BRITISH DOWN 185 GERMAN PLANES IN DAY OF AIR FURY, LONDON SAYS (9/16/40)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 9/16/40 | Raymond Daniell, James MacDonald, Herbert L. Matthews, Hanson W. Baldwin, Percival Knauth

[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
North Africa – Graziani’s Advance, 13 September-16 September 1940 (Map 34a)
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]

Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Raiders Put at 400 – 2
Antwerp is Fired – 3
New Zealand Premier Assails Nazi Report – 3
The International Situation – 4
Londoners Are Puzzled By ‘Muted’ Bomb Barrage – 4
60,500 Guardsmen to Mobilize Today for Federal Duty – 5
Colombia’s Loyalty to U.S. is Reiterated – 5
Italy’s Army Goes Deeper into Egypt – 6-7
Air-Raid Shelters – 7
Ties to Nazis Noted by Spanish Minister – 7
Nazis See London Hard Hit by Raids – 8
More Schools to Give Courses on Defense – 8
London Air-Raid Alarms Have Sounded 73 Times – 8
St. Paul’s Saved From Half-Ton Time Bomb; Suicide Squad Digs It Out After Four Days – 9
Church Observes Hundredth Year – 10
‘Debauching’ Wagner Charged to Hitler – 10
Retribution Seen Still Waiting Evil – 11
Courage of British Likened to That of Paul, Their Faith Praised Highly by Dr. Brooks – 11
2 Lutheran Groups United in Worship – 11
Cates Takes Issue with Dr. Einstein – 11
$11,000,000 Soviet Gold Brouth by Swedish Ship – 12
Federal Employes Rose To 1,023,341 in July – 12
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on Fighting in Europe and Africa – 13-14

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/sep40/f16sep40.htm

Italians capture Sidi Barrani

Monday, September 16, 1940 www.onwar.com

In North Africa... The Italians take Sidi Barrani as their cautious advance into Egypt begins to grind to a halt.

In the United States... The Selective Service Bill becomes law. It permits compulsory induction into the armed forces for all males between the ages 21-35.

In the Mediterranean... Aircraft from the carrier Illustrious, escorted by the battleship Valiant attack Benghazi during the night. Four Italian ships are sunk in the harbor, including two destroyers. The cruiser Kent is detached from the force while returning to Alexandria in order to shell Bardia and is badly damaged in an attack by torpedo planes.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

September 16th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM:
Battle of Britain:
RAF Fighter Command: Slight enemy activity, mainly in south-east and East Anglia. At night London, the Midlands and Merseyside are bombed.
During the early morning London is bombed, wrecking the Strand Shell Mex building and damaging the Gaiety Theatre, St. Thomas’s, Guys and Lambeth hospitals.

During the following night bombers caused seven huge fires in the East End and also hit parts of Birmingham and Wakefield Prison.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 9; RAF, 1.

In the morning six shells land on Dover.

Corvette HMS Campion laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: U-135 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-99 sank SS Lotos in Convoy SC-3. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: The Congress passes the Burke-Wadsworth Bill (the Selective Training and Service Act) by wide margins in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This bill provides for the first peacetime draft (conscription) in the history of the United States but also provides that not more than 900,000 men are to be in training at any one time and it limits military service to 12 months. It also provides for the establishment of the Selective Service System as an independent Federal agency. President Franklin D. Roosevelt immediately signs the bill into law. The first draftees will be selected next month. (Jack McKillop)

The first call up of National Guard units occurs. Called into Federal service are 4 divisions, 12 brigades, 50 regiments and 4 observation squadrons from 26 states. The divisions are New Jersey’s 44th, Oklahoma’s 45th, Oregon’s 41st, and South Carolina’s 30th. Eighteen of the 50 regiments are coast artillery regiments. Here for more detailed unit information. (Jack McKillop)

The keel of the Iowa-class battleship New Jersey (BB-62) is laid at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania. The “Big J,” as she will be nicknamed, becomes the most decorated battleship in the history of the USN. (Jack McKillop)

Representative Samuel T Rayburn of Texas is elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, a post he will hold for 17-years. (Jack McKillop)

In baseball, a rhubarb erupts at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York, during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The fight results in a suspension and fine for Dodgers’ manager Leo Durocher for “inciting a riot.” Perhaps better known from the game is the photo showing an obese Brooklyn fan astride George Magerkurth, pummeling the veteran umpire. (Jack McKillop)

EGYPT: Sidi Barrani: Italian troops have managed to fight their way to this Egyptian coastal outpost as Lieutenant-General Maitland Wilson, GOC Egypt, and his heavily outnumbered force of British and Indian troops are withdrawing to a prepared defence line at Mersa Matruh.

