This day in the war in Europe 65 years ago

[Njaco]

20 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-378' (Type VIIC) was sunk in the North Atlantic by depth charges from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC 13) of the US escort carrier USS 'Core' escorting convoy UGS 20. 48 dead, 1 survivor in captivity.

'U-532' damaged SS 'British Purpose' in Convoy BM-71.

EASTERN FRONT: The Russian attacks from Bukrin bridgehead were bloodily repulsed. Soviet forces met determined resistance from von Manstein's Army Group south. The attacks were stopped cold with heavy losses.

Oblt. Anton 'Toni' Hafner of JG 51 shot down 5 Russian aircraft boosting his score to 106 victories.

GERMANY: 358 Lancasters attacked Leipzig, 16 aircraft lost. This was the first serious attack on this distant German city. Weather conditions were very difficult - Bomber Command records describe them as 'appalling' - and the bombing was very scattered. No report was available from Leipzig but it is unlikely that much damage was caused by the 271 aircraft which bombed in that area. (Hugh Spencer)

28 Mosquitoes went to Berlin, Cologne, Brauweiler and Emden. 12 Stirlings went minelaying in the Frisias. 2 Mosquitoes lost. (Hugh Spencer)

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 116. The industrial area at Duren, Germany was the primary target. 97 of 170 B-17's hit the primary target bombing from 30,000-feet (48,000 m) because the cloud tops were at 29,500-feet (47,200 m). The 1st Bombardment Division used Oboe PFF for the first time but the equipment failed and 60 aircraft returned to base without bombing. 3BD bombed from 30,000 feet. Three gunners in a 385th BG B-17 died through failure of oxygen equipment. The totals were 4-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft claimed; 9 B-17's lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 10 damaged. Casualties were 4 KIA (including 3 gunners who died from oxygen system failure), 2 WIA and 85 MIA. The Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26, Oblt. Mietusch claimed his 15th victory, a B-17 over Cambrai.

During the night, Ofw. Gerhard Herzog of 2./NJG 1 (9 kills) was shot down and killed.

MEDITERRANEAN: In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, Alife falls to the 34th Infantry Division and Piedimonte d'Alife to the 45th Infantry Division. While the 3d Infantry Division continues northward toward Mignano in the region west of the Volturno River, the 34th Infantry Division is to drive on Capriati al Volturno in the region east of the river. The 133d Infantry Regiment opens a drive on St. Angelo d'Alife.

In Italy, US XII Bomber Command B-17s, B-26s, B-25s and P-38s bombed the Rome-Casale landing ground, Marcigliana and Cerveteri Airfields, railroad bridges at Montalto di Castro, Grosseto, and 13 miles (21 km) SE of Orvieto, and the marshalling yard at Nish, Yugoslavia obstructing the Belgrade-Sofia line. The US XII Air Support Command, NATBF, and other aircraft of the NATAF devoted most of their efforts to bombing gun positions, trucks, and rail and road communications S of Vasto, at Mignano, N of Cassino, in Cassino and Chieti, at Castropignano, Carpinone, Arce, Tratella, and at various other points along highways and railroads. Fighter-bombers also hit shipping along Dalmatian coast of Yugoslavia, claiming 2 vessels sunk.

HQ 62d Fighter Wing transferred from Palermo, Sicily to Naples, Italy. The 527th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 86th Fighter-Bomber Group, transferred from Serretella Airfield to Pomigliano, Italy with A-36's.

NORTH AFRICA: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrives in Cairo from Moscow, U.S.S.R., and discusses strategy for southeast Asia with Admiral Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander Southeast Asia Command.

UNITED KINGDOM: Rye Hill barrage balloon, which was flying, was struck by lightning. Balloon and cable fell on a house in Summerhill Street knocking down a chimney stack, making a hole in the roof and damaging one or two bedrooms. A heavy shower of rain added to the damage.

London: A meeting of Allied representatives of 17 countries at war with the Axis, agreed today to set up a Commission for the Investigation of War Crimes. It's chairman will be Viscount Simon, the British lord chancellor and head of the judiciary in England and Wales. Assisted by a team of lawyers, he will sift evidence provided by Allied governments. The Soviet Union, although not represented at today's meeting, will be asked to co-operate with its inquiries.

HQ 358th Fighter Group and it's 365th, 366th and 367th Fighter Squadrons arrived at Goxhill, England from the US.

WESTERN FRONT: The USAAF VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 117: During the night of 20/21 October, five B-17 Flying Fortresses drop 876,960 leaflets over Roen and Paris at 2211-2217 hours. 42 of the 1st Bombardment Division's aircraft hit Woensdrecht Airfield in the Netherlands as a target of opportunity; and 70 B-24's flew a diversion.

The bombers of I./KG 6 became the first operational Gruppe in the Pathfinder role, flying Ju 188Es.

 

[Njaco]

21 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: While serving as a Flak boat 'U-271' was attacked by two Avengers from USS 'Core' and one man from its crew died.

'U-68' sank ASW trawler HMS 'Orfasy'.

Standing out of New York Harbor, the USN destroyer USS 'Murphy' (DD-603) is struck on the portside between the bridge and forward stack by U.S. tanker SS 'Bulkoil' 265 miles (491 kilometers) east-southeast of Ambrose Lightship, New York. The forward half of the ship sheared off and slowly sank, taking 38 officers and men with it. The after section is kept afloat and is towed into New York Navy Yard where, following a seven--month repair job and replacement of the entire bow, the veteran warship rejoins the fleet.

EASTERN FRONT: SS troops surrounded the Minsk ghetto for one last time. 2000 Jews were loaded into trucks and taken away to be shot. The buildings were blown up, just in case someone was hiding in them. The last inhabitants of the ghetto perished on this last day of the tragedy. Only the ruins would bare witness to the horrible and inhuman crimes committed against the tens of thousands of Jews of the Minsk Ghetto.

GERMANY: During the night of 21/22 October, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 11 Mosquitos: five bomb Emden, three bomb the Bruderich steelworks at Düsseldorf and one each bomb Aachen and Dortmund. There are no loses.

MEDITERRANEAN: 'U-431' (Type VIIC) was sunk in the Mediterranean off the coast of Algiers by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 179/Z) 52 dead (all crew lost).

German planes attacked convoy MKS 28, strafing and torpedoing U.S. freighter 'Tivives' about 15 miles off Cape Tenes; one of 48 merchant seamen and one of the 25-man Armed Guard perished in the ensuing abandonment as the ship sank swiftly. Free French-manned corvette HMS 'LaMalouine' rescued the survivors, who also included the six-man staff of the convoy commodore and one passenger.

Colonel Arthur Thomas took command of the US XII Air Force Service Command.

In Italy, US XII Bomber Command B-17's hit a railroad viaduct at Terni and rail and road bridges in Albania. B-24's hit Orvieto railroad bridge; B-26's and B-25's bombed bridges at Montalto di Castro and NW of Acquapendente and the railroad at Orbetello; P-38's bombed a radar station at Pellegrino and the marshalling yard at Skoplje, Yugoslavia; RAF and US NATAF light and medium bombers concentrated on Cassino, hitting the town, a bivouac area nearby, and railroad to the S; vessels along Dalmatian coast of Yugoslavia were also attacked; US XII Air Support Command fighters and fighter-bombers patroled the Naples area and attacked numerous roads, railroads, bridges, junctions, trucks, gun emplacements, and other targets in the battle area.

A Ju 88A-4trop from 1(F)./122 failed to return from a sortie to the SE of Rhodes. Lt Christoff Hammann and three crew were MIA. A Me 410 from 2(F)./122 also failed to return.

NORTH AMERICA: Minesweeper HMCS 'Chedabucta' (J 168) collides with the cable ship SS 'Lord Kelvin' in the Gulf of St. Lawrence about 32 nautical miles (59 kilometres) west-southwest of Rimouski, Quebec. This collision is due to an officers' lack of skills and a moment's confusion on the part of the crew; one crewmen is lost. The U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender USCGC 'Buttonwood' (WAGL-306) tows 'Chedabucto' towards Ile du Bic, Quebec. She survives the collision. but after survey is declared to be a constructive total loss.

UNITED KINGDOM: Admiral Pound is dead. He had resigned as British First Sea Lord on October 4. Admiral Sir John Cunningham succeeds Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham in command of Royal Navy units in the Mediterranean.

A Halifax swung and crashed into the Pyrotechnics store on take off from Croft airfield, County Durham, at 20.24 hours. Another Halifax from Croft airfield, County Durham, crashed at 01.35 at Church House Farm, South Cowton in Yorkshire, killing the crew of five.

WESTERN FRONT: Bad weather caused 72 B-26s sent to bomb Evreux/Fauville Airfield in France to abort the mission.

On a transfer flight, Ofw. Max Schinzel of I./JG 5 lost orientation due to bad weather and after having circled Rindum a couple of times he belly landed his Bf 109G-6 at 17:45 hours. During the landing an 11 year old Danish boy was hit by a wing and ended up in a ditch with a broken leg and concussion. Ofw. Schinzel was also injured by the landing and they were both taken to the hospital in Ringkøbing for treatment where they were bedded in the same room.

 

[Njaco]

22 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: During the night, the 'Litiopa' (Master Trygve Olsen) heard twice that depth charges were dropped by her sole escort, HMS 'Orfasy' (T 204), but then a heavy explosion nearby shook the tanker. At 23.53 hours, the trawler had been hit by one torpedo from 'U-68', exploded and sank with all hands. At the same time, the U-boat had fired two torpedoes at the tanker but missed. She was missed again with a FAT at 00.40 hours on 22 October and at 02.11 hours by a T-3 torpedo, which apparently exploded only 50m behind the U-boat. At 04.27 hours, 'U-68' began shelling the 'Litiopa' for 20 minutes with all weapons. A coup de grâce at 04.48 hours malfunctioned as circle runner and the U-boat reopened fire at 04.59 hours. Another two coups de grâce were fired at 05.41 and 05.52 hours but both missed, so the shelling continued from 06.00 until 06.27 hours. In all 58 rounds from the deck gun were fired of which at least 50 had been hits and the U-boat left the burning and sinking tanker in the dawn. The crew had abandoned ship in four lifeboats, which were separated in the dark, but in the morning two of them returned to their ship, which was still floating, but badly damaged and on fire. Later ammunition started to explode and by noon the tanker was listing and eventually sank. The remaining two boats arrived at Robertsport that day, while the two others joined them the next day.

