April 1940

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30

Axis Apr-40 Allied Neutral
Germany Total Class Total Great Britain France Canada Australia New Zealand Poland USA Japan Italy Soviet Union Argentina
4 4 Battleship 16 11 5 0 0 0 0 15 10 3 2 2
0 0 Fleet Carrier 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 0 0
0 0 Light Carrier 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
2 2 Heavy Cruiser 19 10 7 0 2 0 0 19 17 7 2 4
4 4 Light Cruiser 55 39 11 0 4 1 0 19 20 14 3 1
41 41 Destroyer 253 171 67 7 5 0 3 186 109 94 50 16
48 48 Submarine 140 60 78 0 0 0 2 61 54 107 178 3
0 0 Escort Carrier 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
9 9 Escorts 81 49 29 0 3 0 0 0 10 34 18 1
7 7 Other 58 52 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

 

Neutral
Class BrazilChileColumbia PeruNetherlandsNorway Denmark SwedenPortugal Spain Yugoslavia GreeceTurkey RomaniaThailand
Battleship 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Fleet Carrier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Light Carrier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Heavy Cruiser 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 0 0
Light Cruiser 2 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 0 0
Destroyer 7 8 2 2 8 10 6 15 5 16 9 19 4 7 10
Submarine 4 9 0 4 21 9 8 16 3 4 4 6 7 1 4
Escort Carrier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Escorts 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 7 0 0 0 2 0 0 4

 

Monday 01 April 1940
Daily Report
News

BBC broadcast speech by Adolf Hitler, in which the Führer reminded the audience that Columbus had discovered America with the help of German science and technology, and therefore Germany had a right "to have some part in the achievement which this voyage of discovery was to result in." This meant that all Americans of Czech and Polish descent were entitled to come under the protection of Germany and that Hitler would "enforce that right, not only theoretically but practically." Once the German Protectorate was extended to the United States, the Statue of Liberty would be removed to alleviate traffic congestion and the White House would be renamed the Brown House. CBS contacted the BBC in something of a panic trying to learn more about the origin of the broadcast, not realizing that it was an April Fools' Day hoax. Hitler was impersonated by actor Martin Miller

Tuesday 02 April 1940
Daily Report
Naval

Adolf Hitler signs order for Operation Weerubung the plan to invade Denmark and Norway

 
Wednesday 03 April 1940
Daily Report
Politics

Katyn Massacre: Soviet leader Joseph Stalin decides to murder all Polish POW's. 21,768 are murdered many at Katyn forest

 
Thursday 04 April 1940
Daily Report
Friday 05 April 1940
Daily Report
Naval

British begin Operation Wilfred, the mining of Norwegian waters

 
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Canada Assiniboine Destroyer Damaged Damaged in collision with SS Lairdwood, N of Ireland, in the North Atlantic 05/04/1940  
 
Other

Bogskar wins the Grand National horse race at Aintree, Liverpool. This will be the last Grand National until the end of the war

 
Saturday 06 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Germany U-1 Submarine Lost Missing possibly mined in British minefield in the North Sea N of Terschelling 24 dead, 0 survivors 06/04/1940  
Germany U-50 Submarine Lost Missing in the North Sea, near Terschelling, 44 dead, 0 survivors 51.14N, 05.07E, 06/04/1940  
 
Sunday 07 April 1940
Daily Report
Other

Wartime Football International: Germany 2-2 Hungary, Olympiastadion, Berlin

 
Monday 08 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Glowworm Destroyer Lost Damaged by gunfire from German warship Admiral Hipper, the ship managed to ram Admiral Hipper before sinking, W of Trondheim, Norway, 111 dead, 39 survivors captured 64.27N 06.28E 08/04/1940  
 
