gunther Prien, the ‘Bull of Scapa Flow‘, dies; his U-47 is sunk by HMS Wolverine while attacking Convoy

Diary for Thursday, March 6, 1941: Balkans Greeks launch successful counter-attacks in central sector of Albanian front, capturing several vital mountain crags and taking 1,000 Italian prisoners. RAF and Greek