Air War: German fighter sweeps over Southeast England: 10 Me109s, 2 Spitfires and 6 Hurricanes shot down. Night raids on London by 261 aircraft. 119 RAF bombers sent to Berlin.

Sea War Atlantic: DAKAR EXPEDITION (Operation Menace). Unsuccessful British-Free French attempt to occupy Dakar, Vichy stronghold in West Africa. Vichy battleship Richelieu (partially repaired following July 7, 1940, incident), shore batteries and submarines hold off 3 British battleships, 4 cruisers and carrier Ark Royal. Barham, Resolution and cruiser Cumberland damaged; 1 Vichy destroyer and 2 submarines sunk. Total French casualties, 563.

Picture: the Vichy French battleship Richelieu, which suffered heavy damaged after the Dakar Expedition.

Home Front Britain: George Cross and George Medal instituted for civilian bravery.

Indo-China: Vichy French garrison at Da Nang, Central Vietnam, offers fierce resistance to Japanese occupation forces.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1940

Air War: Vichy French bombers make ineffectual reprisal raids on Gibraltar (September 24 and 25). Strongest French bombing attack since the beginning of WW2.

Picture: US-build medium bomber Martin 167 F Maryland from GB I/22 based in Rabat (Morocco) of the Vichy French Air Force before the reprisal raid on Gibraltar.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1940

Air War: Bristol Aeroplane Company's factory at Filton bombed.
Portal becomes RAF Chief of Air Staff.

Occupied Norway: Quisling Government formed in Norway.

Secret War: US Signals Intelligence first reads Japanese Purple code.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1940

Air War: Supermarine factory at Southampton bombed: Spitfire production halted. Night raids on London and Liverpool (fires in Docks area).

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1940

Air War: Fighter-bomber raid on London followed by major raid (300 bombers and fighters) on the capital and 80-plane attack on Bristol. Only 200 raiders penetrate to central London.
Aircraft losses: German, 55; British, 28.
Night raids on London by 163 aircraft. Number of Londoners sheltering in 'Underground' stations reaches record total of 177,000.

Diplomacy: (MAIN EVENT) TRIPARTITE PACT. Germany, Italy and Japan make 10-year military, political and economic alliance in Berlin.
Convention of Havana - whereby the Pan American State appoint themselves joint trustees of any European colony or colonies in the Americas which are threatened by Axis Powers. (See July 28, 1940.)

Picture: After the signiture of the Tripartite Pact between Germany, Italy and Japan, the German foreign minister von Ribbentrop was speaking. On the table to the left was sitting Adolf Hitler, the Italian foreign minister Duke Ciano and the Japanese ambassador Kurusu.

Sea War: Veteran British submarine H.49 (built 1919) returns after successful patrol off Frisian Islands (two convoys attacked). She is sunk by German patrol boats in same area, October 18.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1940

Home Front Britain: Mother and Child evacuation scheme: 489,000 leave London by October 17.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1940

Air War: Hurricanes intercept formation of Heinkel He111s over Irish Sea: each side loses 3 aircraft.

Picture from the gun control camera of a Hawker Hurricane fighter as it was intercepting a formation of German Heinkel He111 bombers.