FLEET AND R. A. F. RAID CHERBOURG; WIDE DAMAGE IN REICH ADMITTED (10/12/40)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, McHenry Library, U.C. Santa Cruz | 10/12/40 | James MacDonald, Raymond Daniell

[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]

French Port Afire – 2
Funds Asked for Boats to Rescue British Fliers – 2
The International Situation – 3
London Bombings are Less Severe – 4-5
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on the War – 6-7

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/oct40/f12oct40.htm

No German invasion of Britain in 1940

Saturday, October 12, 1940 www.onwar.com

From Berlin... Operation Sealion is deferred until the spring of 1941. It will never take place.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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

October 12th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM:
Battle of Britain: Biggin Hill and Kenley are attacked in daylight.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 11; RAF, 10.

London: The National Gallery was hit by a bomb today, but Myra Hess carried on her Gallery concerts as she has been doing for the past year. Against the bare walls of the central galleries (the pictures are safe in a Welsh slate quarry), lunch-time chamber-music concerts are given to 1,500 people, who pay a shilling a head to hear pianists like Solomon and Denis Mathews as well as Myra Hess’s Bach and Beethoven. Much of the music - like the bomb damage is German.

Corvette HMS Arbutus commissioned.

Destroyer HMS Mendip commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: Hitler postpones the invasion of England until - if then thought advisable - April 1941.

U-70 launched.

U-98 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

ROMANIA: A German military mission is set up in Bucarest for the purpose of aiding in the training of the Romanian Army. (Jack McKillop)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: From Alexandria a convoy safely reaches Malta covered by the Mediterranean Fleet with four battleships and carriers HMS Illustrious and HMS Eagle. Today, as it returns, attacks are made by Italian light forces southeast of Sicily. Cruiser HMS Ajax sinks torpedo boats ‘Airone’ and ‘Ariel’ and badly damages 640-ton destroyer ‘Artigliere’. The latter is sunk by heavy cruiser HMS York with torpedoes after her crew had abandoned ship. Radio signals are transmitted on Italian frequencies giving the position of survivors, and a Sunderland flying boat guided an Italian hospital ship to the scene. The carriers later launch strikes against Leros in the Dodecanese.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: MacArthur drafts memorandum to Quezon detailing America’s refusal to commit to a defence plan for the Commonwealth and emphasizing that the Philippines could only remain independent if shielded by guarantees of US military support. The memorandum highlights the failure by both the War and Navy Departments to develop a specific plan, be this withdrawal or reinforcement, for the Islands, and warns Quezon that “strategic abandonment” by the US was a possibility. (Marc Small)

U.S.A.: Dayton, Ohio: President Roosevelt rejects appeasement, and promises to defend America and its seas against aggression.

Cowboy actor Tom Mix, 60, dies of a broken neck after his car overturns in Florence, Arizona. (Jack McKillop)

Tom Mix, the best known cowboy actor, is killed in a car accident in Florence, Arizona. While driving at about 80 mph (128.7 km/h), he lost control of the car after hitting a dirt detour and is instantly killed. Mix appeared in over 300 motion pictures between 1909 and 1935 and was one of the highest-paid actor in silent films during the 1920s making US$7,500 (US$73,529 in year 2000 dollars) per week.

While operating off the coast of Virginia, the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) launches 24 USAAC P-40s from the 8th Pursuit Group (Fighter) and nine O-47As from the 2d Observation Squadron to gather data on comparative take-off runs of naval and army aircraft. This is the first time that Army aircraft have flown off a USN carrier. (Jack McKillop)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-101 sank SS Saint Malô in Convoy HX-77. Canadian merchantman was ex-French registered freighter (5,779 GRT), which had been requisitioned for Canada. Of her crew of 44, 28 men were lost. ST MALO had been part of convoy HX77, which had left Halifax on 30 Sep 40 with 39 ships. She was laden with 7,274 tons of general cargo. The convoy arrived in Liverpool on 15 Oct 40 having lost six merchant ships.

U-48 sank SS Davanger in Convoy HX-77.

