28 Jun 1940 | World War II Database

28 Jun 1940

Soviet Union occupied Bessarabia and the Northern Bukovina, ceded by Romania. ww2dbase [Soviet Demands on Romania and the Second Vienna Arbitration | TH]
General Charles de Gaulle was recognized by the United Kingdom as the leader of Free French forces. ww2dbase [Charles de Gaulle | TH]
Pope Pius XII offered to be a mediator for the warring powers. ww2dbase [Pius XII | TH]
British Blenheim bomber attacked Tobruk in North Africa. Following the raid, Italian Governor-General of Libya Marshal Italo Balbo returned from a reconnaissance flight. Italian anti-aircraft crews, still jumpy from the raid, mis-identified his aircraft for a British bomber and opened fire, killing Balbo. Given Balbo's opposition to Mussolini's alliance with Germany, some believe this friendly fire incident was actually an assassination. ww2dbase [TH]
German submarine U-30 sank British ship Llanarth 250 miles west of Brest, France at 0200 hours. ww2dbase [CPC]
British trawler Castleton became missing in the Orkney Islands in northern Scotland, probably sunk by U-102 which did not return from this patrol. ww2dbase [CPC]
Stafford Cripps was appointed the British Ambassador to the Soviet Union. ww2dbase [CPC]

Guernsey

The British Channel Islands were partially evacuated after being demilitarized to minimize casualties to be caused by the imminent German attacks. On the same day, German Luftwaffe aircraft bombed Guernsey and Jersey, killing 33 and injuring 40. ww2dbase [Guernsey | TH]

United Kingdom

Douglas Bader was named the commanding officer of No. 242 Squadron RAF, flying Hurricane fighters, based at RAF Coltishall at Norwich, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Douglas Bader | Norwich, England | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 28 Jun 1940

Refugees lining up outside a support center for refugees set up by the German occupation, Cherbourg, France, Jun 1940

Soviet BA-10 armored cars entering Romania, late Jun 1940

Soviet T-26 tank leading a column of BA-10 armored cars into Romania, circa late Jun 1940

Soviet BA-10 armored cars in Romania, circa late Jun 1940

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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