Posted on 7/12/2010, 12:12:40 PM by Homer_J_Simpson
Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour
Nazi Aides Accused – 2
The International Situation – 3
Coasts Attacked – 3-4
The Battle of Bombs – 4
New Fast Fighter Credited to Nazis – 4
King George Escapes Bombs by Few Minutes – 5
The Texts of the Day’s War Communiques - 6
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/jul40/f12jul40.htm
Hurricanes defend convoy
Friday, July 12, 1940 www.onwar.com
Over the North Sea... Hurricane fighters destroy 4 German bombers attacking a convoy off the coast of Suffolk.
Over Britain... German aircraft raid Aberdeen (causing 60 casualties) and Cardiff.
In Moscow... Kuusinen, former head of the Soviet sponsored Terijoki government (intended to replace the Finnish government in Helsinki), is appointed President of the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Republic, in territory acquired from Finland in the treaty of March 13, 1940.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/13.htm
July 13th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - Industrial targets at Mannheim, Leverkusen and Gravensbruk.
10 Sqn. Three aircraft to Mannheim. All bombed.
51 Sqn. Three aircraft to Mannheim. Two bombed. One hit by flak, landed Honington.
58 Sqn. Ten aircraft to Leverkusen and Gravensbruk. Eight bombed.
77 Sqn. Seven aircraft to Mannheim. Six bombed, two hit by flak. One landed at Martlesham Heath and one at Duxford.
The first Free Polish fighter squadron of the RAF is formed. This was No. 302 “Poznanski” Squadron at Leconfield, Yorkshire. (Jack McKillop)
London: Lord Beaverbrook’s appeal to the women of Britain to “Give us your aluminium and we will turn your pots and pans into Spitfires and Hurricanes, Blenheims and Wellingtons” has brought an amazing response. Women, keen to help the RAF pilots who are defending them, have rushed to the depots set up by the Women’s Voluntary Service to hand over some of their cooking utensils. A typical response to the Minister of Aircraft Production’s appeal was that of a woman aged about 80 who walked a mile and a half to donate a saucepan. “It is very useful,” she said, “but I give it gladly to the country.”
Hundreds of tons have already been collected although the appeal is only a couple of days old. In one town so much was collected that a steam roller was used to flatten the utensils in order to make more room. As well as pots and pans, tennis racket presses and cigarette cases, an artificial leg and a racing car with an aluminium body are among the possessions that their owners hope will be turned into fighters and bombers.
GERMANY: Berlin: Hitler’s Directive no. 15 orders the Luftwaffe to destroy the RAF in preparation for Operation Sealion - the invasion of Britain.
While Hitler still hopes that Britain will make peace, he has already set in train preparations for invasion. On 2 July he ordered a study of the idea, and today he has issued a military directive to the effect that Germany must gain air superiority over the RAF before an invasion can take place. Hitler tells his generals that Britain is only fighting because of hope that Russian assistance. He goes further in confiding that it may become necessary to invade Russia.
Today Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, the German naval commander, stated that invasion should be regarded as a last resort to make Britain sue for peace. He believes, however, that Britain can be brought to her knees more effectively by throttling its maritime trade and bombing its cities.
Hitler writes to Mussolini declining his offer of Italian troops and aircraft for the invasion of Britain.
Hitler has said that the invasion will begin on August 5th.
Mediterranean and Arabia: Italian aircraft raid the British possessions of Malta and Aden.
The Regia Aeronautica continues its heavy raids on the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet under Admiral Cunningham as it continues its retirement from Malta towards its base Alexandria. Despite the contributions the four Sea Gladiators of HMS Eagle’s 813 Fighter Flight had made in breaking up raids on 11 July, a decision was made to rely solely on the massed AA guns of the fleet during the 14 raids on 12 July. However, as, 13 July saw the Sea Gladiators again intercepting several of the seven raids made on the fleet off Crete throughout the morning and early afternoon. In a series of sharp actions, Eagle’s Commander Flying, Commander Charles Lindsay Keighly-Peach, RN claimed one S-79 and shared another with his wingman, Lieutenant (A) L. K. Keith, RN. Later, Lt. Keith downed an S-81. Again, losses were not the whole tale, as the valiant fighters broke up several of the attacks, and the Italians were unable to obtain any hits. The day marked the end of three days of intense air activity that had seen some three hundred bombing sorties achieve but a single hit on HMS Gloucester on the 11th.(Mark Horan)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 316 July 12, 1940
In the North Channel between England and Ireland, U-56 hits British transport ship Dunera with a torpedo that glances off without exploding. Dunera is carrying 2,542 “enemy aliens” (many are survivors from British liner Arandora Star sunk July 2).
