May

World War II Today: May 16 Events that occurred on this day during WWII that influenced that course of the Second World War:

1940 Official announcement that British weekly butter ration will be reduced from 8oz to 4oz per head. The German XX.Panzerkorps (Hoth) repels a counter-attack by French armored forces, destroying 125 out of 175 tanks. An attack by 6th Army (von Reichenau) against the Dyle line in Belgium is repulsed. After the fall of Rotterdam the

1940 The British Secretary of State for War, Anthony Eden calls for volunteers to form the Local defense Volunteers force (LDV). Admiralty order requires all owners of large boats to send in particulars within two weeks. German forces break through the French front at Sedan. British and French aircraft are unsuccessful in destroying the German-built

1940 The Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth gives support to Churchill’s government by 2,413,000 votes to 170,000. Churchill makes ‘blood, sweat, tears and toil’ speech. Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch royal family arrive in London. Supported by waves of Luftwaffe Stuka dive-bombers, the two German Panzer Korps of Heeresgruppe B establish bridgeheads across the Meuse

1940 French forces withdraw behind the Meuse river between Dinant and Sedan as advance German panzer columns push out from the Ardennes. Germans troops continue their advance through Holland, crossing the Yssel and Meuse rivers at several points. Massive German artillery bombardments are maintained on western front, the Luftwaffe continues to reek havoc across Northern

1940 The King signs proclamation canceling Whitsun holiday. Seven out of eight Fairey Battle Bombers fail to return from an attack on enemy forces in Luxembourg. No. 114 Sqn’s Blenheims are annihilated on the ground in a low-level German raid. German troops occupy the Duchy of Luxembourg. A glider-borne parachute detachment of 1st Fallschirmjager Regiment

1940 At 5.35am, the Wehrmacht begins ‘Operation Yellow’, the invasion of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg, employing Army Group A (von Rundstedt) and B (von Bock), with Army Group C (von Leeb) in reserve. The attacking forces comprise 10 Armored, 5 Motorized, and 75 infantry divisions. The 19th Panzer Korps (Guderian), 20th Panzer Korps (Hoth) and

1940 The French submarine Doris is sunk by U-9 off the Dutch coast. Age for conscription in Britain is raised to 36. Hitler orders ‘Operation Yellow’, the great offensive in the West, to begin at 5:35 a.m.the next day. 1941 The Luftwaffe launches a massive night raid (507 bombers) against London which causes many fires

1940 Opposition censure motion against Chamberlain’s conduct of the war; rejected by 281 to 200, but over 30 government MPs vote for it. German commandos in Dutch uniforms cross the Dutch border to hold bridges for the advancing German army. 1941 During an attack against convoy OB318, U-110 commanded by Julius Lemp suffers serious damage

1940 Opposition censure motion against Chamberlain’s conduct of the war; rejected by 281 to 200, but over 30 government MPs vote for it. German commandos in Dutch uniforms cross the Dutch border to hold bridges for the advancing German army. 1941 During an attack against convoy OB318, U-110 commanded by Julius Lemp suffers serious damage