Australia’s War Diary- December 1940

Two Sunderlands of 10 Squadron RAAF return to Mount Batten from Pembroke Dock. All flying boats had been moved after the heavy bombing of Plymouth on November 27/28.

December 8 – Britain. The first RAAF Sunderland sortie from Mount Batten since the Plymouth bombing is an anti-submarine night patrol.

December 9 – Britain. In the early hours two Ju 88s are brought down by an _ ti-aircraft fire, the first aircraft to fall to the night defences this month, underlining the continuing impotence of British night fighters.

Poor weather limits Luftwaffe daylight operations to a few reconnaissance sorties. Only one aircraft is lost, Messerschmitt Bf 110C-5, 5F+DM, shot down into the sea off Portsmouth in the early afternoon. It is the victim of Queenslander F/Lt Gordon live DFC of 65 Squadron who is flying his regular aircraft, Spitfire R6883, YT-A.

North Africa. General R N O’Connor, commander of the Western Desert Force, launches a ‘reconnaissance in force’ against the Italians. He has two divisions, 7th Armoured and 4th Indian, supported by Matilda tanks of the Royal Tank Regiment. Ahead are seven Italian divisions under General Graziani entrenched in fortified camps and positions. The obsolete Gloster Gauntlets of 3 Squadron RAAF carry out their first close support dive bombing attacks. December 10 – North Africa. While flying a lone early morning reconnaissance mission F/Lt C B Gaden of 3 Squadron RAAF in a Gladiator encounters and destroys an Italian IMAM Ro 37.

Later, four Gladiators catch twelve CR 42s strafing advancing Bnt1sh troops near Tummer and drive them off claiming three destroyed without loss. Scorers are 8/Ldr Ian McLachlan, F/Lt Gordon Steege and F/OA Gatward.

The British capture Sidi Barrani. O’Connor’s ‘reconnaissance in force’ has so far taken 20,000 prisoners.

December 11 – Britain. Dusk, south of Shoreham two Hurricanes of 145 Squadron, led by South Australian F/Lt Bob Bungey, encounter a lone He 111. After a series of attacks fire breaks ?ut between the bomber’s port engine and fuselage and it goes into a shallow dive. The Hurricanes, now both out of ammunition follow it 20 miles (32km) out to sea. Both engines have obviously stopped but they do not see it crash. The Heinkel, stilt in a shallow glide, disappears into cloud at 2,000 feet (610m). North Africa. O’Connor’s offensive has destroyed 5 of the 7 Italian divisions.

December 12 – North Africa. Just after noon, five Gladiators of 3 Squadron intercept seventeen CR 42s north west of Sofafi. Most of the Italiansclimb away, circle once and then leave but of the six or seven which stay and fight three are shot down without loss. They fall to F/OsA Gatward,AH Boyd and Wilfred Arthur. 3 Squadron’s tired old Gauntlets are withdrawn from active service. They have suffered no losses but keeping them serviceable has become impossible. Because his 4th Indian Division is to be sent to the Sedan, General Wavell, C-in-C Middle East, must limit O’Connor’s pursuit of the Italians.

December 13 – North Africa. A black day for 3 Squadron RAAF. Near Sollum in the early morning, six Gladiators intercept five SM 79s attacking British troops. One bomber is shot down and another damaged but before the Australians can reform they are bounced by eight escorting CR 42s. Two are destroyed but five Gladiators fall too. F/Lt Gaden from Windsor, Victoria, is killed, F/Os Arthur and L D’A Winten bail out and F/Os Gatward and Boyd crashland. Damage to Boyd’s machine is slight. After quick repairs he flies it back to base carrying Gatward as a passenger.

Meanwhile the squadron is ordered forward to Bir Malla to be air cover for advanced army units. One Gladiator crashes while landing. With five Gladiators lost and two damaged, 3 Squadron’s serviceability is drastically reduced. It has little chance of carrying out its allotted task.

December 14 – North Africa. Today, 3 Squadron can only muster a single Gladiator to fly two sorties.

December 15 – North Africa. 3 Squadron is temporarily withdrawn from operations.

December 16/17 – Germany. In retaliation for the Luftwaffe’s bombing of British cities such as Coventry and Southampton, Bomber Command strikes at Mannheim with 134 aircraft, the largest force so far sent to a single target. Most bombs fall onto residential areas. This raid is a forerunner for what the Germans will call ‘terror bombing’ and the RAF ‘area bombing’. Two Hampdens and a Blenheim are lost and four others crash in England.

December 17 – North Africa. Sidi Omar and Sollum fall to the British. 3 Squadron resumes limited operations with four repaired Gladiators plus four others from the almost exhausted stocks available in the Middle East.

December 18-Britain. AVM Keith Park, brilliant defence had won the Battle of Britain, ceases to be AOC of 11 Group, RAF Fighter Command. He is replaced by AVt0 Trafford Leigh-Mallory, former commander of 12 Group. Park is transferred to No 23 Training Group.

