Atlantic

The British Home Fleet leaves Scapa Flow for the Norwegian Sea.

Battle of the Atlantic

The Estonian steamer Mare (1217t) is seized by German forces and rename the Bug for German use. The Estonian crew is returned to Estonia via Stockholm.

Norway

In the early hours of the morning, the German warships begin to leave their home ports for the invasion of Norway. The British have detected the concentration of shipping in Kiel, but because they have no previous information to compare this with, they fail to appreciate the significance. Some of the German units are sighted and attacked by British aircraft, however.

Independently, British units are preparing to sail for their own mining operations. In the evening the main forces of the British fleet leave Scapa Flow to intercept the German naval formation. During the night three minefields are laid in Norwegian territorial waters by British destroyers. The whole of the German surface fleet is committed to this operation, sailing at different times in 6 groups. They plan to land at Narvik, Trondheim, Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo and a small detachment at Egersund. The battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau sail with the Narvik group but are to go on to operate against shipping in the Arctic. A large part of the U-boat fleet is also involved in the campaign but they achieve very little, partly because they use torpedoes with magnetic exploders which do not function properly in high latitudes. This error is discovered during the campaign and is later rectified.

The ships carry units of 3 divisions for the assault. 3 more are earmarked for a second wave. Only 1, the 3rd Mtn Div, is regarded by the Germans as being of best quality. They have air support from 500 transport planes, over 300 bombers and 100 fighters. For this air support to be effective it will be necessary to quickly take airfields in northern Denmark and Norway itself. This difficult task will be achieved.