Battle of Britain Day 3. Typical British summer weather (low clouds, rain showers and occasional sunny periods) restricts flying across most coastal areas. British fighters engage He111 and Do17 bombers and fighter escorts targeting a large convoy (codenamed “Booty”) off Essex and Suffolk (2 Spitfires, 1 Hurricane lost, no ships sunk). In the West of England, Stukas covered by Messerschmitt Me110s bomb Portland and Exeter. Stukas are vulnerable to attack pulling out of their dive and 2 are shot down. Twin-engine Me110s are too slow to provide much cover. A lone Heinkel He111 from Stavanger is shot down doing reconnaissance near Aberdeen, Scotland, and drops its bombs on the city before crashing into the Ice Rink. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/15/a4141315.shtml
160 miles Southwest of Ireland, U-99 sinks Greek steamer Ia carrying 6666 tons of wheat at 2 AM (3 dead and 27 survivors) and stops Estonian steamer Merisaar (carrying lumber) with the anti-aircraft gun at 11 PM, after missing with a torpedo. Rough seas prevent sinking Merisaar with torpedoes or deck gun, so she is ordered to go to Bordeaux, France. However, Merisaar will be sunk off Cork, Ireland, by a German bomber July 15.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/421.html
After the Battle of Calabria, Italian bombers attack British battleship HMS Warspite and cruiser HMS Liverpool from 8.50 to 11.50 AM, with no damage. HMS Liverpool is hit by a bomb that did not explode (1 killed and 2 wounded). A Sea Gladiator of 801 Squadron from aircraft carrier HMS Eagle shoots down an Italian bomber then makes a forced landing alongside HMS Liverpool, which rescues the seaplane.
I see what you mean....dumb Germans didn’t finish the end of the right wing......geesh :)
It looks like a poor man’s P-38 Lightning.
Looks like the recon plane the Germans used [Owl?]
Date: 12 July 1940
Enemy action by day
The chief features of the day's operations were attacks on shipping and one raid on Aberdeen. The main shipping raid consisted of 2 formations of 12+ and 6+ aircraft which attacked a convoy off the Norfolk-Suffolk coast in the morning. Five fighter sections were despatched to intercept and these were further reinforced by one squadron. The ensuing action resulted in six enemy aircraft being shot down for certain and 2 more probable. One Hurricane is missing and one crashed on landing.
A second, though less intensive raid, on shipping took place in the afternoon off the Isle of Wight. This was intercepted by one squadron and resulted in one enemy aircraft being shot down and two others probable.
Other actions along the coasts brought the total to 10 certain and 4 probable, the aircraft which bombed Aberdeen being included. One other Hurricane was brought down in the sea, but the pilot is safe.
South and West
From 0600-0900 hours, sporadic raids occurred principally in the Portland area, in one of which a combat took place at 10,000 feet in a thick haze, but with no known result.
At 1515 hours, 1 Do17 appeared Portland and was attacked by 501 Squadron. The result was inconclusive. One Hurricane dived into the sea, but the pilot was picked up by a naval unit.
At 1555 hours, bombs were dropped between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, and at Southampton, and a He111 was shot down by 43 Squadron. This aircraft was grounded damaged, with a heavy load of bombs.
Five raids were off Cornwall and Devon, Weymouth, Falmouth and St Eval were bombed at about 1640 hours. A Ju88 involved was attacked by 243 Squadron. It was last seen with black smoke coming from the port engine.
South-East and East
During the forenoon and early afternoon, reconnaissances were made of the Thames Estuary and Norfolk coast. At 1642 hours, a trawler off the Essex coast sent out a SOS as it was being attacked by a He111 which ultimately 74 Squadron shot down in the sea.
Scottish Coast
Between 0900 hours and 1300 hours, raids took place off Aberdeen and in the course of one of these a shipyard was bombed. No damage was sustained by HM ships building, or under repair. The raider, a He111 was shot down by 603 Squadron.
By night from 2100 hours
Between 2240 hours and 0102 hours in the west, 7 raids crossed the coast in the Portland area and made for South Wales and Bristol. Bombs were dropped at Newport and at Highbridge (Somerset).
Off the East Coast between 2334 hours and 0117 hours a few raids approached Northumberland and Yorkshire and some were plotted inland. Bombs were dropped at Billingham and Thornaby.