Tuesday 09 April 1940
Daily Report
Naval

Germany invades Denmark and Norway

The United Kingdom and France invade Norway

 
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Germany Gneisenau Battleship Damaged Damaged by gunfire during a brief exchange of fire from British warships Renown & Birmingham, in the Norwegian Sea, 80 miles W of the Lofoten Islands, ship's A turret & fire control damaged, heavy weather & fog banks prevented further action, the ship remained operational without forward turret 09/04/1940  
Germany Blucher Heavy Cruiser Lost Sunk by gunfire & torpedoes from the Norwegian fort at Oscarsborg, North Kaholmen Island, Oslo Fjord, the ship was overwhelmed by attack & capsized, 320 crew dead & 830 troops dead 09/04/1940  
Norway Aeger Torpedoboat Lost Damaged by bombs from German Ju 88 aircraft off Stavanger 7 dead 09/04/1940. The ship drifted and beached off Hundvag  
Denmark Dragen DestroyerCaptured Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940  
Denmark Glenten DestroyerCaptured Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940  
Great Britain Gurkha Destroyer Lost Bombed by German aircraft off Bergen, Norway, a bomb hit aft of ship causing fire, extensive flooding & disabled ship, she later capsized & sank, 16 dead, 190 survivors 59.13N 04.00E 09/04/1940  
Denmark Hogen DestroyerCaptured Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940  
Denmark Hvalen DestroyerCaptured Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940  
Great Britain Kashmir Destroyer Damaged Damaged in collision with British warship Kelvin in the NW approaches, ship unable to steer & towed to Lerwick by British warship Cossack 10/04/1940  
Great Britain Kelvin Destroyer Damaged Damaged in collision with British warship Kashmir in the NW approaches, ship bow structure seriously damaged, the ship had to steam astern to Lerwick 09/04/1940  
Denmark Laxen DestroyerCaptured Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940  
Norway Odin TorpedoboatCaptured Captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940  
Denmark Ornen DestroyerCaptured Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940  
Norway A 2 SubmarineCaptured Captured by Germans at Oslofjord 09/04/1940. Retaken by Norwegians & abandoned damaged at Teie submarine base 12/04/1940  
Norway Eidsvold Battleship Coastal Lost Torpedoed by German warship Z 22 Anton Schmitt at Narvik, 174 dead, 8 survivors 09/04/1940  
Norway Harald Haarfagre Battleship CoastalCaptured Captured by Germans at Horton 09/04/1940  
Norway Norge Battleship Coastal Lost Torpedoed by German warship Z 21 Wilhelm Heidkamp at Narvik 09/04/1940  
Norway Tordenskjold Battleship CoastalCaptured Captured by Germans at Horton 09/04/1940  
 
