BRITISH ATTACK NAZI CRAFT IN CHANNEL; BOTH LONDON AND BERLIN BOMBED AGAIN (9/12/40)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 9/12/40 | James MacDonald, James B. Reston, Raymond Daniell, Hanson W. Baldwin, C. Brooks Peters

[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
German Fighter Range and British Radar Deployment
Marcks’ Plan, August 5, 1940
The Mediterranean Basin (Map 33)
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – The Imperial Powers, 1 September 1939

Plus a special guest map from Michael Korda’s, “With Wings Like Eagles,” showing the air defenses of England and Wales, August 1940.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from yesterday

Thomas E. Griess, Series Editor, The Second World War: Europe and the Mediterranean

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Navy Helps R.A.F. – 2-3
Australians Raise a Fund for Britons – 3
London Guns Roar – 3-4
Palace in London Damages by Bomb – 4-5
The International Situation – 6
Churchill Warns Invasion is Near – 7
Prelude to Invasion – 7
Text of Premier Churchill’s Speech – 8
Berlin Threatens New Fury in Raids – 9
Nazis Shell Dover in Biggest Attack – 9-10
Paris Sees Doriot Seeking Vichy Role (by George Axelsson) – 10
Norway Holds King Can No Longer Rule – 10
The Texts of the Day’s War Communiques – 13-14

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/sep40/f12sep40.htm

Prehistoric paintings found in Vichy France

Thursday, September 12, 1940 www.onwar.com

In Vichy France... Five schoolboys discover 10,000-year-old wall paintings of animals and hunters in Lascaux Cave (Dordogne).

Over Germany... British RAF Bomber Command aircraft raid the Hamm marshalling yards for the 60th time during the night (September 12-13).

In Occupied Poland... In Warsaw, a walled ghetto is to be constructed for the estimated 500,000 Jewish inhabitants of the city.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/12.htm

September 12th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM:
RAF Bomber Command:
4 Group. 10 OTU Whitley P4997 abandoned by four of crew in bad weather. Flt Sgt L.F. East landed undamaged aircraft near St. Neotts and flew out next day.
Corvette HMS Heliotrope commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

Battle of Britain:
Blenheims of 2 Group and Battles of 1 Group attack invasion barges in Ostend harbour, sinking 80.

RAF Fighter Command: Slight enemy activity during the day. German barge concentrations are still growing. At night London, South Wales, the Midlands and Merseyside are raided.

Around Harrogate’s Majestic Hotel HEs exploded injuring 15 people during an attack on an area where the Ministry of Aircraft Production has offices. GWR main line services to Reading are interrupted but another attack fails to hit the Northern Aluminium’s Banbury factory.

In late afternoon Tunbridge Wells is raided, incendiaries causing house fires and destroying the ambulance station. Seven HEs fell at Hornchurch, damaging the emergency operations room and hitting nearby dwellings.

At night London has a seven-hour raid with about 120 bombers operating, a FW200 attacked a ship off the Isle of Man and KG54 mounted a small raid on Rugby. Liverpool was bombed but little damage was caused, but more seriously a lone low-flying raider bombed North Station Blackpool killing a mother of two young boys.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 4; RAF, 0.

London: Spr George Cameron Wylie (b. 1908), Royal Engineers located and removed a bomb from deep under the pavement in front of St Paul’s Cathedral; his superior, Lt Robert Davies (1900-75) drove the bomb away and defused it. (George Cross for both men)

IRISH SEA: A Luftwaffe FW200 attacked a ship off the Isle of Man. (Dave Shirlaw)

FRANCE: Four teenagers follow their dog when it disappears down a hole near Montignac, France, and discover 17,000-year-old drawings now known as the Lascaux Cave Paintings. The 15,000- to 17,000-year-old paintings, consisting mostly of animal representations, are among the finest examples of art from the Upper Palaeolithic period. The Lascaux grotto consists of a main cavern 66 feet (20.12 meters) wide and 16 feet (4.87 meters) high. The walls of the cavern are decorated with some 600 painted and drawn animals and symbols and nearly 1,500 engravings. The pictures depict in excellent detail numerous types of animals, including horses, red deer, stags, bovines, felines, and what appear to be mythical creatures. There is only one human figure depicted in the cave: a bird-headed man. Archaeologists believe that the cave was used over a long period of time as a center for hunting and religious rites. (Jack McKillop)

GERMANY: U-153 and U-407 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

FINLAND: Helsinki: Finland signs an agreement giving German troops transit rights to Norway.

