Archive for the ‘1940’ Category
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
During the night of 7th/8th September, attacks extending over many hours covered a considerable area of London and were of an intense nature. Preliminary reports do not permit an accurate review of the full extent of the places hit or of the damage. Possibly the most serious effect has been in Silvertown which has been described as a 'raging inferno' and complete evacuation became necessary. Over 600 fire appliances were in use during the night.
Posted in 1940, September 1940, bombers, bombing | No Comments »
Monday, September 6th, 2010
An increasingly fatalistic attitude towards the effect of bombing is reported, and this appears to be coupled with a high state of morale. In the East End the searchlights rather than the sirens are now taken as a sign for going to the shelters. Cooperation and friendliness in public shelters are reported to be increasing ...
Posted in 1940, Churchill, September 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Sunday, September 5th, 2010
The scale of enemy attack on this country by day during the week under review was considerably greater than it was in the previous week, but by night it was slightly smaller. Attacks were chiefly against aerodromes by day and industry by night, though some damage was inflicted on aircraft and other factories in daylight and aircraft production will be affected, though not seriously. Attacks on aerodromes have achieved no important results.
Posted in 1940, August 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Saturday, September 4th, 2010
You will understand that we shall now give a reply, night for night, and with increasing force. And if the British Air Force drops two, three or four thousand kilos of bombs, then we will drop 150,000, 180,000, 230,000, 300,000 or 400,000 kilos, or more, in one night. If they declare that they will attack our cities on a large scale, we will erase theirs! We will put a stop to the game of these night-pirates, as God is our witness.
Posted in 1940, Hitler, September 1940, bombing | No Comments »
Friday, September 3rd, 2010
Then, just below me and to my left, I saw what I had been praying for - a Messerschmitt climbing and away from the sun. I closed in to 200 yards, and from slightly to one side gave him a two-second burst: fabric ripped off the wing and black smoke poured from the engine, but he did not go down. Like a fool, I did not break away, but put in another three-second burst. Red flames shot upwards and he spiralled out of sight.
Posted in 1940, September 1940, fighters | No Comments »
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
The target was silhouetted against the sun. One explosion was heard at 19.58 and when the periscope was raised a dense column of black smoke was seen rising from the target to a height of about 2000 feet. The small vessels astern of "Pionier" scattered and no attack on them was possible.
Posted in 1940, September 1940, submarines | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
In this year of torments, Polish Jewry has been destroyed. Its property and holdings were confiscated; all sources of income were blocked; its ancient communities were uprooted and exiled; its cemeteries are piles of rubble; its human rights have been erased and annulled; its lives are worthless. Imprisoned, subjugated, and mummified in the narrow confines of ghettos, it is declining to the lowest level of human survival.
Posted in 1940, September 1940 | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
'A' Flight, at 16,000 ft east of Biggin Hill, saw about 60 Dorniers going east, protected by fighters. The bombers were in tight vics with sections of Me109s circling around them. Some fighters were covering them above. 'A' Flight attacked out of the sun and took enemy escorts by surprise. Each of our pilots selected one Me109 and six dogfights took place.
Posted in 1940, August 1940, fighters | No Comments »
