26 Aug 1940 | World War II Database

26 Aug 1940

Atlantic Ocean

Italian submarine Dandolo sank British steamer Ilvington Court in the Atlantic Ocean, killing 8. ww2dbase [CPC]
German torpedo bombers attacked two British ships 10 miles east of Kinnaird Head, Scotland, United Kingdom; Remuera would sink and Cape York would remained afloat until the next day. Both crews survived. ww2dbase [CPC]

Canada

The American-Canadian Permanent Joint Board on Defense convened in Ottawa, Canada. The American attendees were Fiorello H. LaGuardia (President, U.S. Conference of Mayors), Lieutenant General Stanley D. Embick (US Army commander of the Fourth Corps Area), Captain Harry W. Hill, and Commander Forrest P. Sherman (US Navy War Plans Division), Lieutenant Colonel Joseph T. McNarney, and John D. Hickerson (Assistant Chief of Division of European Affairs of the US Department of State). ww2dbase [Joseph McNarney | Ottawa, Ontario | CPC]

French Equatorial Africa

Territory of Chad of French Equatorial Africa declared war on Germany and Italy. ww2dbase [Chad | TH, CPC]

Germany

The British RAF bombed Leipzig, Leuna, Hanover, Nordhausen in Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | CPC]
Adolf Hitler ordered the transfer of 10 infantry divisions and 2 armored divisions from France to Poland. To avoid Soviet suspicion, he made plans to make this transfer appear as if these fresher troops were coming in to relieve older men who were going to be released back into the work force. ww2dbase [Operation Barbarossa | Adolf Hitler | CPC]

Indian Ocean

German armed merchant cruiser Pinguin's seaplane attacked Norwegian tanker Filefjell off Madagascar at 1748 hours. Pinguin soon arrived to capture the ship which was carrying 10,000 tons of gasoline and 500 tons of oil. ww2dbase [Pinguin | CPC]

Ireland

Ireland lodged a protest in Berlin, Germany after bombs were dropped on Campile, County Wexford, Ireland during the day, killing three women. ww2dbase [Campile, Wexford | TH, CPC]

Italy

The British RAF bombed Turin and Milan in Italy. ww2dbase [CPC]
Leonardo da Vinci set sail from Naples, Italy at 0600 hours to patrol waters east of Cape Ferrato, Sardinia, Italy. ww2dbase [Leonardo da Vinci | Napoli, Campania | CPC]

United Kingdom

With clear weather, the Germans launched three major raids. At 1200 hours, 150 aircraft flew over the Strait of Dover from Calais in France; No. 616 Squadron's Spitfire fighters of RAF Kenley and No. 264 Squadron's Defiant fighters were attacked and devastated by escorting German Bf 109 fighters; the German bombers split up after reaching Britain and bombed RAF Biggin Hill, RAF Kenley, and various towns in Kent. At 1500 hours, 170 German aircraft flew up the Thames estuary, but most were turned back by British fighters; 6 Do 17 bombers made it through the fighter defense and bombed RAF Debden, causing heavy damage. At 1600 hours, 55 German bombers of KG55 escorted by about 100 fighters attacked Portsmouth, but the group was repulsed by 5 No. 11 Group and 3 No. 10 Group squadrons. In total, the RAF lost 28 fighters and the Luftwaffe lost 22 bombers and 24 fighters. While the machine losses were heavy for both sides, the RAF only lost 6 airmen, while most of the downed German crews were killed or captured. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | 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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