13 Jan 1940
- German submarine U-20 torpedoed Swedish steamer Sylvia at 0430 hours northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland. Sylvia sank within a minute, taking the lives of the entire crew of 20. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Soviet submarine ShCh-324 attacked an Axis convoy in the Sea of Aland, but all torpedoes missed. Finnish Navy converted yacht Aura II retaliated with depth charges, but the wooden yacht was destroyed when one of the depth charges exploded in the thrower, killing 26; 15 survived the sinking. ww2dbase [ShCh-324 | CPC]
- The Yakovlev YA-26 prototype, later to become the Yak-1 fighter, took flight. This prototype would be lost in an accident in Apr 1940. ww2dbase [Yak-1 | AC]
- Adolf Hitler postponed the attack of France and the Low Countries. ww2dbase [Invasion of France and the Low Countries | CPC]
- The German Navy Operations Division reported that while Norway presented strategic importance, Germany should not invade the neutral country if there was little risk of a British violation of Norwegian neutrality. ww2dbase [Invasion of Denmark and Norway | CPC]
- USS Helena crossed the Equator for the first time. ww2dbase [Helena (St. Louis-class) | CPC]
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: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Search WW2DB
News
- » WW2DB's 19th Anniversary (29 Dec 2023)
- » Looted Painting "Madonna with Child" Returned to Poland (2 Jun 2023)
- » Wreck of USS Mannert L. Abele Found (29 May 2023)
- » Wreck of Montevideo Maru Found (25 Apr 2023)
- » Accidental Detonation of a WW2-Era Bomb in Great Yarmouth (10 Feb 2023)
- » See all news
Random Photograph
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,147 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 43,435 timeline entries
- » 1,237 ships
- » 349 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 372 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 259 facilities
- » 468 book reviews
- » 28,403 photos
- » 432 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"We no longer demand anything, we want war."Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister, Aug 1939
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!