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• » 23 Aug 1940

• German propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels launched a new campaign that stressed the British fighting spirit in an attempt to rally Germany behind the war effort. ww2dbase [Joseph Goebbels | CPC]
• Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney, Australian destroyer HMAS Stuart, and British destroyers HMS Diamond, HMS Ilex, HMS Juno bombarded the Italian seaplane base at Bomba, Libya. ww2dbase [CPC]
• German submarine U-37 torpedoed Norwegian ship Keret in the Atlantic Ocean 500 miles west of Ireland at 0222 hours, killing 13; 7 survivors in a lifeboat and a raft were rescued by British ship Trident. In the general area, at 1250 hours, U-37 sank British ship Severn Leigh, killing 32 crew and 1 gunner; 10 survivors would make it to Outer Hebrides, Scotland on 5 Sep. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | CPC]
• Destroyers USS Walke and USS Wainwright departed Pará, Brazil for the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. ww2dbase [CPC]
• James Lacey was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. ww2dbase [James Lacey | CPC]

• The British RAF flew a retaliation strike against Berlin, Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Berlin | CPC]

• British destroyer HMS Hostile (H55) hit a mine 10 miles east of Cape Bon, Tunisia at 0317 hours, killing 5 and wounding 3. The mine was laid by Italian destroyer Maestrale during the night of 8-9 Aug 1940. After the survivors were taken aboard by destroyers HMS Hero and HMS Mohawk, HMS Hero (H99) scuttled Hostile with torpedoes. ww2dbase [CPC, HM]

• Rain and clouds prevented the Germans from mounting large raids against Britain, giving the British airmen a chance to rest and crews a chance to repair airfields. Single-aircraft raids were, however, mounted against southern and central England, as were raids against shipping; two merchant ships were sunk and one was damaged by He 115 torpedo bombers. Overnight, German bombers raided British cities; British fighters shot down two of the night raiders with no losses of their own, while anti-aircraft gunners claimed a third. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | CPC]

• Heavy cruisers USS Wichita (with chief of Cruiser Division 7 Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens on board) and USS Quincy arrived at Montevideo, Uruguay. ww2dbase [Quincy (New Orleans-class) | Montevideo | CPC]

23 Aug 1940 Interactive Map