Although the next battle could be decisive - with an Italian victory leaving Egypt open to Marshal Graziani’s army - the Italians are fortifying Sidi Barrani, with the marshal ignoring furious orders from the Duce to attack, preferring to put up monuments to his “victorious advance”. While Mussolini fumes, Churchill in beleaguered Britain has taken the “awful and right” decision to despatch 150 tanks and other desperately-needed weapons to General Wavell, Britain’s C-in-C Middle East.

Although small in number - with fewer than 30,000 men facing 250,000 Italians - the hard core of Wavell’s army is professional, tough and confident. The question now is whether the British line can hold until the tanks are unloaded in Alexandria.

LIBYA: The Italian destroyers Aquilone and Borea are sunk off Bengasi by British bombers. (Jack McKillop)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/

Day 382 September 16, 1940

Battle of Britain Day 69. Rain and clouds hinder flying. Luftwaffe pilots are demoralized after yesterday’s mauling at the hands of RAF fighter pilots. They had been attacked by over 300 fighters, despite having been told RAF had only 50 remaining. Daytime bombing of London is abandoned, although Luftwaffe will resume attacking RAF facilities during the day and continue bombing London at night. At 7.30 AM, 100+ German fighters make a half-hearted raid on Kent to draw up British fighters, but RAF does not respond and the Bf109s turn back. 1 Ju88 which is shot down by a Spitfire which then runs out of fuel and crashes in the North Sea (pilot Sgt T.C. Iveson bales out and is brought ashore by a Royal Navy motor torpedo boat). Overnight, RAF bombers hit invasion barges in Channel ports along the French, Belgian and Dutch coasts. Luftwaffe mounts intensive night bombing of London’s East End, Liverpool, Manchester, Coventry, Birmingham and Bristol. http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/0043.html

North Africa. In Egypt, Italian troops of the 1st Blackshirt Division (23 Marzo) reach the village of Sidi Barrani about 60 miles from the Libyan border. Here they halt and dig in, 70 miles short of the main British defenses at Mersa Matruh. Marshal Graziani is unsure of the size of the British forces facing him, unconvinced about the quality of his own troops and worried about 150 mile supply line across the desert from Tobruk, Libya. Despite being urged onwards by Mussolini, Graziani feels he has met the strategic goal of the invasion (from Mussolini’s own orders “Once again I repeat that there are no territorial objectives. It is not a question of aiming for Alexandria nor even Sallum. I am only asking that you attack the British forces facing you.”)

At 2.41 AM, U-99 sinks Norwegian steamer Lotos (1500 tons of timber) off the North coast of Ireland. All 17 crew escape in 2 lifeboats, reaching Ireland or the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, in 3 to 5 days. In the Irish Sea between Ireland and Scotland, German bombers badly damage British troopship SS Aska, carrying 186 crew and 358 French troops from Bathurst, West Africa, to Liverpool (either to return to France or join the Free French forces in Britain). 11 crew and 19 troops are lost but the survivors are taken off by minesweeper HMS Jason.

Vichy French steamer Poitiers is en route to Dakar from Libreville, French Equatorial Africa (now Gabon), when she is intercepted by British cruiser HMS Cumberland which has been searching for the French cruisers now at Dakar. After scuttling SS Poitiers, the crew are rescued by HMS Cumberland which then sinks Poitiers by gunfire.

[iowamark]

The Capuchin Church of St. John the Baptist celebrating its’ 100th anniversary is still there 70 years later and is now a shrine of St. Padre Pio:

http://shrine.padrepio.us/padrepioshrine/index.html

[central_va]

Ju-88 Bomber.

[CougarGA7]

Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 16th September 1940

• Weather: General rain and cloud.
• Day: Goering in conference following the previous day's losses. German effort to be switched against Fighter Command. Only minor air activity.
• Night: Continuous attacks against London. Smaller raids on Merseyside and the Midlands.

  Enemy action by day

  An attack by some 350 enemy aircraft developed in Kent at about 0800 hours and formations flew in the direction of London, but the attack was not pressed home.

