World War II As It Happened
A MaritimeQuest Daily Event Special Presentation
Sunday April 7, 1940
Day 220

April 7, 1940: Front page of The People, London, England.
(Click on the image for a readable version.)


April 7, 1940: Front page of the Sunday Pictorial, London, England.
(Click on the image for a readable version.)


April 7, 1940: Front page of the Sunday Telegraph, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
(Click on the image for a readable version.)
 
Note the report at top left: "Five Nazi warships bombed in daring reprisal raid"
Official documents from the time tell a different story than the one told to the press and public.
In British documents the raid was described as such;

"April 4, Air reconnaissance in unfavourable weather conditions early on the 4th April disclosed the presence in the Jade of two capital ships. Aircraft which were sent to attack these ships observed two large ships at anchor in the roads and one alongside at Wilhelmshaven; five destroyers, many minesweepers and about 60 merchant vessels were seen in Schillig Roads proceeding northwards. The attack achieved a possible hit on a destroyer."

[The German force seen sailing northward was the invasion force for Norway and Denmark.]

The official German documents describe the attack in this way;

"Apr. 4, Enemy bomber flights as far as the estuaries in the morning and afternoon. Bombs were dropped off Brunsbüttel and in the Jade, but fell in the water and did not explode, so it is a possibility that mines or drift mines were dropped."


April 7, 1940: Front page of The Sunday Sun, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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April 7, 1940: Front page of the Syracuse Herald-American, Syracuse, New York.
(Click on the image for a readable version.)
Note the report in column 1: "Father Seeks Writ to Free Hammer Girl"
(Even though two lines below the headline it reads "Police Exonerate Her" the headline writer still felt it necessary to add the snarky nickname Hammer Girl.)
Also note the report in column 5: "Miss Cochran Speeds To New Air Record"


April 7, 1940: Front page of The Hammond Times, Hammond, Indiana.
(Click on the image for a readable version.)
 
Note the report in column 4: "Writs For 100 Bund, Fascist, Red Members"
 
Also note the report in column 2: "Sun's Eclipse Visible to Naked Eye This Afternoon"


April 7, 1940: Front page of the Butte Montana Standard, Butte, Montana.
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April 7, 1940: Front page of the Nevada State Journal, Reno, Nevada.
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April 7, 1940: Front page of the Kingsport Times, Kingsport, Tennessee.
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April 7, 1940: Front page of The Port Arthur News, Port Arthur, Texas.
(Click on the image for a readable version.)
 
Note the report at bottom right: "Totally Blind Flight Made By U.S. Aviators"



   
Page published April 7, 2021