19 Oct 1940
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
- German submarines U-38, U-46, U-47, and two others attacked Allied convoy HX-79 200 miles west of Ireland, sinking 5 ships and damaging tanker Shirak. ww2dbase [U-47 | U-38 | U-46 | First Happy Time | TH]
- German submarines U-99, U-100, U-101, and U-123 continued to attack Allied convoy SC-7 100 miles northwest of Ireland. U-123 sank British ship Shekatika as Shekatika received her fifth torpedo hit. U-99 sank Norwegian ship Snefjeld; the entire crew of 21 survived. ww2dbase [U-100 | U-123 | U-101 | U-99 | First Happy Time | CPC]
- Alessandro Malaspina sighted Dutch freighter Bussum in the Atlantic Ocean at 2345 hours and began to give chase. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | Alessandro Malaspina | CPC]
- While escorting Romanian freighter Ingener N. Vlassopol Canadian auxiliary minesweeper HMCS Bras d'Or sank during a storm in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in northeastern Canada, killing the entire crew of 30. ww2dbase [Gulf of Saint Lawrence | CPC]
- The Secours National, established during WW1, was revived by French government decree in preparation of the coming first winter under German occupation. ww2dbase [CPC]
- I-68 was decommissioned from service. ww2dbase [I-68/I-168 | CPC]
- During the day, a German Ju 88 bomber was shot down near Maidstone, Kent and another near Falmouth, Cornwall in England, United Kingdom. A raid of 60 German fighters and fighter-bombers for London was intercepted by 5 RAF squadrons over Kent at 1430 hours; 2 British fighters were shot down during the battle with 1 pilot killed. Overnight, London, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, and Coventry were bombed. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | England | CPC]
- British destroyer HMS Venetia hit a mine and sank in the Thames Estuary 10 miles north of Herne Bay, Kent in southern England; 35 were killed and 18 were wounded. ww2dbase [Herne Bay, England | CPC]

19 Oct 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
- » US Women's Army Corps "Six Triple Eight" Awarded with Congressional Gold Medal (30 Apr 2025)
- » Wreck of Soviet Submarine M-49 Found (10 Apr 2025)
- » Japanese Emperor Visited Iwoto (Iwo Jima) (8 Apr 2025)
- » Race, Holocaust, and African-American WW2 Histories Removed from the US Naval Academy Library (7 Apr 2025)
- » US Government Plans to Purge WW2 Information (17 Mar 2025)
- » See all news
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,167 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 44,614 timeline entries
- » 1,244 ships
- » 350 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 376 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 261 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,515 photos
- » 365 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terrors. Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."Winston Churchill
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!