Old Wizard
2nd Lieutenant
This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning
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Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
October 1 Wednesday
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese 11th Army withdrawing to the north under pressure from Chinese 9th War Area. Japanese troops were on the run in Hunan after the collapse of their two-month-long offensive aimed at seizing the provincial capital, Changsha. First estimates put the Japanese losses for the campaign as high as 40,000. The failure to take this vital town on the Manchuria-Canton railway is a setback for the Japanese. Control of Changsha would have made possible the opening of a new route for moving troops and materials to the Malayan and Burmese fronts. The turning-point came four days ago as the Japanese main force, supported by 100 planes, launched an all-out attack on Changsha. By late afternoon a Japanese detachment in civilian clothes had got inside the city. But its backup, an airborne unit which it should have linked up with to destroy the cities defenses, was dropped too far close to the Chinese front line and wiped out. The Chinese troops, under General Hsueh Yueh, encircled the retreating Japanese between the Lao-tao and Liu-yang rivers, inflicting heavy casualties. A simultaneous offensive was launched in Yichang, tying down the only Japanese force available to relieve the fleeing 11th Army. The Chinese Air Force 11th BS (Light) was committed to the battle for Changsha.
The Chinese Air Force 9th BS had finished re-equipping again and was combat ready, completing attacks on Yuncheng (Shanxi Province), Hankou and other cities and regions.
During a long distance training flight to the Jiayuguan region, the DB-3 of the commander of the Chinese Air Force 6th BS, Zhou Shi-Yun vanished with its entire crew.
The Japanese IJNAF 3rd Kokutai moved from Hanoi to Takao, Taiwan.
The Youth Cultivation Volunteer Army was reorganized into 68 cultivation groups in "Manzhouguo."
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-552 was attacked by a Hudson aircraft which dropped one bomb and damaged the U-boat slightly.
A straggler from Convoy ON-19, the British steam tanker "San Florentino" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-94, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Otto Ites, southeast of Cape Farewell, Greenland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship's complement, 23 died and 35 survivors were picked up by the Canadian corvette HMCS "Mayflower" (K 191). The 12,842 ton "San Florentino" was carrying ballast and was bound for Curaçao.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Germans refocus their attention on the Soviet capital, Moscow (Operation Typhoon), after having isolated Leningrad and destroying the Soviet Southwestern Front around Kiev. They aim to take Moscow before the beginning of winter, precipitating a Soviet collapse and surrender. The German attack includes 1,929,406 troops, 14,000 artillery guns and 1000 tanks plus 1390 aircraft. Guderian's 2.Panzergruppe is first off the mark, having participated in the encircling of Kiev. 2.Panzergruppe scores a clean breakthrough of the Soviet lines around Bryansk, driving 50 miles closer to Orel. The Soviet 13th Army is nearly surrounded. Ermakov's group launches a counterattack in an attempt to close a wedge created by Guderian's forces. His forces are only committed piecemeal and fails. By noon, Lemelsen's XLVII.Armeekorps (mot.) captures Sevsk. After driving east toward Kharkov and paving the way for the infantry units, the 1.Panzerarmee turns south toward Rostov.
Finnish troops reached Petrozavodsk, the capital of Soviet Republic of Karelia, further cutting off Leningrad in northern Russia. Early in morning, troops of Battlegroup Paalu (formed from 1st Division) and Detachment Lagus enter Petrozavodsk in eastern Karelia. In the ravaged city the Finnish troops find, to their immense delight, the liquor distillery's tank intact and full. An AT-rifle is used to make hole in the tank, and soon the soldiers are boozing happily. As night is falling, streets are filled with drunken soldiers singing loudly and firing their weapons in air. One group takes over the city sports stadium and organizes an armed guard to ensure that nobody disturbs their peace. Several detachments of military police are needed to clean up the mess. East of Lake Ladoga, Finnish Army of Karelia holding line along the Svir with bridgeheads across the river.
At Odessa German forces use gliders to land behind Russian lines. Planning begins for evacuation of Soviet 51st Army from Odessa by sea to Sevastopol. 1.Panzergruppe, 11.Armee, and 17.Armee are pushing forward between Kharkov and Sea of Azov.
The aid conference between Britain, the U.S., and the Soviet Union concludes. An Anglo-American mission, led by Lord Beaverbrook has agreed to boost military aid to Stalin next year. The USA will allocate 1,200 tanks a month to Britain and the USSR between July 1942 and January 1943, and a further 2,000 tanks a month for the following six months. In addition the USA will send 3,600 aircraft to Russia between 1 July 1942 and 1 July 1943, over and above the planes already being sent by Britain. The Soviets will supply Britain and the USA with urgently needed raw materials.
Wilhelm Keitel ordered that, in regards to the hostages the German military had been holding and executing in retaliation of partisan attacks, choice of victims would be important, as well-known victims would have greater effect in keeping the occupied peoples in line.
The Soviet NKVD ordered the release of 51,257 Polish prisoners of war for the formation of a Polish unit under General Wladislaw Anders to fight against Germany. Soviet government begins exiling North Caucasus Germans to Kazakstan.
Majdanek Concentration Camp begins operation. Majdanek was a German Nazi concentration camp on the outskirts of Lublin, Poland. Although conceived as a forced labor camp and not as an extermination camp, over 79,000 people died there (59,000 of them Polish Jews) during the 34 months of its operation.
GERMANY: The Ritterkreuz is awarded to two Zerstörerflieger for their service in Russia. Oblt. Günther Tonne of II./SKG 210 receives the award for achieving thirteen victories while Oblt. Werner Thierfelder of II./ZG 26 gets the award for his score of fourteen enemy aircraft destroyed in the air and forty-one destroyed on the ground.
German government reports published this month noted that 2,139,553 foreign workers were employed, about half of which, 1,007,561, were Polish.
RAF Bomber Command sends 44 aircraft to attack Karlsruhe and 31 aircraft to attack Stuttgart overnight.
MEDITERRANEAN: The Italian "M" battalions were established.
NORTH AMERICA: U.S. Secretary of the Navy William "Frank" Knox approved the "popular" names for naval combat aircraft: "Avenger" (Grumman TBF), "Buccaneer" (Brewster SB2A), "Buffalo" (Brewster F2A), "Catalina" (Consolidated PBY), "Coronado" (Consolidated PB2Y), "Corsair" (Vought F4U), "Dauntless" (Douglas SBD), "Devastator" (Douglas TBD), "Helldiver" (Curtiss SB2C), "Kingfisher" (Vought OS2U/Naval Aircraft Factory OS2N), "Mariner" (Martin PBM), "Sea Ranger" (Boeing PBB patrol bomber), "Seagull" (Curtiss SO3C), and "Vindicator" (Vought SB2U). Names supplemented the Navy's letter-number designations, which remain unchanged and continued to be used in correspondence.
The U.S. Secretary of War requests that the U.S. National Academy of Sciences begin research on biological warfare.
The first Chinese personnel, mainly recently graduated from flight schools, arrived in the U.S. for training on American aircraft.
Sale of War Savings Bonds to naval personnel was inaugurated on this date. Under the direction of a Coordinator for War Savings Bonds, Supply Corps officers were designated as issuing agents and assigned to 28 major shore activities. Actual sales of the bonds would amount to $61,000,000 - over 50 percent in excess of the predicted sales.
The United States Air Force Band was activated as one of fifty-nine "Air Force Bands".
In Ottawa, Ontario the Agricultural Supplies Board is given power to fix prices during wartime.
PACIFIC OCEAN: MacArthur vehemently protests Rainbow-5 to War Department. That was the name the Army gave to waging war on Germany, prepared as a contingency plan by then-Major Albert Wedemeyer at the Pentagon in mid-1941. Rainbow 5 proposed shipping a 5-million man army to Europe in mid-1943 to attack and conquer the Nazi empire, and specifically explained that the two-year delay was unavoidable because the needed equipment was simply not in place.
Australian Women's Army service (AWAS) established.
Horn Island airfield's second runway was completed as a gravel strip.
25th Infantry Division was activated in Hawaii, and was formed using troops from the Hawaiian Division, a pre-war "square division" (having four regiments of infantry), which had been reorganized and redesignated as the 24th Infantry Division.
UNITED KINGDOM: The British House of Commons voted for the third £1,000,000,000 war credit of year.
King George VI of the United Kingdom granted the name 'Royal New Zealand Navy' to the New Zealand ships fighting within the British Royal Navy. The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy becomes the Royal New Zealand Navy and all ships' names prefixed by HMNZS instead of HMS. The ships affected included the cruisers HMS "Achilles" and "Leander".
The British RAF reported internally on Hugh Dowding's (forced) retirement. When Prime Minister Winston Churchill learned of it, he was extremely displeased, and demanded the RAF to find a new position for Dowding. Dowding had originally conceded to political pressure and was preparing his retirement, but ultimately yielded to Churchill's wish and accepted whatever new position the RAF would give him.
General de Gaulle's French government-in-exile sets up Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française.
Troop convoy WS 12 departs the Clyde for Suez, with WS 12J detaching for Colombo-Singapore.
WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command flew sweeps near Boulogne.
Hptm. Georg-Hermann Greiner is posted to the night-fighter unit, II./NJG 1, flying Bf 110s from St. Trond.
Generalmajor Josef Kammhuber, the commanding general of XII Fliegerkorps is promoted to Generalleutnant.
Jewish children in Amsterdam are required to attend segregated schools.
.
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese 11th Army withdrawing to the north under pressure from Chinese 9th War Area. Japanese troops were on the run in Hunan after the collapse of their two-month-long offensive aimed at seizing the provincial capital, Changsha. First estimates put the Japanese losses for the campaign as high as 40,000. The failure to take this vital town on the Manchuria-Canton railway is a setback for the Japanese. Control of Changsha would have made possible the opening of a new route for moving troops and materials to the Malayan and Burmese fronts. The turning-point came four days ago as the Japanese main force, supported by 100 planes, launched an all-out attack on Changsha. By late afternoon a Japanese detachment in civilian clothes had got inside the city. But its backup, an airborne unit which it should have linked up with to destroy the cities defenses, was dropped too far close to the Chinese front line and wiped out. The Chinese troops, under General Hsueh Yueh, encircled the retreating Japanese between the Lao-tao and Liu-yang rivers, inflicting heavy casualties. A simultaneous offensive was launched in Yichang, tying down the only Japanese force available to relieve the fleeing 11th Army. The Chinese Air Force 11th BS (Light) was committed to the battle for Changsha.
The Chinese Air Force 9th BS had finished re-equipping again and was combat ready, completing attacks on Yuncheng (Shanxi Province), Hankou and other cities and regions.
During a long distance training flight to the Jiayuguan region, the DB-3 of the commander of the Chinese Air Force 6th BS, Zhou Shi-Yun vanished with its entire crew.
The Japanese IJNAF 3rd Kokutai moved from Hanoi to Takao, Taiwan.
The Youth Cultivation Volunteer Army was reorganized into 68 cultivation groups in "Manzhouguo."
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-552 was attacked by a Hudson aircraft which dropped one bomb and damaged the U-boat slightly.
A straggler from Convoy ON-19, the British steam tanker "San Florentino" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-94, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Otto Ites, southeast of Cape Farewell, Greenland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship's complement, 23 died and 35 survivors were picked up by the Canadian corvette HMCS "Mayflower" (K 191). The 12,842 ton "San Florentino" was carrying ballast and was bound for Curaçao.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Germans refocus their attention on the Soviet capital, Moscow (Operation Typhoon), after having isolated Leningrad and destroying the Soviet Southwestern Front around Kiev. They aim to take Moscow before the beginning of winter, precipitating a Soviet collapse and surrender. The German attack includes 1,929,406 troops, 14,000 artillery guns and 1000 tanks plus 1390 aircraft. Guderian's 2.Panzergruppe is first off the mark, having participated in the encircling of Kiev. 2.Panzergruppe scores a clean breakthrough of the Soviet lines around Bryansk, driving 50 miles closer to Orel. The Soviet 13th Army is nearly surrounded. Ermakov's group launches a counterattack in an attempt to close a wedge created by Guderian's forces. His forces are only committed piecemeal and fails. By noon, Lemelsen's XLVII.Armeekorps (mot.) captures Sevsk. After driving east toward Kharkov and paving the way for the infantry units, the 1.Panzerarmee turns south toward Rostov.
