Battle of Britain

Day 73

Weather - Generally fair conditions with bright intervals. Occasional showers expected.

Combat - The scale of raids is again on a reduced scale. The first raid crossed the coast between Dungeness and Dover at about 1100hrs. It consisted of several waves of Me109's and Ju88's that headed straight through into Kent. They were engaged by the Spitfires of No: 41, 72, 92 & 222 Squadrons and Hurricanes of No: 605 Squadron with ensuing dogfights spreading over Kent and down to the Channel.

A German aircraft drops its load of bombs above England, during an attack on September 20, 1940. (AP Photo)

German Bombing

For the remainder of the day there were only small raids made against England, of which most were reconnaissance.

During the night raids were significantly reduced compared to previous nights with only a few plotted approaching London. Mines were dropped off the North East coast, in the Humber and off the Norfolk coast.

R.A.F. Losses: 10 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 5 pilots killed and 1 wounded.

Luftwaffe Losses: 13 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 6 pilots & aircrew killed or missing and 5 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The convoy HX-72 is successfully attacked by a U-boat group that becomes known as a 'Wolf Pack'. Altogether 12 ships of 78,000 tons are sunk, seven of them during the night of September 21-22 by Schepke's U-100 without him even being detected by the convoy escorts. Also involved in the attack are Prien's U-47 and Kretschmer's U-99.
• U-138 attacks Convoy OB-216 sinking the British steamer Empire Adventure(5145t) off Islay, the British tanker New Sevilla (13,801t) and the Panamanian steamer Boka (5560t) both 52 miles north of Rathlin Island. 21 crewmen are lost from the Empire Adventure. Survivors are rescued by the British corvette Arabis. 2 of the crew are lost from the New Sevilla and 8 from the Boka The Boka survivors are also picked up by the Arabis.
• The Dutch steamer Trito (1057t) is sunk by German bombing in the North Sea. There are 3 survivors.

The Blitz

In an attack on London St Paul's Cathedral is hit by a 1-ton bomb which fails to explode. The gas works in Stepney, Holborn Viaduct and St Paul's Station are also hit.

Three anti-aircraft guns flash in the dark in London, on September 20, 1940, throwing shells at raiding German planes. Shells in stacked rows behind the guns leap about as the concussions from the firing loosen them. (AP Photo)

Anti-Aircraft Defense

China

The Communist 8th Route Army launches the second phase of the 'Hundred Regiments Offensive' against Japanese lines.

The picture shows the 8th Route Army destroying the enemy's Zhengding-Taiyuan Railway during the Hundred Regiments Offensive. [Photo/Xinhua]

8th Route Army Destroying Railway

Diplomatic Relations

The Japanese send an ultimatum to Vichy authorities in French Indochina. Their list of demands include air bases, the use of Haiphong harbor and the freedom to transport troops to China throught Indochina.

German Raiders

The German armed merchant cruiser Atlantis sinks the French liner, under British control, Commissaire Ramel (10,061t) in the Indian Ocean with the loss of 3 crewmen. 63 of the crew are interned in Italian Somaliland.

Germany, Planning

Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, Chief of the Armed Forces High Command, issues a memo to German field commanders explaining that Wehrmacht troops were being sent to Rumania 'in case a war with Soviet Russia is forced upon us.'