EASTERN FRONT: The Russians cut the railway which provided the Germans with their main escape route from their stronghold of Dnepropetrovsk in the Dnieper Bend. General Malinovsky's men were now advancing on Krivoi Rog and were threatening to encircle almost a million Germans in the sweep of the river. The Germans were well aware of the danger facing them. The Berlin correspondent of the Scandinavian Telegraph Bureau reported that the situation was "extremely serious" and that the Germans would be "compelled to retreat to avoid further encirclement." But while the Germans appreciated the threat of the Russian advance there seemed to be little that they could do about it except retreat and keep on retreating. They confidently expected to hold the Dnieper line. They scattered leaflets telling the Russian soldiers:

"Germany has clad the west bank of the Dnieper in concrete and shod it with iron. We have created an Eastern Rampart there, impregnable as is our Western Rampart on the Atlantic Coast. You are being sent to your deaths. Death awaits you at the Dnieper. Stop before it is too late."

But the Russians did not stop. Many of them died, but they crossed the Dnieper.

GERMANY: Continuing with their near nightly bombing of German cities, RAF Bomber command hits the city of Kessel in a particularly devastating raid. 569 bombers, all of them four engine heavy Lancasters or Halifax bombers. The main-force attack was covered by a feint attack by 36 aircraft on Frankfurt which began five minutes before the main raid. German air defence were not fooled and the RAF lost 43 aircraft, 7.6 per cent of the force. Despite initial errors in marking the center of town, the raid was remarkably concentrated and accurate. The pathfinders clearly marked the target area (Martinsplatz in central Kassel) so well that within five minutes the whole ancient town was illuminated. Within the next 80 minutes the waves of bombers dropped at least 1,800 tons of high explosives and incendiaries. The combination of high explosives and incendiary bombs created a firestorm smaller but reminiscent of the one in Hamburg in July. Each building in the city center was hit by at least two liquid white phosphorus incendiary bombs and several of the 460,000 magnesium fire-sticks rained on the city. The firestorm was well underway before police could provide communications for the fire brigades, but even then destruction of the city's water pipes made it impossible to extinguish the inferno. Over 11,000 blocks of housing were destroyed or heavily damaged displacing over 100,000 people. 5,600 people were killed and another 2,800 were missing and presumed dead. Kassel, which had a pre-raid population of 236,000 (1939), burned for seven days. The three Henschel aircraft plants were seriously damaged and this set back the production of V-1 bombs.

German forces began using a new radar device for night fighters called SN-2.

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 8th Army crossed the Trigno River. In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, the 133d Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division takes a road junction south of St. Angelo d'Alife, from which the German rear guards have withdrawn, and prepares to attack the town. In preparation for a general advance on Rome (the line Pasture-Evasion-Rome), the 78th Division of British Eighth Army's V Corps crosses a battalion over the Trigno River during the night.

USAAF bombers used Italian airfields for the first time to launch attacks on targets on Austria. US XII Bomber Command B-26s bombed railroad bridges N and SE of Omvieto; B-25s hit a railroad bridge S of Grosseto and Eleusis Airfield,Greece; The US XII Air Support Command, along with other elements of the NATAF, hit town areas, highways, vehicles, gun positions, railroad communications, strongpoints, and targets of opportunity at or near San Salvo Teano, Venafro, Cantalupo el Sannio, Isernia, Cassino, Montenero, and Boiano. Aquino Airfield was also bombed.

The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) approved the plan, submitted by General Henry H "Hap" Arnold and the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), to create a new Air Force (the Fifteenth) in Italy from part of the Twelfth Air Force to be used in strategic bombing against Germany as well as in support of ground operations.

Whilst engaged in diversionary tactics associated with the landing of stores at Leros, Greek 'Hunt' "Adrias" was badly damaged off Kos on mines laid by the German "Drache", and as sister ship destroyer HMS 'Hurworth' goes to her aid, was also mined East of Kalymnos. There were 80 survivors who came ashore in Turkey and were soon repatriated.

NORTH AMERICA: In Labrador, Canada, the German submarine 'U-537' arrived at Martin Bay, tasked with setting up an automatic weather station. The weather station consisted of various measuring instruments, a 150-watt transmitter and ten canisters containing batteries weighing 220 pounds (99.79 kg). For the next day, the crew of the submarine manhandled the equipment ashore via rubber boats and the station was set up 400 yards (366 meters) inland on a 170-foot (52 meter) hill. The submarine departed by 1740 hours local the next day and the weather station began operating normally. However, a few days later, the frequency used by the weather station was apparently jammed although nobody has claimed credit for it and there is no evidence that the Allies knew about the station.

UNITED KINGDOM: General Laycock became the British Chief of Combined Operations.

It is on this night that an RAF ground radio station in England, probably the one at Kingsdown in Kent, started its broadcasts with the intention of interrupting and confusing the German controllers' orders to their night fighters. The Bomber Command Official History describes how, at one stage, the German controller broke into vigorous swearing, whereupon the RAF voice remarked;

"The Englishman is now swearing."

To this, the German retorted,

"It is not the Englishman who is swearing, it is me."

WESTERN FRONT: About 60 B-26s bombed Evreux/Fauville Airfield in France; 140+ others aborted missions against other airfields because of bad weather.

During the night, RAF Bomber Command sends 17 aircraft to lay mines: eight lay mines in the Frisian Islands and seven drop off Texel Island.

 

[Njaco]

23 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-196' under Korvkpt Kentrat completed- from 13 March, 1943 to 23 Oct, 1943 - the longest patrol a submarine in WWII ever did (225 days at sea).

'U-274' (Type VIIC) was sunk in the North Atlantic southwest of Iceland by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS 'Duncan' and 'Vedette', and by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. 224/Z). 48 dead (all crew lost).

HMS The Royal Navy cruiser 'Charybdis' and destroyer 'Limborne' were sunk by German MTBs T23 and T27 of the German 4th Torpedo Flotilla, in the English Channel off the coast of France. 462 sailors were lost.

EASTERN FRONT: After 10 days of heavy street fighting, Melitopol falls to the Russian Army. They also reach a point 20 miles from Krivoy Roy and are making good progress. Dnepropetrovsk also fell as tank spearheads reached Krivoi Rog.

Jewish women from Warsaw at Auschwitz-Birkenau attacked the SS on the threshold of the gas chamber, killing one and injuring several others. The rebellion started in the undressing room, where a woman seized the revolver of SS Sergeant-Major Josef Schillinger, one of the camp's most sadistic and feared guards, and shot him dead. The other women mauled their oppressors, scalping one and tearing the nose off another. They escaped the gas chamber. But their triumph was brief. Commandant Rudolf Hoess had the rioters removed from the room one by one, and shot.

'U-23' fired one torpedo at SS 'Tanais' lying at anchor off Poti. The explosion blew debris into the air and broke the ship in two. The stern sank immediately and the bow sank a few minutes later.

GERMANY: A growing number of technical aids have been developed to help in the battle against the German night fighters. Last night for the first time "Corona" was used: confusing orders, readings from newspapers, even parts of Hitler's speeches were broadcast from England on the fighters' frequency to interfere with the German voice-control.

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 56th Division captured Sparanise. In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, the 133d Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, opens an assault on St. Angelo d'Alife but is unable to take it.

In Italy, US XII Bomber Command B-26s bombed railroad and road bridges at Marsicano and Montalto di Castro; P-38's hit the airfield at Tirana; B-25's hit a bridge in Albania; the US XII Air Support Command, RAF Desert Air Force (DAF), and NATBF attacked troop concentrations in the Spinete area, and town areas, vehicles, trains, railroads, highways, bridges, and gun positions at or near Gaeta, Pescara, Vasto, Isolella, Sulmona, Isernia, Vairano, and Ancona. During the night, 50 RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group attack a railroad bridge at Civitanova with the loss of one aircraft.

Minesweeper HMS 'Cromarty' was sunk by a mine, in the Straits of Bonifacio.

German planes raid shipping off Naples; U.S. freighter SS 'James Iredell' is hit by three bombs that set alight the ship's gasoline cargo. Although the ship is abandoned and the fire burns for 64 hours until it is ultimately put out, there are no casualties among the 44-man merchant crew, the 28-man Armed Guard or the 28 passengers.

UNITED KINGDOM: The prototype Vickers Windsor made its first flight at Farnborough, Hampshire. It was originally designed to fulfill spec B.5/41 for high-altitude heavy bomber with a pressure cabin and a speed of 345mph at 31,000 feet while carrying 12,000-lb of bombs. Interestingly this aircraft also had remote control 20mm Hispano cannon installed to fire rearwards from the outer engine nacelles.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill issues a directive outlining the mission of Admiral Louis Mountbatten as Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command.

WESTERN FRONT: Operation Pointblank, the Anglo-US strategic bombing offensive against Germany, was growing in intensity and technical complexity. RAF Bomber Command now had over 700 operational heavy bombers, compared with just under 300 at the end of 1942, and was pounding German cities by night. Yesterday US chiefs of staff agreed to establish a new bombing force in Italy, the Fifteenth Air Force, which will strike at targets which the Eighth cannot reach from England. A growing number of technical aids have been developed to help in the battle against the German night fighters. Last night for the first time "Corona" was used: confusing orders, readings from newspapers, even parts of Hitler's speeches were broadcast from England on the fighters' frequency to interfere with the German voice-control.

 

[Njaco]

24 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-566' (Type VIIC) was scuttled in the North Atlantic west of Leixoes, after being damaged by 6 depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 179/A). 49 survivors.

The unescorted SS 'Siranger' (Master Amund Utne) was hit on the starboard side at #1 hatch by a Gnat from 'U-155' and sank by the bow after 30 minutes. The ship had been spotted at 03.50 hours and missed by two torpedoes at 09.10 hours. The 41 crew members and four passengers abandoned ship in three lifeboats, one of which had to row back to rescue an American passenger who had jumped overboard. The U-boat then surfaced and asked two men in one of the boats to come aboard. An engineer was later allowed to return to the boat, but the wounded third mate Otto Friis Hansen was kept as prisoner of war. A tendon in his wounded forearm was shortly thereafter operated by Stabsarzt Dr. Franzen on board of the U-boat. He was landed at Lorient on 1 Jan, 1944 and sent to the POW camp Milag Nord near Bremen.

The commander of 'U-505', Kptlt. Peter Zschech, committed suicide while under a heavy depth charge attack. This was the only such case in the war. The IWO, Meyer, saved the boat and brought it back to port.

German E-boats attacked a convoy off Norfolk sinking one trawler for the cost of three of their craft.