Wednesday 10 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Germany Lutzow Pocket-Battleship Damaged Damaged by Norwegian shore batteries at Oscarsborg Fort, knocking out main armament B turret 10/04/1940. Later damaged by a torpedo from British submarine Spearfish in the Skagerrak, N of Denmark, destroying stern of ship 11/04/1940  
Germany Karlsruhe Light Cruiser Lost Damaged by a torpedo from British submarine Truant, both engines & power generation knocked out, off Tristiansund, 58.04N 08.04E 10/04/1940. Scuttled by torpedoes from German MTB Greif, off Kristiansand 10/04/1940  
Germany Konigberg Light Cruiser Lost Bombed by British Skua dive-bomber aircraft at Bergen, Norway. 3 bombs penetrated her armoured deck. The ship was set on fire and began to sink by the bow eventually exposing her propellers. She then capsized and sank 10/04/1940  
Germany Albatros Destroyer Lost Damaged by Norwegian shore battery & then stranded on fog invasion & beached near Bolaerne Island, Oslefjord 10/04/1940. Scuttled near Bolaerne Island, Oslefjord 04/05/1940  
Great Britain Hardy Destroyer Lost Damaged by gunfire from German warships at Narvik Fjord, the ship was disabled & was beached on the Fjords S shore 10/04/1940  
Great Britain Hotspur Destroyer Damaged Damaged by gunfire from German warships at Narvik, she then collided with British warship Hunter, No. 2 boiler room knocked out & she was towed to Lofoten Islands by British warship Hostile 10/04/1940. Temporary repair at Skelfjord before heading home 12/04/1940  
Great Britain Hunter Destroyer Lost Damaged by gunfire from German warships at Narvik & sank after a collision with British warship Hotspur 10/04/1940  
Germany Z 02 Georg Thiele Destroyer Lost Damaged by gunfire from British warship disabled gun flooding magazine & causing fires First Battle of Narvik 13 dead 10/04/1940. Scuttled after damage, after the Second Battle of Narvik, 13/04/1940
Germany Z 11 Benrd Von Arnim Destroyer Lost Damaged by gunfire from British warships First Battle of Narvik 2 dead 10/04/1940. Scuttled after damage after the Second Battle of Narvik, 13/04/1940
Germany Z 17 Diether von Roeder Destroyer Lost Damaged by gunfire from British warships First Battle of Narvik setting fire to ship & 2nd boiler room out of action. The ship was tied by the stern to the pier at Narvik, 13 dead 10/04/1940. Scuttled after damage, after the Second Battle of Narvik, 13/04/1940
Germany Z 18 Hans Ludemann Destroyer Lost Damaged by gunfire by British warships starting fire and flooding magazine during First Battle of Narvik 2 dead 10/04/1940. Scuttled after damage, after the Second Battle of Narvik 13/04/1940. Destroyed by a British landing party
Germany Z 19 Hermann Kunne Destroyer Damaged Damaged by splinters from gunfire & the explosion from torpedo attack on Anton Schmitt from British warships First Battle of Narvik temporary disabled 9 dead 10/04/1940
Germany Z 21 Wilhelm Heidkamp Destroyer Lost Damaged by Torpedo strike from British warship Hardy in Narvik harbour, First Battle of Narvik blowing stern of ship 10/04/1940. Sunk next day 81 dead 11/04/1940
Germany Z 22 Anton Schmitt Destroyer Lost Torpedoed by British warships Hardy, Hunter & Havock during First Battle of Narvik, hit in boiler room from which the ship broke in two, 50 dead 10/04/1940
Great Britain Tarpon Submarine Lost Depth charged by German Q-ship Schiff 40/Schurbek in North Sea 10/04/1940  
Great Britain Thistle Submarine Lost Torpedoed by German submarine U-4, off Skudenes, in the North Sea 10/04/1940  
 
Politics

Germans set up puppet Norwegian government under Vidkun Quisling

 
Thursday 11 April 1940
Daily Report
Naval

Battle of Narvik end in a German victory

 
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Penelope Light Cruiser Damaged Run aground whilst entering Fleinvaer Fjord, Norway holed forward & flooding boiler room 11/04/1940  
Great Britain Eclipse Destroyer Damaged Damaged by bombs from German aircraft off the Norwegian coast, the bomb caused major flooding, ship towed to Lerwick by British warship Escort 11/04/1940  
Norway Gyller TorpedoboatCaptured Captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940  
Norway B 2 Submarine Surrendered Surrendered to the Germans 11/04/1940  
Norway B 4 SubmarineCaptured Abandoned & captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940. Never used fate unknown  
Norway B 5 SubmarineCaptured Captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940  
 
Friday 12 April 1940
Daily Report
Naval

British forces occupy Faeroe Islands

 
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Germany Admiral Hipper Heavy Cruiser Damaged Damaged by gunfire & ramming from British warship Glowworm, off the coast of Norway, the ship remained operational 08/04/1940  
Germany Z 13 Erich Koellner Destroyer Lost Aground in Ballangen Fjord, Norway 12/04/1940. Blown to pieces by gunfire from British warship Warspite at Ofotfjord/Djupviken W of Narvik 13/04/1940  
 
