This day in the war in Europe 65 years ago

[Njaco]

18 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: Monte Lungo fell to units of the US 5th Army. The Germans responded with heavy counterattacks. The US 36th Division entered San Pietro, the leading role in this attack was played by the 1st Italian Motorized Brigade, the first substantial Italian ground unit to fight for the Allies. The Germans continued to withdraw due to the pressure of the US VI Corps.

In Italy, P-40 fighter-bombers attacked positions in Tollo, Canosa Sannita, and Orsogna, and strafed a schooner off Trogir; A-36s hit defended areas near Cassino and at Viticuso, a supply dump and gun emplacement near Tenacina, and positions at Monte Trocchio.

WESTERN FRONT: Winston Churchill informed President Franklin Roosevelt that the British War Cabinet favored Bernard Montgomery for commander of the land forces in the invasion of Europe. General Henry H "Hap" Arnold sent to Air Chief Marshall Sir Charles F Portal (RAF) an announcement of the US air officers for top commands in Europe in 1944. The list included Lieutenant General Ira C Eaker, Allied Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO); Lieutenant General John K Cannon, Twelfth Air Force; Lieutenant General Nathan F Twining, Fifteenth Air Force; General Carl Spaatz, US Strategic Air Forces (USSAFE); Lieutenant General James H Doolittle, Eighth Air Force; and Lieutenant General Lewis H Brereton, Ninth Air Force.

B-26s of the US Fifteenth Air Force bombed Var River bridges, destroying a highway bridge and damaging a railroad bridge; other B-26s had less success against the Antheor viaduct, although there were several near misses.

An FW 58 from 10. Seenotstaffel was shot down by a Mosquito VI from RAF No. 333 Sq. B-Flight over Norway. The entire crew of 3 were killed. An FW 190A-3 from 12./JG 5, flown by Uffz. Paul Fleischhauer, went missing near Bergen.

 

[Njaco]

19 DECEMBER 1943

EASTERN FRONT: Four SS troopers (three Germans and one Russian) were hung for atrocities committed during the occupation of Kharkov. The three German war criminals, Langheld, Retelav and Ritz and their Russian accomplice Bulanov, were accused and guilty of taking part in the murder of thousands of Russian citizens in "gas vans". 50,000 Russians turned out to witness the execution.

WESTERN FRONT: In Austria, about 50 B-24s attacked the Messerschmitt plant at Augsburg and and about 100 B-17's hit the marshalling yard at Innsbruck. P-38s and P-47s provided partial escort. 9 heavy bombers were lost; US aircraft claimed 37 fighters shot down. Lt. Walter Hagenah of 10./JG 3, finally got his 7th kill, a B-24, after nearly a year without any victories.

MEDITERRANEAN: In Italy, P-47s of the 325th Fighter Group, dispatched for escort duty, missed the rendezvous with the heavy bombers and instead strafed Ancona Airfield, truck convoys at Porto Civitsnova, a train near Senigallia, and a vessel at Roseto degli Abruzzi; B-26s bombed the Perugia railroad installations and marshalling yards at Castiglione della Valle and Foligno. B-25s bombed the Terni marshalling yard and the Orte marshalling yard and airfield; A-20s attacked road, bridge, and the town of Orte and hit Cassino; P-40s bombed Orsogna, Sant' Elia Fiumerapido, and dump near Arce, and hit shipping at Split, Trogir, and Solin, Yugoslavia. A-36's hit railroad and harbor area at Civitavecchia, Italy.

 

[Njaco]

20 DECEMBER 1943

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 159: The port area at Bremen, Germany was hit again. 357 of 407 B-17s, 103 of 127 B-24s and 12 of 12 PFF aircraft hit the target and claimed 21-14-23 Luftwaffe aircraft; 21 B-17s and 6 B-24s were lost; 3 B-17s were damaged beyond repair; 213 B-17s and 34 B-24s were damaged. Window-metal foil strips which, when dropped from an airplane, provided an echo which confused radar locating equipment, was used for the first time on an Eighth Air Force mission. This mission was escorted by 26 P-38s, 418 P-47s and 47 Ninth Air Force P-51s who claimed 19-3-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-47s and 4 P-51s were lost; 1 P-47 was damaged beyond repair and 5 P-47s were damaged. The Luftwaffe sent fighters from JG 1, JG 11, JG 26, JG 54, ZG 26, JG 2, JG 3, JG 27 and EKdo. 25. The first pass by the Germans was just at the IP southeast of Delmenhorst and bombers were hit by flak over the target. A second fighter attack began just after bombs away. Flak was heavy and accurate. I. and III./ZG 26 were very active with WR 21cm rockets, protected by single-engined fighters. The chaos was so great that B-17 crews reported that He 111s had attacked them as Bf 110G-2s were sitting out of bomber gunner range, lobbing rockets then closing in on the cripples. The 445th Bomb Group suffered it's first combat loss when 2Lt 'Buck' Patterson's aircraft was downed.

The mission would have been recorded in the logbooks as just another mission if not for a unique event that wasn't revealed until decades later. Lt. Charles Brown was a B-17 pilot with the 379th BG and this was his first combat mission. After the bomb run, Brown and his B-17 - named 'Ye Old Pub' - were in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. Before 'bombs away', Brown's B-17 took hits that shattered the plexiglass nose, knocked out the #2 engine, damaged #4 - which frequently had to be throttles back to prevent overspeeding - and caused damage to the controls. Coming off target, 'Ye Old Pub' became a straggler. Almost immediately, the lone and limping B-17 came under fire from a series of attacks from 12 to 15 Bf 109s and Fw 190s that lasted for more than 10 minutes. The bomber's 11 guns were reduced by the extreme cold to only the 2 top turret guns and one forward nose gun. The tailgunner was killed and all but one of the crew were incapacitated by wounds or the frigid air. Lt. Brown had taken a bullet fragment to his shoulder. With 3 seriously injured onboard, he rejected bailing out or crash landing with the alternative a thin chance of reaching England. While nursing the battered bomber toward home, Lt. Brown noticed a Bf 109 flying off his wing. The pilot waved then flew across the B-17's nose and motioned for Brown to land in Germany, which Brown refused to do. After escorting them for several miles out over the North Sea, the Luftwaffe pilot saluted, rolled over and disappeared.

Earlier, after Brown's B-17 had flown over his airfield, Oblt. Franz Steigler of 11./JG 27 was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When neared the bomber, Oblt. Steigler couldn't believe his eyes. In his words, he;

"...had never seen a plane in such a bad state."

The tail and rear section was severely damaged and the top gunner was all over the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere. Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the bomber and looked at Lt. Brown. Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane. Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved to Lt. Brown to turn 180 degrees. Franz then escorted the stricken plane over the North Sea towards England. He then saluted and turned away, back toward Germany.

'Ye Old Pub' did make it across 250 miles of storm tossed North Sea and landed at Seething near the English coast, home of the 448th BG, which had not yet flown its first mission. When Franz landed, he told his CO that the plane had been shot down over the sea and never told the truth to anybody. Lt. Brown and the remainder of his crew told all at their briefing but were ordered never to talk about it. More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown and Franz Steigler met in the USA at a 379th BG reunion, together with 25 people who were alive - because Franz never fired his guns that day.

650 RAF aircraft - 390 Lancasters, 257 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitos attacked Frankfurt at night. The German control rooms were able to plot the bomber force as soon as it left the English coast and were able to continue plotting it all the way to Frankfurt. There were many combats on the route to the target. The Mannheim diversion did not draw fighters away from the main attack until after the raid was over but the return flight was quieter. 41 aircraft - 27 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters - were lost, 6.3 per cent of the force. The bombing at Frankfurt did not go according to plan. The Pathfinders had prepared a ground-marking plan on the basis of a forecast giving clear weather but they found up to 8/10ths cloud. The Germans lit a decoy fire site 5 miles south-east of the city and also used dummy target indicators. Some of the bombing fell around the decoy but part of the creepback fell on Frankfurt causing more damage than Bomber Command realized at the time. Part of the bombing somehow fell on Mainz, 17 miles to the west, and many houses along the Rhine waterfront and in southern suburbs were hit. Luftwaffe night-fighter Major Wilhelm Herget claimed 8 victories in 50 minutes during the battle. 44 RAF Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of 1 and No 8 Groups carried out a diversionary raid on Mannheim but most of the bombing fell outside the city. No aircraft were lost.

