1941 in the United Kingdom

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.cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-141-02715-0|year=2006]
* 22 January - British troops capture Tobruk from the Italians.
* 1 February - Air Training Corps formed.
* 19 February - The start of the "three nights' Blitz" over Swansea, South Wales.
* 11 March - Britain agrees the Lend-Lease Act with the USA.cite book |last=Palmer |first=Alan & Veronica |year=1992 |title= The Chronology of British History|publisher= Century Ltd|location=London|pages= 388-389|isbn= 0-7126-5616-2]
* 13 March - Clydebank Blitz: bombing of Clydebank.
* 20 March - Plymouth Blitz: bombing of Plymouth. [cite web|url=http://www.plymouthdata.info/Second%20World%20War-1941-Blitz.htm|title=The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History|accessdate=2007-10-03]
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 18 August - National Fire Service established.
* 13 November - The aircraft carrier HMS "Ark Royal" is hit by German U-boat "U-81", she capsizes and sinks the next day.
* 8 December - Declaration of war on Japan following invasion of Hong Kong and Malaya.
* 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.
* 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
* 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

ee also