http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/02.htm
April 2nd, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM: Mr. John McCabe, a Royal Ordnance Factory assistant foreman, tackled a fire at the factory; he told others to escape before a blast killed him. For this he was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal.
RAF Coastal Command: Sunderland flying boat drove off six Ju 88s,shot one down into the sea and another was forced to land in Norway.
RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group. 166 Sqn. K8993 damaged taxiing at Jurby. Flg Off Hannigan and crew safe. 102 Sqn. N1368 overshot Driffield. Plt Off K.N. Gray and crew safe.
These two aircraft were Armstrong Whitworth A.W. 38 Whitleys; K8993 was a Mk. III assigned to No. 166 Squadron based at Abingdon, Berkshire, England, and N1368 was a Mk. V. assigned to No. 102 Squadron based at Driffield, Yorkshire, England. (Jack McKillop)
RAF Fighter Command: 2 Luftwaffe aircraft attacked the British naval base at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, over the North Sea, 1 destroyed. No damage done. Over Scapa Flow, 1 German aircraft believed brought down by gunfire. 2 civilians and 1 soldier killed by shell-splinters. On the return flight Duncansby Head and Stroma lighthouses are struck by machine-gun bullets.
FRANCE: The 13e Demi-Brigade of French Legionaires, with those from Algeria forming the 1st Battalion and Moroccans the 2nd, embark at Brest bound for Liverpool. They are commanded by Lt. Col. Magrin-Verneret (subsequently known as Monclar) (Gordon Angus MacKinlay)
NETHERLANDS: Border garrisons are put on full alert.
GERMANY: Chancellor Adolf Hitler orders that Operation WESERUBUNG, the invasion of Norway and Denmark, be carried out. The planned date is 9 April. (Jack McKillop)
SWEDEN: The Swedish government receives vague reports of troops and ships being concentrated in north German ports.
CHINA: Wuyuan:
Chinese Nationalist troops have recaptured the north-western city of Wuyuan for the second time after ambushing a column of 3,000 Japanese troops. The city which first fell under Japanese control in February, was recaptured by the Nationalists two weeks ago. However, the Japanese sent in reinforcements a week ago as a result of which they once more took the city. Its successful retaking by the Nationalists will give heart to beleaguered Chinese forces in the south of the country.
U.S.A.: The U.S. Fleet departs the West Coast for manoeuvres in Hawaiian waters. Fleet Problem XXI is the last of the large prewar fleet exercises that mark the culmination of the training year. Conducted in two phases, Parts II and VI of the annual fleet exercises, it takes place in the waters of the Pacific in the vicinity of Hawaii to the westward. Part II exercises two fleets (the augmented Battle Force vs. the augmented Scouting Force) of approximately equal strength, one side concentrated and the other widely dispersed, in scouting, screening, and conducting major fleet engagements.
Part VI exercises two fleets of approximately equal strength (the same opponents as in Part II), each dispersed, in scouting, screening, protecting convoys, seizing and defending advanced bases, and conducting major fleet engagements. The worsening world situation will prompt the cancellation of Fleet Problem XXII. (Jack McKillop)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 215 April 2, 1940
At 00.21 hours, U-38 sinks Finnish steamer SS Signe, a straggler from convoy HN-23A (all 19 hands lost). Destroyer HMS Sikh, escorting convoy HN-23A, hears the explosion and searches for survivors. http://www.hmscavalier.org.uk/G82/
British submarines start taking up positions to execute Vice-Admiral Horton’s plan intercept German warships leaving naval bases at Heligoland Bight, Kiel, Wilhelmshaven, Cuxhaven & Swinemünde. He correctly guesses that they will be bound for Norway. HMS Unity departs Blyth submarine base, Northumberland, to patrol Heligoland Bight. HMS Sunfish departs Harwich naval base for the Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden.