EUROPE: 100 troop trains are moved every 24 hours as the German High Command builds up its attacking forces on the Russian border.

GERMANY:

Since the early morning of May 20, German paratroops and airborne troops have been fighting British army units on the island of Crete. In a bold aerial assault, the Germans conquered tactically important points on the island with the support of German fighter, destroyer, bomber and dive-bomber aircraft. After receiving further reinforcements by army units, the German troops went on the offensive. The western part of the island is already solidly in German hands. The German Luftwaffe smashed the British fleet when it attempted to intervene in the struggle for Crete, drove it out of the sea territory north of the island, sank and damaged a large number of enemy war vessels and won control of the air over the entire battle zone.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Sloop HMS Grimsby and the supply ship she is escorting on the run to Tobruk are both sunk by bombers northeast of the port.

BRITISH WEST AFRICA: Night of 25/26 May 1941 U-69 (Jost Metzler) enters Lagos Harbor, going between the armed moles on the surface and lays seven mines. She leaves undetected, and to the consternation of the British, the dredge Robert Hughes is sunk in the entrance after striking a mine on 4 Jun 1941.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Haiphong: Japanese soldiers remove $10 million worth of American goods from two warehouses.

U.S.A.: The U.S. State Department advises the German Charge d'Affaires in Washington that a U.S. Navy enlisted man has been tried and convicted by court-martial for tearing down the flag over the German consulate in San Francisco, California on 18 January. The sailor is serving "an appropriate sentence."

ATLANTIC OCEAN: In the early hours of the 25th, the BISMARK alters course to the southeast for France and the cruisers lose contact. At this point Admiral Tovey's heavy ships are only 100 miles away.

BISMARK holds her southeasterly course but breaks radio silence. Unfortunately the British radio direction finding service put her on a northeasterly heading. Adm Tovey sails in that direction for a while before turning to the southeast in pursuit. Now he is well astern of his quarry. Only be slowing her down can her destruction become possible. In the meantime, Force H continues to sail north to take up a blocking position between BISMARK and her new goal of Brest.

At 1631, the unescorted Radames was hit in the stern by one torpedo from U-103 after being chased for about five hours and sank slowly by the stern.

SS Wangi Wangi sunk by U-103 at 05.24N, 12W.