BRITISH YIELD SOUTHERN NORWAY TO NAZIS; EVACUATE AANDALSNES; NORSE FIGHT ON (5/3/40)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, Cabrillo College Library | 5/3/40 | Raymond Daniell, Otto D. Tolischus, Harold Denny

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Norway, 1940 – Operations in Southern and Central Norway, April-May 1940
Evolution of Plan Yellow, October 1939-January 1940
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – The Imperial Powers, 1 September 1939

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Premier Explains – 2-3
The International Situation – 3-4
Reich Claims Rout – 5-7
Day’s Communiques on Norway – 7-8

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Inexcusable absences, I confess. Huge blogging commitment, plus local reporting duties.

I’ll try to do better...

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http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/may40/f03may40.htm

Poles fighting in Norway
Friday, May 3, 1940 www.onwar.com

In Norway... Polish landing in Norway is announced.

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http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/03.htm

May 3rd, 1940

FRANCE: A Bf109 is captured intact by the RAF. They evaluate it in France fighting mock combats against a Hurricane of 1 Sqn. RAF pilots report the Bf109 as having excellent rearward vision and is unquestionably faster than the Hurricane at high altitude. To offset this, the Hurricane is more manoeuvrable and slightly faster on the deck. After the evaluation the Messerschmitdt is flown to Boscombe Down with a heavy escort.
Dave Wadman adds: This would probably be W.Nr1304 a Bf109E-1, White ‘1’ of II/JG54 which was captured intact after force landing behind French lines on 22nd November 1939. It was tested by the French at Orleans-Bricy. It was sent to the UK in May 1940 where it was allocated the serial AE479. and evaluated at AandAEE Boscombe Down and the RAE at Farnborough. It also spent some time with AFDU (Air Fighting Development Unit). It was later shipped to Wright Field in the US for further evaluation. Prior to going to the US it had to have a replacement tail unit fitted as the original had been damaged in a landing mishap.
Incidentally, when it comes to seeing behind there is very little to choose between the Hurricane and 109 as they both have framed canopies with the 109’s being heavier and thicker glass (more distortion).

GERMANY: Hitler puts off the date for Fall Gelb until May 6 on account of the weather.

In a speech to officer candidates Hitler asserts: “The earth is a challenge cup. It is a challenge cup that passes into the hands of those peoples who deserve it, who prove themselves strong enough in their struggle for existence, who secure the basis for their own existence. It is a challenge cup that is taken from those peoples who become weak, who are not willing, at the risk of the life of one generation, to secure the life of later generations. ... Strength determines right on this soil.
... Peoples who start to lose this strength are no longer healthy and therefore lose their right to this earth” (258 p. 196).

U-378 and U-701 are laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN: Retiring northwest from Namsos, Tribal class destroyer HMS AFRIDI and the French destroyer ‘BISON’ are sunk by Ju87s in the Norwegian Sea at 66 14N, 05 45E. The destroyers were protecting a convoy transporting troops withdrawing from Namsos. None of the troop transports are hit and two German planes are shot down. A large number of both crews are rescued, including Captain P L Vian of the AFRIDI. Previously he was captain of her sister ship, HMS Cossack, of Altmark rescue fame. But casualties include 49 crew, 13 soldiers from the York and Lancaster Regiment and more than 30 survivors from the BISON. (Alex Gordon)(108)

ASW trawlers HMS ASTON VILLA, HMS GAUL and HMS ST. GORAN are bombed and sunk off Norway. (Dave Shirlaw)

All Allied troops are evacuated except for a small force at Narvik.

The RAF continues bombing of strategic German airfields in Norway and Denmark.

The two carriers arrive at Scapa at 1030. HMS Glorious hastily refuels and then departs at 1630 bound for Greenock, flying off 803 Squadron en-route (including the single unused Roc she had acquired on 30 April). HMS Ark Royal also refuels and re-provisions, while Ark sends off her five Rocs to RNAS Hatston. (Mark Horan)

SWEDEN: Stockholm: Intensive and highly secret diplomatic talks are taking place between Sweden and Germany for the safe return of Sweden’s crown jewels and gold reserves, which were taken by train for safe-keeping in Oslo six months ago. Sweden believed that it was under threat from its old antagonist Russia, or from Germany which coveted its iron ore reserves.

Many believe that the principal bargaining lever is permission for German troops to cross neutral Sweden into Norway and an assurance that ore supplied to Germany will not be cut.

U.S.A.: The motion picture “Saps At Sea” is released in the U.S. Directed by Gordon Douglas, the film stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. While working in a horn factory, Ollie has a breakdown and attempts to relax sailing on a small boat with Stan. (Jack McKillop)

GREENLAND: The government appeals to the USA for military protection.

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http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/

Day 246 May 3, 1940

Evacuation of Namsos (1850 British, 2345 French & some Norwegian troops, 30 German POWs) is complete at dawn. HMS Afridi leaves at 4.45 AM, staying to shell vehicles left behind on the dock. Luftwaffe bombers attack the convoy at 9.45 AM. French destroyer Bison sinks at 10.10 (103 lives lost). Destroyers HMS Afridi, Imperial & Grenade rescue survivors from the water. Afridi is also bombed at 2 PM and sinks in 45 minutes (49 of Afridi’s crew, 13 men of 146th Brigade and 30 of the 69 just rescued from Bison are killed). HMS Griffin & Imperial pick up survivors.

With the British gone and the Norwegian King, government & CiC General Ruge safely in Tromsø 1000km North, Norwegian General Hvinden-Haug surrenders all troops South of Trondheim. In the evening, fighting ends in Southern Norway.

British and French troops evacuated from Åndalsnes arrive safely at Scapa Flow. French units are put on French passenger ships to Brest, to help with the defense of France.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Afridi_%28F07%29
HMS Afridi was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She served in the Second World War and was an early casualty, being sunk in an air attack off Norway in May 1940.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu%C3%A9pard_class_destroyer
* Bison - built by Arsenal de Lorient, completed 10 October 1930. She was sunk by German Junkers Ju 87 Stukas while taking part in the evacuation of Namsos, on 3 May 1940, off Trondheim. Out of 229 members on the crew, 136 were lost.[1] Survivors from the Bison were picked up by HMS Afridi, which was then sunk by the Stukas.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I’ll try to do better...

I'm just glad to see you back. It has recently come to my attention that stuff is happening right here in 2010 that needs to be dealt with from time to time.

Even though there is a war on in 1940.

[abb]

It has recently come to my attention that stuff is happening right here in 2010 that needs to be dealt with from time to time.

You have lurched into something that has been an unfulfilled wish for all my life. I wish I could be an impartial observer, able to be just a witness and able to look dispassionately at events and history and study them for their own sake.

I suppose I should give up that wish. I could cut off my hand more easily than sit idly by and not become involved.