75 Years Ago: January 1940

[fast.git]

13 January 1940

Two points of interest today…

At 04.30 hours the unescorted (and neutral) 1,524 ton Swedish merchant ship Sylvia was hit amidships by a torpedo from U-20 (Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Moehle, Knight’s Cross) and sank within one minute northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland. Of the 20-man crew, only the body of a single crewman was later recovered from a raft.


Swedish Najaden, before renaming as Sylvia

----------------------------------------------------

During an unsuccessful attack on a convoy by the Soviet Shchuka-class (tr. “Pike”) submarine ShCh-324, the Finnish Navy converted yacht Aura II was destroyed when a depth charge exploded in its thrower, killing 26 of the 41-man crew.


Russian Shchuka-class Submarine

Originally built as the passenger vessel SS Halland, she was renamed Aura II and rebuilt into a luxury yacht to be donated to the Finnish state for use as a presidential yacht (1936). Taken over by the Finnish Navy when the Winter War erupted in 1939, Aura II served admirably until her sinking in the Sea of Aland.


Finnish Escort Aura II

Note: apologies for the small photo

----------------------------------------------------

Upon further consideration, and the input of respected individuals, this thread will -- most likely -- not remain a daily feature. Rather, I will try to bring you a reasonably consistent weekly look into the events of 75 years ago.

Thank you all for reading.

Chris

[Jager]

Seems like a lot of neutral ships got sunk this month
Karl

[fast.git]

Seems like a lot of neutral ships got sunk this month
Karl

True story. 34 of the 58 ships sunk (56) or damaged (2) by U-boats in January 1940 were flying neutral flags.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

More interesting info thanks Chris, and Mrs K. says thanks for including a view of Bristol Suspension Bridge.
Rob.

[Teaticket]

Very interesting Chris. Whatever you throw our way will be appreciated.

[fast.git]

14 January 1940

The British war offices announced that all leaves for the British Expeditionary Force in France were cancelled. This step was taken simultaneously with similar action by the Netherlands in cancelling leaves to all armed forces, and almost complete mobilization of Belgium.

Observers noted that a concentration of German units near the Belgian and Dutch frontiers and an increase in air activity seems, on the surface, to have merited this dramatic response, but the governments of the three nations issue no official, public explanation.

Behind the scenes, the British decision to freeze leaves within the BEF extends from a British War Cabinet meeting held on 11 January. They met to discuss several issues, the most relevant of which was the credibility of information claiming that the Belgian government was in possession of German documents detailing a projected attack against Holland & Belgium in which the German Army was to launch an offensive against the British and French Armies from the North Sea to the Moselle, whilst a detachment would occupy Holland. The land offensive was to be combined with an air attack, of which the plan gave circumstantial details.


Evolution of Plan Yellow, Oct 1939 - Jan 1940

This information came into Belgian hands on 10 January 1940 when a Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun bearing two German staff officers crashed in Belgium. This might have been nothing but an embarrassing navigational miscue, had the German officers been able to destroy completely the documents they were carrying: information pertaining to the forward deployment of 7. Flieger-Division, the formation tasked with inserting paratroopers behind the Belgian lines on the day of the coming attack (Aufmarschanweisung N°1, “Fall Gelb”).


Majors Erich Hoenmanns & Helmuth Reinberger


Crashed Bf 108, allegedly involved in Mechelen Incident

The Military Attaché, Brussels, confirmed the nature of the information, as well as the Belgian government’s belief that the capture of this information was a fortunate bit of circumstance and not a deliberate attempt by German forces to confuse, deceive, and obfuscate. Although still unconvinced of the credibility of the information, the War Cabinet felt they could ill afford to stand idly by, increasing the alert level of British forces in the region.

Despite the fact that the governments of Belgium and the Netherlands viewed this as a dire threat, and the German Embassy in Brussels was reported as being “in a state of panic,” the crisis abated relatively quickly once the dates mentioned in the plans passed without incident. It has been argued that the so-called "Mechelen Incident" (or Mechelen Affair) led to major changes in the German attack plan on 16 January, but this hypothesis has also been disputed.

