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Diary Of WW2 — Day 281

Jun 07, 01:00 PM

Friday 7th June 1940

Advancing along the French coast, German forces take Montdidier, Noyon and Fores-les-Eaux. They are now only 20 miles from the Seine at Rouen.

The British cruiser Devonshire carries the King of Norway and his government from Tromso to Britain.

As another part of the evacuation, aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and her escort HMS Acasta and HMS Ardent, are ahead of the main force and heading for Scapa Flow. They are intercepted by German cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst and, although Acasta badly-damages Scharnhorst with a torpedo, all three ships are lost.

The aircraft aboard Glorious, RAF Hurricanes and Gladiators are not naval versions and could not provide air cover. Only a handful of men survive the sinkings as the Admiralty do not realise the ships are missing.

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Diary Of WW2, Commando Magazine’s Military History of the Second World War with comic art and illustrations of the army, navy and air forces involved.