Thursday 2 November 1939

King George VI, accompanied by AVM Trafford Leigh-Mallory, inspects No 611 Squadron RAF at RAF Digby on 2 November 1939. The men had started to settle into a routine of training, alerts and readiness from their arrival on 10 October, interrupted by a very cold winter with snow often stopping all flying.

Western Front: French forces patrol the area between the Blies River, a tributary of the Saar, and the Rhine on 2 November 1939. The Germans are using shock troops for raids on the French lines. The weather is lousy.

European Air Operations: The RAF in conjunction with anti-aircraft guns below bring down two Luftwaffe planes.

Battle of the Atlantic: U.S. freighters Endicott and West Gambo are released from French detainment at LeHavre after having portions of their cargoes seized as contraband.

Convoy OA 29 departs from Southend, Convoy OB 29 departs from Liverpool, and Convoy HX 7 departs from Halifax.

RAF: King George inspects RAF Digby and decorates the leaders of a raid on the Kiel Canal.

Poland: The USSR continues devouring its share of Poland, incorporating a big chunk into Byelorussian SSR. This is claimed to be "the will of the people" due to a supposed plebiscite of the inhabitants. All Polish territory occupied by the Soviets has now been incorporated into the USSR.

The Polish government-in-exile dissolves the Parliament and sets up a National Council to govern from Paris.

German government: Hitler consults with his envoys to Moscow and Rome.

US Government: The House passes the President's neutrality bill.

British Government: First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill goes to Paris to discuss the work of the British and French Navies.

Holocaust: At the Lodz Ghetto, the Germans executed in Lagiewniki Woods 15 men arrested a day earlier in the Astoria Café. Many others were savagely beaten and tortured. Lodz is under the authority of Gauleiter Arthur Greiser, who believes in complete and quick Germanization.

A tea party held at Olympia, London Street, Reading on Thursday 2 November 1939 for evacuated mothers and children. It was attended by the Mayor of Reading (standing, wearing his chain of office) Councillor W.E.C.McIlroy. (Photograph was published in the Berkshire Chronicle on 3 November 1939) (Reading Museum).

November 1939

November 1, 1939: The Jet Flies Again
November 2, 1939: The Soviets Devour Poland
November 3, 1939: Amending the Neutrality Act
November 4, 1939: Roosevelt Signs Neutrality Laws
November 5, 1939: The Spirit of Zossen
November 6, 1939: First Dogfight
November 7, 1939: More Lies About SS Athenia
November 8, 1939: Hitler Almost Killed
November 9, 1939: The Venlo Incident
November 10, 1939: Dutch Panic
November 11, 1939: Poignant Armistice Day
November 12, 1939: Peace Efforts Made and Rejected
November 13, 1939: First Bombing of Great Britain
November 14, 1939: The Dyle Plan
November 15, 1939: Elser Confesses to the Bürgerbräukeller Bombing
November 16, 1939: Martial Law in Prague
November 17, 1939: International Students Day
November 18, 1939: Magnetic Mines
November 19, 1939: Walls Around the Warsaw Ghetto
November 20, 1939: First RN Submarine Victory
November 21, 1939: Salmon & Gluckstein on the Prowl
November 22, 1939: British Recover A Magnetic Mine
November 23, 1939: HMS Rawalpindi Sunk
November 24, 1939: Japanese Enter Nanning
November 25, 1939: The Olympics are a War Casualty
November 26, 1939: Soviets Stage an "Incident" at Mainila
November 27, 1939: German Marriage Becomes Perilous
November 28, 1939: Judenrats in Poland
November 29, 1939: The Soviets Prepare to Invade Finland
November 30, 1939: Winter War Begins

2019