Arctic

An Anglo-Canadian-Norwegian commando unit lands on the Norwegian island of Spitzbergen, in the Arctic Ocean, and destroys mineral deposits and installations that are being used by the Germans.

Axis Diplomacy

Mussolini confers with Hitler at Rastenburg, East Prussia at Hitler's Headquarters known as Wolfsschanze ('Wolf's Lair') and then tour the Ukraine. Mussolini confesses to Hitler that he cannot rely on the loyalty of the Italian army.

Mussolini arrived at the Wolfschanze in Poland on August 25. This picture shows both dictators at the Wolfsschanze or near the Russian front in the region of Uman.

Mussolini at the Wolfschanze

Barents Sea

U-752 sinks the Soviet minesweeping trawler Dvina (633t) northwest of Svyatoy.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-452 is sunk by a Catalina of 209 Squadron and the British anti-submarine trawler Visenda south of Iceland. The entire crew of 42 are lost.

Eastern Front

The Germans capture Dnepropetrovsk, south of Kiev. Guderian advances on the latter city from the north. Novgorod is also captured by the Germans.

The XXXIX Panzer Corps forces back the Soviet 48th Army and captures Lyuban. Volkhov is now threatened by the German 20th Motorized Div.

The LVI Panzer Corps begins the final reduction of what is left of the Soviet 22nd Army in Velikiye Luki. The Red Army in the center is now in danger of collapse, with the XLVII Panzer Corps capturing Trubchevsk and threatening the rear of the Soviet 21st and 40th Armies. In response, the Stavka disbands the Central Front and transfers the 3rd and 21st Armies to the Bryansk Front. It also orders a counterattack by the Western, Reserve and Bryansk Fronts against the 2nd Panzer Group to halt the German tanks.

In a furthern reorganization the Stavka deploys the newly formed 40th Army on the northern flank of the Southwestern Front, and the Southern Front is allocated the 6th and 12th Armies.[MORE]

Norway

British Force K begins Operation Gauntlet, with 2 cruisers and the liner Empress of Canada as troopship which arrive off Spitzbergen. The troops are ferried ashore by lifeboats to destroy mining centers. They complete their work without detection by the Germans. German aircraft steer clear of the area because of low cloud reports broadcast by the invaders from the weather station at Spitzbergen. The Germans remain ignorant of the operation for a further 10 days.

Persian Gulf

Operation COUNTENANCE, the overall operation supporting the British invasion of Iran, begins. British forces land at Abadan, Khorramshahr and Bandar Shapur. Operation BISHOP is the portion of the operation to capture the port and shipping at Bandar Shapur. British naval forces sink 2 Iranian gunboats and capture 7 Axis merchant ships. Among the captured ships are the German steamers Hohenfels (7862t) renamed Empire Kemal for British use, Marienfels (7275t) renamed Empire Rani, Wildenfels (6224t) renamed Empire Raja and Sturmfels (6288t) renamed Empire Kumari. The German steamer Weissenfels (7861t) is scuttled beyond salvage. The Italian steamer Barbara (3065t) is set on fire, but is saved by a fire fighting unit and renamed Empire Taj. The Italian tanker Bronte (4769t) is also set on fire by her crew, but was saved and renamed Empire Peri. The Italian steamer Caboto (5225t) is scuttled to prevent her capture by the British sloop Lawrence.

Soviet and British troops meet in the Iranian desert, August 1941

Meeting in the Iranian Desert

Soviet Armored Car Leads British Supply Column, Iran 1941