UNITED KINGDOM: Convoy JW.55B departed Loch Ewe with 19 ships intent on making for the Kola Inlet. The convoy escort was comprised of the destroyers HMS 'Onslow', HMS 'Onslaught', HMS 'Orwell', HMS 'Scourge', HMS 'Impulsive', HMCS 'Haida', HMCS 'Iroquois', HMCS 'Huron', HMS 'Whitehall', and HMS 'Wrestler', minesweeper HMS 'Gleaner', and corvettes HMS 'Honeysuckle' and HMS 'Oxlip'.

A Vickers Wellington XIV from RAF No. 304 (Polish) Sqn hit mountain at night returning from U-Boat patrol over the Sea of Biscay on the slopes above Slieveglass, above Brandon village, Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. The whole crew perished: F/Sgt Adamowicz, Sgt Kuflik, Sgt Pietrzak, Sgt Kowalewicz, Sgt Lugowski and Sgt Czerniawski and were buried in Northern Ireland.

WESTERN FRONT: The unescorted 'Phemius' (Master Thomas Arthur Kent OBE) was torpedoed by 'U-515' about 30 miles south of Accra, Gold Coast and sunk by a Gnat coup de grâce. Three crew members, one gunner and 19 passengers were lost. The radio officer was taken prisoner by the U-boat. The master, 67 crew members, ten gunners and 14 passengers were picked up by FFL 'Commandant Drogou' (J 3040) and landed at Takoradi.

'U-850' was sunk in the mid-Atlantic west of Madeira, Portugal, by depth charges and Fido homing torpedoes from 5 Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC-19) of the American escort carrier USS 'Bogue'. 66 dead (all hands lost).

8 RAF Lancasters of 617 Squadron and 8 Pathfinder Mosquitos attempted to bomb an armaments factory near Liege but the Mosquito marking was not visible below the clouds and the Lancasters did not bomb; 1 Lancaster was lost. 6 Mosquitos to Rheinhausen and 5 to Leverkusen, 8 RCM sorties, 2 Beaufighters on Serrate patrol, 23 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians, 38 OTU sorties. 1 Stirling minelayer lost.

EASTERN FRONT: Spanish dictator Francisco Franco ordered the "Blue Division" disbanded and returned from the Russian front to Spain. Over 40,000 Falangists (Spanish Fascists) fought beside their German comrades during their two years in the Soviet Union.

MEDITERRANEAN: Allied counter-intelligence forces arrested 28 Nazi spies in Italy including the ringleader "Grammatico".

 

[Njaco]

21 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 8th Army met stiff German resistance near Ortona, and the US 5th Army was heavily engaged at Monte Sammucro. The battle for Ortona began, with the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders and Loyal Edmonton Regiment moving into the outskirts of the town. After finally crossing "the gully" the Canadians believed that the town would come easily. The Germans thought not. They evacuated the Italian town and began blowing up a large part of the town, the rubble blocking the Canadian tanks but leaving certain pathways that were set up for killing fields for the Germans against the Canadians. As the Canadians moved in, the Germans set up booby traps everywhere. Italian houses have common walls, so the Canadians would go in one, go to the top, blow a hole in the common wall, and descend on the Germans. This was called "mouseholing."

first elements of the Polish II Corps landed at Taranto, Italy. They were commanded by Lieutenant General Wladyslaw Anders and Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Zygmunt Szyszko-Bohusz.

In Italy, B-25s bombed Terracina; P-40s hit the same target and also bombed positions and munitions factory S of Sant' Elia Fiumerapido; A-36s bombed positions, a fuel dump, and munitions factory in the Cervaro area, and hit trains, a seaplane base, a radar station, trucks, and other targets in the Rome-Civitavecchia area.

Lieutenant General John K Cannon took command of the US Twelfth Air Force.

EASTERN FRONT: The German bridgehead across the Dniepr River near Kherson was captured by the Russians.

WESTERN FRONT: A British Beaufighter (Sqdn 404/H) was shot down by 'U-1062'. The Beaufighters were from Sqdn. 144 and 404, probably 8 of them, 4 carried torpedoes, the rest as flak suppressors.
'U-284' was scuttled in the North Atlantic south-east of Greenland by her crew after suffering major damage from floating ice; her sister boat, 'U-629' rescued the entire crew and brought them back to base at Brest on 5 January 1944.

84 B-26s bombed V-weapon sites and other targets in France.

GERMANY: 9 RAF Oboe Mosquitos flew to the Mannesmann factory at Düsseldorf and 4 to the Knapsack power station, 4 OTU sorties. No losses.

 

[Njaco]

22 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The 2nd Canadian Brigade of the British 8th Army has entered Ortona. Heavy street fighting broke out from house to house between the German 1st Parachute Division and the 1st Canadian Division.

Major General Paul L Williams re-assumes command of the XII Troop Carrier Command (Provisional).

In Italy, P-40s and Spitfires of the Twelfth Air Force, RAF, SAAF, and RAAF hit strong points in the Tollo-Miglianico-Chieti areas; P-40s blasted bridge, locomotives, trucks, and railroad tracks at and near Tortoreto and Benedello; P-47s strafed targets of opportunity in the area around Zara, Yugoslavia.

EASTERN FRONT: 14,284 Spanish soldiers were repatriated to Spain; 3,000 volunteered to continue fighting with the Nazis in the Legion Azul [Blue Legion].

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 161: Marshalling yards at Osnabruck and Munster, Germany were targeted; 22 US bombers were lost. Heavy cloud conditions along with a malfunction of Pathfinder equipment resulted in a large number of heavy bombers failing to attack targets. 147 of 225 B-17s, 87 of 121 B-24s and 2 PFF aircraft hit Osnabruck and claimed 18-8-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17s and 12 B-24s were lost; 2 B-17s and 1 B-24 were damaged beyond repair; and 21 B-17s and 11 B-24s were damaged. 164 of 177 B-17s, 30 of 43 B-24s and 3 PFF aircraft hit Munster; 3 B-17s and 2 B-24s were lost, 1 B-17 was damaged beyond repair, and 29 B-1's were damaged. The bombers were escorted by 40 P-38s, 448 P-47s and 28 Ninth Air Force P-51s. They claimed 15-1-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-38s and 2 P-47s were lost and 1 P-47 was damaged. Among the pilots lost by the Luftwaffe were Egon Falkensamer (9 kills) of JG 11 and Hptm. Harry Koch (30 kills) of 6./JG 1.

9 RAF Mosquitos flew to Frankfurt and 2 to Bonn, 2 RCM sorties, 16 aircraft minelaying off Biscay ports, 21 OTU sorties. No losses.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 163: 1 B-17 dropped two 2,000 pound (907 kf)general purpose bombs and 1 Photoflash on Cologne, Germany at 2020 hours; no casualties.

A new unit was established to test the Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito. Based at Erfurt, the unit was designated Truppen Erprobungskommando 154 (EKD 154).

WESTERN FRONT: Convoy JW.55B was discovered by Luftwaffe Reconnaissance aircraft.

RAF light bombers attacked numerous NOBALL (V-weapons) targets in France in conjunction with the Osnabruck-Munster raids. 51 RAF aircraft - 29 Stirlings, 11 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitos, 3 Halifaxes - were sent to attack 2 flying-bomb sites between Abbeville and Amiens. 1 site was bombed accurately but the other could not be located. No aircraft lost. 210 B-26s sent to bomb special targets in France were recalled because of bad weather.

Orders were issued for General Carl Spaatz to take command of US Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSAFE). Lieutenant General Ira C Eaker, Eighth Air Force Commanding General, was to Command Allied Air Forces in the MTO, after remaining in the UK until mid-Jan to advise Spaatz and Lieutenant General James H Doolittle, the new Commanding General, Eighth Air Force.

 

[Njaco]

23 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The British 8th Army has seized most of Ortona from the Germans after a house to house fight. Inland, Arielli fell to other 8th Army units.

General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny arrived at Algiers to take command of the French First Army.

