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Britain WW2 Events Timeline
The British fought for their very freedom in the mighty war, led by the legendary Winston Churchill.
Total Events: 381
1939
Sunday
September 3rd |
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Athenia, a British passenger liner originating from Glasgow and traveling to Montreal, is targeted and sunk by German U-boat U-30 resulting the loss of 112 people. Athenia becomes the first naval casualty of the U-boat scourge in the Atlantic. |
1939
Sunday
September 3rd |
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British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announces that Britain is officially at war with Germany. |
1939
Tuesday
September 5th |
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The Bosnia becomes the first merchantman to be sunk by the German U-boats. |
1939
Wednesday
September 6th |
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Thirty-six Allied ships set out across the Atlantic in the first coordinated convoy crossing attempt. |
1939
Wednesday
September 27th |
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The German battleships Deutschland and Graf Spee are let loose on Allied shipping convoys in the North Atlantic. |
1939
Saturday
September 30th |
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The Graf Spee claims her first merchant vessel, the British freighter Clement, in the waters of the South Atlantic. |
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The Graf Spee goes on to sink four more Allied merchant vessels during the month of October. |
1939
Wednesday
November 15th |
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The Graf Spee sinks the oil tanker Africa Shell off the coast of Madagascar. |
1939
Monday
November 20th |
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The Graf Spee begins her return to a pre-designated waiting area in the South Atlantic. British cruisers Ajax, Achilles, Exeter and Cumberland begin pursuit. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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At 6:14 AM, the Graf Spee opens fire on the British heavy cruisers Ajaz and Exeter. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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At approximately 12:00 PM, Graf Spee enters the harbor at Montevideo, Uruguay, with the intention on having her damaged repaired. With political pressure from Britain, the Uruguayan government offers the Graff Spee only 72 hours rest. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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The Graf Spee is spotted in the early morning hours by Commodore H. H. Harwood's British cruiser squadron. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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At 6:40 AM, the British cruiser Achilles is damaged by shell splinters from the Graf Spee's guns. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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At 6:50 AM, the British cruiser Exeter is heavily damaged by the Graf Spee, leaving only one turret functional and in flames. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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At 7:25 AM, the British cruiser Ajax loses two of her turrets to the Graf Spee. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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By 7:40 AM, the British cruisers Ajax and Achilles break battle and trail out of range of the Graf Spee's guns, though still in pursuit. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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At 8:00 AM, Captain Langsdorff orders his lightly damaged Graf Spee towards the port at Montevideo in Uruguay with British ships in close pursuit. |
1939
Wednesday
December 13th |
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The Graf Spee adds three more vessels - the Doric Star, Tairoa, Streonshalh - to its list of sunken Allied targets. She begins her voyage towards River Plate near Uruguay for a final combat patrol. |
1939
Sunday
December 17th |
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Graf Spee Captain Hans Langsdorff mistakenly believes there to be a large Royal Navy contingent waiting for his exit out of Montevideo harbor. As such, he orders the Graff Spee scuttled. The German vessel is effectively eliminated from the war. |
1939
Wednesday
December 20th |
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Choosing honor over justice, Captain Hans Langsdorff commits suicide, officially ending the reign of the Graf Spee. |
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British and French army forces begin defensive preparations in Belgium in an effort to stave off the German advance. A long line of strategic defenses is contructed. |
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Panzer Corps XV and XIX break through the Allied defenses at Sedan, allowing German forces to completely bypass the formidable defenses at the French Maginot Line. |
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The RAF sends up its first night-time bombing raid against Germany. Of the 99 aircraft sent, only one fails to return home. |
1940
Friday
May 17th - May 18th |
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Allied forces are in full retreat of the Germans, making their way towards the French coastline. |
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Compounding battlefield losses across France and the Low Countries force a change at the helm - General Maxime Weygand replaces General Maurice-Gustave Gamelin as supreme Allied commander. |
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Sensing a catastrophic loss in the making, Winston Churchill orders preparation of vessels to evacuate the British Expeditionary Forces from northern France. |
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An Allied counterattack against the German Army near Arras ends in failure as the attack is itself countered by another advancing German land force. |
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German Luftwaffe bombers hammer Allied defensive positions in and around the French port city of Dunkirk. |
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In a stunning move, Hitler orders his forces not to cross the Lens-Bethune-St Omer-Gravelines line, allowing the retreating Allied forces more time to reach the French coast. |
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More and more retreating Allied units arrive at the French port city of Dunkirk. |
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Operation Dynamo - the all-out evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk - officially begins at 6:57 PM. |
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Over 850 British civilian vessels take part in assisting military forces off of French soil to awaiting transports in what would become the largest military evacuation in history. |
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Hitler orders his army forces towards Dunkirk for the final blow to the Allied cause. |
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With Belgium out of the way, German Army elements begin making their way towards the French coastline in an attempt to completely eliminate Allied forces for good. |
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By the end of this day, some 25,473 British soldiers have been evacuated from France. |
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With the fight gone out of them, the Belgian Army surrenders to the German 6th and 18th armies. Their actions, however, supply the evacuating Allies with much-needed time. |
