Replies

700 Slain on Lake – 2-3
Three Finnish Women Die At Posts With the Troops – 3
The International Situation – 3
Bombing of Viborg Misses Objectives – 4
Soviet People Irked at the Failure Of Red Army to Conquer Finland – 5-6
Dr. Poling Offers World Peace Plan – 7
Church and Public Hail Peace Move of the President – 9
Leaders’ Replies to the President – 10
Pope Sends Funds to Catholic Finns – 11-12
Hope of Peace for Italy Told by President to King – 12
Hitler Sets Foot Upon French Soil – 13-14
Ship is Torpedoed Off English Coast – 15-16
Merchant Ships Sunk in War – 16
Chile’s ‘Strong Man’ Leaves the Cabinet – 16
1,000 Police Assigned to Times Sq. To Control New Year Eve Revelers – 17
11 Hurt at Brooklyn Movie by Wall Cave-In; 300 Escape Just Before Next-Door Explosion – 18
Exeter Fought Spee Till Dusk, New Reports on Battle Reveal – 19-21
Americas’ Aid Plan is Forming Rapidly – 23
Reich Will Transfer 80,000 Galician Jews – 23
Rumanian Appeals For Neutral Unity – 24
Incidents in European Conflict – 26
Stalin and Hitler (Editorials) – 27-28

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1939/dec39/f27dec39.htm

Indian troops join the BEF
Wednesday, December 27, 1939 www.onwar.com

On the Western Front... The first Indian army troops arrive to join the British Expeditionary Force in France.

In the Winter War... The Soviets end attacks on the north end of the Mannerheim Line with little success. Meanwhile, the Finns launch offensives against units of the Soviet 8th and 9th Armies and evacuate civilians from Viipuri.

In Occupied Poland... Two German army noncommissioned officers are killed by Poles in a bar in the Warsaw suburb of Wawer. The bar owner is immediately hanged and 120 Poles selected at random are shot and killed.

In Stockholm... Britain and France seek Swedish permission for the shipment of “unofficial” aid to Finland through Sweden.

In London... The American government protests the British seizure of US mail en route to Europe.

In Turkey... A powerful earthquake is estimated to have killed 8000 people, thousands more are made homeless, in bitter winter weather conditions. The regions of Tokat and the Black Sea tobacco-growing centers of Samsun and Ordu are among the worst hit.

December 27th, 1939
UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Coastal Command: German destroyers and patrol boats attacked off German coast.

Cambridge: A verdict of accidental death is given in the case of a couple who cycled into a river during the blackout and drowned.

Corvette HMS Jonquil laid down.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Hazel launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: U-108 are laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

POLAND: After two German officers are killed in a scuffle in a bar at Wawer, the authorities round up and shoot dead 107 men and boys selected at random.

EUROPE: The Allies lobby Sweden and Norway for permission to ship unofficial aid to Finland.

TURKEY: A powerful earthquake is estimated to have killed 8,000 people.

U.S.A.: Submarine USS Gar laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The German merchantman Glücksburg (2680 GRT) was intercepted by destroyer HMS Wishart and was run aground by her crew near the Chipiona Lightship, Spain. (Dave Shirlaw)

H . M . S . W I S H A R T (D 6 7 )

Modified W-Class Destroyer ordered from John I Thornycroft at Woolston, Southampton with the 13th order of the 1913-19 Programmes in January 1918. She was laid down on 18th May 1918 and launched on 18th July 1919 as the first ship to commemorate the name of a Royal Navy Captain serving at Vigo In 1702. Her completion was in June 1920 and she is easily distinguished from other ships of this type by having two funnels of almost equal height. During the inter-war years she served in the Atlantic Fleet and later in the Mediterranean was commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten. Following a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Port Talbot, Glamorgan. In 1942 she was classed as a Close Range Escort and not converted to a Long Range Escort because the boiler room arrangements did not allow increase her fuel capacity.