| World War 2 timeline |
May 1st 1940 - Norwegians defending the town of Lillehammer surrender to German forces.
May 2nd 1940 - German forces reach Andalsnes in Norway.
May 3rd 1940 - RAF attack Stavanger. General Ewald Von Kliest takes command of the German First Panzer Army .
May 4th 1940 - Naval and land forces bombard Narvik in Norway. Luftwaffe carries out two raids on the south east coast of England.
May 5th 1940 - The US Government gives permission to export the Mustang Aircraft to the UK.
May 6th 1940 - German Forces advance North from Trondheim in Norway. The evacuated Norwegian Government arrives and sets up in London.
May 7th 1940 - German forces face allied pressure at Narvik from allied forces. All military leave in Holland is cancelled. British collier Brighton is sunk by enemy action.
May 8th 1940 - Soviet Marshall Timoshenko is appointed the countries Defense Commissar.
May 9th 1940 - Hitler issues the order to begin the offensive in the west.
May 10th 1940 - Germany without warning invades Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. The main armored thrust is through the Ardennes by Army group A. British and French troops enter Belgium from france in response to the attack. Iin the Uk Neville Chamberlain resigns as Prime minister and is replaced by Winston Churchill. RAF Whitley bombers attack German targets including Munchen Gladbach. British troops occupy Iceland to prevent a German invasion which could threaten the transatlantic supply route.
May 11th 1940 - German Paratroops capture with speed and surprise the important Belgian Fort at Eben- Emel, near Liege.
It is the first occasion that Paratroops are used in World War 2.
German forces are then able to cross the Albert canal in force.
In London the british war cabinet is formed under the leadership of new Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
May 12th 1940 - German Forces outflank the main Dutch Fortifications.
May 13th 1940 - Further German Paratroops are reported in North Western France. In the Uk Winston Churchill makes the first of many wartime speeches with his Nothing but blood toil tears and sweat speech.
May 14th 1940 - Queen Wilhemina and Princes Juliana of Holland arrive safely in London, after escaping German forces.The Luftwaffe delivers the first of many devastating air raids on Rotterdam. The battle for Holland despite a heroic effort from the outnumbered Dutch forces is fast coming to an end.
May 15th 1940 - Dutch resistance ends and Holland capitulates to German forces. Meanwhile German Panzer troops commanded by Irwin Rommel reach Sedan in France. In the Uk the Local Defence Volunteers are formed, later to be renamed The Home-guard. The BEF are forced by the fast advance of German forces, in what would be called the Blitzkrieg to move to a line west of Brussels. In the United States President Roosevelt urges the US aircraft industry to produce 50,000 aircraft per year. Mussolini assures both Greece and Yugoslavia that Italy will not invade either country.
May 17th 1940 - German forces enter Brussels, Louvain and Malines. Further German offensives develop between Sambre and the Meuse. The Dutch Islands of Walcheren and Beneland are evacuated.
May 18th 1940 - German troops enter Antwerp and Amiens. 73 year old French General weygand is appointed commander in chief of allied forces, in fhe face of a worsening situation.
20th 1940May - German troops reach the old battlefields of the first world war, the Somme scenes of terrible slaughter during that war. German forces reach the Channel at Abbeville on the French coast, this effectively cuts the allied armies in France in two. In Defeated Holland the infamous Seyss Inquart is appointed as Reichkommissar of Holland.
May 21st 1940 - British and French forces Launch an attack at Arras in France to try and stem the German advance.
Despite some small success it fails in its overall plan.
May 22nd 1940 - In Britain the emergency powers act is passed. German forces reach the outskirts of Boulogne, they are stopped by British and French troops. Who include the Irish and Welsh Guards, who had arrived in Boulogne that same day. British troops also arrive at Calais to attempt to link up with forces at Dunkirk.
May 23rd 1940 - A further attack on Boulogne by German Panzers is stopped by its defenders. A decision is made to evacuate the British troops from the port. Leaving French forces to continue the defence, 3,060 troops are evacuated. In Britain Oswald Moseley the British Facist leader is arrested.
May 24th1940 - Hitler orders his Panzers to halt, and the Luftwaffe starts its bombing of Dunkirk and the perimeter. Boulogne falls to the Germans despite a heroic defence. Heavy Fighting at Calais forces the British and defending French troops to pull back into the inner defenses of the town. The 10th Panzer Division increases its attacks to capture the port.
