Chronology of World War II

Thursday, May 1, 1941

In Iraq... Fighting begins when Iraqi soldiers make a small attack on the British outpost at Rutba (west of Baghdad, about 125 miles from the Transjordan border). Iraqi forces are also established in positions around the Habbaniyah airfield. The Iraqi forces amount to about four divisions in total. Two are in the Baghdad area.

In North Africa... Rommel's attack on Tobruk continues. He attempts to widen and deepen the gap already won in the defenses but the Australian forces fight fiercely and largely contain the attacks.

Friday, May 2, 1941

In North Africa... The fighting in Tobruk continues with little change in the positions on either side.

In Iraq... The British airfield at Habbaniyah is attacked by considerable Iraqi ground forces. The British have about 80 obsolescent aircraft at Habbaniyah, many of them training types. Despite their age and unsuitability they are immediately employed against the Iraqi forces with considerable success. The British are, therefore, encouraged to hold Habbaniyah although their ground force there is very small. There are also some skirmishes at several points near the Persian Gulf, especially at Basra where there are riots and some shooting in opposition to further British landings.

Saturday, May 3, 1941

In East Africa... The British forces begin attacks from the north against the Italian positions at Amba Alagi. These positions guard passes in the road between Asmara and Addis Ababa. They are based on a number of steep and rugged hills and there are numerous caves. The position is very strong.

In Iraq... There are British attacks on the Iraqi positions around Habbaniyah and by air on the Iraqi Rashid airfield.

Sunday, May 4, 1941

In North Africa... Rommel halts his attack on Tobruk. The Germans will continue to hold the enclave in the perimeter that they have won but will not be able to extend it at any time later in the seige. For both sides life at Tobruk settles down into a style not unlike the trench warfare of World War I. The ground is very hard so that trenches are often shallow at first. This means their occupants must stay virtually motionless during the day. Neither side is well supplied. Both sides adopt a policy of offensive night patrols to prevent any relaxation.

In Iraq... An airfield at Mosul which is being used by a small German force is one RAF target on this day. The German force is receiving supplies from and via Syria with the cooperation of the Vichy authorities.

In East Africa... The Italian forces around Amba Alagi are driven off three hills in the west of their position by attacks from the 29th Indian Brigade.

Monday, May 5, 1941

In East Africa... Emperor Haile Selassie triumphantly returns to his capital, Addis Ababa. In the battles at Amba Alagi the Italian Middle Hill position is taken.

In North Africa... During the night of May 5-6th, supplies are brought to the besieged garrison in Tobruk by destroyer for the first time. From now until the end of the siege two destroyers will be used on such missions on most nights and at about weekly intervals reinforcements will be brought in and the wounded evacuated.

Tuesday, May 6, 1941

In the Mediterranean... The British try to run a convoy through the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to Egypt. Churchill is the driving force behind this decision and has ordered the operation because he wishes the supplies and tanks carried in the ships to form the basis of an offensive in the desert. The operation is code named Tiger. There are five transports. On May 6th they pass Gibraltar and are joined by one battleship, a carrier from Force H and another battleship which is to go on to join the Mediterranean Fleet. With these heavy units are four cruisers and seven destroyers. Six more destroyers join the convoy from Gibraltar. Also, two convoys leave Alexandria for Malta with an escort of five cruisers and three destroyers. Cunningham takes the whole of the Mediterranean Fleet out in support with three battleships, his single carrier, three cruisers and 19 destroyers.

In Iraq... The British forces consolidate their hold on Habbaniyah airfield, driving the Iraqis back from Sin el Dhibban toward Fallujah, nearer the capital. The 21st Indian Brigade arrives at Basra.

In Moscow... The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet nominates Stalin President of the Council of People's Commissars. Previously Stalin has held only the office of general secretary of the Communist Party.

Wednesday, May 7, 1941

In the Mediterranean... Part of Cunningham's Mediterranean Fleet shells the harbor at Benghazi sinking two ships.