GERMANY: USAAF XII Bomber Command B-24 Liberators attack two targets: 23 bomb aviation industry targets at Wiener-Neustadt and 12 hit the marshalling yard at Ebenfurth. B-24s of the 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) hit Wiener-Neustadt, Austria; the 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) failed to complete the mission because of clouds.

MEDITERRANEAN: Sant Angelo was liberated by the US 34th Division. In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, the 133d Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division takes St. Angelo and commanding ground beyond without opposition.

Whilst carrying 200 soldiers to reinforce the garrison on Leros, destroyer HMS 'Eclipse' was mined East of Kalymnos. There were 140+ casualties.

In Italy, medium bombers hit Tirana Airfield, a railroad bridge N of Orvieto, and a viaduct at Terni; the US XII Air Support Command, NATBF, and RAF DAF attacked communications and shipping targets, hitting vessels, vehicles, trains, roads, bridges, and the town areas in and around Formia, Sora, Chieti, Minturno, Sessa Aurunca, Popoli, Terracina, between Ancona-Pedaso, Frosolone (just before it was taken by allied ground forces), and along the Dalmatian coast of Yugoslavia. During the night, 70 RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group attack the airfield at Guidonia.

'U-453' laid a field of 23 mines off Brindisi (Italy); the minefield did not account for any sinkings.

WESTERN FRONT: 200 B-26s bombed airfields at Montdidier, Beauvais/Nivillers, and Saint-Andre-de-L'Eure, France. After attacking the B-26s, Hptm. Kurt Ebersberger, Staffelkapitaen of 4./JG 26 (30 kills) was bounced by RAF Spitfires and forced to bail out of his damaged airplane. He was too low for the parachute to work and he fell to his death. Oblt. Wolfgang Neu took his place as Staffelkapitaen.

During the night, RAF Bomber Command Stirlings and Wellingtons lay mines in two areas: six drop mines in the Frisian Islands and five lay mines off Texel Island without loss.

 

[Njaco]

25 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: HMCS 'Skeena', a River-class destroyer, A/LCdr. Patrick 'Pat' Francis Xavier Russell, RCN, CO, was wrecked at Videy Island, near Reykjavik, Iceland. 'Skeena' was blown ashore in a 100-knot gale while at anchor. Fifteen of the 21 crewmembers lost (all ratings) were drowned in an attempt to reach the shore using Carley Floats after the ship struck the rocks offshore. The remainder of the crew was evacuated later in a heroic effort by RNVR Patrol Service seamen using a "breeches buoy" under the direction of an Icelander, Einar Sigurdsson. As the storm increased in intensity, the shore authority signaled to the commander of the 11th Escort Group, Cdr. James D. "Chummy" Prentice in HMCS 'Qu'appelle';

"Enter harbor, if you so desire."

The Navigating Officer of 'Skeena', Lt. Peter G. Chance, was dismayed at a subsequent order by Commander, Cdr. Prentice, for the four ships of the group to go to anchor in the bay behind Videy Island. Lt. Chance went so far as to ask to be relieved of his duties as Navigator and strongly expressed his opinion that it was safer to remain at sea than to go to anchor, under the prevailing conditions. The CO agreed with his navigator but followed his orders and directed Lt. Chance to anchor the ship "in the best location," in the centre of the basin, about 800 yards from the shore in all direction. The ship was anchored in 12 fathoms of water with six shackles of cable paid out to the starboard anchor, the port anchor let go "under foot," and with both boilers maintained at Immediate Notice for steam. The two 'Canadian' River-class destroyers, 'Skeena' and 'Saguenay', were fitted with a single centreline capstan whereas the British versions of the type were fitted with two capstans, making it impossible to work both anchors at once. Only one light was occasionally visible on shore for fixing but the intensity of the storm obscured it for long periods. Ground clutter rendered the radar useless for fixing. Approximately one hour after setting the anchor watch, the ship began to drag her anchors and, although "half ahead" and "full ahead" was ordered on both engines, the ship struck the shore forcefully. The ship broached port side to, and began listing to starboard into the oncoming waves, which broke over the ship up to the height of the bridge. Both of the ship's boats were smashed in attempts to lower them. Soon afterwards, the ship's back was broken, rupturing fuel tanks and hull plating. This damage released a large amount of fuel oil, which soon mixed with the snow and made decks and the rocks on the shore extremely slippery. The loss of life occurred when the order "Standby to Abandon Ship" was taken to mean "Abandon Ship." Although some managed to get to shore, the majority of the crew remained onboard until the morning, when the storm abated, making it possible to get ashore safely. The Commanding Officer and the Officer of the Watch, Lt. William M. Kidd, the First Lieutenant, were both tried by Courts Martial and were found guilty of "hazarding" and "stranding" the ship. 'Skeena' was broken up for scrap after the war but the barge that contained most of her remains sank en route to the breaker's yard.

EASTERN FRONT: Forces under Malinovsky attacked across the Dniepr at Dneporoetrovsk and Dnierodzerzhinsk. Holding a defensive position on the Dniepr River has been a major problem for the Germans.

'U-23' captured three people from a fishing boat and then sank the boat with hand grenades.

Hptm. Hans-Ulrich Rudel of 1./StG 2 was awarded the Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.

MEDITERRANEAN: Allied commanders decided that the initiative must be retained in Italy in order to pin down German forces there and prevent them from massing for a counteroffensive before the spring 1944. The US Fifth Army, with positions north of the Volturno River firmly established, was ready for a drive against German delaying positions in the mountains from Mt. Massico on the west coast to the Matese mountains on the right boundary. In the VI Corps area, the 135th Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division moved forward to take up pursuit toward Ailano.

USAAF XII Bomber Command P-39 Airacobras strafed and bombed the landing ground at Podgorica; the US XII Air Support Command, Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force (NATBF) and RAF Desert Air Force (DAF) concentrated on blocking roads and destroying bridges; town areas, vehicles, radio stations, trains, and vessels were also attacked; targets attacked were in or near Frosinone, Formia, Gaeta, Cetraro, along the Sangro River, Kuna, west of Lagosta Island and south of Rome; Tarquinia Airfield was also bombed.

NORTHERN FRONT: JG 5 lost several pilots. Fw. Fritz Wawrzin of 10./JG 5 was killed in his Bf 109G-1 in a crash of unknown reasons as was Uffz. Hans-Georg Pötter of 4./JG 5. Uffz. Walter Gocht of 11./JG 5 was killed in his Fw 190A-4, also in an unknown crash.

'U-956' shelled targets on the shore of Spitsbergen with her gun. Land-based artillery returned the fire but did not score a hit on the U-boat.

UNITED KINGDOM: The anti-Nazi Clandestine Radio, Soldatsender Calais begins transmitting from Crowborough, Sussex. The station carries a program of news bulletins and entertainment for the German forces and adopts the convention of speaking as a German soldiers` station situated somewhere in France. The program is transmitted on three shortwave frequencies and on the medium wave band. The medium wave broadcast is from 2000 to 0500 hours while the shortwave broadcast began at 1830 and ended at 0800 hours. A staff of 50 radio technicians operate the medium wave transmitter as well as two 100 kilowatt shortwave transmitters for U boat crew and other German seafarers.

WESTERN FRONT: At Burg-Magdeburg, I./KG 50 was re-designated II./KG 40 and moved to Bordeaux-Merignac with its compliment of He 177As with Hs 293 misslies working in the anti-shipping role.

During the night, 19 RAF Bomber Command Stirlings lay mines in the Kattegat without loss.

 

[Njaco]

26 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 1205 hours an RCAF 10 Sqdn Canso patrol a/c attacked 'U-91' Kptlt. Heinz Hungershausen, CO, inflicting no damage.

'U-420', OLtzS. Hans-Jürgen Reese, CO, went missing in the North Atlantic. All of her 49 crewmembers were lost. The exact cause of her loss remains a mystery.

EASTERN FRONT: 5(F)./122 was transferred from Luga-Gostkino to Pskov-South on or about this date.

GERMANY: At Oberpfaffenhofen, one of the Luftwaffe's most bizarre shaped aircraft, the Dornier Do 335 'Pfeil', flew for the first time piloted by Flugkapitaen Hans Dieterle. The design had 2 engines sharing the same thrustline - one pulling and one pushing. It was also the first aircraft to feature an ejection seat.

The RAF launched a heavy night raid against Stuttgart, while the US 8th Air Force, in its greatest effort to date, delivered a devastating daylight attack on Bremen.

MEDITERRANEAN: After a week of living on locust beans and jam, British survivors of the ill-fated Kos invasion climbed aboard a caique and made their way to the Turkish coast. They had fought hard, but constant attacks by Stukas, German artillery and 4,000 German infantrymen forced men of the 1st Battalion, the Durham Light Infantry, to disperse. The SS have shot 90 Italian officers for collaboration.

In Greece, B-25s and P-38s of the US XII Bomber Command attacked the airfields of Salonika/Sedhes and Megalo Mikra. In Italy, US XII Air Support Command and RAF DAF fighters and fighter-bombers attacked gun emplacements and road junctions in the battle area along the E coast and in the center of Italy, also destroying many vehicles and parked aircraft in the Ancona area, where railroad facilities were also hit; a schooner at Porto Civitanova was left smoking; medium bombers of the NATBF bombed Terracina and an ammunition dump.

 

[Njaco]

27 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-218' laid 18 mines off the Port of Spain, but no sinkings resulted from this field.

'U-354' set a weather reporting team ashore on Hope Island.

EASTERN FRONT: South of Nikopol on the Nogaysk Steppe, the Germans mounted a series of counterattacks to save their access to the Crimea. Field Marshal von Kluge was invalided and removed from command of Army Group Center after he was severely injured in a car crash.

GERMANY: In Austria, 150+ B-17s and B-24s of the US Twelfth Air Force bombed Wiener-Neustadt and railroad tracks and installations and bridges at Friedberg and Ebenfurth.

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 8th Army captured Montefalcone. In the British Eighth Army's V Corps area, the 78th Division makes a futile attempt to expand the bridgehead across the Trigno River. Their failure is largely due to heavy rainfall. The 78th Division expanded its bridgehead over the Trigno River during the night. German defenses here were still holding. In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, the 168th Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division is ordered to attack on 28 October since elements of the 135th Infantry Regiment are being held up by German rear guards on a hill south of Ailano.

Major Roy Farran led a detachment of 2 SAS which was dropped north of the River Tronto behind the German lines. Over the next five days his small force blows up the railway line, cut telephone communications and destroyed enemy transport.

Weather severely curtailed NATBF missions and US XII Air Support Command operations in support of ground forces. Fighter-bombers attacked Gaeta, Italy and bombed small vessels on the Dalmatian coast at Opuzen, Yugoslavia.