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Another 47,000 British troops are evacuated from Dunkirk. |
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6,000 French soldiers join some 120,000 total Allied soldiers evacuated from Dunkirk on this day. |
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Over 150,000 Allied soldiers (including some 15,000 French) arrive in Britain. |
1940
Saturday
June 1st - August 12th |
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German Luftwaffe forces concentrate efforts on maintaining control over the vital shipping lanes of the North Sea. At least 30,000 merchant ships are destroyed during this period. |
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Defense of the outlying region near Dunkirk now passes to French XVI Corps. |
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Operation Dynamo - the evacuation of Allied forces at Dunkirk - officially ends. 338,326 total soldiers are saved including 113,000 French troops. |
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German Luftwaffe bombers cease bombardment of Dunkirk. |
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Hitler delivers Fuhrer Directive 17 as Operation Sea Lion - the land invasion of the British mainland to occur between September 19th and September 26th. |
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The first attacks on RAF airfields and radar stations are conducted by German fighters and bombers. Germany intends on destroying RAF air supremacy before attempting its land invasion. |
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"Eagle Day" is enacted - a four day bombardment of key RAF airfields and radar installations. Poor weather initially delays the assault and any bombing thereafter produces mixed results. |
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At least 40 total Luftwaffe aircraft are destroyed by the RAF and ground-based flak teams. |
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Southampton is heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe. |
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Andover is heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe. |
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Portland is heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe. |
1940
Thursday
August 15th |
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74 Luftwaffe aircraft launched from bases in Denmark and Norway are lost on what will be remembered as "Black Thursday". |
1940
Saturday
August 17th |
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German U-boats are given the green light to attack any and all merchant vessels - whether armed or not - in an attempt to stranglehold the British mainland into submission. |
1940
Saturday
August 17th |
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The RAF is forced to poach the ranks of Bomber Command in an effort to fill its dwindling supply of capable fighter pilots. |
1940
Monday
August 19th - August 24th |
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Poor weather and overcast skies limit any major German bombing efforts over Britain. |
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Underestimating overall RAF fighter strength, Luftwaffe commander Hermann Goering changes offensive tactics and orders his fighters to tempt RAF fighters to duke it out in the skies as opposed to bombing them while still on the ground. |
1940
Saturday
August 24th - August 31st |
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Luftwaffe bombing resumes. During this period, RAF airfields are hammered with the loss of 200 fighters. However, losses for the Luftwaffe number some 330 aircraft. |
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The first RAF attack on the German capital of Berlin takes place. Some 81 aircraft are part of the airborne raid. |
1940
Sunday
September 1st - September 30th |
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Italian forces, led by Marshal Graziani invade Egypt. During the month, the Italian army sets up a series of six defensive positions south of occupied Sidi Barrani known simply as Nibeiwa, Tummar East, Tummar West, North Sofafi, East Sofafi and West Sofafi. |
1940
Tuesday
September 3rd |
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Due to consistent Luftwaffe losses and inconclusive results across the entire campaign, Hitler postpones Operation Sea Lion to September 21st. |
1940
Saturday
September 7th |
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348 bombers and 617 fighters of the German Luftwaffe descend on the British capital city of London in a massive bombing raid. |
1940
Saturday
September 7th |
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In an effort to break the resolve of the British people, Hitler orders the bombing of London over the bombing of strategic RAF airfields and installations. |
1940
Sunday
September 15th |
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Two massive bombing raids are conducted against Britain. The German Luftwaffe sees some 300 total RAF fighters airborne, showcasing Goering's gross estimate of total RAF air power. 80 German aircraft are lost in total. This day would go on to become "Battle of Britain Day". |
1940
Monday
September 16th |
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The German Luftwaffe redirects it sbombing campaign to now cover night-bombing of British cities. |
1940
Tuesday
September 17th |
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With the unexpected results of his campaign against Britain, Hitler officially postpones Operation Sea Lion indefinitely. |
1940
Friday
September 20th |
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Massive convoys breed equal massive measures - German U-boats begin operating in 20-strong "Wolf Packs" with coordinated attacks. |
1940
Tuesday
October 1st - October 30th |
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German BF 110 twin-engine nightfighters take advantage of the new Lichtenstein radar systems to track, target and engage RAF bombers. |
1940
Friday
October 18th - October 19th |
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An attack on two Allied convoys yields 36 sunken ships by the attacking German U-boats. |
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Operation Judgement - the Allied attack on the Italian naval base at Taranto - is postponed due to mechanical issues aboard the carrier HMS Eagle and a fire aboard the carrier HMS Illustrious. |
1940
Saturday
November 9th |
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The HMS Illustrious moves on Taranto. |
1940
Saturday
November 9th |
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A Swordfish biplane torpedo bomber is lost to engine failure. |
1940
Sunday
November 10th |
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The British naval force moving against Taranto comes under attack from Italian aircraft near Malta. |
1940
Sunday
November 10th |
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Another Swordfish torpedo bomber is lost to mechnical failure. |
1940
Sunday
November 10th |
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The Italian invasion force is in full retreat, repelled by a combined Greek resistance and RAF effort after just two weeks. |
1940
Sunday
November 10th |
