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http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/16.htm

April 16th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM:

RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - Stavanger, Fornebu, Kjeller and Trondheim Airfields.

10 Sqn. Six aircraft to Stavanger. Only one bombed due to weather. Hits claimed causing fires. One aircraft to Fornebu and one aircraft to Kjeller. Both unable to locate targets due to weather.

77 Sqn. Four aircraft from Kinloss to Trondheim. All attacked. One crash landed on return after four crew abandoned aircraft.

2 Group: 107 Sqn ( Blenheim). 6 aircraft to Stavanger to bomb. Only one reaches target due to bad weather.

Westminster: The government issues a mobilization order for all men who turn 27 years old during April and May. (Jack McKillop)

NORWAY: The submarine HMS Porpoise makes a torpedo attack on U-3 southwest of Stavanger in position 58.18N, 05.47E, U-3 is unharmed.

The British force which landed north of Narvik at Harstad is now in place to begin an attack on Dietl’s 4,600 strong occupation force which it has surrounded and cut off from the sea. But their commander, Major General Pierse J. Macksey, wants the weather just right before he attacks, and a series of blizzards has begun, filling the valleys with 8 foot deep snowdrifts. To pass the time, the Guards officers give ski lessons to their men. When there are not enough skis to go around, some of the men switch to tobogganing. To the guards who have never been on toboggans and might need them now for transport in a strange terrain, tobogganing was serious business, to the local Norwegians, it seems that they’re just playing in the snow.

(Mark Horan adds): At RNAS Hatston, Acting Captain C. L. Howe, RN decides that the Squadrons would fly small armed reconnaissance missions to Bergen. 803 Squadrons was selected, and dispatched two Skuas armed with a single 250 pound SAP bomb and 8 x 20 pound Cooper bombs with orders to proceed to Bergen and then separate and approach the fjords from the North and South.

The aircraft took off at 0500, separated at 0650, and crossed the coastline at 0705 at 4,000 feet. Each aircraft made a high-speed run, descending to below 1,000 feet as they recconnoitered the surrounding fjords. On the way in, one aircraft sighted, attacked, and badly damaged a small auxiliary vessel flying the German flag, the patrol vessel Tarantel N. B. 18. On the way out, the other sighted and attacked a U-58 that was proceeding up the fjord on the surface. It was believed that the submarine was damaged by the bombing as it did not attempt to dive thereafter. Both aircraft returned safely at 0925.

Off NORWAY: HMS Furious, now seriously short of fuel, was ordered to Tromsø to refuel, anchoring there at 0630. She was thereafter to report to Flag Officer Narvik. (Mark Horan)

GIBRALTAR/ATLANTIC OCEAN: As HMS Ark Royal departs Gibraltar at 1700 in company with the destroyers HMS Vortigern (local escort), HMS Westcott, and HMS Bulldog bound for the Clyde. HMS Glorious, in company with the destroyers HMS Velox and HMS Watchman continue towards the Clyde.

ICELAND: The government appeals to the US for aid and recognition. Iceland also declares its independence today. (Jack McKillop)