B-26s hit the viaduct at Antheor, France and railroad bridge and marshaling yard at Imperia, Italy. The Ventimiglia, Italy railroad bridge was attacked; the bridge was not hit but the overpass, tunnel, tracks. and transformer station nearby were damaged.

P-40s and P-47s attempt to support Yugoslav partisans resisting the German invasion of Korcula Island off the Peljesac Peninsula, but bad weather prevented location of targets.

WESTERN FRONT: Convoy RA.55A departed the Kola Inlet with 22 ships. The Escort was comprised of destroyers HMS 'Milne', HMS 'Meteor', HMS 'Ashanti', HCMS 'Athabaskan', HMS 'Musketeer', HMS 'Matchless', HMS 'Opportune', HMS 'Virago', , HMS 'Beagle', and HMS 'Westcott', minesweeper HMS 'Seagull', and corvettes HMS 'Dianella', HMS 'Poppy', and the Norwegian 'Acanthus'. The close cruiser escort, under VA Burnett, was HMS 'Belfast', HMS 'Norfolk', and HMS 'Sheffield', while the distant covering force, under CinC Home Fleet Adm Fraser, was the battleship HMS 'Duke of York', cruiser HMS 'Jamacia', and the destroyers HMS 'Savage', HMS 'Saumarez', HMS 'Scorpion', and the Norwegian 'Stord'. The German 5th S Boat Flotilla conducted an unsuccessful probing sortie against the convoy.

Escort carrier 'Card' (CVE-11) and destroyer 'Decatur' (DD-341) were attacked unsuccessfully by German submarine 'U-415' as they steam toward Horta, Azores, from escorting convoy GUS 24. Destroyer 'Schenck' (DD-159), in 'Card's' screen, attacked and probably damaged another enemy boat in the vicinity, 'U-645' . FM aircraft from 'Card' located blockade runner 'Osorno', bound for the Gironde Estuary. The German submarine 'U-471' unsuccessfully attackd the battleship 'Arkansas' (BB-33) screening convoy TU 5 in the North Atlantic, 300 miles west of Rockall Bank. An RAF 120 Sqn Liberator aircraft then attacked 'U-471' and wounded three men.

92 P-47s were dispatched to Gilze-Rijen Airfield in The Netherlands; 2 squadrons dive-bombed the target while the 1 squadron provided escort; no casualties.

UNITED KINGDOM: It was announced that Eisenhower would be the Supreme Allied Commander; that Tedder RAF would be his deputy; that Montgomery would command 21st Army Group (British Second and Canadian First Armies), and that Spaatz would command the US Strategic Air Forces.

HQ 453d Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 732d, 733d, 734th and 735th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) arrived at Old Buckenham, England from the US with B-17s. They will fly their mission on 5 Feb 44. HQ 71st Fighter Wing arrived at Aldermaston, England from the US. HQ 363d Fighter Group and it's 380th and 382d Fighter Squadrons arrived at Keevil, England from the US without aircraft. They will be equipped with P-51s and fly their first mission on 24 Feb 44. The 386th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, arrived at Gosfield, England from the US with P-47s. They will fly their first mission on 22 Feb 44.

Just before midnight a Halifax bomber broke up in the air after being abandoned by four of the crew and crashed into houses near 57 Kent Road, Harrogate, around Oakdale Golf Course and the Power Station. Three of the crew were killed.

GERMANY: 12 RAF Mosquitos flew to Aachen, 9 to Duisburg and 7 to Leipzig, 4 RCM sorties, 3 Beaufighters on Serrate patrols, 7 OTU sorties. 1 Beaufighter was lost.

379 RAF aircraft - 364 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitos, 7 Halifaxes were sent to Berlin. The bomber casualties were not as heavy as on recent raids, partly because German fighters encountered difficulty with the weather and partly because the German controller was temporarily deceived by the Mosquito diversion at Leipzig. The main force of fighters only appeared in the target area at the end of the raid and could not catch the main bomber stream. 16 Lancasters were lost, 4.2 per cent of the force. The Berlin area was covered by cloud and more than half of the early Pathfinder aircraft had trouble with their H2S sets. The markers were scattered and sparse.

 

[Njaco]

24 DECEMBER 1943

WESTERN FRONT: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 164: 23 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area of France were hit. 478 of 526 B-17s 192 of 196 B-24s hit the targets and 2 B-24s were damaged beyond repair and 85 B-17s were damaged. This was the largest number of aircraft carrying out attacks of any Eighth Air Force mission to date and the first of its major strikes against missile sites. The heavies were escorted by 40 P-38s, 459 P-47s and 42 Ninth Air Force P-51s; 2 P-38s were damaged beyond repair and 2 P-51s were damaged; no casualties. 60+ B-26s attacked NOBALL (V-missile sites) targets in Pas de Calais area of France. 30+ B-26s aborted due to bad weather.

Whilst reinforcing US TG.21, HMS 'Hurricane' (from escort group B.1) was torpedoed by 'U-415' and rendered dead in the water, but in no danger of sinking. Later she was scuttled on the instructions of CinC Western Approaches to avoid attracting more U-boats into the area.

Escort carrier USS 'Card (CVE-11)'s screen continued to battle concentration of U-boats. Destroyer USS 'Schenck' (DD-159) sank the German submarine 'U-645', in the North Atlantic NE of the Azores -55 dead (all hands lost) -, but USS 'Leary' (DD-158 ) was hit by 3 torpedoes and sunk by 'U-275' and 'U-382', 585 miles west-northwest of Cape Finisterre, Spain. 97 of her crew of 149 were lost.

The HMS 'Dumana' (Master Archibald Richard George Drummond), escorted by the British armed trawlers HMS 'Arran' and 'Southern Pride', was torpedoed and sunk by 'U-515' west of Sassandra, Ivory Coast. The vessel sank in a short time, dragging some of the lifeboats down with her before they could be released. Three officers, seven crewmembers, 20 lascars, two gunners and seven RAF personnel were lost. The master, 107 crewmembers, seven gunners and 15 RAF personnel were picked up by the escorts and landed at Takoradi on 25 December.

No RAF bombing raids were carried out on Christmas Eve but 35 Halifaxes were sent minelaying in the Frisians and returned without loss.

British General Sir Bernard Montgomery learned he would become Commander-in-Chief of 21st Army Group, the British and Canadian forces invading North-West Europe.

GERMANY: Over Fassberg No. 605 Squadron RAF shot down their 100th enemy aircraft. They were on a night intruder mission equipped with the de Havilland Mosquito VI.

During the RAF attack on Berlin during the early morning hours, the Luftwaffe night-fighter force suffered losses. Wilhelm Brockerhoff (6 kills) of NJG 3 was killed as was Oblt. Lenz Finster (10 kills) of 4./NJG 1.

EASTERN FRONT: The Russian 1st Ukraine Front under Vatutin, launched a massive assault west of Kiev. The defending German 4.Panzerarmee would be penetrated deeply due to overstretched German units and the lack of reserves. The aim was to destroy the German salient on the Dnieper and open Galicia and Romania. Berdichev was captured.

MEDITERRANEAN: German merchantman 'Nicoline Maersk' was intercepted by destroyer FS 'Le Fantasque' in the Western Mediterranean and was run aground by her crew near Tortosa, Spain.

In Italy, 100+ B-26s dispatched to bomb the Pisa, Italy marshalling yard failed to locate the target due to overcast. 24 B-26s bombed the marshalling yard at Cecina.

Weather severely hampered Twelfth Air Force operations. P-40s failed to locate the target, a vessel at Ugljan Island, Yugoslavia, but shot down 1 airplane in the Adriatic Sea.

 

[Njaco]

25 DECEMBER 1943

GERMANY: The main weight of the RAF's Christmas raid on Berlin 23/24 December fell on the city's south-eastern suburbs, as well as on a ball-bearing factory at Erkner, 15 miles away. The bombs killed 178 Berliners, compared with 104 aircrew killed and 16 taken prisoner. RAF PoWs were made to clear rubble after what was the month's second big raid. Nine days ago 438 Berliners and 279 slave workers (186 women, 65 men and 28 youths from eastern Europe) died during an attack on rail networks; so did 294 German airmen.