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An Italian bomber is downed in the fighting near Malta. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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Once again, the bombing wave is led by signal aircraft marking targets with flares. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 10:00 PM, the first wave of Swordfish bombers is launched from HMS Illustrious, now stationed off of Cephalonia. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 11:35 PM, the second wave of Royal Navy torpedo-laden aircraft moves into position. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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The Libeccio is hit by a Royal Navy torpedo but the munition fails to explode. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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A Swordfish torpedo meant for the Vittorio Veneto fails to reach its mark, exploding harmlessly on the sea floor. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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Two signal aircraft attack the oil depot at Taranto but fail to produce much damage. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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The Italian battleship Caio Duilio is struck at her bow by a Royal Navy torpedo. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 11:15 PM, the Italian vessel Doria is struck twice by torpedoes in her forward section. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 11:14 PM, the Italian battleship Cavour is struck by a Royal Navy torpedo delivered via Swordfish L4A. L4A is later downed by anti-aircraft fire, though both crewmembers survive. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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At 10:58 PM, signal aircraft lead the first wave over Taranto, marking torpedo targets as they pass. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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A third Royal Navy Swordfish aircraft is lost to engine malfunction. A bad batch of gasoline is centered on as the source of the Swordfish issues. |
1940
Monday
November 11th |
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The Italian ship Littorio is struck by a torpedo along her starboard side. Swordfish L4M follows with another strike to the same side. |
1940
Tuesday
November 12th |
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By 1:22 AM, the attack on Taranto harbor is officially over. |
1940
Tuesday
November 12th |
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By 3:30 AM, all but two Swordfish aircraft are accounted for. |
1940
Tuesday
November 12th |
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Swordfish E5H misses her mark against the Vittorio Veneto. |
1940
Tuesday
November 12th |
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Swordfish E4H is downed by enemy anti-aircraft fire, killing her co-pilot. |
1940
Tuesday
November 12th |
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At 1:01 AM, The sinking Littorio is struck by another torpedo. |
1940
Tuesday
November 12th |
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Swordfish L5F scored a direct hit via bomb on the Trento. |
1940
Friday
December 6th - December 8th |
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The Western Desert Force in Egypt, under the command of Major-General Richard O'Connor, set up pre-assault positions. The force includes 36,000 total men from the 7th Armored Division, 4th Indian Division and the New Zealand Division. They set up their initial position southeast of the Italian fort at Nibeiwa. |
1940
Sunday
December 8th - December 9th |
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Aircraft of the Royal Navy are put into action against Italian forces dug in at Maktila and Barrani. Bombers are sent in to soften targets for the initial ground assault. |
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The British 7th Tank Regiment, along with the 4th Indian Division, attack Italian positions at Tummar West and Nibeiwa. |
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The British 7th Armored Division launches attacks on the Italian camps positioned near Sofafi and Rabia and makes its way toward the critical ocean-side road near Buqbug. |
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Operation Compass is officially launched. |
1940
Tuesday
December 10th |
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The Italian camps at Tummar East fall to the Allies. |
1940
Tuesday
December 10th |
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Selby Force has removed the Italian 1st Libyan Division out of Maktila. |
1940
Tuesday
December 10th |
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The Italian XXI Corps is in full retreat. |
1940
Tuesday
December 10th |
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Selby Force sets its eyes on Sidi Barrani. |
1940
Tuesday
December 10th |
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Some 38,000 Italian soldiers are taken prisoner by the Allies. |
1940
Tuesday
December 10th |
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Italian forces stationed at Sidi Barrani are all but surrounded by the Allies. |
1940
Wednesday
December 11th |
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Royal Navy bombers begin attacks on Italian-held Sollum. |
1940
Wednesday
December 11th |
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The Italian Catanzaro Division is captured, delivering another 30,000 Italian prisoners of war. |
1940
Monday
December 16th |
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RAF bombers strike on Mannheim as revenge for the German air raids over Coventry. |
1941
Wednesday
January 22nd |
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The Allies take Tobruk, a key port city vital to North Africa operations. |
1941
Wednesday
January 22nd |
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Operation Compass is effectively over, netting some 130,000 total Italian prisoners. |
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The Lend-Lease Bill is signed into law by American President Franklin Roosevelt allowing the United States the unrestricted ability to help supply the Allies in their fight against the Axis. |
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Rommel begins his attack near El Agheila. |
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The German port of Emden is bombed by six Wellington bomber aircraft. |
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Rommel's forces reach Agedabia. |
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Under the direction of German Navy Grand-Admiral Raeder, Operation Rheinubung is fleshed out. The operation calls for direct hit-and-run engagements with British merchant shipping across the Atlantic. |
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229 RAF bomber aircraft rain 40,000 incendiary ordnance on the German naval base at Kiel. |
1941
Thursday
April 10th - April 16th |
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Three divisions of British, Australian and New Zealand troops at the Aliakmon Line in the Vermion Mountains are defeated. |
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Vermion Line Allied troops are now redeployed to defensive positions around Mount Olympus. |
1941
Wednesday
April 16th |
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Allied forces in Greece are in full retreat at the request of Greek General Alexander Papagos who sees value is less fighting to save his country from total destruction. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill accepts the request. |
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German airborne elements attempt to capture the bridge over the Corinth Canal in an attempt to encircle the retreating allies. The bridge is lost in the attack while the Allies have already moved on. |
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Allied codebreakers intercept word of the impending German invasion of Crete. |