HQ 57th Fighter Group and it's 65th and 66th Fighter Squadrons transferred from Foggia to Amendola, Italy with P-40s. The 315th and 316th Fighter Squadrons, 324th Fighter Group, transferred from Menzel Heurr, Tunisia to Cercola, Italy with P-40s.

NORTH AMERICA: The Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) is authorized by the US War Department. (War Department Circular 269-1) for issue to individuals recommended by a regimental commander or higher authority who had performed in infantry units in combat. The same circular authorized the establishment of the Expert Infantry Badge. If 65 percent or more of a unit's personnel had the CIB, the unit could be awarded a Combat Infantry Streamer for its guidon. Award of the CIB was made retroactive to service on or after Dec. 7,1941.

First women Marines report for duty on West Coast, Camp Pendleton.

NORTHERN FRONT: Finnish submarine Iku-Turso (kapteeniluutnantti Eero Pakkala) torpedoes and sinks the Soviet submarine Shtsh 320 in Gulf of Finland.

German submarine 'U-354' sets a weather reporting team ashore on Norwegian Hopen Island located about 136 nautical miles (252 kilometers) southeast of Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen.

WESTERN FRONT: During the night, 21 RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons drop leaflets over the country.

 

[Njaco]

28 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-220' (Type XB) was sunk in the North Atlantic by depth charges from two Avenger aircraft of the US escort carrier USS 'Block Island'. 54 dead. 'U-256' was attacked at the same time, but escaped unharmed.

MEDITERRANEAN: In the U.S. Fifth Army's British X Corps area, the 46th and 7th Armoured Divisions begin an attack on Mt. Massico and Mt. St. Croce. In the U.S. VI Corps area, the 168th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division finds that the Germans have abandoned the hill south of Ailano. In the British Eighth Army area, heavy rainfall forces General Bernard Montgomery commander of the Eighth Army, to postpone a planned attack by XIII Corps along the axis Vinchiaturo-Isernia. V Corps continues unsuccessful efforts to expand the Trigno bridgehead in the coastal sector.

A US POV-1 aircraft from VB-127, searching for U-boats out of Agadir, French Morrocco, was attacked by a Spanish HS-132 fighter. The US aircraft fight back and managed to drive the Spanish aircraft to make a forced landing.

An Me 410A-1 from 2(F)./122 was accidently damaged by German Flak, wounding both crewmen.

Weather prevented most US Twelfth Air Force operations planned for the day. No missions were flown by the US XII Bomber Command. In Italy, US XII Air Support Command A-36s hit several highways and bridges in advance of the battleline and attacked gun positions in the Vairano area and transportation targets in the Rome area.

The 346th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, transferred from Rerhaia, Algeria to Sardinia with P-39s.

WESTERN FRONT: An RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) aircraft brought back a photograph of a German V1 "flying bomb" launch site at Abbeville, in northern France. Although the British had reasonable knowledge of the V2 rocket, it was only in the last two months that they became aware that the Germans have been working on the V1. This photographic sortie was mounted as a result of a report by a local French agent and confirmed that the Germans were constructing launch sites in northern France for a V1 offensive against England.

 

[Njaco]

29 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: While tracking fast Convoy ON 208 (U.K. to North America), German submarine 'U-282' (Type VIIC) is sunk about 601 nautical miles (1 113 kilometers) southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland, by depth charges from British destroyers HMS 'Vidette' (D 48) and HMS 'Duncan' (D 99) and the British corvette HMS 'Sunflower' (K 41). All 48 crewmen on the sub are lost.

'U-220' (Type XB) is sunk in the North Atlantic by depth charges from two Avenger aircraft of escort carrier USS 'Block Island'. 54 dead.

'U-415' was attacked by a Wellington aircraft in the North Atlantic and suffered slight damage.

EASTERN FRONT: Red Army attacks against the German 4.Armee between Orsha and Vitebsk intensified. The hard pressed Germans contained the Soviet advances in heavy fighting. Colonel General Gotthard Heinrici, Commander of the 4.Armee, organizes German defenses between Orsha and Vitebsk, while under this new Soviet attack. This is the beginning of his rise as one of the best defensive tacticians in the German Army.

Uffz. Otto Kittel of 2./JG 54 was awarded the Ritterkreuz for achieving 123 victories. Oblt. Erich Hartmann, Staffelkapitaen of 9./JG 52 finally was awarded the Ritterkreuz for 121 victories.

MEDITERRANEAN: Cantalupo was captured by units of XIII Corps British 8th Army. In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, 34th Infantry Division continues to pursue the Germans northward, the 135th Infantry Regiment taking Pratella and Prata. Elements of 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Infantry Division, protecting the right flank of the VI Corps, reach Gallo. The3d Infantry Division continues north on the left flank of corps in region west of the Volturno River. In the British Eighth Army area, XIII Corps begins an attack toward Isernia, the 5th Division leading off in a downpour of rain during the night.

In Italy, 100+ US XII Bomber Command B-17s, escorted by P-38s, bombed the Genoa marshalling yard and also hit the Sampierdarena marshalling yard, San Giorgio instrument factory, and ordnance, electric, and fitting plants and bridges at Genoa-Ansaldo; the US XII Air Support Command, NATBF, and RAF DAF were forced by bad weather to abandon several missions in support of ground forces. Troops and gun positions were attacked on 2 occasions and several bridges were hit; Giulianova harbor and shipping were successfully attacked.

 

[Njaco]

30 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-415' shot down RAF Wellington aircraft (Sqn 612/C). No survivors from aircraft, the boat had to abort its patrol due to damages sustained.

EASTERN FRONT: Soviet units reached Genichesk. This cuts one of the German exits from the Crimea.

MEDITERRANEAN: Mondragone fell to units of the US 5th Army. This marked a penetration of the Barbara Line. The hilly terrain and tenacious defence slowed the other units of the Army inland.

In Italy, US XII Bomber Command B-24s bombed the Genoa marshalling yard and nearby Sampierdarena and Genoa-Ansaldo steel works; B-17s bombed Savona and Varazze, Porto Maurizio, and the Imperia marshalling yard; weather reduced the efforts of NATAF elements; NATBF B-25s bombed Frosinone; fighter-bombers, mainly of the US XII Air Support Command, hit bridges, junctions, shipping, marshalling yard, gun positions, and vehicles at several locations, including Giulianova, Ancona, Ortona, Sessa Aurunca, Mignano, and Cassino.

The British cruiser 'Aurora' met HM Destroyers 'Petard', 'Belvior' and 'Beaufort' during their passage with personnel and vehicles for military units at Leros. During passage to Turkish waters for transfer of troops and despite availability of air cover, they came under heavy and sustained attacks by Ju 87 and Ju 88 aircraft, until 'Aurora' was hit by a 500 Kg bomb abaft the after funnel. Extensive damage to after structure including armament with fires caused by detonation of ammunition. 47 personnel killed and 30 wounded.

Two Ju 88A-4s of Einsatzkampf Gruppe Ju 88/Gen.d.Fl.Ausb were shot down by Beaufighters from RAF No. 227 Sqdrn west of Kastellorizon Island off the southeast coast of Turkey. 8 crewmen went missing. Three other Ju 88s were shot down by Beaufighters near the convoy 'Nettle'.

UNITED KINGDOM: The Moscow Conference ended. Groundwork was laid for conference of President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Premier Stalin at Teheran, Iran. Although a tripartite conference (American-British-Soviet), the Chinese representatives have participated in some phases. Conferees agree to demand "unconditional surrender" of Germany and establish a world organization for peace (the U.N.). Discussions lead to establishment later in London of European Advisory Commission to study and make recommendations on problems relating to termination of the war in Europe. Other agreements included the decision that China should join the alliance as the fourth major power.

WESTERN FRONT: Five USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders bomb Maupertus Airfield, 6.9 miles (11 kilometers) east of Cherbourg.

 

[Njaco]

31 OCTOBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-584' (Type VIIC) was sunk in the North Atlantic, by a Fido homing torpedo from aircraft (VC-9) of the US escort carrier USS 'Card'. (Previously, in June 1942, 'U-584' had landed a saboteur team of 4 men on the shores just south of Jacksonville, Florida; one of two such teams that landed within a week of each other on the US east coast. The boat then returned safely to Brest on 22 July.) Other VC 9 aircraft attacked 'U-91' at the same rendezvous point, but she escaped unharmed.

'U-732' (Type VIIC) was sunk in the mid-Atlantic near Tangier by depth charges from the British anti-submarine trawler HMS 'Imperialist' and the destroyer 'Douglas'. 31 dead, 18 survivors.

'U-306' (Type VIIC) was sunk in the North Atlantic northeast of the Azores by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS 'Whitehall' and the corvette 'Geranium'. 51 dead (all crew lost). The Destroyer 'Borie' (DD-215) damaged German submarine 'U-256' north of the Azores.

'U-262' fired two T-3 and two FAT torpedoes at the combined convoy MKS-28/SL-138 (combined since 24 Oct) and heard four detonations. The U-boat also fired one Gnat at a destroyer, a detonation was heard after 6 minutes 30 seconds and sinking noises. Franke claimed one steamer and one destroyer sunk and another steamer damaged. In fact, only the 'Hallfried' in station #24 of convoy SL-138 was hit by two torpedoes on the port side. The first struck forward of the bridge and the second sank the vessel immediately. Only three able seamen survived and were picked up by the British destroyer HMS 'Wrestler'.

The unescorted 'New Columbia' (Master Frederick Bradley Kent) was hit in the foreship by one FAT torpedo from 'U-68' southwest of Bingerville, Ivory Coast. She sank by the bow after being hit in the engine room by a second FAT torpedo at 21.44 hours. The master, 54 crew members, ten gunners and 19 Kroomen were picked up by the British merchant 'Conakrian' and landed at Lagos. Lauzemis thought after he had questioned the crew that he had sunk the 'Troilus'.

U.S. airship K 94, en route from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, catches fire and crashes 35 miles north of Cape Borinquen, Puerto Rico.

EASTERN FRONT: General Tolbukhin, the commander of the Fourth Ukrainian Front, captured Chaplinka, 15 miles north of Perekop, which guarded the north-western entrance to the Crimea. With the main road cut and the railway under fire, this meant that the Germans in the Crimea were virtually cut off by land from the rest of their forces in Russia. It was estimated that there were about 150,000 German and Romanian troops occupying the Crimea, plus the bulk of the Seventeenth Army which had been withdrawn from Taman across the Keren Straits. They were all now in danger of being left behind as the Russians pushed forward along the Black Sea towards Kherson. The Germans enjoyed one great advantage, however, their navy ruled the Black Sea, with the Russians too fearful of Stuka attacks to risk their ships. While this remained the case Hitler was unlikely to sanction an early evacuation on the grounds that the divisions still in the Crimea will tie down major Russian forces to guard against an attack in their rear. This reasoning did not please Field Marshal von Kleist, who would rather get his men, guns and tanks to safety.