Saturday 13 April 1940
Daily Report
Naval

Second Battle of Narvik ends in a British victory

Country Vessel Type Report Description
Germany Z 17 Diether von Roeder Destroyer Lost Scuttled by German boarding party, whilst the British boarding party was approaching from British warship Foxhound. Germans lit fuses and ran ashore after Second Battle of Narvik, 13/04/1940  
Great Britain Cossack Destroyer Damaged Damaged by gunfire from German warships, during Second Battle of Narvik in Vest Fjord, Norway, her A turret was knocked out & boiler room damaged, she grounded unable to manoeuvre & came under fire from German shore batteries 13/04/1940. Ship refloated & escaped on next tide 14/04/1940. Arrived for repair Portsmouth 29/04/1940
Great Britain Eskimo Destroyer Damaged Damaged by a torpedo from German warship Z 02 Georg Thiele, during Second Battle of Narvik in Vest Fjord, Norway. Torpedo blew off her bow & she had to withdraw from the action. She was towed to Skeljord for temporary repair 13/04/1940. Departed for the UK from Haarstad 27/05/1940. Arrived for repair Barrow 04/06/1940
Great Britain Punjabi Destroyer Damaged Damaged by gunfire from German warships, during Second Battle of Narvik, the ship hit 6 times & disabled, her crew regained control after an hour 13/04/1940. Temporary repair at Skelfjord before the journey back to UK 14/04/1940. Arrived for repair Devonport 28/04/1940
Germany Z 09 Wolfgang Zenker Destroyer Lost Scuttled at Rombaksfjord, after damage, after the Second Battle of Narvik, 13/04/1940
Germany Z 12 Erich Giese Destroyer Lost Damaged by torpedoes & gunfire from British warships Cossack & Foxhound Second Battle of Narvik crew abandoned ship as the ship caught fire 68.25N 17.34E 83 dead 13/04/1940
Germany Z 19 Hermann Kunne Destroyer Damaged Beached in Herjangsfjord after firing all ammunition, during Second Battle of Narvik, destroyed by torpedoes from British warship Eskimo 13/04/1940
Germany U-64 Submarine Lost Bombed by British Swordfish floatplane L9796 from British warship Warspite in Herjangsfjord, Norway, the submarine sank & was unable to resurface, the crew escaped using escape apparatus & picked up by rowboats from shore 8 dead, 37 survivors 68.29N 17.30E 13/04/1940  
 
Other

Wartime Football International: England 0-1 Wales, Wembley Stadium, London

 
Sunday 14 April 1940
Daily Report
Military

British and French forces land at Namsos

 
Other

Wartime Football International: Germany 1-2 Yugoslavia, Praterstadion, Vienna

Wartime Football International: Italy 2-1 Romania, Stadio dei Cipressi, Rome

 
Monday 15 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Germany U-49 Submarine Lost Depth charged by British warship Fearless & Brazen in Vaags Fjord, near Narvik, Norway, 1 dead, 41 survivors captured 68.53N 16.59E floating debris found by British giving details of the German plan to invade Norway 15/04/1940  
 
Military

British forces land at Harstad near Narvik

 
Tuesday 16 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Greyhound Destroyer Damaged Damaged by bombs from German aircraft off Norwegian coast 16/04/1940  
Norway A 3 Submarine Lost Scuttled to avoid capture by Germans 16/04/1940  
Norway A 4 Submarine Lost Scuttled to avoid capture by Germans 16/04/1940  
 
Military

British forces land north and south of Trondheim

 
Wednesday 17 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Suffolk Heavy Cruiser Damaged Damaged by bombs from German aircraft off Stavanger. Ship's steering gear damaged & extensive flooding. Her speed reduced to 18 knots 17/04/1940. Returned to Scapa Flow steering by engines, with quarterdeck awash 18/04/1940. Arrived for repair Greenock 20/04/1940  
Great Britain Highlander Destroyer Damaged Damaged when grounded in Shetland during the passage to Scapa Flow. Damaged her machinery & ASDIC equipment 17/04/1940. Arrived Hull for repair 20/04/1940  
Great Britain Kipling Destroyer Damaged Damaged by bombs from German Ju 88 aircraft, in the North Sea, the ship was hit by 2 bombs causing major structural damage & machinery shaken from mountings 14/04/1940. Arrived for repair Humber Graving Dock, Hull 20/05/1940  
 
