6 Aug 1940
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
- British merchant ship Boma (Master Charles Eric Anders), damaged by a torpedo from U-56 on the previous day, sank 60 kilometers northwest of Malin Head, County Donegal, Ireland. 3 were killed on the previous day during the attack; 50 survived and were later landed at Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Alessandro Malaspina sighted Spanish freighter Sebastian off Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean at 1320 hours. Shortly after, she sighted Portuguese destroyer Douro. ww2dbase [Alessandro Malaspina | CPC]
- Destroyers USS Walke and USS Wainwright arrived at Santos, São Paulo, Brazil. ww2dbase [Santos, São Paulo | CPC]
- Italian troops under Brigadier General Bertello captured Odweina, British Somaliland. ww2dbase [Invasion of British Somaliland | Odweina | CPC]
- Ba Maw, the pro-Japanese anti-British former Premier of Burma, was arrested for attacking Premier U Pu's policy of supporting Britain in the war against Germany. Ba Maw received a one year jail sentence. ww2dbase [Ba Maw | AC]
- US Army transport American Legion reached Petsamo, Finland to embark American nationals from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands wishing to return to the United States. ww2dbase [Petsamo | CPC]
- Maggiore Baracca departed La Spezia, Italy at 0820 hours for exercises, returning at 1805 hours. ww2dbase [Maggiore Baracca | La Spezia, Liguria | CPC]
- Operation Tube: British submarine HMS Pandora reached Malta from Gibraltar with ground equipment and spare parts for the Hurricane fighters delivered by aircraft carrier HMS Argus 2 Aug during Operation Hurry. ww2dbase [Malta Campaign | CPC]
- The Italian cruisers Da Barbiano (Ammiraglio di divisione Marenco di Moriondo) and Di Giussano together with destroyers Pigafetta and Zeno deployed 394 mines south south-east of the Italian island of Pantelleria (Barrage 7 AN), under the escort of torpedo boats Cassiopea, Cigno, Pleiadi and Aldebaran. ww2dbase [HM]
- British submarine HMS Sealion was rammed by German anti-submarine vessel UJ-123 while running at periscope depth attacking a convoy 20 miles off the southern coast of Norway. Sealion would be able to return to the Tyne on 15 Aug and would remain in repair until 23 Oct. ww2dbase [CPC]
- At 0630 hours, Hurricane fighters of No. 85 Squadron RAF shot down a German Do 17 aircraft on a reconnaissance mission over a convoy east of Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom. Also on this day, a lone German aircraft bombed the RAF station at Llandow, Wales, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | CPC]
- Delos Emmons departed the United States for London, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Delos Emmons | CPC]
6 Aug 1940 Interactive Map
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Please help us spread the word: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Search WW2DB

News
- » Wreck of Teruzuki Found (27 Jul 2025)
- » USS Orlean's Bow Found (22 Jul 2025)
- » The Emperor of Japan Planned to Honor WW2-era Japanese POWs in Mongolia (4 Jul 2025)
- » US State Lawmaker John Winter Caught Using Racial Slur "Jap" and Apologized (11 Jun 2025)
- » US Government Plans to Purge WW2 Information (17 Mar 2025)
- » See all news
Random Photograph
Aerial view of Bethlehem San Francisco Shipyard, San Francisco, California, United States, 9 Feb 1945Current Site Statistics
- » 1,182 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 45,119 timeline entries
- » 1,248 ships
- » 350 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 376 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 261 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,410 photos
- » 365 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"All that silly talk about the advance of science and such leaves me cold. Give me peace and a retarded science."Thomas Dodd, late 1945
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!