This day in the war in Europe 65 years ago

29 NOVEMBER 1943

EASTERN FRONT: Finland made an offer for peace based on borders of 1939. The Soviet Union refused to discuss the peace on these terms.

'U-20' fired a spread of two torpedoes at a convoy consisting of a tanker escorted by one torpedo boat and four patrol boats off Gogra in the Black Sea. No detonation was heard, so Grafen assumed that they had missed. In fact, one torpedo hit the 'Peredovik' but was a dud and only made a small hole into the hull.

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 8th Army continued its attacks across the Sangro River. Mozzogrogna and Fossacesia fell.

Privates Mikio Hasemoto and Shizuya Hayashi of the US 100th Infantry Battalion displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity beyond the call of duty at Cerasuolo. (Medal of Honor, Posthumous for Hasemoto)

B-25s bombed Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and road and rail bridges at Giulianova, Italy. US, South African Air Force (SAAF), and RAF light bombers hit enemy strongpoints at San Vito Chietino and the Castelfrentano-Lanciano-Fossacesia areas; Allied fighter-bombers bombed enemy forward positions around Fossacesia and Lanciano of Italy. 70 B-26s bombed the airfield and marshalling yards at Grosseto; B-24s, with P-38 escort, bombed the Furbara area; many other medium and heavy bombers were prevented from bombing targets by bad weather.

The US 27th, 71st and 94th Fighter Squadrons, 1st Fighter Group, transferred from Djedeida, Tunisia to Monserrato, Sardinia with P-38s.

NORTH AMRICA: 412th Fighter Group was activated at Muroc Army Air Base, California. It was to operate the Bell P-59 Airacomet jet to (1) conduct tests and engage in experimental work with the two American jets and (2) as an operational training unit (OTU) to train pilots and other personnel for duty with jet aircraft.

The effort to modify a B-29 bomber to carry a nuclear bomb was completed.

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 140. 154 of 360 B-17s hit the port of Bremen, Germany and targets of opportunity in the area. Unfavorable cloud conditions and malfunction of blindbombing equipment caused 200+ B-17s to abort. They claimed 15-11-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 13 B-17s were lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 43 damaged. The B-17s were escorted by 38 P-38s and 314 P-47s who claimed 15-4-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 P-38s and 9 P-47s were lost. The Fw 190s of JG 1 attacked the bombers and in doing so lost one of their most successful pilots, Oblt. Heinrich Klopper (94 kills), Staffelkapitaen of 7./JG 1 and formerly from 11./JG 51, who was killed.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 142: 1 B-17 dropped two 2,000 pound (907 kg) bombs and 1 photoflash on Emmerich, Germany with no casualties.

WESTERN FRONT: In France, 53 B-26s bombed Chievres airfield; 71 B-26s were sent to bomb Cambrai/Epinoy airfield aborted the mission due to bad weather. US VIII Bomber Command Mission 141: 8 B-17s dropped 1.6 million leaflets over Paris, Reims, Le Mans, Orleans, Chartres, Amiens and Rouen, France with no casualties.

Aircraft (VC 19) from escort carrier 'Bogue' (CVE-9) (from convoy UGS 24 or 27) sank the German submarine 'U-86' about 385 miles east of Terceira, Azores. 'U-238' and 'U-764' survived the air attacks.

UNITED KINGDOM: A Hurricane fighter based at Brunton airfield, in Northumberland crashed in a field near The Thirlings, Wooler at about 09.30. It had developed engine trouble and was burnt out on crashing. The pilot was killed.

30 NOVEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 8th Army cleared the ridge north of the Sangro River, denying the Germans positions to observe and bring down fire on the British bridgeheads. The US 5th Army begian diversionary attacks on the lower Garigliano River to assist the 8th Army. These will precede an assault on Monte Camino.

In Italy, B-26s attacked the Monte Molino railroad bridge, Montalto di Castro, and areas around Bastia and Torgiano; accuracy was severely hampered by overcast; B-24s, with P-38 escort, bombed Fiume through the overcast. A-20s, operating in conjunction with light bombers of the SAAF and RAF attacked ground installations and defended areas around Lanciano, Fossacesia, Orsogna, Castelfrentano, and Guardiagrele; fighter-bombers, [US, RAAF, SAAF and RAF] hit pre-arranged targets in the battle area, and by hitting targets of opportunity on roads between Lanciano to Mozzagrogna aid in defeating a counterattack against the US 34th Infantry Division on Monte Pantano.

EASTERN FRONT: The Soviet Army suffered a 2nd significant setback as they withdrew from Korosten.

At JG 52, Oblt. Gerhard Barkhorn gained his 200th victory and Lt. Wilhelm 'Willi' Batz scored his 50th victory.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF No 192 Squadron, flying from Foulsham, inaugurated No 100 (Bomber Support) Group's operations by dispatching 4 Wellingtons on radio-countermeasures (RCM) flights. No aircraft lost.

Aircraft (VC 19) from the escort carrier 'Bogue' (CVE-9) damaged German submarine 'U-238' east of the Azores.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 144: 6 B-17s dropped 1.4075 million leaflets on Paris, Rouen and Tours, France; and Krefeld and Opladen, Germany during the evening; no casualties.

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 143. 349 B-17s, 29 B-24s and 3 PFF B-17s were dispatched to the industrial area at Solingen, Germany. 270 B-17s, the B-24s and 2 PFF B-17s aborted the mission due to cloud formations which caused assembly difficulties and required flying at altitudes not feasible for the B-24s. 79 B-17s and 1 PFF B-17 used blind-bombing equipment to hit Solingen plus 1 aircraft dropped on Wermelskirchen. They claimed 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-17s were lost; 3 were damaged beyond repair and 9 damaged. This mission was escorted by 20 P-38s and 327 P-47s; they claimed 0-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 and 5 P-47s were lost and 1 each damaged. Fw. Ernst Florian (13 kills) of Stab I./JG 1 was killed in action.

UNITED KINGDOM: HQ 361st Fighter Group and it's 374th, 375th and 376th Fighter Squadrons arrived at Bottisham, England from the US with P-47s. They will fly their first mission on 22 Jan 44. HQ 362d Fighter Group and it's 377th, 378th and 379th Fighter Squadrons arrived at Wormingford, England from the US with P-47s. They will fly their first mission on 8 Feb 44. HQ IX Fighter Command arrived at Middle Wallop, England from Libya. HQ 357th Fighter Group arrived at Raydon, England from the US.

1 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The US 5th Army was the target of additional air and ground harassment by the Germans. These attacks occurred as the 5th Army was preparing to take the offensive. The Canadian 1st Division began replacing the British 78th Division along the Moro River, Italy.

In Italy, 100+ B-17s bombed the Turin ball bearing works and marshalling yard; escorting P-38s battled enemy fighters without either losses or victories. The B-17's claimed 2 enemy fighters shot down. B-24s and other P-38s were recalled because of weather. B-26s, with fighter escort, attacked bridges and railroad facilities at Aulla, Cecina, and Sestri Levante. B-25s bombed gun positions in the Sant' Ambrogio area; fighter-bombers, including some Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft, hit trucks, gun positions, and other military targets E of Casoli, at Lanciano, near Guardiagrele, W of Mignano, W of Minturno, and near Chieti. Several of these missions were in support of the US Fifth and British Eighth Armies.

Sixteen Macchi 205s from II./JG 77 along with fighters from 8./JG 53 were scrambled against a formation of Allied bombers. But before the bomber formation could be intercepted, several of the Italian-made planes had to abort, one because of an oxygen failure, one went into a spon and two more broke away from the fight. The remaining Macchis bounced the bombers and their P-38 escorts. A fierce battle ensued with Uffz. Adolf Funke of 6./JG 77 destroying a P-38 near Valditacca. Ofw. Alfred Seidl of 8./JG 53 claimed 3 Lightnings near Tuscania to reach 24 kills.

EASTERN FRONT: Soviet troops crossed the river Ingulets, and drove to within six miles of Znamenka. The German attacks in the Zhitomir area intensified forcing the Soviets to withdraw from Korosten.

Moscow claimed that Byelorussian partisans have killed 282,000 German soldiers since war broke out.

