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Hans Thomsen, the German charge d’affaires in Washington, did his best to impart some facts about the U.S.A. to his ignorant Foreign Minister in Berlin. On September 18, as the Polish campaign neared its end, he warned the Wilhelmstrasse that “the sympathies of the overwhelming majority of the American people are with our enemies, and America is convinced of Germany’s war guilt.” In the same dispatch he pointed out the dire consequences of any attempts by Germany to carry out sabotage in America and requested that there be no such sabotage “in any manner whatsoever.”

William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

NAVAL EVENTS-Monday, 18 September

Northern Patrol - light cruiser CARDIFF departed Scapa Flow on Northern Patrol duties, arriving back on the 22nd.

U.35 and other U-boats in Northwestern approaches - U.35 sank British trawlers ARLITA (326grt) 22 miles WNW of St Kilda and LORD MINTO (295grt) off the Butt of Lewis, 30miles NW of St Kilda on the 18th. The survivors were picked up by British trawler NANCY HAGUE (299grt), which was in company and spared by the submarine to rescue the other two crews.

At 0409/19th, U.35 stopped trawler ALVIS (279grt) 29 miles north of St Kilda. She was ordered to dismantle her radio and proceed to Fleetwood. This trawler was erroneously reported in early sources as the RIVER TAY (203grt).

At 0600/19th, trawler NEIL MACKAY (209grt) was chased by an unknown U-boat, 22 miles W by N of the Butt of Lewis.

These attacks put into motion a major anti-submarine operation by destroyers beginning on the 19th.

British northern waters - light cruisers AURORA, EDINBURGH, BELFAST, and SHEFFIELD departed Sullom Voe after refuelling and arrived at Scapa Flow on the 20th.

Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA with destroyer FOXHOUND departed Scapa Flow for patrol in Fair Isle Channel, stopping Danish steamer MAROCCO (1641grt) on the 18th and sending her into Kirkwall for inspection. At 2029/18th, FOXHOUND attacked a submarine contact east of the Orkneys and on the 20th detached to investigate another contact. During this hunt, FOXHOUND experienced a defect to her depth charge thrower and repaired at Scapa Flow alongside light cruiser AURORA. CALCUTTA arrived back on the 21st.

Light cruiser DELHI arrived at Scapa Flow.

Light cruiser ENTERPRISE departed Scapa Flow and arrived back on the 21st.

British east coast - U.23 laid mines in St Andrews Bay between Dundee and the Firth of Forth.

Convoy FS.7 departed Methil and arrived at Southend on the 20th.

Destroyer JUPITER made an attack on U.21 off Dunbar, but no damage was done. The submarine was also attacked unsuccessfully by aircraft.

Destroyers EXPRESS and ESK arrived at the Humber after escorting convoys off Flamborough Head.

Convoy FN.7 departed Southend and arrived at Methil on the 20th.

North Sea - destroyer BOREAS on patrol was near missed by German bombing, but not damaged.

U.7 departed Kiel for patrol in the North Sea and returned on 3 October.

Baltic - Polish submarine ORZEL, commanded by Lt Grudzinski, escaped internment at Tallin and began a 16 day patrol in the Baltic before heading for England.

Polish submarine RYS, with damaged periscopes and low on fuel, arrived at Stavnas, Sweden, for internment.

English Channel – destroyer JAGUAR with destroyer VANOC in company attacked a submarine contact off St Albans Head, Dorset.

Light cruisers CERES and CARADOC departed Plymouth on escort duties and arrived back on the 20th.

Destroyer VANOC attacked a submarine contact SW of Eddystone.

Destroyer ISIS attacked a submarine contact 20 miles south of the Lizard, Cornwall.

UK-France convoys - BC.3S of 16 steamers including BARON GRAHAM, BARON MACLAY, NEW TEXAS (Cdre), and TREWORLAS departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyers MONTROSE (SO), VENETIA, and VISCOUNT. The convoy safely arrived in the Loire on the 20th.

UK-Turkey - Polish destroyer BLYSKAWICA departed Liverpool with steamer CLAN MENZIES (7336grt) carrying military stores for Turkey. Both ships arrived at Gibraltar on the 22nd and continued on to Malta. From Malta on the 27th, the steamer proceeded to Istanbul and BLYSKAWICA returned to Plymouth, arriving on 1 October.

Southwestern approaches - destroyer INTREPID attacked a submarine contact 30 miles N by W of Land’s End.

U.32 sank steamer KENSINGTON COURT (4863grt) with gunfire 70 miles SW of Fastnet. The submarine was attacked by British aircraft, but was not damaged. Destroyer KELLY was dispatched to assist, but before arriving on the scene, the crew had been picked up by a Sunderland flying boat of RAF 204 Squadron.

Gibraltar area - destroyers EXMOUTH, ENCOUNTER, ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE departed Gibraltar to return to England after escorting convoy GC.1, and arrived at Plymouth on the 20th.

The French 2nd Squadron of battleships PROVENCE, BRETAGNE, LORRAINE with four destroyers (LE PALME, LE MARS, and TEMPÊTE of the 1st Division, and one other - the other destroyers of the Squadron were with GC.1) departed Gibraltar to return to Oran.

Mediterranean - anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY departed Alexandria on patrol.

Destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER, DELIGHT, and DUCHESS arrived at Suez, passed through the Canal and arrived at Alexandria next day to join the Mediterranean Fleet.

Central and South Atlantic – the French instituted a Canary Islands submarine patrol. ARGO and CENTAURE of the 4th Submarine Division departed Casablanca on the 22nd to begin the patrol, followed in rotation by LE CENTAURE, ARGO, PASCAL, HENRI POINCARÉ, also of the 4th Division.

Light cruiser DANAE departed Simonstown on patrol and arrived back on the 21st.