December 19- Greece. 8/Ldr WHickey of Sydney leads 13 Gladiators of 80 Squadron against five SM 79s escorted by CR 42s and G. 50bis over Tepetene. Hickey claims a CR 42 but then notices one of his pilots bailing out of his burning aircraft. He follows the descending parachute and attracts the attention of nearby Greek troops. After landing on a waterlogged field near Argyrokastron, he personally organizes a relief party and recovers the mortally wounded aviator, transporting him back to the town’s hospital. Hickey stays with him, ensuring that everything is done to make him comfortable until he dies in the evening. Only then does the Australian return to his squadron. December 20-Britain. In RAF Fighter Command’s first offensive “Rhubarb” operation two Spitfires of 66 Squadron from Biggin Hill, slip across the Channel and strafe the Luftwaffe airfield at Le Touquet.

December 21 – Greece. Led by 8/LdrHickey, 80 Squadron’s ten Gladiators attack six Cant Z. 1007bis bombers escorted by fifteen CR 42s near Argyrokastron. More Italian fighters join in. Hickey’s Gladiator, N5854, is hit and set alight. The Australian bails out but his parachute is also on fire. He dies of injuries suffered after crashing to the ground. 8/Ldr W J Hickey is posthumously awarded the DFC. In an official dispatch paying tribute to 80 Squadron for their successes against the Italians, ACM SirArthur Longmore specially states “. . . I cannot speak too highly of their gallant commander . . . ”

December 22-Britain. Just before midnight Sunderland N9050, RB-D, of 10 Squadron RAAF has its wingtip damaged while taxying before take off in darkness and mist on Plymouth Sound. It strikes the anchored French submarine Surcouf. F/O Geoff Havyatt and his crew transfer to another aircraft and eventually take off at 2. 00am.

Australian pilots are beginning to filter through to reinforce RAF squadrons. At Kenley, 8/Ldr R Holmwood, a former Point Cook instructor, assumes command of 615 (Hurricane) Squadron. December 22/23 – Britain. 299 Luftwaffe aircraft bomb Liverpool and Birkenhead. By midnight German crews can see the glow of fires 155 miles (250km) away. 218 people are killed and 173 injured. The cruiser HMAS Australia, undergoing a refit in Liverpool harbour has her Walrus aircraft damaged by shrapnel. December 23 – South Africa. 40 RAAF airmen, the first draft to go to Southern Rhodesia under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), arrive in Durban on the 88 Nestor.

North Africa. 35,949 Italian POWs have been taken since the 9th. December 25 – Britain. Neither the RAF nor the Luftwaffe carry out raids on Christmas Day, an unofficial gentleman’s agreement. 37 Australian reinforcement pilots of the first EATS draft to Canada, who have completed their training, arrive in England on this day. In the evening Sunderland P9605, RB-K, white landing on Plymouth Sound after a patrol, has its starboard float ripped off by an unseen object. To keep the damaged wing out of the water, Geoff Harvey orders some of his crew out onto the port wing as he taxies. Immediately after mooring, twenty sandbags are placed on the port mainframe to keep the aircraft balanced until a replacement float is fitted.

Australia. On the occasion of the delivery of the 200th deHavilland Tiger Moth, a statement is made that a useful bomber for Australia would be the new machine being developed from the Comet racer powered by two Gipsy Six engines. Captain P G Taylor GC remarks that it is within the capacity of deHavilland (Australia) to build and emphasizes the necessity for forward planning. The first prototype Mosquito, W4050, powered by two Rolls Royce Merlin 21s, had in fact already flown for the first time in Britain on November 25.

December 26 – North Africa. While waiting to escort an RAF artillery reconnaissance Lysander, eight Gladiators of 3 Squadron RAAF encounter ten SM 79s escorted by 24 Fiat CR 42s. Two of the escorts are shot down into the sea and five damaged, one so badly it is counted probably destroyed. Three Gladiators are slightly damaged.

December 27 – Britain. F/O Vic Hodgkinson and his crew of 10 Squadron RAAF in Sunderland N9049, RB-B, search for a convoy but find a U-boat instead. As it dives an attack is made with depth charges but without result.

December 28 – Greece. The Greeks to halt their offensive into Albania to consolidate their gains.

December 29 – USA. President Roosevelt announces on radio in one of his ‘fireside chats’ that he wants the USA to become the “arsenal of democracy”.

December 30 – Singapore. British Naval Intelligence learns that top secret documents concerning the defence of Singapore have been in German hands since the 88 Automedon, on which they were carried, had been intercepted by the German raider Atlantis on November 11. By mid December the Japanese know that Britain will not send a fleet for the colony’s defence should it be attacked (a decision not made clear to Australian Chiefs of Staff). TheAdmiralty in London is advised but neither the C-in-C Far East, Air Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, nor the Governor of Singapore, Sir Shenton Thomas, are informed.

December 31 – Britain. This month’s civilian casualties from bombing amount to 3,793 killed and 5,244 injured.