orders made before France fell, and paid for with the French gold recovered in Africa. While there are numbers of French pilots available, they don't have enough to man the planes they have bought. Some of these have been sold on to other countries such as Holland, but these two squadrons, while flying Free French colours, were in any case being piloted by RAF officers. The intention had been to use the planes in support of planned actions against the Italians in Ethiopia, but this will take a while to happen, and in the meantime they will 'lend' them to Wavell.
6th November (East Africa)
The British finally take Fort Gallabat, in East Africa, from the Italians.
There were two frontier stations, Gallabat on the Sudanese (British) side and Metemma on the (Italian) Ethiopian. The two were about a half a mile apart, separated by a wide, dry wadi or stream bed, and connected by a road. The Italians moved across and occupied Gallabat, defended at that time only by a handful of Sudanese troops with British advisers, not long after joining the war in summer 1940. The British attack, by an Indian brigade with attached artillery and tank support under General Slim, commenced on November 6th. The British retook Gallabat rather easily in the first rush, also repelling with heavy losses a prompt and spirited counterattack from Metemma across the wadi.
However, the attempt to move against Metemma failed, as Italian air attacks caused some panic among the British troops, and the combination of rough terrain (very big rocks) and mines put most of the British tanks out of action.
Slim stayed for several weeks, shelling and otherwise harassing the Italians at Metemma, and in the end the Italian losses were probably as great as or greater than the British (on the first day or two the British/Indian forces suffered 167 casualties, including 42 dead, and lost six of their ten available fighter planes, and nine of their twelve tanks (albeit temporarily in the latter case, as most were repairable).
While the Army realises that East Africa is not a big priority for the RAF, they ask if more air support can be sent. Given the relatively old Italian aircraft in the theatre, they propose that once the Hurricanes and Goshawks arrive in Egypt, that the Gloster Gladiators still there can be reassigned. The RAF agrees to consider this.
7th November
(USA) The middle section of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State collapses during a windstorm. The film of this will later become famous in science and engineering classes all over the world.
As a result of the court-martial controversy, Churchill calls in the Air Marshalls and lays down the law to them. The officers will not be court martialled, nor will any others of those who joined the Goshawk squadrons. The Air Ministry will put out that this was all a 'mistake'. Since Churchill suspects that the officers will still be penalised if possible, they will be 'lent' on a long-term basis to the Navy, and will form two fighter squadrons in Egypt. The most that will be done is to reprimand the officers. While Churchill's reaction is not surprising to those who know him, it will have a longer term consequence when the anticipated paper on air resources and operations, expected shortly, is released.
The Italian invasion of Greece is postponed for a further 10 days as the air force has still not finished rearranging its plans. In addition the logistics have had to be redone, as with no naval support it is expected that shipping through the Adriatic will prove too dangerous unless heavily escorted by air, and even then will be in danger if the Royal Navy assign a carrier to interdict the shipping. However Mussolini insists that this will be the last postponement - the Italian ultimatum will be presented on the 21st of November.
9th November
Neville Chamberlain died at the age of 71. It is now stated that he was already suffering from cancer of the stomach when he was forced out of the
6th November (East Africa)
The British finally take Fort Gallabat, in East Africa, from the Italians.
There were two frontier stations, Gallabat on the Sudanese (British) side and Metemma on the (Italian) Ethiopian. The two were about a half a mile apart, separated by a wide, dry wadi or stream bed, and connected by a road. The Italians moved across and occupied Gallabat, defended at that time only by a handful of Sudanese troops with British advisers, not long after joining the war in summer 1940. The British attack, by an Indian brigade with attached artillery and tank support under General Slim, commenced on November 6th. The British retook Gallabat rather easily in the first rush, also repelling with heavy losses a prompt and spirited counterattack from Metemma across the wadi.
However, the attempt to move against Metemma failed, as Italian air attacks caused some panic among the British troops, and the combination of rough terrain (very big rocks) and mines put most of the British tanks out of action.
Slim stayed for several weeks, shelling and otherwise harassing the Italians at Metemma, and in the end the Italian losses were probably as great as or greater than the British (on the first day or two the British/Indian forces suffered 167 casualties, including 42 dead, and lost six of their ten available fighter planes, and nine of their twelve tanks (albeit temporarily in the latter case, as most were repairable).
While the Army realises that East Africa is not a big priority for the RAF, they ask if more air support can be sent. Given the relatively old Italian aircraft in the theatre, they propose that once the Hurricanes and Goshawks arrive in Egypt, that the Gloster Gladiators still there can be reassigned. The RAF agrees to consider this.
7th November
(USA) The middle section of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State collapses during a windstorm. The film of this will later become famous in science and engineering classes all over the world.
As a result of the court-martial controversy, Churchill calls in the Air Marshalls and lays down the law to them. The officers will not be court martialled, nor will any others of those who joined the Goshawk squadrons. The Air Ministry will put out that this was all a 'mistake'. Since Churchill suspects that the officers will still be penalised if possible, they will be 'lent' on a long-term basis to the Navy, and will form two fighter squadrons in Egypt. The most that will be done is to reprimand the officers. While Churchill's reaction is not surprising to those who know him, it will have a longer term consequence when the anticipated paper on air resources and operations, expected shortly, is released.
The Italian invasion of Greece is postponed for a further 10 days as the air force has still not finished rearranging its plans. In addition the logistics have had to be redone, as with no naval support it is expected that shipping through the Adriatic will prove too dangerous unless heavily escorted by air, and even then will be in danger if the Royal Navy assign a carrier to interdict the shipping. However Mussolini insists that this will be the last postponement - the Italian ultimatum will be presented on the 21st of November.
9th November
Neville Chamberlain died at the age of 71. It is now stated that he was already suffering from cancer of the stomach when he was forced out of the
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