EASTERN FRONT: The Red Army launched an offensive in the Ukraine along the Kiev-Zhitomir highway, aiming to prise open German ranks now defending Galicia and Romania. In the Vitebsk sector Gorodok was captured, the Vitebsk-Polotsk rail line cut and German defensive positions were on the brink of collapse. The year thus ends, as it began, with Russia in the ascendant: a year which started with Stalingrad, ended the Russians' long retreat and humiliating the seemingly invincible Germans. Since then the Russians defeated the Germans at Kursk, recaptured Kharkov for the second time, liberated Kiev, cut off the German 17.Armee in the Crimea, crossed the Dnieper and broken Hitler's "Eastern Wall". This has, however, been not only a year of victories, but also a year in which the awesome reserves of the Soviet Union have been mobilized. The Russians produced excellent aircraft in great numbers - no fewer than 2,900 a month during 1943, of which 2,500 were combat planes. Added to them were 16,000 heavy or medium tanks, 3,500 light tanks, 4,000 mobile guns and 130,000 guns of all calibre during the year. As well as the Russians' own strength there was also the help sent from the west: mechanized divisions go into battle in American lorries; Soviet pilots fly Airacobras and Kittyhawks; generals scan intelligence decrypts. All this strength was now being welded together into a formidable fighting machine. Stalin planned to clear the Ukraine, destroying the Wehrmacht in a series of "cauldrons" before marching on Poland, Romania and Germany itself. The Germans were still fighting skillfully, but Russia now had the power.

WESTERN FRONT: At 1900 hours German Rear-Admiral Bey sailed with 'Scharnhorst' and five destroyers, Z-29, Z-30, Z-33, Z-34, and Z-38 of the 4th Flotilla (Captain Johannesson), toward convoy JW-55B. Spotted by German air and U-Boat searches, Admiral Bey was unaware of the British force which was conducting distant escort, including 'Duke of York'. In the interest of maintaining radio silence, 'Scharnhorst' had not been using her radar, and although the need to do so had passed, no instruction was issued to make it operational, thus her blindness was self inflicted. By contrast the 3 British cruisers had been tracking by radar (which 'Scharnhorst' would not have been able to detect) for some 50 minutes before HMS 'Belfast' fired the first starshell, thus announcing the presence of enemy forces.

German blockade runner 'Osorno' arrived off the Gironde Estuary, met by six destroyers and six torpedo boats. Although 'Osorno' had run the gantlet and avoided damage from her foes, she fouled on the submerged wreckage of sunken German auxiliary vessel 'Sperrbrecher 21', necessitating the blockade runner's being beached.

MEDITERRANEAN: In Italy, B-26s pounded the Pisa-Porta Nuova area, scoring especially damaging hits in the marshalling yards. B-17s hit the Bolzano marshalling yard; and B-24s hit the Pordenone marshalling yard and targets of opportunity at Vicenza. B-17s of 2 groups failed to locate targets due to bad weather, and many fighters ticketed for escort duty failed to rendezvous with heavy bombers in the overcast skies. A-36s bombed road, trucks, and the town area at Pontecorvo, Italy. P-40s, with a few SAAF Spitfires, hit a motor launch in Peljesac Channel of Yugoslavia.

UNITED KINGDOM: For RAF No. 303 (Polish) Sqdrn, at 11.30 hrs in the morning all personnel came to the Maintenance Hangar to attend a mass. The American and English guests were delighted with the Polish Christmas carols. At noon all met in the Airmens Mess for dinner. The dinning room was splendidly decorated, the Christmas tree stood in the middle, decorated with many coloured ornaments. After a nice English tradition the Officers served the meals. They all mingled freely. From time to time a melodious voice from loud-speaker started a carol, and the hum of laughter and voices turned into singing a nice tune.

 

[pbfoot]

Ortona still raged on for another 3 days each platoon taking part in the battle was rotated out for a XMAS dinner

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MonsK4TFqkU
note the soviet observers towards the end who were brought in to watch

 

[Njaco]

26 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: German defenders were cleared from Monte Sammucro. B-26s bombed marshalling yards at Prato, Empoli, and Pistoia, Italy.

EASTERN FRONT: The 1st Ukrainian Front captured Radomyshl and over 150 other places in the Kiev salient.

WESTERN FRONT: 'Scharnhorst' and her escorting destroyers searched for Convoy JW-55B, north of Norway. Visibility was poor throughout the morning, the seas were heavy and 'Scharnhorst's radar was out of order. They find the British cruisers providing distant escort under Admiral Burnett. Admiral Bey breaks off to circle north for the convoy and detaches the destroyers into a scouting line. At 0834 'Scharnhorst' was detected by the heavy cruiser HMS 'Norfolk' from a distance of 30,000 meters (32,800 yards). Shortly afterwards the light cruisers 'Belfast' and 'Sheffield' of "Force I" (Vice-Admiral Burnett) also obtained contact. At 0924, the 'Belfast' opened fire on 'Scharnhorst' from 11,900 meters (13,000 yards), and was followed by 'Norfolk' at 0930. 'Scharnhorst' replied with her after turret but obtained no hits. 'Scharnhorst' was hit by two 20.3cm projectiles from HMS 'Norfolk'. One shell struck the battery deck but failed to explode. The other hit the foretop and disabled the radar apparatus (FuMo 27). 'Scharnhorst' turned away southeast at 30 knots and then north again. Visibility improved somewhat near noon and action with the British cruisers resumed. Shortly after 1200, 'Scharnhorst' ran once again into the cruisers of "Force I", this time re-inforced by four destroyers from the convoy escort, 'Musketeer', 'Martchless', 'Oppirtune' and 'Virago', and opened fire at about 1230 with her main and secondary batteries. In this second engagement, the HMS 'Norfolk' was hit twice by 28cm shells. Turret "X" was put out of action after a hit in the barbette, while another shell disabled the radars and killed seven men. The 'Sheffield' was hit by splinters. At 1241, believing she was receiving fire from a battleship, 'Scharnhorst' turned away south and ceased fire. At 1617, the battleship 'Duke of York' of Force II (Admiral Fraser) obtained radar contact with 'Scharnhorst' from 42,500 meters (46,480 yards), and after closing the range to 10,900 meters (11,920 yards) opened fire at 1648. Being without radar Bey was surprised. Almost immediately the 'Scharnhorst' was hit by a 35.6cm projectile in turret "Anton" which was put out of action. Another shell from 'Duke of York' demolished the hangar. At 1657, 'Belfast' and HMS 'Norfolk' opened fire. 'Scharnhorst' was repeatedly hit but managed to increase the distance with "Force II" to 19,600 meters (21,435 yards). At 1820, a 35.6cm projectile passed through 'Scharnhorst's upper belt and reached the No.1 Boiler room (section IX) that became a total loss. The speed dropped to 22 knots. At 1850, the destroyers of "Force II" closed on and obtained one torpedo hit on 'Scharnhorst's starboard side and three more on the port side. Speed dropped to 20 knots. 'Duke of York' and 'Jamaica' opened fire again at 1901 from 9,600 meters (10,500 yards) obtaining numerous hits. 'Scharnhorst' still fired back with turrets "Bruno" and "Cäsar" but obtained no hits. At 1912, the cruisers of "Force I" opened fire. Thereafter cruisers 'Jamaica' and 'Belfast' launched all their torpedoes, and destroyers 'Musketeer', 'Opportune' and 'Virago' 19 more. The 'Scharnhorst' finally capsized and sank at 1945. Only 36 of her crew of 1968 survived.

The unescorted SS 'Chapultepec' was spotted in hazy weather by 'U-530' about 90 miles NE of Cristobal. The tanker's acoustic torpedo detector noticed the torpedo fired but seconds later struck just abaft the stem. The explosion destroyed the forepeak tank and damaged nearby compartments. The ship immediately began a series of short zigzags at full speed and then returned to normal pattern after ten minutes. The tanker settled by the head, but the cargo was shifted until the vessel was on even keel. On the afternoon of the 26 December, the tanker arrived at Cristobal and discharged her cargo the next day. Two men of the ten officers, 43 men and 28 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) on board reported injuries. The 'Chapultepec' later steamed to Galveston for dry-docking and repairs. Subsequently, U.S. tanker 'Esso Buffalo', en route from Aruba, N.W.I., to the Canal Zone (ultimate destination: Melbourne, Australia), most likely accidentally ramed 'U-530' at 10°25'N, 78°28'W. There were no casualties among the 47-man merchant complement or the 28-man Armed Guard.