U-59 sank SS Pacific Ranger in Convoy HX-77. (Dave Shirlaw)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/

Day 408 October 12, 1940

Battle of Britain Day 95. Despite fog across much of England, it is another very busy day. There are reconnaissance fights from 6.50 to 9 AM and then a steady stream of larger raids from 9 AM to 5.15 PM. These consist of 20-150 aircraft, mostly 25% medium bombers and 75% escort fighters, many of which penetrate to London. German losses are 9 Bf109 fighters and 1 Arado Ar95 seaplane patrolling in the Straits of Dover. RAF loses 10 fighters (4 pilots killed). Overnight, there is relatively light bombing of London but Birmingham and Coventry in the Midlands are also attacked.

German Governor-General of Poland Hans Frank orders 138,000 Jews in Warsaw to move into “Jewish residential quarters”. The Ghetto will comprise 2.4 percent of the city’s land contain 30% of population of 400,000 people.

Battle of Cape Passero. At 2 AM, East of Malta, British cruiser HMS Ajax (part of the Mediterranean fleet returning to Alexandria after resupplying Malta) is attacked by Italian torpedo boats Ariel, Alcione and Airone with torpedoes and 99mm shells. Ajax returns fire sinking Ariel and Airone. At 2.15 AM, Ajax’s radar detects Italian destroyers Artigliere and Aviere which do not have radar and are unaware of Ajax’s presence. Ajax fires 6 inch shells badly damaging Aviere and crippling Artigliere (which hits Ajax with 4 120mm rounds). Artigliere is taken in tow by another destroyer Camicia Nera. HMS Ajax retires with damaged gun turrets and disabled radar (13 dead, 20 wounded). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Passero_(1940)

U-48, U-59 and U-101 attack convoy HX.77 150 miles Northwest of Ireland, sinking Norwegian tanker Davanger carrying 10.000 tons of fuel oil just after midnight (17 crew killed, 12 survivors escape in lifeboats), British MV Pacific Ranger at 6 PM (all 55 hands escape in lifeboats) and Canadian steamer Saint Malô at 11.25 PM (28 dead, 16 survivors in lifeboats will be picked up by British tug HMS Salvonia on October 22).

Minesweeping trawler HMS Resolvo hits a mine in the Thames estuary (2 wounded) and will be beached and abandoned the next day.

[CougarGA7]

Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 12th October 1940

• Weather: Widespread mist and fog during the day, clearing later.
• Day: London and suburbs are again the main targets.
• Night: Generally quiet, but some damage to the National Gallery

  Enemy action by day

  There were seven main attacks during the day of which five penetrated, via Kent, to London; the sixth flew as far North as Hatfield and the seventh raid was confined to Kent, South of Biggin Hill. The first raid consisted entirely of fighters and the others employed about 75% fighters to 25% bombers. There was continuous activity over the Kent Coast between 1300 and 1700, but during the morning, large numbers of aircraft which flew into the Straits at various times, faded without crossing the Coast.

  Reconnaissances were active between 0650 and 0900 hours, three of them visiting convoys in the Channel.

  Reports so far received indicate that our fighters destroyed 10 enemy aircraft plus 11 probables and 7 damaged. Our casualties were 10 aircraft and 4 pilots. In addition, AA guns shot down one enemy aircraft.

  Main Attacks

  At 0900 hours, 20+ aircraft crossed the Coast at Dungeness and were followed at 0913 hours by 9+ which entered at Lympne. These two raids flew as far as Biggin Hill.

  At 0955 and 1000 hours, two raids totalling 80+ crossed the Coast At Dungeness and at 0958 hours another raid of 20+ crossed the Coast at Lympne. These raids flew into Kent and some penetrated to Central London.

  At 1055 hours, 64+ aircraft from Cap Gris Nez passed over Lympne to London-Biggin Hill-Hornchurch areas. 18 of these reached Central London.

  At 1204 hours, 80+ aircraft crossed the Coast at Hastings and flew towards London, some aircraft entering the Inner Artillery Zone.

  At 1255 hour, a raid of 30+ split over Deal and 20+ of them penetrated as far as Hatfield via Kenley and Biggin Hill, returning on a reciprocal course.