  Other activity during the day consisted of a large number of reconnaissances off and over the Coast mostly by single aircraft, but one raid totalling 30 aircraft approached Dover. No attack, however, developed.

  Weather largely hindered fighter action.

  North and North-East Coast

  One raid appeared off Fifeness in the early afternoon, turned South and crossed the Coast at Amble, flying to Carlisle and Cockermouth. It returned by the same route.

  East Coast

  Reconnaissances were made from Whitby to the Wash and off Cromer, where a Ju88 was intercepted with inconclusive results. One convoy was approached on two occasions and an aerodrome was attacked.

  South-East Coast

  A mass raid by 350 enemy aircraft crossed the Kentish Coast in waves between 0735 and 0805 hours. Formations spread out from Dover to Rye and to the Isle of Sheppey. One raid crossed the Estuary into Essex and towards London but soon turned back. By 0832 hours all the aircraft had re-crossed the Coast. No interception was made. 21 Fighter Squadrons were in the air, and it may have been on this account that the enemy turned away so soon.

  Throughout the day enemy aircraft were actively engaged on reconnaissances, especially towards London and the Estuary.

  South and West Coast

  One aircraft crossed the Coast near the Needles and flew North-easterly to Northolt, Duxford and Debden, while a second crossing at the same place flew North-westerly to Middle Wallop and Cheltenham.

  Other reconnaissances were made in the Bristol Channel. Between 1700 and 2000 hours some 15 raids were plotted in the Isle of Wight area, some of which flew inland. Some of these were the leading aircraft of the night operations.

  By night

  Hostile activity was of greater intensity than on recent nights and was of two distinct phases.

  At 1940 hours raids were plotted out of Cherbourg and Le Havre areas followed by a steady stream from the Dieppe area. Raids crossed the Coast between the Isle of Wight and Dover, some flying North west to Bristol channel whence they spread out and penetrated to North Wales, Midlands and up to Liverpool. Other raids flew over South-eastern Counties to London and North of the Estuary.

  From 2350 hours raids concentrated on London, East Anglia and the South-eastern Counties. At 0020 hours fresh raids originating from the Dutch Islands approached East

  Anglia and the Thames Estuary, some of them penetrating to London. At about 0242 hours all raids had withdrawn and the Country was clear.

  The second phase commenced at 0330 hours, aircraft being plotted out of the Dieppe area towards London and out of the Ostend area towards the East Coast. The latter were probably mostly minelaying. This second phase continued until 0530 hours.

  

  ________________________________________

  Statistics

  Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 16th September 1940

• Blenheim - 60
• Spitfire - 216
• Hurricane - 356
• Defiant - 19
• Gladiator - 8
• Total - 659

  Casualties:

  	Enemy Losses
  	By Fighters
  Destroyed	Probable	Damaged
  		1 Ju88
  Nil	Nil	1
  	By Balloon Barrage
  1 Ju88
  1	Nil	Nil
  	Crashed (Cause Unknown)
  1 He115
  Nil	Nil	1

• Own:

• One Spitfire of which the pilot is safe.

  Patrols:

• Own

• During the night of 15th/16th September - 67 patrols involving 68 sorties.
• During the day of 16th September - 78 patrols involving 428 sorties.

• Enemy

• It is estimated that about 175 enemy aircraft operated over Great Britain during the night 15th/16th September and 350 during the day of 16th September.

  Balloons:

• No report.

  Aerodromes:

• Exeter is unserviceable by night.

  Organisation:

• Corrigendum: Cancel the move of No 609 Squadron from Middle Wallop to Turnhouse recorded on 14th September.

  Home Security Reports

• General Summary

• Date: 16th September 1940

• Enemy bombing activity overland during daylight was scattered and ineffective. Bombs were dropped in some districts of the capital, and attacks were made on several RAF stations, but on the whole very little damage and few casualties were caused during this period.
• As soon as darkness fell, the attack on London was renewed, and many heavy HE bombs were dropped in the West End and the City, starting serious fires, most of which however, came under control after a time. Minor bombing is reported from most districts in Greater London, and communications have been interrupted, but it would appear that no vital targets have been hit, and damage is comparatively light.
• Bombing over the rest of the country during the night was rather more widespread, and reports have been received from many counties in Southern England and also from South Wales and the Birmingham, Coventry, Newcastle Districts, but in no case has very serious damage occurred.