1941
Sunday
April 27th - April 30th |
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Operation Demon is activated, covering the evacuation of some 51,000 Allied troops from southern Greece via the Royal Navy. |
1941
Wednesday
April 30th |
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Allied forces based on Crete receive a new leader in the form of Major-General Bernard Freyberg. |
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HMS Bulldog acquires the first Enigma code machine during the capture of the U-110. British codebreakers set to work on deciphering the device. |
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The British launch Operation Brevity against Rommel's dug-in forces, making little progress against the prepared defenders. |
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Allied codebreakers intercept word that Operation Mercury will commence the very next day. The Allies begin preparations. |
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In advance of the Crete invasion, RAF fighters are relocated to Egypt for safe-keeping. |
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The German heavy cruiser KMS Prinz Eugen and the battleship KMS Bismarck leave port for the North Sea. |
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In-air losses for the second wave of German paratroopers is nearly equal to the first thanks to the stellar Allied flak defenses on Crete. |
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Allied flak teams destroy as many as 50% of the invading German transport planes in the first few hours of the operation. |
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German Army troops making their way to Crete via the sea are intercepted and pummeled by elements of the Royal Navy. Just 60 of these German soldiers live to see another day. |
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A German offensive against Heraklion is pushed away by at least 8,000 dug-in Allied soldiers. |
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The British Navy is notified of the increase in German warship activity in the North Sea. |
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In an effort to beef up Royal Navy presence in the North Sea, the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious and the battlecruiser HMS Repulse are called to action in support of existing forces under the command of Admiral Sir John Tovey. |
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A hunter-killer group of 14 Royal Navy ships, including the battleships HMS King George V, HMS Hood and the HMS Prince of Wales, leave Scapa Flow. |
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The HMS Greyhound, a British destroyer, is downed by German bombers. |
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At 7:22 PM, the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Suffolk and the HMS Norfolk spot and shadow the mighty German battleship Bismarck. Its location is radioed in to Vice-Admiral L. E. Holland. |
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German dive bombers destroy the HMS Kelly and HMS Kashmir, two Royal Navy destroyers. |
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German dive bombers destroy the HMS Gloucester and the HMS Fiji, two Royal Navy cruisers. |
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At 5:52 AM, the Bismarck and the Prinz Eugen fall under attack from Royal Navy ships. |
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At 6:00 AM, the Bismarck fires a salvo at the battleship HMS Hood, striker her ammunition magazine, with the resulting explosion destroying the British ship leaving only three sailors alive. |
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At 6:13 AM, the battleship Prince of Wales is damaged enough to pull out of the battle. |
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The HMS Suffolk loses track of the KMS Bismarck. |
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German Admiral Lutjens orders that the Prinz Eugen break from the Bismarck. |
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A British Coastal Command PBY Catalina flying boat spots the KMS Bismarck 700 miles from Brest. |
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At 2:50 PM, an attack group from the HMS Ark Royal consisting of Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers begins their attack on the Bismarck. |
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Royal Navy ships open fire with their long range guns and close in on their prey. |
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The Royal Navy hunter-killer group receives some help with the arrival of the HMS Renown, HMS Sheffield and the HMS Ark Royal arriving from Gibraltar. |
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Between 8:47 and 9:25 PM, the Bismarck registers two direct torpedo hits. In a stroke of luck for the British, the second torpedo hits the stern section of the Bismarck, jamming her rudder to one side, forcing the vessel to go into an uncontrolled turn. |
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At 8:47 AM, the Bismarck is now being raked from front to rear by the guns of the Royal Navy warships. The battleship HMS King George V and the HMS Rodney unleash their short range armament on the hapless German ship. |
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Allied forces retreat to defensive positions at Galatas. |
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At 10:00 AM, the Bismarck's guns fall silent s she takes on water and burns. |
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At 10:36 AM, the mighty German battleship Bismarck sinks into blue depths, leaving only 115 German sailors to recount her story. |
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The first escorted convoy - HX129 - crosses the Atlantic. |
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The evacuation order is given by Major-General Freyberg for the gradual withdrawel of Allied troops from the island of Crete. |
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Heraklion in the north and Sphakia in the south of Crete will serve as major evacuation junctions for the Allies. |
1941
Thursday
August 21st |
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The first Royal Navy convoy on its way to deliver supplies through Arctic waters into the Soviet Union leaves Scapa Flow comprised of 7 ships. |
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A report stuns the RAF by showcasing how only one-in-every-three RAF bombers actually it their targets. |
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The first seven-ship Royal Navy convoy arrives in Russia without incident, bringing with her supplies and Hawker Hurricane fighters. |
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The United States, along with Britain, formally declare war on the Empire of Japan. |
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Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaya, falls to the invading Japanese 5th Division. |
1942
Thursday
January 15th |
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Japanese forces invade Burma beginning their assault at Victoria Point. |
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The Japanese Army makes short work of the light British defenses, covering some 230 miles in reaching Tavoy. |
1942
Saturday
February 14th |
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RAF Bomber Command issues its "Area Bombing Directive", allowing the legitimate bombing of civilian areas. |
1942
Sunday
February 15th |
