On 1 September 1939 Germany invaded Poland. The Germans were demanded, by the British and French, to remove their Armed Forces from Poland immediately or face War! At 11am on 3 September 1939 Great Britain was officially at war with Germany. The French declared war against the Germans at 5pm on this day. At around 9pm the German Submarine, U 30, sank the British Passenger Ship SS Athenia, mistaking it for an Armed Merchantman. 112 people, including 28 American Citizens, lost their lives. By the end of this day Australia, India and New Zealand also declared war on Germany, in support of the British.

By 6 October all resistance in Poland had ceased. The Germans took some 690,000 prisoners and the Russians around 217,000. The numbers of Polish dead and wounded are not known. Hitler appeals for peace. On 11 October the French Premier dismissed Hitler’s proposal as did the British on 12 October. The German Submarine, U-47, penetrated the defences at Scapa Flow, A large Royal Navy Base, in the Orkney Islands on 14 October and sank the Battle Ship HMS Ark Royal. The British lost 786 lives in this daring attack. A couple of days later German Aircraft attacked British Ships in the Firth of Forth damaging HM Cruisers Southampton and Edinburgh along with the Destroyer, Mohawk.

During the period 3 September and 31 December 1939, the Germans and the Russians consolidated their gains in Poland and other smaller European States. Finland being an exception by effectively resisting a Russian invasion. The British Navy’s hunt for the Pocket Battleship Graf Spee finally ended when that ship was scuttled in Uruguayan waters just outside Montevideo Harbour on 17 December 1939.

1940: Depending on your point of view 1940 started quietly. However on 8 January the Finnish Army annihilated the Russian 44th Assault Division, capturing 35 tanks,25 anti-tank guns and 250 trucks plus a quantity of small arms and ammunition. Towards the end of January the Russians try to reach a Diplomatic solution to their war with Finland and on the 7th anniversary of his Chancellorship, Hitler made a speech declaring that the first phase of the war was over, with the destruction of Poland. The second phase of the wars could start with a “war of bombs”. February opened with the Russians attacking the Finns again. This time with an intense Artillery barrage supported by aircraft, followed by a combined Infantry and Tank assault. The attack was not successful. On 11 February the Russian 7th Army again attacked and this time forced the Finns to withdraw to a second line of defence. This withdrawal was completed by 17 February. On 28-29 February Russian General Timoshenko regrouped his forces before a new attack on the Finns positions. This attack started with the overrunning of the Finns positions on 28-29 February and ended on 8th March 1940 after the Russians captured Viipuri on the Gulf of Finland. At 1100 hours on 13 of March 1940 all hostilities ceased on the Finland Front. During this war with the Soviet Union the Finns lost around 25000 dead compared with Russia’s 200,000. By the end of this war the Russians deployed 45 Infantry Divisions, 4 Cavalry Divisions and 12 Armoured Groups against Finland’s inability to field more than 200,000 men altogether.

On 2 April Hitler ordered Operation Weserubung to commence on 9 April 1940. This operation is for the invasion of Norway and Denmark. The invasion force departed from Germany on 7 April and on 9 April the invasion of Norway and Denmark begins. Late in the evening of 7 April the Allied Expeditionary Force embarked onto Royal Navy Cruisers and the next day were on their way. The first elements of this force land near Narvik on 15-16 April. During the period 9-13 April the entire German Navy was at sea. While landing the invasion force the following ships were sunk, the Heavy Cruiser Blucher off Oslo, the Light Cruisers Karlsruhe at Kristiansand and the Konigsberg off Bergen. On 10 April a British Flotilla commanded by Captain Warburton Lee took on 10 German Destroyers in Narvik Fjord and sinks two, but loses two of his own. The second Battle of Narvik takes place on 13 April during which 7 more German Destroyers are sunk. The Germans continued their advance on all fronts and on 1 May announced the capture of 4000 Norwegians near Lillehammer. The Allied Forces near Lillehammer commence their withdrawal back to Andalsnes embarking for home on 1 May. Allies embark on 2/3 May at Namsos, 31 May near Salt Fjord and finally on 8 June from Harstad. The Allies adventure into Denmark and Norway was over.

In June 1940 British soldiers were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk by a flotilla of small ships and boats from England. This Force of soldiers was in dire peril of being annihalated by persuing German Forces. This action was to leave France in German hands for the next 4 years.

The war in North Africa saw two Generals make names for themselves. German General Rommel, Commander, of the Africa Corps and General Montgomery, leader of the British Eighth Army. The use of Armour and Artillery was vital in support of Infantry of both Armys. The German and Italian Forces in North Africa were eventually defeated by General Montgomery.

The Americans were invited to join the war by Japan. Without warning or declaration of War, on 7 December 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour with the intention of destroying the US Navy fleet located at Pearl Harbour. The Americans also came to the assistance of the British in Europe.