• Detailed Summary

• RAF Stations

• Bombing attacks were made on Hampstead Norris at 1750 hours, Honington at 1550 hours, at Yatesbury at 0300 hours, at Alconbury at 1235 hours, at Feltwell, at Woodley, where production at Philips and Powis is temporarily suspended owing to unexploded bombs at 1600 hours, at Oulton at 1630 hours and Henlow at 1400 hours, and Speke before noon; in all these attacks only craters and superficial damage was caused and there are no reports of casualties to RAF Personnel.

• London Area

• Thameshaven: A fire was started at the Oil Wharf by HE and incendiary bombs at 2104 hours and two tanks are involved.
• Hackney: At 2300 hours HE Bombs fell at the Victoria Park LMS Signal Box, damaging the track and stopping all traffic. Bombs also fell on the railway bridge at Homerton causing heavy damage.
• Poplar: HE bombs caused damage to the East Ferry Crane and Engineering Company at 2340 hours.
• Southwark: At 0020 hours, 17th September, a direct hit was made on the Southern Railway Arch at Guildford Street, Union Street Junction.
• St Pancras: The Reception Ward of St Pancras Hospital was demolished by HE but nobody was hurt. Unexploded bombs are suspected in the building.
• Fires: The following fires were reported during the night; but the majority have been reported under control.

• Ordell St Bow (30 pumps)
• Farrington St Station and Market (30 pumps)
• West Smithfield (80 pumps)
• Old Bond Street (30 pumps)
• Bermondsey (50 pumps)
• Great Portland Street (30 pumps)
• Clerkenwell (40 pumps)
• Eastcheap (30 pumps)
• Tower Hill (20 pumps)
• Old Broad Street (20 pumps)

• Elsewhere

• Coventry: HE and Incendiary Bombs fell in the North part of the City at 2345 hours and caused extensive damage to working class houses; casualties have not yet been reported.
• Newport (Monmouthshire): Two HE bombs were dropped at 2143 hours, one in the Dock, one at a coalhoist. No interference with working caused.
• Newcastle-on-Tyne: At 2006 hours bombs fell in the Gosforth, Heaton and Hebbern districts, but damage was only slight.
• Wakefield: At 2000 hours bombs fell in the city area and fires were started in the Prison and at Williams and Womersley's Engineering Works, but production there will not be affected.
• Birmingham: HE bombs fell at 2300 hours in the Kingsheath and Hall Green Districts, wrecking houses and causing about ten casualties.
• Skinningrove: At 1610 hours two HE bombs were dropped outside the Ironworks, causing damage to mains and to the Electric Power Line, but production will not be materially affected.

  Battle of Britain

[CougarGA7]

Click cover to read.

[PzLdr]

s I’ve posted before, the most underrated airplane of WW II.

[Western Phil]

Straying from the main course content, the article “2 Lutheran Groups united in Worship” caught my eye. The reason they were meeting together was the decline of St. Mark’s Lutheran since the loss of 1000 of their members (mostly women & children) in the burning of the General Slocum on June 4, 1904. The church had chartered the boat to take them to their end of school year picnic. The all wood steamer caught fire and instead of grounding the boat immediately, the skipper finally did so two miles farther with a much greater loss of life to the fire and drowning. This was New York’s greatest tragic loss of life until the second World Trade Center bombing, but has been largely forgotten.

http://maggieblanck.com/Goehle/GeneralSlocum.html

[BroJoeK]

"Federal Employes Rose To 1,023,341 in July – 12"

Ultimate irony here: Franklin Roosevelt -- the father of American socialism, progenitor of Progressives, founder of failed Liberal policy that the government can tax & spend its way back to prosperity.

This same FDR would today be considered the most wild-eyed of radically conservative Tea Partiers, if he advocated returning the Federal Government employees to 1,023,341!

Talk about your bipartisan agreement -- can't we all just agree that in this area at least, Roosevelt had the right idea?

;-)

[BroJoeK]

"This was New York’s greatest tragic loss of life until the second World Trade Center bombing, but has been largely forgotten."

Great post. Thanks!

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Talk about your bipartisan agreement -- can't we all just agree that in this area at least, Roosevelt had the right idea?

I like it! OK, GOP. Here's the theme for 2012.

"Let us balance the federal budget by harkening back to the policies of that small-government advocate of yesteryear - Franklin Delano Roosevelt."