  At 1400 hours, some 100 raiders penetrated to South London from the Kent Coast.

  At 1615 hours, 150 aircraft entered near Dover. Of these, 50 flew North to the Isle of Sheppey whence they turned up the Estuary to Gravesend and went out Eastwards. The remainder flew to Biggin Hill and to the South-East of the IAZ, but quickly withdrew and were flying towards the Coast by 1630 hours. At 1640 hours, a second wave of 50 passed near Biggin Hill to South London where they turned South and left via Beachy Head at 1655 hours. During this attack, small raids, totalling about 100 aircraft, were active over South-East Kent between Dover and Dungeness. These small raids persisted until 1715 hours.

  Other Incidents

  Between 0845 and 0941 hours, about 150 enemy aircraft assembled in the Calais/Boulogne area but did not cross the Coast.

  At 1190 hours, 4 aircraft flew along the Coast between Dover and Lympne but did not penetrate inland.

  At 1312 hours, a raid of unstated size flew from Cherbourg to St Albans Head, going inland at Portland to Yeovil and out by Lyme Bay at 1358 hours.

  Reconnaissances

  At 0650 hours, one aircraft from Antwerp reconnoitred the Thames Estuary and the Isle of Sheppey, and five aircraft reconnoitred the Straits, three of them visiting two convoys.

  At 0700 hours, three reconnaissances were made from Cherbourg to Selsey Bill and Beachy Head and at 0702 hours, another flew to Southwold, Sheerness and the North Foreland.

  Between 0800 and 0900 hours, five reconnaissances were flown from Holland to the Norfolk coast, one of which was reported to be a Ju88. Fighters went up from Coltishall.

  At 1710 hours, one enemy aircraft flew parallel to and 10 miles off the Coast from Dungeness to the Thames Estuary. This aircraft - an Arado 95 - was destroyed 12 miles South of St Catherine's Point at 1725 hours.

  Addendum to Summary of 11th October 1940

  During the evening of 11th October, enemy aircraft attacked the Liverpool area and of these 3 Do17s or Do215s were destroyed by No 611 Squadron over Anglesey and the same Squadron probably destroyed 2 more over Point of Air. Our casualties were one aircraft, and one pilot wounded.

  Night Operations - 12th / 13th October 1940

  1900 Hours to 2100 Hours

  At 1840 hours, several raids were plotted leaving the Dutch Islands, and shortly afterwards, the leading aircraft from the Dieppe area left the French Coast. No raids came from Cherbourg to the London area during this period.

  At about 2030 hours, a strong force (15 tracks) of raiders appeared from Cherbourg, flying North. They continued on this course until South of Bristol when they fanned out North and North-east. The tracks finally led to the Birmingham - Coventry area which appeared to suffer a severe attack.

  Minelaying was apparent from Humber to Farne Island.

  2100 Hours to 2300 Hours

  Enemy activity continued to be intense against the two objectives of London and the Midlands, the influx to London from the Dutch Islands being rather greater than that from Le Havre/Dieppe.

  Activity in the Midlands continued in force but showed signs of diminishing over London at about 2130 hours. Slight activity was also apparent in East Anglia.

  By 2245 hours, there were no enemy aircraft either approaching or in the London area, while activity over the Midlands had almost ceased.

  2300 Hours to 0100 Hours 13.10.40

  By 2300 hours, the Country with the exception of the London area where activity was very slight, was clear of enemy aircraft. The London activity, however, did not cease but was maintained by small numbers of aircraft throughout the period.

  In the areas from Portland to the Needles, and Selsey Bill to Coquet Island, and from North Foreland to Southwold, minelaying was reported.

  0100 Hours to 0300 Hours

  By 0130 hours, raids over the London area were returning and the Country was clear of enemy aircraft by 0222 hours.

  

  ________________________________________

  Statistics

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

• Blenheim - 46
• Spitfire - 217
• Hurricane - 368
• Defiant - 16
• Gladiator - 8
• Total – 655

  Casualties:

  	Enemy Losses
  	By Fighters
  Destroyed	Probable	Damaged
  9 Me109	10 Me109	6 Me109
  		1 Me110
  	1 Ju88
  1 Ar95
  10	11	7
  	By Anti-Aircraft
  1 E/A
  1	Nil	Nil

• Own:

• 10 aircraft with 4 pilots lost.