What is known is that Operation Weserübung, Germany’s assault on Denmark and Norway, began in the early morning of 9 April 1940, ostensibly as a preventive maneuver against a planned, and openly discussed, Franco-British occupation of Norway. This was followed on 10 May with the German invasion of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

---------------------------------------------


Bf 108B Taifun Sktz KT+NC (at right) with Bf 109E7s of 10.JG27 Balkans May 1941 01

[Gotham Resident]

True story. 34 of the 58 ships sunk (56) or damaged (2) by U-boats in January 1940 were flying neutral flags.

That doesn't seem to be very neutral. If my ships were being sunk, I'd be choosing a side!

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Well I had never heard that story before Chris.
There is obviously far more to getting involved in the "Dark Side" than I could ever have imagined.
Rob.

[fast.git]

Well I had never heard that story before Chris.
There is obviously far more to getting involved in the "Dark Side" than I could ever have imagined.
Rob.

It's amazing the wealth of information at one's fingertips... kids today don't know how good they've got it. I'd much rather dig through the internet than a pile of microfiche any day! Here's the site I was looking through earlier this month: http://www.ukwarcabinet.org.uk/. A mention in the January War Cabinet minutes reminded me about the "Mechelen Incident" and got me digging a little deeper.

Chris

[Flying Officer Kyte]

The WW1 War Cabinet minutes are quite useful too.
Rob.

[fast.git]

The WW1 War Cabinet minutes are quite useful too.
Rob.

I would imagine so... I'll have to take a look.

Chris

[Flying Officer Kyte]

I have just added one link to the 100 years ago thread in the U.K. sub forum.
Rob.

[Gotham Resident]

Yeah, the Mechelen Incident was crazy, the pilot got lost and missed the Danube in the River and so he kept flying West, and they crashed in Belgium. And he just happened to be giving a ride to an officer...when that officer found out they were in Belgium and not Germany he got distressed and ran back to the plane to burn his briefcase. The pilot was a bit stunned to learn that the plans to invade Belgium were in the briefcase. Both were a bit chagrined. The Belgians didn't believe the information at first because the story was so outlandish. But thanks to a German official in the govt who reported it separately, it was believed.

[fast.git]

15 January 1940

The German Type IXa (long-range) submarine U-44 torpedoed and sank the 1,590 ton Norwegian steamer Fagerheim at 00.13 hours in the Bay of Biscay, killing 15 of her 21-man crew.


Norwegian Steam Merchant Fagerheim

Later that morning, at 07.05 hours, U-44 sighted and forced to stop (seven shots across her bow) the 7,906 ton (neutral; Dutch) Arendskerk. Once it was determined she carried contraband, the crew was ordered to abandon ship and, at 10.10 hours, the U-boat fired one torpedo that struck the engine room and broke the ship in two. All 65 members of the crew survived.


Dutch Motor Merchant Arendskerk

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Designed as large, ocean-going vessels, Type IXs were armed with six torpedo tubes (four bow & two stern). Typical loadout was 22 torpedoes (six reloads internally & ten externally), which allowed U-boat commanders to stalk convoys, striking repeatedly. In addition to the torpedo armament, a 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun was standard. Their range was great enough that Type IX boats operated off of the coast of the United States, but this came at the expense of maneuverability and longer dive times.


U-37 (identical to U-44) at Lorient, France 1940

Whereas U-44's first war patrol was an outstanding success, resulting in the sinking of eight ships totalling more than 30,000 tons, her second was disastrous. U-44, having been reported missing when no messages were received from it after sailing from Wilhelmshaven, was lost with all hands (47 crew) on or around 13 March 1940 when it struck a mine in a North Sea British barrage field.

Interestingly enough, a 20 January 1940 attack with depth charges by the British destroyer HMS Fortune was mistakenly credited with sinking U-44.


Korvettenkapitän Ludwig Mathes, Captain U-44

------------------------------------------

Though this may seem obvious to everyone else, it has become increasingly aware to me that the Germans sank a lot of shipping in January of 1940. In fact, there is little else going on at this point, as Europe is settled into the relative calm of the Sitzkrieg (“sitting war”), or “Phony War” (also referred to as the “Twilight War” by Winston Churchill).

