February 7, 1940: IRA Terrorists Executed

Wednesday 7 February 1940

The Munster, sunk on 7 February 1940.

Winter War: On 7 February 1940, The British newspapers somehow get ahold of the Allied Supreme War Council's plan to send troops to Finland. This news is not taken completely positively by the Finns, who disapprove of a plan by the French and British to land their troops at Petsamo. Relations with Norway and Sweden, who have not consented to the use of their territory, and certainly not the occupation of it, become more complicated. The plan does, though, receive widespread public support.

Winter War Army Operations: The Red Army continues hammering the Mannerheim Line at Summa. There is no breakthrough, but the Soviets are making small penetrations into the defenses and drawing in Finnish reserves.

Winter War Air Operations: The Finnish government now believes that every town in Finland has been bombed by Soviet planes.

Battle of the Atlantic: At 06:00, the 4,305-ton Irish passenger/mail ship M/V Munster (45 crew, 190 passengers, Master William James Paisley) hits a mine en route to Liverpool and sinks a few miles from there in the Irish Sea. The mine was laid on 6 January 1940 by U-30 in the Queens Channel. All crew and passengers survive when a nearby steamer, SS Ringwall, picks them up.

The Kriegsmarine lays a defensive minefield off Borkum.

Convoy OA 87 departs from Southend, OB 86 departs from Liverpool, OB 87 departs from Liverpool, and HX 19 departs from Halifax.

Western Front: Paris accuses the Germans of executing two Americans in Poland.

Anglo/French Relations: Generals Weygand and Wavell being four days of planning in Cairo.

Anglo/Italian Relations: Mussolini exercises his veto of arms sales to the UK. He usually tries to appear as neutral as possible, so this comes as a bit of shock, especially considering that the British Purchasing Commission led by Lord Hardwick had just placed a large order for Italian fighter planes (Caproni-Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I).

Terrorism: The British execute two IRA men, Peter Barnes and James Richards, at Winston Green Prison, Birmingham. They were sentenced on 11 December 1939 for planting the bombs that murdered 5 people at Coventry on 25 August 1939. The two men become martyrs for the IRA.

China: At the Battle of South Kwangsi, the Japanese continue attacking Wuning.

In the "Shangtung Operation," the Japanese 21st Infantry Division, 32nd ID, and 5th Independent Mixed Brigade occupy the Shangtung Peninsula.

Sailors exercising on HMAS Hobart, 7 February 1940.

February 1940

February 1, 1940: Second Battle of Summa
February 2, 1940: Soviet Assaults at Summa

February 3, 1940: Soviets Capture a Bunker
February 4, 1940: Peace Talks in Stockholm
February 5, 1940: Allies to Invade Norway
February 6, 1940: Careless Talk Costs Lives
February 7, 1940: IRA Terrorists Executed
February 8, 1940: Spies!
February 9, 1940: The Welles Mission
February 10, 1940: Confiscation of Jewish Goods
February 11, 1940: Soviets Attack Mannerheim Line
February 12, 1940: Breaches In Mannerheim Line
February 13, 1940: Soviets Inching Forward in Finland
February 14, 1940: Soviets Batter Mannerheim Line
February 15, 1940: Finns Retreat
February 16, 1940: Altmark Incident
February 17, 1940: Manstein and Hitler Discuss Fall Gelb
February 18, 1940: Operation Nordmark
February 19, 1940: King Gustav Says No
February 20, 1940: Falkenhorst Commands Weserubung
February 21, 1940: Radar Advances
February 22, 1940: Friendly Fire
February 23, 1940: Soviets Present Their Demands
February 24, 1940: Fall Gelb Revised
February 25, 1940: Mr. Welles Comes to Visit
February 26, 1940: Battle of Honkaniemi
February 27, 1940: Finns Retreat Again
February 28, 1940: Overseas Volunteers Help Finland
February 29, 1940: Finns Accept Soviet Terms In Principle

2019