  Patrols:

• Own

• During the night of 11th / 12th October - 41 patrols involving 41 aircraft.
• During the day of 12th October - 144 patrols involving 756 aircraft.

• Enemy

• It is estimated that about 400 enemy aircraft operated over or near our coasts during the day of 12th October.

  Balloons:

• No report.

  Serviceability of Aerodromes:

• Caistor unserviceable by night.

  Organisation:

• 12th October 1940

• No 219 Squadron left Catterick for Redhill.
• No 111 Squadron moved from Drem to Montrose.
• No 3 Squadron moved from Montrose and Dyce to Wick.
• No 600 Squadron (1 Flight) moved from Hornchurch to Catterick.

  Home Security Reports

• General Summary

• Date: 12th October 1940

• During the daylight period, enemy forces, again composed largely of fighter aircraft carrying bombs, staged several attacks upon the South-eastern corner of England and bombs were dropped in Kent, Sussex, Surrey and the Isle of Wight, damage being slight except in Hastings. Some of the enemy penetrated to London, where incidents, none of any great importance, occurred in Mayfair, Woolwich and Deptford, and in the Dockside area.
• After dark, Greater London was attacked intermittently from 1920 hours to 2300 hours, and damage which was not heavy was mainly confined to the Railway system.
• A heavy attack on the Coventry area developed between 2037 hours and 2150 hours, and several serious fires were started; many other scattered localities, mostly in Southern England were bombed during the night, but the scale of the attack was light and no material damage was caused in these districts.
• The new explosive incendiary bomb referred to in yesterday's report, claimed a victim when a man was pouring sand over a specimen which was burning. The bomb then exploded and the man was killed.

• Detailed Summary

• RAF Stations - 12th October 1940

• Biggin Hill: No material damage was caused when a high flying ME109 dropped 1 HE bomb in the centre of the aerodrome and four others near disused buildings.
• Throckmorton: 30 incendiary bombs were dropped at 2130 hours, but all fell in nearby fields and no damage was caused.

• Factories

• The Sterling Metal Co and Cornercroft factories at Coventry were reported to have been bombed at 2037 hours, but details of damage have no yet been received.

• Railways

• An express train from Rugby to London overturned at Wembley LMS Station, blocking both lines. The incident was not due to enemy action and it is feared that there are casualties, some fatal.
• HE bombs fell at Southall, at 2000 hours, blocking the GWR branch line to Brentford.
• HE bombs fell at 2020 hours on the Uxbridge Road Station Bridge, but the bridge is safe and single line working has commenced.
• A goods train was hit at Barnes Station, and the tracks were torn up.

• Other damage

• Hastings: Two attacks were made, at 1010 hours when 4 houses and 5 warehouses were damaged, and at 1350 hours. In the second attack a major fire was started at the Gas Works and 7 houses were wrecked.
• Coventry: Coventry was attacked twice at 2037 hours and again at 2150 hours, and there is considerable damage to property. A Gas Works, the factories of Sterling Metal Co and Cornercroft are reported hit, and the telephone system has been interrupted. Serious fires were started but the situation was said to be well in hand.
• Trafalgar Square: A HE bomb fell at 2045 hours near King Charles' Statue and penetrated to the Hall at the bottom of the escalator at Trafalgar Square Station, where it exploded, killing seven people, whilst injuring 30.

[iowamark]

I just ran across this:

The few and the many. Peter Mullen remembers the Battle of Britain on its 70th anniversary

[BroJoeK]

"WILLKIE ANCESTRY IS RAISED AS ISSUE"

"Negro Democrats Cite German Background and Seek to Lay Race Bias to His Father"

Amazing!

At a time in history when the Solid-Democrat-Jim-Crow-segregationists-South is voting unanimously for Roosevelt, some Dems already have the chutzpah to play their race-card against Republicans.