A Ju 290A-3 belonging to 2./FAGr 5 crashed in Spain.

 

[Njaco]

27 DECEMBER 1943

UNITED KINGDOM: The following appointments were announced - Gen. Sir Bernard Paget, Commander in Chief, Middle East; Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Allied invasion forces under General Eisenhower; Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, Allied Naval Commander in Chief; Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Allied Air Commander in Chief under General Eisenhower. Canadian General Andrew McNaughton was removed from command of the 1st Canadian Army in Europe.

WESTERN FRONT: Allied aircraft sink the German blockade runner 'Alsterufer' in the Bay of Biscay by RAF No. 311 (Czech) Sqdrn Liberator "H" BZ 796. The 2,700-ton German blockade-runner which went to the bottom, was caught and sunk after a determined and prolonged effort of the part of many aircraft and squadrons of the Command. The German was first sighted at 945 hours by Sunderland "T" of RAF No. 201 Sqdrn and was shadowed for four hours. Meanwhile at 1135 hours another Sunderland, "Q" of RAF No. 422 Sqdrn. made contact and went in to attack. The aircraft overshot the target on the first run, but raked the enemy´s decks with machine-gun fire. The next attack was lethal. At 1607 hours Liberator "H" of RAF No. 311 (Czech) came in low on the starboard beam and used every available weapon. About an hour later two more Liberators, "F" and "L" RAF No. 86 Sqdrn, attacked with 500-lb bombs, but without result. The captain of Liberator "H" of RAF No. 311 (Czech) P/O Oldrich Dolezal (155129) and navigator F/O Zdenek Hanus (127086) were both awarded immediate DFC´s.

Adolf Hitler ordered troops to concentrate on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy, expecting the main Allied attack in mid-February.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 165: 7 B-17s dropped 1.392 million leaflets on Paris, Lille, Evreux, Rouen and Caen, France at 1735-1812 hours; no losses.

MEDITERRANEAN: German forces retreated from Ortona, Italy, as Canadian forces completed taking the town.

In Italy, B-26s hit viaducts at Zoagli and Recco and attacked, but fail to hit, the marshalling yard at Poggibonsi. A-36s attacked targets in Italy, hitting a factory and railroad at Anagni, harbor and railroad facilities at Civitavecchia, a bridge at Pontecorvo, and several gun positions and vehicles.

B-25s attacked a vessel near Zara, Yugoslavia.

 

[Njaco]

28 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: With the Canadian 1st Division close to Highway 16 northwest of Ortona, Italy, German defenders withdrew from the city. Canadian troops fought their way through a wall of fire to oust a German division from the Adriatic seaport. Flame-throwers were rushed to the 200,000 Germans estimated to be fighting to save Rome. Like so many Italian towns in the wake of warring armies, Ortona was a ruin. But the shattered and burntout wreckage of buildings was ideal for the German defenders - in this case hardened Nazi Waffen-SS men who had to be winkled out one by one by infantrymen with tank support. However, Ortona finally fell. The remaining Germans retreated to hill positions north-west of the town. The town was a key objective in the Eighth Army's drive along the eastern coast of Italy. It was the eastern anchor of Field Marshal Kesselring's defensive Gustav Line. The fight bcame big news and was dubbed "Little Stalingrad" in the media. The 1st Canadian Infantry would not forget the 2600 lost there when the bells of the Saint Thomas of the Apostle Church finally chimed the end of the Battle for Ortona. But the Allied advance was slow. Each valley running from the Apennines to the sea has to be fought for. There were hundreds of valleys, and the few roads available have been heavily mined by the retreating Germans. Heavy rain and snowstorms were other problems.

A Me 410 from 2(F)./122 was shot down by a fighter from 5th FS (52nd FG) near Elba Is. Ofw Paul Lachmitt (F) injured, Uffz Helmut Schwarz (Bf) killed.

EASTERN FRONT: The Soviet advance south of Kiev continued to gain ground. First Ukrainian Front continued its advance capturing Korostyshev and Kateyvka.

The Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 52, Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn destroyed 7 Soviet aircraft in one day.

WESTERN FRONT: British cruisers 'Enterprise' and 'Glasgow' were met by 11 German destroyers and torpedo boats sent to meet the blockade runner 'Alsterufer', which was sunk by two Coastal Command Liberators and a Sunderland yesterday. PB4Y (VB 105) on patrol over Bay of Biscay found the five German destroyers and six torpedo boats. The British cruisers sank 3 German destroyers in a two and a half hour running battle, and the rest withdraw. Captain H. Grant of HMS 'Enterprise' described how shells were;

"...whizzing around the ship between the masts and skimming the bridge".

However, the only damage to his ship was to the wireless aerial. HMS 'Glasgow' , however, suffered worse damage. The victory over much superior numbers was the more surprising because five of the German force were of the new "Narvik" class. They were virtually mini-cruisers and their 5.9 inch guns had more hitting power than the six inch guns on the much older 'Enterprise' . After the loss of the 'Alsterufer'yesterday the destroyers decided to take the shortest route back to harbour, but ran into a gale which slowed them down considerably and provided and opportunity for the cruisers to get in among them. Of 15 PB4Ys dispatched as a strike force, six (five from VB 105 and one from VB 103) contacted the enemy force and attacked it, resulting in the sinking of German destroyers Z 27 and torpedo boats T 25 and T 26, the survivors of which were rescued by the British ships, an Irish steamer, and four Spanish destroyers.

Adolf Hitler issued orders forbidding withdrawal of personnel or material from France, Belgium, or Holland areas.

The 20th Fighter Group (P-38 ) became operational, making a total of 11 operational fighter groups in the Eighth Air Force. The US VIII Fighter Command has flown over 17,500 sorties and destroyed more than 200 aircraft. The US VIII Bomber Command was charged with forming and training a special organization (the Radio Counter Measure Unit) to use radio countermeasures against enemy defenses; 24 specially equipped B-17s were to operate in support of both night and day raids.

GERMANY: 10 RAF Mosquitos were sent to Duisburg, 9 to Düsseldorf, 1 to Cologne, 11 OTU sorties. No losses.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 167: A B-17 dropped two 2,000 pound (907 kg) bombs and a Photoflash bomb on Dusseldorf, Germany in an Oboe test. US VIII Bomber Command Mission 168: 6 B-17s dropped 2.84 million leaflets on Hannover, Osnabruck, Hildsheim, Germany; Zwolle, The Netherlands; and Amiens, France. No losses.

 

[Njaco]

29 DECEMBER 1943

EASTERN FRONT: Korosten and Chernyakhov northwest of Kiev fell to the Soviets as did Skvira to the southwest, in a massive Ukrainian breakthrough.

MEDITERRANEAN: British 9 Commando raided the area near the mouth of the river Garigliano.

Submarine FS 'Protee' was sunk by German aircraft while on patrol between Toulon and Marseilles.

In Italy, B-26s attacked the marshalling yard and bridge at Certaldo, the marshalling yards at Poggibonsi and the viaduct at Bucine, and a bridge in the NW part of Orvieto; B-17s blasted marshalling yards at Ferrara and Rimini. A-36s attacked the railway station at Ferentino, harbor and railroad yard at Civitavecchia, and truck park near Aquino.

WESTERN FRONT: The Destroyers HMCS 'Haida', 'Huron' and 'Iroquois' arrived at the Kola Inlet with Convoy JW-55B.

'U-530' was forced to return to base after being rammed by the tanker 'Esso Buffalo'.

'U-515' saved 33 survivors from the sunken German torpedo boat T 33.

GERMANY: 712 RAF aircraft - 457 Lancasters, 252 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitos - returned to Berlin. A long approach route from the south, passing south of the Ruhr and then within 20 miles of Leipzig, together with Mosquito diversions at Düsseldorf, Leipzig and Magdeburg, caused the German controller great difficulties and there were few fighters over Berlin. Bad weather on the outward route also kept down the number of German fighters finding the bomber stream. 20 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 9 Halifaxes - were lost, 2.8 per cent of the force. Berlin was again cloud-covered. The Bomber Command report claiming a concentrated attack on skymarkers is not confirmed by the local report. The heaviest bombing was in the southern and south-eastern districts but many bombs also fell to the east of the city.

