UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - road/rail communications at Avesnes, La Capelle, Mons, Binche and the Ruhr. 10 Sqn. 12 aircraft. 11 bombed, one damaged by Flak and returned with hung-up bomb. 51 Sqn. 11 aircraft. Two aborted, eight bombed. 58 Sqn. Seven aircraft. All bombed, one damaged by Flak.

Anti-Aircraft cruiser HMS Bonaventure commissioned.

Corvette HMS Gardenia commissioned.

WESTERN FRONT: RN: During operations to support the BEF and French falling back on Dunkirk, French destroyers L'Adroit, Orage, Jaguar and Chacal are lost off the channel ports. W class destroyer HMS Wessex is bombed repeatedly and sunk off Calais at 51 00N, 16 37E,  as she supports the defenders. (Alex Gordon)(108)
The Royal Navy begins small evacuations today and will continue for two more days from Boulogne, France. This evacuation will lift 5,000 men to Britain.

FRANCE: Arras: Lt. the Honourable Christopher Furness (b.1912), Welsh Guards, died when, against hopeless odds, he led a successful delaying attack on the advancing Germans.

This morning 1 Panzer Div., establishes four bridgeheads on the east bank of Aa canal, at Holque, Saint-Pierre-Brouck, Saint-Nicolas, and Bourbourgville, south of Gravelines, which it could not capture. It is in a position to thrust towards Dunkirk, supported on the right by SS Regiment ‘Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler’, which Guderian had placed at Watten on the Aa, "to lend weight to the 1 Panzer attack on Dunkirk." For the same reason he orders 2 Panzer to send to Watten, all the units which can be spared from the investment of Boulogne.

GERMANY: Hitler issues his war directive number 13, ordering the annihilation of the Allies in Artois and Flanders and an aerial attack on Britain.
The OKW issues Führer Directive #13. 
(i) The next object of our operations is to annihilate enemy forces in Artois and Flanders by concentric attack and the rapid seizure of the Channel coast. The task of the Luftwaffe is to break resistance of surrounded forces, to prevent the escape of English forces across the Channel, and to protect the southern flank of Army Group A. The enemy air forces will be engaged at every opportunity. 
(ii) The remaining enemy forces in France will then be destroyed in the shortest possible time. Phase I will entail a thrust between the sea and the Oise towards the lower Seine. Phase II will be the main attack including strong armoured forces directed south-eastwards either side of Rheims, with the intention of defeating the main body of the French Army and bringing about the collapse of the Maginot Line. Phase III includes subsidiary attacks on the Maginot Line with the aim of breaking through the most vulnerable points. 
(iii) The Luftwaffe is now authorized to attack the English homeland. When sufficient forces are available the attack will open with an annihilating reprisal for the English attacks on the Ruhr. Air operations will continue in support of our forces in France, with the added aims of breaking up enemy reinforcements and hampering the re-grouping of enemy forces. Consideration should be given to strengthening air defenses in those areas where the enemy is concentrating his attacks. 
(iv) All restrictions on naval operations in French and English waters are now lifted. Kriegsmarine plans for the siege of England should be submitted to OKW. The Führer reserves the decision of announcing the form of the blockade. (Marc Roberts)

11.30 am - Hitler arrives at Rundstedt’s CP. According to the army group’s war diary: "he had the situation explained to him, and fully approved of the idea of keeping the Panzers on the line of the canals, in order to block the enemy and beat him once he has been defeated on the east by Group B. He insisted on the absolute necessity of saving the Panzers for ensuing operations, and of not pressing too hard on the surrounded Allies, which would have the undesirable effect of restricting the Luftwaffe’s field of action." Hence Hitler stops the Panzers at the gates of Dunkirk.

1. Giving them a large amount of detailed information about roads, railways and military facilities in Eire in the event of a German invasion.

2. Whenever a German aircraft or submarine was sighted in or over Irish territory, the Irish would broadcast the location of the intruder "in the clear" on radio frequencies the British monitored.