GERMANY: The German program of long-range weapons, flying bombs and rockets was complete. Adolf Hitler approved orders to prepare and carry out their use against England.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 145: The industrial area at Solingen, Germany was the target. 206 of 215 B-17s, 69 of 78 B-24s and 5 of 6 B-17 PFF aircraft hit the target and claim 4-5-5 Luftwaffe aircraft. 19 B-17s and 5 B-24s were lost, 2 B-17s and 1 B-24 were damaged beyond repair and 85 bombers were damaged. The mission was escorted by 42 P-38s and 374 P-47s, claiming 20-4-7 Luftwaffe aircraft. 2 P-38s and 5 P-47s were lost, 1 each were damaged beyond repair and 3 P-47s were damaged.

WESTERN FRONT: 175+ B-26s bombed airfields at Chievres, Belgium; and Cambrai/Epinoy, Lille/Yendeville, and Cambrai/Niergnies, France. 28 P-51s executed a sweep over NW France, marking the first Ninth Air Force fighter operation from the UK. The entire Geschwader of JG 26 were alerted when the bombers came. Caught taking off from his airfield at Cambrai, Hptm. Helmut Hoppe (24 kills) Staffelkapitaen of 5./JG 26, along with his wingman, were shot down by Canadian Spitfires. Catching up to the Spitfires near Arras, Ofw. Glunz shot down 2 of the Canadian fighters including the aircraft that had just shot down Hptm. Hoppe.

Operations commenced for Sonderkommando Kunkel - about 6 weeks before the unit was officially formed on 15 jan 1944. This unit, commanded by Hptm. Fritz Kunkel, used Ju 88C-6 and R-2 aircraft - equipped with Lichtenstein and FuG 227 Flensberg airborne interception radar - against Allied aircraft operating over the Bay of Biscay during the night. It operated under the direct command of Fl.Fu. Atlantik. The main targetswere RAF minelaying aircraft. Crews for Sonderkommando Kunkel were drawn from I. and III./ZG 1.

19 RAF Stirlings and 12 Halifaxes were sent to the Frisians and to the east coast of Denmark. 2 Stirlings were lost. Tragedy happened when several bombers returning from the minelaying operations off Denmark were diverted to RAF Acklington because of poor weather conditions. A Stirling from 75 Squadron based at Mepal, on its second approach, crashed into the farmhouse of Cliff House Farm, Togston near Amble, killing five children of the Robson family - Sheila, 19m, William, 3, Margery, 5, Ethel, 7, and Sylvia, 9 - and all of the aircraft's crew except the mid upper gunner, 20 year-old Sgt Kenneth Gordon Hook. Despite serious injuries Sgt Hook was flying again two months later and by the end of the war he had flown more than 75 operational missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal at the end of 1944 and remained in the RAF until 1977 when he retired with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

UNITED KINGDOM: The 362d, 363d and 364th Fighter Squadrons, 357th Fighter Group, arrived at Raydon, England from the US with P-51Bs. They will fly their first mission on 11 Feb 44. The 708th, 709th, 710th and 711th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 447th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrived at Rattlesden, England from the US with B-17Gs. They will fly their first mission on 24 Dec.

2 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The Raid On Bari: In the early morning, Obstlt. Werner Hahn flew an Me 210 recon plane over the Adriatic town of Bari, in preparation of a raid on the seaport. Bari, located on the Adriatic side of the Italian peninsula, was a major shipping port for the Allies and Obstlt. Hahn's recon reported about 30 ships in the harbour. Convoys had constantly been shipping into Bari, creating a log-jam of ships in the harbour. Every available docking space was occuppied,and the dockyards had become such a beehive of activity that unloading was carried on into the night under the glare of lights.

And with the conditions in the harbour as bad as they were, another convoy had arrived just that morning. A bomber's dream target had been set up. On the afternoon of this very day, Air-Marshall Sir Arthur Cunningham held a press conference in his HQ in the city. In answer to several pointed questions regarding the lack of air protection above the seaport, the Marshall answered with a supreme air of confidence;

"I would regard it as a personal affront and insult if the Luftwaffe would attempt any significant action in this area!"

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What the Air Marshall had failed to take into account was the fact that the RAF fighter planes scattered on airfields throughout Italy were tabbed for escorting duties with bombers and not on defensive missions. And to add to the problems, only one solitary flak battery was in position within the city.

At 18:30 hours, 105 Ju 88s flying from airfields in Italy and Yugoslavia, attacked the harbour. Surprise was complete as the Luftwaffe used tinfoil strips to confuse any radar and most of the ships' crews were on shore leave. To further escape detection, the German squadrons based in the north of Italy flew only feet above the water straight down the full length of the Adriatic. Shortly before they came in sight of the city, they climbed steeply to bombing altitude. At landfall, the planes threw down a string of chandelier flares, instantly lighting up the city and harbour in a bright, flickering glare. Oblt. Gustav Teuber, leading in the first wave, could not believe his eyes - the scene below, brilliantly lit, cranes busily lifting cargo, the east jetty crowded with ships. There was a beam of light at the lighthouse, many lights along the dock bordering the city and scattered lights along Molo Foraneo and Molo Pizzoli. Accustomed to wartime blackouts, Bari harbour looked like Berlin's Unter den Linden on a New Year's eve to Oblt. Teuber as he roared in.

Within seconds the flak guns of the lone battery in the city, along with guns onboard merchant ships, opened up on the raiders, undetecable in the darkness beyond the blinding flares. Converging streams of tracers rose into the sky, increasing in volume until no plane caught in the basket weave of fire could long survive. Then down came the bombs, the first one missing the harbour, crashing instead into the old section of the city.

Fires broke out in several places, adding more light for the German pilots sweeping in over the packed shipping moored at dockside and anchored in the harbour. With more light on the target, the bomb-aimers were able to cirrect their aim and began to 'walk' their bombs across the harbour, hitting one vessel after another. The first ship hit was the 'Joseph Wheeler'. Seconds later, the 'John L. Motley' shuddered under the hammer blow of a 200kg bomb, crashing through #5 hatch. Debris from 'John L. Motley' damaged the gasoline tanker 'Aroostook' (AOG-14), and set fire to 'Lyman Abbott'. With the 'Joseph Wheeler' now burning fiercely, the 'John Boscom' anchored next to it, made an effort to pull away. Escape, however, was out of the question. Two other ammo-laden ships had drifted into its exit path. And then when the stern lines burned away, the 'John Boscom' began to drift towards the furiously blazing 'John L. Motley'. 'John Boscom's' skipper gave the order to abandon ship. No sooner had it been given then 4 bombs struck the ship from fore to aft.

Everywhere ships were on fire. There was even fire on the water. Flaming patches of oil and other debris floated shoreward, threatening to engulf several lifeboats filled with survivors from the stricken ships. 'John M. Schofield' and 'Grace Abbott' were damaged by flying fragments; the former suffered no casualties among the crew while the latter had only one merchant seaman wounded from among her 41-man civilian and 28-man Armed Guard complement. 'Samuel J. Tilden' was hit by two bombs and caught fire; 17 of the 209 embarked troops perished as the soldiers abandoned ship.

Not far away at Berth 29, a fierce fire broke out near the stern of the 'John Harvey', a ship that carried as part of its cargo 100 tons of mustard gas. All around it, other ships were burning. 'John Harvey', moored originally between 'John L. Motley' and 'Joseph Wheeler', was showered by burning debris, and caught fire herself, drifting into the harbor. The crew of the 'John Harvey' fought to extinguish or at least contain the blaze but it soon became obvious they were fighting a losing battle. Moments later, the gallant efforts of the crew and chemical techs ended in a titanic blast that literally blew the ship to pieces and vaporized the men. All across the harbour, people were picked up bodily by the pressure wave and hurled about. Huge, twisted sheets of boiler plate, smaller metal fragments, parts of machinery and whatever else was in or on the frieghter, shot out in a wide arc and rained on the other ships. The monstrous blast passed right over the tanker SS 'Pumper', flinging the wreckage onto other ships further out in the harbour. One small Yugoslavian vessel simply disappeared. The Canadian-owned, British-registered merchantman 'Fort Athabasca' (7,132 GRT), loaded with ammunition and, when fires broke out after the ship was struck, an enormous explosion killed the entire crew of 39 men.

