March 5th, 1940 (TUESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Dover: Six Italian ships carrying cargoes of German coal were arrested in mid-Channel today after a warning that Britain will seize all German coal found at sea. The ships are anchored off the Kent coast while the government decides whether their cargoes should be unloaded.Four more Italian colliers sailed into Rotterdam today, and a further six are loading with Rhineland coal destined for Italian ports. All are likely to be seized following an announcement by the Ministry of Economic Warfare that German coal exported to any foreign port would be regarded as contraband.
Severe weather in Germany has reduced normal supplies of coal to Italy, where rationing is now in force. Many Italians believe that the seizure of the ships is a deliberate attempt to force them to buy British coal on British terms.
British sources are insisting that the blockade of German produce applies to all neutral ships, and deny discrimination against Italy.
The British government announces a GBP300 million 3 percent War Loan to aid Finland.
RAF Bomber Command:- Leaflet raids on Rhineland; Ruhr; and Poznan (Poland). Reconnaissance's of N-W German naval bases. (And during the two succeeding nights.)
Blackburn Botha L6129, on a test flight from Brough, crashes at Flixborough, Lincolnshire, with the loss of veteran test pilot B. R. Rolfe and his flight test observer.
Destroyer HMS Pathfinder laid down.
FRANCE: German troops capture a British outpost in the Maginot Line killing 2 and taking 16 prisoner. The outpost is later recaptured.
FINLAND: The Finnish Government decides to send a delegation to accept the Russian terms which include a truce and cession of border areas. Ryti and Paasikivi depart for Moscow. This decision is reached after reaching the conclusion that British and French promises of assistance are worthless.
The Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov suggests that the negotiations be held at Moscow. However, the Soviet government refuses the Finnish proposition that there be a cease-fire during the negotiations.
Soviet infantry fortified itself on the western banks of the Bay of Vyborg, going around the city fortress's defence. (Hal Smith) More...
U.S.S.R.: A politburo memorandum signed by Stalin and five other leaders recommends executing 14,700 Polish offices, soldiers, civil servants, landowners and others being held in Soviet camps and 11,000 more being held in captivity in Soviet-occupied eastern Poland. (Benjamin B. Fischer) (127)
CANADA: Toronto: Canada promises to send 1,000 volunteers to fight with the Finns.
Patrol vessel HMCS Sans Peur commissioned.
U.S.A.: Destroyer USS Morris commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 2015, SS Grutto was spotted by U-17, heading ENE with all navigation lights burning. At 2040, a torpedo was fired, which missed. 18 minutes later, a second torpedo was fired and struck the ship amidships, breaking her in two. The stern section sank within one minute and the bow followed six minutes later. In the early morning of 6 March, a ship of the Dutch Batavier-line spotted wreckage and a raft marked Grutto 7.5 miles SW of Thornbank. The Belgian pilot-boat #8 also reported this raft and later picked up debris two miles west of the Belgian lightship Wandelaar. This wreckage was later identified as belonging to Grutto. The Belgian Pilot boat #5 salvaged the raft and delivered it to Oostende. On 29 March, the bodies of two crewmen washed ashore on the Dutch coast, the body of sailor B van der Spek near Callantsoog and the one of first steerman R. Teensma on Texel. Their families identified both.