3. Allowed the RAF to fly over certain specified areas.

4. Did not protest overflights by RAF aircraft over the rest of the country.

5. Provided daily intelligence information to Britain.

6. Allowed the British Legation to keep two secret transmitters and a private telephone line to London and Belfast.

7. Routed all German and Italian official communications through Britain.

8. Allowed the British to install equipment that resulted in the decreased efficiency of the RTE, the Irish national radio service, so the Germans could not use it as a guide for bombing the UK.

9. Transferred seven Irish tankers to Britain.

10. Allied airmen who went down in Eire were quietly taken to the border and turned over to Allied officers in Ulster.

11. All German spies and military personnel who were captured were interned for the duration of the war.

GERMANY: Daily Keynote from the Reich Press Chief:

The special announcement about Crete should form your front-page story. Germany's is one of the boldest military strokes in world history and awakens the pride of the nation. It should be an occasion for emphatic political commentary. Above all, emphasize the contrast between Churchill's initial boastful remarks and the German reporting that began only when factual battle results could be truthfully reported.

FINLAND: Finnish military delegation, headed by Lt. Gen. Erik Heinrichs, travels to Germany. In the next two days they're engaged in negotiations with generals Jodl and Halder about the Finnish military dispositions in the event of a Russo-German war. While the Finns are not empowered to make any binding promises, it is understood that Finland shall prepare to go to war against Soviet Union.

Since the end of the Winter War in March 1940, Finland had looked for an opportunity to seek redress for one way or another. Initially it was feared that Soviets will attack at the first opportunity to finish conquering Finland, and especially in the summer and autumn of 1940 the situation looked very threatening. The Soviet diplomats began forcing issues by threats, and it looked like all the Soviets were looking for was an excuse. The Finnish intelligence detected Soviet troop movements near the border. But the invasion never came. It is possible that Stalin was waiting for the Germans to provide a diversion to draw world's attention away from Finland, namely in the form of a German invasion of Britain. It can perhaps be said that by defeating the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, the RAF also saved the Finnish independence.

During the Winter War Germany had been very cool towards Finland, respecting the pact it had with Stalin. But in late 1940 the attitude began to change. Hitler had decided to go to war with the Soviet Union, and the Finns were in that case valuable allies. Germany began to sell arms to Finland, and soon began dropping hints about a possible change in the Russo-German relations. In the spring of 1941 the Fenno-German co-operation had become quite concrete, and German troops were streaming into northern Finland.

Around that time, in late spring 1941, Stalin's attitude towards Finland began to change. Threats were forgotten, and the Soviet Union became very accommodating in all deals. But by now it was already too late. Stalins actions had driven Finland firmly in the German camp.

GREECE: CRETE: The Allies are pushed back to Galatas as German forces build-up around Maleme. During the night Ramcke's forces break though to Oberst Heidrich at Galatos. The New Zealand defence line is smashed by Stuka dive bombers and the way to Chania is open.

ETHIOPIA: Soddu falls to the Allies.

CANADA: Corvettes HMCS Matapedia, Barrie and Dauphin arrived Halifax from builders.

U.S.A.: The U.S. Congress passes a bill authorizing the construction or acquisition of 550,000 tons of auxiliary vessels for use by the U.S. Navy.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The BISMARK joins battle; HMS Hood is destroyed and HMS Prince of Wales is forced to veer off after being badly hit.

Around 06.00 after firing two or three salvoes, BISMARK hits HMS Hood in her main magazine which blows up with only three survivors (picked up by the destroyer HMS Electra (Rich Pelvin)) and 1418 casualties. She sinks at 63 20N, 31 50W. Now it is HMS Prince of Wales turn to be the target. After being hit several times she turns away but not before damaging BISMARK and causing her to lose fuel oil to the sea. German Admiral Lutjens then decides to make for St. Nazaire in France and heads southwest and later south out of the Denmark Strait. The two RN cruisers, and for a while the damaged Prince of Wales, continue to shadow. Admiral Tovey hurries west with the rest of Home Fleet.

Fifteen Swordfish are armed with torpedoes and sent to delay the ship. HMS Sheffield is between Ark Royal and Bismark. The aircraft falsely identified the British cruiser as their target and fire torpedoes. The torpedoes are fitted with unreliable magnetic detonators, which cause  most to explode on contact with the water, while Sheffield evaded the rest. After realising his mistake, one of the pilots signalled 'Sorry for the Kipper' to Sheffield.