May 25th 1940 - The last few remaining defenders of Boulogne who continued to offer resistance surrender. RAF aircraft attack the oil tanks near the city of Rotterdam to prevent the fuel supplies being taken by the Germans. Lord Gort the commander of the BEF, with the situation worsening daily makes the decision to withdraw his forces to the coast and evacuate his army from Dunkirk .Control of the Naval operation and the plans for evacuation are placed under the command of vice Admiral Bertram Ramsey. Who will co-ordinate the operation from his HQ at Dover castle. With the evacuation about to begin from Dunkirk Winston Churchill makes the surprising decision to not evacuate or save the remaining Allied forces fighting in the same day Luftwaffe aircraft attack targets in yorkshire and East Anglia.
May 26th 1940 - The first days of the Dunkirk evacuation start operation Dynamo is underway. Despite the British and French fighting hard at Calais they are overwhelmed by the 10th Panzer Division, the entire garrison is either killed or captured.
May 27th 1940 - Over the first two full days of Dynamo 7,699 men are rescued from Dunkirk. The Belgium army capitulates with the support of the Belgium king despite government orders not to do so.
May 28th 1940 - On this day a total of 17,804 troops are rescued from the Harbor and Beaches of Dunkirk. Meanwhile in the Norway campaign allied forces finally gain control of Narvik, only to begin immediately to evacuate.
May 29th 1940 - British government places an order in the US to purchase 320 of the new Mustang 1 Fighter. fourth day of the evacuation from Dunkirk sees 47,310 rescued. German troops capture Ypres,Ostend and Lille.
May 30th 1940 - 53,823 rescued from Dunkirk.
May 31st 1940 - German submarine U-13 is sunk by the Royal Navy near Newcastle Upon Tyne. Sixth day of Dynamo sees 68,014 men rescued this bring the total to 194,620 troops who have so far been gotten away safely. In the US President Roosevelt announces a million dollar Defence spending program.
1st June 1940 - Allied forces still being evacuated from Dunkirk
the French government announced that it had struck Leopold 3rd
the king of the Belgium's from the order of the Legion 'd' Honneur
because he had surrendered to the germans a few days earlier.
Ironically the French would do the same in a few days.
2nd June 1940 - With the situation across the channel worsening a decision is made to evacuate nearly 50,000 children from the south eastern coastal towns and villages opposite the channel ports. Many parents decide to send their children abroad with the threat of invasion looming. Meanwhile Hitler is sight seeing in france and tours a number of battlefields that he had served on in WW1 including Ypres and Vimy
4th June 1940 - Prime minister Winston Churchill makes his famous we will fight them on the beaches speech to the house.
5th June 1940 - In Britain strikes and lockouts are banned. Factories , miners and farm workers are told they are
in reserved occupations. New laws regarding employment
are passed no employer can engage workers without government
permission particularly arms factories and engineering companies.
workers are advised that they can have one day a week rest in seven.
Minister of Labour Ernest Bevin, suggests that they should save
part of their wages for when they can have a week or two off after the war.
6th June 1940 - The first VC of the second world war is awarded to posthumously to Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee of Destroyer HMS Hardy for actions during the raid on Narvik in April 1940.
10th June 1940 - With the end of operations in Norway Allied losses are one aircraft carrier two cruisers and nine Destroyers as well as a number of smaller craft. 6,100 killed and 100 wounded. A costly and unsuccessful short-lived campaign. Mussolini declares war on the allies and sides with Germany.
11th June 1940 - Following the Italian declaration of war, the RAF creates a bomber force consisting of 99 sqd and 149 sqd flying Vickers Wellington's. Known as Haddock Force they are instructed to attack Italian industrial targets. Flying from bases in southern France. However when arriving at Salon airfield the local French commander blocks the runway fearful of Italian retaliation and also as a result of policy disagreements , The Raid is abandoned. The force is then switched to attack targets in the Black Forest in Germany to start forest fires but no evidence is available to show if it was in anyway successful. French Prime Minister Reynaud after dining with Winston Churchill tells him that Marshall Petain had written an appeal to the Germans for an armistice. Although Reynauld admitted that he had not shown it to him out of shame. Churchill tells the french that Britain will fight on no matter what.
13th June 1940 - The first war aid and shipment of arms agreed to by Roosevelt with Churchill sets sail en-route to Britain aboard the SS Eastern Princess.
17th June 1940 - The united kingdoms worst ever maritime disaster occurs.
Cunards White Star Liner Lancastria is sunk off Saint Nazaire
She is carrying 3,000 men from the BEF and RAF, who had been
left behind in France after Dunkirk. The Luftwaffe bomb the ship
while she lay at anchor, survivors later claimed that they continued
to attack the men in the water after the ship had sunk.