Finnish troops reached Petrozavodsk, the capital of Soviet Republic of Karelia, further cutting off Leningrad in northern Russia. Early in morning, troops of Battlegroup Paalu (formed from 1st Division) and Detachment Lagus enter Petrozavodsk in eastern Karelia. In the ravaged city the Finnish troops find, to their immense delight, the liquor distillery's tank intact and full. An AT-rifle is used to make hole in the tank, and soon the soldiers are boozing happily. As night is falling, streets are filled with drunken soldiers singing loudly and firing their weapons in air. One group takes over the city sports stadium and organizes an armed guard to ensure that nobody disturbs their peace. Several detachments of military police are needed to clean up the mess. East of Lake Ladoga, Finnish Army of Karelia holding line along the Svir with bridgeheads across the river.
At Odessa German forces use gliders to land behind Russian lines. Planning begins for evacuation of Soviet 51st Army from Odessa by sea to Sevastopol. 1.Panzergruppe, 11.Armee, and 17.Armee are pushing forward between Kharkov and Sea of Azov.
The aid conference between Britain, the U.S., and the Soviet Union concludes. An Anglo-American mission, led by Lord Beaverbrook has agreed to boost military aid to Stalin next year. The USA will allocate 1,200 tanks a month to Britain and the USSR between July 1942 and January 1943, and a further 2,000 tanks a month for the following six months. In addition the USA will send 3,600 aircraft to Russia between 1 July 1942 and 1 July 1943, over and above the planes already being sent by Britain. The Soviets will supply Britain and the USA with urgently needed raw materials.
Wilhelm Keitel ordered that, in regards to the hostages the German military had been holding and executing in retaliation of partisan attacks, choice of victims would be important, as well-known victims would have greater effect in keeping the occupied peoples in line.
The Soviet NKVD ordered the release of 51,257 Polish prisoners of war for the formation of a Polish unit under General Wladislaw Anders to fight against Germany. Soviet government begins exiling North Caucasus Germans to Kazakstan.
Majdanek Concentration Camp begins operation. Majdanek was a German Nazi concentration camp on the outskirts of Lublin, Poland. Although conceived as a forced labor camp and not as an extermination camp, over 79,000 people died there (59,000 of them Polish Jews) during the 34 months of its operation.
GERMANY: The Ritterkreuz is awarded to two Zerstörerflieger for their service in Russia. Oblt. Günther Tonne of II./SKG 210 receives the award for achieving thirteen victories while Oblt. Werner Thierfelder of II./ZG 26 gets the award for his score of fourteen enemy aircraft destroyed in the air and forty-one destroyed on the ground.
German government reports published this month noted that 2,139,553 foreign workers were employed, about half of which, 1,007,561, were Polish.
RAF Bomber Command sends 44 aircraft to attack Karlsruhe and 31 aircraft to attack Stuttgart overnight.
MEDITERRANEAN: The Italian "M" battalions were established.
NORTH AMERICA: U.S. Secretary of the Navy William "Frank" Knox approved the "popular" names for naval combat aircraft: "Avenger" (Grumman TBF), "Buccaneer" (Brewster SB2A), "Buffalo" (Brewster F2A), "Catalina" (Consolidated PBY), "Coronado" (Consolidated PB2Y), "Corsair" (Vought F4U), "Dauntless" (Douglas SBD), "Devastator" (Douglas TBD), "Helldiver" (Curtiss SB2C), "Kingfisher" (Vought OS2U/Naval Aircraft Factory OS2N), "Mariner" (Martin PBM), "Sea Ranger" (Boeing PBB patrol bomber), "Seagull" (Curtiss SO3C), and "Vindicator" (Vought SB2U). Names supplemented the Navy's letter-number designations, which remain unchanged and continued to be used in correspondence.
The U.S. Secretary of War requests that the U.S. National Academy of Sciences begin research on biological warfare.
The first Chinese personnel, mainly recently graduated from flight schools, arrived in the U.S. for training on American aircraft.
Sale of War Savings Bonds to naval personnel was inaugurated on this date. Under the direction of a Coordinator for War Savings Bonds, Supply Corps officers were designated as issuing agents and assigned to 28 major shore activities. Actual sales of the bonds would amount to $61,000,000 - over 50 percent in excess of the predicted sales.
The United States Air Force Band was activated as one of fifty-nine "Air Force Bands".
In Ottawa, Ontario the Agricultural Supplies Board is given power to fix prices during wartime.
PACIFIC OCEAN: MacArthur vehemently protests Rainbow-5 to War Department. That was the name the Army gave to waging war on Germany, prepared as a contingency plan by then-Major Albert Wedemeyer at the Pentagon in mid-1941. Rainbow 5 proposed shipping a 5-million man army to Europe in mid-1943 to attack and conquer the Nazi empire, and specifically explained that the two-year delay was unavoidable because the needed equipment was simply not in place.
Australian Women's Army service (AWAS) established.
Horn Island airfield's second runway was completed as a gravel strip.
25th Infantry Division was activated in Hawaii, and was formed using troops from the Hawaiian Division, a pre-war "square division" (having four regiments of infantry), which had been reorganized and redesignated as the 24th Infantry Division.
UNITED KINGDOM: The British House of Commons voted for the third £1,000,000,000 war credit of year.
King George VI of the United Kingdom granted the name 'Royal New Zealand Navy' to the New Zealand ships fighting within the British Royal Navy. The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy becomes the Royal New Zealand Navy and all ships' names prefixed by HMNZS instead of HMS. The ships affected included the cruisers HMS "Achilles" and "Leander".
The British RAF reported internally on Hugh Dowding's (forced) retirement. When Prime Minister Winston Churchill learned of it, he was extremely displeased, and demanded the RAF to find a new position for Dowding. Dowding had originally conceded to political pressure and was preparing his retirement, but ultimately yielded to Churchill's wish and accepted whatever new position the RAF would give him.
General de Gaulle's French government-in-exile sets up Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française.
Troop convoy WS 12 departs the Clyde for Suez, with WS 12J detaching for Colombo-Singapore.
WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command flew sweeps near Boulogne.
Hptm. Georg-Hermann Greiner is posted to the night-fighter unit, II./NJG 1, flying Bf 110s from St. Trond.
Generalmajor Josef Kammhuber, the commanding general of XII Fliegerkorps is promoted to Generalleutnant.
Jewish children in Amsterdam are required to attend segregated schools.
.
parsifal
Colonel
01 OCTOBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Flower Class Corvette HNoMS ACANTHUS (K-01)
MA/SB 33,
AA Ship HMS TYNWALD (D-69)
ASW Trawler Y'MUIDEN
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
M Class Submarine VMF M-115
Unidentified M class submarine
Losses
ON 19 sailed from Clyde at 0030 hrs on Sept. 22, the Liverpool section joining at 1330 that day, while the Loch Ewe portion joined at 1830 on Sept. 23. At 1930 on the 23rd, the route was entirely altered by signal. 2 ships lost touch in the process (EMPIRE CABOT and AGIA MARINA-off Butt of Lewis).
The ships bound for Iceland parted company on Sept. 25, escorted by MSWs. 4 corvettes joined at 1600 on Sept. 27 and previous escort left 58 30N 22 20W. The following day, p.m. Sept. 28, a heavy westerly gale was encountered, increasing in strength during the night. At daylight on the 29th, 17 ships and 1 corvette were in sight, the rest of the ships were missing.
At 16:00 on Sept. 30, 2 corvettes joined. ON 19 was dispersed at dawn on Oct. 7 in 44N 54W.
A Hudson bomber of Coastal Command bombed and slightly damaged U-552.
UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-124
St. Nazaire: U-69
01 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-205, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-573, U-575,
36 Boats
OPERATIONS
East Front
Baltic
Subchaser UJ-117 (DKM 550 grt (est)) was sunk near Hanko
North Sea
RNorN DD DRAUG departed Scapa Flow towing MTB.56 to Bergen for operation BAREFOOT. The MTB sank tanker BORGNY (Ex-Nor 3015 grt), which was in Axis service, as the tanker was making passage to to Trondheim escorted by two trawlers, off Bergen on the 3rd. The MTB returned to the DRAUG which was standing off the port and they returned to Lerwick, arriving on the 4th.
The crew of MTB 56 lined up on board DRAUG
Northern Waters
CA KENT, escorted by DD NORMAN, arrived at Scapa Flow to work up after repairs. NORMAN arrived to also work up. DD DULVERTON arrived at Scapa Flow to work up.
West Coast
British steamer SERENITY was damaged by near misses from LW a/c ESE of St Goven's Light.
Convoy WS.12 with one ship departed Avonmouth on 29 September, 7 ships from Liverpool on 29 September, and 16 ships from the Clyde on 30 September. The convoy rendezvoused off Oversay on the 1st. The convoy was composed of steamers CLAN CAMPBELL, EMPIRE TRUST, HIGHLAND BRIGADE, SARPEDON, PERSEUS, ALMANZORA, EMPIRE PRIDE, LEOPOLDVILLE, STRATHAIRD, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, EMPRESS OF CANADA, NARKUNDA, CITY OF PARIS, ORMONDE, SAMARIA, FRANCONIA, MENDOZA, DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, DOMINION MONARCH, HIGHLAND PRINCESS, PRINCE BAUDOUIN, ROYAL ULSTERMAN, CLAN LAMONT, and PERTHSHIRE. Steamer HIGHLAND PRINCESS was detached as convoy CT.4. AMC CATHAY, ML AGAMEMNON, and DDs ASSINIBOINE and SAGUENAY escorted the convoy from 30 September to 4 October. DD SIKH escorted the convoy from 30 September to 5 October. DDs BRADFORD, BADSWORTH, BRIGHTON, LANCASTER, and NEWARK escorted the convoy from 1 to 3 October. CLA CAIRO and DDs WHITEHALL, WITCH, and VERITY escorted the convoy from 1 to 4 October. DD BEVERLEY escorted the convoy on 2 and 3 October. DD BLANKNEY escorted the convoy from 1 to 7 October. CVE ARGUS escorted the convoy from 30 September to 5 October, when she was detached to Gibraltar. CA DEVONSHIRE escorted the convoy from 30 September to 12 October, when she was detached to Freetown. CA DORSETSHIRE escorted the convoy from 12 to 14 October. DD ISAAC SWEERS departed Gibraltar on the 4th escorted the convoy on the 7th. DD GURKHA departed Gibraltar on the 3rd and escorted the convoy on the 8th. DDs WRESTLER, VELOX, VIMY, and VANSITTART and corvettes AMARANTHUS and ARMERIA escorted the convoy from 11 to 14 October, when the convoy arrived at Freetown.
Med/Biscay
Submarine TALISMAN unsuccessfully attacked a convoy of steamers LAURETTA and ARKADIA, escorted by TB LIBRA, off the Zea Channel. Submarine P.34 departed Gibraltar for Malta. Dutch submarine O.24 departed Gibraltar for patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Submarine THRASHER arrived at Malta from patrol in the Gulf of Sirte.
ORP submarine SOKOL arrived at Malta from Gibraltar and patrol supporting Operation HALBERD.
Submarine RORQUAL departed Alexandria for Malta to return to the United Kingdom. The submarine arrived at Malta on the 12th and Gibraltar on the 27th, laying two minefields en route.
