Axis | Apr-40 | Allied | Neutral | |||||||||||
Total | Class | Total | ||||||||||||
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 | |||||||||||||||
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 | |||||
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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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Naval | Adolf Hitler signs order for Operation Weerubung the plan to invade Denmark and Norway |
Wednesday 03 April 1940 | |||||
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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 | |||||
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Daily Report |
Friday 05 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Naval | British begin Operation Wilfred, the mining of Norwegian waters |
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Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
U-1 | Submarine | Lost | Missing possibly mined in British minefield in the North Sea N of Terschelling 24 dead, 0 survivors 06/04/1940 | ||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Other | Wartime Football International: Germany 2-2 Hungary, Olympiastadion, Berlin |
Monday 08 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Naval | Germany invades Denmark and Norway The United Kingdom and France invade Norway |
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Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
Dragen | Destroyer | Captured | Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940 | ||
Glenten | Destroyer | Captured | Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940 | ||
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 | ||
Hogen | Destroyer | Captured | Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940 | ||
Hvalen | Destroyer | Captured | Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940 | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
Laxen | Destroyer | Captured | Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940 | ||
Odin | Torpedoboat | Captured | Captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940 | ||
Ornen | Destroyer | Captured | Captured intact by Germans 09/04/1940 | ||
A 2 | Submarine | Captured | Captured by Germans at Oslofjord 09/04/1940. Retaken by Norwegians & abandoned damaged at Teie submarine base 12/04/1940 | ||
Eidsvold | Battleship Coastal | Lost | Torpedoed by German warship Z 22 Anton Schmitt at Narvik, 174 dead, 8 survivors 09/04/1940 | ||
Harald Haarfagre | Battleship Coastal | Captured | Captured by Germans at Horton 09/04/1940 | ||
Norge | Battleship Coastal | Lost | Torpedoed by German warship Z 21 Wilhelm Heidkamp at Narvik 09/04/1940 | ||
Tordenskjold | Battleship Coastal | Captured | Captured by Germans at Horton 09/04/1940 | ||
Wednesday 10 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
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 | ||
Hunter | Destroyer | Lost | Damaged by gunfire from German warships at Narvik & sank after a collision with British warship Hotspur 10/04/1940 | ||
Z 02 Georg Thiele | Destroyer | Lost | Damaged by gunfire from British warship disabled gun flooding magazine & causing fires | 13 dead 10/04/1940. Scuttled after damage, after the , 13/04/1940||
Z 11 Benrd Von Arnim | Destroyer | Lost | Damaged by gunfire from British warships | 2 dead 10/04/1940. Scuttled after damage after the , 13/04/1940||
Z 17 Diether von Roeder | Destroyer | Lost | Damaged by gunfire from British warships | 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 , 13/04/1940||
Z 18 Hans Ludemann | Destroyer | Lost | Damaged by gunfire by British warships starting fire and flooding magazine during | 2 dead 10/04/1940. Scuttled after damage, after the 13/04/1940. Destroyed by a British landing party||
Z 19 Hermann Kunne | Destroyer | Damaged | Damaged by splinters from gunfire & the explosion from torpedo attack on Anton Schmitt from British warships | temporary disabled 9 dead 10/04/1940||
Z 21 Wilhelm Heidkamp | Destroyer | Lost | Damaged by Torpedo strike from British warship Hardy in Narvik harbour, | blowing stern of ship 10/04/1940. Sunk next day 81 dead 11/04/1940||
Z 22 Anton Schmitt | Destroyer | Lost | Torpedoed by British warships Hardy, Hunter & Havock during | , hit in boiler room from which the ship broke in two, 50 dead 10/04/1940||
Tarpon | Submarine | Lost | Depth charged by German Q-ship Schiff 40/Schurbek in North Sea 10/04/1940 | ||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Naval | Battle of Narvik end in a German victory |
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Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
Penelope | Light Cruiser | Damaged | Run aground whilst entering Fleinvaer Fjord, Norway holed forward & flooding boiler room 11/04/1940 | ||
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 | ||
Gyller | Torpedoboat | Captured | Captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940 | ||
B 2 | Submarine | Surrendered | Surrendered to the Germans 11/04/1940 | ||
B 4 | Submarine | Captured | Abandoned & captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940. Never used fate unknown | ||
B 5 | Submarine | Captured | Captured by Germans at Kristiansand 11/04/1940 | ||
Friday 12 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Naval | British forces occupy Faeroe Islands |
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Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | ||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Naval | ends in a British victory | ||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | , 13/04/1940||
Cossack | Destroyer | Damaged | Damaged by gunfire from German warships, during | 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||
Eskimo | Destroyer | Damaged | Damaged by a torpedo from German warship Z 02 Georg Thiele, during | 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||
Punjabi | Destroyer | Damaged | Damaged by gunfire from German warships, during | , 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||
Z 09 Wolfgang Zenker | Destroyer | Lost | Scuttled at Rombaksfjord, after damage, after the | , 13/04/1940||
Z 12 Erich Giese | Destroyer | Lost | Damaged by torpedoes & gunfire from British warships Cossack & Foxhound | crew abandoned ship as the ship caught fire 68.25N 17.34E 83 dead 13/04/1940||
Z 19 Hermann Kunne | Destroyer | Damaged | Beached in Herjangsfjord after firing all ammunition, during | , destroyed by torpedoes from British warship Eskimo 13/04/1940||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Military | British and French forces land at Namsos |
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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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
Greyhound | Destroyer | Damaged | Damaged by bombs from German aircraft off Norwegian coast 16/04/1940 | ||
A 3 | Submarine | Lost | Scuttled to avoid capture by Germans 16/04/1940 | ||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | ||
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 | ||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | ||
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 | ||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report |
Saturday 20 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
Stegg | Torpedoboat | Lost | Sunk by gunfire from German warship Bremse at Heroysund 20/04/1940 | ||
Sunday 21 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Other | Wartime Football International: Germany 2-2 Hungary, Olympiastadion, Berlin |
Monday 22 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report |
Tuesday 23 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report |
Wednesday 24 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | |||||
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Daily Report |
Friday 26 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | ||
Garm | Destroyer | Lost | Bombed by German aircraft at Bjordal in Sognefjord 26/04/1940 | ||
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Military | British forces withdraw from lands around Trondheim |
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Other | Wartime Football International: Palestine 5-1 Lebanon, Maccabiah Stadium, Jaffa |
Sunday 28 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report |
Monday 29 April 1940 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
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 | |||||
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Daily Report | |||||
Country | Vessel | Type | Report | Description | |
Leopard | Destroyer | Lost | Collision near Skagerrak (Jutland) with Preussen 30/04/1940 | ||
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 | ||
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 |