Monthly Archives: June 1940

Sunday, 23 June 1940

No. 24 Squadron, Hendon

Following the final evacuation from France, No. 24 (Communications) Squadron is reduced to providing internal UK flights for VIPs. Fewer aircrew are needed. Pilot Officer Louis Strange is posted to Ringway.

Wednesday, 19 June 1940

RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire

Squadron Leader Donald Ross Shore, a career officer who has become a parachute specialist, jumps from the tail of a Whitley and is concussed on landing. He also twists an ankle. He has been appointed to command the Parachute Training School, which is due to form at RAF Ringway in two days’ time.

Combined Operations HQ, London

Group Captain Geoffrey Bowman, DSO, MC*, DFC, Deputy Director (Air) of Combined Operations, has to find a replacement commandant for the parachute school, as Sqn Ldr Shore is now out of action.

Tuesday, 18 June 1940

France

Pierre Julitte, a French liaison officer with the British Third Armoured Brigade (a component of 1st Armoured Division), is evacuated to England with his host unit from Cherbourg. The 3rd Armoured Division’s commander, Brigadier John Crocker, had several times, and against regulations, given Julitte active command of reconnaissance operations.

RAF Mountbatten, Plymouth

Major Hope, of Section ‘D’, SIS, is tasked with extracting Madame de Gaulle and her children from Brittany. They might be held hostage against her husband’s behaviour. A Supermarine Walrus flying boat is made available at RAF Mountbatten, and a crew from No. 10 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, is to fly it. It takes off from Plymouth, intended to land in the harbour at Carantec. The aircraft disappears, and its fate is only discovered after the war: it crashes near the village of Ploudaniel, with the loss of all on board. Mme de Gaulle is taken off by the Royal Navy the next day, oblivious to the attempt to rescue her.

London

General de Gaulle speaks to the French nation by radio. Few hear his broadcast. At the time it is not thought significant.

Combined Operations

General Bourne writes a detailed proposal for Combined Operations. His plans include a parachute training centre with six Whitleys, but assumes that the whole Whitley bomber group (i.e. No. 4 Group) will be available for parachute operations.

Sunday, 16 June 1940

France

The French Prime Minister, Paul Reynaud, resigns in favour of Marshal Philippe Pétain, the hero of Verdun in the Great War. Pétain announces his intention to seek an armistice with Germany.