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Singapore eventually falls to the might of the Japanese assault resulting in the capture of some 60,000 Allied prisoners against the cost of 2,000 Japanese soldiers. |
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The Avro Lancaster heavy bomber is inducted into RAF service. |
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Rangoon, Burma falls to the Japanese. |
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The British Burma Army escapes anhilation in Burma. |
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British Convoy PQ13 sets sail for Russia but comes under fire from German U-Boats. Five of the 19 ships are lost. |
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The British utilize the "Gee" electronic navigation system for the first time. |
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234 RAF bombers drop incendiaries on Lubeck. 12 aircraft are lost. |
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The Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo enters the Bay of Bengal. |
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No fewer than five Japanese Navy aircraft carriers reach the Indian Ocean. |
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A small contingent of British Royal Navy vessels operating in the Indian Ocean are warned of the arriving Japanese Navy force. |
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Admiral Sir James Somerville detaches a force to intercept the arriving Japanese fleet. |
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The British Royal Navy cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire are sunk by the Japanese air strike. |
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Twenty-six Allied aircraft are destroyed. |
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The British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Tenedos is sunk by the Japanese air strike. |
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The Imperial Japanese Navy unleashes a surprise attack, with some 120 aircraft, on British forces at Columbo Harbor, Ceylon. |
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An 85-strong Japanese Navy aircraft contingent attacks airfields and targets of opportunity at Trincomalee, Ceylon. |
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The HMS Hermes is one of four Royal Navy ships sunk by Japanese Navy aircraft. |
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Allied Task Force 44, headed by Royal Navy Rear-Admiral Crace, moves in to intercept the Japanese invasion force. However, the force is prematurely spotted by Japanese reconnaissance aircraft resulting in a counter-assault of the Task Force by Japanese Navy warplanes. Crace and his force never make the intercept. |
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Some 27 Japanese aircraft are launched under the cover of darkness in the hopes of locating the Allied Task Force. They come up empty and only six aircraft return safely home. |
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Burma falls to the Japanese. |
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The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division begins training for Operation Rutter on the Isle of Wight. |
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Group Cruewell, made up of the Italian X and XI Corps, launches an assault on the northern portion of the Gazala Line in an attempt to divert Allied forces from the real attack coming from the south. |
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Rommel begins his offense against the Gazala Line, made up of some 50 miles of British defenses. |
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Beginning at 7:00PM, the German 90th Infantry Division, the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions and the Italian XX Corps under Rommel launch their offensive along the southern portion of the Gazala Line. |
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German forces south of Bir Hacheim make progress and begin to move northwards. |
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While trying to take Sidra Ridge, German Panzer force casaulties begin to mount significantly. |
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RAF Bomber Command attack Cologne with 1,046 aircraft in the first of their "1,000 Bomber" raids. |
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As the Allied defense along the Gazala line holds, Rommel is forced to change tactics, now concentrating his forces against the British 150th Brigade near Sidi Muftah. |
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Rommel orders his forces to begin defensive preparations across a 10 mile stretch. |
1942
Monday
June 1st - June 3rd |
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A German pocket develops near Sidi Muftah. |
1942
Monday
June 1st - June 30th |
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June of 1942 marks the single worst month of Allied shipping losses, totaling some 834,000 tons of goods at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. |
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Nearly 30% of German tanks have been lost in Rommel's offensive. |
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The Allies attempt an offensive to drive the German pocket back from Sidi Muftah and fail. 230 Allied tanks are lost in the attack. |
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The British 150th Brigade is utterly destroyed under the German assault, resulting in 4,000 British prisoners of war. |
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The German Army breaks out of their pocket near Sidi Muftah. |
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German forces breaking out near Sidi Muftah target the British 7th Armored Division near El Adem. |
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The Allies go into full retreat as the Germans advance. |
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British convoy PQ17 sets sail from Reykjavik, Iceland. |
1942
Saturday
June 27th - July 28th |
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Convoy PQ17 loses 34 of its 36 ships to Geman U-Boats and surface ships. |
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German General Erwin Rommel attempts to break through the Allied defensive perimeter at El Alamein. |
1942
Wednesday
July 1st - July 22nd |
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The First Battle of El Alamein takes place with Erwin Rommel hoping to put a dent in the Allied defense near El Alamain. Rommel's forces consist of his Afrika Corps and three Italian troop corps. |
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The Allies put up a stubborn defense, repelling Rommel's offensive. |
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Bad weather cancels this original date for Operation Rutter. Discussions begin on whether or not to nix the entire endeavor. It returns to the planning stages under a new name - Operation Jubilee. |
|
|
This date is set aside for Operation Rutter - the amphibious landing at the port city of Dieppe in occupied France. |
|
|
De Havilland DH 98 Mosquito twin-engine fighters are assigned as "Pathfinder" units charged with lighting up ground targets via flares and incendiary ordnance for ensuing RAF heavy bombers. |
1942
Saturday
August 1st - August 31st |
|
|
Any further convoys passing to the Arctic to Russia are suspended for the time being as resources are pressed for service in the Allied landings occurring in North Africa. |
1942
Saturday
August 1st - August 30th |
|
|
British Prime Minister relieves General Auchinleck with General Harold Alexander as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East. |
1942
Saturday
