A key to the map symbols is on my profile.
Posted on 09/11/2009 6:34:31 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
A key to the map symbols is on my profile.
Has anyone seen the movie "The Pianist"? It takes place in Poland during the Nazi occupation. Incredible film, made by Roman Polanski, who lost his mother to the death camps. His father slipped young Roman through a fence and he escaped, living off the kindness of strangers until the end of the war. The scenes of the devestation and wreckage of the ghettos is chilling. I've watched the movie 3 or 4 times and could stand to see it a few more times.
The Developments in Europe – 2
Capital Battered – 2-7
Incidents in European Conflict – 3
$24,836,000 In Planes Asked of Four Plants – 5
Canadian Proclamation – 9
Allies Make Gain – 10-11
Nazis Wage Radio War; Use Polish Wave Lengths – 11
Westwall Break is Held Possible – 12-13
Alarm Routs Parisians; Chat in Shelter for Hour – 13
The British Answer (Editorials) – 14
It is quite amusing to read how positive and encouraged the Allies were by what amounted to meaningless gains. When the Germans attacked France, they penetrated deeper in one day than the French did in a fortnight.
The ads are interesting. A fifth of whiskey for $1.39, and Gary Cooper selling the cigarettes which eventually killed him!
This is absolutely fascinating reading. Thanks for doing this. We tend to encapsulate an event like the invasion of Poland in a single phrase to remember it by without looking into the personal accounts, misplaced optimism and daily horrors that occurred. These articles really show the events in a drawn out way and the collective accounts of this was more than just an historical footnote to recall on a timeline. The devil of history is in the details.
Maybe someone can help me out on this. I'm betting the advanced trainer is the AT-6 and the regular trainer is the T-6 training aircraft but what are the bombers?
Near as I can figure this might be an order for the NA40B. The prototype of this medium bomber crashed on 11 April 1939 but the army still liked the design and ordered it into production. The modified design that was born out of that and first flew on 19 August 1940. It is known by the more familiar name B-25 Mitchell. WW2DB
Near as I can tell this was the only medium bomber made by North American at the time unless I'm missing something.
Thank you! I have tried to explain my primary motivation for doing this project a few times over the months, but have not succeeded as well as you just did.
In modern warfare it is the artillery that conquers positions but it is the infantry that occupies and holds them.
This shows a clear World War I mentality that will cost them dearly when the western offensive starts next May. Manstein, and Guderian did not hold to those old perceptions and felt that armor would capture positions and infantry would fill in behind and hold the gains. Most of the Panzer divisions that spearheaded operation Sickle Cut didn't even have significant artillery battalions attached to them or if they did they were still stuck in the Ardennes traffic jam as the Panzer divisions rapidly pushed forward.
I was talking about “The Pianist” just yesterday. I think I will have to rent it this weekend. The nice lady I met at my cardiac rehab clinic told me it was very good, and very true to how things were in Poland at the time. She herself had been in a concentration camp as a 5 year old (in 1939) in Poland during World War II and her father died in one. She has since graduated from the cardiac clinic so I don’t see her there anymore and I have to say of all the nice people I’ve met there I really do miss her.
It’s an amazing film. Very, very good. The lead actor, I forget his name, was excellent. The scenery, the mood, just amazing. It’s very simple. It doesn’t manipulate. It doesn’t add any dopey hollywood plots to make it entertaining. It doesn’t use cheesy dramatic music to goose up any tension. It simply lets you watch the story unfold. Amazing work.
And it’s a true story. When you consider Polanski’s personal history, you can imagine the dedication and heart that went into the film. Polanski directed another of my favorite movies—Chinatown. I’ve watched that one more times than I can count.
NAVAL EVENTS-Monday Sept. 11
Northern Patrol - light cruiser ENTERPRISE, which departed Portsmouth on the 9th, arrived at Scapa Flow for Northern Patrol duty with the 12th Cruiser Squadron.
Light cruisers CALYPSO and CALEDON arrived at Scapa Flow after Northern Patrol duty.
Northwestern approaches - U.47 sank steamer FIRBY (4869grt) 300 miles WNW of Cape Wrath. The survivors were rescued by destroyer FEARLESS, detached from HOOD’s screen.
Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL and destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FOXHOUND, FURY left Scapa Flow at 2030 for an anti-submarine patrol NW of Ireland. Destroyer FORTUNE was replaced by destroyer ESKIMO at 2100 on the 11th and aircraft carrier HERMES was assigned to relieve ARK ROYAL as soon as possible.
