Posted on 02/19/2011 5:39:37 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/feb41/f19feb41.htm
Gideon Force harasses Italians
Wednesday, February 19, 1941 www.onwar.com
In East Africa... Emperor Haile Selassie, who was brought back to Abyssinia in January to help organize resistance to the Italians, arrives at Dangilla along with Wingate’s Gideon Force. During the next two weeks they harass the Italian troops around Bahrdar Giorgis and Burye with considerable success. The Italians have four brigades in the area and the Gideon Force is only 1700 strong.
In Cairo... Eden, Dill (the Chief of the General Staff) and the local commanders, Wavell and Cunningham, meet to discuss whether they can send help to Greece and if so how much. The British political leaders are strongly in favor of sending all that can be spared and Wavell, the military commander who is responsible, believes that this can be done effectively and is, therefore, prepared to recommend it.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/19.htm
February 19th, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM:
London: In an attempt to obtain transport and communications aircraft for the Middle East theatre, the Air Ministry is trying to buy second-hand on the US market, but there are few available.
The available communications aircraft are: Nine Lockheed Lodestars, 16 Bristol Bombays, three Lockheed Electras and a lone DC-2.
The DC-2 was a DC-2-112, msn 1244, that had been delivered to Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA) in July 1934 registered NC13718 and assigned fleet number 308. The aircraft was purchased by Cox and Stephenson (was this the New York spy outfit?) for the British Purchasing Committee on 19 Feb. The aircraft was assigned the RAF serial nubmer DG471 and assigned to No. 31 Squadron, a transport unit based at Lahore, India.
The squadron moved to Drigh Road in Karachi India on 26 March 1941 and then back to Lahore.in September 1941. This particular DC-2 was destroyed when it crashed on 24 October at Drigh Road.
The British Purchasing Commission actually acquired 21 surplus DC-2s between November 1940 and September 1941:
November 1940: 2 aircraft
December 1940: 2 aircraft
February 1941: 8 aircraft
April 1941: 4 aircraft
May 1941: 1 aircraft
July 1941: 3 aircraft
September 1941: 1 aircraft (Jack McKillop)
GERMANY: Berlin: The German News Bureau reports that traffic through the Suez Canal has been seriously hampered as a result of German air attacks. The high command reports that two vessels have been sunk in the middle of the canal while its harbours and freight yards have been extensively damaged.
EGYPT: Cairo: British Secretary of State Anthony Eden, Field Marshall Sir John Dill (Chief of the Imperial General Staff) and the local commanders, General Archibald Wavell (Commander in Chief Middle East Command), and General Alan Cunningham (Commander in Chief East Africa Command), meet to discuss whether they can send help to Greece and if so how much. The British political leaders are strongly in favour of sending all that can be spared and Wavell, the military commander who is responsible, believes that this can be done effectively and is, therefore, prepared to recommend it. (Jack McKillop)
ETHIOPIA: South African troops capture Jumbo after heavy fighting with Italian forces. In 3 hours, Italian Artillery fire over 3,000 rounds.
Emperor Haile Selassie, who was brought back to Abyssinia in January to help organize resistance to the Italians, arrives at Dangilla along with Brigadier Orde Wingate’s Gideon Force. During the next two weeks they harass the Italian troops around Bahrdar Giorgis and Burye with considerable success. The Italians have four brigades in the area and the Gideon Force is only 1700 strong. (Jack McKillop)
ITALIAN SOMALILAND: Cunningham’s troops cross the river Juba and head towards Mogadishu.
U.S.A.: Washington: The Japanese ambassador, Admiral Kochisaburo Nomura, says there will be war with the US only if the US wants it.
Purnell attends a conference which included Army, Navy, and Air Force representatives from the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the NEI. (Marc Small)
Coast Guard Reserve established. Auxiliary created from former Reserve. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 2222, MS Benjamin Franklin, a straggler from Convoy HX-107 due to bad weather, was struck by a torpedo from U-103 in the engine room and 20 minutes later by a second torpedo on the starboard side under hatch #4, where 1700 barrels aceton were stowed. The ship disintegrated in an enormous explosion, but all crewmembers had already abandoned the ship after the first hit in the lifeboats, which were later separated. On 26 February, seven sailors in one of them were picked up by HMS Pimpernel and taken to Liverpool (the only survivors as it later turned out). 20 Norwegians, three Swedes, two Canadians, one Irishman, one Dane and one Russian were picked up by the Egyptian SS Memphis. On 28 February the engines of the Memphis were disabled in heavy weather and she foundered NW of Ireland in 56°40N/10°30W. All on board were lost. One of the crew, Oscar Bøe had apparently been picked up by a passing ship, but died when that was also torpedoed shortly thereafter.
On 18 Feb 1941, SS Empire Blanda was reported missing south of Iceland after straggling from Convoy HX-107. The master, 36 crewmembers and three gunners were lost. At 08.18 hours on 19 February, a lone freighter was hit by one torpedo from U-69 south of Iceland and sank in a few seconds after four heavy detonations; this must have been the Empire Blanda. The ship had been missed by a two torpedo spread at 0744 and a single torpedo at 0801. The U-boat was almost hit by falling debris. (Dave Shirlaw)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 538 February 19, 1941
Docks at Swansea, Wales, are important for unloading food, fuel and raw materials coming into Britain and for coal exports. At 7.30 PM, Luftwaffe begins a unique raid for 3 consecutive days (known locally as the “3 Day Blitz”). While the city is bombed, mainly with incendiary canisters, the docks are almost unscathed and nearby oil refineries at Llandarcy are not targeted.
British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden & Chief of the General Staff (CIGS) Sir John Dill meet CIC Middle East General Wavell & Mediterranean Fleet commander Admiral Cunningham in Cairo to discuss sending aid to Greece. Under pressure from Eden, General Wavell agrees it can be done while maintaining efforts in Italian East Africa and holding gains made in Libya. Meanwhile, Rommel’s Africa Korps patrols are moving out of Tripoli looking for forward Allied positions in the desert.
German Motor Torpedo Boats S.28, S.101, S.102 raid the coast of Norfolk, England, sinking British SS Algarve off Sheringham (all hands lost). British submarine HMS Tigris sinks French steamers Jacobsen and Guilvinec 60 miles west of Bayonne, France.
At 8.18 AM West of Scotland, U-69 sinks British SS Empire Blanda (36 crew and 3 gunners lost). The U-boat is almost hit by falling debris. At 10.22 PM 360 miles Northwest of Ireland, U-103 torpedoes Norwegian MV Benjamin Franklin in the engine room. All 36 crew abandon ship (7 picked up 7 days later by corvette HMS Pimpernel, 28 picked up by Egyptian steamer Memphis but die when she sinks in bad weather 100 miles from the British coast on February 28, 1 picked up by another ship which is then torpedoed). A second torpedo detonates 1700 barrels of acetone, disintegrating the ship.
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.