In the North Atlantic... In a special operation mounted for the purpose the German trawler Munchen , a weather ship, is captured northeast of Iceland and secret papers relating to the Enigma coding machine are taken.

In Iraq... General Quinan takes command of the British forces in Iraq.

Thursday, May 8, 1941

In the Indian Ocean... The British heavy cruiser Cornwall finds and sinks the German raider Pinguin near the Seychelles. The Pinguin has sunk 28 ships of 136,550 tons during its cruise.

In the Mediterranean... There are air attacks on the eastward and westward bound British convoys. The carrier with each convoy engages the attacking Italian planes.

In East Africa... The Amba Alagi fighting continues. Indian forces take the the Falagi Pass and three small peaks south of Amba Alagi itself.

Friday, May 9, 1941

In the North Atlantic... After sinking two ships from the convoy OB-318, U-110 is forced to surface by a depth-charge attack and is boarded and captured. Throughout the war the Germans do not discover that U-110 has been captured.

In the Mediterranean... One of the Operation Tiger transports sinks on a mine. Force H begins to return to Gibraltar.

Saturday, May 10, 1941

In Britain... Rudolf Hess, the deputy leader of the NSDAP and second in line to Goring as heir to Hitler, flies to Britain on a bizarre peace mission. He lands by parachute at Eaglesham near Glasgow, hoping to contact the Duke of Hamilton whom he met at the 1936 Olympics. He believes that there is a considerable body of British opinion that is opposed to Churchill but is also anti-Communist and therefore prepared to consider making common ground on these terms with Germany. He is immediately disowned by the German authorities (he has left a note explaining himself to Hitler) and this prompt reaction detracts from the propaganda value that the episode might have had for the British.

In the Mediterranean... Benghazi is shelled again by part of Cunningham's Mediterranean Fleet.

In East Africa... The Amba Alagi fighting continues. Indian forces take the Gumsa position.

In Iraq... British-led forces from the Jordanian Arab Legion take Rutba. A stronger detachment, Habforce, is being prepared for a move to Rutba. Part of this force, to be known as Kingcol, will then move on to relieve Habbaniyah.

Sunday, May 11, 1941

In the North Atlantic... U-110 sinks from the depth charge damage while on the way to Iceland.

Monday, May 12, 1941

In the Mediterranean... All the ships of the British convoys have reached their destinations. Operation Tiger has brought 238 tanks and 43 Hurricanes to Egypt for the loss of 57 tanks.

Tuesday, May 13, 1941

In Berlin... Martin Bormann is appointed to take Hess' former position. He is given the title of party chancellor, an important step in his rise to power.

In Iraq... The exiled Mufti of Jerusalem broadcasts from Baghdad summoning all Islamic countries to join the fight against Britain.

Wednesday, May 14, 1941

In East Africa... The South African force advancing north from Addis Ababa has now joined the Amba Alagi battle and moves to attack the Italian Triangle position. The attacks are held during the day but the Italians retire at night. Italian morale is now very low, largely because of the fierce and undisciplined conduct of the Ethiopian guerrilla forces supporting the Allies.

Thursday, May 15, 1941

In North Africa... Wavell begins an operation code named Brevity. It is designed to capture Halfaya Pass and gain ground leading to the more open areas of the Cyrenaica Plateau. The information which has been received from the interception of German signals, especially from the recent reports of General Paulus on the situation in Africa, has convinced Churchill that the German forces are weak and overextended. General Gott commands the Brevity operation. His plan calls for mixed columns to advance to Halfaya Pass and Fort Capuzzo and for a tank force to move to Sidi Aziz. On the first day the forces on the coast reach and capture Halfaya, but the 22nd Guards Brigade is held up in heavy fighting at Capuzzo. The tank force on the left makes good ground initially but the approach of the German 8th Panzer Regiment causes the British to decide to withdraw during May 16th.

In Occupied Yugoslavia... An independent Kingdom of Croatia is established with Italian backing.

