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• In exchange for a German guarantee of security, Romania ceded the region of Dobrudja to Bulgaria and ceded Transylvania to Hungary. This move was forced on Romania by Hitler in an effort to prevent a possible war between Romania and Hungary. ww2dbase [Soviet Demands on Romania and the Second Vienna Arbitration | TH]
• No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF was deemed operational in Britain. ww2dbase [CPC]
• German submarine U-32 sank three ships of Allied convoy HX-66A four miles off Isle of Lewis, Scotland, United Kingdom between 0200 and 0248 hours; British ship Mill Hill was sunk with the entire crew of 34 lost, British ship Chelsea was sunk with 24 lost and 11 rescued by armed trawler HMS Lord Cecil, and Norwegian ship Norne was sunk with 17 lost and 11 survivors rescued by corvette HMS Hibiscus. Several hours later, German submarine U-59 attacked two ships of Allied convoy OB-205 70 miles northwest of Ireland between 0934 and 0953 hours; British tanker Anadara was damaged but remained float and without any casualties, and would be towed to the Clyde in Scotland by tug HMS Schelde; Greek ship San Gabriel also took on damage without sinking, but suffered 2 kills (she would later be declared a loss and her remaining 22 survivors would be taken off by destroyer HMS Warwick). Finally, also on this date, German submarine U-25 sank with all hands near Terschelling, the Netherlands after one of her own mines exploded. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | CPC]
• The brand-new armoured aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious, and a powerful escort left Gibraltar. Although her air group was small (only 15 fighters and 18 bomber aircraft), Illustrious was one of the first warships to be fitted with air-warning radars which gave her a big advantage in fleet defence, as she could detect and track hostile aircraft and give her aircraft time to gain altitude. With both Illustrious and Eagle under his command, Admiral Cunningham could now take the offensive. ww2dbase [Illustrious | AC]
• Captain Leicester Charles Assheton Curzon-Howe was named the commanding officer of HMS Mauritius. ww2dbase [Mauritius | CPC]

• The Japanese-sponsored puppet state Manchukuo established a flight school in Fengtien Province to train military and civilian pilots. ww2dbase [Liaoning | CPC]

• Danziger Werft, previously owned by French, British, Polish, and local interests prior of the start of the European War, was officially taken over by the Germans. ww2dbase [Danziger Werft AG | CPC]

• RAF Bomber Command aircraft attacked Berlin, Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Berlin | CPC]

• Alpino Bagnolini departed Taranto, Italy at 0700 hours for exercises, returning at 1120 hours. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | Taranto, Apulia | CPC]

• French Ambassador to Tokyo Arsène Henry announced to the Japanese that the French government would allow 6,000 Japanese troops to station in Indochina and would allow the military use of ports, airfields, and railroads in the region. However, the French government attempted to delay on the implementation of the plan as long as they could. ww2dbase [Indochina Campaign | Tokyo | CPC]

• British RAF Bomber Command aircraft attacked oil refineries near Rotterdam, the Netherlands. ww2dbase [Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | Rotterdam | CPC]

• Albert Kesselring knew that the British were used to large raids every few hours by this time, so he changed tactics by dispatching smaller raids every 20 to 30 minutes. The airfield at Biggin Hill in England, United Kingdom was attacked repeatedly, but for the most part bombs fell on the town instead of the airfield, killing 39 and wounding 26; nevertheless, the few bombs that hit the airfield did damage the operations room and briefly brought down defense coordination at this site. Other targets attacked by German bombers on this day include Dietling (placed out of commission for remainder of day), Debden, North Weald, Duxford, Eastchurch, Croydon, and Hornchurch. The Ken radars were also brought offline briefly as power lines were damaged. This day, with 1,310 sorties flown by the Luftwaffe, would become RAF Fighter Command's day of greatest casualties, with 40 aircraft destroyed, 9 people killed, and 18 people seriously injured. German losses were great as well: 33 fighters and 30 bombers. Heavy attacks continued in England after nightfall, with Liverpool, London, Portsmouth, Manchester, Worcester, and Bristol bombed. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | England | CPC]
• Douglas Bader's No. 242 Squadron RAF was moved from RAF Coltishall at Norwich, England, United Kingdom to RAF Duxford at Duxford, England. On the same day, the squadron claimed downing 10 German aircraft, with two of which, Bf 110 heavy fighters, claimed by Bader. ww2dbase [Douglas Bader | Duxford, England | CPC]
• After shooting down a German He 111 bomber and damaged a Bf 110 fighter over the Thames estuary in southern England, United Kingdom, James Lacey's Hurricane fighter was badly damaged, but he was able to successfully glide the aircraft and crash land the aircraft at Gravesend to the north. ww2dbase [James Lacey | Gravesend, England | AC]

• Rear Admiral Charles S. Freeman relieved Rear Admiral Edward B. Fenner as the Commandant of the US Navy Thirteenth Naval District and as the Commandant of the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton, Washington, United States. ww2dbase [Puget Sound Navy Yard | Bremerton, Washington | CPC]

30 Aug 1940 Interactive Map