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June 10th, 1941

UNITED KINGDOM:
Westminster: Winston Churchill told MPs today: “I have not heard that Herr Hitler had to attend the Reichstag and say why he sent the BISMARK on her disastrous cruise. I have not heard that Signor Mussolini has made a statement about losing the greater part of his African Empire.”

He was annoyed that the Commons forced a debate about the loss of Crete, and said that it would be better for the government to decide the timing of discussions about the conduct of the war. He fiercely defended the government, but insisted that as Parliament’s “lifelong servant” he will do as it says.

London Gazette - medal citations for MT ATHELTEMPLAR.

Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Chief Engineer, Valentine Thomas Basil Godfrey And Lloyd’s War Medal for Bravery at Sea. The Lloyd’s citation:

The ship was attacked by enemy aircraft and set on fire. The chief officer was severely wounded, and all the other executive officers were killed. The chief engineer got the starboard boat away with 14 of the crew, some of whom were wounded, and transferred them to the rescuing ship. Returning to his own vessel with another party he found the fire was out, but that all the steam lines had gone, and there were about 2 ft. of water in the engine-room, covering the dynamos. The chief engineer at once arranged for towage and the vessel was brought into port.

King’s Commendations for Brave Conduct Boatswain John Richard Bell, and Gunner Thomas Newton. (Bernard de Neumann)

Corvettes HMS Mayflower, Spikenard, Trillium and Windflower departed Aultbea to escort Convoy OB-332 for St John’s, Newfoundland. (Dave Shirlaw)

NORTH SEA: Patrol sloop HMS Pintail is mined off the Humber while escorting Thames/ Forth coastal convoy FN447 and sinks in the Humber estuary at 53 30N, 00 32E.

FRANCE: The German authorities expel most of the foreign diplomatic staff from Paris.

Admiral Darlan urged French to conquer their illusions and consent to sacrifices. (Dave Shirlaw)

POLAND: Aerial units of the German Luftwaffe begin to form up in preparation for Operation Barbarossa.

ERITREA:
A British Indian Battalion lands and captures Assab, the last Red Sea port held by the Italians.
Massawa:
Here in the dockyard sappers are already preparing for the arrival of US-registered ships in the Red Sea. This is the prize for the Allied victory in Eritrea. Last year,when Italy declared war, the US Congress declared the Red Sea a combat zone. Neutral US ships must stay out. For 11 months supplies were unloaded at the Cape, reloaded onto British ships and brought to Egypt. Now with all the East African coast in Allied hands, and Italy’s naval squadron at the bottom of the Red Sea, Congress will reverse its position, and US ships may sail to Suez.

SYRIA: On coastal axis 21 Aust Brigade continue the advance past the Litani but are stopped in the afternoon by French positions on the coast road.

Australian forces cross the Litani River in Syria.

During a reconnaissance flight over Deraa, a well-known French pilot, Capitaine Jacobi of 6 Squadron, 3rd Fighter Group, was shot down by the British air defence.

This afternoon the air crews of French 7 Squadron, 1st Fighter Group received orders to “drive off small units of the British Navy” that were firing uninterruptedly at the French-held coast; but it turned out that these “small units” were the whole of the British 15th Cruiser Squadron, and the French swiftly halted their operations.

RAF forms a new 127 Squadron at Habbaniya, Iraq, equipped with four Hurricanes and four Gladiators. (Michael Alexander)

CANADA: Twenty Four River Class frigates are ordered: HMCS Dunver, Cape Breton, Outremont, Valleyfield, Thetford Mines, Joliette, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Stormont, Matane, Montreal, Grou, Saint John, Stettler, Edmunston, Magog, Longueuil, La Hulloise, Eastview, Beacon Hill, Kokanee, St Catharines, Waskesiu, Prince Rupert, Swansea. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: Secretary of State Hull reassured Portugal as to its islands in the Atlantic. (Dave Shirlaw)