The sinking is not made public for fear of the damage to an already shaky
morale following The Dunkirk Evacuation.
20th June 1940 - Britains Dominions and Empire Rally to her side.
The first convoy bringing Austrailians and New Zealanders
arrives in Britain.
Bringing much needed troops to aid in her hour of need.
23rd June 1940 - France surrenders, Britain is now alone in the fight against Nazi Germany. Prime Minister Winston Churchill makes a statement that he received the news with "Grief and amazement" The BBC launches "Music While You Work" programs for war factories It will prove over the years to be a great success considerably increasing efficiency. Two popular songs were discouraged from being played during its time on air one bring Deep in the heart of Texas and Yes my Darling Daughter, because they encouraged people to either clap hands or foot stomp which slowed production !
28th June 1940 - The British Government gives formal recognition to General Charles de Gaulle as the leader of the free French in exile.
29th June 1940 - Britain starts to prepare defenses to face the German invaders. Gun emplacements, barbed wire, pill boxes camouflaged as tea stalls and haystacks start appear along the south coast of England. Piers are cut to stop them being used to land troops, concrete blocks and scaffolding appear on beaches to prevent landings. All signposts and station names are removed or painted out to prevent helping the enemy locate its position. Invasion is imminent.
30th June 1940 - The Island of Malta suffers its 50th air raid of the war, an indication of what will lay ahead for the besieged Island.
1st July 1940 - Royal Navy ships attack the french fleet at Oran. After unsuccessful negotiations to persuade them to sail the fleet to England, Churchill orders that the French ships are to be attacked to prevent them being used by the Germans.
10th July 1940 - The Battle of Britain Begins. The Luftwaffe attack Airfields on the South Coast of England,b But their main attacks concentrate on Channel convoys off the kent coast. Up to 120 enemy aircraft are reported attacking numerous convoys, attacks continue throughout the day and early evening. At the days end the RAF claim 14 destroyed 23 damaged, for the loss of two British Fighters, with one of the pilots safe.
14th July 1940 - Winston Churchill after making such stirring speeches in the weeks previous such as 'We Shall Fight On the beaches', 'Their Finest Hour', Delivers another stirring speech 'The unknown warrior'.
15th July 1940 - In the US the Democratic Party at their national convention in Chicago nominates Franklin D Roosevelt for a record 3rd term in office as their leader and President.
19th July 1940 - Hitler makes a peace appeal to Britain in a broadcast.
22nd July 1940 - Britains Foreign Minister Lord Halifax rejects any peace terms in a broadcast reply.
27th July 1940 - In the Us Bugs Bunny makes his debut in the oscar nominated cartoon short "A wild Hare".
1st August 1940 - The Duke and Duchess of Windsor sail from Lisbon
aboard the US Liner Excalibur, after the failed German plot
codenamed Willi to sieze the royal couple.
2nd August 1940 - Lord beaverbrook joins the war cabinet after his outstanding success as Minister of Aircraft production, he boosts aircraft production and increases production of desperately needed fighters.
In his absence the Vichy France Government sentences General De Gaulle who is in London to Death for treason.
6th August 1940 - The japanese arrest and imprison seven members of the salvation army accusing them of acts of espionage. The British government responds and arrests leading japanese businessmen in Rangoon, Singapore, Hong kong, and London including the UK manager of Mitsubishi.
9th august 1940 - The German propaganda radio station NBBS announces that 100,00 German parachutists will descend on Britain dressed as British soldiers.
16th August 1940 - Fighter Commands only VC of the war awarded to Flight Lt EJB Nicolson for his bravery on this day. About to bail out of his burning Hurricane he sighted an enemy fighter, and although his cockpit was aflame stayed with his aircraft and attacked it and shot it down. He sustained severe burns to his hands and legs, and after bailing out was fired at by members of the Home Guard during his descent.
18th August 1940 - Pilot Officer William Mead Lindsy known as Billy Fiske is the first American to die in WW2 while serving in the RAF. He had crashed landed in sussex after engaging German aircraft, and sustained horrific burns, he died in hospital the following day.
Because of Heavy Losses during the Battle of Britain,
Operational Training units cut short their courses so replacement pilots
can be found, pilots are posted to squadrons with as little as 10 to 20 hours on Sspitfires and Hurricane. For the first time German aircraft bomb the suburbs of London.
18th August 1940 - Both the RAF and Luftwaffe suffer their largest losses during the Battle Of Britain. it will become known as the hardest day.
