Sunday, May 2, 2010

Day 246 May 3, 1940


Evacuation of Namsos (1850 British, 2345 French & some Norwegian troops, 30 German POWs) is complete at dawn. HMS Afridi leaves at 4.45 AM, staying to shell vehicles left behind on the dock. Luftwaffe bombers attack the convoy at 9.45 AM. French destroyer Bison sinks at 10.10 (103 lives lost). Destroyers HMS Afridi, Imperial & Grenade rescue survivors from the water. Afridi is also bombed at 2 PM and sinks in 45 minutes (49 of Afridi’s crew, 13 men of 146th Brigade and 30 of the 69 just rescued from Bison are killed). HMS Griffin & Imperial pick up survivors.

With the British gone and the Norwegian King, government & CiC General Ruge safely in Tromsø 1000km North, Norwegian General Hvinden-Haug surrenders all troops South of Trondheim. In the evening, fighting ends in Southern Norway.

British and French troops evacuated from Ã…ndalsnes arrive safely at Scapa Flow. French units are put on French passenger ships to Brest, to help with the defense of France.

No comments:

Post a Comment