4 Oct 1940 | World War II Database

4 Oct 1940

China

6 Hawk 75 fighters of the Chinese 18th Squadron were in transit when they came across 27 Japanese G3M bombers escorted by 8 A6M Zero fighters, en route to attack Chengdu, Sichuan, China. The Zero fighters shot down 1 and forcing 2 to crash land. ww2dbase [Bombing of Shanghai, Chongqing, and other Cities | CPC]
Nationalist Chinese troops launched an attack on Communist Chinese New 4th Army in Huangqiao ("Yellow Bridge"), Jiangsu Province, China, nearly taking the town. ww2dbase [Battle of Huangqiao | Huangqiao, Jiangsu | CPC]

France

The Secours National, being planned for revival in preparation of the first winter under German occupation, was placed under Philippe Pétain's authority. On the same day, Pétain wrote to Henry Dhavernas, founder of the youth group Compagnons, in support of his efforts. ww2dbase [Philippe Pétain | CPC]
Comandante Faà di Bruno arrived at Pauillac, Aquitaine, France, ending her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Comandante Faà di Bruno | Pauillac, Aquitaine | CPC]

French West Africa

General Charles de Gaulle arrived in Douala, French Cameroon via British cruiser HMS Devonshire to organize the invasion of Gabon, which was controlled by Vichy French forces. ww2dbase [Charles de Gaulle | Douala, Cameroon | CPC]

Italy

Adolf Hitler met Benito Mussolini in the Brenner Pass on the Italian-Austrian border. Benito Mussolini was happy to notice that Adolf Hitler seemed to have given up on any talks of invading Britain. ww2dbase [Adolf Hitler | Brenner, Sudtirolo | TH]
British submarine HMS Triton attacked various targets at Vado Ligure and Savona, near Genoa, Italy with her deck gun, damaging shore installations and sinking ship Franca Fassio. ww2dbase [Vado Ligure, Liguria | CPC]
Morosini departed Naples, Italy at 0825 hours for exercises, returning at 1600 hours. ww2dbase [Morosini | Naples, Campania | CPC]

Mediterranean Sea

British submarine HMS Rainbow collided with Italian ship Antonietta Costa and sank in the Adriatic Sea 20 miles north of Brindisi, Italy. All 55 aboard were lost. ww2dbase [Adriatic Sea | CPC]
British submarine HMS Tetrarch attacked an Italian merchant ship west of Italy without success. ww2dbase [CPC]

United Kingdom

The British Admiralty announced the sinking of seven German submarines. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | TH]
In Britain, German bombers attacked Kent in southern England and the area near London, damaging homes, farms, and factories. The Germans lost 2 Ju 88 bombers and the British lost 3 fighters with 1 pilot killed. Overnight, London was bombed between 1900 and 2100 hours. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | England | CPC]
In Operation Lucid, British tankers War Nizam and War African, filled with oil and gasoline and to be used as fire ships, departed Sheerness and Harwich in England, United Kingdom with 11 destroyers, 6 minesweepers, and a number of torpedo boats in escort. They were dispatched to destroy ports on the English Channel coast that housed German invasion barges, but rough seas caused the mission to be canceled shortly after commencing. ww2dbase [Sheerness, England | CPC]
Sir Cyril Newall retired as British Chief of Air Staff and was replaced by Sir Charles Portal. ww2dbase [Charles Portal | AC]
Sir Richard Peirse became Commander-in-Chief of the British RAF Bomber Command. ww2dbase [AC]

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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