February 19th, 1941 (WEDNESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:London: In an attempt to obtain transport and communications aircraft for the Middle East theatre, the Air Ministry is trying to buy second-hand on the US market, but there are few available.
The available communications aircraft are: Nine Lockheed Lodestars, 16 Bristol Bombays, three Lockheed Electras and a lone DC-2.
The DC-2 was a DC-2-112, msn 1244, that had been delivered to Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA) in July 1934 registered NC13718 and assigned fleet number 308. The aircraft was purchased by Cox and Stephenson (was this the New York spy outfit?) for the British Purchasing Committee on 19 Feb. The aircraft was assigned the RAF serial nubmer DG471 and assigned to No. 31 Squadron, a transport unit based at Lahore, India.
The squadron moved to Drigh Road in Karachi India on 26 March 1941 and then back to Lahore.in September 1941. This particular DC-2 was destroyed when it crashed on 24 October at Drigh Road.
The British Purchasing Commission actually acquired 21 surplus DC-2s between November 1940 and September 1941:
November 1940: 2 aircraft
December 1940: 2 aircraft
February 1941: 8 aircraft
April 1941: 4 aircraft
May 1941: 1 aircraft
July 1941: 3 aircraft
September 1941: 1 aircraft
GERMANY: Berlin: The German News Bureau reports that traffic through the Suez Canal has been seriously hampered as a result of German air attacks. The high command reports that two vessels have been sunk in the middle of the canal while its harbours and freight yards have been extensively damaged.
EGYPT: Cairo: British Secretary of State Anthony Eden, Field Marshall Sir John Dill (Chief of the Imperial General Staff) and the local commanders, General Archibald Wavell (Commander in Chief Middle East Command), and General Alan Cunningham (Commander in Chief East Africa Command), meet to discuss whether they can send help to Greece and if so how much. The British political leaders are strongly in favour of sending all that can be spared and Wavell, the military commander who is responsible, believes that this can be done effectively and is, therefore, prepared to recommend it.
ETHIOPIA: South African
troops capture Jumbo after heavy fighting with Italian forces. In 3 hours,
Italian Artillery fire over 3,000 rounds.
Emperor Haile Selassie, who was brought back to Abyssinia in January to
help organize resistance to the Italians, arrives at Dangilla along with
Brigadier Orde Wingate's Gideon Force. During the next two weeks they harass
the Italian troops around Bahrdar Giorgis and Burye with considerable
success. The Italians have four brigades in the area and the Gideon Force is
only 1700 strong.
ITALIAN SOMALILAND: Cunningham's troops cross the river Juba and head towards Mogadishu.
U.S.A.: Washington: The Japanese ambassador, Admiral Kochisaburo Nomura, says there will be war
with the US only if the US wants it.
Purnell attends a conference which included Army, Navy, and Air Force
representatives from the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the NEI. (Marc
Small)
Coast Guard Reserve established. Auxiliary created from former Reserve.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 2222, MS Benjamin Franklin, a straggler from Convoy HX-107 due to bad weather, was struck by a torpedo from U-103 in the engine room and 20 minutes later by a second torpedo on the starboard side under hatch #4, where 1700 barrels aceton were stowed. The ship disintegrated in an enormous explosion, but all crewmembers had already abandoned the ship after the first hit in the lifeboats, which were later separated. On 26 February, seven sailors in one of them were picked up by HMS Pimpernel and taken to Liverpool (the only survivors as it later turned out). 20 Norwegians, three Swedes, two Canadians, one Irishman, one Dane and one Russian were picked up by the Egyptian SS Memphis. On 28 February the engines of the Memphis were disabled in heavy weather and she foundered NW of Ireland in 56°40N/10°30W. All on board were lost. One of the crew, Oscar Bøe had apparently been picked up by a passing ship, but died when that was also torpedoed shortly thereafter.
On 18 Feb 1941, SS Empire Blanda was reported missing south of Iceland after straggling from Convoy HX-107. The master, 36 crewmembers and three gunners were lost. At 08.18 hours on 19 February, a lone freighter was hit by one torpedo from U-69 south of Iceland and sank in a few seconds after four heavy detonations; this must have been the Empire Blanda. The ship had been missed by a two torpedo spread at 0744 and a single torpedo at 0801. The U-boat was almost hit by falling debris.