MSW whaler SOTRA was damaged below the water line by gunfire at Tobruk. One rating was wounded. The whaler was able to departed Tobruk at 1900/2nd with lighter A 9 and minesweeping whaler SOIKA.
Operation Halberd
BB PRINCE OF WALES, CLs KENYA and SHEFFIELD, and DDs LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, ORIBI, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, and FURY arrived at Gibraltar. KENYA and SHEFFIELD departed Gibraltar at pre-dawn 1 October to return to the UK and to search for a German supply ship reported off the coast of Nth Spain.
BB RODNEY, CV ARK ROYAL, CL EDINBURGH, CLAs HERMOINE and EURYALUS, and DDs FRANDALE, HEYTRHOP, COSSACK, LEGION, LANCE, LIVELY, ZULU, ISAAC SWEERS, and GURKHA arrived at Gibraltar on 1 October. Tug ST DAY arrived at 0900. PRINCE OF WALES and DDs LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, and ORIBI departed Gibraltar for the UK, escorted locally by DD LIVELY. CLA EURYALUS and DDs FARNDALE and HEYTHROP departed Gibraltar late on the 1 October for Freetown, escorting steamers MELBOURNE STAR and PORT CHALMERS for Buenas Aires.
Central Atlantic
CLA EURYALUS and DDs FARNDALE and HEYTHROP departed Gibraltar for Freetown in company with British steamers PORT CHALMERS and MELBOURNE STAR bound for Buenas Aires. Corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS departed Gibraltar escorting tanker BENEDICK until dark on the 4th.
BB PRINCE OF WALES and DDs LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, LIVELY, and ORIBI departed Gibraltar for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 6th. DD LIVELY was detached on the 4th and returned to Gibraltar.
CLs KENYA and SHEFFIELD departed Gibraltar to return to the Clyde, arriving on the 6th. The ships were ordered to search en route for an enemy supply ship off the north coast of Spain.
Convoy WS12, after arriving at Freetown from the West Coast departed Freetown on the 19th, less steamer NARKUNDA. The convoy was escorted by DDs VELOX and WRESTLER and corvettes MIGNONETTE, ANCHUSA, and CALENDULA from 19 to 22 October. CA DEVONSHIRE escorted the convoy from 19 to 30 October. CA DORSETSHIRE escorted the convoy from 19 October to 3 November. AMC DERBYSHIRE escorted the convoy from 30 October to 3 November. Steamers ULSTER MONARCH and ROYAL ULSTERMAN were detached to Takoradi on the 21st. Steamer PRINCE BAUDOUIN was detached the same day to St Helena, arriving on the 24th. The steamer departed the same day and met AMC DERBYSHIRE the same day. The steamer arrived at Capetown with the convoy.
Steamers STRATHAIRD, EMPRESS OF CANADA, DOMINION MONARCH, EMPIRE PRIDE, LEOPOLDVILLE, MENDOZA, CLAN CAMPBELL, EMPIRE TRUST, PERTHSHIRE, and SARPEDON arrived at Capetown on the 29th.
Steamers FRANCONIA, RICHMOND, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, HIGHLAND BRIGADE, PERSEUS, ORMONDE, and SAMARIA arrived at Durban on 3 November, escorted by AMC DERBYSHIRE.
Red Sea/Indian Ocean
After arriving at Capetown and Durban on or about the 5 November convoy WS 12 began a series of movements. EMPIRE PRIDE, EMPIRE TRUST, PERTHSHIRE, EMPRESS OF CANADA, and DOMINION MONARCH departed Capetown on 5 November, escorted by AMC DUNNOTTAR CASTLE. On 8 November, steamers SAMARIA, CITY OF PARIS, NIEUW AMSTERDAM from Durban, FRANCONIA, CLAN LAMONT, CLAN CAMPBELL, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, ALMANZORA, ASCANIUS fromMombasa, MENDOZA, PERSEUS, NOVA SCOTIA from Durban, and DUCHESS OF RICHMOND departed Durban and rendezvoused at sea with the Capetown section. On 8 November, BC REPULSE relieved AMC UNNOTTAR ASTLE. The BC remained with the convoy until 14 November in 5-10S, 34-00E when BB REVENGE joined the convoy. The convoy arrived at Aden on 20 November.
On 17 November, steamers DOMINION MONARCH, EMPRESS OF CANADA, DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, and PERSEUS were detached as WS.12 J in 6-05N, 52-30E. The convoy was escorted by light cruiser GLASGOW to Colombo arriving on 23 November. Steamers DOMINION MONARCH and EMPRESS OF CANADA departed Colombo on 24 November escorted by CL GLASGOW. in 6-14N, 92-00E, steamer AWATEA escorted by CL DRAGON joined the convoy and relieved CL GLASGOW, which in turn escorted steamer AWATEA to Colombo. The convoy arrived at Singapore on 28 November.
Pacific/Australia
The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy became the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 1 OCTOBER TO DAWN 2 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Fine and cool.
1155-1220 hrs Air raid alert for 12 enemy fighters approaching the Island in two formations. Eight Hurricane fighters 185 Squadron and six 126 Squadron are scrambled. 185 Squadron intercept the first formation five north of Gozo, damaging one enemy fighter. The second formation which has positioned itself against the sun immediately launches a counter-attack on the Hurricanes which break off their action at once. One Hurricane's starboard wing is damaged in an engagement with a Macchi fighter but he returns safely. Sgt Knight attacks another Macchi and damages its tail unit but is then attacked by three others and forced to break off the action. The fighter of S/Ldr Mould DFC is shot down.
PM One Swordfish 830 Squadron carries out a search for S/Ldr Mould without success.
OPERATIONS REPORTS WEDNESDAY 1 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Thrasher arrived from patrol in the Gulf of Sirte having carried out two unsuccessful attacks. Much anti-submarine and minelaying activity off Benghazi. Polish submarine Sokol arrived from Gibraltar and from patrol supporting 'Operation Halberd'.
AIR HQ Arrivals 9 Wellington. Departures 1 Maryland, 2 Wellington. 69 Squadron 2 Maryland special patrols.
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Flower Class Corvette HNoMS ACANTHUS (K-01)
MA/SB 33,
AA Ship HMS TYNWALD (D-69)
ASW Trawler Y'MUIDEN
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
M Class Submarine VMF M-115
Unidentified M class submarine
Losses
ON 19 sailed from Clyde at 0030 hrs on Sept. 22, the Liverpool section joining at 1330 that day, while the Loch Ewe portion joined at 1830 on Sept. 23. At 1930 on the 23rd, the route was entirely altered by signal. 2 ships lost touch in the process (EMPIRE CABOT and AGIA MARINA-off Butt of Lewis).
The ships bound for Iceland parted company on Sept. 25, escorted by MSWs. 4 corvettes joined at 1600 on Sept. 27 and previous escort left 58 30N 22 20W. The following day, p.m. Sept. 28, a heavy westerly gale was encountered, increasing in strength during the night. At daylight on the 29th, 17 ships and 1 corvette were in sight, the rest of the ships were missing.
At 16:00 on Sept. 30, 2 corvettes joined. ON 19 was dispersed at dawn on Oct. 7 in 44N 54W.
A Hudson bomber of Coastal Command bombed and slightly damaged U-552.
UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-124
St. Nazaire: U-69
01 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-205, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-573, U-575,
36 Boats
OPERATIONS
East Front
Baltic
Subchaser UJ-117 (DKM 550 grt (est)) was sunk near Hanko
North Sea
RNorN DD DRAUG departed Scapa Flow towing MTB.56 to Bergen for operation BAREFOOT. The MTB sank tanker BORGNY (Ex-Nor 3015 grt), which was in Axis service, as the tanker was making passage to to Trondheim escorted by two trawlers, off Bergen on the 3rd. The MTB returned to the DRAUG which was standing off the port and they returned to Lerwick, arriving on the 4th.
The crew of MTB 56 lined up on board DRAUG
Northern Waters
CA KENT, escorted by DD NORMAN, arrived at Scapa Flow to work up after repairs. NORMAN arrived to also work up. DD DULVERTON arrived at Scapa Flow to work up.
West Coast
British steamer SERENITY was damaged by near misses from LW a/c ESE of St Goven's Light.
Convoy WS.12 with one ship departed Avonmouth on 29 September, 7 ships from Liverpool on 29 September, and 16 ships from the Clyde on 30 September. The convoy rendezvoused off Oversay on the 1st. The convoy was composed of steamers CLAN CAMPBELL, EMPIRE TRUST, HIGHLAND BRIGADE, SARPEDON, PERSEUS, ALMANZORA, EMPIRE PRIDE, LEOPOLDVILLE, STRATHAIRD, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, EMPRESS OF CANADA, NARKUNDA, CITY OF PARIS, ORMONDE, SAMARIA, FRANCONIA, MENDOZA, DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, DOMINION MONARCH, HIGHLAND PRINCESS, PRINCE BAUDOUIN, ROYAL ULSTERMAN, CLAN LAMONT, and PERTHSHIRE. Steamer HIGHLAND PRINCESS was detached as convoy CT.4. AMC CATHAY, ML AGAMEMNON, and DDs ASSINIBOINE and SAGUENAY escorted the convoy from 30 September to 4 October. DD SIKH escorted the convoy from 30 September to 5 October. DDs BRADFORD, BADSWORTH, BRIGHTON, LANCASTER, and NEWARK escorted the convoy from 1 to 3 October. CLA CAIRO and DDs WHITEHALL, WITCH, and VERITY escorted the convoy from 1 to 4 October. DD BEVERLEY escorted the convoy on 2 and 3 October. DD BLANKNEY escorted the convoy from 1 to 7 October. CVE ARGUS escorted the convoy from 30 September to 5 October, when she was detached to Gibraltar. CA DEVONSHIRE escorted the convoy from 30 September to 12 October, when she was detached to Freetown. CA DORSETSHIRE escorted the convoy from 12 to 14 October. DD ISAAC SWEERS departed Gibraltar on the 4th escorted the convoy on the 7th. DD GURKHA departed Gibraltar on the 3rd and escorted the convoy on the 8th. DDs WRESTLER, VELOX, VIMY, and VANSITTART and corvettes AMARANTHUS and ARMERIA escorted the convoy from 11 to 14 October, when the convoy arrived at Freetown.
Med/Biscay
Submarine TALISMAN unsuccessfully attacked a convoy of steamers LAURETTA and ARKADIA, escorted by TB LIBRA, off the Zea Channel. Submarine P.34 departed Gibraltar for Malta. Dutch submarine O.24 departed Gibraltar for patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Submarine THRASHER arrived at Malta from patrol in the Gulf of Sirte.
ORP submarine SOKOL arrived at Malta from Gibraltar and patrol supporting Operation HALBERD.
Submarine RORQUAL departed Alexandria for Malta to return to the United Kingdom. The submarine arrived at Malta on the 12th and Gibraltar on the 27th, laying two minefields en route.
MSW whaler SOTRA was damaged below the water line by gunfire at Tobruk. One rating was wounded. The whaler was able to departed Tobruk at 1900/2nd with lighter A 9 and minesweeping whaler SOIKA.
Operation Halberd
BB PRINCE OF WALES, CLs KENYA and SHEFFIELD, and DDs LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, ORIBI, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, and FURY arrived at Gibraltar. KENYA and SHEFFIELD departed Gibraltar at pre-dawn 1 October to return to the UK and to search for a German supply ship reported off the coast of Nth Spain.
BB RODNEY, CV ARK ROYAL, CL EDINBURGH, CLAs HERMOINE and EURYALUS, and DDs FRANDALE, HEYTRHOP, COSSACK, LEGION, LANCE, LIVELY, ZULU, ISAAC SWEERS, and GURKHA arrived at Gibraltar on 1 October. Tug ST DAY arrived at 0900. PRINCE OF WALES and DDs LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, and ORIBI departed Gibraltar for the UK, escorted locally by DD LIVELY. CLA EURYALUS and DDs FARNDALE and HEYTHROP departed Gibraltar late on the 1 October for Freetown, escorting steamers MELBOURNE STAR and PORT CHALMERS for Buenas Aires.
