Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03

1940 in Great Britain — Page 4

Explore 642 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1940.

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Historical records for Great Britain in 1940

Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 642 unique records.

642Unique records

4 of 17Page

28Named events on this page

16Named people on this page

7Places on this page

April

24 April 1940

Barttle of Narvik

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Narvik · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Presses for stronger action while Allied commanders delay a frontal assault.

24 April 1940

Battle of Narvik

Mackesy, Pierse · Narvik · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Delays a frontal assault because of terrain and troop readiness.

24 April 1940

Delayed Assault

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Faces frustration over delays in the Allied attack on Narvik.

24 April 1940

Delayed Assault

Mackesy, Pierse · Narvik · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Resists an immediate frontal assault because of terrain and troop readiness.

24 April 1940

Delayed Assault

Mackesy, Pierse · Narvik · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Mackesy resists an immediate frontal assault on Narvik because of the risks to his troops.

26 April 1940

Invasion of Norway

Chamberlain, Neville · Trondheim · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

General Mackesy is forced to call off the pincer assault on Trondheim

26 April 1940

Siege of Trondheim

Chamberlain, Neville · Trondheim · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

General Mackesy is forced to call off the pincer assault on Trondheim

May

1 May 1940

Barttle of Narvik

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Narvik · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Monitors Allied build-up as French and Polish troops join the Narvik campaign.

1 May 1940

Chairman

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Chairman of Military Comm · Warfare / Military

Appointed Chairman of the Miltary Co-ordinating Committee

1 May 1940

Chairman

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Chairman of Military Comm · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Appointed Chairman of the Miltary Co-ordinating Committee

1 May 1940

Invasion of Norway

Chamberlain, Neville · Andalsnes · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

British Forces are withdrawn from Andalsnes

1 May 1940

Withdrawal from Andalsnes

Paget, Bernard · Andalsnes · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Paget evacuates British forces from Andalsnes after German pressure and air attacks make the position untenable.

3 May 1940

Invasion of Norway

Chamberlain, Neville · Namsos · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

British Forces are withdrawn from Namsos

7 May 1940

Conduct of the War

Greenwood, Arthur · London · Minister without Portfolio · Government / Wartime Coalition

Participates in the Commons debate that helps bring down Neville Chamberlain’s government.

7 May 1940

Norway Debate

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Defends the Admiralty during parliamentary criticism of the Norway campaign.

9 May 1940

Chief Whip

Margesson, David · London · Chief Whip · Government / National Government

Informs Chamberlain that the Commons favours Churchill as Chamberlains successor

9 May 1940

Government Crisis

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Takes part in discussions as Chamberlain's government collapses.

9 May 1940

Resignation of Neville Chamberlain

Attlee, Clement Richard · Bournemouth · Party Leader of LP · Politics / Labour Party

Sends a letter to Chamberlain saying Labour will not serve under Chamberlain

9 May 1940

Resignation of Neville Chamberlain

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · First Lord of Admiralty · Government / Coalition Government

Chamberlain prefers Halifax as PM but he cannot run the Government from the Lords

10 May 1940

Battle of France

Dowding, Hugh · Commander of RAF Fighter Comm · Warfare / World War, 2nd

despite the objections of its commander Hugh Dowding that this left home defences under-strength, Churchill sent fighter squadrons to support operations in France,where the RAF suffered heavy losses

10 May 1940

Battle of Narvik

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Narvik · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Becomes Prime Minister while the campaign around Narvik is still underway.

10 May 1940

BEF Advance into Belgium

Montgomery, Bernard Law · Belgium · Commander of 3rd Division · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Leads 3rd Division into Belgium as the BEF moves forward after the German western offensive begins.

10 May 1940

Fighter Command

Dowding, Hugh · Commander of RAF Fighter Comm · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Despite the objections of its commander Hugh Dowding that this left home defences under-strength, Churchill sent fighter squadrons to support operations in France,where the RAF suffered heavy losses

10 May 1940

Invasion of Belgium

Keyes, Roger · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Sent by Churchill to the Belgian King to "stiffen Belgiums resolve"

10 May 1940

Prime Minister

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · Politics / Conservative Party

Becomes Prime Minister after Neville Chamberlain resigns.

10 May 1940

Prime Minister

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Becomes Prime Minister and Minister of Defence as Germany attacks the west.

10 May 1940

Prime Minister of Great Britain

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Government / Naional Coalition

Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1st term

10 May 1940

Resignation of Neville Chamberlain

Chamberlain, Neville · London · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Government / National Government

Labour will not serve in a Government with Chamberlain in. Attlee informs Chamberlain saying Labour will serve in the Government without him

10 May 1940

Resignation of Neville Chamberlain

Chamberlain, Neville · London · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

After the failure of appeasement & there is a need for strong Government

10 May 1940

Secretary of State for Defence

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Secretary of State for Defence · Government / Naional Coalition

Appointed Minister of Defence

11 May 1940

Cabinet

Aitken, William Maxwell · Member of Cabinet · Government / Coalition Government

Appointed Member of Coalition War Cabinet

11 May 1940

Coalition Government

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Forms a national coalition government to prosecute the war.

11 May 1940

First Lord of Admiralty

Alexander, Albert · London · First Lord of Admiralty · Government / Naional Coalition

Appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, 2nd term

11 May 1940

Invasion of Norway

Auchinleck, Claude John Eyre · Field Marshal · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commander of British forces during the Norwegian campaign

11 May 1940

Lord President

Chamberlain, Neville · Lord President of the Council · Government / Naional Coalition

Given 11 Downing St as part of his appointment as Lord President

11 May 1940

Minister of Aircraft

Aitken, William Maxwell · Minister of Aircraft · Government / Coalition Government

Appointed Minister of Aircraft

11 May 1940

Minister of Labour

Bevin, Ernest · Minister of Labour · Government / Naional Coalition

Appointed Minister of Labour & National Service

11 May 1940

Minister of Supply

Morrison, Herbert · Minister of Supply · Government / Naional Coalition

Appointed Minister of Supply

11 May 1940

Minister without Portfolio

Greenwood, Arthur · London · Minister without Portfolio · Government / Wartime Coalition

Joins Churchill’s wartime coalition as Minister without Portfolio and a member of the War Cabinet.

11 May 1940

Secretary of State

Sinclair · Secretary State-Air · Government / Naional Coalition

Appointed Secretary of State for Air

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How these records were prepared

Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.