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1941 in the United Kingdom:

Other years

1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943

World War II

UK during World War II

Events from the year 1941 in the United Kingdom.

Incumbents

• Monarch - George VI of the United Kingdom
• Prime Minister - Winston Churchill, coalition

Events

• 19 January - British troops attack Italian-held Eritrea.
• 21 January
  • World War II: Australian and British forces attack Tobruk, Libya.
  • the British communist newspaper Daily Worker suppressed.^[1]
• 22 January - British troops capture Tobruk from the Italians.
• 1 February - Air Training Corps formed.^[1]
• 19 February - The start of the "three nights' Blitz" over Swansea, South Wales.
• 11 March - Britain agrees the Lend-Lease Act with the USA.^[2]
• 13 March - Clydebank Blitz: bombing of Clydebank.
• 20 March - Plymouth Blitz: bombing of Plymouth.^[3]
• 29 March - Battle of Cape Matapan - Off the Peloponnesus coast in the Mediterranean, British naval forces defeat those of Italy sinking five warships. Battle started on March 27.
• 15 April - Belfast Blitz: Belfast is heavily bombed.
• 18 April - Heaviest air-raid of the year on London.^[2]
• 21 April - Greece capitulates. British troops withdraw to Crete.
• May - Greenock Blitz: Greenock in Scotland intensively bombed.
• 2 May to 8 May - the 'May Week Raids'; sustained heavy bombing on Merseyside.^[2]
• 10 May
  • The House of Commons is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid.
  • Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland claiming to be on a peace mission.
• 15 May - First British jet aircraft, the Gloster E.28/39, is flown.^[1]
• 24 May - In the North Atlantic, the German battleship Bismarck sinks HMS Hood killing all but three crewman on what was the pride of the Royal Navy.
• 26 May - World War II: In the North Atlantic, Fairey Swordfish aircraft from the carrier HMS Ark Royal fatally cripple the German battleship Bismarck in torpedo attack.
• 1 June - Clothes rationing introduced.^[2]
• 4 June - Britain invades Iraq, the pro-Axis government there is overthrown.
• 9 August
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meet at NS Argentia, Newfoundland. The Atlantic Charter is created as a result.
  • RAF pilot Douglas Bader taken prisoner by the Germans after a mid-air collision over France.^[1]
• 18 August - National Fire Service established.^[1]
• 13 November - The aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal is hit by German U-boat U-81, she capsizes and sinks the next day.^[1]
• 8 December - Declaration of war on Japan following invasion of Hong Kong and Malaya.^[2]
• 10 December- Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse- Two Royal Navy capital ships, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse are sunk by Japanese aircraft.
• 18 December - National Service extended to unmarried women under the age of 30.^[2]
• 27 December
  • Winston Churchill becomes the first British Prime Minister to address a Joint session of the U.S. Congress.
  • British Commandos raid the Norwegian port of Vaagso, causing Hitler to reinforce the garrison and defenses.

Publications

• Agatha Christie's novels Evil Under the Sun (featuring Hercule Poirot) and N or M?.
• Rebecca West's book Black Lamb and Grey Falcon.

Births

• 5 January - Kevin Keelan, English footballer
• 7 January
  • Iona Brown, British violinist and conductor (died 2004)
  • John E. Walker, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
• 8 January - Graham Chapman, British comedian (died 1989)
• 12 January - Long John Baldry British singer (died 2005)
• 26 January - Henry Jaglom, English director
• 27 January - Beatrice Tinsley, English astronomer
• 5 February - Gareth Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn, politician
• 10 February - Michael Apted, English film director
• 26 February - Tony Ray-Jones, British photographer (died 1972)
• 27 February - Paddy Ashdown, British Liberal Democrat politician
• 4 March - Adrian Lyne, English film director
• 26 March - Richard Dawkins, British scientist
• 12 April - Bobby Moore, English football player and World Cup winning captain (died 1993)
• 14 April - Julie Christie, British actress
• 23 April - Ed Stewart, English disc jockey
• May 26 — Ron Wallwork, English race walker
• 8 June - Robert Bradford, Northern Irish footballer and politician (died 1981)
• 14 June - Mike Yarwood, impressionist and comedian
• 11 July - Tommy Vance, English disc jockey (died 2005)
• 4 August - Martin Jarvis, actor
• 22 August - Barry Jackson, English track and field athlete
• 10 September - Christopher Hogwood, English conductor
• 4 October - Jackie Collins, British writer
• 20 October - Anneke Wills, British actress
• 31 October - Elizabeth Grieveson, British track and field athlete
• 18 November - David Hemmings, English actor (died 2003)
• 5 December - Sheridan Morley, theatre critic (died 2007)
• 18 December - Prince William of Gloucester
• 24 December - John Levene, British actor
• 31 December - Alex Ferguson, footballer and football manager

Deaths

• 5 January - Amy Johnson, English aviator (born 1903)
• 8 January - Lord Robert Baden-Powell, English soldier and founder of the Boy Scouts (born 1847)
• 10 January - Frank Bridge, English composer (born 1879)
• 28 March - Virginia Woolf, English writer (born 1882)
• 23 May - Herbert Austin, 1st Baron Austin, car designer (born 1866)
• 1 June - Hugh Walpole, novelist (born 1884)
• 11 July - Arthur Evans, English archaeologist (born 1851)

References

See also