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• » 14 Jul 1940

• Battleship Bismarck departed the drydock after completing the propeller and MES magnetic system installation. ww2dbase [Bismarck | CPC]
• German aircraft attacked the Allied convoys in the English Channel, sinking or damaging only 5 ships despite the large number of aircraft sent. German bombers also attacked RAF airfield at Manston in Kent in southern England, United Kingdom and a destroyer in Swanage Harbor, Dorset, causing little damage. BBC reporter Charles Gardner provided the first eyewitness radio report of the Battle of Britain as he watched German aircraft attacking a convoy in the English Channel. Meanwhile, the British Royal Air Force leadership directed its pilots to ignore German aircraft with Red Cross markings, as such aircraft were suspected of conducting military reconnaissance missions in the English Channel. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | CPC]
• Vichy French bombers attacked Gibraltar, causing no damage. ww2dbase [British Attacks on the French Fleet | CPC]
• British RAF Bomber Command launched raids against two Luftwaffe bases in Germany, with 9 Whitley bombers of No. 102 Squadron hitting Paderborn and 12 Whitley bombers of No. 10 Squadron and No. 51 Squadron hitting Diepholz. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | CPC]

• German armed merchant cruiser Thor sank British ship Gracefield 500 miles off the coast of Brazil. The crew of 36 was taken prisoner. ww2dbase [Thor | CPC]
• The 5,832-ton Norwegian steam tanker Sarita was in ballast and bound for Trinidad when she was hit at 1145 hours on her port side by a single torpedo fired from German submarine UA (Kapitänleutnant Hans Cohausz). The impact at the #7 tank caused enough damage for the master Carsten Grøm to order the abandonment of the vessel. The crew took to a lifeboat and two rafts. After an hour the submarine surfaced and opened fire, after 34 rounds, 11 of which were hits. Sarita listed to port but did not seem to be sinking; the empty starboard tankers were keeping the ship afloat. UA moved in closer and started to fire at the hull with the 2cm anti-aircraft gun. Sarita went under at 1138 hours after which the Germans pulled alongside and took the master onboard with the ship's papers and took care of two injured crew. Cohausz also offered to send a telegram to the ship's agents in St. Vincent to request assistance. Having returned to survivors in the water after speaking to the Germans, the master split the survivors between the lifeboat and rafts. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | UA | HM]
• German submarine U-52 sank Greek ship Thetis A. off Brest, France at 1818 hours. 9 were killed and 20 survived. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | CPC]

• The British commando raid on Guernsey was met with little result. ww2dbase [Guernsey | TH]

• Comandante Cappellini departed La Spezia, Italy at 0800 hours for exercises, returning at 1336 hours. ww2dbase [Comandante Cappellini | La Spezia, Liguria | CPC]

• Free French leader Charles de Gaulle celebrated Bastille Day at the Cenotaph in London, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Charles de Gaulle | London, England | CPC]
• British armed merchant cruiser HMS Esperance Bay departed Plymouth, England, United Kingdom at 1250 hours with £10,000,000 in gold. She was intercepted and bombed by German aircraft 100 miles west of the port, killing 7, but she was able to return to Plymouth without losing her cargo. ww2dbase [Plymouth, England | CPC]

14 Jul 1940 Interactive Map