'U-24' fired one torpedo and observed a hit on a patrol or minesweeping boat after a running time of 28 seconds. SKA-088 was lost 60 cables south of Gagra.

GERMANY: During the night, RAF Bomber Command sends 17 Mosquitos to bomb four cities: six hit Emden, four each bomb Cologne and Oberhausen and three attack Dusseldorf. One aircraft is lost.

MEDITERRANEAN: Teano was captured as the British X Corps advanced towards Monte Santa Croce. The Germans have lost their Italian allies; but they have the rain on their side, a steady remorseless deluge that turned the small fordable rivers of summer into fierce-flowing torrents and made every mountain track a treacherous quagmire. The infantry have the worst of it. Supplies were plentiful in the rear echelons, but for the men in the frontline of this campaign, life became a matter of finding shelter in a slit trench or gully and eating "nourishing" K-rations or bully beef cold from the tin. Hot meals were no more than a memory for thousands. And the Germans were fighting a skilled defensive battle with the aid of their new ally. Bridges were demolished, culverts were mined and booby traps were everywhere. Villages were flattened to deny shelter to the Allies. The advance continued, however, but at a desperately slow speed. Earlier this month, the US Fifth Army managed to cross the Volturno river under an artillery barrage and smoke screen. By 14 October, a four-mile-deep bridgehead had been established. In the east, General Montgomery paused to regroup the Eighth Army; as he did so, four German divisions moved up to oppose him.

The Italian 1st Motorized Group became the first large Italian formation to fight with the Allies. They were assigned to the 5th Army.

In Italy, B-26s hit Anzio; B-25s attacked docks and shipping at Civitavecchia; P-38s strafed and bombed Tirana airfield; weather canceled all NATAF attacks except for 11 P-40s which bombed and strafed a tanker off Split, Yugoslavia, leaving it burning. US XII Air Support Command fighters flew an uneventful naval escort.

NORTH AFRICA: HQ US 1st Fighter Group and it's 71st Fighter Squadron transferred from Mateur to Djedeida, Tunisia with P-38s.

UNITED KINGDOM: This morning saw the return of a blockade runner from Sweden, a 1,200 mile run. A convoy consisting of the five warships turned fast freighters, 'Hopewell' (ex 'MGB 504'), 'Nonsuch' (ex 'MGB 505'), 'Gay Viking' (ex 'MGB 506'), 'Gay Corsair' (ex 'MGB 507') and 'Master Steadfast' (ex 'MGB 508'), sailed from the Humber a few days ago. The 'Gay Viking' developed engine trouble and was left behind, the others pressed on, but repeated sightings of enemy aircraft led Binney to believe the operaton had been compromised and he ordered the ships to return to the Humber. In the meantime the 'Gay Viking' unaware the her consorts had turned for home, was underway and making for the Skagerrak, by early morning her commander, Captain Whitfield brought her into Lysekil. 'Gay Viking' put to sea on the return leg on the evening of the 29th and reached home this morning.

WESTERN FRONT: US XII Bomber Command B-17s bombed the Antheor viaduct in France.

 

[Njaco]

1 NOVEMBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: During a storm, the surfaced German submarine 'U-405' (Type VIIC) is sunk about 640 nautical miles (1 184 kilometers) north-northwest of Lagens Field, Azores Islands, by ramming, small arms fire and depth charges from the USN destroyer USS 'Borie' (DD-215); all 49 crewmen in the sub are lost. USS 'Borie' is part of the hunter-killer group built around the escort aircraft carrier USS 'Card' (CVE-11). Twenty seven crewmen on the destroyer are lost and the ship is too badly damaged by the collision to be towed to port, so the destroyer USS 'Barry' (DD-248) fires three torpedoes which miss. A TBF-1 Avenger of Composite Squadron Nine (VC-9) in USS 'Card' drops four depth charges and 'Borie' sinks at 0954 hours on 2 November.

SS 'Tioga' (715t) was sunk by a U Boat, SE of the Farne Islands.

EASTERN FRONT: Soviet units captured Perekop during their advance to Armiansk isolating the Crimea. Part of the Soviet 56th Army was landed in the Crimea near Enikale. Soviet forces captured Chaplinka, sealing off the Crimean peninsula from land communications, trapping the German 17th Army. The German's only line of communications was across the Black Sea to Romania. Red Navy forces landed on the Kerch peninsula.

The Moscow Declaration was published. The governments of USSR, UK, and USA declared they regarded Germany's annexation of Austria null and void.

A U.S. Military Mission to the Soviet Union is organized under Major General John R. Deane to establish American airfields in the USSR for shuttle bombing of Axis territory.

GERMANY: 589 RAF aircraft - 344 Lancasters, 233 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitos were ordered to Düsseldorf. 18 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes - were lost, 3.1 per cent of the force. The main weight of the raid fell in the centre and south of the city with extensive damage both to housing and to industrial premises. 38 Lancaster IIs - Nos 3 and 5 Groups - made the first large-scale test of the G-H blind-bombing device and attempted to bomb the Mannesmann tubular-steel works on the northern outskirts of Düsseldorf while the main raid was taking place. 5 had to return early and 2 more were lost; the equipment in 16 other aircraft failed to function leaving only 15 aircraft to bomb the factory on G-H. The device later became a most useful blind-bombing device when it was produced in sufficient numbers for a major part of Bomber Command to be fitted with it. 52 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of No 8 Group carried out a diversionary raid on Cologne without loss. Other operations were 13 Oboe Mosquitos to a Krupps foundry at Rheinhausen and 2 Mosquitos to Dortmund, 23 aircraft of No 3 Group minelaying in the Frisians, 27 OTU sorties. 1 OTU Whitley lost.

H2S was used for the first time to assist the minelaying force and is an indication that a start had been made in equipping Main Force squadrons with H2S.

A further Victoria Cross was awarded for an action during the Düsseldorf raid. The Lancaster of Flight Lieutenant William Reid, No 61 Squadron, was twice attacked by night fighters before the target was reached. The aircraft suffered extensive damage, which put most of its guns out of action; the navigator was killed and the wireless operator fatally injured. Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in both attacks and his flight engineer was also hurt but Reid pressed on for the remaining 200 miles to the target and his bomb aimer, Sergeant LG Rolton, obtained an 'aiming point photograph'. The return flight was full of problems. The cockpit windscreen was shattered and the oxygen supply failed. The pilot lapsed into semi-consciousness and the injured flight engineer, Sergeant JW Norris, had to do some of the flying. Flight Lieutenant Reid recovered to take over for the emergency landing in misty conditions which took place at Shipdham in Norfolk, even though he could not see properly for blood running into his eyes from a head wound. One leg of the Lancaster's under-carriage collapsed but the landing was otherwise successful. Flight Lieutenant Reid was awarded the Victoria Cross but the Squadron Operations Record Book does not say whether other crew members were decorated.

MEDITERRANEAN: US General Spaatz took command of all US Air Forces in the Mediterranean. The Fifteenth Air Force was activated, with HQ at Tunis, Tunisia and Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle as Commanding General. With the activation of the Fifteenth AF on this date, the units of the US XII Bomber Command transferred to the new air force. Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force (NATBF) aircraft bombed shipping in harbors of Ancona, Italy and Split, Yugoslavia, hit a tunnel mouth near Antrodoco, Italy, and attacked scattered gun positions and motor transport on both the US Fifth and British Eighth Army fronts. The US XII Air Support Command hit numerous bridges and junctions and the town of Pontecorvo, Italy. The Royal Air Force (RAF) Desert Air Force (DAF) hit inland roads and vehicles in advance of the battleline, shipping at Split, Yugoslavia and the town of Carpinone, Italy. In Italy, B-l7s bombed the town and harbor of La Spezia and a railroad bridge at Vezzano; B-25s hit marshalling yards at Rimini and Ancona. Fighters flew escort.

In the U.S. Fifth Army area, British X Corps continues to clear the Mt. Massico-Mt. St. Croce hill mass on the western flank of the Fifth Army. The 56th Division takes Roccamonfina. In the U.S. VI Corps area, the 168th Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division reaches Capriati al Volturno.

Stab./122 was transferred from Frosinone to Perugia. 4(F)./122 was transferred to Odessa.

NORTH AMERICA: USAAF 73d Squadron is disbanded at Pyote AAFld, Pyote, Texas.

NORTHERN FRONT: I./JG 11 in Norway lost a FW 190A-5 and a Bf 109T during accidents. No pilots were injured.

The first in a new series of Arctic convoys sails from Kola Inlet.

UNITED KINGDOM: During early Nov, HQ 479th Antisubmarine Group and it's 4th, 6th, 19th and 22d Antisubmarine Squadrons (Heavy) transferred from Dunkeswell to Podington, England. HQ 401st Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Deenethorpe,England from the U.S

A progress report, assessing results of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO), estimated that 19 important German towns and cities have been virtually destroyed, 19 severely damaged and 9 more effectively damaged. A joint report of the British Ministry of Economic Warfare and Air Ministry lntelligence Branch claimed that 10 percent of the total war potential of Germany has been destroyed.

The US Ninth Air Force comes under operational control of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF) which is activated on this date to provide the tactical air force for the invasion of W Europe (Operation OVERLORD).

 

[Njaco]

2 NOVEMBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The unescorted 'Baron Semple' (Master Philip Jarvis Carnie) was torpedoed and sunk by 'U-848' northwest of Ascension Island. The master and 61 crew members were lost.

The German 5th S-Boat Flotilla (Cdr Klug) attacked the British convoy CW 221 off Hastings in the first torpedo attacks since August. SS 'Dona Isabel' (1,179t) cargo ship, Blyth to Portsmouth, was sunk by E Boats as was SS 'Foam Queen' (811t).

Destroyer 'Borie' (DD-215), damaged in battle with 'U-405' the previous day (during which the destroyer had rammed the enemy submarine), 1,000 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland, was scuttled by TBF (VC 9) from escort carrier 'Card' (CVE-11), after an attempt to scuttle 'Borie' with gunfire, by the destroyer 'Barry' (DD-248 ), failed.

