RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - road and rail communications in France.
58 Sqn. Four aircraft to Amiens. Two bombed, one damaged by Flak.
102 Sqn. Four aircraft to Aulnoye. One returned early, two bombed.
Turin and Genoa are bombed by the RAF.

‘The enemy is continuing his grand efforts to force a swift decision. The German Luftwaffe has bombed French airfields and connections leading to Paris. French aircraft have bombed various German industrial cities and also took parts in the battles in France.

Chalons-sur-Marne falls to Guderian during his continued rapid advance.

Germany occupies Rheims and Rouen.

General Weygand orders a general retreat.

MAP

GERMANY:

NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN: (Mark Horan): Ark Royal, having entered a storm from at noon on the 11th, turns Eastward and takes up a course for Trondheim. Word having arrived that the German capital ships that sank Glorious, Acasta, and Ardent, including both Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, as well as a Hipper class cruiser are in Trondheim and, on orders from CinC Home Fleet, Vice-Admiral Air Wells plans to strike them.

However, unlike the April operation that sank Konigsberg in Bergen, this operation has little chance of coming off by surprise. First, in April there the day was roughly half light and half darkness, so the attackers could arrive under the cover of darkness and attack at dawn. Second, Bergen Harbour is located fairly close to the North Sea coasts, so the attackers had to spend little time over land before the attackers struck. Finally, Bergen is not located near an operation airfield.

Trondheim will be a much tougher nut to crack. First, at this latitude, June contains virtually 24 hours of daylight. Second, the main harbour where the warships were anchored is some 45 miles from the coastline. Finally, Trondheim was home to the largest airfield in Norway, on which were stationed numerous single-engine and twin-engined fighters within only a few miles of the warship anchorage.

Recognizing these problems, the powers that be had come up with a three pronged attack plane. First, the new Beaufort torpedo-bombers of Coastal Command's 22 Squadron, RAF, would make a low level attack on Vaernes airfield to keep the German fighters grounded before the attack unfolded. Second, Blenheim fighters of 254 Squadron, RAF would rendezvous with the Fleet Air Arm strike force over Ark Royal, and then provide fighter cover over the harbour itself. Finally, while the Blenheims distracted any Luftwaffe fighters that did get in the air, the Skua striking force of 800 and 803 Squadrons, FAA would execute a dive-bombing attack on the warships and then high-tail it for the ship.

In its original form, the plan had called the Swordfish torpedo bombers of 810 and 820 Squadrons to launch torpedo attack on the German warships simultaneous to the dive-bombing attack. However, the weather was simply not cooperating. The Southeasterly wind was stiff enough to severely hamper the ground speed of the Swordfish. This, combined with the nearness of the German fighter forces was such that all involved realized is was a suicidal option. Thus, the final plan called for the dive-bombing attack alone.

Exactly what their lordships actually hoped to accomplish is unclear.

The largest bombs that the Skua could carry (and the largest bombs Ark Royal's ordnance magazines contained) was the 500 pound Semi-Armour Piercing (SAP) bomb which, even with the added impetus of the diving aircraft could not generate enough velocity to penetrate the armour decks of the primary targets, the two German battleships.

Certainly these facts were recognized by Commander Flying, Commander F. M. Stephenson, RN when he summoned each of the squadron commanders, Lt.Cdr. J. Casson, RN (803) and Capt. R. T. Partridge, RM (800), to separate interviews with Vice-Admiral L. V. Wells CB, DSO, RN where he gave each "the word.". It would be an understatement to say that both were less than enthusiastic about the mission's chances.

Partridge, although junior to Casson, was by now perhaps the most experienced dive-bomber pilot in the Royal Navy. He recalled bluntly that his first reaction was one "Whoever thought this one up must be absolutely bonkers, I'm not going and neither are any of my Squadron!".

But, of course, he could not and did not. However, he took great pains to ensure that no one was mistakenly  comparing this operation to the April Bergen mission. He pointed out that the key to success then, a surprise dawn attack [see above], simply would not happen here. Later, he found that Casson had, prophetically, predicted 50% losses.

However, to coin a phrase, "Their's not to reason why, their's but to do and die", both set to work on the mission details and the briefings necessary for the crews involved. For this one, both agreed that only the crews with the most dive-bomber experience, regardless of seniority or assignment, should participate. Limited by the available flight deck to space to fifteen aircraft, they ultimately settled on a composition of nine Skuas in three sections from of 803 Squadron, and six in two sections from 800.

