Posted on 07/05/2010 6:30:22 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/jul40/f05jul40.htm
Vichy French attack Gibraltar
Friday, July 5, 1940 www.onwar.com
In Gibraltar... There is an unsuccessful French torpedo bomber raid on the British naval base.
In Vichy France... Marshal Petain’s government, now based in Vichy, breaks off diplomatic relations with Britain because of the action taken against the French navy.
In Romania... Romania joins to the Axis system.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/05.htm
July 5th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM:
RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - occupied airfields at Merville. Naval targets at Wilhelmshaven.
10 Sqn. Three aircraft to Merville. None bombed, weather atrocious.
51 Sqn. Three aircraft to Merville. None bombed, weather atrocious.
58 Sqn. Six aircraft to Wilhelmshaven. Five bombed, one returned early. Opposition severe.
2 Group ( Blenheim). 18 Sqn. Bombing - Northern France.
82 Sqn. Bombing - barges at Zwolle.
110 Sqn. Bombing - barges near Katwyke.
The London Gazette:
“The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the following Awards:—
The Medal of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, for Gallantry:
536451 Leading Aircraftman Michael Campion, Royal Air Force.
612282 Aircraftman 1st Class Ernest Ralph Clyde Frost, Royal Air Force.
These two airmen displayed great courage in effecting the rescue of an unconscious pilot from a burning aircraft which resulted from a collision in which two Blenheim aircraft were involved while taking off.
Aircraftmen Campion and Frost were among the first to arrive on the scene. Not knowing that the pilot was the sole occupant, Aircraftman Frost promptly entered the rear cockpit, which was full of smoke and fumes, in search of the wireless operator. Satisfying himself that no one was there, he climbed out and, nearly exhausted, ran to the front cockpit where Leading Aircraftman Campion was trying to rescue the pilot.
Working heroically both men, with great risk to themselves, due to the imminent danger of the petrol tanks exploding, extricated the pilot from the burning wreckage. Shortly afterwards the tanks exploded and the whole aircraft was rapidly burned out. Unfortunately the pilot died later.”
(London Gazette - 5 July 1940) (Daniel Ross)
Destroyer HMS Southdown launched.
Submarine HMS Sahib laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
NORTH SEA: Submarine HMS Shark is badly damaged by German aircraft late in the day.
FRANCE: VICHY FRANCE: France has severed diplomatic relations with Britain as a result of the British attack on the French fleet at Oran. The French statement spoke of “an unjustifiable attack by a powerful English fleet”. M Baudouin, the foreign minister of the Petain government, called the British attack “an indelible blot on British honour,” and the German government has declared that it will suspend article 8 of the armistice with France, in effect serving notice that it will use those French warships still in German control against Britain, as expressly forbidden by the terms of the armistice.
In London, however, the Royal Navy’s action at Oran, carried out with much reluctance, is being hailed as a major strategic success. Adding the powerful French fleet to the German and Italian navies would have roughly doubles Axis naval forces, made the blockade of a lengthened Nazi-controlled border harder, and raised doubts about the protection of the Atlantic convoys. With the French fleet now in British hanDave Shirlaw or at the bottom of the sea, the admiralty can breathe more easily.
GERMANY: U-103 is commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: LIBYA: Nine Torpedo carrying Swordfish of 813 Squadron, nominally assigned to HMS Eagle, had been forwarded to an advanced airbase near Sidi Barrani, giving them the range to hit shipping in and around Tobruk, 110 nm away. Besides sinking the destroyer Zeffiro the destroyer Euro was damaged and beached (later salvaged) and two other merchant ships were damaged. (Mark Horan and Alex Gordon)
The sunken merchant ship was apparently the SS Serenitas [ex. Sierra Roja(25), ex. War Coot(19), built 1918, 5,171 BRT], though has been variously misidentified as SS Manzoni [ex. Lydia(25), ex. Szell Kalman(19), built 1902, 3,955 BRT] and steam liner Liguria. [ex. Melita(35) built 1918, 15,354 BRT]. It is possible that these two were actually the ships damaged. 813 Squadron had ten officer pilots and eight officer observers at the time. (Mark Horan)
ROMANIA: The new pro-Iron Guard government decides to align its policy with that of the Axis.
SWEDEN: Stockholm: The government signs an agreement allowing Germany to use Swedish railways to move troops and supplies to and from Norway.
