Battle of the Atlantic

• The British steamer Gasfire (3001t) sinks on a mine 10 miles east of Southwold.
• The British steamer Kenneth Hawksfield (1546t) sinks on a mine southeast of Lowestoft with the loss of 1 crewman.
• The German supply ship Babitonga (4422t) scuttles herself when intercepted by the British heavy cruiser London near St Paul Rocks.

Germany, Policy

U-boats are ordered by Hitler not to attack US warships.

Italian East Africa

British forces take Jimma, southwest of Addis Ababa and receive the surrender of the whole Italian garrison. About 15,000 prisoners are taken. Although Jimma has been Gen Pietro Gazzera's main base, he escapes capture with a small part of his force that are in the Galla Sidamo sector. A further 4,000 prisoners were taken earlier after an action at crossings of the Omo River, and many more were rounded up in smaller groups.

The remaining Italian forces retire to the west. Italian resistance in Ethiopia is not finished. The last detachments, dug in in the region of Laka Tana, south of Gondar, will hold firm until November under the command of Gen Guglielmo Nasi.

North Africa

Churchill decides to replace Wavell, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the Middle East with Sir Claude Auchinleck who has been Commander-in-Chief in India.

Occupied Yugoslavia

King Peter and Prime Minister Gen Simovic arrive in London.

Luftwaffen 2cm Flak 38 on the Border of Russia, 21 June 1941

Syria

Damascus falls to the Allied forces after the Vichy garrison has been evacuated. Habforce begins to advance into Syria from Iraq.

Damascus Falls to the Allies

The fall of Damascus to the Allies, June 18–21, 1941. A car carrying two Free French com­manders, escorted by Vichy French cavalry, enters the city in this photo.

Australian Troops in Syria

Australian troops at the French Aleppo air­field, Syria, June 1941. In the back­ground are Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighters. The initial 5:1 ad­van­tage the Vichy French Air Force ( Armée de l’Air de Vichy) enjoyed over the RAF and the Royal Aus­tra­lian Air Force quickly evap­o­rated. Most Vichy air­craft were de­stroyed on the ground. In all, Vichy forces lost 179 air­craft from about 289 that had been com­mitted to defending French Syria and Lebanon.