http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/jul41/f09jul41.htm
Germans claim 300,000 Soviet POWs
Wednesday, July 9, 1941 www.onwar.com
On the Eastern Front... The pockets earlier surrounded by Army Group Center have now all been cleared. At least 300,000 prisoners have been taken and more than 40 divisions have been eliminated from the Soviet Order of Battle. The panzer forces of Army Group Center are reorganized and have now crossed both the Dniepr and the Dvina, aiming to encircle Smolensk. Meanwhile, in the Ukraine, Zhitomir, less than 90 miles from Kiev, falls to forces of German Army Group South.
In Syria... The Australian troops advancing north along the coast take Damour. There is now no obstacle blocking their approach to Beirut. Homs also falls to the Allied advance. General Dentz, the Vichy French commander in chief in Syria, asks for an armistice on behalf of the Vichy forces.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/09.htm
July 9th, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM: High Wycombe:
RAF Bomber Command headquarters here has received a new directive instructing it to concentrate on German transport and to aim at breaking the morale of the German population. Recent attacks include two daylight bombing raids in northern France and night-time raids on Bremen, Cologne, Duisburg, Cherbourg and Rotterdam. Key transportation targets are the railways, and air war planners have faith in the crippling effect of such strikes. At the same time the RAF has carried out some raids on U-boat bases and warships in Brest harbour, France.
Westminster:
Lieutenant R. N. Brabner, just back from Crete, spoke in the House of Commons:
In Greece, Crete, Libya, and Syria there has been an almost chronic lack of the most important war materials. It sounds incredible, but when we were at Malemi (the aerodome at Canea, capital of Crete) we rarely were in a position to put more than two aircraft into the air for a continuous patrol during daylight hours.
He then told the House that “705 to 80% of our tanks broke down before they saw the enemy.”
Seven 8th Air Force P-38 Lightnings arrive in the UK via the North Atlantic route, this being the first time single-seat USAAF aircraft have flown this route. (Jack McKillop)
London Gazette - Medal commendations for SS FORTHBANK.
King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct Gunner Eric Vernon Smith. (Bernard de Neumann)
Boom defence vessels HMS Barstoke and Barclose launched.
ASW trawler HMS Birdlip launched.
Submarine HMS P-38 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY: U-585 launched, U-522 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
FINLAND: The Finns re-occupy Morgonland, establishing an observation and artillery direction post with a party of five men under the command of Lt. Per-Erik Ahlblad. (Cris Wetton)
VI Corps (Maj. Gen. Talvela) starts its attack this evening, slightly before the rest of Karelian Army. The aim is to capture certain positions before the Army main attack next day. Because of stiff Russian resistance VI Corps (5th and 11th Divs) fail to capture these positions in time.
I would add that Finnish Army had many difficulties with its attack in summer and early autumn of 1941. While the men were generally experienced veterans of the Winter War and motivated to pay back for the injustices suffered, they were inexperienced in offensive warfare. There are some appalling examples of how officers handled infantry attacks: one battalion commander told his FO “I don’t give a damn where you fire with your guns” and then ordered a frontal assault on a heavily defended hill. One could all too well imagine the consequences. (Mikko Härmeinen)
U.S.S.R.: Vitebsk and Pskov fall to the Germans; 300,000 Soviet prisoners have now been taken.
40 Divisions and 300,000 Soviet soldiers have been eliminated from the Order of Battle. The 2nd and 3rd Panzer Groups have encircled them at Vitebsk and Pskov forming the 4th Panzer Army. It has now crossed the Dnieper and Dvina Rivers advancing to encircle Smolensk. (Peter Beal)
BLACK SEA: Soviet submarine SC-206 sunk by Romanian ships Stihi, Naluka and three torpedo boats near Mangalia at 43°51.5’N, 28°45’E. Also possible version - mines near Konstanza. Sometimes this loss is connected with friendly fire from Soviet destroyer Soobrazitelny, but this attack took place in another point. (Dave Shirlaw)
LIBYA: Tobruk: British positions are bombarded by Axis aircraft and artillery.
SYRIA: Damour, Syria falls to Australian Troops. Homs also falls. General Dentz asks for an armistice on behalf of the Vichy forces.
The Vichy French destroyers GUEPARD, VALMY and VAQUELIN sail from Syria tonight bound for Salonika to embark a battalion of French troops to reinforce Beirut. These troops have crossed by land to Greece with the co-operation of the Axis. However, this attempt fails, the loaded destroyers turning back to Salonika after sighting British aircraft. (Peter Beeston)
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: TF 5, under Purnell, sails to southern Philippine waters in preparation for war. (Marc Small)
CANADA: Port operations craft ordered for RCN: HC 26, HC 25, HC 24, HC 23, HC 22, HC 21, HC 20, HC 19, 18, 17, HC 16, HC 15, HC 14, HC 13, HC 8, HC 6, HC 5. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.:
Light cruiser USS Biloxi laid down.
Minesweeper USS Skylark launched.
Submarine USS Flying Fish launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0155, the Designer, dispersed on 6 July in 48°30N/26°30W from Convoy OB-341, was torpedoed and sunk by U-98 NNW of the Azores. The master and 66 crewmembers were lost. On 10 July, ten crewmembers (lascars) and one gunner in one lifeboat were picked up by the Portuguese sailing ship Souta Princesca and landed at Leixoes.
At 0528, the Inverness, dispersed on 6 July in 48°30N/26°30W from Convoy OB-341, was torpedoed by U-98 NNW of the Azores. The ship broke in two and sank after a coup de grâce was fired at 05.44 hours. Six crewmembers were lost. The master, 31 crewmembers and five gunners landed at Corvo Island, Azores. (Dave Shirlaw)
It’s funny how, thinking back to the 1960s sitcom, ‘Hogan’s Heroes’, I always wondered what Major Hochstetter and General Burkhalter meant when they routinely frightened Colonel Klink by threatening to send him to the “Russian front”. I am now getting the idea. It’s also amazing now to think that I grew up watching ‘Hogan’s Heroes’ a mere 25 years after the reality of death camps and POW camps.