Meanwhile, around 1600, Ark broke out of the weather front and, at 1630, launched a fighter patrol of three Skuas from 800 Squadron, led by Lt. G. R. Callingham, RN. While none of the pilots was slated to fly the attack, in the event the section observer, PO(A) W. Crawford would. Later that evening, at 2230, a second patrol went up, this time with just two Skuas. While they orbited the carrier, the fifteen Skuas of the striking force were brought up and spotted. The crews manned there aircraft shortly before midnight for what would be, save one, the closing act of the NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN.

U.S.S.R.: The USSR issues an ultimatum to Lithuania. Between now and the 22nd various communications between these countries take place. In the end the USSR prevails.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The Mediterranean Fleet (RN) with HMS Warspite, HMS Malaya and HMS Eagle, cruisers and destroyers sails from Alexandria for a sweep against Italian shipping in the Eastern basin. South of Crete, light cruiser HMS Calypso is torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine Bagnolini. The British at first think this is due to a mine, but it is the first British loss caused by Italian naval forces. (Alex Gordon)(108)

NORTH AFRICA: EGYPT: British troops capture 62 Italians in the first skirmish along the Egypt-Libya border.

Cairo: Britain replied swiftly to Italy’s declaration of war today with RAF and SAAF bombers striking at Italian aircraft on the ground, petrol depots and ammunition dumps in Libya and East Africa. The Italians were caught by surprise, according to official sources, and only light anti-aircraft fire was met. The RAF claimed that the raids had crippled Italy’s striking power in the Middle East.

CHINA: Ichang: Japanese forces are within 400 miles of the Chinese Nationalist capital, Chungking, after capturing the gateway city of Ichang today. The taking of Ichang - the westernmost city to fall to the Japanese - is the culmination of a three-month campaign by Japan’s China Expeditionary Army to put the Nationalists back on the defensive after their success at Wuyuan and their continuing guerrilla attacks on Japanese units.

Japan’s response has been to hit back with a massive invasion of the Nationalist-held provinces in south and west central China. So far the price has been high. In the see-saw battle for Tsaoyang in May the Japanese suffered 45,000 wounded or killed, and they had to pull in reinforcements from Manchukuo before taking Ichang.

JAPAN: Tokyo: A Non-Aggression Pact with Thailand is announced.

U.S.A.: New York: Italy’s sudden entry in the war may well have provoked a pro-Allied, anti-Isolationist backlash in the United States with serious long-term consequences for the Axis.

Tomorrow’s New York Times sums up the opinions of many Americans about Italy’s sudden entry into the war. "With the courage of a jackal at the heels of a bolder beast of prey Mussolini">Mussolini has left his ambush," says an editorial. It was not the decision of the Italian people, it adds. It was the decision of one man "which now takes Italy into the darkness of night and makes her people the moral enemy of every democratic people."

The Baltimore Sun describes Italy’s action as a "long and dangerous gamble ... inevitably it is a losing one". As other influential American newspapers joined in a chorus of disgust at Mussolini">Mussolini’s action, the official American view came from President Roosevelt">Roosevelt, bringing more cheer to the Allies, anxious for America’s support.

Italy, said the President, has "scorned the rights of security of other nations", and he added that the United States would extend to the opponents of force the material resources of his nation.

"Some still hold to the obvious delusions that the United States can become a lone island - in a world dominated by the philosophy of force," added the President. "Such an island represents to the overwhelming majority of Americans a helpless nightmare - of a people without friends."

ATLANTIC OCEAN:

1. That they will continue the struggle against German or Italian aggression until victory has been won and they will mutually assist each other in this struggle to the utmost of their respective capacities; 

2. There can be no settled peace and prosperity so long as free peoples are coerced by violence into submission to domination by Germany or her associates or live under the threat of such coercion;

3. That the only true basis for enduring peace is the willing cooperation of the free peoples in a world in which, relieved of the menace of aggression, all may enjoy economic and social security; and that it is their intention to work together with other free peoples both in war and peace to this end. 

Submarine HMS Unshaken laid down.

GERMANY: Berlin: German soldiers have been told to eliminate any Russian Commissars they capture. This order, known as the 'Kommissarbefehl' [commissar order] was issued by Hitler six days ago under the title 'Guidelines for the Conduct of the Troops in Russia.'