From London... The British government announces that German planes are arriving in Syria and using Syrian bases to move on to Iraq.

Over Syria... The RAF bombs Palmyra and Damascus airfields. These attacks continue over the next few days.

In the Mediterranean... There are powerful German air attacks on the island of Crete. These are in preparation for the coming landing and are designed to subdue the garrison and compel the RAF to withdraw its few aircraft from Crete.

Friday, May 16, 1941

Over Britain... German fighter-bombers raid southeastern England. The last bombing of the "night Blitz" on British cities is carried out by 111 Luftwaffe aircraft striking Birmingham and West Midlands.

In the Mediterranean... There are powerful German air attacks on the island of Crete. These are in preparation for the coming landing and are designed to subdue the garrison and compel the RAF to withdraw its few aircraft from Crete.

Over Germany... The RAF attacks Cologne, causing fires on both banks of the Rhine.

Over Occupied Europe... RAF raids targets in France and Holland.

Over Iraq... German He111 bombers strike Habbaniyah, causing serious damage.

In Bolivia... The government nationalizes the German-owned airline Lloyd Aero Boliviano.

From Berlin... Rommel is instructed to concentrate the German Afrika Korps against the British at Sollum and leave Italians to guard Tobruk.

In Occupied Denmark... The Icelandic Parliament issues a formal declaration of independence from Denmark.

Saturday, May 17, 1941

In the Mediterranean... The German air attacks on the island Crete continue. These are in preparation for the coming landing and are designed to subdue the garrison and compel the RAF to withdraw its few aircraft from Crete.

In Baghdad... The USSR concludes an agreement with the Iraqi government of Raschid Ali.

Sunday, May 18, 1941

In the North Atlantic... The German battleship Bismark leaves Gdynia with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen for an Atlantic cruise under Admiral Lutjens. Various supply ships are already at sea.

In Occupied Yugoslavia... The Duke of Spoleto is proclaimed king of the Kingdom of Croatia. He will never visit his kingdom.

In the Mediterranean... German air attacks on the island of Crete continue. These are in preparation for the coming landing and are designed to subdue the garrison and compel the RAF to withdraw its few aircraft from Crete.

In Iraq... After outflanking an Iraqi blocking force the British relieving group, Kingcol, reaches the Habbaniyah airfield.

In Syria... General Dentz broadcasts, warning his troops in Vichy French controlled Syria to meet force with force. Airfields in Syria are bombed again by the RAF.

Monday, May 19, 1941

In the Mediterranean... On Crete German air raids continue. These are in preparation for the coming landing and are designed to subdue the garrison and compel the RAF to withdraw its few aircraft from Crete.

In East Africa... The Duke of Aosta surrenders with the 7000 remaining Italian troops at Amba Alagi. The Allied forces have now killed or captured 230,000 of the Italian East Africa force. About 80,000 remain.

In Iraq... The British forces based at Habbaniyah airfield begin to operate more aggressively, attacking and capturing Fallujah. The British airfield is bombed by German planes.

Tuesday, May 20, 1941

In the Mediterranean... The German attack on Crete begins. There are airborne landings by forces of the 7th Paratroop Division from German 11th Air Corps. General Student is in command and has 5th Mountain Division in reserve. There is massive air support from German 8th Air Corps which has over 400 bombers and 200 fighters. Altogether the Germans employ 23,000 troops. The garrison consists mostly of troops recently evacuated from Greece. There are 32,000 British and Commonwealth troops and about 10,000 Greeks. General Freyberg is in command. The attack begins with heavy air raids and these are followed by airborne landings at Maleme and Canea. In the afternoon there are further landings at Retimo and Heraklion. The battle for the island depends on control of the airfields and the German attacks concentrate on these. At Retimo and Heraklion the defending forces are successful; at Canea the German forces retreat inland. At Maleme the fighting is very fierce, though inconclusive. However, during the night of the May 20-21st the New Zealand battalion holding the airfield withdraws, leaving the airfield in German control. The British Mediterranean Fleet is cruising off the island to prevent any German force arriving by sea.

