Posted on 12/27/2010 5:14:42 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/dec40/f27dec40.htm
German raiders in the Pacific
Friday, December 27, 1940 www.onwar.com
In the Pacific... The German raider Komet shells the phosphate production installations on the island of Nauru in the Central Pacific while flying a Japanese flag. Both Komet and Orion have been active in this area for some days and have sunk several ships engaged in the specialized phosphate trade.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/27.htm
December 27th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM: The George Cross is gazetted for Sub-Lt Richard Valentine Moore (b. 1916), RNVR, who was called upon in an emergency and, although he had no practical training, disarmed five mines.
The George Cross is also gazetted for Sub-Lt John Herbert Babington (b. 1911), RNVR, who died tackling a bomb at Chatham which had a new type of fuse, knowing that a similar device had recently killed an RAF expert; he could not remove it, but much was learnt from this brave attempt.
London: There is a major night attack by over 100 bombers.
London: Prime Minister to First Sea Lord:
What have you done about catapulting expendable aircraft from ships in outgoing convoys? I have heard of a plan to catapult them from tankers, of which there are always nearly some in each convoy. They then attack the Focke-Wulf and land in the sea, where the pilot is picked up, and machines salved or not as convenient. How is this plan viewed?
Prime Minister to General Ismay:
...
2. The operation “Marie” [the occupation of Djibouti] has been regarded by the Chiefs of Staff, and is considered by me, to be valuable and important. For this purpose not only the Foreign Legion battalion but two other French battalions should be sailed in the January 4 convoy, and deposited at Port Sudan, where they can either intervene in “Marie” or in Egypt.
When the destroyer HMS Acheron was mined while running trials after a refit, off the Isle of Wight, it sank instantly, killing 151 men and sparing only 15 men. (Dave Shirlaw)
VICHY FRANCE: The official press agency states that the Laval incident is closed and that the former Premier is in Paris on private business. His retirement is confirmed by the Vichy government.
GERMANY:
Grand Admiral Raeder reports to Hitler in Berlin: ‘The threat to Britain in the entire eastern Mediterranean, the Near East and in North Africa has been eliminated ... The decisive action in the Mediterranean for which we had hoped therefore is no longer possible.
Berlin:
The United Press Agency reports:
The German authorities are maintaining silence about the rumours coming from Budapest that German troop movements are taking place there.
SINGAPORE: The defences are being strengthened. Aircraft, air force personnel, members of Indian infantry, artillery, engineers, and auxiliaries have recently arrived in Malaya.
PACIFIC: The disguised German raider ‘Komet’, flying the Japanese flag, bombards phosphate plants on the Australian protectorate of Nauru.
CANADA:
Fairmile B patrol craft HMC ML 062 and ML 063 ordered.
Bangor class-minesweepers Kelowna, Noranda and Lachine laid down Lauzon, Province of Quebec. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
SS Waiotira sunk by U-38 58.05N, 17.10W - Grid AL 3687.
SS Risanger sunk by U-65 12.30N, 21.30W - Grid EJ 9675. (Dave Shirlaw)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 484 December 27, 1940
In the South Pacific, Kapitän zur See Robert Eyssen brings German armed merchant cruiser Komet (now separated from cruiser Orion) back to British island of Nauru to destroy the phosphate export facility. Eyssen warns dock personnel to evacuate and not send distress signals. As no signals are sent, Komet waits before shelling the loading platforms, cranes and oil tanks (torching 13,000 tons of oil). Nauru’s dock will be rebuilt in 10 weeks but will not return to full capacity during the war.
200 miles South of Iceland, Italian submarine Tazzoli sinks British SS Ardanbhan (all 37 crew lost).
German cruiser Admiral Hipper returns to Brest, France, after an unsuccessful patrol lasting 1 month and sinking only 1 ship.
At 11.31 PM 300 miles off Senegal, U-65 uses a torpedo and 70 rounds from the deck gun to sink Norwegian SS Risanger (carrying coal and vehicles to British forces at Alexandria, Egypt, around the Cape of Good Hope rather than going through the Mediterranean). All 29 crew take to the lifeboats and are picked up after a few days by Norwegian tanker MV Belinda and landed in Capetown on Jan 10 1941.
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