EASTERN FRONT: The Red army continued its attacks in the southern Ukraine capturing Kakhovka and stopping a German counterattack at Krivoii Rog.

GERMANY: In its first mission, the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force joins in the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) against Germany with a damaging attack on the Bf 109 aircraft assembly factory at Wiener Neustadt by 113 heavy bombers. The Germans put up strong fighter and antiaircraft opposition and 11 bombers are lost. The bombers claimed 50+ attacking fighters destroyed.

Berlin: Goebbels writes that "we are in danger of slowly bleeding to death in the East."

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 8th Army stepped up operations to cross the Trigno River. The 7th Armored Division from the British X Corps reached the Garigliano, close to the Gustav Line. In the U.S. Fifth Army's British X Corps area, patrols of the 7th Armoured and 46th Divisions reach the Garigliano River. The U.S. VI Corps prepares to cross two divisions, the 4th and 34th Infantry Divisions, over the Volturno River. Advance elements of the 45th Infantry Division, the 180th Infantry Regiment, cross below Sesto Campano, during the night of 2/3 November. In the British Eighth Army area, V Corps begins their main assault across the Trigno River, during the night of 2/3 November. Firm resistance is being overcome with the help of artillery and naval gunfire.

'U-340' was sunk near Tangier, by depth charges from sloop HMS 'Fleetwood', destroyers HMS 'Active' and 'Witherington' and by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqn 179/R). 1 dead and 48 survivors.

The Canadian 5th Armored Division was shipped to Italy.

In Italy, NATBF light and medium bombers hit gun positions and an ammunition dump on the British Eighth Army front, railroad facilities at Aquila, and the coast road at Terracina; at night, light bombers hit Penna Point and Zara, Yugoslavia; US XII Air Support Command and RAF DAF fighters and fighter-bombers attacked gun positions and ammunition dumps along the British Eighth Army front, hit gun positions S of Isernia, bombed Fondi, and attacked several bridges and junctions in advance of the US Fifth Army front; numerous trucks and a train also were strafed.

NORTHERN FRONT: The British blockade runner to Sweden, 'Master Standfast', commanded by Captain George Holdsworth, was captured by the Germans off Lysekill by the German patrol trawler V-1606. She was later commissioned as the German motor minesweeper RA-11. Captain Holdsworth later died of wounds in Frederickshaun, Denmark, a number of the crew were made prisoners of war.

UNITED KINGDOM: The 406th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), Eighth Air Force, transferred from the U.S. to Alconbury, England without personnel or equipment. The squadron will be equipped with B-24s and begin CARPETBAGGER operations (dropping supplies to partisans) on 5 Jan 44.

 

[Njaco]

3 NOVEMBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-593' sank SS 'Mont Viso' in Convoy KMS-30.

EASTERN FRONT: A massive Russian offensive from Dnieper bridgehead North of Kiev erupted.

As Soviet attacks drove closer to the facility, the Germans decided to murder the remaining 17,000 Jews in the Maideanek concentration camp, located 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the center of Lubin. Five SS factories in the Lublin area were closed and the Jewish workers shot: over 17,000 were machine-gunned into prepared graves. This was "Bloody Wednesday" and marked the end of Operation Harvest Festival.The slaughter starts at 0700 hours when a never-ending line of naked Jews are force-marched into a huge trench dug within the Krempecki Forest near the precincts of the camp. They are ordered to lie down flat, layer upon layer, to be machine-gunned to death. At 1800 hours, petrol (gasoline) is poured over the bodies and set alight. Within the next few weeks a further 34,000 perished.

GERMANY: The Largest Allied daylight air raid to date on Wilhelmshaven. USAAF VIII Bomber Command Mission 119. 539 of 566 B-17's and B-24's dispatched to the Wilhemshaven, Germany port area hit the target at 1307-1335 hours. They claim 21-3-24 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17's are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair, and 47 damaged; casualties are 12 WIA and 70 MIA. The mission includes 11 Pathfinders, 9 using new H2X blind-bombing device (first time on a US mission) and 2 using H2S. This is the first Eighth Air Force blind-bombing mission in which the aiming point is completely destroyed and is also the Eighth's first 500-plane mission. 333 P-47's and 45 P-38's escort the bombers with the P-38's escorting the heavy bombers almost the entire trip and see their first real ETO combat, claiming 3-5-5 Luftwaffe aircraft.

During the night, RAF Bomber Command sends 589 aircraft, 344 Lancasters, 233 Halifaxes and 12 Mosquitos, to bomb Dusseldorf; 527 aircraft bomb the city with the loss of 15 aircraft. The main weight of the raid fell in the centre and south of the city with extensive damage both to housing and to industrial premises. Meanwhile, thirty eight Lancaster Mk. IIs make the first large-scale test of the G-H blind-bombing device and attempted to bomb the Mannesmann tubular-steel works on the northern outskirts of Düsseldorf while the main raid was taking place. Five had to return early and two more were lost; the equipment in 16 other aircraft failed to function leaving only 15 aircraft to bomb the factory on G-H. The device later became a most useful blind-bombing device when it was produced in sufficient numbers for a major part of Bomber Command to be fitted with it. In other raids, 58 Lancasters and Mosquitos carry out a diversionary raid on Cologne without loss; ten Oboe Mosquitos bomb a Krupps foundry at Rheinhausen and two Mosquitos bomb Dortmund. Four other aircraft hit targets of opportunity. Flt-Lt William Reid (1921-2001), RAFVR, piloted a Lancaster bomber on a raid on Düsseldorf. The plane was attacked by a German fighter over the Netherlands and badly damaged. Reid was wounded in the head, shoulders and hands. A second attack killed two of the crew, wounded Reid again, and knocked out the oxygen supply. He flew on to his target for 50 minutes, losing blood. His windshield was also shattered, and the bitter cold added to his troubles. He managed to fly home in a dizzy condition from bleeding. Two crew members assisted him on the flight home and the plane returned safely. (Victoria Cross)

Adolf Hitler issued Directive 51, in which he warned of an Allied landing in western Europe, by spring of 1944. He ordered the strengthening of the western defences near England and in Denmark, noting that an Allied landing would be more troublesome than Russian advances in the East.

MEDITERRANEAN: Fighting in Italy was heavy as the British 8th Army tangled with the German 16.PanzerGrenadier Division at San Salvo. The British 5th Corps forced Germans from Trigno, who withdrew to the Sangro River. US forces took Sessa Aurunca from the 16.Panzerdivision, which was transferred to the Eastern front. In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, the 4th Ranger Battalion crosses the Volturno River in the 45th Infantry Division zone at 1800 hours local to block Highway 6 northwest of Mignano, but is stopped short of objective. The 45th Infantry Division continues crossing the Volturno River. The rest of the 180th Infantry Regiment, upon crossing southeast of Presenzano at 2000 hours, drives northwest toward Rocca Pipirozzi. After strong artillery preparation, the 34th Infantry Division begins to cross the Volturno River during the night.

The eight USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchell groups transferred to the Fifteenth Air Force on 1 November are transferred back to the Twelfth Air Force.

Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force aircraft hit a dump at Cupello, the railway station at Cesano, a road junction at Alfedena, the town areas of Ceprano and Palmoli, and numerous vehicles. USAAF XII Air Support Command and RAF Desert Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers attack gun positions at Cupello, landing grounds near Pescara and Ancona, the airfield at Cisterna di Latina, the Ceccano railroad yards, the town of Pozzilli, roads in the Venafro-Cassino area, and several bridges and junctions. Many of the days missions are flown in direct support of the British Eighth Army's advance.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force P-38 Lightnings escort USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells on a raid against Araxos Airfield, 1 mile (1,6 kilometers) south of Araxos. The target is well covered and several parked airplanes are destroyed.

'U-340' (Type VIIC) was sunk at 0430hrs near Tangier, by depth charges from the British sloop HMS 'Fleetwood', the destroyers 'Active' and 'Witherington' and by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 179/R). 1 dead, 48 survivors.

Monks at Monte Cassino in Italy completed removing the archive and library. Most of the monks also left.

NORTH AMERICA: The second Consolidated XB-32 has had stability problems and in an attempt to resolve this problem a Consolidated-designed 19.5 foot (5.9 m) vertical tail is added and flown today on the third XB-32, s/n 41-18336.

The first "official" flight by the prototype Grumman (Model G-51) XF7F-1 Tigercat, BuNo 03549, is made at Bethpage, Long Island, New York.

NORTHERN FRONT: II./JG 5 lost 3 Bf 109G-2s during landing accidents in Norway. No pilots were injured.

UNITED KINGDOM: Air Chief Marshal Arthur Harris proposed to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that sustained aerial bombing of Berlin would cost 400-500 aircraft, and cost Germany the war. Churchill authorized commencing the Battle of Berlin.

The 612th and 613th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 401st Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrive at Deenethorpe, England from the U.S. with B-17's. They will fly their first mission on 26 Nov.

London says that Finland is an Axis power and the principle of unconditional surrender applies also to Finland.

WESTERN FRONT: USAAF VIII Bomber Command Mission 120. During the night of 3/4 Nov, 2 B-17's drop 1.5+ million leaflets on Antwerp at 1915 hours and Rotterdam at 2008 hours.

Sixty five USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders bomb Schiphol Airfield 7 miles (11 kilometers) west of Amsterdam. Seventy one USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders bomb the airfield at Saint-Andre-de-L'Eure while 71 others attack Triqueville Airfield.

During the night, 22 RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines in the Frisian Islands. H2S blind-bombing equipment is used for the first time to assist the minelaying force and is an indication that a start had been made in equipping Main Force squadrons with H2S.

 

[Njaco]

4 NOVEMBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German E-boats and mines are still capable of taking a toll of coastal shipping. On the night of the 4/5 November, Channel convoy CW-221 loses three ships off Beachy Head, Sussex, England, to E-boat attack.

EASTERN FRONT: The Soviet Steppe Front (Vatutin) launched fresh attacks out of their bridgeheads over the Dniepr River north of Kiev. The Germans are forced to yield additional ground along the Dnieper River as Soviet troops press forward to its mouth opposite Kherson. Red Army units open a major offensive in the Kiev area, pushing south from the Dnieper River bridgehead and threatening the city with encirclement.

GERMANY: 24 RAF Mosquitos attacked a chemical works at Leverkusen, causing fires and a large explosion, 4 Mosquitos went to Aachen, 36 aircraft minelaying at various places from Lorient to the Kattegat. 4 minelaying Stirlings were lost.