Central Atlantic
CLA EURYALUS and DDs FARNDALE and HEYTHROP departed Gibraltar for Freetown in company with British steamers PORT CHALMERS and MELBOURNE STAR bound for Buenas Aires. Corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS departed Gibraltar escorting tanker BENEDICK until dark on the 4th.
BB PRINCE OF WALES and DDs LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, LIVELY, and ORIBI departed Gibraltar for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 6th. DD LIVELY was detached on the 4th and returned to Gibraltar.
CLs KENYA and SHEFFIELD departed Gibraltar to return to the Clyde, arriving on the 6th. The ships were ordered to search en route for an enemy supply ship off the north coast of Spain.
Convoy WS12, after arriving at Freetown from the West Coast departed Freetown on the 19th, less steamer NARKUNDA. The convoy was escorted by DDs VELOX and WRESTLER and corvettes MIGNONETTE, ANCHUSA, and CALENDULA from 19 to 22 October. CA DEVONSHIRE escorted the convoy from 19 to 30 October. CA DORSETSHIRE escorted the convoy from 19 October to 3 November. AMC DERBYSHIRE escorted the convoy from 30 October to 3 November. Steamers ULSTER MONARCH and ROYAL ULSTERMAN were detached to Takoradi on the 21st. Steamer PRINCE BAUDOUIN was detached the same day to St Helena, arriving on the 24th. The steamer departed the same day and met AMC DERBYSHIRE the same day. The steamer arrived at Capetown with the convoy.
Steamers STRATHAIRD, EMPRESS OF CANADA, DOMINION MONARCH, EMPIRE PRIDE, LEOPOLDVILLE, MENDOZA, CLAN CAMPBELL, EMPIRE TRUST, PERTHSHIRE, and SARPEDON arrived at Capetown on the 29th.
Steamers FRANCONIA, RICHMOND, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, HIGHLAND BRIGADE, PERSEUS, ORMONDE, and SAMARIA arrived at Durban on 3 November, escorted by AMC DERBYSHIRE.
Red Sea/Indian Ocean
After arriving at Capetown and Durban on or about the 5 November convoy WS 12 began a series of movements. EMPIRE PRIDE, EMPIRE TRUST, PERTHSHIRE, EMPRESS OF CANADA, and DOMINION MONARCH departed Capetown on 5 November, escorted by AMC DUNNOTTAR CASTLE. On 8 November, steamers SAMARIA, CITY OF PARIS, NIEUW AMSTERDAM from Durban, FRANCONIA, CLAN LAMONT, CLAN CAMPBELL, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, ALMANZORA, ASCANIUS fromMombasa, MENDOZA, PERSEUS, NOVA SCOTIA from Durban, and DUCHESS OF RICHMOND departed Durban and rendezvoused at sea with the Capetown section. On 8 November, BC REPULSE relieved AMC UNNOTTAR ASTLE. The BC remained with the convoy until 14 November in 5-10S, 34-00E when BB REVENGE joined the convoy. The convoy arrived at Aden on 20 November.
On 17 November, steamers DOMINION MONARCH, EMPRESS OF CANADA, DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, and PERSEUS were detached as WS.12 J in 6-05N, 52-30E. The convoy was escorted by light cruiser GLASGOW to Colombo arriving on 23 November. Steamers DOMINION MONARCH and EMPRESS OF CANADA departed Colombo on 24 November escorted by CL GLASGOW. in 6-14N, 92-00E, steamer AWATEA escorted by CL DRAGON joined the convoy and relieved CL GLASGOW, which in turn escorted steamer AWATEA to Colombo. The convoy arrived at Singapore on 28 November.
Pacific/Australia
The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy became the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 1 OCTOBER TO DAWN 2 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Fine and cool.
1155-1220 hrs Air raid alert for 12 enemy fighters approaching the Island in two formations. Eight Hurricane fighters 185 Squadron and six 126 Squadron are scrambled. 185 Squadron intercept the first formation five north of Gozo, damaging one enemy fighter. The second formation which has positioned itself against the sun immediately launches a counter-attack on the Hurricanes which break off their action at once. One Hurricane's starboard wing is damaged in an engagement with a Macchi fighter but he returns safely. Sgt Knight attacks another Macchi and damages its tail unit but is then attacked by three others and forced to break off the action. The fighter of S/Ldr Mould DFC is shot down.
PM One Swordfish 830 Squadron carries out a search for S/Ldr Mould without success.
OPERATIONS REPORTS WEDNESDAY 1 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Thrasher arrived from patrol in the Gulf of Sirte having carried out two unsuccessful attacks. Much anti-submarine and minelaying activity off Benghazi. Polish submarine Sokol arrived from Gibraltar and from patrol supporting 'Operation Halberd'.
AIR HQ Arrivals 9 Wellington. Departures 1 Maryland, 2 Wellington. 69 Squadron 2 Maryland special patrols.
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
Halder's Diary 01 October 1941
Last edited:
Old Wizard
2nd Lieutenant
- Thread starter
- #2,166
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
October 2 Thursday
ASIA: In response to the Japanese government's multiple requests for peace talks, the US reiterates its requirement that Japan withdraw its forces from China and Indo-China before any such talks can take place. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rejects Japanese Prime Minister Konoye's request to meet and discuss Pacific and Far Eastern questions. This would lead directly to the fall of the "moderate" Konoye government.
Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese 11th Army continues withdrawing to the north under pressure from Chinese 9th War Area. The Chinese Air Force's 1st and 2nd BG attacked airfields during the night in the ongoing campaign at Changsha.
The Japanese Army of the North China Theater launched the Henan Operation.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine attacks continued against Convoy ON-19. Sailing with Convoy ON-19, the British catapult armed merchant "Empire Wave" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-562, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Horst Hamm, about 500 miles east of Cape Farewell, Greenland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship's complement, 29 died and 31 survivors were picked up by the Icelandic trawler "Surprise". The 7,463 ton "Empire Wave" was carrying ballast and was bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. A straggler from Convoy ON-19, the British steam merchant "Hatasu" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-431, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes, approximately 600 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship's complement, 40 died and 7 survivors were picked up by the destroyer USS "Charles F. Hughes" (DD 428). The 3,198 ton "Hatasu" was carrying ballast and was bound for New York, New York. At 0709 hours, the Dutch motor merchant "Tuva" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-575, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Heydemann, in the northern Atlantic Ocean. The destroyer USS "Winslow" (DD 359), in screen of convoy ON 20, was detached from U.S. Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 to proceed to the assistance of the "Tuva". Although the USS "Winslow" found the freighter still afloat, the destroyer depth charged a "doubtful" submarine contact in the vicinity and upon her return was unable to locate any survivors. Of the ship's complement, 1 died and 34 survivors were picked up by the Canadian destroyer HMCS "St. Croix" (I 81). The 4,652 ton "Tuva" was carrying ballast and was bound for Tampa, Florida.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Operation Typhoon, the German assault on Moscow, begins in earnest as the 3.Panzergruppe (Colonel General H. Hoth) and 4.Panzergruppe (Colonel General Erich Hoepner) and the 2.Armee, 4.Armee and 9.Armee in the north join with 2.Panzergruppe in attacks against the Soviets. 2,000 German tanks advanced against the Russian lines in this the "last, great decisive battle of the war", according to Hitler, in a communiqué to his troops, broadcast before the battle commenced. Forces have been withdrawn from south and north to boost the German assault, which many generals had wanted to make several weeks ago before Hitler ordered a diversion to capture industrial and coal-mining areas in the south. Bock's main force attacks along the entire front from the Western Dvina to the Desna. 3.Panzergruppe, in heavy fighting advances 5 miles splitting the defenses of the Soviet 19th and 30th Armies. 4.Panzergruppe breaks the Soviet 43rd Army and advances 25 miles, making contact with the second line of Soviet defenses. Meanwhile, the German 2.Panzergruppe under General Guderian was split into two pincers at Sevsk, Russia; the northern pincer moved toward Bryansk while the northeastern pincer moved toward Orel. The operation is lead by tank units and includes substantial air cover. Committed to the operation were bombers, several Gruppen of Stukas, two Gruppen of SKG 210 and all of JG 51 and JG 3.
For Leningrad, Unternehmen Taifun has offered some respite. Field Marshal von Leeb has failed to take the city by storm, and his tanks have been assigned to Taifun. Hitler still expects von Leeb to succeed, using artillery and aerial bombardment and the oldest siege weapon, starvation. Hitler says Leningrad "will fall like a leaf." In Leningrad itself over 4,000 have died in 200 artillery bombardments and 23 air raids in the past month. The first deaths from starvation have been reported.
The Soviet's begin the evacuation of Odessa, not because of Rumanian attacks on the city, but because the Germans now threatened Sevastopol. The Black Sea Fleet evacuates the Odessa Garrison to Sevastopol completing the task by the 16th of October.
The last of the encircled forces around Kiev are mopped up. Of the 452,700 men encircled, only around 15,000 had escaped. In total, the Southwestern Front suffered 700,544 casualties including 616,304 killed during the Battle for Kiev.
Offensive in the northern direction from Petrozavodsk by Finnish VII Corps (Major General Hagglund) is launched. The aim is to take favorable defensive positions along Maaselkä Isthmus. It continues until December with continuous fighting.
Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 shoots down a Russian I-18 near Pogorjelo at 1406 hours for his fifty-sixth kill.
Boldin resumes position as deputy commander in chief of Soviet Western Front and takes operational command of Group Boldin.
GERMANY: The speed of sound is almost achieved by Heini Dittmar at Karlshagen flying the third Messerschmitt Me 163A rocket-powered prototype aircraft. After being towed to a height of 13,125 feet he casts off and starts the motor then loses control when the nose drops. His speed is recorded on the ground as an unofficial world speed record of 623.85 mph, 155 mph faster than the official world speed record. Previous flights showed that the aircraft expended almost all its fuel climbing to altitude. Dittmar said that the Me163 suffered severe vibration and loss of control for a moment and he had thought that he had "had it at last". Security will prevent the Germans claiming it as an official world record.
MEDITERRANEAN: British submarine HMS "Perseus" sank German ship "Castellon" 60 miles west of Benghazi, Libya.
Axis Convoy departs Naples for Tripoli with six vessels escorted by Italian destroyers "Da Noli", "Usodimare", "Gioberti", and "Euro".
NORTHERN FRONT: MTB "Nuoli" and "Sisu" attack enemy ships in Suursaari harbour, without results.
PACIFIC OCEAN: In Australia the elections result in a new government headed by John Curtin of the Labor Party. The ruling coalition government of the United Australia Party and the United Country Party in Australia falls.
MacArthur chooses Brereton, whom he had known in the First World War, as his Air Commander.
No. 488 New Zealand Fighter Squadron begins arriving in Singapore.
UNITED KINGDOM: After sundown, in England, German bombers attacked the Tyneside and Tees-side areas in northern England (50 were killed, 250 buildings were destroyed, shipbuilding and repairing facilities at South Shields severely damaged) and Dover area in southeastern England (10 killed). It is estimated that about fifty bombers took part in attack on South Shields. Many fires were started including one that required twenty pumps to contain it. A fire started by a bomb on Dunn's Paint Store spread to Hanlon's shop, the Locomotive Hotel, Campbell's Lodging House and the Union Flag public house. Tins of burning oil and paint were hurled into the air and started fires in the City of Durham public house, the Metropole Hotel and the Imperial Hotel. With so many fires and so much damage to the water mains, water had to be relayed from the Ferry Landing and the static water tank in North Street. By daylight all the fires were under control, but it was not until midday on October 3rd that the burning gas main outside the Water Company's Offices was extinguished because the stopcock to turn off the gas supply could not be found. One of the heaviest bombs to fall in this raid fell on Queen Street between Station Approach and Mile End Road at 22.05 hours. It demolished all the property on the north side, including Chipchase's Tripe Shop which had remained practically unaltered since 1832, and rear of Moorhouse's Furniture Store in Mile End Road. Many people were buried under the debris of ten or twelve houses.
