Air Operations, Europe

The RAF makes night raids on the Italian supply ports of Valona and Durazzo, Albania.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The British steamer Trebartha (4597t) from Convoy EN-23 is sunk by German bombing 4 miles east of Aberdeen with the loss of 4 of her crew.
• German bombing also sinks the British steamer Creemuir (3997t) from Convoy EN-23 10 miles southeast of Aberdeen. 27 of the crew are lost.
• The British steamer Balmore (1925t) is sunk by German bombing in the North Sea with the loss of her entire crew.
• The British steamer Ardmore (1023t) is lost to unknown causes on a voyage from Cork to Fishguard.
• The Norwegian steamer Ravnanger (3371t) is sunk by German bombing a mile and a half northeast of Middlesborough in Tees Bay with the loss of 1 of her crew.

On 11 November 1940, Fairey Swordfish biplanes from British aircraft carrier Illustrious attacked Taranto Harbor, the principal naval base of the Italian fleet. For the cost of two aircraft shot down, the naval balance of power in the Mediterranean was altered in a single stroke.

Attack on Taranto

The Blitz

2 large formations of fighter-bombers attempt to reach London. A few bombs are dropped in 3 London districts. Stukas make an unsuccessful raid on a convoy off Kent. In a postscript to the main actions a force of Italian bombers, protected by biplane fighters, is sent to attack Harwich. They are intercepted and lose six planes for no loss to the RAF. The Italians make other attacks, mostly by night, on east-coast ports during the next month.

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Mediterranean

The British Mediterranean Fleet attacks the Italian base at Taranto. During the morning 21 Swordfish aircraft attack in two waves and gain three torpedo hits on the brand new battleship Littorio and one each on Caio Duilio and Conte di Cavour. Conte di Cavour is sunk. The damage to the battleships is sufficient enough to keep them out of action for most of the war. Two other ships are damaged. The aircraft have come from the carrier Illustrious and only two are lost. It is the first successful attack on ships by planes launched from carriers. This brilliant attack will certainly be studied by other navies and the potential for such an attack on an enemy fleet in harbor is clear to the Japanese. The Italian fleet subsequently leaves Taranto for Naples and Genoa.

Three of the 'Zara' class cruisers were lying in the centre of the Mar Grande when the Swordfish made their attack.

Attack on Taranto

During the night the British cruisers Orion, Sydney and Ajax and the destroyers Nubian and Mohawk sink 4 Italian merchant ships in the Strait of Otranto.

The Italian air force failed to detect the approach of the British fleet to within range of Taranto. A few lumbering flying boats came near, but were shot down by British Fulmar fighters operating under radar control. So the raid achieved complete surprise and sank half the Italian navy's battleships, altering the balance of power in the Mediterranean at a stroke. The British were lucky: after storms earlier in the week only 27 of the 90 barrage balloons protecting the ships were still in the air on the night of the attack, and the Italian torpedo nets did not extend deep enough to protect the ships properly.

Attack on Taranto

Occupied Poland

The first mass execution at the Dachau concentration camp is carried out as 55 Polish intellectuals are murdered.

United States, Home Front

The first Jeep is delivered to the US Army.