You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that this was actually a reasonably lean time for the U-boat fleet…. The following numbers are averages, but help illustrate the point:

• Sep ’39 – Mar ’40 = 186,000 tons/month
• Apr – Dec 1940 = 382,000 tons/month
• Jan – Dec 1941 = 361,000 tons/month

That is a frightening amount of shipping lost! It’s no wonder that the “Battle of the Atlantic” demanded so much attention from the Allies…

[Flying Officer Kyte]

It was another very interesting topic today Chris.
I was also astounded to read just how much Italian and German shipping was sent to the bottom in the Med, thanks to our aircrews from Malta and Alexandria. No wonder the German High Command made such an effort to remove the thorn in their foot.
Rob.

[fast.git]

It was another very interesting topic today Chris.

Thanks, Rob. I'm enjoying the research.

I was also astounded to read just how much Italian and German shipping was sent to the bottom in the Med, thanks to our aircrews from Malta and Alexandria. No wonder the German High Command made such an effort to remove the thorn in their foot.
Rob.

Absolutely. As much as anything else (and more than most), British air power kills Rommel and the DAK.

[fast.git]

16 January 1940

Another bad day for the Allies...

At 06.11 hours the neutral and un-escorted 4,660-ton Greek steam merchant Panachrandos was struck on the port side amidships by one torpedo from U-44 (3rd in two days) about 185 miles west of Brest. The ship broke in two with its bow and stern raising steeply out of the water and disappearing within three minutes, taking all 31 crewmen with her.


Greek steam merchant Panachrandos

Meanwhile, at 16.19 hours the unescorted 9,456 ton British motor tanker Inverdargle struck a mine laid on 9 Nov 1939 by U-33, broke in two and sank in the Bristol Channel southwest of Nash Point. The master and 48 crew members were lost. At the time of her sinking, Inverdargle was carrying roughly 12,500 tons of aviation fuel.


British motor tanker Inverdargle

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Certainly not our finest hour Chris.
Rob.

[fast.git]

16 January 1940

When going to the aid another proves costly...

German submarine U-25 torpedoes and sinks the 4,751-ton British steam merchant Polzella near the Shetland Islands, then shells, torpedoes, and sinks the 1,140-ton Norwegian steam merchant Enid when her crew comes to rescue any potential survivors. Polzella's entire crew of 36 is lost, while Enid's crew of 16 were put in the water but later rescued.


British steam merchant Polzella


Norwegian steam merchant Enid

U-25 was one of two Type IA U-boats, the first to be designed under German specification. Considered a failure due to poor sea worthiness, poor maneuverability, and unreliable machinery, the class was cancelled during sea trials. Nevertheless, the Type IA served as a basis for the development of other types, most notably the VII and IX class fleet boats.


German submarine U-25

[fast.git]

18 January 1940

Another terrible day for Allied shipping, as one Danish (1,831-ton motor merchant Canadian Reefer)and three Swedish ships (6,873-ton motor merchant Pajala, 1,304 ton steam merchant Foxen, and the 1,179-ton steam merchant Flandria) are sunk by U-boats.

Across the Atlantic, however, an interesting story is unfolding...

512 civilian seamen from the scuttled German liner Columbus canceled their journeys just before the Tatsuta Maru departed San Francisco, in fear of possible British interception which might lead to their imprisonment.

The largest, fastest German liner when completed (1924), the 32,354 ton Columbus was more than 750 ft long and carried 1,650 passengers. Cruising the Caribbean at the outbreak of war, and knowing the Royal Navy would be looking for her, Columbus put her passengers ashore at Havana, Cuba, and then spent the next two months evading the British by taking refuge in several South American ports.


German steam liner SS Columbus

The chase ended on 19 December, when the British destroyer HMS Hyperion sighted Columbus about 400 miles off the coast of Virginia. Also in the area was the still-neutral American heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa, silently observing. Rather than surrender their ship, her crew scuttled her. The remaining passengers and crew, 567 men and nine women, were then taken aboard Tuscaloosa as rescued seamen, not as prisoners of war as they would have been had the British picked them up. Tuscaloosa delivered all personnel to New York City and, for there, they were free to return to Germany (many did so at war's end).


USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) in Dec 1939, having just picked up crew of German steam liner SS Columbus

A Japanese passenger liner, the Tatsuta Maru played a role in Japanese attempts to mask the unannounced attack on the US Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor. Bound for San Francisco with the task of exchanging American evacuees from East Asia for Japanese nationals in the US, she was scheduled to reach the US on 14 December. This scheduled trip was designed to demonstrate that the Japanese government, although at odds with the government of the United States, had nothing imminent planned.

