Diary May 19, 1940

captured French General Giraud
The captured French General Giraud arrives on the Bonn-Hangelar airfield. Later he was able to escape and played a prominent role during the Allied landings in Vichy North Africa in 1942 (Operation Torch). Remarkably, it was his second escape from a German POW camp, because during World War One he did the same from a castle in Saxony to Switzerland.
Diary for Sunday, May 19, 1940:

Western Front

GAMELIN DISMISSED. WEYGAND MADE ALLIED C-IN-C. De Gaulle’s tanks make second counter-attack on Guderian‘s Corps, in Laon-Montcornet sector; some French tanks threaten Guderian’s HQ, and he summons assistance from 10th Panzer Division, but Ju 87 Stukas halt French advance before they arrive.
General Giraud, commander of French 9th Army, captured by German tank unit. Germans capture St Quentin.

Sea War

Atlantic: U-boat U-37 sinks 9 merchant ships off northwest Spain (May 19-June 2).

Air War

Sensational reports of 100,000 people killed in Rotterdam raid (May 14). RAF bomb oil installations in northwest Germany.

Neutrals

Sweden: Home Defense Corps (Swedish Home Guard) to be formed. Petrol rationing introduced.

Oval@3x 2

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