20th August 1940 - Winston Churchill delivers one of his most famous speeches, "Never In the Field Of Human Conflict was so much owed by so many to so Few."
24th August 1940 - Britains Scrap drive which was announced on the 10th of july continues at a pace. German bombers of the Luftwaffes Kampfgeschwader 1 bomb the city of London due to a navigational error.
25th August 1940 - In retaliation the RAF attack and bomb Berlin, 81 Wellington,Whitleys and Hampden bombers take part in the raid, six of the Hampdens fail to return.
27th August 1940 - German radio station NBBS, New British Broadcasting Station urges the British public to horsewhip Churchill.
30th August 1940 - General-admiral Raeder says that the German Army should concentrate their forces for the proposed operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain, on a narrow front between Eastbourne and Folkestone. However General Halder Chief Of the Army General Staff calls the plan complete suicide.
2nd September 1940 - US Secretary of state, Cordell Hull together with the British Ambassador Lord Lothian agree a deal that involves Britain signing and agreeing to exchange 99 year lease's on British bases in the Bahamas, Antigua, St Lcia, Trinidad, Jamaica and British Guiana. In addition bases in Newfoundland and Bermuda are handed over as gifts. The Destroyers for bases deal sees 50 over age destroyers transferred to the Royal Navy
3rd September 1940 -
The cabinet approves compensation of up to £2,000
for houses destroyed by Luftwaffe Bombing.
By coincidence Hitler orders increased production of
1.000kg bombs to inflict even more damage on Britains Cities
4th September 1940 -
Swordfish Aircraft from the Royal Navy carriers
HMS illustrious and Eagle carry out attacks on the Italian
held Island of Rhodes.
6th September 1940 -
The first German agent to arrive in Britain is dropped
by parachute from a Dornier Do17 bomber.
Landing near Northampton in the early hours.
Gota Catroli is a Swedish National recruited and trained by
German Secret Service the Abwehr. His mission is to
report by radio the conditions in London, he however is captured
the very same evening and after interrogation persuaded to become
a double agent.
13th September 1940 - Italian forces cross the border between Libya and Egypt. The border little more than a barbed wire fence is crossed by Italian troops. To mark this occasion bells are rung in Rome.
15th September 1940 - A British Government report reveals that two -thirds of London's population is getting under four hours sleep per night.
17th September 1940 - The first Operational flight by a radar equipped Bristol Beaufighter, flying nightfighter patrols takes place. The 29 Squadron A1 MkV equipped aircraft is the first really effective weapon against the nightly German Bomber raids.
18th September 1940 -
The Liner SS City of Benares sailing as part of convoy OB 213
is torpedoed and sunk by U-48. It is to become one of the most
infamous maritime incidents of the war, she sinks within 30 minutes
of being hit, the ship was carrying a large number of children being
evacuated from Britain to Canada. Only 19 of the 90 children aboard survive.
Some survivors are rescued from a lifeboat after being adrift for over a week.
Because of this incident evacuation of children to the Dominions is halted.
This decision will prove to be permanent for the remainder of the war.
23rd September 1940 - British and Free French forces attempt to occupy Dakar. Operation Menace, is unsuccessful as the Pro Vichy authorities refuse to allow De Gaulle's forces to land. The operation is abandoned.
24th September 1940 -
Gibraltar is hit by bombs dropped by the French.
The aircraft were from the the Armee de Air supported
by squadrons of the French naval arm.
The attack is ordered by French Vichy authorities.
It is the first attack on Gibraltar in WW2.
The George Cross is instituted by King George VI Becoming the highest British civil decoration, it will be awarded for acts of the greatest heroism and conspicuous courage.
30th September 1940 - Three German agents are landed from a German seaplane
Coming ashore near the Scottish village of Port Gordon.by dinghy.
The three are, Robert Petter,Karl Drucke and Vera Erikson.
Operation Hummer Nord as it was known would turn out to be a disaster
for the three spies. After arriving at Port Gordon station at 0730 am,
Drucke and Erikson were arrested by suspicious staff,
Petter had separated from the other two and had managed to get to Edinburgh.
On arriving at Edinburgh Station he had deposited his suitcase which contained
his transmitter at the left-luggage office.When later he returned to collect it he was
arrested by a police officer who was disguised as a porter, and stopped Petter reaching
for his concealed pistol. Both Petter and Drucke were tried at the Old Bailey and sentenced to death.
Both were hanged at Wandsworth Prison on the 6th of August 1941.
The beautiful Vera however escaped the same sentence her fate has never been established.
Speculation since the war has it that she was in fact a pre war agent for MI5.