Air Operations, Europe

German bombers attack British naval units off Norway. 3 aircraft are lost.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The British steamers Hawnby (5380t) and Mersey (1037t) are sunk in the Downs by mines as the result of a German minelaying operation by aircraft on the 17th. The entire crew of the Hawnby is rescued by MTB.4 while 14 are lost from the Mersey with 7 being brought to Ramsgate.
• The British anti-submarine trawler Rutlandshire (458t) is badly damaged by German bombing at Namsos and is run aground to prevent sinking. The entire crew is rescued.
• The British aircraft carrier Furious intercepts the German trawler Rhein (254t) off North Cape and is taken in prize and escorted to Harstad by the British destroyer Imogen.

Norway

Namsos is heavily bombed by the Germans and the harbor installations, such as they are, are severely damaged. The port is ruined as a landing place. There is no natural cover from air attacks and, of course, the Germans have complete air superiority. The German forces advancing from Oslo reach the Norwegian positions at Lillehammer and Rena.

The Harbor at Namsos

Occupied Denmark

Germans in Denmark