Other key points are:

1. Bolshevism is the mortal enemy of the National Socialist German people; Germany's struggle is directed against this destructive ideology and its carriers.

2. This struggle demands ruthless and energetic measures against Bolshevik agitators, guerrillas, saboteurs and Jews, and the elimination of all resistance.

130 army divisions are reported massed on the Russian border.

NORWAY: The pocket battleship 'Lutzow' is severely damaged by RAF Beaufort torpedo bombers.

MALTA: RAF and Italian fighters engage in fierce battles.

SYRIA: 21 Aust Brigade continues to advance up the coast road towards Sidon. French now have six battalions (including two FFL) and most of their 90 tanks assembled between Mount Hermon and the desert for a counter-attack. A further three Tunisian battalions are in the Jebel Druse area. Unaware of this, General Lavarack decides to switch most of 25 Aust Brigade from the central axis to the coast to join 21 Aust Brigade, leaving a small holding force at Merdjayoun. General Legentilhomme (Free French) is wounded supervising attempts to capture Kiswe south of Damascus. He is replaced by Brig Lloyd (5 Ind Bde). General Wavell orders 16 Brit Brigade from Egypt to Syria to reinforce the invasion force.

CANADA: Corvettes HMCS Buctouche and Sherbrooke arrived Halifax from builders in Quebec City and Sorel respectively.

ATLANTIC OCEAN:

GERMANY: Dusseldorf: The German authorities fear that as many as 140,000 people are homeless today in this industrial city after an overnight raid by 783 RAF bombers. Nearly 2,000 tons of high-explosive and incendiary bombs devastated 130 acres of the city; thousands of separate fires were reported by the authorities, with 1,292 people killed. Munster was also hit by RAF contingents which included Canadian, Australian and Polish squadrons; 38 RAF planes were lost.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The island of Lampedusa surrenders to the Allies in Strait of Sicily. (Glenn Steinberg) RAF Sergeant Cohen "captures" the island after making a false landing.

Fighters, light, medium and heavy bombers of the Northwest African Strategic Air Force, the Northwest African Tactical Air Force and the USAAF Ninth Air Force hit Lampedusa Island in the Strait of Sicily. The island surrenders unconditionally, and Coldstream Guards go ashore and take charge.

About 0330, the unescorted Palima was hit by one torpedo from U-97 and sank rapidly. 24 crewmembers and two British gunners were lost. 37 crewmembers and two British gunners rescued themselves on a few rafts that had floated free. During the day they were spotted by an aircraft, picked up by a large whaleboat and a Greek destroyer and landed at Beirut the same day.

LIBYA: Tripoli: King George VI of Great Britain arrives in North Africa to visits the troops. He will go to Malta on the 20th.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The submarine USS Trout (SS-202) lands a five-man US Army team at Labangan, Mindanao.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: A major air raid by the IJNAF is mounted on Guadalcanal. They sustain heavy losses. Allied fighters shoot down 31 aircraft for the loss of six of their own. 

An estimated 50 IJN Mitsubishi A6M Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters, Allied Code Name "Zeke," are dispatched to attack Allied facilities and shipping at Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands. They are met by 91 Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), USAAF, USMC and USN fighters over the Russell Islands. USN F4F Wildcats down 14 "Zekes" at 1025 hours, USAAF P-40s down eight at 1030 hours and USMC F4U Corsairs down six at 1100 hours. Allied losses are six aircraft and two pilots.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: The crew of the destroyer USS Frazier (DD-607) spots the submarine HIJMS I-31 on the surface. The destroyers commences fire with 5-inch (127 mm) guns and hit a periscope as the submarine submerges.

CANADA: Frigate HMCS Montreal launched Montreal, Province of Quebec.

U.S.A.: "Taking A Chance On Love" by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra with vocal by Helen Forrest reaches Number 1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the U.S. The song is from the motion picture "Cabin In The Sky" starring Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. This song, which debuted on the charts on 8 May 1943, was charted for 11 weeks, was Number 1 for 3 weeks and was ranked Number 8 for the year 1943.
USS R-12 (SS-89) foundered during exercises off Key West, Florida.