Tatsuta Maru reversed course at midnight on 7 December and returned to Japan while maintaining radio silence. Subsequently, the Tatsuta Maru was requisitioned as a troopship for the Imperial Japanese Navy. She served in this capacity until 1943, also serving as an Exchange & Repatriation Ship, when she was sunk by the American submarine USS Tarpon (a pre-war Porpoise-class diesel-electric submarine) on 8 February. Some 1,400 Japanese soldiers on board were killed.


MV Tatsuta Maru, as seen from periscope of USS Kingfish (1942), when serving as an Exchange & Repatriation Ship

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Another interesting bit of information Chris.
Your photographs are very interesting too.
I wish I could get hold of more WW1 pictures like these to illustrate my diary.
Rob.

[fast.git]

The rarity of photos from 1914-1918 definitely makes your diary more challenging.

[tikkifriend]

So what ever happened to the Kobayashi Maru its sister ship

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

A certain 'Captain' rescued the passengers after fighting off 3 enemy ships.

[fast.git]

A certain 'Captain' rescued the passengers after fighting off 3 enemy ships.

That he did.

So what ever happened to the Kobayashi Maru its sister ship

Pretending for a moment that you actually wanted to know about Tatsuta Maru's sister ship...


Asama Maru in 1942 or 1943


USS Atule (SS-403) as completed

The Asama Maru was torpedoed and sunk by the US submarine USS Atule in the South China Sea on 1 November 1944.

[fast.git]

19 January 1940

It must be wishful thinking…

While German U-boats continue to prey on Allied shipping, sending three more vessels to the bottom:

• U-9 torpedoed and sank the 1,188-ton Swedish steam merchant Patria in the North Sea at 01.45 hours. 19 of the 23-man crew were killed
• U-55 sank the 1,694-ton Norwegian steam merchant Telnes off the Orkney Islands; 18 lives were lost.
• U-59 torpedoed and sank the 1,296-ton French steamer Quiberon off Great Yarmouth, England, United Kingdom at 21.00 hours. All men aboard were killed.

…the British War Cabinet meet to discuss German submarine losses (among other things), specifically referencing a statement on German wireless discounting a British claim of sinking 70 German submarines to date. The First Lord of the Admiralty admitted that this alleged claim was far too high and “if we had said 35 this would have been nearer the mark.” The First Lord then put German submarine losses at about 40, whereas the French estimated 45.

This number represented a gross overestimation on the part of the First Sea Lord.


Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound
GCB, OM, GCVO
First Sea Lord - Admiral of the Fleet

In reality, German U-boat losses in 1939 amounted to a total of nine boats (of the 57 available). In order of loss: U-39, U-27, U-12, U-40, U-42, U-45, U-16, U-35, U-36. No additional boats were lost until 30 January 1940, when U-15 & U-55 met their fates.

Additionally, the Admiralty overestimated the rate at which U-boats were being produced… believing that two were joining the fleet every two weeks. In actuality, only 8 additional U-boats entered service between 1 September and Christmas of 1939.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

By way of comparison, between 1 Sep 1939 and 31 January 1940, German U-boats were to sink 212 ships (totaling 746,175 tons) and damage another 12 (138,016 tons).

[Flying Officer Kyte]

With those statistics, we were certainly on a good hiding to nothing at this stage of the war Chris.
Rob.

[fast.git]

20 January 1940

British First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, speaking to in front of Parliament, voiced support for Finland while criticizing the Soviets for air attacks against population centers. The Germans, interpreting this speech as evidence of British intentions in Scandinavia, and combined with fallout surrounding the so-called Mechelen Incident of 10 January 1940, re-prioritized their plans and moved up the timetable for the invasion of Norway.

The Finnish government interpreted this speech as a pledge of future support which never materialized.


One of my favorite Churchill photos -- holding a Thompson SMG in 1940

Meanwhile, German submarines continue to wreak havoc with British and neutral shipping:

• U-44 torpedoed and sank the 5,329-ton Greek steam merchant Ekatontarchos Dracoulis off Portugal at 04.15 hours, killing 6,
• U-57 torpedoed and sank the 1328-ton Norwegian steamer Miranda 30 miles off of Scotland at 08.26 hours, killing 14,
• and the 7,807-ton British motor tanker MV Caroni River -- while on sea trials -- hit a mine laid the day before by German submarine U-34 in Falmouth Bay (UK) and sank. All 43 aboard survived.

