Battle of the Atlantic

• Towards evening a German airplane is seen to drop unidentified objects by parachute into the sea near Shoeburyness on the Essex coast. The military authorities are alerted at once and send two officers of the Royal Engineers, who, when the tide goes out that night, are able to identify the objects as submerged magnetic mines - a secret weapon which the Germans have sown in the entrances to estuaries and the approaches to British ports. A British expert de-fuses one and it is taken to an ordnance depot for further examination with a view to working out counter-measures. During Sept and Oct German magnetic mines have destroyed 56,000 tons of Allied or neutral shipping.
• The British steamer Geraldus (2495t) strikes a mine and sinks 3 miles WNW of the Sunk Light Vessel. This is the result of the German destroyer minelaying operation in the Thames Estuary the night of the 17th. The British destroyer Wivern rescues the survivors.
• The British steamer Lowland (924t) strikes a mine and sinks 2 miles ENE of the Northeast Gunfleet Buoy. This is the result of the German destroyer minelaying operation in the Thames Estuary the night of the 17th. 9 of the crew are lost with and the British minesweeping trawler Myrtle rescues 3 survivors.
• The British armed merchant cruiser Laurentic intercepts the German merchant ship Antiochia (3106t) south of Iceland. The British ship gives chase until the German ship scuttles herself.
• The British minesweeping trawer Aragonite (315t) hits a mine and sinks near South Brade Buoy off Deal. 4 of the crewmen are injured in the explosion.
• U-43 sinks the French steamer Arijon (4374t) in the Bay of Biscay.

Occupied Czechoslovakia

Karl Hermann Frank