Two German bombers were shot down by the leader of a Beaufighter Squadron, Wing Cdr D.G. Morris who was later awarded the DFC. Four Nazi airmen were captured at sea and landed at Alnwick. A Dornier Do 217E was shot down and crashed into the sea six miles east of Blyth at 20.30 hours. The crew was picked up by a passing trawler and taken prisoner.
The keel of Britain's last battleship, HMS "Vanguard", was laid down at Clydebank, Scotland.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill orders the planning of a British invasion of Norway.
WESTERN FRONT: SS Standartenführer Helmut Knochen orders the systematic destruction of synagogues in Paris. During the night explosive charges destroy six synagogues. One of Knochen's men, Obersturmführer Hans Sommer, had provided the dynamite and the transport to a small flying squad, who were all members of Eugène Deloncle's MSR (Mouvement Social Révolutionnaire a Fascist organisation).
RAF Fighter Command flew sweeps near Abbeville and Gravelines.
.
ASIA: In response to the Japanese government's multiple requests for peace talks, the US reiterates its requirement that Japan withdraw its forces from China and Indo-China before any such talks can take place. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rejects Japanese Prime Minister Konoye's request to meet and discuss Pacific and Far Eastern questions. This would lead directly to the fall of the "moderate" Konoye government.
Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese 11th Army continues withdrawing to the north under pressure from Chinese 9th War Area. The Chinese Air Force's 1st and 2nd BG attacked airfields during the night in the ongoing campaign at Changsha.
The Japanese Army of the North China Theater launched the Henan Operation.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine attacks continued against Convoy ON-19. Sailing with Convoy ON-19, the British catapult armed merchant "Empire Wave" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-562, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Horst Hamm, about 500 miles east of Cape Farewell, Greenland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship's complement, 29 died and 31 survivors were picked up by the Icelandic trawler "Surprise". The 7,463 ton "Empire Wave" was carrying ballast and was bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. A straggler from Convoy ON-19, the British steam merchant "Hatasu" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-431, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes, approximately 600 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship's complement, 40 died and 7 survivors were picked up by the destroyer USS "Charles F. Hughes" (DD 428). The 3,198 ton "Hatasu" was carrying ballast and was bound for New York, New York. At 0709 hours, the Dutch motor merchant "Tuva" was torpedoed and sunk by the U-575, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Heydemann, in the northern Atlantic Ocean. The destroyer USS "Winslow" (DD 359), in screen of convoy ON 20, was detached from U.S. Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 to proceed to the assistance of the "Tuva". Although the USS "Winslow" found the freighter still afloat, the destroyer depth charged a "doubtful" submarine contact in the vicinity and upon her return was unable to locate any survivors. Of the ship's complement, 1 died and 34 survivors were picked up by the Canadian destroyer HMCS "St. Croix" (I 81). The 4,652 ton "Tuva" was carrying ballast and was bound for Tampa, Florida.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Operation Typhoon, the German assault on Moscow, begins in earnest as the 3.Panzergruppe (Colonel General H. Hoth) and 4.Panzergruppe (Colonel General Erich Hoepner) and the 2.Armee, 4.Armee and 9.Armee in the north join with 2.Panzergruppe in attacks against the Soviets. 2,000 German tanks advanced against the Russian lines in this the "last, great decisive battle of the war", according to Hitler, in a communiqué to his troops, broadcast before the battle commenced. Forces have been withdrawn from south and north to boost the German assault, which many generals had wanted to make several weeks ago before Hitler ordered a diversion to capture industrial and coal-mining areas in the south. Bock's main force attacks along the entire front from the Western Dvina to the Desna. 3.Panzergruppe, in heavy fighting advances 5 miles splitting the defenses of the Soviet 19th and 30th Armies. 4.Panzergruppe breaks the Soviet 43rd Army and advances 25 miles, making contact with the second line of Soviet defenses. Meanwhile, the German 2.Panzergruppe under General Guderian was split into two pincers at Sevsk, Russia; the northern pincer moved toward Bryansk while the northeastern pincer moved toward Orel. The operation is lead by tank units and includes substantial air cover. Committed to the operation were bombers, several Gruppen of Stukas, two Gruppen of SKG 210 and all of JG 51 and JG 3.
For Leningrad, Unternehmen Taifun has offered some respite. Field Marshal von Leeb has failed to take the city by storm, and his tanks have been assigned to Taifun. Hitler still expects von Leeb to succeed, using artillery and aerial bombardment and the oldest siege weapon, starvation. Hitler says Leningrad "will fall like a leaf." In Leningrad itself over 4,000 have died in 200 artillery bombardments and 23 air raids in the past month. The first deaths from starvation have been reported.
The Soviet's begin the evacuation of Odessa, not because of Rumanian attacks on the city, but because the Germans now threatened Sevastopol. The Black Sea Fleet evacuates the Odessa Garrison to Sevastopol completing the task by the 16th of October.
The last of the encircled forces around Kiev are mopped up. Of the 452,700 men encircled, only around 15,000 had escaped. In total, the Southwestern Front suffered 700,544 casualties including 616,304 killed during the Battle for Kiev.
Offensive in the northern direction from Petrozavodsk by Finnish VII Corps (Major General Hagglund) is launched. The aim is to take favorable defensive positions along Maaselkä Isthmus. It continues until December with continuous fighting.
Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 shoots down a Russian I-18 near Pogorjelo at 1406 hours for his fifty-sixth kill.
Boldin resumes position as deputy commander in chief of Soviet Western Front and takes operational command of Group Boldin.
GERMANY: The speed of sound is almost achieved by Heini Dittmar at Karlshagen flying the third Messerschmitt Me 163A rocket-powered prototype aircraft. After being towed to a height of 13,125 feet he casts off and starts the motor then loses control when the nose drops. His speed is recorded on the ground as an unofficial world speed record of 623.85 mph, 155 mph faster than the official world speed record. Previous flights showed that the aircraft expended almost all its fuel climbing to altitude. Dittmar said that the Me163 suffered severe vibration and loss of control for a moment and he had thought that he had "had it at last". Security will prevent the Germans claiming it as an official world record.
MEDITERRANEAN: British submarine HMS "Perseus" sank German ship "Castellon" 60 miles west of Benghazi, Libya.
Axis Convoy departs Naples for Tripoli with six vessels escorted by Italian destroyers "Da Noli", "Usodimare", "Gioberti", and "Euro".
NORTHERN FRONT: MTB "Nuoli" and "Sisu" attack enemy ships in Suursaari harbour, without results.
PACIFIC OCEAN: In Australia the elections result in a new government headed by John Curtin of the Labor Party. The ruling coalition government of the United Australia Party and the United Country Party in Australia falls.
MacArthur chooses Brereton, whom he had known in the First World War, as his Air Commander.
No. 488 New Zealand Fighter Squadron begins arriving in Singapore.
UNITED KINGDOM: After sundown, in England, German bombers attacked the Tyneside and Tees-side areas in northern England (50 were killed, 250 buildings were destroyed, shipbuilding and repairing facilities at South Shields severely damaged) and Dover area in southeastern England (10 killed). It is estimated that about fifty bombers took part in attack on South Shields. Many fires were started including one that required twenty pumps to contain it. A fire started by a bomb on Dunn's Paint Store spread to Hanlon's shop, the Locomotive Hotel, Campbell's Lodging House and the Union Flag public house. Tins of burning oil and paint were hurled into the air and started fires in the City of Durham public house, the Metropole Hotel and the Imperial Hotel. With so many fires and so much damage to the water mains, water had to be relayed from the Ferry Landing and the static water tank in North Street. By daylight all the fires were under control, but it was not until midday on October 3rd that the burning gas main outside the Water Company's Offices was extinguished because the stopcock to turn off the gas supply could not be found. One of the heaviest bombs to fall in this raid fell on Queen Street between Station Approach and Mile End Road at 22.05 hours. It demolished all the property on the north side, including Chipchase's Tripe Shop which had remained practically unaltered since 1832, and rear of Moorhouse's Furniture Store in Mile End Road. Many people were buried under the debris of ten or twelve houses.
Two German bombers were shot down by the leader of a Beaufighter Squadron, Wing Cdr D.G. Morris who was later awarded the DFC. Four Nazi airmen were captured at sea and landed at Alnwick. A Dornier Do 217E was shot down and crashed into the sea six miles east of Blyth at 20.30 hours. The crew was picked up by a passing trawler and taken prisoner.
The keel of Britain's last battleship, HMS "Vanguard", was laid down at Clydebank, Scotland.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill orders the planning of a British invasion of Norway.
WESTERN FRONT: SS Standartenführer Helmut Knochen orders the systematic destruction of synagogues in Paris. During the night explosive charges destroy six synagogues. One of Knochen's men, Obersturmführer Hans Sommer, had provided the dynamite and the transport to a small flying squad, who were all members of Eugène Deloncle's MSR (Mouvement Social Révolutionnaire a Fascist organisation).
RAF Fighter Command flew sweeps near Abbeville and Gravelines.
.
Old Wizard
2nd Lieutenant
- Thread starter
- #2,168
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
October 3 Friday
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese 11th Army continues to withdraw to the north under pressure from Chinese 9th War Area.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At about 0001 hours, German submarine U-431 sank British ship "Hatasu" 650 miles east of Newfoundland; 40 were killed, 7 survived.
A British Walrus reconnaissance aircraft from British cruiser HMS "Kenya" spotted German supply ship "Klara" 300 miles northeast of the Azores islands. HMS "Kenya" closed in and sank "Klara", but did not stop to pick up survivors due to the presence of German submarine U-129. U-129 was accompanying the German support ship.
German bombers attacked and damaged British destroyer HMS "Vivacious" in the North Sea. Norwegian tanker "Borgny" sunk by Free Norwegian MTB 56 operating from Scapa Flow.
German vessel "Kota Pinang" was scuttled to avoid capture by RN cruisers "Sheffield" and "Kenya".
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Operation Typhoon continues as the forces of Army Group Center advance on several axis toward Moscow. The Soviet West, Bryansk and Reserve Fronts are all showing signs of breaking apart in the face of the relentless German attacks. Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe penetrated to the Dnepr east of Kholm'-Zhirkovskii and captured two intact bridges. South of the town a tank battle is raging with approaching Russian tank units. Soviet counterattacks have been ordered but only I.V. Boldin's mechanized group is able to launch anything like a concerted attack. Soviet Group Boldin counterattacks the German 3.Panzergruppe. Guderian's 2.Panzergruppe has advanced 120 miles and captured Orel 220 miles south-southwest of the Soviet capital of Moscow. The Luftwaffe will use the Orel airfield as a forward airbase. Another column of 2.Panzergruppe battles Soviet troops South of Bryansk. With 2.Armee, 4.Armee and 9.Armee plus 3.Panzergruppe and 4.Panzergruppe (part of Army Group Center) advancing from the West, Germans are now positioned to encircle Soviet Bryansk Front (3rd, 13th and 50th Armies under the command of General Andrey Yeremenko). 10.Panzer-Division (Fischer) reached Mozalsk, 65 km behind the Soviet front line. The panzer troops encountered and captured unsuspecting Soviet columns moving to the front. As part of the mad dash 12 Russian trucks crashed into the German column just ahead of Fischer's own vehicle. Divisional staff officers engaged the Russians and took 30 prisoners. German troops capture Tsarskoe Selo, outside Leningrad.
