Armed merchant cruiser HMS Dunvegan Castle torpedoed “on this day” 27 August 1940

“On this day in history” 27 August 1940, Royal Navy armed merchant cruiser HMS Dunvegan Castle (Capt. H. Ardill) struck by 3 torpedoes from submarine U-46 (Oblt. E. Endrass) while escorting Convoy SL-43 (convoy commodore RAdm. J. C. Hamilton).

The first torpedo struck Dunvegan Castle at 21.47 aft of the bridge, but the ship remained underway. The second torpedo struck the engine room at 22.12 and the third torpedo stuck forward of the bridge at 22.51.

Dunvegan Castle foundered and caught fire, with 27 men (3 officers, 24 ratings) killed. Convoy escorts HMS Harvester (LtCdr. M. Thornton) and HMS Primrose (LtCdr. C. Sanders) took off 240 survivors.

HMS Primrose (K91) rescued survivors from Dunvegan Castle.

Dunvegan Castle sank in position 54°54N/11°W, 75-miles NW of Ireland.

German submarines at sea “on this day in history” 24 August 1939-44

“On this day in history” 24 August, the following U-boats were at sea:

1939 20
1940 14
1941 45
1942 99
1943 70
1944 69

Force H off Gibraltar, 1940

“Force H off Gibraltar, 1940.” Oil on canvas by Rowland Langmaid.

“On this day in history” German submarine U-122 missing presumed lost, 1940

“On the day in history” 22 June 1940, German Type IXB submarine U-122 (KrvKpt. Hans-Günther Looff) missing presumed lost in the North Atlantic.

U-122’s last reported position was approx. 56.00N, 10.30W on 21 June 1940. The submarine was reported missing on 27 July 1940 after repeatedly failing to report its position.

It is possible that U-122 was lost due to a collision with SS San Felipe on 22 June 1940, but there is no record of a wreck.

All 49 officers and men aboard U-122 were lost.

“On this day in hisstory” German submarines at sea during Battl of the Atlantic

German submarines at sea “on this day in history” 22 June during the Battle of the Atlantic.

1940 21
1941 41
1942 74
1943 99
1944 81
1945 2

The two U-Boats still at sea in 1945, more than six weeks after the official German surrender, were U-530 and U-977, both on their way to Argentina.

“We shall fight on the beaches…”

Winston Churchill, speech to the House of Commons, 4th June, 1940:

The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

“We shall fight them on the beaches.” – Winston Churchill, 4 June 1940

On 4th June 1940, Winston Churchill delivered one of his most famous speeches in the House of Commons. Acknowledging the military disaster that had befallen the British and French armies in Belgium and Northern France, the sacrifice of the rearguard at Boulogne and Calais, and the evacuation over over 300,000 men from Dunkirk, Churchill vowed that Britain would fight on.

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

French soldiers & sailors during the evacuation of France, June 1940

French troops and sailors on the deck of a destroyer during the evacuation from France, June 1940. IWM HU 104603.

British and French troops evacuated from Dunkirk, 4 June 1940

Evacuated from beaches: 622

Evacuated Dunkirk harbour: 25,553

Daily total: 26,175

Accumulated total: 338,226

Source: Thompson, Julian. Dunkirk: Retreat to Victory. New York: Arcade, 2011.

“Pluto” ship’s dog of Tribal-class destroyer HMS Cossack

Onboard Royal Navy Tribal-class destroyer HMS Cossack, 1940. Petty Officer Scott with “Pluto”, the destroyer’s mascot. Pluto has been in all the ship’s battles including Narvik and Altmark episode.© IWM (A 1597)