Chronology of World War II

September 1941

Saturday, September 13th


Battle of the Atlantic

  • The British steamer Bloomfield (1417t) is sunk by German bombing east of the Faroe Islands. The entire crew are rescued.
  • The British submarine Tigris sinks the Norwegian steamer Richard With (905t) off Breisund.
  • The Finnish coastal defense ship Ilmarinen sinks on a mine in the Gulf of Finland. 271 men are lost on the ship, 132 survivors are picked up by patrol boats.
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Eastern Front

NORTHERN SECTOR

German units land on Muhu Island after heavy artillery and aerial attacks. The main landings fall at the Gulf of Lyu, but severe Soviet counterattacks repulse the German force. Another German force lands on the island of Saaremaa.

Army Group North renews its assault upon Leningrad, the XLI Panzer Corps with the 1st Panzer and the 36th Motorized Divisions and the XXXVIII Corps with the 1st and 58th Infantry Divisions penetrating the 42nd Army's lines north of Krasnoye Selo and moving up to Uritsk. The 42nd Army, with 1 militia division and the naval brigade in place, counterattack. As the fighting spreads, Krasnogvardievsk falls to elements of the XLI Panzer and L Corps. For his failure to hold, Gen Ivanov is dismissed as commander of the 42nd Army and Gen Fedyuninsky appointed in his place.

SOUTHERN SECTOR

Elements of the 3rd Panzer Division reach Lubny from the north, while the 16th Panzer Division continues its attack, reaching the southern outskirts of the town. The Soviets throw in a scratch force, halting German progress temporarily. Mirgorod falls to the 9th Panzer Division, while the 14th Panzer Division moves to cover the 16th's left flank. The Southwest Front readios Shaposhnikov to advise him of the seriousness of the situation. Even now, Stalin continues to insist upon no withdrawal. Manstein is appointed to command the 11th Army.

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Iran

Iran orders the expulsion of all Axis diplomats.

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Pacific

The Japanese Combined Fleet completes a rigorous 4-day exercise in the northern Pacific.

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[September 12th - September 14th]