OnWar.com

Chronology of World War II

Friday, November 1, 1940

In the Balkans... The Italian advance reaches the Kalamas River in the Epirus district. A small British bomber unit is sent to help the Greeks. This force is increased at Churchill's order during the next few days. About half the RAF strength from Egypt is sent. The British government believes that it is vital to fulfill the guarantees given to Greece to bolster neutral opinion, especially in the Balkans and Turkey.


Saturday, November 2, 1940

In the North Atlantic... German submarine U-31 is attacked and sunk by the British destroyer HMS Antelope. This is the second sinking of this submarine (see March 11, 1940).

In Greece... Italian aircraft bomb Salonika.


Sunday, November 3, 1940

Over Greece... Italian aircraft bomb Salonika.

Over Britain... This is the first night since September 7th that there is no raid on London. There have been 57 consecutive nights of attack and after tonight 10 more will follow. An average of 165 planes has attacked each night dropping 13,600 tons of high explosive and many incendiaries.

In the North Atlantic... Two British armed merchant cruisers, the Laurentic and the Patroclus are sunk by Kretschmer's U-99.


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reek Archbishop of Canea blessing the armed forces

Monday, November 4, 1940

In the Balkans... The first Greek counterattacks begin in the northern sector of the front. The Italian offensive, despite its numerical strength, is already in difficulties.


Tuesday, November 5, 1940

In the North Atlantic... The German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer finds the British convoy HX-84 of 37 ships while on a sortie into the Atlantic. As this point in its route the convoy is only escorted by a single armed merchant cruiser, the Jervis Bay, which, although totally outgunned, engages the Admiral Scheer to gain time for the convoy to scatter. Jervis Bay is, of course, sunk but only five ships of the convoy fail to get away. The British suspend convoy sailings until November 17th but their pursuit fails to find the German ship which has moved toward the south Atlantic.

In the United States... President Roosevelt is elected for an unprecedented third term. His majority in the popular vote is 10 percent -- 27,000,000 to Willkie's 22,000,000. In the Congressional elections the Democrats lose four Senate seats and gain eight seats in the House. They retain their majority in both chambers.


Wednesday, November 6, 1940

In the Balkans... The Italian advance in along the coast reaches Igoumenitsa.

In East Africa... General Slim's 10th Indian Brigade attacks and captures Gallabat from the Italians.


Thursday, November 7, 1940

In East Africa... The 10th Indian Brigade withdraws from Gallabat after losses to the supporting tanks and in the air. The Italians reoccupy the position.

In French West Africa... Colonel Leclerc leads a Free French force in landings north of Libreville. There is some fighting.


Friday, November 8, 1940

In the Balkans... The Italian 3rd Alpini Division is trapped in the area of the Pindus Gorges by the Greek counterattacks. The Greeks take over 5000 prisoners by November 10th.


Saturday, November 9, 1940

In the North Atlantic... The liner Empress of Japan (26,000 tons) is attacked by a German Focke-Wolf Condor but manages to reach port.

In Britain... Neville Chamberlain, the former prime minister, dies at the age of 71.

In the Mediterranean... The Gibraltar based Force H attacked Cagliari with aircraft from Ark Royal.


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Italian defensive positions

Sunday, November 10, 1940

In East Africa... British forces recapture Gallabat in the Sudan.

From Rome... The Italian Undersecretary for War, General Soddu, replaces General Prasca as the Commander in Chief in Albania.

Over Britain... London is bombed by 170 aircraft.

Over Germany... RAF conducts numerous raids despite stormy weather and icing. A total of 5 aircraft are lost.

In Romania... An earthquake causes damage from Bucharest to the Ploesti oilfields. An estimated 400 people are killed.


Monday, November 11, 1940

In the Mediterranean... The British Mediterranean Fleet attacks the Italian base at Taranto. During the night 21 Swordfish aircraft attack in two waves and gain three torpedo hits on the brand new battleship Littorio and one each on Caio Duilio and Conte di Cavour. Two other ships are damaged. The aircraft have come from the carrier Illustrious and only two are lost. This brilliant attack will certainly be studied by other navies and the potential for such an attack on an enemy fleet in harbor is clear to the Japanese.

Over Britain... In a postscript to the main actions a force of Italian bombers, protected by biplane fighters, is sent to attack Harwich. They are intercepted and lose six planes for no loss to the RAF. The Italians make other attacks, mostly by night, on east-coast ports during the next nine weeks.


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Molotov (center, right) in Berlin

Tuesday, November 12, 1940

From Berlin... The Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Molotov arrives in Berlin discussions with the German leadership. Although talks are being conducted with the Soviets, German planning for the attack on the Soviet Union continues as are the preparations for the attack, code named Marita, on Greece, and Felix, the advance through Spain to Gibraltar. Hitler issues Directive 18.

In Batavia... Agreements are concluded (today and tomorrow) between the Japanese and the principal oil companies whereby the Japanese are to receive 1,800,000 tons of oil annually from the Dutch East Indies.


Wednesday, November 13, 1940

Over Germany... British bombers conduct a night raid on Berlin.

Over Italy... RAF aircraft bomb the Italian naval base at Taranto.


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Coventry after the raid

Thursday, November 14, 1940

Over Britain... There is an especially heavy and effective German attack on Coventry involving 449 planes. Factories and historic buildings are badly damaged. Warning has been received during the afternoon of the day and the few precautions possible at this short notice have been taken by the relevant authorities.

In the Balkans... All the Greek forces have gone over to the offensive against the Italian invaders. Reinforcements have been brought from the troops facing Bulgaria. British aid to Greece begins to arrive. Over the course of the next two days, four cruisers ferry 3400 troops and airfield staff from Alexandria to Piraeus. By November 20th another 4000 have arrived.