August 1st - August 30th |
|
|
Churchill replaces 8th Army leader Major-General Neil Ritchie with General Bernard Montgomery. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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|
This date is targeted for Operation Jubilee. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
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|
Operation Jubilee is officially put into action. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
|
|
4,962 Canadian soldiers, along with 1,000 British troops and a 50-man contingent of American US Army Rangers set sail on no fewer than 237 boats towards Dieppe. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
|
|
At 3:48 AM, several Allied invasion vessels run into a German convoy, which actively engages the ships, ruining any chance the Allies held in the element of surprise. This event is a fore-telling of the day to follow. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
|
|
By 2:00 PM, all survivors of the Dieppe invasion have been rescued. Left behind are 3,367 casualties, wounded, prisoners of war or missing. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
|
|
At 5:35 AM, Allied armor makes it to the beach. Over half of the tanks are lost in the action. |
1942
Wednesday
August 19th |
|
|
By 11:00 AM, disaster has completely befallen the invaders. Many are trapped, forced back or dead to a prepared German defense. |
|
|
Nazi-allied French leader Marshal Petain celebrates the German victory over the Allied invasion at Dieppe. |
|
|
Rommel begins a new offensive starting from Bab el Qattara that becomes the Battle of Alam Halfa near El Alamein. The objective is the high ridge at Alam Halfa some 13 miles through the Allied defensive perimeter in the south. |
1942
Tuesday
September 1st - September 30th |
|
|
The month is spent ironing out plans for the Allied invasion of German-occupied North Africa. |
1942
Wednesday
Setember 2nd - September 26th |
|
|
Convoy PQ18 reaches Russia despite losing 13 of her ships. |
1942
Wednesday
September 2 |
|
|
Rommel's assault is thwarted, his tank forces suffering high losses in the attack - and his army is pushed back to Bab el Qattara. |
1942
Wednesday
September 2nd |
|
|
Convoy PQ18 sets sail for Russia, comprised of some 40 ships and beefed up protection through 17 destroyers. The escort carrier HMS Avenger provides air cover. |
1942
Thursday
September 3rd - October 23rd |
|
|
General Montgomery decides to make El Alamein a war of numbers and stockpiles his supplies to eventually try and overwhelm the Germans. |
1942
Thursday
September 10th |
|
|
100,000 incendiary bombs are dropped on Dusseldorf by no fewer than 476 RAF bombers. |
|
|
XXX and X Corps begin their assault on Axis nothern positions. |
|
|
The Allied counter-offensive begins through Operation Lightfoot, a massive artillery bombardment of dug-in German forces. |
|
|
At 10:00PM, British XIII Corps hits the German 21st Panzer Division and Italian Brescia and Folgore Divisions in the south of the German defensive wall as a diversion to its north-bound actions. |
|
|
Allied mine-clearing operations begin whiel combat continues |
|
|
Four Allied brigades have managed to break through the German defensive lines. |
|
|
Montgomery enacts Operation Supercharge and pulls some diversionary forces from his southern attacks to reinforce the north where losses continue to mount. |
|
|
As more and more Allied armor crosses through the German perimeter, Rommel orders his battle-weary forces on an eastward retreat, keeping his forces within easy access to the North African coast. |
1942
Wednesday
November 4th |
|
|
British X Corps makes a substantial gain in capturing Tel el Aqqaqir, running straight through the beleagured Axis lines, effectively ending the Battle of El Alamain in favor of the Allies. The victory is a major one for the Germans are in full retreat throughout North Africa. The action officially ends all Axis presence on the continent. |
1942
Saturday
November 7th |
|
|
Three Allied task forces - the US Western, Central and the British Eastern - approach the coast of North Africa. |
|
|
The Allied invasion forces reach North African shores. |
|
|
French General Mast surrenders to the British Eastern Task Force. |
|
|
The first French cease-fires begin to ring out across Algeria and Morocco. |
1942
Wednesday
November 11th |
|
|
The British Eastern Task force capture the strategic airfield at Djidjelli via Bougie from Algiers. |
1942
Thursday
November 12th |
|
|
German paratrooper forces attack the British paratroopers near Bone but are repelled. |
1942
Thursday
November 12th |
|
|
British paratroopers land near Bone and take the nearby airfield. |
1942
Thursday
November 12th |
|
|
German paratroopers move into the area near the airfield at Bone. |
1942
Monday
November 16th |
|
|
British paratroopers land and capture the airfield at Soul el Arba. |
1942
Monday
November 16th |
|
|
Allied forces begin their move into German-held Tunisia. |
1942
Tuesday
November 17th |
|
|
The Allies capture Beja. |
1942
Wednesday
November 18th |
|
|
The Allies take Sidi Nsir. |
1942
Friday
November 20th |
|
|
The Allied assault on the strategic city of Medjez el Bab begins. |
1942
Thursday
November 26th |
|
|
Medjez el Bab falls to the Allies. |
1942
Monday
November 30th |
|
|
Despite the consistent progression throughout North Africa, the Allied invasion offensive grounds to a halt in the face of growing German resistance at key junctions. The total liberation of North Africa will have to wait. |
1942
Thursday
December 31st |
|
|
The Battle of Barents Sea takes place. Convoy JW51B comes under attack from German surface ships comrpised of the battleships KMS Admiral Hipper and KMS Lutzow along with 6 destroyers. Six British destroyers are up to the task as they repel the much larger force at the cost of two Royal Navy destroyers. No merchant vessels are lost to enemy fire. The loss in battle forces the resignation of German Navy Admiral Raeder and leaves Adolph Hitler hungry for blood. |
|
|
The H2S navigation system is delivered to the RAF for installation into bombers. |
1943
Thursday
January 14th |
|
|
U-boat bases at Cherbourg and Lorient are targeted by the Royal Air Force. |
1943
Monday
March 1st - July 31st |
|
|
Any further British convoy runs to Russia are postponed as supplies are funneled to other areas of the Atlantic. |
|
|
RAF Bomber Command numbers total some 950 bombers of various types. Most important are the Avro Lancasters. |
|
|
For the first time, RAF bombers make use of the "Oboe" navigational aid in a large-scale operation. |
1943
Saturday
May 1st - May 31st |
|
|
By the end of May, 43 U-boats are sunk to just 34 merchant vessels. |
|
|
Allied aircraft are fitted with U-boat detecting radar systems. |
|
|
RAF bombers make their most famous raid of the war to date - this through Operation Chastise - as 19 Lancasters attack the dams at Mohne, Eder, Sorpe and Schwelme supplying power to the Ruhr industrial sector. 9,000lb bouncing mines are used in the successful attack. |
|
|
Some 33 U-boats assail an Allied convoy. However, the streamlined Allied response nets zero ship losses and fatalities. The U-boats come up empty. |
1943
Tuesday
June 1st - June 30th |
|
|
British and American authorities work together to formulate the Pointblank Directive - a combined air bombing campaign against the air production facilities of the German Luftwaffe. |
|
|
The German U-boats are unleashed once more, this time operating in substantially smaller groups. |
|
|
The Allied D-Day landings in the North of France eventually render the French-German U-boat bases inoperable. |
|
|
No fewer than eight German U-Boats shadow convoy PQ17. |
|
|
The Allied invasion fleets sail out to Sicily. |
