TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1939

Poland: Germans break through western frontier cordon of Polish armies and cross river Vistula. Polish High Command orders general retreat behind the Vistula.
Germans take Bydgoszcz at the southerm end of the Corridor.
Bombers destroy town of Sulejow, south-west of Warsaw.

Diplomacy: Official announcement of US neutrality.

Neutrals: In South Africa General Smuts replaces pro-German P.M. Hertzog.

Home Front Britain: Ministry of Information (Propaganda equivalent) set up.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1939

Poland: Panzers take Tomaszow and Kielce, south-west of Warsaw and outflanking two Polish armies.
Germans announce capture of Cracow.
Hitler visits General Guderian's XIX Panzer Corps on North-East front.
Polish Government leaves Warsaw for Lublin.

Picture: Air attack on the Polish railway station of Kutno on September 6, pictured from one of the German Do 17 bombers.

Air War: Two RAF Spitfires shoot down 2 Hurricanes in error ('Battle of Barking Creek').

Sea War: Royal Navy Northern Patrol formed (8 cruisers). First British East Coast convoy sails.
Germany's largest liner, Bremen (52,000 t) arrives at Murmansk, North-Russia, from New York.

Diplomacy: SOUTH AFRICA DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY.
Spain declares her neutrality.

Home Front France: 72-hour working week introduced in munitions industry.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1939

Poland: Surrender of Westerplatte, besieged since September 1. Old battleship Schleswig-Holstein begins daily bombardment of Hela, Polish naval base.

Picture: German old battleship Schleswig-Holstein bombards Polish positions on Westerplatte.

Western Front: French Saar 'offensive' (begins night Sept. 7-8). 11 divisions advance 8 km into German territory by September 12 on 32 km front, south-west and south-east of Saarbrucken, against negligible opposition.
General Viscount Gort, V.C., to command BEF.

Home Front Britain: 41 emergency bills passed through Parliament since September 1.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1939

Poland: Battle of Warsaw begins: 4th Panzer divsion reaches outskirts of city, having advanced 225 km in 7 days. Garrison commander, General Czuma, broadcasts defiant Order of the Day: 'We shall fight to the last ditch !''.
100,000 civilians dig trenches in city outskirts.

Map from the campaign in Poland from September 8 to September 15.

Air War: Situation of Polish Air Force becomes desperate.
On Western Front, five Curtiss Hawk fighters of l'Armee de l'Air (French Air Force) engage 5 Bf109s (2 shot down).

Home Front Britain: Government plans for three years war.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1939

Poland: BATTLE OF THE BZURA: major Polish counter-attack across river Bzura, West of Warsaw, develops into largest battle in the campaign (ends Sept. 15).

Picture: The 7th Lubelski Lancers mounted on greys. Despite their bravery, the Polish cavalry might accomplish anything against German tanks in modern warfare.

4th Panzer Division attempts to storm Warsaw outer defences but loses 60 tanks.
Polish CinC, Marshal Smigly-Rydz, sends desperate appeal to General Gamelin, French CinC, for decisive action on Western Front.

Sea War: First BEF troop convoy crosses English Channel (night).

Home Front France: Identity Cards made obligatory.

Home Front Germany: Goring broad­casts: scoffs at RAF leaflet raids and calls for Anglo-German peace agreement.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1939

Poland: Polish general retreat to 'strong defensive positions' in south-east Poland ordered.
15 air raids on Warsaw. Germans broadcast false news bulletin, announcing the 'fall' of the capital, on same wavelength as Radio Warsaw.

Diplomacy: CANADA DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY.

Sea War: British submarine Triton torpedoes sister submarine Oxley by mistake in North Sea (only 2 survivors).