Posted on 02/20/2011 5:39:40 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
Winston S. Churchill, The Grand Alliance
Funds for Samoa – 2-3
British Airplane Output is Put at 1,500 a Month – 3
Set for Flight into the War (murky photo) – 3
Move at Singapore Irks Japan’s Army – 4
The International Situation – 4
Text of Day’s War Communiques – 5
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/feb41/f20feb41.htm
British encounter Germans
Thursday, February 20, 1941 www.onwar.com
In North Africa... The British and German patrols make contact for the first time in the desert, near El Agheila.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/20.htm
February 20th, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM: Weston-Super-Mare: The first Weston-built Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF makes its maiden flight.
Minesweeping trawler HMS Ouse mined and sunk off Tobruk. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY:
U-128, U-565, U-566 launched.
U-558 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
GREECE: Athens: The British Military Mission reports to the War Office:
“...All Italian counter-attacks have been repulsed. Today concentric Greek attacks are to take place southwards and westwards with a view to clearing up Southern portion of Shennell ridge north-east of Tepelene. If these succeed Tepelene should fall and second-phase operation will include operations towards Berat and also between Tepelene and the sea.”
“The have about 3000 casualties from 5 Division, many with frostbite.”
LIBYA: British and German troops have their first clash in the desert at El Agheila.
Free French troops under Leclerc attack the Italian-held El Raj fort.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: The freighter SS Chirikof arrives at Seward with 20 crated P-36 Hawks in its hold. These are the first fighter aircraft to be based in the territory. (Jack McKillop)
CANADA:
HMC Gate Vessels GV 1 and GV 2 ordered Concrete Foundation Maritime Ltd, Montreal, Province of Quebec.
Corvettes HMCS Calgary, Regina, Malbaie and Fredericton (ex-Fort William) ordered. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.:
Washington: telegram Roosevelt to Churchill. ...Matsuoka (Japanese foreign minister) is visiting Berlin, Rome and Moscow in the near future. This may well be a diplomatic sop to cover absence of action against Great Britain. If Japanese attack ...is now postponed, this is largely due to fear of United States. ... Appreciation given of naval consequences following Japanese aggression against Great Britain holds good in all circumstances.”
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 539 February 20, 1941
Libya, North Africa. Africa Korps patrols make contact with British patrols for the first time in the desert, near Allied forward positions at El Agheila between Benghazi and Tripoli. British submarine HMS Regent attacks German ships Arta, Heraklea, Menes & Martiza carrying Afrika Korps troops from Naples to Tripoli escorted by Italian destroyers Freccia, Saetta & Turbine. Transport ship Menes is torpedoed but stays afloat and is towed into Tripoli. Italian destroyer Saetta counterattacks HMS Regent causing some damage (Regent returns to Malta on March 1). Minesweeping trawler HMT Ouse hits a mine and sinks off Tobruk, Lybia (12 killed with 9 survivors, all wounded).
Italian sloop Eritrea, Italian armed merchant cruisers Ramb I & Ramb II and German supply ship Coburg break out of Massawa, Eritrea, and sail into the Indian Ocean. Ramb I is sent to raid shipping off the Dutch East Indies while Ramb II will sail to Japan to raid in the Pacific.
West of the Seychelles, German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer sinks Greek steamer Grigorios C II (27 crew taken prisoner) and captures British tanker British Advocate which is sent to France as a prize ship.
Luftwaffe bombs Swansea, Wales, for the second night.
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