In the morning around Moscow, fighters from JG 51 and JG 54 battle Russian fighters. Several claims are made by Jagdgeschwader pilots, including one for Ofw. Heinrich Hoffmann of 12./JG 51, but it can't be verified as he goes missing in action against the Soviets. He had sixty-three victories for the war.
North of Vyasma, Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 destroys another Russian I-18 fighter for his fifty-seventh victory.
In Occupied Czechoslovakia Mayor Klapka of Prague is executed for alleged anti-Nazi activities.
GERMANY: At the Berliner Sportpalast in the German capital, Adolf Hitler announced during a rally that the Germans had captured 2,500,000 Soviet prisoners of war, destroyed or captured 22,000 guns, destroyed or captured 18,000 tanks, destroyed 14,500 aircraft, and since 1939 had expanded Germany by an area four times as large as Britain. He stressed that the Soviet Union had been broken and would never rise again.
MEDITERRANEAN: British submarine HMS "Talisman" sank the already beached German ship "Yalova" south of Naples, Italy. Dutch submarine O.21 sank Vichy French ship "Oued Yquem" off Sardinia, Italy.
NORTH AMERICA: Canadian Finance Minister J. L. Ilsley puts price freeze proposals to Cabinet; Mackenzie King skeptical at first.
NORTHERN FRONT: British motor torpedo boat MTB56 sank Norwegian tanker "Borgny" off Bergen, Norway.
The US Secretary of State Cordell Hull congratulates the Finnish Ambassador Hjalmar Procope for the reconquest of Karelia, but states that continuing the offensive is short-sighted.
PACIFIC OCEAN: Gerow advises Marshall that the Philippine reinforcements had changed "the entire picture in the Asiatic area." Brereton is summoned to the War Department.
The Fadden Government resigned in Australia after being defeated on a budget vote. Federal Budget was defeated with the support of Independent members. Labor leader John Curtin appointed as prime minister-elect.
RAF Air Marshal Brooke-Popham arrives in Manila for conferences.
UNITED KINGDOM: The official copy of the British Military Application of Uranium Detonation (MAUD) Committee Report, written by James Chadwick, reached Vannevar Bush. British researchers reported to their US counterparts that it was theoretically possible that an atomic bomb whose core weighed 25 pounds could produce an 1800 ton detonation. The idea of the atom bomb was born.
WESTERN FRONT: In Paris a seventh synagogue, where a bomb had been planted yesterday, but the fuse had failed, is blown up "for safety reasons", by the Germans.
RAF Bomber Command sends aircraft to attack Rotterdam and Antwerp overnight. RAF Fighter Command flew Circus operations over the Continent. RAF Bomber Command sends aircraft to attack Brest overnight.
.
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese 11th Army continues to withdraw to the north under pressure from Chinese 9th War Area.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At about 0001 hours, German submarine U-431 sank British ship "Hatasu" 650 miles east of Newfoundland; 40 were killed, 7 survived.
A British Walrus reconnaissance aircraft from British cruiser HMS "Kenya" spotted German supply ship "Klara" 300 miles northeast of the Azores islands. HMS "Kenya" closed in and sank "Klara", but did not stop to pick up survivors due to the presence of German submarine U-129. U-129 was accompanying the German support ship.
German bombers attacked and damaged British destroyer HMS "Vivacious" in the North Sea. Norwegian tanker "Borgny" sunk by Free Norwegian MTB 56 operating from Scapa Flow.
German vessel "Kota Pinang" was scuttled to avoid capture by RN cruisers "Sheffield" and "Kenya".
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Operation Typhoon continues as the forces of Army Group Center advance on several axis toward Moscow. The Soviet West, Bryansk and Reserve Fronts are all showing signs of breaking apart in the face of the relentless German attacks. Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe penetrated to the Dnepr east of Kholm'-Zhirkovskii and captured two intact bridges. South of the town a tank battle is raging with approaching Russian tank units. Soviet counterattacks have been ordered but only I.V. Boldin's mechanized group is able to launch anything like a concerted attack. Soviet Group Boldin counterattacks the German 3.Panzergruppe. Guderian's 2.Panzergruppe has advanced 120 miles and captured Orel 220 miles south-southwest of the Soviet capital of Moscow. The Luftwaffe will use the Orel airfield as a forward airbase. Another column of 2.Panzergruppe battles Soviet troops South of Bryansk. With 2.Armee, 4.Armee and 9.Armee plus 3.Panzergruppe and 4.Panzergruppe (part of Army Group Center) advancing from the West, Germans are now positioned to encircle Soviet Bryansk Front (3rd, 13th and 50th Armies under the command of General Andrey Yeremenko). 10.Panzer-Division (Fischer) reached Mozalsk, 65 km behind the Soviet front line. The panzer troops encountered and captured unsuspecting Soviet columns moving to the front. As part of the mad dash 12 Russian trucks crashed into the German column just ahead of Fischer's own vehicle. Divisional staff officers engaged the Russians and took 30 prisoners. German troops capture Tsarskoe Selo, outside Leningrad.
In the morning around Moscow, fighters from JG 51 and JG 54 battle Russian fighters. Several claims are made by Jagdgeschwader pilots, including one for Ofw. Heinrich Hoffmann of 12./JG 51, but it can't be verified as he goes missing in action against the Soviets. He had sixty-three victories for the war.
North of Vyasma, Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 destroys another Russian I-18 fighter for his fifty-seventh victory.
In Occupied Czechoslovakia Mayor Klapka of Prague is executed for alleged anti-Nazi activities.
GERMANY: At the Berliner Sportpalast in the German capital, Adolf Hitler announced during a rally that the Germans had captured 2,500,000 Soviet prisoners of war, destroyed or captured 22,000 guns, destroyed or captured 18,000 tanks, destroyed 14,500 aircraft, and since 1939 had expanded Germany by an area four times as large as Britain. He stressed that the Soviet Union had been broken and would never rise again.
Goebbels announces that 1,500,000 children and 150,000 mothers have been evacuated from cities to safer areas.
MEDITERRANEAN: British submarine HMS "Talisman" sank the already beached German ship "Yalova" south of Naples, Italy. Dutch submarine O.21 sank Vichy French ship "Oued Yquem" off Sardinia, Italy.
NORTH AMERICA: Canadian Finance Minister J. L. Ilsley puts price freeze proposals to Cabinet; Mackenzie King skeptical at first.
NORTHERN FRONT: British motor torpedo boat MTB56 sank Norwegian tanker "Borgny" off Bergen, Norway.
The US Secretary of State Cordell Hull congratulates the Finnish Ambassador Hjalmar Procope for the reconquest of Karelia, but states that continuing the offensive is short-sighted.
PACIFIC OCEAN: Gerow advises Marshall that the Philippine reinforcements had changed "the entire picture in the Asiatic area." Brereton is summoned to the War Department.
The Fadden Government resigned in Australia after being defeated on a budget vote. Federal Budget was defeated with the support of Independent members. Labor leader John Curtin appointed as prime minister-elect.
RAF Air Marshal Brooke-Popham arrives in Manila for conferences.
UNITED KINGDOM: The official copy of the British Military Application of Uranium Detonation (MAUD) Committee Report, written by James Chadwick, reached Vannevar Bush. British researchers reported to their US counterparts that it was theoretically possible that an atomic bomb whose core weighed 25 pounds could produce an 1800 ton detonation. The idea of the atom bomb was born.
WESTERN FRONT: In Paris a seventh synagogue, where a bomb had been planted yesterday, but the fuse had failed, is blown up "for safety reasons", by the Germans.
RAF Bomber Command sends aircraft to attack Rotterdam and Antwerp overnight. RAF Fighter Command flew Circus operations over the Continent. RAF Bomber Command sends aircraft to attack Brest overnight.
.
parsifal
Colonel
02 OCTOBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
S-Boats DKM S-63, S-64
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Type VIIc DKM U-377
Type VIIc DKM U-590
Acciaio class Submarine RM PLATINO
Sister ship VOLFRAMIO
Allied
Avenger Class CVE HMS CHARGER (D-27)
CHARGER was transferred to the RN on completion but returned to the US Navy on 4 October 1941 just two days after being commissioned.
Flower Class Corvette HMCS LOUISBURG (K-143)
Fairmile B ML 282
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Losses
Convoy ON-19
U-431 sank the MV HATASU (UK 3198 grt) after she became a straggler. She was on passage from Manchester to New York, travelling empty with a crew of 47. 40 crew members were to perish in the attack. At 2345 hrs the unescorted HATASU was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-431 about 540 miles NE of Cape Race. The ship opened fire with a stern gun and forced the U-boat to dive, but broke in two and sank after being hit by a coup de grace at 0028 hrs on 3 October. The master, 33 crew members and six gunners were lost. Seven crew members were picked up from a lifeboat after seven days by DD USS CHARLES F HUGHES and landed at Reykjavik.
U-562 sank CAM Ship EMPIRE WAVE (UK 7463 grt) after she straggled behind the convoy. She was travelling empty, with a crew of 60 when lost. 33 of the crew would perish in the attack. At 0652 hours on 2 October 1941 the unescorted EMPIRE WAVE was torpedoed and sunk by U-562 about 500 miles east of Cape Farewell. The master, 19 crew members, five gunners and five other DEMS personnel (RDF and catapult operators) abandoned ship in one lifeboat, but they were never seen again after losing contact with the other lifeboat that contained 23 crew members, one gunner, one DEMS personnel and five RAF personnel. The men in the latter boat were picked up by the Icelandic trawler SURPRISE on 16 October and landed at St. Patrick's Fjord, Iceland. However, one man had died of exposure in the lifeboat and two other men died after being taken to a hospital at Reykjavik.
Close up of an unidentified CAM Ship
U-575 sank MV TUVA (NE 4652 grt) whilst she was on passage from Reykjavik to Florida, travelling empty with a crew of 35. 1 crewmember would be lost in the attack. At 0709 hrs, U-575 fired three torpedoes at the three ships in convoy ON19A (a subsection of ON-19 moving to joiun the main body from Reykjavik) and heard two detonations on a first ship and one detonation on a second. However, only TUVA was hit aft on the port side and sank in a short time after breaking in two. The crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats and two rafts, but had to left a man behind who was trapped under a piece of debris. The survivors were picked up after about one hour by RCN DD ST CROIX.
U-94 sank tkr SAN FLORENTINO (UK 12842 grt) after she straggled from the convoy. She was travelling empty at the time of her loss, with a crew of 58 aboard (23 of whom would perish). She was on passage from Glasgow to Curacao. At 2357 hrs the SAN FLORENTINO was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-94 SE of Cape Farewell. The tanker had been spotted at 1810 hrs and missed by a first torpedo at 2336 hrs, but continued after being hit while firing into the direction of the U-boat.
At 02.49 hrs on 2 October, the SAN FLORENTINO was hit in the bow by a torpedo, sending out radio signals in the clear of her position. She dropped fog buoys and continued. She even proceeded after being hit in the bow by a third torpedo at 04.26 hours and evaded another torpedo 25 minutes later, but broke in two at 0502 hours. The wreck was hit by a coup de grace at 0552 hours, that caused a boiler explosion. The bow remained afloat upright and the stern only sank slowly, so the U-boat fired 34 rounds from the deck gun into it and then left the area. Parts of the wreck were scuttled by gunfire by Corvette RCN ALBERNI. The master, 21 crew members and one gunner from SAN FLORENTINO were lost. 31 crew members and four gunners were picked up by Corvette RCN MAYFLOWER and landed at St. Johns.
UBOATS
Arrivals
Brest: U-373
Kiel: U-566
Lorient: U-205, U-572
At sea 02 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
33 Boats
OPERATIONS
North Sea
British steamer SOUTHPORT was damaged when she blown off the blocks by LW air attack in the Tyne Dock, South Shields.
