Secret documents on the planned German Gelb Offensive captured by Belgians
week from January 8 - 14, 1940

MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1940

Sea War: Converted Wellington bomber, fitted with metal hoop energized to explode magnetic mines, makes first successful low-level sortie over North Sea (night January 8-9).

Picture: converted Wellington bomber, fitted with metal hoop energized to explode German magnetic mines.

Home Front Britain: Food rationing begins: weekly allowance per person is 40z (100g) of bacon or ham, 40z butter, 120z (350g) sugar. Ration books issued.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1940

Sea War: German patrol craft depth-charge RN submarines Undine, Seahorse and Starfish in Heligoland Bight (on January 6, 7 and 9, respectively). British submarine operations in Heligoland Bight temporarily abandoned.
British liner Dunbar Castle mined and sunk off southeast England.

Home Front Britain: P.M. Chamberlain makes first of a series of 'morale-boosting' speeches by Cabinet Ministers.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1940

Western Front: (MAIN EVENT) German Me 108 carrying Major Reinberger - a paratroop commander with secret documents on the planned Gelb Offensive in the West - makes forced landing at Mechelen in Belgium.
Reinberger makes bungled attempt to destroy documents and is captured by Belgian troops. German plans now compromised.

Diplomacy: Unofficial peace talks between Mme. Wuolijoki (Finland) and Mme. Kollontai (USSR) in Stockholm.

Sea War Atlantic: German blockade runner Bahia Blanca hits iceberg and sinks northwest of Iceland.
German destroyers lay mines off Newcastle and Cromer (night January 10-11).

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Russian 168th Division encircled north of Lake Ladoga. Finns beat off reinforcements, while Russians supply the 'pocket' by air. Russian relief column finally breaks through, March 6.
New Russian drive in Salla sector ('Waist' area), toward Kemijärvi-Tornio railway (Finns counterattack, January 17-18).
Swedish volunteer air group, Flygflottilj 19, begins operations from frozen lake Kemi, with 12 Gladiators and 4 Hart light bombers. The Swedes shoot down 12 Russians and lose 6 aircraft, by March 13.

Picture: Planes like this Polikarpov I-153 single-seat fighter, in winter finish, were used to carrying supply containers to Russian pockets during the Winter War.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Battle of the Taipale. Major Russian effort to break through left flank of Mannerheim Line, by crossing ice-bound river Taipale, is defeated by hand-to-hand fighting (ends January 23).

Picture: Russian General T.F. Shtykov inspects the weapons of his troops on the Leningrad Front. The men are all well furnished with winter clothing.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1940

Diplomacy: Franco-Spanish Trade Agreement. Spain to receive French wheat, fertilizers and manufactured goods in exchange for iron, ore and other minerals.

Neutrals, Norway: Increased defence expenditure produces highest government budget in Norwegian history.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 1940

Neutrals, Norway and Sweden: Russian aircraft drop bombs near Lulea, Sweden and violate Norwegian airspace; diplomatic protests in Moscow.