As part of the RAF raid on Berlin, several diversions were flown. 8 Mosquitos went to Magdeburg, 6 to Düsseldorf, 5 to Leipzig, 4 to Bristillerie - a suspected V-weapon site near Cherbourg - and 3 to Leverkusen, 6 RCM sorties, 2 Beaufighters on Serrate patrols, 5 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians and off French ports, 4 OTU sorties. No losses.

 

[Njaco]

30 DECEMBER 1943

EASTERN FRONT: Vatutin's forces smashed German defenses south of Kiev advancing 30-60 miles along a 180-mile front. Kazatin fell to the Red Army in the Kiev sector.

The Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 52, Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn destroyed 2 Soviet aircraft to bring his score to 228 kills.

WESTERN FRONT: 'U-618' saved 21 survivors from the sunken German destroyer Z-27. After the war these men became honorary members of the crew and took part in their annual meetings.

'U-545' fired four torpedoes at the convoy ON-217 and heard four detonations. Mannesmann thought that he had hit four ships, but the only ship hit was 'Empire Housman'. 'U-545' observed one ship sinking on 1 January. On 30 December, 'U-744' attacked also the convoy ON-217 and reported one ship damaged, it is possible that the already damaged 'Empire Housman' was hit.

10 RAF Lancasters of RAF No. 617 Squadron and 6 Pathfinder Mosquitos attempted to destroy a V1 site which had been missed on an earlier raid, but the markers were 200 yards from the target and, with the Lancasters' bombs well grouped around these, the site was again undamaged. No aircraft lost.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 170: 5 B-17s dropped 1 million leaflets on Antwerp, Ghent, Lens, Belgium and Cambrai, France at 2319-2340 hours; no losses. In France, about 100 B-26s bombed Saint-Omer Airfield and V-weapon sites on the French N coast. About 100others aborted missions because of bad weather.

Eight Spitfires of RAF No. 341 (Free French) Sqdrn took off from Perranporth. After crossing the Channel at low altitude, S/Cheft Pierre Gallay saw 4 aircraft at 4 o'clock at sea level. The CO, Capt. L. Christian Martell was told about the aircraft and the formation turned into them, identifying 4 Fw 190s. One of the Focke-Wulfs broke and climbed, followed by Capt. Martell and S/Chef Gallay. Capt. Martell fired a short burst and hit the Fw 190 in the fuselage but it then disappeared into some cloud. Capt. Jacques Soufflet fired several bursts at another Fw 190 but did not see any damage caused. After diving back to low altitude, Capt. Martell fired at a second Fw 190 which flew away trailing smoke. The squadron then reformed and was heading home when S/Lt. R. Borne spotted an Fw 190 and chased it. He opened fire and saw several pices of the tail come off. He chased it for about 4 more minutes before having to break off and head for home. This Fw 190 was damaged and smoking heavily and Borne claimed it as probably destroyed. The Fw 190s were from 1./SAGr 128 and only one was damaged in the combat.

Obstlt. Josef Priller was made acting Jagdfliegerfuhrer of Jagdfliegerfuhrer Bretagne, controlling fighter defenses over northeast France and Belgium.

GERMANY: US VIII Bomber Command Mission 169: The port area and oil refinery at Ludwigshafen, Germany were hit. 502 of 530 B-17s 145 of 168 B-24s, and 11 of 12 PFF aircraft attacked the target and claimed 12-4-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 14 B-17s and 9 B-24s were lost, 4 B-17s and 1 B-24 were damaged beyond repair and 106 B-17s and 11 B-24s were damaged. The mission was escorted by 79 P-38s, 463 P-47s and 41 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claimed 8-3-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 P-47s and 2 P-51s were lost, 1 P-47 was damaged beyond repair and 5 P-47s were damaged.

MEDITERRANEAN: In Italy, B-17s bombed the marshalling yards at Rimini and Padua; 2 B-17s were lost on the the Rimini mission; The B-17s and escorting P-38s and P-47s claimed the destruction of 9 fighters during air battles in the Padua-Vicenza area, off the coast E of Ravenna, and S of Aquila; B-26s hit the Borgo San Lorenzo marshalling yard and viaduct, the marshalling yard at Viareggio, and a road junction near Roccasecca. A-20s hit Atina; P-40s and A-36s supported ground forces, hitting targets in the Chieti-Miglianico area; vessels were hit at Crkvice, Yugoslavia, railway sidings near Frosinone, gun positions near Arce and W of Minturno, and the town areas of Sant' Elia Fiumerapido, Ferentino, and Atina were bombed.

B-25s bombed Zara, Yugoslavia, hitting a junction, railway station, repair shops, warehouse, and harbor.

 

[Njaco]

31 DECEMBER 1943

MEDITERRANEAN: The US 5th and British 8th Armies were now battering fruitlessly against the German defenses.

In Italy, P-40s and Spitfires of the AAF, RAF, RAAF, and SAAF, struck infantry and heavy artillery around Tollo, Orsogna, Miglianico, Ripa, and Teatina in support of the British Eighth Army. A-36s bombed the town of Formia and hit gun positions.

The Macchi 205s of II./JG 77 were taken out of service and operations were then flown using the Gruppe's old Bf 109s.

EASTERN FRONT: Vatutin's 1st Ukrainian Front retook Zhitomir, 80 miles west of Kiev. To the north they cut the road to Orsha and have Vitebsk essentially surrounded.

WESTERN FRONT: There were no RAF bomber operations on New Year's Eve; 2 Stirlings laid mines off the Dutch coast and returned safely.

Winston Churchill shows Bernard Montgomery plans for the invasion of Europe. Montgomery argued that three divisions on 25 miles of Normandy was too small, and too restricted in area. On the beach at the seaside village of Luc-sur-Mer (France), British No. 1 Combined Operation Pilotage and Beach Reconnaissance Party emerged from a midget submarine to take samples of the sand, to determine if it could support trucks and tanks of an invasion.

US VIII Bomber Command Mission 171: Various targets in France were hit; 19 B-17s and 6 B-24s were lost. 200 of 236 B-17s and 57 of 60 B-24s hit the Bordeaux-Merignac, Cognac-Chateaubernard and Landes Bussac Airfields. They claimed 17-13-27 Luftwaffe aircraft; 18 B-17s and 5 B-24s were lost, 8 B-17s and 2 B-24s were damaged beyond repair and 103 B-17s and 5 B-24s were damaged. 57 B-17s were dispatched to hit a blockade running ship at Gironde but could not find the target; 1 B-17 was damaged beyond repair and 3 damaged. 87 of 94 B-24s hit the St Jean D'Angely Airfield. They claimed 9-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 was lost, 3 were damaged beyond repair and 5 damaged. 120 of 125 B-17's hit the industrial areas at Paris-Ivry and Bois-Colombes. 1 B-17 was lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 49 damaged. Around 200 B-26s bombed V-weapon sites in the French coastal area. These missions were escorted by 74 P-38s, 441 P-47s and 33 Ninth Air Force P-51s. They claimed 9-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38, 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 were lost; 1 P-38 and 6 P-47s were damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 was damaged. Luftwaffe units scrambled to intercept included jagdgruppe Ost, Jagdgruppe West, JG 2 and JG 26 along with elements of 1./CAGr 128 who lost Lt. Karl Albers when he crashed at Brest-Sud on take-off.

The total bomb tonnage dropped by the US Eighth Air Force in Dec 43, 13,142 tons (14,486 tonnes), was for the first time exceeded that dropped by the RAF Bomber Command.

 

[Njaco]

1 JANUARY 1944

GERMANY: 15 RAF Mosquitos flew to Hamburg, 11 to Witten, 7 to Duisburg, 4 to Bristillerie and 1 to Cologne, 6 RCM sorties, 14 OTU sorties. No losses.