CA SHROPSHIRE relieved CA LONDON in 74-50N, 56-00E at 0500 in convoy QP.1. CA LONDON returned to Archangel, arriving after midday of the 3rd.
DD ESCAPADE relieved DD ANTELOPE at 1700 in convoy PQ.1. ANTELOPE arrived at Seidisfjord on the 3rd to refuel. She departed at 1345 for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 4th.
West Coast
Convoy ON.22 departed Liverpool, escorted by DDs BROKE, MANSFIELD, and ST ALBANS, corvette EGLANTINE, and ASW trawlers COVENTRY CITY and KING SOL. DD WOLVERINE joined on the 4th. These escorts were relieved on the 7th by USN DDs DALLS, EBERLE, ELLIS, ERICSSON, and UPSHUR. The US ships were detached when the convoy was dispersed on the 15th.
SW Approaches
CL EDINBURGH and DDs COSSACK, ZULU, PIORUN, and GARLAND departed Gibraltar escorting British steamers LEINSTER and CITY OF DURBAN to England. EDINBURGH, GARLAND, and Polish troopship SOBIESKI arrived in the Clyde on the 10th. DDs COSSACK and ZULU were detached en route and met aircraft carrier ARGUS for escort to Gibraltar.
Convoy HG.74 departed Gibraltar escorted by DDs FORESIGHT and FORESTER, CVE AUDACITY, sloop DEPTFORD, and corvettes ARBUTUS, CONVOLVULUS, COWSLIP, MARIGOLD, PENSTEMON, RHODODENDRON, and VETCH. DDs FORESIGHT and FORESTER were detached and DDs DUNCAN and ROCKINGHAM departed Gibraltar on 4 October and joined on the 6th. Sloop ENCHANTRESS, escort vessel HARTLAND, and corvette VERVAIN joined on the 8th. DD DUNCAN was detached on the 9th. On the 8th, convoy SL.88 rendezvoused with the convoy. DD BLANKNEY and ocean boarding vessel CORINTHIAN joined the convoy on the 9th and were detached on the 11th. DD ROCKINGHAM was detached on the 12th and sloop ENCHATRESS was detached on the 17th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 18th.
Med/Biscay
The Med Flt was at sea from Alexandria for exercises. The Fleet returned to Alexandria on the 3rd.
An Italian convoy of steamers CASTELLON (Ger 2086 grt) and SAVONA departed Naples on 29 September escorted by TBs CALLIOPE and PEGASO for Tripoli.
n the 2nd, submarine PERSEUS sank steamer CASTELLON 10 miles 311° from Benghazi in 32-30N, 19-09E. Attacks on steamer SAVONA were unsuccessful. Sub UTMOST made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer in 37-53N, 12-05E.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Submarines TRUSTY and UPHOLDER arrived at Malta after patrol off Cape Vito and Naples.
ASW trawler KLO reported being attacked by a submarine off Alexandria. However DDs KANDAHAR and JAGUAR were unable to find any contact. ASW trawler LYDIARD attacked a submarine contact off Haifa. The trawler was joined by DD VENDETTA and corvette HYACINTH, without success. The DD and the corvette returned to port on the 3rd.
A. S. I. S. ship CHURRUCA was sunk due to an accidental explosion at Alexandria. The cargo and the ship were later salved.
Operation Halberd
At 0130 on 2 October, light cruiser EDINBURGH and destroyers PIORUN and GARLAND departed Gibraltar for the UK, escorting steamers LEINSTER and CITY OF PRETORIA. They were escorted locally by destroyers COSSACK and ZULU, which then joined aircraft carrier ARGUS and escorted her to Gibraltar.
Pacific/Australia
IJN submarine I.61 was lost in an accidental collision with a gunboat off Iki Island, 33-40N, 129-40E. The entire crew of seventy were lost on the submarine. In February 1942, the submarine was salved and broken up at Sasebo.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 2 OCTOBER TO DAWN 3 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Heavy thunderstorm overnight, with torrential rain.
No air raids.
OPERATIONS REPORTS THURSDAY 2 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Trusty and Upholder returned from patrol off Cape Vito and Naples: enemy battle fleet was not sighted.
AIR HQ Departures 2 Beaufighter. 69 Squadron Maryland patrol east Sicilian coast
Known Reinforcements
Axis
S-Boats DKM S-63, S-64
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Type VIIc DKM U-377
Type VIIc DKM U-590
Acciaio class Submarine RM PLATINO
Sister ship VOLFRAMIO
Allied
Avenger Class CVE HMS CHARGER (D-27)
CHARGER was transferred to the RN on completion but returned to the US Navy on 4 October 1941 just two days after being commissioned.
Flower Class Corvette HMCS LOUISBURG (K-143)
Fairmile B ML 282
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Losses
Convoy ON-19
U-431 sank the MV HATASU (UK 3198 grt) after she became a straggler. She was on passage from Manchester to New York, travelling empty with a crew of 47. 40 crew members were to perish in the attack. At 2345 hrs the unescorted HATASU was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-431 about 540 miles NE of Cape Race. The ship opened fire with a stern gun and forced the U-boat to dive, but broke in two and sank after being hit by a coup de grace at 0028 hrs on 3 October. The master, 33 crew members and six gunners were lost. Seven crew members were picked up from a lifeboat after seven days by DD USS CHARLES F HUGHES and landed at Reykjavik.
U-562 sank CAM Ship EMPIRE WAVE (UK 7463 grt) after she straggled behind the convoy. She was travelling empty, with a crew of 60 when lost. 33 of the crew would perish in the attack. At 0652 hours on 2 October 1941 the unescorted EMPIRE WAVE was torpedoed and sunk by U-562 about 500 miles east of Cape Farewell. The master, 19 crew members, five gunners and five other DEMS personnel (RDF and catapult operators) abandoned ship in one lifeboat, but they were never seen again after losing contact with the other lifeboat that contained 23 crew members, one gunner, one DEMS personnel and five RAF personnel. The men in the latter boat were picked up by the Icelandic trawler SURPRISE on 16 October and landed at St. Patrick's Fjord, Iceland. However, one man had died of exposure in the lifeboat and two other men died after being taken to a hospital at Reykjavik.
Close up of an unidentified CAM Ship
U-575 sank MV TUVA (NE 4652 grt) whilst she was on passage from Reykjavik to Florida, travelling empty with a crew of 35. 1 crewmember would be lost in the attack. At 0709 hrs, U-575 fired three torpedoes at the three ships in convoy ON19A (a subsection of ON-19 moving to joiun the main body from Reykjavik) and heard two detonations on a first ship and one detonation on a second. However, only TUVA was hit aft on the port side and sank in a short time after breaking in two. The crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats and two rafts, but had to left a man behind who was trapped under a piece of debris. The survivors were picked up after about one hour by RCN DD ST CROIX.
U-94 sank tkr SAN FLORENTINO (UK 12842 grt) after she straggled from the convoy. She was travelling empty at the time of her loss, with a crew of 58 aboard (23 of whom would perish). She was on passage from Glasgow to Curacao. At 2357 hrs the SAN FLORENTINO was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-94 SE of Cape Farewell. The tanker had been spotted at 1810 hrs and missed by a first torpedo at 2336 hrs, but continued after being hit while firing into the direction of the U-boat.
At 02.49 hrs on 2 October, the SAN FLORENTINO was hit in the bow by a torpedo, sending out radio signals in the clear of her position. She dropped fog buoys and continued. She even proceeded after being hit in the bow by a third torpedo at 04.26 hours and evaded another torpedo 25 minutes later, but broke in two at 0502 hours. The wreck was hit by a coup de grace at 0552 hours, that caused a boiler explosion. The bow remained afloat upright and the stern only sank slowly, so the U-boat fired 34 rounds from the deck gun into it and then left the area. Parts of the wreck were scuttled by gunfire by Corvette RCN ALBERNI. The master, 21 crew members and one gunner from SAN FLORENTINO were lost. 31 crew members and four gunners were picked up by Corvette RCN MAYFLOWER and landed at St. Johns.
UBOATS
Arrivals
Brest: U-373
Kiel: U-566
Lorient: U-205, U-572
At sea 02 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
33 Boats
OPERATIONS
North Sea
British steamer SOUTHPORT was damaged when she blown off the blocks by LW air attack in the Tyne Dock, South Shields.
CA SHROPSHIRE relieved CA LONDON in 74-50N, 56-00E at 0500 in convoy QP.1. CA LONDON returned to Archangel, arriving after midday of the 3rd.
DD ESCAPADE relieved DD ANTELOPE at 1700 in convoy PQ.1. ANTELOPE arrived at Seidisfjord on the 3rd to refuel. She departed at 1345 for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 4th.
West Coast
Convoy ON.22 departed Liverpool, escorted by DDs BROKE, MANSFIELD, and ST ALBANS, corvette EGLANTINE, and ASW trawlers COVENTRY CITY and KING SOL. DD WOLVERINE joined on the 4th. These escorts were relieved on the 7th by USN DDs DALLS, EBERLE, ELLIS, ERICSSON, and UPSHUR. The US ships were detached when the convoy was dispersed on the 15th.
SW Approaches
CL EDINBURGH and DDs COSSACK, ZULU, PIORUN, and GARLAND departed Gibraltar escorting British steamers LEINSTER and CITY OF DURBAN to England. EDINBURGH, GARLAND, and Polish troopship SOBIESKI arrived in the Clyde on the 10th. DDs COSSACK and ZULU were detached en route and met aircraft carrier ARGUS for escort to Gibraltar.
Convoy HG.74 departed Gibraltar escorted by DDs FORESIGHT and FORESTER, CVE AUDACITY, sloop DEPTFORD, and corvettes ARBUTUS, CONVOLVULUS, COWSLIP, MARIGOLD, PENSTEMON, RHODODENDRON, and VETCH. DDs FORESIGHT and FORESTER were detached and DDs DUNCAN and ROCKINGHAM departed Gibraltar on 4 October and joined on the 6th. Sloop ENCHANTRESS, escort vessel HARTLAND, and corvette VERVAIN joined on the 8th. DD DUNCAN was detached on the 9th. On the 8th, convoy SL.88 rendezvoused with the convoy. DD BLANKNEY and ocean boarding vessel CORINTHIAN joined the convoy on the 9th and were detached on the 11th. DD ROCKINGHAM was detached on the 12th and sloop ENCHATRESS was detached on the 17th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 18th.
Med/Biscay
The Med Flt was at sea from Alexandria for exercises. The Fleet returned to Alexandria on the 3rd.
An Italian convoy of steamers CASTELLON (Ger 2086 grt) and SAVONA departed Naples on 29 September escorted by TBs CALLIOPE and PEGASO for Tripoli.
n the 2nd, submarine PERSEUS sank steamer CASTELLON 10 miles 311° from Benghazi in 32-30N, 19-09E. Attacks on steamer SAVONA were unsuccessful. Sub UTMOST made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer in 37-53N, 12-05E.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Submarines TRUSTY and UPHOLDER arrived at Malta after patrol off Cape Vito and Naples.
ASW trawler KLO reported being attacked by a submarine off Alexandria. However DDs KANDAHAR and JAGUAR were unable to find any contact. ASW trawler LYDIARD attacked a submarine contact off Haifa. The trawler was joined by DD VENDETTA and corvette HYACINTH, without success. The DD and the corvette returned to port on the 3rd.
A. S. I. S. ship CHURRUCA was sunk due to an accidental explosion at Alexandria. The cargo and the ship were later salved.
Operation Halberd
At 0130 on 2 October, light cruiser EDINBURGH and destroyers PIORUN and GARLAND departed Gibraltar for the UK, escorting steamers LEINSTER and CITY OF PRETORIA. They were escorted locally by destroyers COSSACK and ZULU, which then joined aircraft carrier ARGUS and escorted her to Gibraltar.