U.30 sank steamer BLAIRLOGIE (4425grt) west of Ireland, but remained with the crew until American steamer AMERICAN SHIPPER (7430grt) was sighted. She rescued them.
British east coast - Convoy FN.3 departed Harwich on the 11th escorted by destroyer BROKE and sloops BITTERN and ENCHANTRESS. Sweeping ahead of the convoy, BROKE attacked a submarine contact seven miles ENE of Orfordness and BITTERN, also escorting submarine OBERON in FN.3 made another attack on a contact off Cromer Knoll Light Vessel. Destroyers MATABELE and SOMALI joined in the latter attack. Then 14 miles east of Orfordness, BROKE made yet another, all this still on the 11th. BROKE’s asdic set went out of action and required repair, and the convoy arrived at Methil on the 12th.
North Sea - U.4 sighted a British submarine, but lost contact when she submerged to approach. There is no report to indicate which submarine this was.
U.13 departed Wilhelmshaven for patrol off Orfordness.
Kattegat - U.59 sighted a British submarine at 0655 near Samso before arriving at Kiel at 1735.
Baltic - Polish submarine WILK in the Baltic was ordered to England. She was sighted by German destroyer RICHARD BEITZEN on the 14th, but identified as Swedish and left alone. WILK carried on and arrived on the 20th.
Dover Straits - destroyer BLANCHE made a submarine attack five miles NNE of North Goodwins.
Dover Straits minefields - British minelaying began with a mine barrage GR laid across the Straits of Dover with a channel left open for Allied ship use off the Goodwins. Navigational markers were laid between the Goodwins and Dyck by survey ships FRANKLIN and SCOTT from 7 to 10 September.
The field was laid from the 11th to 16th between Galloper and North Hinder by cruiser-minelayer ADVENTURE, coastal minelayer PLOVER and converted train ferries HAMPTON and SHEPPERTON. Minesweepers HARRIER, HUSSAR, SKIPJACK accompanied the force and anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO and 19th Destroyer Flotilla (less BULLDOG in the Mediterranean) provided escort.
Cover was given by light cruisers SOUTHAMPTON, GLASGOW and destroyers JAVELIN, JERSEY, JERVIS, JUPITER of the Humber Force, which departed the Humber at 1830/10th for Sheerness, where they arrived on the 11th. They remained at Sheerness until 14 September when they returned to the Humber, arriving the same day.
English Channel - light cruisers CERES and CARADOC departed Portland to cover a BEF troop convoy, and arrived at Plymouth on the 14th.
UK-France convoys - BC.1F of steamers FENELLA and TYNWALD departed Barry Roads escorted by destroyers KEITH and VIVACIOUS, and arrived safely in the Loire on the 12th.
BC.1S of steamers BARON MINTO, BELLEROPHON, TRELAWNY departed Bristol Channel at the same time and arrived in the Loire on the 13th.
UK-out convoy - OA.3 of three ships and OA.3A with 12 ships, departed Southend. Destroyers AMAZON and JUNO sailed from Plymouth and joined the convoys as escorts the same day, the 11th. The convoys dispersed and JUNO returned to Plymouth on the 15th.
UK-out OB.3 - had departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers MACKAY and WINCHELSEA until this date, the 11th when they joined convoy OB.2 (see following). On the 12th, escort for OB.3 was provided by destroyer VANESSA and sloop PC.74.
Destroyers VANQUISHER and WALKER, escorting convoy OB.2, collided at 2240, 200 miles SW of Cape Clear with both ships badly damaged. Initial reports indicated VANQUISHER, with 14 ratings killed, was probably sinking and WALKER was unseaworthy.
Aircraft carrier COURAGEOUS and her destroyers provided cover for the damaged destroyers, with KEMPENFELT detached to assist at 0540/12th, rejoined COURAGEOUS at 1000, detached again at 1430 and returned to COURAGEOUS at 1730.
Destroyers MACKAY and WINCHELSEA of OB.3 (see above) then joined the convoy, and MACKAY attacked a submarine contact, NW of Bardsey Island.
To assist the damaged destroyers, tugs NEPTUNIA and SALVONIA departed Falmouth at 0100/12th.
With WALKER in company, destroyer ARDENT took VANQUISHER in tow stern first on the 13th, arriving still under tow at Plymouth on the 14th, where she was under repair until 3 January.