December 1941

At dawn on 7 December 1941 the Japanese fleet took up position about 250 miles North of Hawaii and despatched aircraft to their targets of Pearl Harbour and Hawaii's various airfields. This fleet consisted of 6 Aircraft Carriers, carrying 392 aircraft, 2 Battleships, 2 Heavy Cruisers, 1 Light Cruiser, 9 Destroyers, 3 Submarines and 8 supply ships and tankers. 0600hours the first wave of 188 aircraft took off from the carriers. This force consisted of: 49 high level bombers, 51 dive bombers and 40 torpedo carrying planes escorted by 43 Zero Fighters. The attack commenced at 0748hours and ceased around 0945hours. During this time the Japanese destroyed or damaged 183 aircraft, 2 Battleships, 1 Target Ship and a minelayer were sunk, 6 Battleships, 3 Destroyers and 2 Naval Auxiliary ships seriously damaged. The Americans were lucky in that their two Aircraft Carriers, the Lexington and the Enterprise plus an escort of 3 Heavy Cruisers and 9 Destroyers were at sea. The Lexington at Midway and Enterprise, heading to Wake Island. Japanese losses on the day were 29 Aircraft, 5 midget submarines, 64 men missing or dead and 1 prisoner. The Japanese also attacked Wake Island at 1150hours destroying 8 of the 12 American Aircraft stationed on the island and later that day, at 2135hours two Japanese destroyers shelled Midway island with the object of putting the airfield out of action. The island is garrisoned with a battalion of Marines.

8 December 1941

The USA and Great Britain formally declare war on Japan. The Japanese bomb Singapore city at 0415hours killing 61 and wounding 133 people. The Battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse, along with their destroyer escort sail from Singapore with the intention of intercepting the Japanese force thought to be about to land on Singapore Island. The Japanese, however, had begun their invasion of Malaya at Khota Bharu on the East Coast in the north. The Philippines were also under attack. The American defenders were caught unprepared and lose 86 aircraft against 7 Zeros being shot down. The Japanese occupy the Island of Bataan without opposition. The American Asian Fleet leaves Iloilo in the Philippines heading towards the Macassar Straits in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). The Japanese capture the American garrisons of Shanghai and Tientsin and bomb Hong Kong, Guam and Wake Island.

9 and 10 December 1941

The Japanese continued their advance into the Pacific, Malaya, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and China. Thai resistance ended and the Japanese now controlled Bangkok. At 1400hours a Japanese submarine reports seeing HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse but incorrectly reports their position. Some Torpedo Bombers took off from Saigon airfield at dusk, but were unable for find the ships. Japanese soldiers land on the Gilbert Islands and the area is subdued with an air offensive. On 10 December the Japanese landed on Guam, then on Luzon in the Philippines and again on the island of Camiguin. One American Destroyer, two submarines and a minesweeper are damaged in an air attack on the Port on Cavite while over on the East Coast of Malaya Japanese aircraft sunk both HMS Price of Wales and HMS Repulse.

January 1942

The New Year opened with the Germans Striking back at the Russians in the Crimea while over in North Africa the Germans and Italians attack the right flank of the British 8th Army to relieve the pressure exerted on them by that Army. Axis forces were bombing Malta’s Ports and Airfield with ferocity to make them totally unusable. The Pacific area was getting its fair share of the action. In the Philippines, American and Philippino Forces fight their way back towards the Bataan Peninsula. The Japanese on the Malay Peninsula capture Kuantun and Telok Anson while further South in Singapore the Japanese conducted their first air raid on the Island at Tengah Airfield. That was just the first day of 1942. The Japanese were heading towards Singapore very quickly. From Telok Anson and Kuantan the Japanese had to rid Kampar of Indian forces. The Indians started their withdrawal on the evening of 2 Jan and headed towards Kuala Lumpur in the West. The Commander South West Pacific, General Wavell visited Singapore and then moves to the front. After sizing up the situation he orders the III Indian Corps to withdraw to Johore State, North of Singapore. This was a fighting withdrawal, with the Japanese holding all the advantages. They had total air superiority over the British. Earlier this month Singapore had been reinforced with 51 Hurricane fighters and 21 pilots with no experience of the conditions they were to fly under. Not only that, the aircraft were still in crates, and had to be assembled before they could be used.More

February 1942

Japanese incursions into the Philippines continued, activity in Malaya and Singapore continued with the Island now under siege. At this stage the Singapore Garrison had not enough Artillery or ammunition to effectively spot the Japanese. On 4 February the Japanese demanded the surrender of all forces on Singapore Island. This was refused and so started an intense Artillery attack by the Japanese that lasted four days. On 8 Feb the Japanese crossed the strip of water separating Singapore and the Malay Peninsular on lighters and rubber boats landing on the North West Coast of the Island. A stout defence put up by the British was not enough to stop the Japanese securing a bridgehead on the island and advancing toward Tengah Airfield. Over the next few days the British defensive perimeter got smaller and smaller. The need for ammunition, rations and reinforcements was imperative, but not forthcoming. On the night of the 13th of February all ships left Singapore Harbour and the Coastal Guns were destroyed, without a shot being fired. The defenders of Singapore were in dire straits with food, water and ammunition becoming exhausted. More.

