Diary September 23, 1940

09-1940, War Diary, Year 1940 / 1 minute of reading

French battleship 'Richelieu' — The Vichy French battleship ‘Richelieu’, which suffered heavy damaged after the Dakar Expedition.

Diary for Monday, September 23, 1940:

Sea War

Atlantic – DAKAR EXPEDITION (Operation Menace): Unsuccessful British-Free French attempt to occupy Dakar, Vichy stronghold in West Africa. Vichy battleship Richelieu (partially repaired following July 7, 1940, incident), shore batteries and submarines hold off 3 British battleships, 4 cruisers and carrier Ark Royal. Barham, Resolution and cruiser Cumberland damaged; 1 Vichy destroyer and 2 submarines sunk. Total French casualties, 563.

Air War

German fighter sweeps over Southeast England: 10 Me 109Es, 2 Spitfires and 6 Hurricanes shot down. Night raids on London by 261 aircraft. 119 RAF bombers sent to Berlin.

Home Fronts

Britain: George Cross and George Medal instituted for civilian bravery.

Indo-China

Vichy French garrison at Da Nang, Central Vietnam, offers fierce resistance to Japanese occupation forces.

About The Author

Kretaner

My name is Norman 'Kretaner' and since my childhood I am interested in history and strategy games. Later, I have learned programming and the development of computer games, and finally with the Internet, also web design. I'm in the fortunate position to combine all my interests with my work and to live on a place of my choice, on Crete. All information, figures, specifications and statistics used here had been compiled from a variety of sources and the large, over decades collected, library of the author about military history, WW2 and weapons.