EGYPT: Italian forces begin an offensive into Egypt. (Jack McKillop)

CANADA: Corvette HMS Bittersweet launched Lauzon, Province of Quebec. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: An explosion at the Hercules Powder Co. in Kenvil, New Jersey, kills 49 and injures 200. (Jack McKillop)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/

Day 378 September 12, 1940

Battle of Britain Day 65. Cloudy weather restricts flying to a minimum. Only German reconnaissance flights take place during the day and 50 bombers attack London overnight (compared to about 300 on previous nights). 2 German bombers are shot down and Wing Commander J.S. Dewar (airfield commander at Exeter) is lost on a pleasure flight to Tangmere in his Hurricane. A delayed action high-explosive bomb hits St. Paul’s Cathedral but does not explode and is buried 30 feet into the ground. Royal Engineers Lieutenant R. Davies and Sapper J. Wylie defuse the bomb and are awarded the George Cross, becoming the first military personnel to receive this medal for “bravery not in the face of the enemy”. St. Paul’s Cathedral will become a symbol of London’s resilience during the Blitz. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul%27s_Cathedral#Post-Wren_history

Vichy French cruisers depart Casablanca at 4 AM, leaving behind their destroyer escorts. 3 British destroyers join HMS Renown and 3 other destroyers off Casablanca, searching for the French cruisers which are now well on their way South, steaming for Dakar at full speed.

North Africa. Italian 10th Army continues to make slow progress towards the Libyan border with Egypt to begin their invasion. British light covering forces fall back slowly fighting delaying actions.

In the Indian Ocean 330 miles East of Madagascar, German armed merchant cruiser Pinguin stops British steamer Benavon with a shot across the bows. Benavon tries to escape and returns fire with her 4 inch gun but the inexperienced crew does not fit the shells with fuse caps (1 shell hits Pinguin, lodging next to the magazine containing 300 high-explosive mines; a lethal hit if it had exploded). Pinguin shells Benavon into submission (24 killed, 25 crew taken prisoner).
http://www.bismarck-class.dk/hilfskreuzer/pinguin.html

[CougarGA7]

Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 12th September 1940

• Weather: Unsettled, rain in most districts.
• Day: Reconnaissance and small raids in the south.
• Night: Lesser raids on London.

  Enemy action by day

  There was a marked increase in the number of hostile reconnaissances especially in the South-eastern and Southern areas, otherwise enemy activity was on a much reduced scale. Our fighters destroyed one enemy aircraft plus three damaged. Our Casualties nil.

  East

  One reconnaissance aircraft reported shipping off Spurn Head, while another over the Humber area was intercepted and damaged by No 151 Squadron.

  One enemy aircraft reconnoitred Harrogate, Manchester and Liverpool and attacked a target at Harrogate.

  In the afternoon, an aircraft was reported off Yarmouth and in the Wash but attempts to intercept were unsuccessful.

  South East

  In the morning, several reconnaissances were plotted in the Estuary and over the Coast near Dover.

  Early in the afternoon, three aircraft crossed the Coast near Dover and reconnoitred South London aerodromes.

  From 1500 to 1700 hours, reconnaissance aircraft were reported in the Thames Estuary and six small raids approached South London from the Estuary, Beachy Head and Dungeness. Targets near Beckenham were attacked.

  South and West

  In the morning, there was a noticeable increase in the number of reconnaissance aircraft in the Channel between Start Point and Dungeness. One raid penetrated inland and attacked targets near Reading and Banbury and one Ju88 which was returning from the Aldershot area, was intercepted and claimed as damaged by No 213 Squadron.

  A merchant ship was attacked South of the Isle of Man.

  In the afternoon, reconnaissance aircraft flew over the Southampton area, Beachy Head and Swanage. One Do215 was destroyed by No 605 Squadron South of Cap Gris Nez and No 603 Squadron damaged one Do17 over Beachy Head.

  One aircraft crossed over Bournemouth and flew on to Birmingham and Liverpool, returning via Birmingham and Shoreham. Another aircraft reconnoitred the Salisbury Plain area.

  By night

  Night activity was also on a much reduced scale compared with recent nights.

  Hostile raids which were mostly plotted as single aircraft, originated from the Channel Islands, Cherbourg and Dieppe areas. Some raids crossed the Coast between Portland and Plymouth and penetrated to South Wales, West Midlands and Liverpool areas. Others crossed the Coast between Selsey Bill and Dungeness and flew up through Sussex and Kent to the London area.

  The greater number of raids left the French Coast between 2100 and 2200 hours, after which there was a gradual decrease in activity until about 0330 hours when raids ceased to approach this Country. All raids had finally withdrawn by 0415 hours.

  A series of raids flying from Dieppe to London appeared for the most part to use identical tracks and several were plotted as turning at Whitehall whence they flew back on reciprocal tracks.

  One enemy aircraft is reported shot down by AA guns in North London, another enemy casualty is claims by the Balloon Barrage at Newport (Monmouthshire) and a third enemy aircraft is reported to have been badly damaged by AA guns in the West Country and was last seen flying very low over the sea.

