October 25th, 1940 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:Battle of Britain: Luftwaffe attacks the airfield at Montrose (Scotland). Last night the Germans reluctantly allow the Italian Expeditionary Force (based in Belgium) to join in the bombing of Harwich, but with dismal results.
The weather is fair but overcast. During the day Luftwaffe aircraft activity is on a larger scale than during the last few days and is almost continuous, most of the effort being centered on London and the Home Counties. At night, activity recommences at about 1830 hours, when London and Birmingham again appear to be the main targets. In Birmingham, a large number of incendiary bombs are used causing about 100 fires, the largest of which is in the Balsall Heath area where a number of small factories are set alight. Many gas and water mains are damaged, and at Bordesley this is reported to have flooded the Great Western Railway and the lines are said to be unusable. Also hit are South Wales and the Midlands as far north as Liverpool. At night the Germans reluctantly allow the Italian Expeditionary Force (based in Belgium) to join in the bombing of Harwich, but with dismal results. RAF Fighter Command claims 14-12-16 aircraft; the RAF losses are ten aircraft and three pilots.
Little success is achieved by the Italian Air Force in this campaign due to the poor performance of Italian aircraft against the British and the edge England has with radar. Italian sorties have to be conducted at night or a few daylight raids limited to 1,500 pound (680 kilogram) bombs per aircraft. Within four months, the Italian supply of BR.20 Storks is cut by 25% due to British interceptions. A total of 54 tons (49 metric tonnes) of ordnance is dropped on England. The fighter "gruppi" (groups) completed 883 sorties, losing nine aircraft in combat.
Losses: Luftwaffe, 20; RAF, 10.
RAF Bomber Command: Heavy raids on Berlin and Hamburg.
London: The Belgian Prime Minister, Hubert Pierlot, and his Foreign Minister, Paul-Henri Spaak, have arrived in London after fleeing from Vichy France and escaping from arrest in Spain.
After the armistice, Pierlot and Spaak stayed on in France to maintain diplomatic links with the Vichy Regime. But Vichy, under German orders, broke off relations. The two Belgians spent two nights in a field between the French and Spanish borders before being admitted to Spain, there to find themselves under arrest.
Their chance for freedom came on 18 October. Spanish guards who had been ordered to keep the Belgians under strict surveillance in a Barcelona hotel, slipped up when they left their prisoners - who had promised faithfully not to try to escape - in order to watch an important football match. As soon as the game started, Spaak and Pierlot sneaked out of the hotel in a van supplied by the Belgian consulate. For 24 hours they hid underneath the driver's seat; finally, exhausted but relieved, they arrived at Lisbon. Yesterday a British seaplane took them to Bournemouth. They will now start to co-ordinate Belgian efforts to resist the Nazi occupation and, more importantly, to help the British war machine.
London: Churchill to Roosevelt:
...There seems to be a desperate struggle going on between Petain and Laval. If the French fleet and
French bases on the African shore are betrayed to Germany our task will become vastly more difficult and your dangers will grow. I have a feeling that things are hanging in the balance at Vichy. .... a message to him [Petain] from yourself would greatly strengthen his position...
Minesweeper HMS Burnie launched.
Destroyer USS Wickes recommissioned as HMS Montgomery; part of the destroyers-for-bases deal.
RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal succeeds Air Chief Marshal Sir Cyril Newall as Chief of the Air Staff.
VICHY FRANCE: Paul Baudouin (Acting as Foreign Minister with responsibility for non-Axis powers , i.e. neutrals and Great Britain through intermediaries and third states) resigns over Laval's 'coup' in bringing about the Montoire Petain-Hitler meeting; Pierre Laval, who was already responsible for relations with Axis powers, becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs.
CANADA:
Corvette HMCS Morden laid down Port Arthur, Ontario.
Corvette HMCS Sherbrooke launched Sorel, Province of Quebec.
U.S.A.: Inglewood, California: The North-American NA-73, the prototype P-51 (Mustang), makes its maiden flight.
Washington: Roosevelt to Churchill:
...I have instructed the American Charge d'Affaires to repeat to the Marshal my previous message to him.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: 3 Hudson aircraft from the 228th RAF Squadron attacked U-46 and one man was fatally wounded and died the next day. [Matrosengefreiter Plaep].