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.