CHRONOLGY OF MAIN EVENTS
The items within square brackets [ ] are 1941 General Mediterranean Sea Western Desert Greece and Crete March 1
11[Bulgaria joins Axis]
Lend-Lease Act signed by President Roosevelt
28Air attacks on Malta
Action off Cape Matapan24 Axis occupy El Agheila 4
5
9
26Final Athens Conference
Sailing of the British forces for Greece begins
- 16 Italian offensive in Albania
Italians attack shipping in Suda Bay
April
11
21Heavy air attacks on Malta
Two operations to reinforce Malta with aircraft
- 24 Captain Mack's destroyers at Malta
Bombardment of Tripoli1
3
7
8
10
13Axis take Mersa Brega
Benghazi abandoned
Generals Neame and O'Connor captured
Axis take Mechili
- 11 Axis troops reach Bardia and Sollum
- 14, 16 - 17 and 30 April to 4 May
Axis attacks on Tobruk
6
11
15
21
24
27Germans invade Greece
- 14 Withdrawal to Olympus-Servia line
- 19 Withdrawal to Thermopylae
Decision to evacuate Greece
- 30 The embarkation
Germans enter AthensMay
9
19
19
27Fliegerkorps X begins to leave Sicily
Dawson Mission appointed for Middle East
A.C.M. Longmore replaced by A.M. Tedder
Intendant-General appointed
Bismarck sunk
5Operation to reinforce Malta with aircraft
Axis air attacks on Malta decrease
- 12 Passage of 'TIGER' convoy4
15
27Attack on Tobruk fails
- 17 British attack Halfaya-Sollum-Capuzzo, ('BREVITY')
Germans recapture Halfaya Pass20
21
27
28Germans invade Crete
Loss of Maleme airfield
Decision to evacuate
- 31 The embarkation--326--
FROM MARCH TO NOVEMBER 1941
not included in the present volume Turkey and Yugoslavia Syria Iraq and Persia Red Sea and East Africa 8
18
25
27
Allied-Yugoslav staff talks at Athens
Mr Eden and Turkish Foreign Minister meet in Cyprus
Yugoslavia signs Tripartite Pact
Coup d'état in YugoslaviaFree French propaganda campaign
31Political situation in Iraq grows worse
Regent flees from Baghdad
25
27Free French propaganda campaign against French Somaliland fails
Blockade of French Somaliland ordered
[Capture of Keren]6
13Germans invade Yugoslavia
Germans occupy BelgradeBritish-Free French discussions about action in Syria 3
30Rashid Ali seizes power
Siege of Habbaniya begins
1
5
8
11Capture of:
[Asmara]
[Addis Ababa]
[Massawa]
Red Sea opened to United States shipping
Lakes campaign in Galla-Sidamo begins
Patriot operations in Gondar area
Blockade of French Somaliland continues
19Axis use Syria as base for supporting Iraq revolt
Decision to prepare a force for Syria ('EXPORTER')5
8
6
13
19
27
31Middle East assumes operational control in Northern Iraq, and
in Southern Iraq
Siege of Habbaniya lifted
Habforce enters Iraq
Capture of Falluja
- 30 Advance on Baghdad
Armistice signed5
16
23Emperor Haile Selassie enters Addis Ababa
[Duke of Aosta surrenders at Amba Alagi]
Successful Lakes campaign
Capture of Soddu
Gondar area: Patriot operations
Blockade of French Somaliland continues
--327--
CHRONOLGY OF MAIN EVENTS
The items within square brackets [ ] are 1941 General Mediterranean Sea Western Desert June
18
22
28Beginning of regular flow of American supplies
Pact of Friendship and Non-Agression between Turkey and Germany
Germans invade Russia
Mr Lyttleton appointed Minister of StateFour operations to reinforce Malta with aircraft
15Tobruk besieged
- 17 British attack at Halfaya-Sollum-Capuzzo ('BATTLEAXE') failsJuly 5
12
31General Wavell replaced by General Auchinleck
General Bastico relieves General Gariboldi in Africa
Panzergruppe Afrika formed
20
25
31- 24 'SUBSTANCE' convoy to Malta
/26 Italian E.M.B. attack on Malta Grand Harbour
- 2 Aug. 'STYLE' convoy to Malta
19
29Tobruk besieged
[Australian Government requests relief of Australians in Tobruk]
Gen. Auchinleck and A.M. Tedder arrive in London to discuss British offensiveAug. 14 [Signature of the Atlantic Charter] 2 'STYLE' convoy reaches Malta
19Tobruk besieged
- 29 [First stage in relief of Australians in Tobruk]
[Planning for 'CRUSADER' begins]
Sept.
20
24Operation to reinforce Malta with aircraft
German submarines reach the Mediterranean
Italian human torpedoes attack Gibraltar harbour
- 28 'HALBERD' convoy to Malta
2
14
18
19[Tobruk besieged]
[General Auchinleck's preliminary orders for 'CRUSADER']
- 15 [German raid on Sofafi fails]
[Eighth Army formed]
- 27 [Second stage in relief of Australians in Tobruk]
--328--
FROM MARCH TO NOVEMBER 1941
not included in the present volume Syria Iraq & Persia Red Sea and East Africa 8
20
21British and Free French enter Syria
Capture of Damascus
Habforce advances on Palmyra
3
29German intrigues in Persia increase
British occupy Mosul
Command of troops in Iraq revert to India
4
20Galla-Sidamo:
- 5 British cross River Omo
Capture of Jimma
Gondar area:
Patriot operations
Blockade of French Somaliland continues
Capture of Assab
3
5
5
14Capture of Palmyra
10th Indian Division advances from Deir ez Zor
- 9 Battle of River Damour
Convention ending hostilities signedGerman intrigues in Persia continue
3
6
6Galla-Sidamo:
Pursuit from Jimma continues
Attack on Dembidollo
General Gazzera asks for terms and
surrenders.
Gondar area:
Debra Tabor surrenders
Patriot operations continue
Blockade of French Somaliland continues
Most of South African troops leave East Africa17
25
28Anglo-Soviet Note to Persia
British forces enter Persia
Persian resistance ceases; Government falls23rd Nigerian Bde returns to West Africa
Blockade of French Somaliland continues17 British and Russian forces enter Teheran
Start of development of supply route to Russia15
25East Africa Command formed
Gondar area:
Italians at Wolchefit surrender
Blockade of French Somaliland continues--329--
CHRONOLGY OF MAIN EVENTS
The items within square brackets [ ] are 1941 General Mediterranean Sea Oct. 2 Lend-Lease funds allocation for Middle East
Force K arrives Malta Nov. 1 [Ninth Army formed]
8/9
13
25
[Operations to reinforce Malta with aircraft]
and 24 [Force K destroys Axis convoys]
[Loss of H.M.S. Ark Royal]
[Loss of H.M.S. Barham]
--330--
FROM MARCH TO NOVEMBER 1941
not included in the present volume Western Desert Red Sea and East Africa
12[Tobruk besieged]
- 15 [Third stage in relief of Australians in Tobruk]
2124th Gold Coast Brigade leaves for West Africa
Preparation to attack Gondar
Blockade of French Somaliland continues
Red Sea transferred to Mediterranean Station
18[Tobruk besieged]
['CRUSADER' offensive begins]
13
21
27Gondar offensive:
First attack on Kulkaber
Second attack on Kulkaber
Attack on Gondar
General Nasi surrenders
End of Campaign in Italian East Africa
Blockade of French Somaliland continues
--331--
Contents
Chapter XVI * Appendix I