Greek steam merchant Ekatontarchos Dracoulis


Norwegian steam merchant Miranda


British motor tanker Caroni River

[fast.git]

21 January 1940

After failing to hit the 1988-ton British steam merchant Cyprian Prince at 05.38, German submarine U-22 torpedoed and sank the 1,475 ton E-class destroyer HMS Exmouth (H 02) at 06.00 hours. All 189 members of the crew were killed. An little more than an hour later, at 07.11, U-22 torpedoed and sank the 1,469-ton Danish Steam merchant Tekla, killing 4 of its 13-man crew. Finally, At 21.30 hours, the unescorted 1,086-ton British steam merchant Ferryhill struck a mine laid on 20 Dec 1939 by U-22 and sank 1.5 miles north of St. Mary’s Lighthouse near Blyth.


British steam merchant Cyprian Prince


E-class DD HMS Exmouth


Danish steam merchant Tekla


British steam merchant Ferryhill

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, the British Town-class light cruiser Liverpool stopped the Japanese liner Asama Maru 35 miles off of Japan. 21 German sailors, survivors of the German liner Columbus which was scuttled off the US coast on 19 Dec 1939, were imprisoned.


Town-class CL HMS Liverpool in 1942

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Seems that U22 was having a particularly good day Chris.
Rob.

[fast.git]

Seems that U22 was having a particularly good day Chris.
Rob.

That it did.

The war was not, however, to end well for U-22. After leaving Wilhelmshaven for its 7th patrol (North Sea, east of the Orkney Islands), U-22 was re-tasked to a position off southern Norway. At some point, she was ordered to assist another U-boat which had run aground (U-21), but did not respond: U-22 was reported missing on 27 March 1940, a designation she still carries. It has been hypothesized that U-22 was mined west of Skagerrak, but there is no confirmation for such a conclusion. What is certain is that no claims were made regarding her sinking.


Grainy enlargement of a photo allegedly of U-22

[fast.git]

24 January 1940

Chinese forces achieved modest successes against the Japanese 36th and 37th divisions in the 2nd War Area of Northern China, capturing Licheng on 20 January, the Dongyangguan Pass on 24 Jan, and Lucheng on 28 Jan. Despite these successes, Chinese forces failed to seize any major towns on the railways, the goal of this offensive.


Chinese Maxim M1910 machine gun team near Kunlun Pass, Guangxi, China in Dec 1939 or Jan 1940

U-44 continued its successful 1st war patrol (6 Jan to 9 Feb 1940), making the first of two successful attacks against convoy 56-KS when she torpedoed and sank the 3,819-ton French steam merchant Alsacien off of the coast of Portugal at 11.40 hours.


French steam merchant Alsacien

U-23 torpedoed and sank a small steamer at 19.08 hours. This was the U-boat’s third attack on this vessel: the first failed when a torpedo stuck in the tube, and the second failed when the G7e torpedo became a circle runner, forcing U-23 to brake off the attack. Never positively identified, the victim was most likely the neutral and unescorted 1,085-ton Norwegian steam merchant Varild, a ship reported missing en route from Norway to England.


Norwegian steam merchant Varild

[tikkifriend]

Not forgetting 50 yrs ago Churchill died.

[fast.git]

Not forgetting 50 yrs ago Churchill died.

That is so.

[fast.git]

27 January 1940

The U-boat war continues... with U-20 torpedoing four vessels. The night began when the 844-ton Norwegian steam merchant Faro was damaged at 20.03 hours by a torpedo which missed, but still damaged the hull enough to force the crew (8 dead, 7 survivors) to abandon ship. They remained nearby as she drifted, then re-boarded and tried to save the Faro, but her bow already settled so low that the propeller was out of the water. After the anchor chain broke she drifted ashore and was wrecked in the Taracliff Bay.

844-ton Norwegian steam merchant Faro drifting ashore after being torpedoed




Two ships arrived and attempted to render aid, instead becoming targets themselves.