On return to the carrier, the Swordfishes are re-armed with contact-detonator warheads and launched at 19.15 hours for a second attack; locating and attacking Bismark just before sunset. Three torpedoes hit the battleship: two impacted forward of the engine rooms, while the third struck the port steering room and jams the rudder in a 15º port turn. Bismark is forced to sail in circles until the disabled rudder is reset to neutral, at which point she was sailing towards the British warships with almost no manoeuvring capability.

With Hood's loss, Force H (Admiral Somerville) with battlecruiser HMS Renown, carrier Ark Royal and cruiser HMS Sheffield is sailing north from Gibraltar. Battleship Ramillies, released from convoy escort duties, and Rodney, then to the west of Ireland, head towards BISMARK's expected track. Ramillies does not play a part in later operations.

At 18.00 BISMARK feints north towards her shadowers long enough to allow Prinz Eugen to get away. (The cruiser goes south, later refuels from a tanker and cruises for three days before reaching Brest on 1 June. There she joins the two battlecruisers under heavy RAF attack until the Channel dash of February 1942.)

Around midnight, southeast of Cape farewell, Swordfish from Admiral Tovey's HMS Victorious get one hit on BISMARK after she has resumed her southerly course. The damage is negligible.

U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron Fifty Two (VP-52) based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Argentia, Newfoundland, dispatches their eleven PBY-5 Catalinas in the face of strong gales to search for the German battleship BISMARK. 

Because of the weather, none of the aircraft are able to return to NAS Argentia and they land in Labrador, Quebec and other places in Newfoundland.

(Extra by Mark Horan) Force H is composed of::
HMS Renown (F): Captain Rhoderick Robert McGriggor, RN [later RA Sir, DSO, CB, KCB, GCB, MiD]

Flag of Vice-Admiral Sir James Fownes Somerville, KCB, DSO, MiD, RN (CinC “Force H”) [later Admiral KBE, GCB, GC]

HMS Ark Royal: Captain Loben Edward Harold Maund, MiD, RN [A/RA, DSC, MiDx3]

Commander Flying: Commander Henry Austin Traill, RN [later MiD, OBE, CBE]

807 Squadron, FAA [12 Fulmar I/II] Lieutenant-Commander James Sholto Douglas, RN (P-OC) [later Cdr.(A), DSO]

808 Squadron, FAA [11 Fulmar II] Lt. Alistair Thomas James Kindersley, RN (P-A/OC) [KiA 25/07/41]

810 Squadron, FAA [9 Swordfish I] Lieutenant-Commander Mervyn Johnstone, DSC, MiD, RN (P-OC)

818 Squadron, FAA [9 Swordfish I] Lieutenant-Commander Trevenen Penrose Coode, MiD, RN (P-OC) [KiA 25/01/43 as Cdr., DSO]

820 Squadron, FAA [9 Swordfish I] Lieutenant-Commander James Andrew Stewart-Moore, RN (O-OC)

HMS Sheffield: Captain Charles Arthur Aiskew Larcom, RN [later DSO, MiD] HMS Faulknor: Captain Anthony Fane de Salis, MiD, RN, Captain(D) 8th DF (OC 19/02/40) [later MBE(Civ), DSO, MiDx2]

HMS Foresight: Lieutenant-Commander Jocelyn Stuart Cambridge Salter, RN (OC 14/01/41) [later RA, OBE, DSO+bar, CB]

HMS Forester: Lieutenant-Commander Edward Bernard Tancock, DSC+bar, RN (OC 19/01/39) [later Cdr., MiD, OBE]

HMS Foxhound: Commander Geoffrey Handley Peters, DSC, RN [later A/Capt.]

HMS Fury: Lieutenant-Commander Terence Corin Robinson, RN (OC 06/07/40) [later Cdr., DSC, MiDx2]

HMS Hesperus: Lieutenant-Commander Arthur Andre Tait, MiD, RN (OC 02/41) [KiA HMS Harvester 11/03/43 as Cdr., DSO, MiDx3]

Awards in Brackets are those for actions in the chase. Dates in parenthesis are the dates that officer assumed command. Bracketed info shows later ranks and awards.