As the last of the Ju 88s dropped their bombs, they flew out over the Adriatic and the entire German strike force headed for home. The ground fire had relatively been light and not one Allied plane had appeared in the sky over Bari. Two Ju 88s had gone down in the sea, Uffz. Karl-Heinz Hellwig's of 3./KG 30 and Fw. Walter Klein's of 1./KG 54. 17 Allied ships were sunk and another 8 were damaged, causing Bari to be dubbed "the second Pearl Harbour". About 1,000 military and civilian people were exposed to the mustard gas and 69 military personnel died within weeks. Most of the dead and injured were stricken by gas escaping from the 'John Harvey' as they swam through the water.

Allied Operation Bluecoat began in Italy. A massive artillery bombardment preceded this attack. Over 900 guns opened fire on Monte Sammucro. On the left was British X Corps, with objective Camino. On the right was the US II Corps, with objective La Difensa. Over two days, 200,000 shells were fired. The US 5th Army attacked with units of the British X Corps and the US II Corps on Monte Camino. Two battalions of the 2nd Regiment of the American/Canadian First Special Service Force began climbing the north-east face of Monte la Difensa. Their objective was to clear German positions there and on Mount Remetanea.

UNITED KINGDOM: RAF No. 139 Squadron RAF began operations with the Mk XX Mosquito. These aircraft were built in Canada.

WESTERN FRONT: The American P-51D made its first combat mission, flying a fighter sweep over Belgium.

The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) authorized AEAF to attack "sky sites" in the Pas de Calais area and on the Cherbourg Peninsula in France, which RAF photography and British intelligence have virtually identified as missile-launching sites.

GERMANY: 458 RAF aircraft - 425 Lancasters, 18 Mosquitos, 15 Halifaxes - continued the Battle of Berlin. There were no major diversions and the bombers took an absolutely direct route across the North Sea and Holland and then on to Berlin. The Germans identified Berlin as the target 19 minutes before Zero Hour and many fighters were waiting there. Incorrectly forecast winds scattered the bomber stream, particularly on the return flight, and German fighters scored further victories here. A total of 40 bombers - 37 Lancasters, 2 Halifaxes, 1 Mosquito - were lost, 8.7 per cent of the force. 460 (Australian) Squadron lost 5 of its 25 Lancasters on this raid, including the aircraft in which two newspaper reporters were flying. These were Captain Grieg of the Daily Mail and Norman Stockton of the Sydney Sun. The inaccurate wind forecast caused great difficulties for the Pathfinders, who were not able to establish their positions correctly. The bombing photographs of the Main Force suggested that the attack was scattered over a wide area of southern Berlin and the countryside south of the city. The Berlin report confirms this but adds that some useful damage was caused in industrial areas of the eastern and western districts, with two more of the Siemens factories, a ball-bearing factory and several railway installations being badly hit. Damage elsewhere was light, only 136 buildings being destroyed.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 146: 1 B-17 flew an Oboe test over Huls, Germany dropping two 2,000 pound (907 kg) GP bombs and 1 photoflash bomb. 4 B-17s dropped 2.09 million leaflets on Bremen, Oldenburg and Hamburg, Germany. No casualties on either mission.

3 DECEMBER 1943

GERMANY: Göring ordered concentrated air attacks on British ports and industry;

"...to avenge the terror attacks of the enemy."

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527 RAF aircraft - 307 Lancasters, 220 Halifaxes - were sent to Leipzig and 9 Mosquitos in a feint attack on Berlin. Despite the loss of two pressmen on the previous night, the well-known American broadcaster, Ed Murrow, flew on the raid with a 619 Squadron Lancaster crew. He returned safely. The bomber force took another direct route towards Berlin before turning off to bomb Leipzig. German fighters were in the bomber stream and scoring successes before the turn was made but most of them were then directed to Berlin when the Mosquito diversion opened there. There were few fighters over Leipzig and only 3 bombers were believed to have been lost in the target area, 2 of them being shot down by flak. A relatively successful raid, from the point of view of bomber casualties, was spoiled when many aircraft flew by mistake into the Frankfurt defended area on the long southern withdrawal route and more than half of the bombers shot down on this night were lost there. 24 aircraft - 15 Halifaxes, 9 Lancasters - were lost, 4.6 per cent of the force. The Pathfinders found and marked this distant inland target accurately and the bombing was very effective; this was the most successful raid on Leipzig during the war. A large area of housing and many industrial premises were severely damaged. One place which was hit by a large number of bombs was the former World Fair exhibition site, whose spacious buildings had been converted to become war factories, the largest buildings being taken over by the Junkers aircraft company.

In one of the first night battles between the new Ju 88G-1 night-fighter and RAF Mosquitoes, 3 Ju 88s are shot down along with 2 Mosquitoes.

EASTERN FRONT: South of Gomel, Dovsk was captured by the Soviet Army. Further south they drove west of Cherkassy. German positions in the Gomel area crumbled as Red Army forces moved toward Rogachev.

MEDITERRANEAN: The British X Corps was almost at the summit of Monte Camino. The US II Corps took the summit of nearby Monte Maggiore. The British 8th Army captured San Vito. Heavy fighting was reported around Orsogna as the German 26th Panzer Grenadiers attacked the New Zealand 2nd Division. The Grenadiers succeeded in the fierce counterattack and the New Zealand Division fell back. The US First Special Service Force last night took the strongly held German position at Monte La Difensa and Monte La Rementanea. Several previous assaults had failed so instead the Force's 2nd Regiment scaled the 200-foot cliff on the rear of Monte La Difensa during the night. This took the defenders by surprise. They then took Monte La Rementanea. This first action by the force cost it more than 500 casualties.

Abandoned U.S. freighter 'Samuel J. Tilden', damaged in the German air raid on Bari, Italy, the night before, was scuttled by two torpedoes from British warships.

B-24s, with fighter escort, hit the Rome/Casale airfield in Italy; B-26s and escorting P-38s wererecalled due to weather. Other P-38s escorted a supply mission to Yugoslavia. B-25s bombed the harbor and marshalling yard at Sibenik, Yugoslavia. In Italy, fighter-bombers, along with RAF Desert Air Force (DAF) airplanes, hit tanks and trucks in the Guardiagrele-Lanciano areas. Other fighter-bombers attacked a vessel at Sibenik, Yugoslavia and vehicles and trains N of Rome. Anzio and Nettuno, Italy were also bombed.

The Twelfth Air Force transferred its entire II Air Service Area Command with all of its subordinate units to the Fifteenth Air Force, where it shortly became the XV Air Force Service Command. This was a major step toward making the Fifteenth a separate, self-sufficient air force.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The unescorted 'Touchet' (Master Jesse Field Bird) was hit on the port side by a torpedo from 'U-193' in the Gulf of Mexico while steaming at 16.5 knots. The torpedo struck the bow ten feet aft of the stem and opened a 20 feet long hole. The tanker was equipped with a torpedo indicator that warned the crew but the turn to port was too late, after the hit the engine was first secured while turning to the opposite direction and then ordered full ahead in an attempt to escape. Due to the flooding the bow settled and forced the ship to stop, when another torpedo warning sounded but this was apparently a dud hitting the port side amidships. The most of the ten officers, 40 crewmen and 30 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) abandoned ship in six lifeboats, only the armed guard officer and ten of his men remained behind and manned the 5in stern gun. At 08.22 hours, a coup de grâce hit the engine room on the starboard side and caused the ship to sink stern first at 11.00 hours. The men still on board had to jump overboard and swam to a raft but the suction of the sinking ship was so strong that all except one armed guard drowned. On 5 December, the 43 survivors in four boats were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant 'Lillemor' (Master Bernt Belland) and landed them the next day at Pensacola, Florida. The same day, USS 'Falgout' (DE 324) picked up eleven survivors from another boat and on 6 December, the remaining 16 survivors in the last boat were picked up by USS 'Raven' (AM 55) and landed in Galveston on 8 December.

A German Ju-52 plane began to sweep magnetic mines (British type) off Kotka.

UNITED KINGDOM: A note from Air Chief Marshall Sir Charles F Portal, RAF, to the CCS stated that OPERATION POINTBLANK, the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) of the USAAF and RAF against the Luftwaffe and the German aircraft industry, was 3 months behind in relationship to the tentative date for OPERATION OVERLORD, the overall plan for the invasion of Europe, which had been set for 1 May 44. This brought more pressure on the US Eighth Air Force to destroy industrial plants of importance to aircraft production.