In the North Atlantic... The Bismark and Prinz Eugen are reported in the Kattegat. The information reaches London with the cooperation of Intelligence officers of the Swedish navy. Meanwhile, the US merchant ship Robin Moor is sunk by a German U-boat.

Wednesday, May 21, 1941

In Washington... Roosevelt describes the sinking of the Robin Moor the day before as "an act of intimidation" to which "we do not propose to yield."

In the North Atlantic... British reconnaissance aircraft find the German ships Bismark and Prinz Eugen near Bergen. Later in the day the battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Hood put to sea from Scapa Flow.

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, the Germans consolidate their hold on Maleme. The first troops of the 5th Mountain Division are flown in. During the night the nearby New Zealand forces counterattack and although they have some success they do not penetrate to the airfield. Also during the night, a German convoy attempting to reach the island is intercepted and turned back without loss by a force of cruisers and destroyers. Meanwhile, the carriers Ark Royal and Furious fly off a cargo of 48 Hurricanes to Malta. In the air fighting since January the Germans have lost 62 aircraft and the Italians 15. The British losses in the air have been 32 machines, as well as an equal number destroyed on the ground. A British destroyer is lost to air attack.

Thursday, May 22, 1941

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, in the face of the growing strength and complete German air superiority, the British commander Freyberg cancels a counterattack against Maleme for the night of May 22-23rd and orders a withdrawal instead. A second German convoy is turned back but is not pursued far because the Luftwaffe intervenes. In various actions during the day the battleship Warspite is badly damaged and two cruisers and one destroyer are sunk. Admiral Cunningham, ashore in Alexandria, orders the fleet to return after being wrongly informed that ammunition for the battleship's antiaircraft guns is in very short supply. During the night of May 22-23rd the Maleme airfield is bombarded by Lord Mountbatten's 5th Destroyer Flotilla. King George of Greece is evacuated from the island to Egypt during the night.

In the North Atlantic... British planes report correctly that the German ships Bismark and Prinz Eugen have also put to sea and the Commander in Chief of the British Home Fleet, Admiral Tovey, therefore, sets out with the battleship King George V and the carrier Victorious. The battle cruiser Repulse joins this force later in the day. Tovey plans to reinforce the patrols watching the Faeroes-Iceland passage while Holland in the Hood goes to give further strength to the forces in the Denmark Strait.

Friday, May 23, 1941

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, the Germans continue to exploit their hold on Maleme, sending in artillery units and fighter aircraft. In the naval battles offshore, the destroyers Kelly and Kashmir (part of Lord Mountbatten's 5th Destroyer Flotilla) are sunk by the Germans while they are withdrawing.

In the North Atlantic... The German battleship Bismark and her consort, Prinz Eugen, are sighted in the Denmark Strait by the patrolling British cruisers Norfolk and Suffolk. British radar equipment plays an important part in the interception.

Saturday, May 24, 1941

In the North Atlantic... The Hood and the Prince of Wales come up and engage the Bismark and Prinz Eugen. The Hood is sunk very quickly. Only three men of the Hood's complement of 1416 are saved. A short while later the Prince of Wales breaks off the action after receiving some damage. After the action the British cruisers continue to shadow the German ships. The Bismark has been hit three times, which has caused the loss of some fuel and the contamination of more. Admiral Lutjens therefore decides to put in to Brest. The British battleships Rodney and Ramillies leave the convoys they have been escorting to join the hunt. Force H, with the battle cruiser Renown and the carrier Ark Royal, puts to sea from Gibraltar. During the night of the May 24-25th aircraft from the Home Fleet carrier Victorious attack, and hit the Bismark with one torpedo. The damage is negligible. Later in the night Prinz Eugen slips away to operate independently, and later still contact is lost between the shadowing British cruisers and the Bismark.

