Sea War Mediterranean: Destroyer Escort torpedoed by Italian submarine Guglielmo Marconi in Western Mediterranean (she founders while in tow).

Sea War Atlantic: Two destroyers and two torpedo boats - bought by Sweden from Italy and detained by British forces in Faeroe Islands - are bombed in error by British aircraft (damaged ships reach Sweden July 10).

Home Front Britain: 9 BEF divisions, rescued from Dunkirk, have now been reorganized. Tea rationing begins (2 oz. per person per week).

TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1940

Sea War Mediterranean: Naval action off Calabria (Battle of Punta Stilo). British Mediterranean Fleet attempts to cut off Italian Fleet from its Taranto base, but Italians escape at high speed covered by smoke screen; battleship Giulio Cesare and cruiser Bolzano damaged (98 casualties). Repeated attacks by Italian land-based aircraft damage cruiser Gloucester (and narrowly miss Italian warships). Italian bombers also make heavy attacks on British Force 'H', attempting to reach battle area from the West. Mussolini issues Order of the Day to Italian Fleet: 'You have obtained our first naval victory...'

Picture: The Italian heavy cruiser Bolzano under attack from Swordfish torpedo planes.

Sea War: German disguised raider Komet leaves Bergen for the Pacific, via Northeast Passage (assisted by Russian ice-breakers).

Air War: 12 Blenheims (7 lost, 5 damaged) raid Stavanger airfield.

Home Front Britain: £1,000 Millions Vote of Credit for war expenditure approved by House of Commons.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1940

Air War: (MAIN EVENT) BATTLE OF BRITAIN (for Britain DAY 1; but in fact the real German operation was starting more than one month later, on 13 August with Adlertag = Eagles Day). Widespread raids: 25 Do17s, escorted by Messerschmitts Bf109, attack convoy near Dover (one ship sunk); 60 Ju88s bomb ports of Falmouth and Swansea and Pembrey Royal Ordnance Factory, South Wales (30 killed); Martlesham airfield, near Ipswich, bombed. Losses (in combat or following combat damage): German, 11; British, 1.
First Free Czech fighter squadron (No. 310) formed in Britain.

Picture: Junkers Ju88A fast bombers, who could carry up to 5,500lb of bombs and were able for dive-bombing.

Battle of Britain: from Operation Sealion to the Blitz

Sea War Atlantic: British minefield, Orkneys-Iceland-Greenland completed. Five U-boats leave new base at Bergen, Norway.

Neutrals, Vichy France: French National Assembly at Vichy gives full powers to Petain by 569 votes to 80, with 17 abstentions.

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 1940

Neutrals, Vichy France: President Lebrun resigns; Petain proclaims himself 'Head of the French State', abolishes Republican Constitution of 1875, and dismisses Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

Home Front Britain: Beaverbrook Minister of Aircraft Production, appeals for aluminium pots and pans, 'to build Spitfires' (vast quantities are collected but the value of the campaign is negligible).

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1940

Air War: Hurricanes destroy four bombers attacking convoy off Suffolk coast. Night raids on Aberdeen (60 casualties) and Cardiff.

Neutrals, USSR: Kuusinen, former head ofthe short-lived Terijoki Government (see December 2, 1939), appointed President of Karelo-Finnish Soviet Republic, in territory gained from Finland, March 13, 1940.

SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1940

Air War: First Free Polish fighter squdron (No. 302) formed in Britain, with Hurricanes.

Picture: A Polish pilot is helped into his plane by a Polish Air Force corporal just after the Battle of Britain. Polish aircrew made a valuable contribution to the succesful outcome of the Battle of Britain, inflicting heavy casualties on the German Luftwaffe, especially during September 1940.