The 365th and 366th Fighter Squadrons, 358th Fighter Group, transferred from Goxhill, England to Leiston, England with P-47Ds. They will fly their first mission on 20 Dec.

A Halifax bomber on a training flight from Croft airfield, County Durham, crashed ½ mile south of runway No 3 at Dishforth airfield at 21.31. This was due to the steam from a nearby railway and poor visibility. Five of the crew were killed and one injured.

4 DECEMBER 1943

WESTERN FRONT: Hawker Typhoons of Nos. 198 and 609 Squadrons RAF shot down 11 Do-217s near Eindhoven in one sweep. This was the last pure fighter operation of the Typhoon.

The 'Libertad' in convoy KN-280 was hit by two of four torpedoes from 'U-129' and sank quickly. The U-boat observed how the escort of three destroyers rescued survivors instead of hunting the attacker.

The Staffelkapitaen of 9./JG 3, Lt. Wilhelm Lemke (131 kills) was killed in combat. Lemke was shot down and killed in aerial combat with P-47s of 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, USAAF. His Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 410 558 ) "Black << + -" crashed at Dodewaard, 18km west Nijmegen. He recorded 125 victories over the Eastern Front, including 28 Il-2 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft. Of his six Western front victories, three were four-engine bombers.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 147: 4 B-17s dropped 800,000 leaflets on Rouen, Lille and Paris, France. US VIII Bomber Command Mission 148: 4 B-17s dropped 800,000 leaflets on Le Mans, Orleans, Tours and Laval, France. 203 B-26s dispatched to attack the airfields at Chievres, Belgium and Lille/Vendeville, France aborted the mission due to bad weather.

A Ninth Air Force directive established Operation CROSSBOW (operations against German missile launching sites) for the US IX Bomber Command and provided a list of targets to be attacked immediately. In the words of the directive, Operation CROSSBOW was;

"...to designate Anglo-American operations against all phases of the German long-range weapons programme -- operations against German research, experimentation, manufacture, construction of launching sites, and the transportation and firing of finished missiles, and also against missiles in flight, once they had been fired."

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Crossbow bombing included use of Tallboy bombs and Operation Aphrodite drones, particularly against the "Heavy Crossbow" installations Watten, Wizernes, Mimoyecques, Siracourt, Söttevast, Martinvast. After developing bombing techniques at the Air Corps Proving Ground in the United States, Operation Crossbow extensively bombed the launching sites and storage depots for the V-1 flying bomb.

MEDITERRANEAN: Making his first journey outside Russia since the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Stalin came to Tehran to hear Churchill and Roosevelt explain their plans for a cross-Channel invasion of France in the spring or summer of next year. A communiqué from the conference, which ended on 1st December, says that the three leaders;

"...have concerted plans for the destruction of the German forces. We have reached complete agreement as to the scope and timing of the operations which will be undertaken from the east, west and south."

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This makes it clear that the Italian campaign will continue, though resources may be diverted to the French campaign. Stalin was not too pleased when Churchill said a landing in France depended upon Germany being prevented from bringing up substantial reinforcements during the first two months after the assault. The Soviet leader wondered aloud whether an invasion would ever happen. Roosevelt was gratified to hear Stalin promise that;

"...the moment Germany is defeated..."

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...the Soviet Union would join the war against Japan. This promise is judged to be so sensitive that the three leaders decided not to enter it in the record of the Tehran talks.

Another casualty of the Bari raid was a Me 410 from 2(F)./122 that was shot down while on a recon mission to obtain photographic evidence of the bombers success. Oblt. Josef Schumm (F) and Uffz Heinz Kummer were killed.

EASTERN FRONT: The German 17.Armee, isolated on the Crimean peninsula, launched desperate attacks against Soviet beachheads around Kerch.

5 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: Attacks and counterattacks marked the continued fight for possession of the summit of Monte Camino. The Indian 8th Division crossed the river Moro, pushing towards the supply port of Ortona.

At the Cairo Conference, President Roosevelt decided on General Dwight D Eisenhower as the Supreme Allied Commander for Operation OVERLORD, the invasion of W Europe.

Weather hampered medium bomber operations, but B-25s managed to bomb a bridge at Pescara, Italy and marshalling yard and shipyards at Split, Yugoslavia. In Italy, US fighter-bombers and fighters (and a number of other Allied airplanes) hit gun positions S of Chieti, Italy, a vessel in Poljud, Yugoslavia harbor (near Split), trains and trucks W of Aquino, bridges near Mignano and Ladispoli, the town of Arezzo, airfields at Piombino and Aviano, and building S of Garda Lake.

WESTERN FRONT: Operation Crossbow, the effort to bomb the V-1 launch sites along the French coast, began. 52 B-26s bombed Ligescourt, Campagne-les-Hesdin, and Saint-Josse, France. 200 others were forced to abandon the mission because of heavy cloud cover over the targets, including V-weapon sites which the Ninth had scheduled to attack for the first time. Ninth Air Force P-51s from the 354th Fighter Group flew their first escort mission, accompanying Eighth Air Force heavy bombers in a raid against targets in the area near Amiens, France.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 149. Airfields in France were targetted; 8 B-17s and 1 B-24 were lost. 216 B-17s were dispatched to La Rochelle/Laleu, St Jean D'Angely, Paris/Ivry, Paris/Bois and D'Colombes airfields; none hit the target due to weather; 1 B-17 was damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged. 96 B-24s were dispatched to Cognac/Chateaubernard Airfield; 2 hit St Nazaire; 1 B-24 was lost and 7 damaged. 236 B-17s were dispatched to the Bordeaux/Merignac air depot; 1 hit the target and they claimed 12-5-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17s were lost and 19 damaged. These missions were escorted by 34 P-38s and 266 P-47s plus 36 Ninth Air Force P-51s; 1 P-47 was lost and the pilot was MIA.

Norwegian freighter 'Lillemor' rescued 43 survivors from tanker 'Touchet', torpedoed and sunk by German submarine 'U-193' on 3 December 1943; shortly thereafter, destroyer escort 'Falgout' (DE-324) picks up 11 more men from the lost ship.

6 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: Monte Camino, fell to the British 56th Division after a fierce struggle. The First Special Service Force captured Hill 907 below Monte Camino. The British 8th Army continued their advance up the Moro River. Canadian forces began an assault across the Moro River on three fronts. The main force was centered across from San Leonardo, with two smaller diversionary assaults near Villa Rogatti, and near the coast of the Adriatic sea.

In Greece, 45 B-24s bombed Eleusis Airfield while 56 B-17s hit Kalamaki Airfield; other B-17s returned to base with bombs because of a heavy overcast; the heavy bombers and escorting P-38s claimed several enemy fighters shot down; 1 B-24 was lost to flak.

EASTERN FRONT: Polar Fleet and White Sea Flotilla: Submarine "S-55" sunk supposedly mined or by surface ASW ships, close to cape Nordcap.

Konev's forces continued to advance in the Ukraine as the Red Army took Znamenka, cutting the rail line to Smela.

WESTERN FRONT: Minesweeper 'Raven' (AM-55) rescued 16 survivors from tanker 'Touchet', torpedoed and sunk by German submarine 'U-193' on 3 December 1943. All told, the entire merchant complement of 50 men survives 'Touchet's' loss, but ten of the 30-man Armed Guard were lost with the ship.

UNITED KINGDOM: The public were informed that on this day 'Air raid sirens will be tested at 10.00 today throughout Northumberland, The Raiders Passed signal will be sounded for one minute, then the Alert for one minute, and finally the Raiders Passed signal again. The test will not be made in any district in which an actual Alert has been sounded during the preceding fortnight.

7 DECEMBER 1943

UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Air Marshal Harris claimed that he will win the war over the next several months with new support for the continuing attacks on Berlin and other German targets. His plan was to make 15,000 missions with 40 squadrons of Lancaster heavy bombers which will be operational in the next three months dropping 13,850 tons of bombs a month and;

"...produce in Germany a state of devastation in which surrender is inevitable".