421 RAF Lancasters were dispatched to Berlin. Despite a Mosquito 'spoof' raid on Hamburg, German fighters were directed on to the bomber stream at an early stage and were particularly active en-route to Berlin. 28 Lancasters were lost, 6.7 per cent of the force. Major Prince Heinrich von Sayn-Wittgenstein of Stab III./NJG 1 destroyed 6 of the RAF bombers.

Erprobungskommando 16 (EK 16) received delivery of the first three of twelve Me 163B-0's. These aircraft were not flight-tested with their rocket engine. All had problems. During the first student test flight, Fw. Alois Wörndl was killed in a subsequent crash landing. Commanded by Major Späte and tasked with the training of thirty pilots and ground personnel, by January EK 16 had 500 people on strength.

WESTERN FRONT: The "Desert Fox", Erwin Rommel, returned to the front as commander of Heeresgruppe B. He was placed in charge of the defense of northwest France - north of the Loire River, including the Atlantic Wall defenses at Normandy.

USSAFE was established for operational control of the US Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces.

Parts of I./JG 300 were used to form the 1st Staffel of NJG 11.

1./SAGr 128 became Jagdkommando 1./128, handing over its final 5 Ar 196A-3s to other units and receiving 11 Fw 190s, including 2 Fw 190A-6s. During January 1944, Jagdkommando 1./128 lost one Fw 190A-6 and a Fw 190G-2 to other causes and one Fw 190G-3 to enemy action.

MEDITERRANEAN: A complete reorganization of USAAF units in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) tiikplace: US Army Air Forces, North African Theater of Operations (USAAFNATO) was redesignated AAF Mediterranean Theater of Operations (AAFMTO); XII Air Force Services Command became AAF Services Command Mediterranean Theater of Operations (AAFSCMTO); III Air Services Area Command (Special) became XII Air Force Services Command; II Air Services Area Command became XV Air Force Services Command; XII Air Force Engineer Command (Provisional) became AAF Engineer Command, Mediterranean Theather of Operations (Provisional); and XII Air Force Training Command was changed to XII Air Force Training and Replacement Command. The XII Bomber Command,Twelfth Air Force was reorganized as an medium bomber organization, 3 B-25 groups and the 3 B-26 groups of the 42d Bombardment Wing (Medium), under Brigadier General Robert D Knapp. The 3 remaining B-26 groups of the Fifteenth Air Force were transferred to the Twelfth Air Force, leaving the Fifteenth with 6 heavy bomber [2d, 93d, 97th, 99th, 30lst, 376th Bombardment Groups (Heavy)] and 4 fighter groups (1st, 14th, 82d, and 325th), or 4 B-17, 2 B-24, 1 P-47, and 3 P-38 groups.

UNITED KINGDOM: At 12.40 a Halifax bomber based at Topcliffe airfield near Thirsk, crashed after an undershoot. The pilot and co-pilot were on three engined circuits and landing practice and the pilot aimed to land short in order to avoid a contractors working party, when a gust of wind caught the aircraft, causing the accident. The crew were uninjured.

 

[Njaco]

2 JANUARY 1944

MEDITERRANEAN: General Harold Alexander, Commander in Chief 15th Army Group, ordered the U.S. Fifth Army to mount an amphibious operation below Rome (Operation SHINGLE) between 20 and 31 January; shortly before the assault landing at Anzio. The Fifth Army was to thrust sharply toward Cassino and Frosinone while the British Eighth Army was to keep the Germans pinned down in its sector by exerting pressure and employing deceptive measures.

In Italy, B-25s bombed the Terni marshalling yard and iron works and nearby barracks; P-40's and Spitfires from the AAF, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), South African Air Force (SAAF), and Royal Air Force (RAF) blasted snowbound vehicles in the Aveziano-Popoli area, warehouses at San Benedetto de Marsi and gun positions and defended areas around Chieti; A-36s hit Civitavecchia harbor and marhalling yard to the S of town, the Anagni marshalling yard and nearby pun positions, and other targets of opportunity; B-26s bombed bridges at Riva Santo Stefano and Ventimiglia, the marshalling yard at Arma di Taggia, and bridge over the Var River.

WESTERN FRONT: 'U-445' was attacked in the North Atlantic by five bombs from an RAF Halifax aircraft. One crewmember was badly wounded and the boat suffered some damage. During an attack by two Liberators (RAF Sqn 224/C/G) on 'U-625', the Commander, Kptlt. Hans Benker, and one man were lost overboard. The boat, on its return leg of the patrol, was damaged and returned to Brest on 6 Jan.

'U-539' was the first U-boat to depart on a combat patrol equipped with the Snorkel breathing device. This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus.

PB4Y (VB 107) sighted and tracked the German blockade runner 'Weserland', en route from Japan to Germany, 595 miles south-southwest of Ascension Island. Destroyer 'Somers' (DD-381) intercepted 'Weserland' and opened fire. 'Somers' was able to sink the German blockade runner and recovered 130 survivors.

GERMANY: 383 RAF aircraft - 362 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitos, 9 Halifaxes - returned to Berlin. RAF bombers scored a direct hit on Hitler's Chancellery in Berlin, nearly destroying the building. German fighter controllers followed the bombers all the way to the target. Night fighters were sent to a radio beacon between Hannover and Bremen but these fighters missed the bomber stream and did not come into action until they were directed to Berlin. Most of the bomber casualties were in the Berlin area. 27 Lancasters were lost, 10 per cent of the force. The casualties included 10 Pathfinder aircraft; No 156 Squadron, from Warboys, lost 5 of its 14 aircraft taking part in the raid. Oblt. Paul Szameitat, a night fighter from 5./NJG 2 (29 kills) was lost over Buckeburg.

EASTERN FRONT: The 1st Ukrainian Front captured Radovel.

 

[Njaco]

3 JANUARY 1944

MEDITERRANEAN: The French Expeditionary Force started fighting in the US Fifth Army. Lieutenant General Nathan F. Twining became Commanding General, Fifteenth Air Force. Brigadier General Edward M Morris assumed command of the US XII Fighter Command.

In Italy, B-17s escorted by P-38s, bombed the Villarperosa ball bearing works and Lingotto marshalling yard and Fiat motor works in the Turin area. P-47s flew top cover for the B-17s as far as the Italian coast, then turned and carried out an uneventful sweep over the Rome area. Eight Bf 109s of II./JG 77 and 13 MC 205s of I./Ital. JGr were scrambled against the 110 B-17s and 150+ P-38s attacking the ball-bearing plant at Villarperosa. Contact was made and the attack on the bombers was only possible with individual aircraft because of the strong escort. Four P-38s were claimed including 2 for Gefr. Ness and Fw. August of I./JG 77. Five more Lightnings and four B-17s were effectively damaged. One Bf 109 was hit in the engine and the pilot, Lt. Heinrich, baled out slightly wounded. P-40s and A-36s bombed gun positions near Cassino, the Anagni railroad station, a village near Vicenza, the railway and trains between Ceccano and Segni, and the harbor at Civitavecchia; P-40s, with SAAF and RCAF Spitfires, hit 100+ vehicles in the Avezzano-Sulmona area; other P-40s, with AAF, RAF, SAAF, and RAAF fighters, hit targets in the Filetto-Tollo areas in support of ground troops.

In Yugoslavia, B-25s bombed a troop concentration area at Prijedor, and hit Split and Sibenik.

EASTERN FRONT: The Soviet Winter offensive continued to close on the old Polish border capturing Olevsk and Novograd-Volynski.

'U-1003' collided with 'U-237' off Danzig. 'U-1003' suffered some damage.

NORTH AMERICA: After returning from her third convoy duty, the 'Turner' was anchored off Sandy Hook, New Jersey waiting to go to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for repairs. The next morning, a series of unknown explosions rocked her ammunition storage areas, turning the ship into an inferno. Another explosion ripped the bottom out of the 'Turner' and she sank by the stern taking with her 15 officers and 138 ratings. 165 survivors were taken to the hospital at Sandy Hook, their lives saved by blood plasma being flown in from New York. CDR Frank Erickson flies plasma in a Coast Guard HNS-1 helicopter from Brooklyn to a hospital in Sandy Hook, NJ in the first recorded mission of mercy conducted by a rotary wing aircraft.

WESTERN FRONT: 'U-373' was attacked by a British Wellington aircraft in the North Atlantic. The boat suffered heavy damage and was forced to return to base.