Off the Scottish Coast between 2332 hours and 0017 hours 14 tracks were plotted. These crossed the Fife and Aberdeen coast and bombs were dropped on Cupar, Dunfermline and Helensburgh. No reports of damage have been received. Weather prevented fighter action and enemy activity was also restricted on this account.
________________________________________
Statistics
Casualties:
Patrols:
Balloons:
Aerodromes:
Organisation:
Air Intelligence Reports
Home Security Reports
It sure doesn’t scare me. The right wing is broken. ;)
...Another very important point is the decision of the Fuehrer, which he made at my request, that there will be no more transports of Jews into the area of the Government-General. As a general political observation I would like to state that it is planned to transport the whole pack of Jews (Judensippschaft) from the German Reich, the Government-General and the Protectorate, in the shortest conceivable time after peace has been made, to an African or American Colony. Madagascar is being considered, to be ceded by France for this purpose. There will be ample room here for a few million Jews on an area of 500,000 sq. kms. I have tried to let the Jews in the Government-General also share in this advantage, of building up a new life on new land. This has been accepted so that there should be a tremendous easing within sight...
As to the plan itself, this is how it was put forward by Franz Rademacher, a Nazi official stationed in Berlin, on July 3rd.
The approaching victory gives Germany the possibility, and in my view also the duty, of solving the Jewish question in Europe. The desirable solution is: all Jews out of Europe. The task of the Foreign Ministry in this is:a) To include this demand in the Peace Treaty and to insist on it also by means of separate negotiations with the European countries not involved in the Peace Treaty;
b) to secure the territory necessary for the settlement of the Jews in the Peace Treaty, and to determine principles for the cooperation of the enemy countries in this problem;
c) to determine the position under international law of the new Jewish overseas settlement;
d) as preparatory measures:
1) clarification of the wishes and plans of the departments concerned of the Party, State and Research organizations in Germany, and the coordination of these plans with the wishes of the Reich Foreign Minister, including the following:
2) preparation of a survey of the factual data available in various places (number of Jews in the various countries), use of their financial assets through an international bank;
3) negotiations with our friend, Italy, on these matters.
With regard to beginning the preparatory work, Section D III has already approached the Reich Foreign Minister via the Department Germany [interior affairs], and has been instructed by him to start on the preparatory work without delay. There have already been discussions with the Office of the Reichsfuehrer SS in the Ministry of Interior and several departments of the Party. These departments approve the following plan of Section D III:
Section D III proposes as a solution of the Jewish question: In the Peace Treaty France must make the island of Madagascar available for the solution of the Jewish question, and to resettle and compensate the approximately 25,000 French citizens living there. The island will be transferred to Germany under a mandate. Diégo Suarez Bay and the port of Antsirane, which are [sea-] strategically important, will become German naval bases (if the Navy wishes, these naval bases could be extended also to the harbors open road-steads Tamatave, Andevorante, Mananjara, etc.). In addition to these naval bases, suitable areas of the country will be excluded from the Jewish territory (Judenterritorium) for the construction of air bases. That part of the island not required for military purposes will be placed under the administration of a German Police Governor, who will be under the administration of the Reichsfuehrer SS. Apart from this, the Jews will have their own administration in this territory: their own mayors, police, postal and railroad administration, etc. The Jews will be jointly liable for the value of the island. For this purpose their former European financial assets will be transferred for use to a European bank to be established for this purpose. Insofar as the assets are not sufficient to pay for the land which they will receive, and for the purchase of necessary commodities in Europe for the development of the island, the Jews will be able to receive bank credits from the same bank.
As Madagascar will only be a Mandate, the Jews living there will not acquire German citizenship. On the other hand, the Jews deported to Madagascar will lose their citizenship of European countries from the date of deportation. Instead, they will become residents of the Mandate of Madagascar.
This arrangement would prevent the possible establishment in Palestine by the Jews of a Vatican State of their own, and the opportunity for them to exploit for their own purposes the symbolic importance which Jerusalem has for the Christian and Mohammedan parts of the world. Moreover, the Jews will remain in German hands as a pledge for the future good behavior of the members of their race in America.
Use can be made for propaganda purposes of the generosity shown by Germany in permitting cultural, economic, administrative and legal self-administration to the Jews; it can be emphasized at the same time that our German sense of responsibility towards the world forbids us to make the gift of a sovereign state to a race which has had no independent state for thousands of years: this would still require the test of history.
Berlin, July 3, 1940
signed Rademacher
Thank you for posting this fascinating series!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.