  

  ________________________________________

  Statistics

  Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 12th September 1940

• Blenheim - 50
• Spitfire - 208
• Hurricane - 392
• Defiant - 21
• Gladiator - 8
• Total – 679

  Casualties:

  	Enemy Losses
  	By Fighters
  Destroyed	Probable	Damaged
  1 Do215
  		1 Ju88
  		1 Do17
  		1 Do17 or Ju88
  1	Nil	3
  	By Anit-Aircraft
  1 E/A		1 E/A
  1	0	1
  	By Balloons
  1 E/A
  1	0	0

• Own:

• Nil.

  Patrols:

• Own

• During the night of 11th/12th September - 54 patrols involving 58 sorties.
• During the day of 12th September - 81 patrols involving 247 sorties.

• Enemy

• It is estimated that about 125 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain during the night 11th/12th September and 50 during the day of 12th September.

  Balloons:

• No report.

  Aerodromes:

• Manston is unserviceable by night.

  Organisation:

• No 616 Squadron from Kirton in Lindsey to Ford.
• No 264 Squadron (1 Flight) from Kirton in Lindsey to Northolt.
• No 141 Squadron (1 Flight) from Turnhouse to Biggin Hill.
• No 23 Squadron (1 Flight) from Wittering to Ford.
• No 23 Squadron (1 Flight) from Wittering to Middle Wallop.

  Home Security Reports

• General Summary

• Date: 12th September 1940

• Enemy bombing activity during the day was on a much reduced scale, but a few localities in Yorkshire, Oxon, Berkshire, Kent, and Sussex were attacked, without however, any industrial damage of importance being caused.
• In the early evening South London was visited by a small number of enemy aircraft, and minor bombings are reported from Battersea, Wandsworth and Beckenham during this period.
• During the night of 12th/13th September, bombing, while still on a reduced scale, was more widespread than of late and attacks were made in the Midlands and in South Wales, as well as on the London areas, of which the Northern and Western Districts were singled out for attention.
• The night attacks appeared to have been quite ineffective, and apart from some damage to road and rail communications, no target of major importance was hit.

• Detailed Summary

• RAF Stations

• Hornchurch - A single enemy aircraft dropped seven HE bombs at 1740 hours, one of which fell near to the emergency Operations Room, and another overturned a tender. The rest caused damage to civilian property but no casualties have been reported.

• Elsewhere

• Harrogate: At 1251 hours 3 HE bombs were dropped on and near the Majestic Hotel. Mains were damaged, a house nearby was demolished, and fifteen casualties resulted.
• Hastings: At 1440 hours, 6 HE bombs and some IB wrecked two houses and badly damaged three others. The enemy aircraft machine-gunned those who were engaged in rescue work.
• Tunbridge Wells: At 1725 hours 12 HE bombs and a large number of incendiary bombs demolished a warehouse, a private house and the casualty reception Depot of a Hospital. Damage was done to the local Headquarters of the American Ambulance and a major fire and many smaller fires were started. These are now extinguished.
• GWR: Some dislocation of traffic and damage to the GWR track was caused at Reading by HE bombs at 1315 hours, and at Banbury a little later during an unsuccessful attack on the Northern Aluminium Factory. Track damage is also reported to have been caused by bombs at Neston, Cheshire, at 2100 hours.
• Fulham: A direct hit by HE Bombs at 2140 hours on the telephone exchange caused the death of three operators, and the exchange is completely out of action.
• Kensington: At 2310 hours HE bomb fell on a small building and a water tower, which has fallen on the railway line at West Brompton Station.
• Liverpool: One HE bomb fell near Wavertree Station during last night, and two houses were wrecked, Many other bombs were dropped in the Liverpool area but little damage was done.
• Blackpool: The North Station was hit by HE during the night and superficial damage was done but no diversion of traffic is necessary.

• Casualties on the Ground by Enemy Action:

• To RAF Personnel - Nil killed, Nil injured.
• To others - 168 killed, 689 injured.

  Battle of Britain

[BroJoeK]

From Churchill's speech:

"We cannot tell when they will try to come. We cannot be sure that in fact they will try at all. But no one should blind himself to the fact that a heavy full-scale invasion of this island is being prepared with all the usual German thoroughness and method and that it may be launched at any time now upon England, upon Scotland, or upon Ireland, or upon all three.

"If this invasion is going to be tried at all, it does not seem that it can be long delayed. The weather may break at any time. Besides this, it is difficult for the enemy to keep these gatherings of ships waiting about indefinitely while they are bombed every night by our bombers and very often shelled by our warships which are waiting for them outside.

"Therefore, we must regard the next week or so as a very important week for us in our history. It ranks with the days when the Spanish Armada was approaching the Channel and Drake was finishing his game of bowls, or when Nelson stood between us and Napoleon's Grand Army at Boulogne.

"We have read about all this in the history books, but what is happening now is on a far greater scale and of far more consequence to the life and future of the world and its civilization that those brave old days of the past.

"Every man and woman with therefore prepare himself and herself to do his duty whatever it may be, with special pride and care."