http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/jul40/f07jul40.htm
British commandos attack Richelieu
Sunday, July 7, 1940 www.onwar.com
In French West Africa... The French battleship Richelieu is attacked in Dakar harbor during the night by a small British unit.
In Egypt... The French commander in Alexandria, Admiral Godefroy, agrees to allow his ships to be demobilized. The French force here consists of the battleship Lorraine, three heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, three destroyers and a submarine.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/07.htm
July 7th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM:
RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - Ludwigshaven. Marshalling yards at Hamm.
58 Sqn. Eight aircraft to Ludwigshaven. Only two bombed, two more bombed alternative targets.
77 Sqn. Four aircraft to Hamm. Three bombed, one iced up and returned early.
FRANCE: U-30 is the first U-boat to make use of the newly captured French bases when she arrives at Lorient. (Dave Shirlaw)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Admiral Cunningham sails from Alexandria with HMS Warspite, HMS Malaya, HMS Royal Sovereign, HMS Eagle, cruiser and destroyers to cover convoys from Malta to Alexandria and to challenge the Italians to action.
French Rear Admiral Rene Emile Godfroy agrees to allow his ships to be demobilized in Alexandria Harbor. Battleship Lorraine, 4 cruisers, 3 destroyers and a submarine of the French navy are involved.
Submarine HMS OLYMPUS bombed and damaged by Italian aircraft while in dock at Malta. (Dave Shirlaw)
FRENCH WEST AFRICA: The RN’s aircraft carrier HMS Hermes and heavy cruiser HMS Doresetshire and the RAN heavy cruiser HMAS Australia are laying off Dakar where the French battleship Richelieu and other ships are in the harbor. The British issue an ultimatum to surrender but the French refuse to allow the ultimatum to be delivered by blocking the sloop HMS Milford from entering the port. (Jack McKillop and Mark Horan)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0714, the unescorted Lucrecia was torpedoed by U-34 about 100 miles west of Lands End and broke in two. The master was lost and one survivor later died of wounds. The Portuguese SS Alfarrarede picked up the survivors
U-99 sank SS Bissen 80 nautical miles south of Cape Clear, Ireland.
At 0053, the Sea Glory was hit by two torpedoes from U-99 and sank by the bow within two minutes south of Fastnet. The master, 27 crewmembers and one gunner were lost. The ship was reported missing after leaving Fowey. (Dave Shirlaw)