18 Jul 1940
  • HMS Cumberland departed Simonstown, near Cape Town, South Africa in search for the German armed merchant cruiser Thor, suspected to be off the Brazilian coast. ww2dbase [Cumberland | CPC]
  • German submarine U-99 sank British ship Woodbury 150 miles southwest of Ireland; the entire crew of 35 survived and took to lifeboats. German submarine U-58 sank Norwegian ship Gyda 30 miles northwest of Ireland at 1641 hours; 11 were killed and 9 survived. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | CPC]
  • Adolf Galland was promoted to Major. ww2dbase [Adolf Galland | AC]
  • British bombers attacked the Dortmund-Ems Canal in Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | CPC]
  • British destroyer Cotswold was launched. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • British minesweeper Polruan was launched. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • German began broadcasting propaganda through Radio Caledonia, aiming at urging Scottish separatism. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • German submarine U-95 was launched. ww2dbase [CPC]
Atlantic Ocean
  • British steam merchant Dunstan spotted the lifeboat containing survivors of Norwegian steam tanker Sarita, which was sunken by German submarine UA four days prior, in the Atlantic Ocean. The survivors were picked up and would be taken to Pernambuco, Brazil. ww2dbase [UA | HM]
Austria Canada
  • Canadian corvette Wetaskiwin was launched in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ww2dbase [North Vancouver, British Columbia | CPC]
  • The Canadian Navy placed an order for 12 motor torpedo boat with Canadian Power Boat Company, Limited in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; this order would later result in MTB 332 through 343. ww2dbase [Montreal, Quebec | CPC]
France Gibraltar
  • French aircraft bombed Gibraltar in retaliation for recent British attacks on French warships, but most of the bombs fell into the sea. ww2dbase [CPC]
United Kingdom
  • 15 Spitfire fighters of No. 152 and No. 610 Squadron engaged 30 Bf 109 fighters off Beachey Head on the southern coast of England, United Kingdom, resulting in 1 British fighter lost. Elsewhere, German bombers attacked Montrose Aerodrome on the east coast of Scotland, United Kingdom, killing 2 and wounding 3. Further to the south, German bombers sank the East Goodwin Light Vessel. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | England | CPC]
  • The United Kingdom recognized the Czechoslovakian government-in-exile in London, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [London, England | CPC]
United States
  • Franklin Roosevelt received an almost unanimous invitation at the Democrat Convention in Chicago, Illinois, United States to stand as the party's candidate for the 1940 presidential election. If elected he would become the first US President to remain in office for more than two terms. ww2dbase [Franklin Roosevelt | Chicago, Illinois | CPC, AC]

18 Jul 1940 Interactive Map

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




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds

Search WW2DB
Famous WW2 Quote
"All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us... they can't get away this time."

Lt. Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, at Guadalcanal


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!