Chuck Baisden gets married in Quartzite, Arizona. (Chuck Baisden)

US Submarine R-12 (SS-89), CO Edward E. Shelby, is sunk during a training exercise off Key West-Cause unknown Atlantic. 42 men died, including Brazilian observers. No survivors (one report lists three survivors). (Joe Sauder)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-118 (Type XB) is sunk in the mid-Atlantic west of the Canary Islands, in position 30.49N, 33.49W by depth charges from eight Avenger aircraft of the US escort carrier USS Bogue. 43 dead, 16 survivors. (Alex Gordon)

U-333 shot down an RAF Sunderland and was damaged in the action.

UNITED KINGDOM: 

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

Mission 407: With bad weather over top priority targets in Germany, 1,442 bombers are dispatched against airfields and landing grounds in northeastern France and rail and road bridges on the Brest Peninsula; 691 of 769 B-17s and 586 of 673 B-24s hit 16 airfields and six railroad bridges in the Rennes and St Nazaire area; they claim 1-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; six B-17s and two B-24s are lost Fighters fly 988 sorties the loss of 16 aircraft:

1. 234 P-38 Lightnings, 80 P-47 Thunderbolts and 201 P-51 Mustangs fly escort, sweeps and patrols over the English Channel and in the Rennes area; they claim 20-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; three P-38s, a P-47 and three P-51s are lost.

2. 93 P-38s and 183 P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions against five railroad bridges in the Tours-Paris area; they claim 5-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; a P-38 and eight P-47s are lost.

3. 45 P-38s and 152 P-51s fly escort for Ninth Air Force A-20 Havocs and B-26 Marauders.

Mission 408: Seven B-17s drop leaflets on France and Belgium during the night.

Sixteen B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.

German General der Artillerie Erich Marcks LXXXIV AK is killed at St-Lo/Perriers. (138)(Russ Folsom)

Normandy: Montgomery tells reporters "we have won the battle of the beaches", as Allied forces take Carentan.

Normandy: One of the most remarkable aspects of the whole Overlord operation came into use today off the Normandy coast. This is the "Mulberry" harbour, which is made up of a number of steel structures which are combined to make a floating dock. It will enable supply ships to unload off the landing beaches instead of having to wait until a proper port is in Allied hands.

It was the Dieppe raid of August 1942 which convinced the Allies that to base the Allied invasion of France on the immediate capture of a port was impracticable. Yet, if the armies were to be kept supplied once they were ashore, there had to be facilities available for ships to unload. The British had been thinking about the problem since 1942 and quickly recognized the necessity of taming the often rough Channel seas. Various ideas for doing this were tried, including the use of streams of bubbles to cancel out the waves and vast floats, nicknamed "Lilos", made of welded rubber with concrete keels.

Eventually it was decided that a rigid breakwater was the best answer. Metal and concrete pontoons known as "Bombardons" were therefore designed and manufactured. After some modification, 15 of these were tested off Weymouth during the spring gales of April this year and passed with flying colours. Because they did not look like anything in particular, they were anchored in south-eastern ports and German air reconnaissance never recognized their significance.

Bombardons enables ships to unload, but the supplies still have to be brought ashore. This is done on "Swiss Roll", a floating trackway strong enough for heavy lorries. Two Mulberries have been assembled at Arromanches and St. Laurent to support the British and US Armies respectively.

"It was a wonderful moment to find myself re-entering France almost exactly 4 years after being thrown out for the second time at St. Nazaire. Floods of memories came back of my last trip of despair, and those long four years of work and anxiety at last crowned by the success of a re-entry into France."

Brooke then writes of being met on the beach by Monty, motoring to his headquarters, being briefed by him and then having lunch. ". . . my thoughts wandered off to 4 years ago when I was at Le Mans and Laval waiting for Monty and his 3rd Division to join me. [This is of the first time that Brooke was driven from France by the Germans.] I knew then that it would not be long before I was kicked out of France if I was not killed or taken prisoner, but if anybody had told me then that in 4 years time I would return with Winston and Smuts to lunch with Monty commanding a new invasion force I should have found it hard to believe it."

(William Jay Stone)

The U.S. 501st P.I.R. and the 506th P.I.R., attacked with the mission of establishing defensive positions outside of Carentan. They are stopped by German resistance. Defending are elements of the 17th S.S. Pz. Div., 37th S.S. Pz. Gren. Regt., reinforced by a company of the 17th S.S. Tank Bn., and a platoon of the 17th A.T. Bn.