SS 'Empire Housman', straggling from the Convoy ON-217, was again torpedoed by 'U-744' and foundered two days later. One crewmember was lost. The master, 37 crewmembers and seven gunners were picked up by the armed trawler HMS 'Elm' and rescue tug HMS 'Earner' and landed at Reykjavik.

Montgomery returned to England to take command of British forces for the coming cross channel attack.

GERMANY: Solingen and Essen were attacked by 8 RAF Mosquitos. No losses.

US Eighth Air Force Special Night Operation: 1 B-17 was dispatched on an Oboe test against Germany but turned back due to an oxygen failure in the tail gun position.

 

[Njaco]

4 JANUARY 1944

MEDITERRANEAN: Attacks by the Allied 5th Army, specifically the British 46th Div, against the Gustav line, began on a 10 mile front. P-40s hit a bridge and trains and flew patrols over the battleline in Italy.

100+ B-17s were dispatched to bomb the Dupnica area of Bulgaria; 29 bombed the target area, but heavy cloud cover caused 77 B-17s to return bombs to base; P-38s escorted the B-17's the total distance to and from targets; P-47s provided escort part way. In Yugoslavia, B-25s bombed the Brodac town area and marshalling yard, and the town of Travnik.

The aircrew of I./JG 4 began hip-hopping across Italy, first moving from Lavariano to Perugia.

EASTERN FRONT: On the southern front in the Ukraine, the 1st Ukrainian Front crossed the old Polish-Russian border in Volhynia. Hitler refused von Manstein's plea to pull troops out of the Dnieper Bend in order to free soldiers for the northern front.

Uffz. Josef Brenner of 12./JG 5 went missing South of Bremanger in his Fw 190 A3 and was presumed dead.

WESTERN FRONT: Allied aircraft started Operation Carpetbagger, regular supply missions to partisans in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Italy. RAF Bomber Command's records for this night contained their first mention of this type of operation, although Nos 138 and 161 Squadrons had been carrying out such operations for 2 years under nominal Bomber Command control. 18 Halifaxes and 1 Hudson of Nos 138 and 161 Squadrons made flights on this night and 6 Stirlings from No 214 Squadron also operated. No aircraft were lost. The Stirling flights represented a new type of work for the Stirling squadrons, which had recently been relieved from bombing raids to Germany. During the evening, 4 B-17s dropped 800,000 leaflets on Orleans, Lorient, Rouen and Tours, France with no losses. This was the first US Carpetbagger operation from Tempsford, England.

Light cruiser 'Omaha' (CL 4) and destroyer 'Jouett' (DD-396) intercepted the German blockade runner 'Rio Grande' about 55 miles northeast of the coast of Brazil. Gunfire and scuttling charges sank 'Rio Grande'.

80 RAF aircraft - 57 Stirlings, 12 Mosquitos, 11 Lancasters - flew to two flying bomb sites, one in the Pas de Calais and one at Bristillerie, near Cherbourg. Both targets were attacked effectively and no aircraft were lost.

258 B-26s bombed NOBALL targets (V-weapons sites) in France. Weather made bombing difficult, and results ranged from unknown to good.

GERMANY: 13 RAF Mosquitos flew to Berlin, 3 to Krefeld and 2 to Cologne, 4 RCM sorties, 40 aircraft conducted minelaying off Lorient and Brest, 8 OTU sorties. No aircraft were lost.

US Eighth Air Force Mission 174: 2 targets in Germany were hit; 19 bombers and 2 fighters were lost. 371 of 439 B-17s and 115 of 130 B-24s were dispatched to the port area at Kiel; 7 B-17s and 34 B-24s hit targets of opportunity and claimed 4-12-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 B-17s and 6 B-24s were lost; 2 B-17s and 3 B-24s were damaged beyond repair and 111 B-17s and 16 B-24s were damaged. 70 P-38s and 42 Ninth Air Force P-51s escorted and claimed 1-1-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 and 1 P-51 were lost and 1 P-38 was damaged beyond repair. Kiel was hit in the face of moderate flak and light enemy aircraft opposition. Excellent P-38 escort was afforded over the target and fires were observed in the city after the bombing.

68 of 75 B-17s hit Munster and 2 B-17s were lost, 1 was damaged beyond repair and 35 damaged. 430 P-47s escorted and claimed 7-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 was damaged.

UNITED KINGDOM: US XIX Air Support Command was activated at Middle Wallop England with Major General Elwood R Quesada in command; XIX will support Patton's Third Army in Europe.

 

[Njaco]

5 JANUARY 1944

UNITED KINGDOM: The Polish government in exile issued a statement towards co-operating with the Soviet Union now that the Red Army has advanced in strength into Polish territory. The declaration made it clear that the Polish underground movement has been instructed to co-operate with the Red Army only in the event of a resumption of Polish-Soviet relations. It thus reflected the tension that existed between the Poles, who fear Moscow's intentions and the Soviet Union, which had not yet recognized the Polish London based government in exile.

WESTERN FRONT: PBM-3S (VP 203) found the German blockade runner 'Burgenland' and summoned the light cruiser 'Omaha' (CL 4) and destroyer 'Jouett' (DD-396). Gunfire and scuttling charges sank the 'Burgenland'.

An Eighth Air Force report concluded that the US daylight strategic bombing program against Germany would be threatened unless steps were taken to reduce the enemy's fighter force, which has increased in strength in the West as a result of a step-up in production, strengthening of firepower, and transfer of a larger percentage of fighters to the Western Front.

US Eighth Air Force Mission 176: Four targets were hit costing 24 bombers and 12 fighters. 119 of 131 B-17s and 96 of 114 B-24s hit the shipyard and industrial area at Kiel, Germany plus 10 aircraft hit targets of opportunity. They claimed 41-6-13 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17s and 5 B-24s were lost, 3 B-17s and 1 B-24 were damaged beyond repair and 61 B-17s and 15 B-24s were damaged. This mission was escorted by 70 P-38s and 41 Ninth Air Force P-51s who claimed 22-1-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 P-38s were lost. 112 of 117 B-17s hit the Bordeaux/Merignac Airfield in France and claimed 50-10-9 Luftwaffe aircraft. 11 B-17s were lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 49 damaged. This mission was escorted by 76 P-47s who claimed 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 P-47s were lost, 1 was damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged. 78 of 79 B-17s hit the Tours Airfield in Francea and claimed 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 was lost and 10 damaged. This mission was escorted by 149 P-47s who claimed 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 was damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged. 73 of 78 hit targets of opportunity at Neuss, Geilenkirchen, Dusseldorf and Wassenburg, Germany where they claimed 2-5-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17s were lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 22 damaged.

The bullet-riddled body of Denmark's leading poet and dramatist, Kaj Munk, was found in a Jutland wood, several hours after he was abducted by a German-Danish Nazi gang known as the Peter-Gruppe. Munk, who was 45, regularly denounced the Nazis from his pulpit in the church at Vedersoe, in West Jutland, where he was priest.

GERMANY: 13 RAF Mosquitos flew to Berlin and 25 to four other targets, 1 Mosquito RCM sortie, 1 Beaufighter Serrate patrol, 6 Lancasters minelaying off Swinemünde. No losses. The Beaufighter sortie on this night was the last Serrate flight by this type of aircraft; all later Serrate patrols were carried out by Mosquitos.

348 RAF Lancasters and 10 Halifaxes flew in the first large raid on Stettin since September 1941. The Mosquito diversion at Berlin successfully kept most of the German fighters away from the main force of bombers. 16 aircraft - 14 Lancasters, 2 Halifaxes - lost, 4.5 per cent of the force. Hptm. Georg-Hermann Greiner of 10./NJG 1 downed a Lancaster for his 14th victory.

MEDITERRANEAN: The US 5th Army under General Mark Clark became operational.

In Italy, A-36s hit gun positions N of Mignano and on the S slope of Monte Porchia. Weather canceled other operations.

II./JG 51 landed at Caselle from Lavariano with 21 Bf 109s. After a one day stay at Perugia, I./JG 4 moved to Viterbo.

EASTERN FRONT: Soviet troops recaptured Berdichev, south-west of Kiev.