August 9th, 1941 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Corvette HMS Cowslip commissioned.
Minesweeping trawler HMS Shiant launched.
GERMANY:
U-267 and
U-360 laid down.
BALTIC SEA: The German submarine U-144 is sunk in the Gulf of Finland north of Dagö, in approximate position 59N, 23E, by torpedoes from the Russian submarine SC 307. All hands on the U-boat, 28 men, are lost.
U.S.S.R.: Army Group South begins attacks along the Bug.
Canberra: AUSTRALIA now feels increasingly vulnerable to the
menace of Japan. Notwithstanding all the crippling trade embargoes imposed on Japan
following its move into Indochina, the Australian government is pressing for a definite
joint declaration by Britain and the United States which might halt any further Japanese
encroachment into south-east Asia.
As another Australian brigade, the 27th is committed to the Far Eastern garrisons, Robert
Menzies, the Australian Prime Minister, is urging Britain to warn Japan that war will
result if it attacks Thailand, with the consequent threat to Singapore. He believes that
the war is taking an ominous turn.
NEWFOUNDLAND: The RN battleship HMS Prince of Wales, with Prime Minister Winston Churchill aboard, arrives at Placentia Bay escorted by the RN destroyer HMS Ripley [ex USS Shubrick (DD-268)] and Royal Canadian Navy destroyers HMCS Restigouche and HMCS Assiniboine. Churchill is here to meet with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt who arrived in the heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31) two days ago. Churchill calls on Roosevelt on board USS Augusta and the two confer over lunch and dinner before Churchill returns to HMS Prince of Wales.
This conference will result in the Atlantic Charter; a statement of principles governing the policies of Britain and America. The other major outcome of this conference is that the military staff of both countries get to know each other and to begin to work together. This conference will last for 4 days.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-206 sinks SS Ocean Victor.
Italian submarine Maggiore Baracca was rammed and sunk in the North Atlantic, NE of the Azores, in position 40.15N, 20.55W by destroyer HMS Croome.