1 December 1939
In England and Wales the
evacuation plans allowed for up to 3 million persons being
relocated. In effect 1 230 000 took advantage of the
scheme, and about 540 000 had now returned to the evacuation
areas when no bombing came in the first months of the war. |
2 December 1939
The cargo ship 'Doric
Star' was shelled and sunk by the German cruiser the 'Admiral
Graff Spee' in the South Atlantic.
Conscription was extended
to men aged 19 to 41 years. |
3 December 1939
The 5th Battalion, King's
Own, with Headquarters at Longhorsley, Northumberland,
despatched 25 other ranks to the Royal Army Service Corps School
at Whitley Bay for motor transport driving courses.
24
Vickers Wellington bombers raided German warships at Heligoland.
A German anti-aircraft battery was hit, possibly the first
British bombs of the war to land on German soil. |
4 December 1939
The German submarine U-36
was sunk by the British submarine HMS Salmon in the Heligoland
Bight. |
5 December 1939
On BBC Radio programmes
included 'Cooking in Wartime' which looked at 'meatless dinners'
and in the evening Tommy Handley appeared in 'ITMA - It's That
Man Again' |
6 December 1939
The 5th Battalion, King's
Own, based in Northumberland, were aware than a German aeroplane
crashed near Longframlington. The plane was a total loss
but the pilot had escaped by parachute. 'D' Company
mounted a guard over the wreckage.
In the Winter War between
Finland and Russia the Battle of Taipale began. |
7 December 1939
In the Winter War the
Battles of Kollaa and Suomussalmi began. |
8 December 1939
In the United States of
America, President Roosevelt's administration protested at the
British policy of seizing German goods on neutral ships. |
9 December 1939
With the rule that
mechanically propelled transport be confined to essential
training or transport services, troops were being deprived the
opportunity, through lack of transport, of playing football
matches away from their home stations. During the 'Phoney
War' period many troops were simply sat in barracks across the
country with not much to do. |
10 December 1939
The BBC moved the mid-day
news bulletin from 12 noon to 1 p.m. as this was considered a
betting listening time for many.
The first convoy of Canadian
troops departed Halifax, Nova Scotia for Britain. |
11 December 1939
On BBC Radio an evening
concert "For the Auxiliary Fire Service" was broadcast from the
Central Fire Station at Isleworth in Middlesex. |
12 December 1939
The British destroyer HMS
Duchess sank when it was accidentally rammed, in fog, by the
battleship HMS Barham off the Mull of Kintyre. The
destroyer capsized and her depth charges exploded killing 124 of
her crew of 145. |
13 December 1939
The Battle of the River
Plate takes place between HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMS Achillies
of the Royal Navy and the German cruiser, 'Admiral Graf Spee',
low on ammunition and suffering damage, the 'Graf Spee' takes
refuge in Montevideo harbour. |
14 December 1939
The Soviet Union was
expelled from the League of Nations after it was declared the
aggressor in the war in Finland.
Norwegian pro-Nazi
politician Vidkum Quisling met with Adolf Hitler in Berlin as
the Nazi's investigated ways to go about occupying Norway. |
15 December 1939
The government in Uruguay
gave the 'Admiral Graf Spee' 72 hours to leave Montevideo
harbour.
In Lancaster a lecture 'Air Raid Precautions Lessons
from Barcelona' was given by Doctor Margarite Camps. |
16 December 1939
In the Winter War the
First Battle of Summa began. |
17 December 1939
The 'Admiral Graf Spee'
was scuttled in neutral waters off Montevideo as Captain Hans
Langsdorff believed that British re-enforcements were nearby.
He did not have enough fuel and ammunition to fight his way back
to Germany.
In Berlin the decision was made to occupy
Denmark.
The first Canadian troops arrived in Britain. |
18 December 1939
An air battle took
place in the skies above Heligoland Bight in northern Germany,
between the Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe.
In Lancaster and Morecambe there was a test of the air raid
sirens at 10 a.m. |
19 December 1939
The Anglo-French Supreme
War Council met for the fourth time, and decided to send help to
Finland if requested, against the wishes of the neutral
Scandinavian nations. |
20 December 1939
Captain Hans Langsdorff,
of the German cruiser 'Admiral Graf Spee' shot himself in
full uniform in his room in a Buenos Aires Hotel.' |
21 December 1939
'B' Company, 5th
Battalion, King's Own, moved into unfurnished billets and
requisitioned buildings at Longhorseley, Northumberland.
In
the Winter War, in the face of strong Finnish resistance the
Soviet Union halted large scale operations before attempting a
new offensive. |
22 December 1939
In the Winter War the
first Battle of Summa ended in Finnish victory. |
23 December 1939
Cyclist had great
difficulty in obtained rear lamps and batteries owing to the
increased use of cycles, and some cyclists were being fined for
not having rear lamps. The production of lamps and
batteries was being increased as rapidly as possible. |
24 December 1939
Christmas Eve on the BBC
Radio Home Service included the London Palladium Orchestra, and
'Santa's party' with characters from Walt Disney's Silly
Symphonies and Mickey Mouse cartoons. |
25 December 1939
On BBC Radio His Majesty
The King spoke to the Empire at 3 p.m. Other programmes
for the day included the Foden's Motor Works Band, Music for
Christmas, A Soldiers' Christmas service from France and Gracie
Fields in a NAAFI Variety Concert organised by ENSA 'Somewhere
in France'.
In the Winter War, the Battle of Kelja began.
In the North Sea, 8 nautical miles off Blyth in Northumberland,
the auxiliary minesweeper, HMT Loch Doon, struck a mine and sunk
with the loss of all 15 crew. |
26 December 1939
The first Royal
Australian Air Force squadron, No 10 Squadron, RAAF, arrived in
Britain. |
27 December 1939
In the Winter War, the
Battles of Kelja and Taipale ended in Finnish victories. |
28 December 1939
The German submarine U-30
hit battleship HMS Barnham with a torpedo, west of the Outer
Hebrides. Four crew members were killed but the Barnham
was able to make for Liverpool for repairs.
It was announced
that rationing would be expanded to include butter, bacon, ham
and sugar from 8 January 1940. |
29 December 1939
In the Winter War about
250 Finnish ski troops ski across the border and blow up the
Leningrad-Murmansk railway line in three places. |
30 December 1939
On BBC Radio music from
the London and North Eastern Railway Manchester District Silver
Band, and a talk on 'Vermin' of vital interest to the backyarder
for whether he keep rabbits of hens, pigeons or pigs, meal and
corn about the place are bound to attract rats and mice. |
31 December 1939
New Year's Eve in
Britain, France and Germany was subdued due to the blackout and
war time restrictions. Most celebrations were held in
private houses with the windows curtained. |
