Mr Churchill told the Commons that Britain would not agree to a permanent closure as this would be to default on obligations to China. Observers say that the closure will have little real effect on the Chinese war effort as traffic is slight because of the monsoon.

RAF Bomber Command: The Dortmund-Ems canal is bombed successfully.

Destroyer HMS Cotswold launched.

Minesweeper HMS Polruan launched.

GERMANY: "Radio Caledonia" starts broadcasting to Britain, urging Scottish separatism.

U-95 is launched.

CANADA: HMC MTB 1-12 ordered from Canadian Power Boat Co Ltd Montreal, Province of Quebec. Later became HM MTB 332-343
Corvette HMCS Wetaskiwin (ex Banff) launched North Vancouver, British Columbia.

U.S.A.: The Democratic Party's national convention in Chicago, Illinois, nominates President Franklin D. Roosevelt for their candidate for president. If he wins, it will be an unprecedented third term in office.

ATLANTIC OCEAN:

At 1641, the unescorted Gyda was torpedoed and sunk by U-58 NW of Ireland. The ship had stopped by Loch Swilly due to an engine defect and continued her voyage on 18 July with a Sunderland flying boat as escort. The torpedo struck close to the bridge on the starboard side, opening the side, destroying the radio room and blowing away a half of the bridge. The vessel sank within one minute with the engines still running. The master and ten crewmembers were lost. Three men were thrown overboard and were later picked up by six men, which had left the ship on a raft aft of the ship. The survivors were picked up the next morning by the Ville d'Arlon and taken to New York on 26 July.

SS Woodbury sunk by U-99 at 50.46N, 13.56W.