Air Operations, Mediterranean

Italian bombers raid Gibraltar.

Battle of Britain

Day 42

Weather - Cloudy and overcast with rain spreading from the North. Channel mainly fine.

Combat - Activity is reduced due to deteriorating weather conditions with several reonnaissance raids made during the morning. At about 1100hrs Spitfires of No: 66 Squadron intercept Me-110's as they attack the airfield at Martlesham Heath.

The first large raid, of Do-17's and Me-109's, arrived at 1430hrs over the Thames Estuary. The bombers are engaged by Hurricanes of No: 615 Squadron as they approach their target at Eastchurch airfield while Spitfires of No: 65 Squadron fight off the Me-109 escorts.

Later in the afternoon Hurricanes of No: 302 Squadron (Polish) attack a Ju-88 off the Yorkshire coast while a Do-17 was shot down off Suffolk by Hurricanes of No: 257 Squadron. A strafing attack is made on Manston airfield by Me-109's but are driven back by the local ground defences and Blenheims of No: 600 Squadron.

During the night very few raids are plotted around the country due to heavy cloud and poor visibility.

R.A.F. Losses: 3 aircraft damaged or destroyed and 1 pilot killed.

Luftwaffe Losses: 14 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 17 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 3 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-51 is sunk, while returning to port from her fourth war patrol, in the Bay of Biscay by the British submarine Cachalot on the 20th. All 43 of the crew on the German submarine are lost.
• U-A sinks the Panamanian steamer Tuira (4937t) 280 miles southwest of Rockall with the loss of 2 crewmen. 30 survivors are picked up by the British destroyer Bedouin and the corvette Periwinkle.

Britain, Home Front

Churchill produces another of his famous fighting speeches. His message is a tribute to the RAF fighter pilots, 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.' Of more concrete importance to the course of the war is an official announcement that bases will be leased to the United States.

Churchill Speech Prime Minister Churchill makes his 'the few' speech.(Complete speech)

China

There is a heavy Japanese bombing raid on Chungking. Many thousands are left homeless.

German Raiders

The German armed merchant cruiser Orion sinks the British steamer Turakina (9691t) on the Cook Strait-Sydney, Australia route with the loss of 38 crewmen. 21 others are made prisoners of war.

Germany, Planning

The German High Command plans to capture Gibraltar with a plan codenamed Operation FELIX.

Mediterranean

The Italian Navy is to carry out a 'total blockade' of British possessions in the area. Included are Gibraltar, Malta and Suez.

Tasman Sea

The disguised German raider Orion sinks the SS Turakina (8,700 t) after a 2-1/2 hour battle in the Tasman Sea. (see Dec 21, 1940.)