11 Aug 1940 | World War II Database

11 Aug 1940

British Major General Reade Godwin-Austen arrived in Berbera, British Somaliland to take over the defense. The British had maintained prepared defenses at Tug Argan on 6 hills overlooking the Hargeisa-Berbera road, knowing that this was the most likely invasion route. Italian troops attacked 3 of the hills and captured the one defended by the 3rd Battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment. ww2dbase [Invasion of British Somaliland | CPC]
German submarine U-38 sank British ship Llanfair 125 miles west of Ireland at 1519 hours; 3 were killed and 30 were rescued by American merchant ship California. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | CPC]
With trade with the outside world seriously effected by the invasion of France, Switzerland signed a new trade agreement with Germany. ww2dbase [AC]

China

Liu Zhesheng damaged a Japanese G3M2 bomber. ww2dbase [Liu Zhesheng | CPC]
1940-08-11 90 Japanese bombers attacked Chongqing, China. Major Cheng Shao-yu led five others in I-15bis fighters in deploying an innovative new weapon. They dropped time-used 22-pound parachute bombs over the Japanese formation. Although the bombers were unharmed, the confusion caused by the unexpected explosions in the middle of the formation caused several bombers to break away, and one G3M bomber was subsequently shot down by the few fighters that the Chinese was able to scramble. ww2dbase [Chongqing | CPC]

Russia

With the three Baltic States now annexed by the Soviet Union, Vyacheslav Molotov asked Germany to recall their ambassador to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia within the next two weeks, and to close the embassies by 1 Sep 1940. ww2dbase [Annexation of the Baltic States | Moscow | CPC]

United Kingdom

Although the weather was fine, the German Luftwaffe did not start its offensive against RAF airfields, instead mounting a carefully prepared feint. Starting at 0730 hours, Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters bombed and strafed Dover Harbor in southern England, United Kingdom as a prelude to a larger attack on Portland Naval base and Weymouth, aiming to draw RAF fighters. Spitfire fighters of No. 64 and No. 74 Squadrons responded, but most RAF units remain on the ground per Keith Park's strategy of sending up only enough fighters to counter the German attack and withholding the remaining in reserve. As a larger formation consisted of 56 Ju 88 bombers and 20 He 111 bombers arrived with 97 Bf 110 fighters in escort was detected in the direction of Cherbourg, France at 0945 hours, there were enough British fighters to counter that attack; the ensuing battle caused 20 British Hurricane fighters, 5 British Spitfire fighters, 27 German bombers, and 10 German Bf 110 fighters to become destroyed. The day's German bombing damaged 4 British destroyers: HMS Windsor in the Thames Estuary, HMS Esk at Harwich, and HMS Scimitar and HMS Skate in Portland Harbor. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | England | CPC]
British Commander-in-Chief Middle East Major General General Wavell was in London, England, United Kingdom to discuss the defense of British colonies in Africa and the Middle East. Seeing events in Somaliland and expecting an Italian attack on Egypt, Winston Churchill's War Cabinet made a far-reaching decision to send tanks to defend the vital Suez Canal. Despite the ongoing threat of invasion, 150 tanks (about half the total in Britain), 48 anti-tank guns, 48 field guns, and 20 Bofors anti-aircraft guns were ordered to Egypt. ww2dbase [London, England | CPC]

United States

US President Roosevelt departed Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts, United States aboard presidential yacht Potomac, escorted by destroyer USS Mayrant, for Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, arriving later on the same day. ww2dbase [Franklin Roosevelt | Boston, Massachusetts | CPC]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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