In Singapore... The new British Commander in Chief for the Far East, Air Marshal Brooke-Popham arrives.


Friday, November 15, 1940

In the Balkans... The Greek counteroffensives continue with especial success for the advance from western Macedonia in the area around Mount Morava.

In the Caribbean... US flying boats begin patrols from bases in Bermuda.


Saturday, November 16, 1940

In Mexico... Three German cargo ships leave the port of Tampico but fail to evade the British blockade. The Phrygia is scuttled while the Idarwald and Rhein return to Tampico.


Sunday, November 17, 1940

Over Germany... British bombers conduct a raid on the Gelsenkirchen oil plant, in the Ruhr, during the night.

Over Britain... There is a nighttime raid on Southampton by 150 German aircraft.

In London... Air Marshal Dowding is replaced at Fighter Command by Air Marshal Sholto Douglas. Dowding is sent to work for the Ministry of Aircraft Production in the section dealing with orders for American planes. A new RAF Command for Army Cooperation is created, to be led by Air Marshal Arthur Barratt.


Monday, November 18, 1940

In the North Atlantic... In an Atlantic operation a U-boat approaching a convoy is detected by a Sutherland flying boat fitted with an Air to Surface Vessel (ASV1) radar set. This is the first time such a location has been achieved by airborne radar in operational conditions.


Tuesday, November 19, 1940

In the Balkans... The Greeks claim to have driven the Italians back behind the Kalamas River. There is heavy fighting near Koritsa.


Wednesday, November 20, 1940

In Germany... In Vienna, Hungarian Prime Minister Count Teleki and Foreign Minister Csaky agree to signing the Tripartite Pact.


Thursday, November 21, 1940

In the United States... The Dies report on German and Communist espionage and subversive activities is published. As in the similar investigations which have been made in Britain, the strength of these disruptive elements is wildly overestimated and accompanied with call for preventive measures.

In Sydney... The Australian government presents its war budget for the coming year. Twenty percent of the national income is to be devoted to war expenditure and it to be financed by considerable increases in taxation.


Friday, November 22, 1940

In Albania... Greek forces capture Koritsa, a town in the southeast of Albania. They capture 2000 prisoners and some heavy equipment. Almost all the invading Italian forces have now been driven back to Albania.

In Brazil... The Willington Trade Mission arrives in Rio de Janeiro to promote British interests.


Saturday, November 23, 1940

In Berlin... Marshal Antonescu, the leader of Romania, agrees to join the Axis powers. There are also talks on preparation for a German attack on Greece by the forces based in Romania. German is putting pressure on all the Balkan states since the Italian invasion of Greece in an attempt to ensure the stability of food and oil supplies.

In New York... The new British Ambassador to the United States, Lord Lothian, talks in New York of the possibility of Britain running out of ready money and securities to pay for arms and says that Britain will need financial help in 1941. In fact by April 1941 British reserves of gold and dollars will be as low as $12,000,000 -- a mere pittance when set against arms expenditure.


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Slovokian Prime Minster Tuka

Sunday, November 24, 1940

In Berlin... The prime minister of the German sponsored state of Slovakia, Tuka, joins the Tripartite Pact powers in a meeting.


Monday, November 25, 1940

In the Mediterranean... The SS Patria is blown up and sunk at the port of Haifa, in Palestine, by members of the Zionist terrorist organization Irgun Zvai Leumi to prevent the use of the ship to deport Palestinian Jews.

Over Britain... The prototype of the De Havilland Mosquito makes its maiden flight from Hatfield, despite limited German air activity over southeast England.

Over Germany... RAF Bomber Command raids Kiel and Wilhelmshaven during the night (October 25-26).


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Walling up the Warsaw ghetto

Tuesday, November 26, 1940

In Occupied Poland... Work begins on the creation of a Jewish ghetto in Warsaw in which the Germans intend to herd the local Jewish population under dreadful living conditions. The Germans describe the move as a "health measure."

In the Mediterranean... Aircraft from the British carrier Eagle raid Tripoli. In another operation the carrier Illustrious attacks targets on Rhodes.


Wednesday, November 27, 1940

In the Mediterranean... There is a naval battle off Sardinia. Admiral Somerville, who is covering a Malta convoy, has the Renown, Ark Royal, four cruisers and nine destroyers. Admiral Campioni leads two battleships, seven heavy cruisers and 16 destroyers. There is a brief gun battle in which the cruiser Berwick and one Italian destroyer are hit. Despite their superior gun power the Italians then break off the action.

In Romania... A series of riots and other civil disturbances begin and carry on until December 4th. The Iron Guard begin the trouble with the arrest and execution of various prominent persons including the former Prime Minister Jorga. The army later clamps down with German help.


Thursday, November 28, 1940

Over Britain... British Spitfire fighters intercept a German Me109 formation off the Isle of Wight. Flight Lieutenant Dundas shoots down the German ace Major Wick (with 56 victories) and is himself killed seconds later. During the night, there is a German bombing raid on Liverpool by about 300 aircraft. A parachute mine explosion kills 164 and injures 96.


Friday, November 29, 1940

Over Britain... During the night, there is a German bombing raid on London and Home Counties by about 330 aircraft.

From London... Free French leader, General de Gaulle, makes an address directed at the radio audience in France claiming to command forces numbering 35,000 trained troops and 1,000 air crew.


Saturday, November 30, 1940

In the Balkans... The Greek advance from Macedonia continues. They win an important victory near Pogradec, in southeast Albania, capturing the town after a seven day battle.

In Tokyo... Japan officially recognizes the Nanking government led by President Wang Ching-wei.

Copyright © 2018 Ralph Zuljan