MEDITERRANEAN: In the U.S. Fifth Army's area, British X Corps, with Mt. Massico and Mt. St. Croce hill masses under its control, prepares for assault on Mt. Camino by the 56th Division. In the U.S. VI Corps area, the 2d Battalion of 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, clears Rocca Pipirozzi and digs in on a ridge to the northwest; and makes contact with the 4th Ranger Battalion at Cannavinelle. The 3d Battalion of the 179th Infantry Regiment, upon crossing the Volturno River south of Venafro, attacks and captures Venafro. The 34th Infantry Division's 133d Infantry Regiment seizes St. Maria Oliveto while the 168th takes Roccaravindola. In the British Eighth Army area, XIII Corps troops enter Isernia without opposition. V Corps takes the St. Salvo ridge, the Germans having made a general withdrawal in the area. Full lateral communications are now in place between both Allied Armies through Isernia, Italy.

In Italy, B-17s bombed railroads between Montalto di Castro and Orbetello, between Orbetello and Talamone, and between San Vincenzo and Cecina; bomb-carrying P-38s, escorted by others, hit a tunnel N of Terni and strafe Montalto di Castro. US XII Air Support Command and RAF fighters and fighter-bombers hit trucks and trains in the Sora-Avezzano area, the airfields of Furbara and Tarquinia, and small vessels off Pescara, Italy and Solta, Yugoslavia.

Brigadier General Donald A Davison took command of the US XII Air Force Engineer Command (Provisional), following the command's assignment to the Twelfth Air Force on 1 Nov.

NORTHERN FRONT: Ten RAF Bomber Command Sirlings lay mines in the Kattegat, the body of water between Sweden and Denmark, with the loss of four aircraft.

UNITED KINGDOM: The 354th FG, destined to be the first US fighter group in the ETO or MTO to be equipped with the P-51, arrived in England by ship without aircraft. They will fly their first mission on 1 Dec. This is the first fighter group assigned to the US Ninth Air Force. HQ 445th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrived at Tibenham, England from the US HQ Ninth Air Force issued a letter ordering a small detachment of HQ, the US IX Air Force Engineer Section, to assume the functions of a command under Colonel Karl B Schilling, thus beginning the creation of US IX Engineer Command. The 614th and 615th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 401st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), arrive at Deenethorpe, England from the U.S. with B-17's. They will fly their first mission on 26 Nov. The 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, arrives at Mount Farm, England from the U.S. with F-5's.

At Sparty Lea, Swinhope, a 44 year old man was killed when a rogue barrage balloon exploded.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines off French ports: six lay mines off Lorient and five each lay mines off Brest and St. Nazaire.

 

[Njaco]

5 NOVEMBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine 'U-848' is sunk about 253 nautical miles (469 kilometers) west-southwest of Ascension Island in the South Atlantic by depth charges from two USAAF B-25 Mitchells of the 1st Composite Squadron and three USN PB4Y-1 Liberators of a detachment of USN Patrol Squadron One Hundred Seven (VB-107), both units based on Ascension Island; all 63 crewmen are lost.

EASTERN FRONT: The attacks by the Steppe Front sweep west and south of Kiev. Meanwhile, South Front (Tolbukhin) closes on the lower Dniepr River. The Soviet advance cuts the Kiev-Zhitomir railroad and overrun the area between the lower Dniepr River and the Crimea. This gave credence to the threat to encircle Kiev.

GERMANY: During the night, RAF Bomber Command Mosquitos bomb six targets: ten hit the Vereinigte Stahl armaments factory at Bochum; five hit Hannover; four attack the Rheinmetall armaments factory at Dusseldorf; three bomb Hamburg; and one each hit the Hoesch Stahl steel plant at Dortmund and the city of Heligoland.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 121. Two targets in Germany were hit with the loss of 8 B-17's and 3 B-24's. 323 of 374 B-17's and 9 of 11 B-17 pathfinders hit the marshalling yard and oil plants at Gelsenkirchen, Germany at 1313-1350 hours; they claimed 6-1-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17's were lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 223 damaged. Casualties were 4 KIA, 35 WIA and 84 MIA. The B-17's were escorted by 47 P-38's and 336 P-47's; they claimed 18-6-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 P-47's were lost and 1 was damaged beyond repair; casualties were 4 MIA.

104 of 118 B-24's hit the marshaling yard at Munster at 1349-1358 hours; they claimed 21-3-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-24's were lost, 1 was damaged beyond repair and 43 damaged; casualties were 7 KIA, 22 WIA and 31 MIA.

MEDITERRANEAN: The US 5th Army began attacks on the Reinhard Line. The British 76th Division assaulted Monte Camino and the Us 3rd Division attacked near Mignano. Hube's XIV Panzer Corps has much help from the terrain and worsening weather in their defence. The British 8th Army takes Palmoli and Torrebruna.

A single bomb is dropped on the Vatican by an unknown plane. Many believe that this was a message from German Chancellor Adolf Hitler to Pope Pius XII to provide a reminder of how the mission of the popes so often comes into conflict with the earthly ambitions of nations and politics. After the war, investigators determined the attack was planned by Italian Fascist Robero Farinacci, in an attempt to discredit the Allies.

With the sun just rising over Torre Aningiatria, a port southeast of Naples, German bombers descended on Allied shipping. The port was of strategic importance because the Allies can unload the massive quantities of supplies they need to drive the Germans out of Italy. Canadian seaman, Somer James' ship offers choice prey. Loaded with ammunition, the 'Empire Lightning' was moored to a dock piled with high-octane fuel when the bombs began to find their targets. One struck the fuel, setting it ablaze and threatening both the 'Lightning' and other freighters moored fore and aft. The ship could be saved only be a careful combination of dropping some of its lines and doubling others, so it can be manoeuvred away from the fire. The captain called for volunteers. Amidst the pandemonium, only Mr. James, who was not yet 22, stepped up. He donned a heavy jacket and lifebelt and went on deck alone. With the captain shouting instructions down at him from the bridge, with fire raging alongside and with high explosives beneath his feet, he ran the length of the ship from one mooring point to another and did his best to handle the massive hemp lines alone. The entire operation lasted about three hours, but, in the end, he managed to get the ship out of harm's way, its sides scorched by fire. Yet, he didn't stop at that. Once the 'Lightening' was secured, he helped move a number of barges loaded with dangerous cargo that had also caught fire. The action later won him both the British Empire Medal and the Lloyd's Medal for Bravery, an unusual double honour. While 29 other Canadian merchant sailors won the BEM for bravery during the Second World War, and some won the Lloyd's medal, none received both awards for the same event.

The Headquarters of the Canadian Corps and the 5th Canadian Armoured Division arrived at Italy.

UNITED KINGDOM: An Eighth Air Force training officer arrived to assist HQ US IX Fighter Command in setting up a comprehensive training system for fighter pilots. The training was based on the Eighth Air Force system; the Eighth Air Force and Royal Air Force (RAF) cooperated with the US Ninth in instituting this program.

WESTERN FRONT: The Peugeot factory at Sochaux was sabotaged by the resistance. Judged by the British Ministry of Economic Warfare as the 3rd most important target in France, this factory made tank turrets. Industrial sabotage was being used with greater success than Allied bombing at the Peugeot plant which was producing war equipment on the Germans' orders. Following the RAF raid on 14 July, which proved to be as unsuccessful as it was bloody, Harry Ree, a member of Britain's clandestine Special Operations Executive, persuaded Armand Peugeot to sabotage the facilities of the plant with the help of his own engineers. The manufacturing of turrets for tanks has been interrupted indefinitely.

Adolf Hitler assigned Feldmarschall Erwin Rommel the task of inspecting the Atlantic Wall.

Over 150 USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders bomb construction works at Mimoyecques, France; poor visibility causes one group to bomb the area SW of the primary targets; bad weather causes numerous aborts.

During the night, the USAAF Eighth Air Force's. VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 122: five B-17 Flying Fortresses drop over one million leaflets over Paris, Amiens, Rouen and Caen at 1917-2005 hours.

During the night, 27 RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons dropped leaflets over France.

 

[Njaco]

6 NOVEMBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Captain F. J. Walker's 2nd Escort Group, built around HMS 'Tracker' ( D 24) sinks two U-boats. 'U-226' sunk at 0700hrs in the North Atlantic east of Newfoundland, by depth charges from the British sloops HMS 'Starling', HMS 'Woodcock' and HMS 'Kite'. 51 dead (all hands lost). 'U-842' sunk at 1400hrs in the western North Atlantic, by depth charges from the British sloops HMS 'Starling' and HMS 'Wild Goose'. 56 dead (all hands lost).

EASTERN FRONT: Celebrations for tomorrow's anniversary of the 1917 Revolution started early today with the news that Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine, has been liberated after more than two years of German rule. The battle to free the city was launched by General Vatutin three days ago, Vatutin first tricked von Manstein into thinking that he was going to attack out of the bridgehead across the Dnieper at Bukrin and then, when the Germans concentrated at Bukrin, made his assault out of the smaller lodgement at Lyutezh. The Russians ripped a great hole in the German lines and swung west behind Kiev. It rapidly became obvious that the Germans would not be able to hold the city. Von Manstein pulled out most of his men, leaving only the 88th Infantry Division behind as a rearguard. The 88th, outnumbered and outgunned, was cut to pieces and its few survivors were straggling back to the German lines having lost all their heavy equipment. The fall of Kiev marks not only a psychological victory for the Russians but also an end to a short series of successful German counter-attacks. They had virtually wiped out 7,000 paratroopers dropped across the Dnieper; they had foiled an early breakout from Bukrin and administered a severe check at Krivoi Rog, where they killed 10,000 Russians and captured 5,000. Now the Red Army was once again sweeping westwards.

The inexhaustible supplies of men and materials emerging from the depths of Russia have ground down the Germans. The Red Army now fields 6.5 million men against 4.3 million Germans. The Russians have 5,600 tanks against the Germans' 2,600. They have 90,000 guns against 54,000, and 8,000 aircraft against 3,000. But it is a matter of quality as well as quantity. Russian tanks and aircraft now match the once superior German equipment. The Russians have also learnt how to fight a modern war. New commanders have emerged to use new tactics.

GERMANY: During the night, RAF Bomber Command sends Mosquitos to bomb six targets: seven hit the Vereinigte Stahl steel factory at Bochum, four attack Duisburg while two attack the Vereinigte Stahl steel factory at Duisburg, two each attack Dusseldorf and a steel factory at Hamborn, and one each bombs Grounau and Recklinghausen.

