23 May 1940
- The German 6th Army crossed the Scheldt River in Belgium. In France, British General Lord Gort withdrew his troops from Arras despite being able to halt Rommel's momentum. Elsewhere, German 2nd Panzer Division attacked Boulogne while the German 1st Panzer Division's forward elements reached Calais. ww2dbase [Invasion of France and the Low Countries | CPC]
- Submarine Marlin was laid down at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery in Maine, United States. ww2dbase [Marlin | CPC]
- Latvian steam cargo ship Sigurd Faulbaums, now under Belgian control, was being towed by Belgian tugs Baron de Maere and Graaf Visart when she was hit by two torpedoes from German submarine U-9 15 miles northeast of Zeebrugge, Belgium at 1254 hours. The ship broke in half, with the aft portion sinking quickly. Survivors on the fore portion were rescued by Graaf Visart. ww2dbase [Start of the Battle of the Atlantic | CPC, HM]
- French Bourrasque-class destroyer Orage, commanded by Lieutenant Commander R. V. M. Viennot de Vanblanc, was sunk on off Boulogne, France by German aircraft. ww2dbase [Start of the Battle of the Atlantic | Boulogne-sur-Mer, Picardie | HM]
- Otto Wünsche was launched at the Howaldtswerke shipyard in Kiel, Germany. ww2dbase [Howaldtswerke Kiel | Otto Wünsche | Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein | CPC]
- Arrests began for British fascists across the United Kingdom as well as known IRA operatives in Northern Ireland. ww2dbase [TH]
- Oswald Mosley and 747 other British Union members were arrested (including ninety-six women including Lady Diana) and interned without charge. ww2dbase [Oswald Mosley | AC]
23 May 1940 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Change View
Desktop ViewSearch WW2DB
News
- » WW2DB's 19th Anniversary (29 Dec 2023)
- » Looted Painting "Madonna with Child" Returned to Poland (2 Jun 2023)
- » Wreck of USS Mannert L. Abele Found (29 May 2023)
- » Wreck of Montevideo Maru Found (25 Apr 2023)
- » Accidental Detonation of a WW2-Era Bomb in Great Yarmouth (10 Feb 2023)
- » See all news
Random Photograph
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,150 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 43,557 timeline entries
- » 1,240 ships
- » 349 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 372 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 259 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,482 photos
- » 432 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terrors. Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."Winston Churchill