24 Aug 1940 | World War II Database

24 Aug 1940

German submarine U-57 attacked Allied convoy OB-202 2 miles north of Ireland just after midnight; British ships Saint Dunstan and Cumberland were sunk, killing 14 and 4, respectively; British ship Havildar was damaged. German submarine U-48 sank British tanker La Brea, carrying 9,410 tons of fuel oil, 130 miles west of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, United Kingdom at 1414 hours, killing 2; 31 survived and made it to the Outer Hebrides on lifeboats. 500 miles west of Ireland, German submarine U-37 sank British ship Brookwood at 0314 hours, killing 1; 35 crew and 1 gunner would remain adrift for 5 days before being picked up by British merchant ship Clan Macbean. At 2038 hours, U-37 struck again, sinking British sloop HMS Penzance escorting Allied convoy SC-1, killing 90; 7 survivors were rescued by British ship Blairmore. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | CPC]
German armed merchant cruiser Atlantis sank British ship King City, carrying 7,300 tons of coal and coke for Singapore, 900 miles east of Madagascar, killing 6. Atlantis remained in the area, in very rough seas, to pick up the survivors. ww2dbase [Atlantis | CPC]
Bismarck was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Bismarck | CPC]

Italy

Maggiore Baracca departed La Spezia, Italy at 1002 hours for exercises, returning at 1930 hours. ww2dbase [Maggiore Baracca | La Spezia, Liguria | CPC]

United Kingdom

Before dawn, the London Blitz began as a misguided group of German bombers of KG1 unloaded their bombs London's Thames Haven oil terminal, which also damaged the church of St. Gile in East End; Göring demanded to know the crews that did this so to punish them. Clear weather allowed the German attacks to restart in size. German bombers arrived in waves against RAF Hornchurch, RAF North Weald, and RAF Manston in southern England; the Germans lost 22 fighters and 18 bombers, while the British lost 20 fighters. At 1600 hours, 50 German aircraft bombed Portsmouth in southern England, killing 100 civilians and wounding a further 300, while damaging HMS Acheron (killing 2, wounding 3) and HMS Bulldog (killing the commanding officer) in the harbor. Overnight, deliberate bombing of London, England, United Kingdom began, hitting north, east, and west of the city. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | London, England | CPC]
James Lacey shot down a German Ju 88 aircraft and a Do 17 bomber over Britain. ww2dbase [James Lacey | CPC]
Hans-Joachim Marseille scored his first kill, a British Hurricane Mk I fighter, over Kent, England, United Kingdom. While he was congratulated by his commanding officer, he was also reprimanded because he achieved the kill after abandoning his wingman to pursue the target. Later that evening, in his diary, he noted great sadness when he thought about the enemy pilot's mother not being able to see his son again. ww2dbase [Hans-Joachim Marseille | England | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 24 Aug 1940

Commissioning ceremony of German battleship Bismarck, 24 Aug 1940, photo 01 of 10

Commissioning ceremony of German battleship Bismarck, 24 Aug 1940, photo 02 of 10; Captain Ernst Lindemann coming aboard

Commissioning ceremony of German battleship Bismarck, 24 Aug 1940, photo 03 of 10; portrait of Captain Ernst Lindemann

Commissioning ceremony of German battleship Bismarck, 24 Aug 1940, photo 04 of 10; Captain Ernst Lindemann reviewing crew

See all photos dated 24 Aug 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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