March 1942

The Japanese advance throughout Southern Asia continued. In the Dutch East Indies they had destroyed the Allied Fleet and nearly all the Dutch and British aircraft on the ground. This enabled the Japanese to occupy the Island of Java with great speed. Allied ships leave to take refuge in Australia, but are intercepted by a superior Japanese Naval Force in the Sunda Straight. The cruises Huston (USA) and Perth (Australia) plus two American Destroyers and one Tanker are sunk by Japanese gunfire and torpedos. The Japanese prepare for the invasion of New Guinea with massive air raids. During the rest of the month air raids are carried out on various targets in New Guinea and Australia. By the 9th of March the last Dutch army units on Java surrender. During the night of 7 March a Japanese invasion force enters the Gulf of Huon and under cover of gunfire from the escort vessels lands soldiers at Salamaua and Lae. There was no opposition to the landing on 10 March the Japanese land another force at Finchhaven. Aircraft from the US Aircraft Carriers Yorktown and Lexington bomb Salamaua and Lae damaging Japanese shipping and airfields. The Japanese retaliate by bombing Port Moresby. The Japanese are going about consolidating their successes in Malaya, Singapore, the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. On 17 of March General MacArthur is ordered by US President Roosevelt to move from Mindanao to Darwin. On arrival he is to assume Supreme Command of the Allied Forces in the South West Pacific. Soon the area is divided into the Pacific Zone under command of Admiral Nimitz and the South West Pacific Zone, including Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands and much of the Dutch East Indies. By the end of the month a Pacific War council is set up in Washington with representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Philippines and China. The Japanese advance throughout Southern Asia continued. In the Dutch East Indies they had destroyed the Allied Fleet and nearly all the Dutch and British aircraft on the ground. This enabled the Japanese to occupy the Island of Java with great speed. Allied ships leave to take refuge in Australia, but are intercepted by a superior Japanese Naval Force in the Sunda Straight. The cruises Huston (USA) and Perth (Australia) plus two American Destroyers and one Tanker are sunk by Japanese gunfire and torpedos. The Japanese prepare for the invasion of New Guinea with massive air raids. During the rest of the month air raids are carried out on various targets in New Guinea and Australia. By the 9th of March the last Dutch army units on Java surrender. During the night of 7 March a Japanese invasion force enters the Gulf of Huon and under cover of gunfire from the escort vessels lands soldiers at Salamaua and Lae. There was no opposition to the landing on 10 March the Japanese land another force at Finchhaven. Aircraft from the US Aircraft Carriers Yorktown and Lexington bomb Salamaua and Lae damaging Japanese shipping and airfields. The Japanese retaliate by bombing Port Moresby. The Japanese are going about consolidating their successes in Malaya, Singapore, the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. On 17 of March General MacArthur is ordered by US President Roosevelt to move from Mindanao to Darwin. On arrival he is to assume Supreme Command of the Allied Forces in the South West Pacific. Soon the area is divided into the Pacific Zone under command of Admiral Nimitz and the South West Pacific Zone, including Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands and much of the Dutch East Indies. By the end of the month a Pacific War council is set up in Washington with representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Philippines and China. Meanwhile the war is still raging in other parts of the world. During this month the Russians attack the Germans on the Eastern Front in the Crimea. The Germans cannot relieve the II Corps of the 16th Army from encirclement, South East of Staraya, in Russia. At this time of the Germans attack on Russia they had accumulated 1,500,636 casualties on the Russian Front. In North Africa Axis Forces continue to bomb installations in the Tobruk area, while the British continue to bomb air and naval installations in Benghazi. Malta has been under air attack, from the Germans, for most of this month and is in danger of running out of supplies. More..

April-June 1942

During this period the Japanese activities throughout Asia take the spotlight from other activities being pursued by Axis Forces in North Africa and Europe. In Burma the Japanese force the allied forces to withdraw to areas north of the Irrawaddy River and other places like Mandalay and Rangoon. By 30 April the Japanese had occupied all of central Burma And the allies were considering withdrawing to Imphal, in India. Meanwhile the Japanese continued to apply pressure to allied forces and consequently had captured the whole of Burma by 20 May1942. Meanwhile, Japanese troops in the Philippines had forced all American and Philippino troops to surrender, and by 10 May had completed the invasion of the Philippines. In the Coral Sea, off Australia’s’ East coast and just South of the Solomon Islands, an Allied fleet consisting of the 17th (US) Task Force and the 44th (UK) Task Force joined battle with the Japanese 4th Fleet. The outcome was a defeat for the Japanese. The battle of the Coral Sea is the first Naval air battle in history. It was fought entirely by aircraft without the ships o ever coming into contact. While there was much emphasis on the Japanese activities during April and May the war still raged on in other parts of the world. The island of Malta, in the Mediterranean, was going through a hard time. On 1 April 1942 two allied submarines were sunk by Axis Torpedo Bombers. During the coming months Axis Aircraft were to drop some 6,700 tons of bombs on Malta. An air raid on Valetta Harbour on 5 April resulted in a British Destroyer being sunk and two others being seriously damaged. On 7 April Malta recorded it 2000th Air Raid Alert of the war and it heaviest attack to date. In recognition of the terrible battering taken by Malta so far in this war, King George VI awarded the George Cross to the Island. More..