At 20.52 hours the neutral Fredensborg was hit amidships by one torpedo and sank in 10 seconds about 15 miles southeast of Copinsay, Orkneys. All 20 crew perished. The ship was sailing together with the England, which was in turn struck underneath the bridge by a single torpedo at 21.24, broke in two and sank within 2 minutes. Only 1 of her 21-man crew survived.

2,094-ton Danish steam merchant Fredensborg




2,319-ton Danish steam merchant England




Finally, at 23.13 hours the neutral and unescorted Hosanger was hit in the stern by a single torpedo, resulting in an explosion which broke the stern off and caused the ship to sink in under two minutes. The only survivor, a deck boy named Magnus Sandvik, managed to reach a raft with four others, but his shipmates froze to death before he was picked up 15 hours later. When a line was thrown down on him, he was not able to fasten it around himself, so a sailor jumped overboard to assist.

1,591-ton Norwegian steam merchant Hosanger




When asked his opinion as to why he had survived while his shipmates had frozen to death, he said he thought it was due to the fact that he had been wearing wool undergarments while his mates weren't.

M. Sandvik continue to serve, ultimately surviving an attack on D/S Fusa on 8 Jan 1945. He would later sail as captain on Hardanger Sunnhordlandske Dampskibsselskap's ferries for several years.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

What I'm finding incredible is how many Neutral ships were being destroyed Chris.
I thought it would be British and French vessels. Just shows how wrong you can be.
Rob.

[fast.git]

It's been eye-opening to me as well... It amazes me that we've not even reached what the Germans referred to this period as the First Happy Time. That doesn't start until June of 1940... so it's going to get worse.

[fast.git]

28 January 1940

Taking a step away from the U-boat campaign...

Soviet artillery continued to bombard forts along the Finnish defensive Mannerheim Line on the Karelian Isthmus.




Meanwhile, Finnish troops eliminate Soviet forces trapped in the Pieni-Kelivaara pocket on the north shore of Lake Lagoda, capturing several field & anti-tank guns, mortars, machine guns, and 100 rifles.

[fast.git]

“The ladies of St. Petersburg could not sleep peacefully as long as the Finnish border ran so close.”

-- Peter Alekseyevich Romanov (“Peter the Great”), Tsar & Emperor of Russia (1682-1725)

29 January 1940

Continuing with news of the Winter War (30 November 1939 – 13 March 1940)…

At 05.00 hours, the Finnish Army’s 9th Division launched an attack against the Soviet 54th Division near the road junction at Kuhmo, Finland.

Finnish MG Crew; Winter of 1939-40




Meanwhile, after weeks of frustration, the Soviets began negotiating an end to the conflict when the Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, sent a note stating that the "Soviet Union has no objection in principle to a possible agreement with the Ryti government" to Sweden.

(Note: Risto Ryti was the Prime Minister of Finland)

Vyacheslav Molotov; Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs

[fast.git]

Score one for the home team…

30 January 1940


British Steam Tanker Vaclite




Greek Steam Merchant Keramiai




After having successfully struck convoy OA-80G 50 miles off of Land’s End in southwestern England, sinking the British 5,026-ton steam tanker Vaclite at 07.00 hours and the Greek 5,085-ton steam merchant Keramiai at 11.00 hours, the German submarine U-55 (type VIIB) was found, depth-charged, and sunk by British (HMS Whitshed & HMS Fowey) and French (Valmy & Guépard) naval units, as well as a No. 228 Squadron RAF Sunderland aircraft.


U-55 running on the surface. Taken from a No 228 Sqn Short Sunderland Mk.I




No 228 Sqn Short Sunderland Mk.I (W3989) DQ-L




All but one of the 42 members of the German crew surrendered, Kapitänleutnant Werner Heidel chosing to remain on board.

As the “kill” was shared by all involved, this became the first confirmed U-Boat kill by an aircraft.

Interestingly enough, these two French destroyers will exchange fire with HMS Janus [DD] and HMNZS Leander [CL] (and six additional British DDs) in the Med in June of 1941.

Vichy French DD Guépard under British fire - 9 or 22 June 1941

[Gotham Resident]

That looks bitterly cold in Finland.

I do not think I could watch everyone else on my ship get off safely and then remain aboard knowing they are about to sink me.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Hooray for the Sunderland.
Never thought I would say that Neil. Sorry.
Rob.