IV Corps's defences are focused around Kivennapa, where lies the attacker's shortest way to Viipuri. However, the Leningrad Front commander Gen. Govorov has received permission to act as he sees fit, and he immediately transfers the point of main effort. The attacking Red Army units now concentrate on the very southernmost part of the front, on the coastal road running along the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland, where the Finnish defences are the weakest.

The commander of the Finnish 3rd Brigade (which is on its way to the Karelian Isthmus) Col. Joose Hannula is killed in an aerial attack. He is succeeded by Col. Kai Savonjousi.

However badly things have gone so far for the Finns, there are some signs of hope. Today Hitler rescinds the ban on arms exports he had imposed earlier because of the Finnish peace-feelers. From eastern Karelia, north of Lake Ladoga, the 17th Division (Maj. Gen. Alonzo Sundman) and 20th Brigade (Col. Armas Kemppi) are ordered to transfer to the Isthmus. Finnish AA-defences claim 15 enemy planes shot down.

MARIANAS ISLANDS: US TF 58 continues to attack Tinian, Siapan and Guam. The Japanese naval forces sail from Tawi Tawi and Batavia, and are sighted. The Japanese intend to fight their "Decisive Battle". The land element of their plan has been destroyed by the US carrier attacks.
(Jack McKillop adds): Supplementing the above, eight Navy Type 1 Attack Bombers , Allied Code Name "Betty," based on Truk Island, attack the main body of TF 58 from 0315 to 0415 hours. No damage is done to the US ships and one "Betty" is shot down. Task Group 58.1 consisting of the aircraft carriers USS Bataan, USS Belleau Wood, USS Hornet and USS Yorktown have been detached from the main body of TF 58 to begin air attacks on Guam. The main body of TF 58 attacks Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Pagan Islands in the Mariana Islands. At least ten, and possible fourteen, Japanese ships and numerous fishing vessels have been sunk or damaged near Saipan in two strikes by TG 58.4 (USS Essex, USS Cowpens and USS Langley).

In the first U.S. deployment of a guided missile unit into a combat theater, elements of Special Task Air Group One arrive in the Russell Islands in the South Pacific.

NEW GUINEA: Fierce ground fighting continues on Biak Island while Japanese aircraft attack Allied ground forces and shipping offshore. USAAF Fifth Air Force P-47s shoot down seven IJN Nakajima B5N Navy Type 97 Carrier Attack Bombers, Allied Code Name "Kate," and an IJA Kawasaki Ki-61 Army Type 3 Fighter Hien, AlliedCode Name "Tony" near Biak between 1030 and 1045 hours.

BURMA: Rfn. Ganju lama (b.1922), 7th Gurkha Rifles, went forward alone under heavy fire and knocked out two Japanese tanks and their crews. (Victoria Cross)

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 524, Mediterranean.

1. PC-558 was sunk as a result of enemy action in the Mediterranean on May 9, 1944.

2. The next of kin of casualties have been notified.

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 525, Pacific and Far East.

1. U. S. submarines have reported sinking eighteen vessels as a result of operations against the enemy in these waters, as follows:

1 large tanker

1 medium transport

6 medium cargo transports 6 medium cargo vessels

4 small cargo vessels

2. These actions have not been reported in any previous Navy Department communiqué.

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 441, Carrier aircraft again struck Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan on- June 11 (West Longitude Date). Truk Atoll was attacked by Liberators of the Seventh Army Air Force at night on June 9 and 10. Airfields at Param, Eten, Dublon and Moen Islands were principal targets. Several fires were started.

Ponape Island was bombed by Seventh Army Air Force Liberators on the night of June 9. Ponape Town and gun positions were hit. Ventura search planes of Fleet Air Wing Two bombed Ocean Island during daylight on June 9, encountering moderate antiaircraft fire.

Two of the planes continued to Nauru Island to strafe small craft there.

On June 10 Mitchells of the Seventh Army Air Force bombed Nauru, and started fires visible twenty miles. Heavy antiaircraft fire downed one Mitchell bomber. A Catalina search plane of Fleet Air Wing Two rescued the crew.

Enemy Positions in the Marshalls were bombed and strafed on June 9, during the night of June 9-10, and on June 10. Corsair fighters and Dauntless dive bombers of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing, Catalina search planes of Fleet Air Wing Two and Navy Hellcat fighters participated in these attacks. Coastal defence guns and antiaircraft batteries were hit. (Denis Peck)