At 0356, the unescorted Marionga was hit in the stern by one torpedo from U-103 and sank by the stern within four minutes. The ship had been spotted at 1950 on 23 May, but the U-boat had to wait for attacking until darkness. The first two torpedoes fired at 0036 and 0154 missed.

SS Vulcain sunk by U-38 at 09.20N, 15.35W.

UNITED KINGDOM: The USAAF's Eighth Air Force in England flies two missions.

Mission 370: 406 bombers and 604 fighters make visual attacks on rail installations and airfields in Belgium and France; four bombers and 12 fighters are lost; the fighters claim 13-2-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-5 on the ground; (unless otherwise indicated, all targets are in France):

1. 307 B-24s are dispatched to marshalling yards at Belfort (74 bomb) and Mulhouse (134 bomb); 12 hit Tonnere marshalling yard and 37 bomb Bretigny and one bombs Dijon Airfields; two B-24s are lost.

2. 320 B-17 Flying Fortresses are dispatched to Essey Airfield at Nancy (75 bomb) and marshalling yards at Metz (69 bomb), Saarguemines (36 bomb) and Blainville (36 bomb); 56 B-17s hit Thionville marshalling yard and three bomb Liege Airfield, Belgium.

3. 103 B-24s bomb Montignies sur Sambre marshalling yard and nine bomb Alos marshalling yard.

4. In Belgium 247 B-17s are dispatched against marshalling yards at Brussels/Schaerbeck (52 bomb), Brussels/Midi (29 bomb) and Leige/Guillemines (50 bomb); other marshalling yards hit are Brussels/Melsbroek (18 bomb) and Liege/Renory (50 bomb); 2 B-17s are lost.

5. 18 of 38 B-17s and 18 of 18 B-24s hit Fecamp gun battery without loss.

6. 15 B-17s hit St Valery gun battery without loss.

Escort is provided by 136 P-38s, 181 P-47 Thunderbolts and 287 P-51 Mustangs; P-38s claim 3-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft, 9 P-38s are lost; P-47s claim 4-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-5 on the ground; P-51s claim 6-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft, 3 P-51s are lost.

MISSION 371: Four B-17s drop leaflets in France without loss.

The USAAF's Ninth Air Force in England dispatches 225+ B-26 Marauders to attack bridges near Liege, Belgium and airfields at Lille/Nord and Monchy-Breton, France. About 250 P-47s dive-bomb various targets in western Europe.

Frigate HMS Loch Fyne launched.

At Anzio the attack reaches Route 7 near Latinam.

Sergeant Sylvester Antolak of the US Army, Company B, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, charges 200 yards over flat, coverless terrain to destroy a German machinegun nest during the second day of the offensive to break out of the Anzio beachhead. He is killed charging a second machinegun another 100 yards distant. MOH. (Drew Philip Halévy)

The Canadian I Corps takes Pontecorvo and the US 3rd Division reaches the key city of Cisterna; Hitler authorizes a withdrawal to the Adolf Hitler Line, west of Cassino.

Maj. John Keefer Mahoney (b.1911), Canadian Army, led his company brilliantly in setting up and holding a bridgehead until more troops came. (Victoria Cross)

Hitler authorizes Kesselring to withdraw to the Caesar Line.

The USAAF's Fifteenth Air Force in Italy dispatches 340+ bombers to attack targets in France and Italy; B-17s attack the marshalling yard at Lyon, France; B-24s attack marshalling yards at Amberieux, Toulon and Givors, France, and in Italy, the port area at Monfalcone, airfield at Piancenza and industrial area at Porto Marghera; P-38s and P-51s fly 200+ sorties in support.

PACIFIC OCEAN: KURILE ISLANDS: Two USAAF B-24s bomb Matsuwa Island.(56)

The destroyer escort USS England (DE-635) sinks Japanese submarine HIJMS RO-116 225 miles (362 km) north-northwest of Kavieng, New Ireland Island, Bismarck Archipelago. This is the fourth submarine involved in Operation "NA" sunk by USS England in five days.