Thursday 18 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Furious Light Carrier Damaged Damaged by a bomb near-miss from German Heinkel He III aircraft, at Tromso, Norway. Near miss damaged one of her propeller shafts & engine room machinery reducing her speed to 20 knots 18/04/1940. The ship remained operational. "Withdrawn for repair arriving River Clyde shipyard 01/05/1940  
Great Britain Matabele Destroyer Damaged Damaged when running aground on Faksen shoal W of Bobo during passage between Harstad & Bobo, during Battle for Norway, damage to the keel of the ship 18/04/1940. Withdrawn from service for repair at Weymouth 27/05/1940  
Great Britain Sterlet Submarine Lost Depth charged by German anti-submarine trawlers craft, UJ-1124, UJ-126 & UJ-127, in the Kattegat/Skagerrak 18/04/1940  
 
Friday 19 April 1940
Daily Report
Saturday 20 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Norway Stegg Torpedoboat Lost Sunk by gunfire from German warship Bremse at Heroysund 20/04/1940  
 
Sunday 21 April 1940
Daily Report
Other

Wartime Football International: Germany 2-2 Hungary, Olympiastadion, Berlin

 
Monday 22 April 1940
Daily Report
Tuesday 23 April 1940
Daily Report
Wednesday 24 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Curacoa Light Cruiser Damaged Damaged by bombs from German aircraft off Andalsnes, Norway, a bomb hit below bridge structure causing major damage, 30 dead, 30 injured 24/04/1940  
 
Thursday 25 April 1940
Daily Report
Friday 26 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Arrow Destroyer Damaged Damaged when rammed by German armed trawler Schelswig, off Andalsnes, Norway. She was hit amidships at the torpedo davit, crew ready to repel boarders, but no Germans came aboard & the trawler was sunk by gunfire 26/04/1940  
Norway Garm Destroyer Lost Bombed by German aircraft at Bjordal in Sognefjord 26/04/1940  
Norway Trygg Torpedoboat Lost Bombed by German aircraft near Andalesnes 26/04/1940  
 
Other

World Welterweight Boxing Title Henry Armstrong (USA) beat Paul Junior (USA) Rsf 7, Boston Gardens, Boston.

 
Saturday 27 April 1940
Daily Report
Military

British forces withdraw from lands around Trondheim

 
Other

Wartime Football International: Palestine 5-1 Lebanon, Maccabiah Stadium, Jaffa

 
Sunday 28 April 1940
Daily Report
Monday 29 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Great Britain Unity Submarine Lost Collision with Norwegian merchant ship SS Atle Jarl, whilst leaving Blyth harbour in fog, 2 men remained in the flooding control room so the rest of the crew could escape, 4 dead, 25 survivors 29/04/1940  
 
Tuesday 30 April 1940
Daily Report
Country Vessel Type Report Description
Germany Leopard Destroyer Lost Collision near Skagerrak (Jutland) with Preussen 30/04/1940  
France Maille Breze Destroyer Lost Sunk when a malfunction launched an armed torpedo onto the deck of the ship, causing fire to fuel tanks & forward magazine which forced the crew to leave. The ship later sank whilst at anchor at the Tail of the Bank, off Greenock, 25 dead, 48 injured 30/04/1940  
Great Britain Bittern Sloop Lost Damaged by bombs from German Ju 87 dive-bomber aircraft at Namsos, Norway, the crew abandoned ship & she was torpedoed by British warship Janus to prevent Germans capturing latest British anti-submarine equipment 30/04/1940  
 
News

The Lodz Jewish Ghetto, Poland is sealed off by the SS. This is the first Ghetto