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)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 311 July 7, 1940
Operation Catapult. British attack the brand new French battleship Richelieu in dock at Dakar, Senegal. Swordfish torpedo bombers from aircraft carrier HMS Hermes hit Richelieu, tearing a 40 foot hole and causing her to touch bottom, but Richelieu will be repaired in a few days. However, conflict is avoided at Alexandria, Egypt, where negotiations have been ongoing since July 3. Aware of the destruction wrought on the French ships at Mers-el-Kébir by superior British forces, French Admiral Godefroy agrees that his warships will remain in port to avoid being attacked or captured by British ships.
Overnight, British submarine HMS H43 lands Lieutenant Hubert Nicolle on Guernsey (he is originally from the island) to do reconnaissance on the German garrison, in preparation for a commando raid on the island, Operation Ambassador. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-hubert-nicolle-1175816.html
U-99 sinks British SS Sea Glory (all 29 crew lost). 23 hours later U-99 sinks Swedish SS Bissen (all 20 crew survive) 80 miles South of Cape Clear, Ireland. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/411.html
U-34 sinks Dutch tanker Lucrecia (carrying fuel oil) 100 miles West of Lands End, England (2 killed). 30 survivors are picked up by Portuguese steamer Alfarrarede. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/413.html