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• Battleship Bismarck fired 52 3.7cm and 400 2cm shells against raiding British aircraft without any hits. ww2dbase [Bismarck | CPC]

• Allied convoy HX-65 from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to Liverpool, England, United Kingdom was tracked and attacked by German submarines all day; at 0245 hours, German submarine U-48 sank the ship Empire Merlin (35 were killed and 1 was rescued by corvette HMS Godetia) and tanker Athelcrest (30 were killed and 6 were rescued by HMS Godetia) 90 miles north of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland; at 0748 hours, German submarine U-57 sank tanker Pecten (49 were killed and 8 were rescued) 75 miles north of Ireland; between 2350 and 2356 hours, German submarine U-124 fired four torpedoes at the convoy 23 miles north of the Outer Hebrides, sinking British ships Harpalyce (42 were killed) and Fircrest (entire crew of 39 was lost), while damaging Stakesby. Also on this date, German submarine U-37 sank British ship Blairmore 500 miles west of Ireland at 0146 hours; 5 were killed and 36 were rescued by Swedish ship Eknaren. Closer to the Irish coast, German submarine U-100 sank British ship Jamaica Pioneer, killing 2. At about 2345 hours, U-37 struck again, sinking British ship Yewcrest. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | CPC]

• 81 British Hampden bombers of No. 49 and No. 50 Squadrons attacked Berlin, Germany in the first retaliation attack for the raid on London, England. Clouds led to bombs falling largely in suburban lawns and gardens, killing only 6. Nevertheles, Luftwaffe chief Hermann Göring was shocked and embarrassed that the British bombers were able to get through in such great numbers. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Berlin | TH]

• Leonardo da Vinci set sail from Naples, Italy at 0900 hours for exercises, returning at 1435 hours. ww2dbase [Leonardo da Vinci | Napoli, Campania | CPC]

• At 1700 hours, German bombers attacked RAF Warmwell and the harbor of Dover in Britain; during the defense, Czechoslovakian pilot Count Manfred Czernin, flying a Hurricane fighter for the RAF, shot down three Bf 110 fighters in one minute. Overnight, German bombers attacked South Wales, Bristol, Birmingham, and other cities in the Midlands area of England, United Kingdom. In total, the Germans lost 38 fighters and 14 bombers, while the British lost 16 fighters and 2 bombers. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | England | CPC]

25 Aug 1940 Interactive Map