"War again comes to the Americas"

FRI 8 MAR 1940
War again comes to the Americas: Canadian destroyer HMCS Assiniboine stops German freighter Hannover in Mona Passage, off the coast of the Dominican Republic, at which point the merchantman's crew sets fire to the ship and abandons her. Boarding party from British light cruiser HMS Dunedin, however, saves Hannover from destruction. Conflicting representations by British and German diplomats as to Hannover's exact position prompt the Dominican government to drop the question of violation of territorial waters (see 24 May). Hannover will ultimately be converted into the escort carrier HMS Audacity. The effort expended to capture Hannover, however, allows German freighters Mimi Horn and Seattle to escape the Caribbean and make a break for Germany.

Mimi Horn is scuttled to avoid capture in Denmark Strait on 28 March; Seattle is lost during the early phases of the invasion of Norway on 8-9 April.