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MEDITERRANEAN: The US 5th Army, with II and VI Corps, attacked the towns of Monte Sammucro and San Pietro in the Mignano Gap. The German defenders absorbed the attack well. American artillery fire on San Pietro commenced as the 2nd and 3rd battalions of US 143rd Infantry Division approached San Pietro, but were thrown back by intense German fire. A company of the US 143rd Infantry climbed the east face of Sammucro, reaching the top by first light. The British 8th Army attacked Orsogna. Canadians made it across the Moro river near the Adriatic Sea and commenced south-west toward San Leonardo. The last German defender left the area of Mount La Difensa. The First Special Service Force suffered 511 casualties of a force of about 1500.

B-25s and A-36s bombed the harbor and town of Civitavecchia; B-25s also attacked Pescara, hitting the railroad, road, and town area; A-36s, P-40s, and RAF DAF fighters hit a gun position W of Orsogna, the towns of Viticuso and San Vittoria, and a bridge at Civitella Roveto.

GERMANY: 11./JG 11 was formed in Lister from Jagdstaffel Helgoland with Oblt. Herbert Christmann as Staffelkapitaen, 11./JG 11 and 10./JG 11 (Hptm. Siegfried Simsch as Staffelkapitaen) were known as Kommando Skagerrak with a detachment stationed at Kjevik flying Bf 109Ts.

8 DECEMBER 1943

WESTERN FRONT: Field Marshal Rommel and his staff continued to tour the Danish coast as they began their inspection of the West Wall. They are scheduled to get a permanent headquarters location around December 20th. Rommel's assignment came to him on November 5th when he visited the Fuehrer at the Wolf's Lair in Bavaria. Hitler had a great idea. Citing von Rundstedt's troubling summary of October 25th, stating that the Atlantic Wall was anything but formidable, Hitler told him of his plan: Rommel was to inspect the Western coast and a) Verify or disavow von Rundstedt's troubling report, and b) provide suggestions for improvement. Rommel was to take his displaced army group staff (designated "Heeresgruppe Bz.b.v."-- Army Group B-For Special Purposes) and tour the coast. The idea was originally Gen. Jodl's. Someone had to go and check out von Rundstedt's report, and Rommel figured it would end up being him. This way, Jodl wouldn't have to go, and Rommel would be "gainfully employed" again. Besides, who knew more about fighting the Western Allies (including the Americans) than Rommel? So now the tireless Desert Fox was once more on the move, inspecting and formulating ideas for better defenses.

EASTERN FRONT: Russian units cut a 2nd rail line out of Znamenka.

Uffz. Helmut Weiser from 5./JG 5 was killed in an aerial battle near Moskva. Kurt-Reinhrad Fischer (33 kills) of JG 54 was also killed in action.

MEDITERRANEAN: The French 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division joined the Allied line. Allied units were being moved. Rather than fighting in Italy, they were transported to Britain for use in Overlord. Canadian artillery began a barrage of the Moro Valley, in preparation for infantry of the 1st Division to assault it in the morning. The 2nd and 3rd battalions of US 143rd Infantry Division approached San Pietro again, but were thrown back again. Over a 36-hour period, losses were 60 percent.

120+ B-24s and B-17s attacked Tatoi and Eleusis airfields in Greece, and railroad bridges near Orbetello Lake and the town of Porto Santo Stefano in Italy. In Italy, B-26s hit Spoleto viaduct, Orte marshalling yard, and Civitavecchia harbor; other B-26s aborted the mission because of weather. B-25s bombed bridges, industrial targets, marshalling yard, and town areas of Pescara, Ancona, and Aquila; A-20s hit gun emplacements and bivouac area near Sant' Elia Fiumerapido; other A-20s, operating with RAF and SAAF aircraft attacked troop concentration and gun positions near Miplinnico; fighter-bombers of the AAF, RAF, RAAF, and SAAF bomb targets in support of ground troops near Orsogna; A-36s and P-40s hit communications targets (roads, railroads, bridges) at Avezzano, Frosinone, Viticuso, Gaeta, and Sant' Elia Fiumerapido.

9 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The Allies further consolidated their lines around Monte Camino after repulsing a series of German counterattacks. The British X Corps took Rocca d'Evandro to complete the capture of Monte Camino. The Canadian 1st Division infantry launched an attack on the Moro Valley, to clear out German forces while engineers built a bridge across the Moro River at San Leonardo.

In Italy, B-25s bombed railway and road bridges at Giulianova, tracks at Pescara and Teramo, and a marshalling yard and ironworks at Terni; A-20s hit gun positions and bivouac area at Sant' Elia Fiumerapido; A-36s and P-40s attacked Orsogna and coastal targets in support of the British Eighth Army, Avezzano marshalling yard and villages along the US Fifth Army front, troops at San Pietro Infine and Viticuso and nearby gun positions, viaduct and railway bridge E of Guidonia airfield, crossing at Furbara, and trains and trucks in the Rome area.

Brigadier General George H Beverley took over as the new Commanding General, US XII Troop Carrier Command (Provisional).

P-38s carried out weather reconnaissance over the Adriatic Sea; B-17s of the 2d and 99th Bombardment Groups (Heavy) were recalled because of weather; all groups of the 47th (B-24) and 42d (B-26) Bombardment Wings cancelled operations.

The SS 'Cap Padaran' (Master Edward Garner) in convoy HA-11 was torpedoed and damaged by 'U-596' northeast of Cape Spartivento, Italy. The vessel was taken in tow, but the line parted and she sank after her back broke. Five crew members were lost. The master, 180 crew members and eleven gunners were picked up by the British armed trawler HMS 'Sheppey' (T 292) (SubLt B.F. Wimbush) and landed at Augusta, Sicily.

Following the Teheran and Cairo conferences, President Roosevelt reembarked in battleship 'Iowa' (BB-61) at Dakar for the return voyage to the United States.

EASTERN FRONT: Medorovo fell to the Soviet Army. They then moved on to attack Znamenka itself.

WESTERN FRONT: Rommel continued his inspection of Atlantic coast defenses, visiting Denmark and Copenhagen. That afternoon, Rommel called on General von Hannecken, the Wermacht commander in Denmark.

3 RAF Wellingtons flew RCM sorties without loss.

A B-17G from the US Air Transport Command crashed at Truskmore Mtn., nr. Ballaghtrillick and Cliffony in Ireland while on a ferry flight from the USA. Survivors were treated for a short time in Sligo but quickly transferred across the border. Engines were removed from the scene by Irish Aer Corps in November 2005.

An He 111 was flying target for the searchlight at Marine Flak Abteilung 814 near Hansted when it suffered from engine failure. It landed in a field about 7 kilometres west of Thisted. The crew including Feldwebel Krarp, Unteroffizier Lübke and Gefreiter Halbart were unhurt.

GERMANY: General Adolf Galland persuaded the RLM to activate an experimental jet fighter unit to be known as Erprobungskommando (EKdo) 262, based at Lechfeld outside of Augsburg and with a planned establishment of 20 pilots. Command was given to Hptm. Werner Thierfelder, Gruppenkommandeur of III./ZG 26. It was thought that those with Bf 110 twin-engined experience would be able to convert to the new jet easily. The unit started with only one jet, Me 262V-5, which didn't arrive until April 1944. EKdo 262 was composed of 2 staffeln and one Stab unit.

10 DECEMBER 1943

EASTERN FRONT: Znamenka was finally captured by the Red Army. Konev began a new series of attacks to the north of Znamenka.

MEDITERRANEAN: Canadian troops joined the attack on Ortona. The Canadians encountered stubborn German defences at "The Gully" crossing of the Old Highway 16 en route to the "Cider" crossroads with Highway 538, south of Ortona. The British 8th Army crossed the Moro River.

Hitler himself reputedly selected the small Italian hill town of San Pietro on the slopes of Monte Sammucro to be the perfect example of a German position, dominating as it did the vital Liri Valley which formed their defensive Gustav Line. For four days the battle raged as US forces struggled to push the Germans from their carefully sited pill boxes. Troops of the 143rd Infantry Regiment managed to reach the barbed-wire defences, but they were cut down by the machine-gun and mortar fire, and sustained 300 casualties before being retired. Tanks were now being called up.

German U-boats 'U-223', 'U-593' and 'U-73' attacked convoy KMS 34 in the Mediterranean.