WALKER arrived at Plymouth on the 14th, escorted by destroyers IMPULSIVE and IVANHOE, and she repaired until 11 November.
MACKAY and WINCHELSEA arrived back at Liverpool on the 16th.
French waters - French aircraft carrier BÉARN departed Brest escorted by destroyers FOUGUEUX, FRONDEUR, L’ADROIT, and arrived back on the 27th.
Southwestern Approaches - U.38 sank British tanker INVERLIFFEY (9456grt) 270 miles WSW of Land’s End, whose crew was rescued by American steamer R G STEWART (9229grt).
Gibraltar - Destroyer WRESTLER was slightly damaged in collision with Spanish steamer NURIA R (2733grt) at Gibraltar, departed on 16 December and arrived at Malta on the 19th for refitting and repair to the collision damage. She was under repair from 29 December to 6 March, leaving Malta on 9 March for Gibraltar.
Mediterranean Fleet - battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM, MALAYA, heavy cruisers DEVONSHIRE, SUSSEX, light cruisers ARETHUSA, PENELOPE, and destroyers AFRIDI, GURKHA, MOHAWK, SIKH of the 4th Flotilla departed Alexandria for gunnery exercises. That evening, BARHAM and PENELOPE returned to Alexandria and aircraft carrier GLORIOUS joined the fleet from Alexandria, when they proceeded to the west end of Crete to cover the passage of convoys GC.1 and Green 1.
Already at sea were destroyers HASTY HARDY, HERO, HEREWARD, HOSTILE of the 2nd Flotilla from Port Said on the 9th to escort Blue 1. Heavy cruiser SHROPSHIRE arrived at Malta on the 11th, departed Malta that day for Gibraltar, and arrived on the 13th with personnel for RAF No 202 Squadron. She left the same day and reached Marseilles on the 15th. Meanwhile heavy cruiser SUSSEX arrived at Malta on the 13th for docking.
For troop convoy GC.1 escort duty, light cruiser GALATEA had departed Alexandria on the 5th and arrived at Gibraltar on the 8th. Destroyers GLOWWORM and GREYHOUND of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla arrived at Malta on the 7th and departed on the 13th escorting GC.1 and French convoy L.2 to Alexandria.
Destroyers GALLANT, GRAFTON, GRENVILLE arrived at Malta on the 10th for the same duty. GRAFTON and GALLANT went on to Gibraltar. Destroyers GARLAND, GIPSY, GRIFFIN, GRENADE departed Alexandria on the 10th, arriving at Malta on the 12th, and departing the next day as escorts to Green 1.
The heavy units of the Fleet patrolled to the west of Crete until 16 September to cover the convoys.
Central Atlantic - German pocket battleship ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE and accompanying supply ship ALTMARK had a near encounter with heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND, which was sighted by GRAF SPEE’s aircraft only 30 miles away on an intercepting course. However, CUMBERLAND was en route from Freetown to Rio de Janiero and did not even sight the aircraft.
I’m sure that’s why the lady who recommended it to me gave it such high praise. She had also lived it and had a real good perspective of the events. She was unimpressed with Schindler’s List though. I wish I could have just sat down with her for hours and asked her questions about that time, but when she was telling me of it she related how painful the memories were and at that point I just couldn’t bring myself to ask her anymore about it.
In Berlin... Germany announces a counter blockade against Britain, saying that since “economic warfare was forced on her,” Germany “is not only able to resist every pressure of blockade and every form of British hunger warfare, but to reply to it with the same methods.”
In Germany... Cipher experts crack the British merchant ship code, identifying convoy meeting points.
In Poland... The German forces cross the River San north and south of Przemysl, in southeast Poland. The battle on the Bzura continues but the leaders of German Army Group South, Rundstedt and his Chief of Staff, Manstein, are already beginning to assemble reinforcements for German 8th Army. The Polish force at Radom is destroyed with the Germans capturing 60,000 men. The German capture of the industrial area of Upper Silesia is complete.
In Britain... Churchill begins correspondence with Roosevelt which he signs as “A Naval Person”.
In London... The British cabinet decides no further attempt to bomb Germany by air will be carried out. Meanwhile, plans for the federation of India are postponed indefinitely.
I just added it to my Netflix queue.
SS Standarte Germania starts the day in Tarnow, and is ordered to procede to the southwest of Jaroslaw. As it passes through the towns of Szczucin and Mielec they are attacked by snipers, and kill up to 67 civilians in retaliation.
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