U.S.A.: A U.S. Army platoon is formed at Fort Benning, Georgia, to begin training as paratroopers. This is the U.S.’s first paratroop unit. (Jack McKillop)
The motion picture “All This, and Heaven Too” opens in New York City. This period romantic drama, based on the Rachel Field novel, is directed by Anatole Litvak and stars Bette Davis, Charles Boyer, Jeffrey Lynn, Barbara O’Neill and June Lockhart. Davis becomes a governess for Boyer’s children but O’Neill spreaDave Shirlaw rumors of an affair and then demanDave Shirlaw that Davis leave. Boyer and O’Neill argue and the next morning she turns up dead. The film is nominated for three Academy AwarDave Shirlaw including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress (O’Neil). (Jack McKillop)
Washington: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt invokes the Export Control Act passed by Congress two day ago, by prohibiting exportation of strategic minerals and chemicals, aircraft engines, parts and equipment to Japan without an export license issued by the U.S. government. (Jack McKillop)
New York: President Roosevelt today warned the American people to entertain no thoughts of compromise with what he called “the new corporate governments” of the world - Germany, Italy and the USSR.
Speaking at a press conference, the President said that the many Americans who were evidently impressed with the efficiency of the “corporate” or totalitarian states should not be deluded into compromising with them. They were indeed more efficient than the democracies, but only because they swept aside the democratic system of checks and balances in the legislature, executive and judiciary: “The new governments generally destroy the legislative and judicial branches and delegate all powers to an executive or a dictator, thus striking at the heart of fundamental liberties by which men should and must live.” He outlined “Four Freedoms” as conditions for a permanent peace:
1. Freedom from fear.
2. Freedom of religion.
3. Freedom of expression.
4. Freedom from want.
Mr Roosevelt said that it was an important issue whether the USA should encourage, by lack of opposition, countries which removed these “freedoms”.
More...
and here are the Norman Rockwell posters which so evoke the freedoms covered.
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Chicoutimi laid down Montreal, Province of Quebec.
SS Mont Joli chartered as examination vessel HMCS Mont Joli. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Detached from an outward bound OB (Liverpool to North America) convoy to search for a reported U-boat, destroyer HMS Whirlwind is lost 120 miles to the west of Land’s End at 50 17N, 08 48W, to U-34. The destroyer does not sink from the torpedo attack but is considered to be damaged so severely that she is scuttled and sunk by HMS WESTCOTT some 4 hours later. (Alex Gordon)(108)
The Canada Steamships bulk canaller Magog (2,053 GRT), Captain T.S. Doughty, Master, was sunk by gunfire and a torpedo from U-99, Kptlt. Otto Kretschmer, Knight’s Cross, Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Knight’s Cross with SworDave Shirlaw, off the south-west coast of Ireland, in position 50.31N, 011.05W. There are no casualties from among her crew. Magog was a member of convoy HX-52 but had detached for her destination port. Sources indicate that HX-52 arrived safely in Liverpool on 06 Jul 40 with all of its 29 ships intact. Magog was intercepted only a few miles from where she left the convoy and was shelled by U-99 until she stopped. Next a single torpedo hit her. After the ship sank, U-99 came near to the lifeboats and inquired about her cargo. Kptlt. Kretschmer seemed disappointed to learn that the ship was carrying only lumber. He tossed a bottle of brandy to Captain Doughty before departing. (Dave Shirlaw)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 309 July 5, 1940
9 Swordfish of 813 Squadron from aircraft carrier HMS Eagle fly 100 miles West from Sidi Barrani, Egypt, to bomb the Italian naval base at Tobruk, Libya. Destroyer Zeffiro is sunk and destroyer Euro has her bow was blown off but stays afloat (she will be towed to Taranto and repaired). Italian liner Liguria is beached to prevent sinking. Merchant vessel Manzoni is sunk and Serenitas is badly damaged but both steamers will be captured by the British and repaired.
U-34 hits British destroyer HMS Whirlwind with 1 torpedo (59 lives lost, 51 survivors taken off by destroyer HMS Westcott). Whirlwind stays afloat and is scuttled by HMS Westcott, 50 miles Southwest of Ireland. Nearby, U-99 damages Canadian steamer Magog (carrying timber). The stern sinks but the aft stays afloat on the timber. 23 crew abandon ship in a lifeboat, are picked up by Swedish merchant Fidra and landed at Cork, Ireland. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/408.html
As part of Operation Fish (the shipment to Canada of British gold and negotiable securities, for storage in the Bank of Canada vault in Ottawa), battleship HMS Revenge & cruiser HMS Bonaventure & troopships Monarch Of Bermuda, Sobieski & Batory depart Greenock at 5.45 AM, escorted by destroyer HMS Garth. The British ships, carrying $1.75 billion in gold and securities from the Bank of England, will arrive safely at Halifax on 12 July.
At 10 PM, British submarine HMS Shark is badly damaged by German auxiliary minesweepers M1803 (trawler Spitzbergen), M1806 (trawler Cuxhaven), and M1807 (trawler Mulsum) in Boknafjord near Stavanger, Norway.
French Vichy government breaks off diplomatic relations with Britain in retaliation for the attacks on French ships on July 3.
Romania joins the Axis under pressure from Germany.
France: The only country to lose WWII twice.
I have a very difficult time imagining Chamberlain or Halifax giving the order to fire on the French fleet.
Twice? They aren’t done yet. They still haven’t fought the Americans yet.
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