In Italy, P-40s and A-36s attacked oil tanks, warehouses, railroads, and vessel at Civitavecchia, the town of Acquafondata, and with RAF, SAAF, and RAAF airplanes, hit tactical targets along the British Eighth Army front, and later strafed road traffic in the Canosa Sannita-Chieti area. Fighters also bombed a vessel in the harbor at Split, Yugoslavia. B-24s, with fighter escort, bombed a marshalling yard at Sofia, Bulgaria; P-38s flew weather reconnaissance in the Sofia and Zara, Yugoslavia areas. B-26s hit bridge approaches W and E of Ventimiglia, Italy.

WESTERN FRONT: 25 RAF Mosquitos flew to Leverkusen and 2 to Krefeld, 4 OTU sorties. No losses.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 150: 1 B-17 was dispatched on an OBOE test flight but turned back due to an oxygen leak; two 2,000 pound (907 kg) bombs and a Photoflash were jettisoned off the French coast. In the second part of this mission, 6 of 6 B-17s dropped 1.2 million leaflets on Rouen, Paris, Caen and Amiens, France and Ghent,
Belgium at 2026-2102 hours. No losses.

UNITED KINGDOM: 20 German aircraft attacked 4 Ninth Air Force airfields in the UK (Gosfield, Andrews Field, Earls Colne, and Great Dunmow), killing 8 and wounding 20+ men. A Do 217 from 2./KG 2 was destroyed during an attack on Chelmsford. The Dornier had taken off from Eindhoven to attack a ball bearing factory when it was found by a Mosquito from RAF No. 410 Sqdrn. It was shot down and one crewmember survived to become a prisoner of war.

WESTERN FRONT: A remarkably simple piece of equipment, a "drop-tank" made out of corrugated paper, started to arrive at US fighter bases in England and revolutionized the air war over Europe. Fighters fitted with these British-produced tanks, which carry 75 gallons of fuel, now escort the American heavy bombers on their daylight missions far into Germany. The newly-introduced Mustang fighters equipped with two of these tanks each can fly 600 miles from their bases and still take on the German fighters at over 400mph.

Field Marshal Rommel and his staff concluded their tour the Danish coast, their special train ending up in the Silkeborg railroad station. Coastal positions were unimpressive. Although the vital, strategic major ports each have a well-rounded defence plan, a good deal of the defensive positions were either incomplete or not even started. And a port is what the Allies would need as soon as possible, if the landing was to have any hope of success.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 152: 4 of 4 B-17s dropped 800,000 leaflets on Laval, Rennes, Le Mans and Nantes, France; no casualties.

MEDITERRANEAN: Allied momentum began to wane as their attacks in the US 5th Army sector continued with no significant gains.

German U-boats 'U-223', 'U-593' and 'U-73' attacked convoy KMS 34 in the Mediterranean. Frigate HMS 'Cuckmere' was torpedoed by a Gnat from 'U-223' while escorting the convoy and has to be towed to Algiers, where she was found to be beyond repair.

In Italy, P-40s and A-36s attacked Anzio, Nettuno, Viticuso, San Vittore del Lazio, Pontecorvo, Acquafondata, the railway siding at Arce, tracks and junction N of Ostia, and railway between Ostia and Lido di Roma. Weather caused abandonment of B-25 operations.

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 151: 437 of 490 B-17s and 86 of 93 B-24s hit the industrial area at Emden and claimed 86-22-23 Luftwaffe aircraft. 15 B-17s and 2 B-24s were lost, 1 B-17 was damaged beyond repair and 120 B-17s and 18 B-24s were damaged. This mission was escorted by 31 P-38s, 313 P-47s and 44 Ninth Air Force P-51s. They claimed 21-0-7Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-47s and 1 P-51 were lost; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 werre damaged beyond repair and 3 P-47s were damaged. Emden suffered 1000 civilians dead and 12,000 homeless. 18 RAF Mosquitos attacked Duisburg and 1 Wellington flew an RCM sortie without loss.

12 DECEMBER 1943

UNITED KINGDOM: Destroyer HMCS 'Athabaskan' departed Loch Ewe as part of the close escort for the 19-ship convoy JW-55A, bound for the Kola Inlet. A RN battleship and several other fleet units formed the distant escort due to the threat of attack by the German battlecruiser 'Scharnhorst'.

WESTERN FRONT: Erwin Rommel was appointed to command Heeresgruppe B. He was now responsible for organizing the "Atlantic Wall" defenses from Holland to the Bay of Biscay, under the overall command of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt.

Aircraft (VC 19) from escort carrier 'Bogue' (CVE-9) damaged the German submarine 'U-172' south-southwest of the Canary Islands; 'U-219' escaped.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 153: 4 B-17s dropped 800,000 leaflets on Paris, Amiens and Orleans, France; no casualties.

MEDITERRANEAN: The US 36th Infantry Division attacked Monte Lungo, making little headway and taking heavy loses.

Destroyer HMS 'Tynedale' sank after being hit by a Zaunkönig fired from 'U-593' off Bougie. A few hours after the 'Tynedale' sinking, 'U-593' made a second attack and sank the destroyer HMS 'Holcombe' with another Zaunkönig. 'U-593'was chased by several escort vessels, being sunk after a 32-hour chase in the western Mediterranean in Bougie Bay, by depth charges from the US destroyer USS 'Wainwright' and the British escort destroyer HMS 'Calpe'. 51 survivors (No casualties).

Weather curtailed operations. In Italy, B-25s bombed the road, railroad, and landing ground at Terracina; P-40 and A-36 fighter-bombers hit trucks along roads in the Chieti-Francavilla area and bombed the town of Itri; fighters fly patrols and reconnaissance over the battle area.

GERMANY: RAF Mosquito sorties: 20 to Essen, 9 to Düsseldorf, 1 to Osnabrück, 4 RCM sorties, 4 OTU sorties. 1 Mosquito was lost on the Essen raid, claimed by Hptm. Manfred Meuer of I./NJG 1 to bring his score to 60 kills.

The Luftwaffe got a chance to examine a B-17 up close. During a mission to Rouen, the B-17 'Wulf Hound' of the US 303d BG landed intact in a French field. Restored to flying condition, the bomber was used by KG 200.

13 DECEMBER 1943

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 154; the port area at Bremen and Kiel, Germany were hit; 5 aircraft were lost. This was the first mission where more than 600 aircraft were dispatched. 171 of 182 B-17s dispatched to Bremen hit the target and 1 B-17 was damaged beyond repair and 30 damaged. 367 of 403 B-17s, 93 of 107 B-24s, 12 B-17 PFF and 6 B-24 PFF aircraft were dispatched to Kiel. Heavy frosting and poor visibility disrupted the formation and 78 B-17s hit targets of opportunity in Hamburg. The remaining aircraft hit Kiel and 7-3-17 Luftwaffe aircraft were claimed. 4 B-17s and 1 B-24 were lost; 1 B-17 was damaged beyond repair and 136 B-17s and 4 B-24s were lost. These missions were escorted by 31 P-38s, 322 P-47s and 41 Ninth Air Force P-51s that claimed 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft. 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 were lost, 1 P-38 and 1 P-47 were damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 was damaged. P-51s escorting the heavy bombers reached the limit of their escort range for the first time. The torpedo boat T 15 and minesweeper R 306, were sunk, among other shipping at Kiel.

16 RAF Mosquitos flew to Düsseldorf, 1 to Bonn, 25 OTU sorties. No losses.

MEDITERRANEAN: In Yugoslavia, B-25s bombed an oil depot, harbor, warehouses, and railway yard at Sibenik and Split. In Italy, P-40 and A-36 fighter-bombers attacked defended points in the Miglionico area; quays, roads, railway yard, and gun emplacements at Terracina; and bridges at Pontecorvo and W of Isolella; town areas and bridges at and near Atina and Acquafondsta were also hit.

WESTERN FRONT: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 155: 5 B-17s dropped 1 million leaflets on Le Mans, Rennes, Tours, Nantes and Chartres, France; no
losses.

Nearly 200 B-26s attacked Schiphol Airfield in The Netherlands. Monday, December 13, 1943, 386th Bomb Group Mission Number 55.