|
|
The British 5th Division takes Cassibile. |
|
|
US 82nd Airborne Division and British 1st Airborne Division paratroopers land at strategic locations across Sicily prior to the invasion force's arrival. |
|
|
Operation Husky begins. Target - German-held Sicily. Some 2,590 naval vessels take part in the invasion which encompasses two army groups of American and British forces invading at two different coasts of the island. |
|
|
15th Army Group begins their initial assault to the south. |
|
|
The Hermann Goring Panzer Division engages the US 1st Infantry Division at Gela. US forces are assited by offshore bombardment from Royal Navy ships and repel the German attack. |
|
|
By this date, some 478,000 Allied troops have landed on Sicily. |
|
|
Allied airborne elements parachute into Sicily and capture key bridges. However, a German counter-attack drives back any gains of the day. |
|
|
British and American forces finally meet at Comiso and Ragusa. |
|
|
German Paratroopers repel Allied forces from the Primasole bridge. |
|
|
The Allies control key airfields across the island, allowing air support more resources from which to work with. |
|
|
The Primsole bridge is recaptured from the Germans. |
|
|
With Mussolini deposed back in Rome, Hitler has few options but to plan a retreat for his overwhelmed forces in Sicily. As such, he orders an official withdrawel. |
|
|
44,600 Hamburg civilians are killed by RAF bomber attacks. |
|
|
RAF bombers make use of "Window" foil strips to disrupt enemy tracking radars. |
|
|
After some time, the British finally capture the port at Catania. Though a vital and strategic victory, their advance delays the operation some. |
|
|
The US 3rd Division gives the official "all clear" from their position in Messina. Operation Husky is a success and Sicily is firmly in Allied hands. |
1943
Wednesday
September 22nd |
|
|
Royal Navy midget submarines attack the German battleship KMS Tirpitz. Though not sunk to action, she takes on enough damage to sideline her for six months. |
1943
Monday
November 1st - November 30th |
|
|
In this month, Allies convoys in the Artic resume their activities. |
1943
Thursday
November 18th |
|
|
444 RAF bombs drop ordnance on the German capital of Berlin with only 9 loss to enemy fire. |
1943
Tuesday
November 30th |
|
|
The British and Americans devise Operation Argument to counter the Luftwaffe threat through a round-the-clock bombing offensive; bad weather postpones any action. |
1943
Sunday
December 26th |
|
|
The German battleship KMS Scharnhorst and 5 destroyers engage convoy JW55B. |
1943
Sunday
December 26th |
|
|
At 7:30 PM, the KMS Scharnhorst is lost to action by Royal Navy surface warships, leaving just 36 of her crew alive. |
1944
Tuesday
January 11th |
|
|
The first major Allied offensive to take Cassino is launched. |
|
|
In the afternoon hours, an Allied convoy of 243 ships sets sail from the Bay of Naples for the beaches at Anzio and nearby Nettuno. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
|
|
American forces hold the line at Mussolini Canal. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
|
|
Operation Shingle, the amphibious landings at Anzio, is enacted by the Allied. In lead is the US VI Corps under Major-General John Lucas. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
|
|
British forces hold the line at River Moletta. |
1944
Saturday
January 22nd |
|
|
By 12AM midnight, some 45,000 Allied troops and 3,000 vehicles are on the beaches. |
|
|
The German Luftwaffe begins heavy strafing attacks and bombardment of Allied forces. |
|
|
German Colonel-General von Mackensen takes control of the new 14th Army headquartered 30 miles west of Rome. |
|
|
The Anzio beachhead is consolidated into a concentrated pocket on the orders of Lucas. |
1944
Tuesday
January 25th |
|
|
The Anzio beachhead continues to grow with Allied troops and equipment, making it a prime target for the regrouping Germans. |
|
|
The Germans are driven back at Cisterna. |
|
|
By this date, some 70,000 men, 27,000 tons of goods, 508 artillery guns and 237 tanks are ashore on the beachhead. |
|
|
Hitler delivers an ultimatum to supreme commander-in-chief over Italy operations, Field Marshall Kesselring, to fight to the death and drive the invading Allied forces into the sea. |
|
|
Von Mackensen moves six divisions to Anzio, some ten miles of the Allied beachhead. |
|
|
The US 1st Armored Division captures the town of Aprilia. |
|
|
The Allies suffer some 5,000 casualties in the Anzio action by this date. |
|
|
Von Mackensen's forces now number some eight divisions in strength. |
1944
Friday
February 11th |
|
|
A blanket retreat is enacted by the Allies in an attempt to regroup and plan a new strategy to take Cassino. |
1944
Saturday
February 12th |
|
|
Winston Churchill pens a critical letter to supreme commander-in-chief of Allied operations in Italy. In his writings he claims he expected to see "a wild cat roaring" and has seen nothing but a "whale wallowing on the beaches". |
1944
Monday
February 14th |
|
|
The offensive is detailed further, taking the latest developments into account. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th |
|
|
In an effort to destroy the believed German defensive positions atop Monte Cassino, Allied bombers numbering 229 strong, lay waste to the monestary. |
1944
Tuesday
February 15th |
|
|
Following the Allied aerial bombardment, the second major Allied offensive to take Cassino is launched. |
1944
Wednesday
February 16th |
|
|
Kesselring launches a large counterattack against the invading Allied forces. |
1944
Thursday
February 17th |
|
|
The Allies lose some four miles of territory but stand fast outside of Anzio. |
1944
Saturday
February 19th |
|
|
Better weather finally arrives allowing the RAF to send up its first 823-strong heavy bomber force. The target is Leipzig and 78 bombers are lost to the German defense. |
1944
Saturday
February 19th - March 13th |
|
|
The Italian winter makes its arrival and postpones any further Allied offensives for the next month. |
1944
Sunday
February 20th |
|
|
Some 598 RAF bombers are sent airborne. |
1944
Sunday
February 20th |
|
|
The German attack is more or less repelled, at the cost of 5,500 German casualties. |
1944
Tuesday
February 22nd |
|
|
The Allies replace the ineffective Major-General Lucas with Major-General Lucius Truscott. |
1944
Wednesday
February 23rd |
|
|
Bad weather postpones any further bombing actions for the time being. The Allies take this time to recoup and repair. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
|
|
With weather clearing, operations of Big Week continue. 266 American bombers strike Schweinfurt. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
|
|
733 RAF bombers strike at Schweinfurt in a night time raid. 33 aircraft are lost. |
1944
Thursday
February 24th |
|
|
A British bomber force made up of Handley Page Halifaxes and Avro Lancasters take part in a night-bombing raid on Schweinfurt, dropping some 2,000 tons of ordnance on the area. |
1944
Friday
February 25th |
|
|
By the end of it all, 3,300 Allied sorties are launched in the offensive and 226 bombers are lost. 290 German fighters are destroyed and another further 90 are damaged. |
1944
Friday
February 25th |
|
|
RAF bombers hit Augsburg with 594 aircraft in a night time raid. |
1944
Tuesday
February 29th |
|
|
Von Mackensen cancels the German offensive amidst mounting casualties and little gain. |
1944
Wednesday
March 1st - May 22nd |
|
|
The Anzio engagement is limited to minor activity for the time being, with the Allies dug in and the Germans trying to dislodge the invaders by limited means. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th |
|
|
