Mr Chamberlain continued his tour of the British area in France.
Admiral
Graf Spee Battleship
Scuttled 17 December 1939
The crew of the
Admiral
Graf Spee had been taken off and put aboard the German
tanker Tacoma.
It was reported that there had been an increase in activity
of German reconnaissance parties on the Western front, and
that British troops in the Maginot line had suffered their
first casualties.
Luftwaffe aircraft appeared at several points off the British
coast Anti-aircraft guns opened fire in the Humber district
and fighters were seen to engage the enemy.
The British Royal Air Force (RAF) carried out further raids
on German seaplane bases of Norderney and Sylt.
Finns standing fast on two fronts, Karelian Isthmus and central
waistline area.
First contingent of Canadian forces landed in Britain.
The British motor ship, Serenity and trawler New Choice was
sunk off the east coast by bombs and machine gun fire from
Luftwaffe planes. British aircraft managed to drive of the
raiders.
The British Admiralty announced that five officers and 56
ratings of HMS Exeter, were killed in action on
13
December 1939. Commodore Harwood, who was in command of
the British action against
Admiral
Graf Spee awarded KCB and promoted to rear Admiral. The
captains of HMS Ajax, HMS Achilles, and HMS Exeter, appointed
CB. Battlecruiser HMS Renown and aircraft carrier HMS Ark
Royal arrived at Río de Janeiro.
Moscow issued long and abusive reply to the League of Nations
resolution expelling Russia.
Go To: 18th
December
Articles:
The Second Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
sources