'U-172' was sunk in the mid-Atlantic after a 27 hour fight west of the Canary Islands, by depth charges and Fido homing torpedoes from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC-19) of the American escort carrier USS 'Bogue' and by some 200 depth charges from destroyers USS 'George E Badger', 'Clemson', 'Osmond Ingram' and 'DuPont'. 13 dead and 46 survivors. The Destroyer 'Osmond Ingram' (DD-255) was damaged by gunfire from the German submarine 'U-172'.

'U-391' was sunk in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqn 53/B). 51 dead (all hands lost).

UNITED KINGDOM: The old airfield at Shipton a few miles N of York was reactivated in WW2 to house the RAF's No 60 Maintenance Unit. The purpose of this unit was to provide spares and collect crashed aircraft from the surrounding area. They were kept very busy and operated many miles from base, sometimes in arduous conditions, as this extract from the Station Records will show:

"13th December 1943; Halifax Aircraft DT 578. Category 'E2' at Whernside (about twenty miles W of Ripon). Main site of crash 2,600' high, aircraft scattered over a considerable area; salvage operations handicapped by extremely bad weather and extreme cold, visibility often only 20 yards. The climb each day from billets to scene of crash took about 1½ hours. To date, salvage is almost complete and it is estimated salvage party will return to unit by 6th January 1944."

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An Fw 200 C-3 from 7./KG 40 crashed at Ballydrennan, Ireland. Having flown around the west coast for some time the aircraft made a forced landing having run low on fuel and with engine problems. The crew were interned in Curragh that night.

14 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: In Italy, the Canadian Royal 22nd Regiment began a one-hour artillery barrage of German positions, in preparation for an attack toward Casa Berardi. South of Ortona, C Company of the Canadian Royal 22nd Regiment captured Casa Berardi overlooking The Gully at the south-west end, allowing firing on German positions in The Gully.

Capt. Paul Triquet (1910-80), Canadian Army, with the few remaining men of his company, broke through the fierce enemy defence of a town and held off heavy attacks until relieved. (Victoria Cross)

300 Allied bombers raid Athens.

Lt (A) Rene Irving Whitley "Terry" Goddard, RNVR, a Canadian from Ottawa, Ontario, serving a member of the British Fleet Air Arm, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. The citation in the London Gazette read:

"For outstanding bravery and skill in many successful sorties against enemy shipping in the Mediterranean while operating from Malta and North Africa."

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Goddard later transferred to the RCNR and then to the RCN. He served in HMCS HAIDA (08 Sep 47) before being promoted to LCdr (O) and appointed as CO of 826 Sqn on 28 Jan 48. His other appointments included service in HMCS Magnificent commencing 08 Apr 52, and staff appointments at NSHQ in 1953 and SACLANT in 1954. Promoted to Cdr (O) on 01 Jan 55, he was appointed to NSHQ as the Assistant CNS for Air Warfare on 01 Aug 60. He also served in the Personnel Branch before being sent on exchange in 1963 to EASTLANT HQ. Cdr Goddard retired some time in 1965 or 1966 (exact date unknown).

150+ B-17s and B-24s, with fighter escorts, bombed Greece. The B-24s hit the Tatoi air depot at Athens; the B-17s hit the Kalamaki and Eleusis air depots at Athens and the docks and shipping at Piraeus. The heavy bombers claimed 10 fighters shot down.

In Italy, medium bombers hit Orte, concentrating on the marshalling yard; light bombers attacked road bridge SW of Pontecorvo in front of US Fifth Army lines; P-40 fighter-bombers hit bridges S of Roccasecca and E of Atina; A-36s destroyed a bridge at Ceprano and bombed railroad yards, the town area, and highway at Sora, and docks and town area of Civitavecchia.

EASTERN FRONT: The Red Army, pursuing its tactics of keeping the Germans on the wrong foot, launched a major attack on Nevel, in Byelorussia. The Germans abandoned some positions in the face of an assault by six divisions and two tank corps. Meanwhile, south of Kiev, General Konev's men stormed Cherkassy, the German stronghold on the west bank of the Dnieper, and were nearing Smyela, the vital junction 16 miles south-west of Cherkassy. The Germans were in full retreat, being harried from the air by Sturmoviks. One of the reasons for the defeat of the German 8.Armee at Cherkassy was the transfer of many of its tanks to von Manstein's attempt to retake Kiev. At first successful, this attempt inflicted many casualties on General Vatutin's First Ukrainian Front, but was halted by mud and Vatutin's artillery 25 miles from the Ukrainian capital. General Hoth was sacked for his failure to take Kiev. The Germans wre also active attacking and capturing Radomyshl (near Malin). Now, both sides were gathering men and guns for the winter offensive which was bound to follow once the frost has hardened the ground.

Near Bjelvi, Hptm. Heinrich Krafft, Gruppenkommanduer of I./JG 51, was shot down by AA fire and survived a crash-landing. But after being captured, he was beaten to death by Russian troops.

15 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The US 5th Army advanced toward San Pietro and Nomte Lungo, attacking along the length of the Reinhard Line. Sixteen American tanks attempted to advance into San Pietro. A few hours later, four surviving tanks withdrew. Seven were destroyed, five immobilized. The newly arrived Free French 1st Moroccan Division performed well in its combat debut; the Moroccan troops secured the San Michel Pass, but the Germans put up strong resistance. US II Corps began an attack toward Montte Lungo and San Pietro. Hollywood director John Huston, serving as a US Army lieutenant, filmed the battle. The US VI Corps were also advancing.

B-17s with P-38 and P-47 escorts, bombed marshalling yards at Bolzano, Italy and Innsbruck, Austria. B-24s, with P-38 escort, attack Avisio, Italy viaduct. All targets suffered considerable damage. B-25s and A-20s bombed roads at Pontecorvo and N of Frosinone; fighter-bombers blasted gun positions along the US Fifth Army front.

In Yugoslavia, B-25s bombed the airfield at Mostar and A-36 and P-40 fighter-bombers attacked vessels, vehicles, and parked aircraft N and E of the Peljesac Peninsula, near Mostar, and at the Zemonico landing ground.

GERMANY: 4 RAF Mosquitos flew to Bochum and 4 to Leverkusen, 3 RCM sorties. No losses.

WESTERN FRONT: The Ninth Air Force comes under operational control of the AEAF. A new directive for tactical bomber operations lists reduction of enemy fighter forces as the basic objective. A Ninth Air Force planning staff, composed of officers who have had service with the Chief of Staff, Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC), is set up in London.

An FW 190A-2 from 12./JG 5 was shot down by a Mosquito VI from RAF No. 333 Sq. over Norway. Uffz. Willi Sürth was killed.

EASTERN FRONT: Killed in action this day was Major Hubertus von Bonin (77 kills), Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 52. Major von Bonin was a former Geschwaderkommodore of JG 54 and also flew with JG 26,

"US II Corps began an attack toward Montte Lungo and San Pietro. Hollywood director John Huston, serving as a US Army lieutenant, filmed the battle."

I have a copy of that film very interesting

16 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: Two battalions of the US 142nd Infantry Division captured Monte Lungo, leaving San Pietro exposed; the Germans launched strong counter-attacks to mask their withdrawal.

After having sunk a merchant ship from convoy GUS-24, near Oran, 'U-73' was sunk herself by depth charges and gunfire from destroyers USS 'Woolsey' (DD-437, Gleaves class) and USS 'Trippe' (DD-403, Benham class). There were 34 survivors from the crew of 50, including the commanding officer, Helmut Rosenbaum.

A basic directive for IX Bomber Command training is issued on this date. Since most of IX Bomber Command's combat units have been operational for some time earlier under the VIII Air Support Command, extensive training will not begin until after the first of the year when inexperienced units begin to arrive.

In Italy, B-24s attacked a railroad bridge and tunnel at Dogna and the railroad between Dogna and Chiusaforte; escorting P-38s strafed trains and oil tanks between Portogruaro and Latisana; B-17s, escorted by P-38s and P-47s, bombed the Padua marshalling yard and rail junction; rail lines, rolling stock, and buildings were damaged extensively. A-20s attacked gun positions near Mignano; P-40s and A-36s hit gun batteries and strongpoints along the British Eighth Army front S and E of Chieti, gun emplacements and troop concentrations all along the US Fifth Army front, especially NE and S of Cassino, and also bombed Roccasecca and docks at Civitavecchia. The fighters of JG 27 lost Fw. Ernst Hackl of 12./JG 27 (8 kills) after a flight against the Allies.