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, the Allied forces in the Canea area are not in positions around Galatas. The German buildup at Maleme continues.

In East Africa... In southern Abyssinia Soddu falls to the Allied forces. In this area General Gazzera leads seven weak Italian divisions. The attacking Allied force is made up of the 11th and 12th African Divisions.

Sunday, May 25, 1941

In the North Atlantic... British commanders do not know the Bismark's location but Lutjen breaks radio silence to report and is picked up on the British direction-finding equipment. This information is passed to Admiral Tovey but is at first misinterpreted. Tovey now has King George V and Rodney, but both are short of fuel and by this mistake they lose their chance of meeting the Bismark unless her speed can be reduced.

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, German forces begin to advance westward toward Galatas. The fighting is very intense and the town changes hands several times.

Monday, May 26, 1941

In the North Atlantic... A Catalina aircraft finds Bismark only 700 miles from Brest and it is clear that the aircraft of the Ark Royal (of Force H) offer the best chance of slowing the German ship so that she can be caught. The first strike launched by the Ark Royal finds and attacks the British cruiser Sheffield by mistake owing to bad weather. The attack fails because of defects in the magnetic exploders of the torpedoes, so simple contact types are substituted for a second strike. The 15 Swordfish find the correct target and score two hits. One hit wrecks the German battleship's steering and practically brings her to a halt. During the night Bismark is further harried by torpedo and gunfire attacks by five British destroyers. It is unclear whether they score any torpedo hits.

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, the British commander, Freyberg, raises the question of a withdrawal from the island. During the night of the 26th most of the Allied forces withdraw from the Galatas position amid some confusion about the exact nature of their orders. Aircraft from the carrier Formidable attack the Stuka base at Scarpanto in the Italian Dodecanese. The carrier is hit twice by air attacks.

Tuesday, May 27, 1941

In the North Atlantic... Rodney and King George V come up and in a gun battle lasting less than two hours, the Bismark is reduced to a hulk. She is finished off with torpedoes from the cruisers Dorsetshire and Norfolk.

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, German forces take Canea and Suda. The Allied forces are now largely split up and moving in a disorganized manner in the direction of Sfakia to be evacuated. The evacuation is authorized by Wavell after he has consulted with London. The battleship Barham is damaged by air attack.

In North Africa... Rommel has reinforced his troops on the Egyptian border and his two panzer regiments retake Halfaya Pass in a converging attack. The Germans begin work to fortify their new position, especially by digging in their 88mm guns.

In Iraq... British forces begin to advance from their positions around Habbaniyah and Fallujah toward the capital, Baghdad.

Wednesday, May 28, 1941

In Iraq... The Allied forces occupy Ur. The 20th Indian Brigade has made this advance from Basra but can go no further for the moment because repairs to roads and railroad tracks are needed.

In the Mediterranean... On Crete, the Allied forces fight some small, rearguard actions to cover their retreat to the evacuation beaches at Sfakia. On the night of May 28-29th, the Heraklion garrison of 4000 men is taken off by a force of cruisers and destroyers. These ships are heavily attacked while withdrawing. Two destroyers are sunk and the two cruisers involved are hit.

Thursday, May 29, 1941

In the Mediterranean... British destroyers Imperial and Hereward are sunk by Luftwaffe attacks. The ships were engaged in evacuating troops from Crete.

Friday, May 30, 1941

In Iraq... Although the main Allied force is held up at Ur and the small British force from Habbaniyah is only advancing slowly, Rashid Ali gives up the struggle and flees to Iran.

Saturday, May 31, 1941

Iraq... An armistice is agreed. The British right to station troops in the country is confirmed and the Iraqis undertake to do nothing to help the Axis.

Over Ireland... The Luftwaffe bombs Dublin by mistake. Lost German aircraft heading for Bristol and Liverpool kill 28 and seriously injure 87 Irish.

In Britain... Former Thai King Prajadhipok, son of Chulalongkorn, dies at Virginia Water, England at age 47.