July 26th, 1940 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - marshalling yards at Mannheim and Hamm.Bombs fall for the first time on Brentwood, Essex.
No. 1 Squadron replaces 43 Sqn. at Tangmere. Plt. Off. Goodman in a Hurricane downs a Bf109 of III/JG 27.
238 Sqn. tangles with JG27 and off Portland Flt. Lt. S.C. Walch destroys a Bf109.
German night activity includes ten HE’s dropped at Fraserburgh in
Aberdeenshire, and attacks on houses in Chigwell (Essex), Bristol, Dagenham and Canvey
Island (Essex). Bombs intended for the ICI plant at Winnington, Cheshire instead fell
among houses in Northwich but none exploded. Off Flatholme, Wales, a sand ship was blown
up (possibly by mines) and eight crewmen were lost.
The Admiralty issues an order prohibiting the passage of Dover by ships during daylight
hours.
Submarine HMS P-36 laid down.
NORTH SEA: As the damaged KM Gneisenau makes for Germany from Norway, submarine Swordfish carries out an attack and sinks escorting torpedo boat 'Luchs'.
JAPAN: Tokyo: Japan intends to take advantage of the war in Europe to expand its empire in Asia, according to a new military-inspired national plan to prepare Japan for war. Their top priority is to block supplies reaching the Nationalist Chinese via Indochina. They will also take a more aggressive stance to secure their own raw materials from the Dutch East Indies.
Unveiled by Prince Konoye four day after becoming Prime Minister,
Japan’s "new order", for Greater East Asia envisages Japan leading a strong
union combining Japan, Manchukuo and China, the Chinese Nationalists defeated and the
Japanese armed forces ready to go to war with Britain and the USA within 12 months if
talks fail to stop arms reaching China through British and French territories.
U.S.A.: President Franklin D. Roosevelt invokes the Export
Control Act which prohibits the exporting of aviation fuel and certain classes of iron and
steel scrap with a license. This act stops the flow of these vital materials to Japan.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 1447, U-34 attacked Convoy OB-188 320 miles west of Bloody Foreland for the first time and sank two ships, the Accra and Vinemoor. The Accra sank after one hour and 15 minutes. 12 crewmembers and 12 passengers were lost. The master, 153 crewmembers and 311 passengers were rescued: 215 survivors were picked up by the British SS Hollinside, 126 survivors by the Norwegian merchantman Loke, 27 crewmembers and 52 passengers by sloop HMS Enchantress and 45 survivors by corvette HMS Clarkia. The warships landed the survivors at Liverpool.