Air Operations, North Africa

The RAF bomb Sidi Barrani.

Atlantic

• The German invasion fleet in the Channel ports now totals 155 steamers, 1277 barges, 471 tugs and 1161 motor boats.
• U-100 sinks 7 ships from convoy HX-72 in 4 hours. 12 out of 41 ships are lost in this convoy.

Australia, Politics

The election results are declared. Robert Menzies remains Prime Minister. Labor is the largest party in both the House and the Senate but has no overall majority.

It is announced that a 9th Australian Division will be raised.

Battle of Britain

Day 74

Weather - Conditions generally fine over most of the country.

Combat - Throughout the morning small raids are made against targets at Weybridge, Ramsgate and Rye and many more reconnaissance flights across southern England. Although several squadrons scramble no successful interceptions are made apart from Hurricanes of No 238 Squadron, scrambled from Middle Wallop, which shoots down a Ju-88 near Tangmere just before 1500hrs.

The tail and part of the fuselage of a German Dornier plane landed on a London rooftop shown Sept. 21, 1940, after British fighter planes shot it down on September 15. The rest of the raiding plane crashed near Victoria Station. (AP Photo)

German Dornier Crash Near Victoria Station

The only large raid during daylight materializes at about 1800hrs when over 200 aircraft cross the coast in several waves and make for the airfields south of London. All five squadrons of the Duxford Wing are scrambled along with Spitfires of No: 41, 72, 92 and 603 Squadrons and Hurricanes of No: 253 and 501 Squadrons to intercept the raid.

Although several squadrons scramble no successful interceptions are made apart from Hurricanes of No 238 Squadron, scrambled from Middle Wallop, which shoots down a Ju-88 near Tangmere just before 1500hrs.

The only large raid during daylight materializes at about 1800hrs when over 200 aircraft cross the coast in several waves and make for the airfields south of London. All five squadrons of the Duxford Wing are scrambled along with Spitfires of No: 41, 72, 92 and 603 Squadrons and Hurricanes of No: 253 and 501 Squadrons to intercept the raid.

During the night raids are made on London, East Anglia, Liverpool and areas of South Wales. Mines are dropped in the Thames Estuary, off the Yorkshire coast, in the Tyne area and off the East coast of Scotland.

R.A.F. Losses: 3 aircraft damaged or destroyed with no pilot losses.

Luftwaffe Losses: 14 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 17 pilots and aircrew killed or missing and 2 wounded.

NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and accidents.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-138 sinks the British steamer City of Simla (10,138t) from Convoy OB-216 52 miles northwest of Rathlin Island with the loss of 3 crewmen. 347 survivors are picked up by the British steamer Guinean and the British destroyer Vanquisher.
• In an attack on Convoy HX-72 U-48 sinks the British steamer Blairangus (4409t) 320 miles west-southwest of Rockall with the loss of 7 of her crew. 27 survivors are picked up by the British steamer Pikepool. U-99 damages the British steamer Elmbank (5156t) which is damaged further by gunfire from U-47. She is later sunk by gunfire from U-99 with the loss of 1 crewman. Survivors are picked up by the British destroyer Shikari. U-99 sinks the British tanker Invershannon (9154t) 480 miles west of Bloody Foreland with the loss of 16 of her crew. 32 survivors are picked up by the British sloop Flamingo and the British armed trawler Fandango. U-100 sinks the British steamer Canonesa (8386t), the British tanker Torinia (10,364t) and the British steamer Dalcairn (4608t) all about 340 miles west of Bloody Foreland. 1 crewman is lost from the Canonesa and 5 from the Torinia. Survivors are rescued by the British corvette La Malouine and the British destroyer Skate.

The Blitz

As the night attacks on London continue, the government officially allows the subway stations to be used as air-raid shelters. This has already been happening for some time. Liverpool is also bombed by the Luftwaffe.

Three Children Sleeping in a London Underground Shelter

Finland

The first German troops arrive in the country, at the port of Vaasa. Their arrival is generally welcomed by the Finns, who see them as a deterrent against further Soviet threats. Over the next few months more German troops will arrive and establish quarters, depots and bases along the rail lines from Vaasa and Oulu to Kolari and Rovaniemi, and from there along the roads via Kilpisjärvi or Ivalo to northern Norway.