A third major Allied offensive is put into action. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th |
|
|
Artillery guns open up on Cassino while 600-plus Allied bombers attempt to shake the German defenders. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
|
|
Against mounting casualties but with tank support, the 4th Indian Division gains ground. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
|
|
Positions on Monte Cassino are officially in Allied hands. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
|
|
The 78th British Division makes headway thanks to the support of Allied armor. |
1944
Wednesday
March 15th - March 21st |
|
|
The 2nd New Zealand Division captures German-held position with the help of Allied armor support. |
1944
Wednesday
March 22nd |
|
|
With mounting losses in both manpower and tanks, further Allied thrusts are called off. |
1944
Thursday
March 23rd - May 10th |
|
|
A lengthy six-week period allows the Allies to rebuild their forces - though this period allows the Germans to increase their defensive foothold. |
1944
Thursday
March 30th - March 31st |
|
|
Some 100 Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax bombers mistakenly drop 400-tons of ordnance on Schweinfurt, thinking that it is their target of Nuremburg. |
|
|
795 RAF bombers attack Nuremburg with 95 aircraft lost to action. This mission marks the biggest RAF loss to date. |
1944
Saturday
April 1st - June 5th |
|
|
Allied bombers increase their sorties across Northern and Western France in preparations of the D-Day landings. Targets include the vital railways, railyards, bridges and roads dotting the French landscape. These facilities will prove crucial to the German response to the invasion. |
|
|
The KMS Tirpitz is targeted once more and attack, this time by air elements of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. The battleship lives through the attack but suffers three more months of repairs as a result. |
1944
Monday
May 1st - July 31st |
|
|
The upcoming invasion at Normany puts a temporary halt on further convoy runs into Russia. |
|
|
The fourth offensive to take Cassino is put into action. |
|
|
Approximately 2,000 Allied artillery guns open up on Cassino. |
|
|
A combined British, Polish and American assault converge on Cassino involving the British 13th Corps, the Polish II Corps and the US 5th Army. |
|
|
This date became one of the two best weather options for the Allied invasion of France. |
|
|
Weather on May 17th cancels the D-Day operation. Leaving the next best weather window of opportunity to be June 5th. |
|
|
June 5th is selected as the next official launch date for D-Day. |
|
|
Monte Cassino falls to the Allies, costing some 50,000 casualties along both sides of the battlefield. |
|
|
The British take the town of Cassino. |
|
|
The US VI Corps breaks out of the Anzio perimeter and takes ground well into the Alban Hills. |
|
|
The US VI Corps continues its gains and eventually combines with the arriving UU Corps. The road to Rome is now in the hands of the US Army and steps are taken for the final assault on the capital. |
|
|
Official word comes down that the June 5th landings will be postponed due to inclement weather across the North Sea. |
|
|
Some 6,000 naval vessels depart from the south of England towards France. |
|
|
By midnight, D-Day is more or less over. Not all objectives are captured but progress is made nonetheless. |
|
|
By 8:00PM, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division out of Juno beach connects with the British 50th Division out of Gold beach. This union becomes the largest Allied-held pocket in the north of France to this point. |
|
|
The German 21st Panzer Division is repelled by a combined Allied armor and air assault, saving further actions at Sword. |
|
|
The German counter-attack reaches the beachhead at Sword. |
|
|
Allied naval warships open up with their guns on German defensive positions along the French coast. |
|
|
The British and Canadian forces out of Gold and Juno beaches enjoy the largest footholds in France, encompassing land holdings some 9 miles wide and 6.2 miles inland. |
|
|
The Allied elements at Sword beach hold onto a 6-by-6 mile piece of land though they are still cut off from the Allies at Juno. |
|
|
British and French special forces elements out of Sword beach connect with the British paratroopers holding the key bridges over the Orne River. |
|
|
At approximately 10:00AM, British forces out of Gold beach take La Riviere. |
|
|
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division makes its way towards Juno beach. The German defenses, heavy seas and underwater obstacles cause a loss of 30 percent of the landing craft. The onshore result is equally grim as the Canadians are assaulted by the prepared Germans. |
|
|
By 8:00AM, most of the German defenders at or near Gold and Sword beaches have been cleared or are on the run. |
|
|
The British 3rd Division arriving at Sword beach face a stouter German defense but are able to overwhelm the enemy and establish a foothold. |
|
|
The British 50th Division pushed some 6 miles inland. |
|
|
At 4:00PM, the mobilized German 21st Panzer Division launches a counter-attack. |
|
|
Despite the confusion on the part of the misdropped Allied paratroopers, the defending Germans are thrown into an equal level of confusion, noting Allied airdrops all around them. |
|
|
No less than five key bridges over the Dives River are blown up by British paratroopers. |
|
|
British paratroopers destroy the coastal fortifications at Merville. |
|
|
The British paratroopers take the bridges over the Caen Canal and the Orne River. |
|
|
British paratroopers of the 6th British Airborne Brigade land near Benouville. |
|
|
In preparation for the arrival of the regular armies by way of amphibious landing, British and American airborne paratroopers arrive in France just after midnight. |
|
|
At approximately 7:25AM, forces of the British and Canadian armies wade ashore at beaches codenamed Gold and Juno. |
|
|
The combined British and Canadian forces at Gold face little opposition and claim their objectives with little incident. |
1944
Tuesday
August 15th - August 29th |
|
|
During another running battle, convoy JW59 and her surface warships inflict damage on the KMS Tirpitz. |
1944
Monday
September 23rd |
|
|
141 RAF bombers take on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. Some of these bombers make use of the massive "Tallboy" 12,000lb bomb. |
1944
Wednesday
November 1st - November 30th |
|
|
As the German defensive circle shrinks througout Europe, the Artic Convoys enjoy their best month, seeing not one vessel lost to enemy action. |
1944
Sunday
November 12th |
|
|
The KMS Tirpitz is finally destroyed at Troms by forces of the RAF. |
1945
Tuesday
February 13th |
|
|
805 RAF bombers level the German city of Dresden, killing up to 130,000 of its inhabitants. The attack is notable for Dresden held little to no military or strategic value for Germany. |
|
|
The British Royal Air Force slow down the 12th Army offensive through intense bombing. |
|
|
By May of 1945, the U-boat scourge in the Atlantic is over, completing one of the more important battles in all of World War 2. |
|
|
Berlin formally and unconditionally surrenders to the Soviet legions and Western Allies. General Jodl signs for the defeated Germans and Generals Bedell Smith and Suslaparov for the Allies. |
1945
Tuesday
May 1st - May 31st |
|
|
The last Artic Convoy voyage - with the designation of JW67 - between Britian and Russia is completed. |
|
|
This day is formally announced as "VE Day" and celebrations break out across the world, though fighting in the Pacific against the Japanese Empire is ongoing. |
|
|
| All Events By Day of the Week |
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