One KLM aircraft (a Fokker assembled Douglas DC-2) escapes the Netherlands and lands in the UK. It will be operated by KLM with the British registration G-AGBH.

The War Cabinet meets in London and decides to send four more squadrons of Hurricane fighters to France immediately. This strips the defence of Britain to a mere 22 modern single seater fighter squadrons (about 250 aircraft) plus 9 squadrons with obsolete fighter aircraft. Air Chief Marshall Dowding had prescribed a minimum requirement of 52 squadrons necessary for the defence of Britain. Later that evening, after meeting with French Premier Reynaud, Minister of Defence Deladier and Generalissime Gamelin, Churchill orders that a further six squadrons of fighters be sent to France on the following day.

FRANCE: Paris: Churchill is shaken when Gamelin and Reynaud tell him that they have no military reserves left.

7th Panzer Division races 50 miles to Avesnes, decimating the French 1st Armoured Division en route. By evening, XLI Panzer Corps has reached the river Oise near Vervins, while farther south, XIX Panzer Corps as reached the river Serre.

Lord Gort, commander of the BEF, finds is force almost isolated on the Dyle Line. Corap's 9th Army is no longer in position and the Belgians have left a gap on the left. A North African division of 1st Army crumbles leaving a new

3 mile gap on the right. Gort sends an officer to obtain a new plan from General Bilotte who responds with instructions to retire the line in stages to the Escaut (Scheldte) by May 17th. The BEF retreats under mild pressure from von Bocks troops while the Panzers race through the 50 mile wide gap where Corap's 9th Army had been.

German spearheads are 60 miles west of Sedan, rolling along undefended open country.

British and French forces are now retreating to the former positions they occupied on May 10.

MAP

NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN: (Mark Horan) At 1100, Lt.Cdr. C. L. G. Evans led 9 Skuas of 806 Squadron, each armed with a single 250 lb SAP and 4x20 lb bombs, off from HMS Sparrowhawk (RNAS Hatston) to attack warships at Bergen. The planned three Blenheim escort form 254 Squadron, RAF failed to join up, but it had no detrimental effect on the mission. Failing to find any warships, the Skuas attacked several oil storage tanks. All returned safely.

Meanwhile, with HMS Furious and Glorious still enroute, HMS Ark Royal continued her support of the forces ashore. At 0300, from position 67.59N, 09.8E, a nine plane striking force of Swordfish (three from 810, six from 820), each armed with 2x250 lb and 8x20 lb bombs, again led by Capt. RN. R. M. Skene, RM, was dispatched to attack enemy troops and stores reported on the Hemnes peninsula. The force was escorted by Lt.(A) W. H. Martyns section of 810 Squadron (three Skuas), each armed with a single 250 lb bomb, with orders to sink SS Chrobry if she was still afloat. No opposition was encountered; one bomb hit Chrobry, but she remained afloat.

At 1040, a second section of 801 Squadron, led by Lt.Cdr. H. P. Bramwell, RN, was sent off, this time armed with a single 500 lb bomb, with orders to sink the stubborn Chrobry, and then patrol over the fleet. Chrobry having finally sunk, they jettisoned their bombs and continued to Harstad where they chased off three He-111. The trio returned safely. 

Another patrol of two Skuas of 803 Squadron, led by Lt. L. A. Harris, RM, followed at 1150. The two bounced what they thought were a pair of Do-17s, but were in reality, a rotte of Ju-88 C-2 fighters of the Zestroyer Staffel of KG 30. After two more of the fast, heavily armed fighters appeared the two Skuas on the defensive. Eventually, Lt. Harris was forced to put 8K:L2910 down in Rombaksfjord, and the other Skua only escaped when friendly AA fire downed one Ju-88 and drove off the other three! Harris and his air gunner/observer, Lieutenant J. H. R. Medlicott-Vereker, RN,  were rescued by HMS Matabele.

At 1330, Lt. J. M. Christian led off another section of 803 Squadron. The trio intercepted a formation of six Ju-88s of 6/KG 30, downing two and damaging several more. The 1500 patrol passed peaceably, but the section of 800 Squadron (Lt. K. V. V. Spurway, RN) sent off at 1650 engaged several solitary German bombers, downing a Ju-88 in Bogen Bay (actually a He-111 of II/KG-26) and damaging two He-111s (of the same unit). The last activity of the day occurred when a single Swordfish of 810 Squadron photographed the landing grounds at Bardufoss, Skaanland, and Skjomen Klvegard.

U.S.A.: Washington: Roosevelt asks Congress for a sharp increase in military spending to fund the building of 50,000 planes a year at a cost of $900 billion.

Amplifying the above: (NOTE: Amounts in parenthesis are year 2000 US dollars) The President requests US$546 million (US$6.74 billion) for the U.S. Army; US$250 million (US$3.09 billion) for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps; and US$100 million (US$1.234 billion) for the President to provide for emergencies affecting the national security and defence. He also asks for authorization for the military to make contract obligations in the amount of US$100 million (US$1.234 billion) and another US$100 million for the President for additional contract obligations. He also suggests that 50,000 aircraft a year be built.

Responding to the telegram received from Winston Churchill yesterday, President Roosevelt addresses the request for "40 to 50 destroyers" stating that this loan cannot be done without "specific authorization of the Congress" and U.S. defence requirements must be considered first. He also states that the U.S. Fleet would remain in Hawaiian waters "at least for the time being."

Destroyer USS Charles F Hughes and Monssen launched.