During the night Hptm. Alfred Held of 12./NJG 3 (9 kills) was killed.

In Yugoslavia, B-25s bombed shipping at Zara and the harbor and marshalling yard at Sibenik; P-40s and P-47s hit a vessel S of Zara and strafed targets of opportunity on the Peljesac Peninsula.

EASTERN FRONT: The Soviet attacks continued as Novoseltsy, southeast of Cherkassy was captured.

Retribution for German atrocities in former occupied areas of Russia has begun. The first war crimes tribunal was at Krasnodar in July, where eight Germans were shot for a horrific catalogue of crimes. Today three Germans and a Russian who worked for them were facing a military tribunal in a theatre in this war-ravaged city. The indictment says that 30,000 were killed in the Kharkov area during the occupation.

WESTERN FRONT: The unescorted 'McDowell' (Master Henry David Barrow) was hit by a Gnat from 'U-516' about 30 miles north of Aruba. The torpedo struck the port side at the screw, destroying the propeller and shaft and disabling the main and auxiliary engines and the steering gear. The ship settled by the stern rapidly, but the crew did not abandon ship. At 11.32 and 11.33 hours, two coups de grâce hit the disabled tanker. The first at the #7 port wing tank and the second at the #4 tank, this caused the ship to sink stern first within five minutes. The ten officers, 35 crewmen and 28 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) abandoned ship in five lifeboats and a raft. Two crewmen drowned. The boats were spotted by an aircraft about one hour later, the American steam tanker 'Fairfax' picked up 63 survivors and landed them at Aruba. The chief cook died from injuries ashore on 22 December. About 16.00 hours, the remaining eight survivors were rescued by USS YMS-56 and landed at Aruba.

47 RAF aircraft - 26 Stirlings, 12 Mosquitos, 9 Lancasters - carried out raids on 2 flying-bomb sites near Abbeville. Neither raid was successful. The larger raid, by the Stirlings on the Tilley-le-Haut site, failed because the Oboe Mosquito markers could not get any closer than 450 yards from the small target. The 9 Lancasters of 617 Squadron which attacked the second site, in a wood at Flixecourt, dropped their 12,000lb bombs accurately on the markers placed by the only Oboe Mosquito operating at this target but the markers were 350 yards from the flying-bomb site and none of the 617 Squadron bombs were more than l00 yards from the markers. No aircraft lost.

US freighter 'Blue Jacket', mistaken for a German blockade runner while proceeding toward her destination of Cardiff, Wales, was engaged in a running surface gunnery action by three British frigates. Armed Guard gunfire keeps the "friendly" ships at bay, saving the American merchantman. Once the mistake was realized, one of the Allied warships provides medical assistance; of the 56 merchant seamen and 33 Armed Guards, only seven men were injured. There were no fatalities.

GERMANY: 483 RAF Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos flew on a main raid to Berlin and 5 further Mosquitos dropped decoy fighter flares south of Berlin. The bomber route again led directly to Berlin across Holland and Northern Germany and there were no major diversions. The German controllers plotted the course of the bombers with great accuracy; many German fighters were met at the coast of Holland and further fighters were guided on to the bomber stream throughout the approach to the target. More fighters were waiting at the target and there were many combats. The bombers shook off the opposition on the return flight by taking a northerly route over Denmark. 25 Lancasters, 5.2 per cent of the Lancaster force, were lost. Many further aircraft were lost on returning to England. Berlin was cloud-covered but the Pathfinder skymarking was reasonably accurate and much of the bombing fell in the city. In the city centre, the National Theatre and the building housing Germany's military and political archives were both destroyed. The damage to the Berlin railway system and to rolling stock, and the large numbers of people still leaving the city, were having a cumulative effect upon the transportation of supplies to the Russian Front; 1,000 wagon-loads of war material were held up for 6 days. The sustained bombing had now made more than a quarter of Berlin's total living accommodation unusable. On their return to England, many of the bombers encountered very low cloud at their bases. The squadrons of 1, 6 and No 8 Groups were particularly badly affected. 29 Lancasters (and a Stirling from the minelaying operation) either crashed or were abandoned when their crews parachuted. The group with heaviest losses was No 1 Group with 13 aircraft lost; the squadron with heaviest losses was 97 Squadron, No 8 Group, with 7 aircraft lost. Major Scnaufer of NJG 1 destroyed 4 of the bombers, including the 'Master of Ceremonies' - the lead bomber that guided the bomber streams. Hptm. Manfred Meuer of I./NJG 1 destroyed 2 bombers.

2 Beaufighters and 2 Mosquitos of 141 Squadron, recently transferred from RAF Fighter Command to No 100 Group, inaugurated Bomber Command's Serrate operations in patrols near the routes of the Berlin raid. (Serrate was a device which homed on to the radar emissions of a German night fighter.) 1 Mosquito made contact with an Me110 and damaged it with cannon-fire. The crew of this first successful Bomber Command Serrate patrol was Squadron Leader FF Lambert and Flying Officer K Dear.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 156: the port area at Bremen, Germany was the target. 402 of 479 B-17s, 133 of 141 B-24s and 10 of 11 PFF aircraft hit the target and claimed 18-11-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 10 B-17s wer lost; 2 B-17s and 2 B-24s were damaged beyond repair; 128 B-17s, 22 B-24s and 5 PFF aircraft were damaged. The mission was escorted by 31 P-38s, 131 P-47s and 39 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claimed 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 was lost, 1 P-38 was damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 damaged; casualties were 1 KIA and 1 MIA.

17 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: US 5th Army units captured Monte Sammucro. After 10 days of bitter and bloody fighting, the US 2nd Corps (5th Army) captured San Pietro in Italy. The Germans began to withdraw from San Pietro and other nearby positions. It needed tanks, artillery, mortars, phosphorous grenades and outright guts to take San Pietro. As the townsfolk emerged from their cellars to view their shattered town, the stiffening bodies of young American infantrymen were being placed in white cotton bags, with their identification discs tied to their combat boots. Some wept for fallen comrades; others stared vacantly ahead. No more than 100 Panzergrenadiers caused 1,500 American casualties here. The US 36th Division incurred 1200 casualties, and 2000 non-battle losses. One in ten villagers died. There were hundreds more San Pietros to come. The battle was the topic of a famous documentary film by John Huston. Upon review of the film, military authorities of the day criticized it for its harsh realism and the release was cut by 40%. The full length film survives intact today and is one of the best films of its kind available today.

In Italy, A-20s struck an artillery concentration near Sant'Elia Fiumerapido; All B-25 missions were abortive; A-36s and P-40 fighter-bombers bombed positions at Monte Trocchio, Cervaro, and Cardito, and the marshalling yard, barracks, warehouses, and docks at Nettuno and Anzio. In Yugoslavia, P-40s and P-51s, with SAAF escort, strafed a vessel near Trpanj.

Oblt. Joachim Kirschner, Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 27, and his flight of five Bf 109Gs were spotted over Ston by six P-40 and seven P-47 Thunderbolts of the US 57th FG (according to others sources by Spitfires) which shot down three Bf 109 including his Bf 109G-6 WNr. 20618 over Metković. Kirchner managed to bail out but on the ground was captured by Yugoslav partisans from 29th Herzegovina division who sentenced him to death. He was shot by firing squad. Oblt. Joachim Kirchner carried out over 600 combat missions and had 188 air victories out of which 21 were US and British and 167 were Soviet aircraft. He was a former Staffelkapitaen of 5./JG 3.

WESTERN FRONT: The unescorted HMS 'Kingswood' (Master Frederick H. Parmee) was hit by one of two torpedoes fired by 'U-515' southwest of Kotonu, Dahomey in the Bight of Benin. The ship was sunk by a coup de grâce at 20.28 hours. The master, 40 crew members and seven gunners landed 10 miles west of Dahomey on 19 December.

The US Ninth Air Force planning group joined the 21 Army Group, AEAF, and the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force in preparation of the air section of the initial joint plan (Operation NEPTUNE) for Operation OVERLORD (the invasion of Normandy). This began planning which later resulted in a massive Ninth Air Force plan for moving the Ninth into battle on the continent of Europe.