What Happened on May 10, 1940

Day of the Week: Friday

Historical Events

  • British Local Defence Volunteers forms (later renamed the Home Guard)
  • Dutch torpedo boat Johan van Galen sinks
  • Dutch-Indies Governor Van Starkenborch proclaims end to state of siege
  • French marines stationed on Aruba
  • French troops arrive in Zealand, Brabant Netherlands
  • Nazi armies attack Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Winston Churchill succeeds Neville Chamberlain as British Prime Minister

Soldier, Author and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Soldier, Author and British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
British Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain
  • World War II: The first German bombs of the war fall on England at Chilham and Petham, in Kent

Famous Birthdays

  • Arthur Alexander, US singer/songwriter (Lonely Just Like Me)
  • Bill Cash, British politician (C, born in London
  • Taurean Blacque, actor (Neal Washington-Hill Street Blues), born in Newark, New Jersey
  • Wayne A. Downing, retired United States Army general
  • Wayne Dyer, American psychologist and author (Universe Within You) (d. 2015)

Famous Deaths

  • Euphemia "Phemia" Molkenboer, Dutch author/poster artist, dies at 56