MEDITERRANEAN: German armour was being raced eastwards to counter a major threat to the Gustav Line by the British Eighth Army which stormed Vasto yesterday, meeting fierce resistance from General Herr's tanks. British destroyers were giving supporting fire from the Adriatic as British and Canadian troops advanced along the coast. The 8th Indian Division had reached Palmoli and the US Fifth Army was reported to be ten miles from Capua, a key point on the road to Rome, held up by torrential rain as well as the Germans. In the U.S. Fifth Army's British X Corps area, the 56th Division continues an attack toward Mt. Camino, elements taking Calabritto. In the U.S. VI Corps' the 3d Infantry Division sector, the 7th Infantry Regiment is still fighting for Mt. Ia Difensa; efforts of the 15th Infantry Regiment to take Hill 253, the southeast nose of Mt. Lungo, are unsuccessful, as are those of the 30th Infantry Regiment to take Mt. Rotondo. To the east, the 45th and 34th Infantry Division batter at hills and mountains with little success.

German planes attacked the Naples-bound convoy KMF 25A. Destroyer USS 'Beatty' sank after being torpedoed by German aircraft off Cape Bougaroun, Algeria. 12 of her crew were lost with the ship. Troopship SS 'Santa Elena' was sunk by German torpedo-bombers off the coast of North Africa. The ship was carrying 1,800 Canadian Army personnel, including 99 nurses from No. 14 Canadian General Hospital. Fortunately, no lives were lost. However, the ship sank with a large amount of equipment, including all of the hospital's gear.

The USAAF Twelfth Air Force's XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers strike gun positions, bridges, and roads around Mignano, vehicles north of Cassino, and a train north of Aquino Airfield. Other Northwest African Tactical Air Force) fighters attack numerous road and rail transport targets throughout Italy north of the battleline. Four USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses attack the Fiora River bridge, three bomb a bridge north of Orbetello, and 11 P-38 Lightnings attack a bridge south of Orvieto. P-38 Lightnings escorted by others, hit approaches to a bridge near Monte Molino, and the escorting fighters afterwards strafe Tarquinia Airfield, a train north of Civitavecchia, and vehicles between Montefiascone and Vetralla.

NORTH AMERICA: The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) accede to request of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander Allied Force, for retention of landing craft. Twelve U.S. and 56 British Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) due to depart from the Mediterranean are to remain until 15 December. A further extension, until 15 January 1944, is subsequently granted.

UNITED KINGDOM: The USAAF Ninth Air Force's IX Bomber Command, which has transferred from Bengasi, Libya, establishes headquarters at Marks Hall, Essex, England.

A Hurricane fighter operating from Milfield airfield, in Northumberland crashed into a field on Milfield Desmense Farm about 1 mile W of the RAF station at 12.05. The pilot was slightly hurt.

WESTERN FRONT: During the night, six RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons lay mines off Texel Island. RAF Bomber Command dispatches Wellingtons to lay mines off coastal ports: nine each lay mines off Brest, Gironde and Lorient, eight off St. Nazaire, five off La Pallice, three off St. Jean de Luz and two off Bayonne. An additional 15 aircraft drop leaflets over northern France.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force's VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 123. Two B-17 Flying Fortresses drop 440,000 leaflets over Paris at 0241-0250 hours.

 

[Njaco]

7 NOVEMBER 1943

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 'U-123' was attacked by a Mosquito aircraft from the RAF No.618 Squadron suffering 1 man dead and 2 wounded.

EASTERN FRONT: The Soviet advance reached Fastov, 40 miles west of Kiev, where the Germans had a quickly positioned defence line. The commander of the 44th Soviet Army was captured when he accidentally drove into the German frontline at Nikopol.

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 124. Three targets in Germany were hit without loss. Poor weather restricted operations. 53 of 59 B-17's bombed the Wesel industrial area at 1124-1125 hours; 4 B-17's were damaged; casualties were 1 KIA and 2 WIA. 60 B-17's were dispatched to the industrial area at Duren; 37 hit the primary target at 1114 hours and 20 hit Randerath, the secondary target, at 1114-1125 hours; 2 B-17's were damaged. 2 of 3 B-17 pathfinders escorted the B-17's dispatched to Duren but an Oboe PFF failure resulted in the bombs being widely scattered. The bombers were escorted by 283 P-47s; they claimed 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 P-47's were lost; casualties were 6 MIA. F/O Robert E. Sheehan, 63 FS/56th FG went MIA in his P-47D after mechanical failure near Doesburg. Lt. Edwin O. Carlson, 357 FS/ 355th FG, was killed in his P-47D "On the Ball" after he collided with Lt. James A. Westphal, 357 FS, near Montdidier. Lt. Westphal was made a POW. Also captured were Capt. Walter H. Kossack, 358 FS, who ran out of fuel and bellied in near the French coast and Lt. William E. Roach, 358 FS, who also ran out of fuel in his P-47D "Beetle" and landed at Caen. F/O Chester W. Watson, 358 FS ran out of fuel and bailed out over the English Channel and was killed.

(One for Lucky!) The B-17 "Hard Luck" had a serial number ending in "13". It arrived at Thorpe Abbotts on Friday, 13 Aug. 1943. It was assigned to the "hard luck" 100th BG (H). While not superstitious, the crew had second thought when, on mission "13", they found their plane parked on hardstand "13". The mission to Duren turned out to be a milk run.

The 78th FG flew US VIII Fighter Command's first group double escort mission with A and B fighter formations.

MEDITERRANEAN: The U.S. Fifth Army continues to battle the Germans in the mountains of the Winter Line but makes little headway. In the VI Corps sector, the 34th Infantry Division organizes Task Force A under Brigadier General Benjamin F. Caffey, consisting of the 135th Infantry Regiment and supporting units, for a drive on Montaquila.

NATBF bombers hit gun position along the British Eighth and US Fifth Army fronts, shipping at Ancona, Italy harbor, and the town of Ulcinj, Yugoslavia; Durazzo, Albania was bombed at night. XII Air Support Command and other fighters of the NATAF hit the harbor and shipping at Split and a train near Metkovic, Yugoslavia, and attacked bridges, road junctions, town area, and trucks in the Mignano-Cassino and Pontecorvo, Italy, areas.

Troop transport 'Santa Elena', struck by aerial torpedo while in convoy KMF 25A the previous afternoon, suffered further damage when accidentally rammed by damaged Dutch transport 'Marnix Van St. Aldegonde' (then under tow). The cumulative damage from the torpedo and the collision nullifies the efforts to tow the crippled 'Santa Elena' to port and she sinks that morning. Four of the 133-man merchant crew perish in the abandonment, but the 44-man Armed Guard survives intact.

UNITED KINGDOM: A Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax V was on a night time training flight when it was diverted from its base but appears to have gotten lost. All crew (RAAF) were killed in the subsequent crash in Galway county.

WESTERN FRONT: 200+ B-26's dispatched to attack airfields at Montdidier and Meulan-Les Mureaux, France were forced to abort the mission because of bad weather. The B-26's were escorted by 54 P-38's and 49 P-47's of the Eighth Air Force; 2 P-38's were lost. Maj. John C. Wilkins, HQ Sqnd. 20th FG, took off late and was never seen again. Capt. Herbert W. Cumming, 79 FS, was hit by an Fw-190 and went down over the Channel.

6 Mosquitos to Essen, 35 aircraft minelaying off the French coast from Brest to southern Biscay, 7 OTU sorties. 1 Stirling minelayer lost.

 

[Njaco]

8 NOVEMBER 1943

EASTERN FRONT: Soviet forces continued to drive the Germans away from Kiev, capturing the important rail junction and supply head of Fastov, 30 miles west of Kiev.

GERMANY: Hitler visited Munich for his annual Beerkellar speech and promised the German people that he would retaliate for the "terror bombing" of the Reich by Britain.

"Even if for the present we cannot reach America," he said, "thank God that at least one country is near enough for us to tackle, and on that country we are going to concentrate. The hundreds of thousands of our bombed-out people will become the advance guard of revenge."

He appealed to the German people not to lose their nerve and crack. He denounced "scoundrels" who wished for peace. He also spoke that;

"..our hour of revenge is nigh!",

...refering to flying bomb and rocket weapons nearing a state of readiness.

7 RAF Oboe Mosquitos bombed Cologne and Duisburg without loss.

MEDITERRANEAN: The battles in the US 5th Army sector continued with no success on either side. German forces launched counterattacks against the advancing US 5th Army. The attacks were easily stopped, but forced a temporary halt in the Allied drive north.
British General Harold Alexander, Commander in Chief 15th Army Group, orders the U.S. Fifth Army to plan for an amphibious operation on the west coast. In the U.S. Fifth Army's British X Corps area, the 56th Division withstands strong counterattacks at Calabritto and seizes a hill to the northeast. In the U.S. VI Corps area, the 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3d Infantry Division is still unable to scale Mt. la Difensa, but the 3d Battalion of 15th Infantry Regiment takes Hill 253 and the 3d Battalion of 30th Infantry Regiment reaches the top of Mt. Rotondo. The 45th Infantry Division continues to fight for the mountains north of Venafro and Pozzilli. The 3d Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, opens an assault on the hills between Pozzilli and Filignano. The 34th Infantry Division's Task Force A takes Montaquila. In the British Eighth Army's V Corps area, the 78th Division gains the heights overlooking the Sangro River from its mouth to Paglieta.

Gruko Maj. Orlowski, Hptm. Karl-Heinz Hilbig and Ofw. Albert Kelbsch were reported MIA northeast of Pescara on the east coast of Italy in a Ju 88D-l belonging to 1 (F)/123 that was believed shot down by a pair of P-38 Lightnings. 1/Lt Clarence F. Musgrave; 65FS/57FG made a claim for a Ju 88 in the area in his P-40.

Weather cancels all XII Air Support Command missions except fighter patrols. Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force aircraft and RAF Desert Air Force fighters fly only six missions, hitting gun positions along the battleline, vehicles west of the Sangro River, and trains at Civitanova and Pescara. Eighty USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb the Turin ball bearing factory, marshalling yard, and nearby motor and aircraft engine works with the loss of one aircraft. P-38 Lightnings provide escort as far north as Imperia.

UNITED KINGDOM: The decision was made to form the No. 100 Group of the RAF. Its role, under Bomber Command, would be to wage the radio counter-measures war against the German air defences and so reduce bomber casualties. Under Air Vice-Marshal E. B. Addison's command, it would be located at airfields in northern Norfolk, its squadrons being mainly equipped with Halifaxes and Mosquitoes.

Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Plymouth, England, was established. It will be one of the bases used in the buildup for the cross-channel invasions that will begin in June 1944; the command will not be disestablished until 7 December 1945.