Pacific/Australia
IJN submarine I.61 was lost in an accidental collision with a gunboat off Iki Island, 33-40N, 129-40E. The entire crew of seventy were lost on the submarine. In February 1942, the submarine was salved and broken up at Sasebo.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 2 OCTOBER TO DAWN 3 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Heavy thunderstorm overnight, with torrential rain.
No air raids.
OPERATIONS REPORTS THURSDAY 2 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Trusty and Upholder returned from patrol off Cape Vito and Naples: enemy battle fleet was not sighted.
AIR HQ Departures 2 Beaufighter. 69 Squadron Maryland patrol east Sicilian coast
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
Halder's Diary 2 October 1941
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
03 OCTOBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
MTB 71
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
UBOATS
At sea 03 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
33 Boats
OPERATIONS
North Sea
DD VIVACIOUS was damaged by LW attacks in the Nth Sea. The DD's steering engine was damaged. VIVACIOUS was repaired at Immingham completing in November.
DD MENDIP, escorting convoy FS.615, drove off DKM S Boats attempting to attack the convoy.
West Coast
CV INDOMITABLE (not yet commissioned) arrived in the Clyde to work up.
Convoy OS.8 departed Liverpool, escorted by sloop FLEETWOOD. The sloop was detached off Freetown on the 25th. On4 October, sloops BLACK SWAN and SANDWICH and naval trawler BURRA joined the convoy. Trawler BURRA was detached on the 9th, sloop SANDWICH on the 20th, and sloop BLACK SWAN on the 25th. On the 5th, sloop SCARBOROUGH joined the escort and was detached on the 21st. Corvettes ARMERIA, ASTER, CYCLAMEN, and STARWORT joined the escort on the 20th and escorted the convoy into Freetown, arriving on the 26th.
Med/Biscay
Corvette PEONY proceeded to Akrotiri Bay, Cyprus, to act as a Q ship against submarines.
Steamer YALOVA (Ger 3750 grt), which had been previously damaged by submarine TETRARCH on 28 September, was sunk by submarine TALISMAN south of Piraeus.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Dutch submarine O.21 sank steamer OUED YQUEM (Vichy 1369 grt) off Sardinia..
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Submarine PERSEUS made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer off Benghazi.
Submarine UTMOST arrived at Malta after patrol north of Messina.
Central Atlantic
German supply ship KLARA (ex-KOTA PINANG, 7277grt) was sighted north of the Azores by CL KENYA's Walrus aircraft in 42-26N, 24-30W. The German ship was intercepted and sunk by the cruiser.
Presence of submarine U.129 with the supply ship made stopping for survivors inadvisable. Four boatloads of survivors were left in company of the submarine, which picked up one hundred and nineteen survivors. The survivors were transferred to a Spanish tug on the 6th.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 3 OCTOBER TO DAWN 4 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Storms.
No air raids.
OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Utmost returned from patrol north of Messina. Enemy cruisers were sighted, butUtmost was nearly rammed by a destroyer and could not attack. A 5000 ton merchant vessel was hit off Marittimo.
AIR HQ Departures 1 Beaufighter, 2 Wellington. 69 Squadron Maryland patrols east Tunisian coast and three special patrols. 107 Squadron 8 Blenheims attacked Marina di Catanzaro. Fleet Air Arm 2 Fulmars on offensive patrol over Trapani and Marsala machine-gunned floatplanes and bombed hangars and slipways. At Trapani a JU 87 is attacked and badly damaged. On the return journey one Fulmar dive-bombed warehouses at Licata.
Known Reinforcements
Allied
MTB 71
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
UBOATS
At sea 03 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
33 Boats
OPERATIONS
North Sea
DD VIVACIOUS was damaged by LW attacks in the Nth Sea. The DD's steering engine was damaged. VIVACIOUS was repaired at Immingham completing in November.
DD MENDIP, escorting convoy FS.615, drove off DKM S Boats attempting to attack the convoy.
West Coast
CV INDOMITABLE (not yet commissioned) arrived in the Clyde to work up.
Convoy OS.8 departed Liverpool, escorted by sloop FLEETWOOD. The sloop was detached off Freetown on the 25th. On4 October, sloops BLACK SWAN and SANDWICH and naval trawler BURRA joined the convoy. Trawler BURRA was detached on the 9th, sloop SANDWICH on the 20th, and sloop BLACK SWAN on the 25th. On the 5th, sloop SCARBOROUGH joined the escort and was detached on the 21st. Corvettes ARMERIA, ASTER, CYCLAMEN, and STARWORT joined the escort on the 20th and escorted the convoy into Freetown, arriving on the 26th.
Med/Biscay
Corvette PEONY proceeded to Akrotiri Bay, Cyprus, to act as a Q ship against submarines.
Steamer YALOVA (Ger 3750 grt), which had been previously damaged by submarine TETRARCH on 28 September, was sunk by submarine TALISMAN south of Piraeus.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Dutch submarine O.21 sank steamer OUED YQUEM (Vichy 1369 grt) off Sardinia..
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Submarine PERSEUS made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer off Benghazi.
Submarine UTMOST arrived at Malta after patrol north of Messina.
Central Atlantic
German supply ship KLARA (ex-KOTA PINANG, 7277grt) was sighted north of the Azores by CL KENYA's Walrus aircraft in 42-26N, 24-30W. The German ship was intercepted and sunk by the cruiser.
Presence of submarine U.129 with the supply ship made stopping for survivors inadvisable. Four boatloads of survivors were left in company of the submarine, which picked up one hundred and nineteen survivors. The survivors were transferred to a Spanish tug on the 6th.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 3 OCTOBER TO DAWN 4 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Storms.
No air raids.
OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Utmost returned from patrol north of Messina. Enemy cruisers were sighted, butUtmost was nearly rammed by a destroyer and could not attack. A 5000 ton merchant vessel was hit off Marittimo.
AIR HQ Departures 1 Beaufighter, 2 Wellington. 69 Squadron Maryland patrols east Tunisian coast and three special patrols. 107 Squadron 8 Blenheims attacked Marina di Catanzaro. Fleet Air Arm 2 Fulmars on offensive patrol over Trapani and Marsala machine-gunned floatplanes and bombed hangars and slipways. At Trapani a JU 87 is attacked and badly damaged. On the return journey one Fulmar dive-bombed warehouses at Licata.
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
Halder's Diary 3 October 1941
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #2,173
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
October 4 Saturday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-129 picked up 119 survivors of German supply ship "Klara", sunken by British cruiser HMS "Kenya" on the previous day, 300 miles northeast of the Azores islands.
British anti-submarine trawler HMS "Lady Shirley" forced German submarine U-111 to the surface with depth charges 225 miles west of Tenerife, Canary Islands. U-111's crew scuttled the submarine after a brief gunfire exchange; U-111 suffered 8 killed and 44 captured, while HMS "Lady Shirley" suffered 1 killed.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Hoeppner's 4.Panzergruppe attacks near Vyasma from the south. Hoth's forces in the north are still battling the Soviet line between Vyasma and Rzhev. On the right wing of the attack, General Guderian's forces are approaching Orel and Bryansk. Large numbers of Soviet troops are in danger of encirclement. As Soviet Western Front falls back along the main Smolensk/Moscow road in the face of Army Group Center's attack, Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe bypasses them to the North while Hoepner's 4.Panzergruppe advances from the South (capturing the cities of Kirov and Spa-Demensk). The German aim is a massive double encirclement, converging on Vyasma, to trap the Soviet Western Front (31 rifle Divisions, 3 cavalry Divisions, 2 motorized Divisions and 3 tank Brigades, under Lieutenant-General Ivan Konev). Three German infantry Armies follow behind the Panzers to fence in Soviet troops for the coming battle of annihilation. Soviet Group Boldin continues with its counterattack against Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe. 3.Panzergruppe, stung by the attacks of Boldin's tanks, slows the Russian, and continues their advance on a less difficult axis. 4.Panzergruppe completes the destruction of the Soviet 43rd army and shatters the 33rd Army as it advances east. These attacks created a 90 mile gap in the Soviet lines between the Bryansk and Reserve Fronts. The 10.Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Lieutenant General F-W von Loeper), in the van of the attack, reached Vyasma. Once again, vast numbers of Soviet troops are threatened with encirclement and Stalin repeats the mistake of Kiev and refuses to allow a withdrawal. The German troops continued to advance toward Vyasma to complete the envelopment.
Finnish Army of Karelia attacks Soviet 7th Army along the Svir River. A Finnish unit refuses to cross Svir under enemy fire. Same event repeats itself following day. Morale is beginning to shake among the troops, because war was to be short.
The fighter pilots of JG 27 have a very successful day against the Soviets. In the morning, Ofhr. Hans Osswald of 9./JG 27 gets his first kill when he destroys a Soviet I-18 south of Andrejewskoye. Later Fw. Erich Wassermann of 7./ JG 27 gets his eighth kill when he downs a Russian SB-2 west of Grodno. But the most victorious pilot of JG 27 is Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 who downs three Russian planes - a DB-3, a SB-2 and a Pe-2 - throughout the day to bring his score to sixty kills. At 1045 hours Ofw. Erwin Sallwisch of Stab/JG 27 destroys two Russian I-18 aircraft then at 1355 hours he destroys two more to bring his total for the day at four Russian aircraft. In the morning, fighters from JG 54 engage several Soviet aircraft. Oblt. Hannes Trautloft of Stab. JG 54 downs a Russian I-26. Oblt. Günther Scholz and Lt. Alfred Pentenreider, both of 7./JG 54 each down a Russian I-18.
On this date The Jager Report (issued on 1 Dec 1941) noted that 432 adult male, 1,115 adult female, and 436 children, all Jews, were killed in Vilnius, Lithuania for a total of 1,983 people.
In the occupied town of Kovno, doctors, nurses and patients in the Jewish ghetto hospital are locked in the building and it is set on fire. Several people attempted to escape and were shot down.
NKVD notifies Stalin it has obtained copy of British report on atomic weapons.
MEDITERRANEAN: British anti-submarine trawler HMS "Whippet" was sunk by German bombing 30 miles north of Bardia, Libya, killing 1. British submarine HMS "Talisman" sank French ship "Theophile Gautier" in a convoy from Crete to the Greek mainland.
Kriegsmarine U-boats begin patrolling Allied supply routes from Alexandria to Tobruk.
NORTH AFRICA: RAF bombers attack Benghazi.
NORTH AMERICA: Jacqueline Cochran, America's most famous living woman pilot and a "tactical consultant" in Ferry Command Headquarters, has been requesting the US Army Air Corps begin using women pilots in national defense. Cochran submits proposal for a women's pilot division of the Air Corps Ferrying Command to Col. Olds. Olds disagrees, feeling that she has overstepped her authority, with specifics of how she feels women should be organized and who would be in charge. Today, Cochran goes over Col. Olds and writes Gen Arnold about a previous meeting with Pres and Mrs. Roosevelt, and requests meeting with him.
NORTHERN FRONT: Norwegians were warned by their German occupiers that they would face starvation if anti-Nazi unrest continued.
PACIFIC OCEAN: US Navy awarded a contract to build Dock No. 4 and a 20,000-kilowatt bomb-proof power plant at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii.
New Zealand Parliament passed a bill guaranteeing free medical care for all citizens.
.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-129 picked up 119 survivors of German supply ship "Klara", sunken by British cruiser HMS "Kenya" on the previous day, 300 miles northeast of the Azores islands.
British anti-submarine trawler HMS "Lady Shirley" forced German submarine U-111 to the surface with depth charges 225 miles west of Tenerife, Canary Islands. U-111's crew scuttled the submarine after a brief gunfire exchange; U-111 suffered 8 killed and 44 captured, while HMS "Lady Shirley" suffered 1 killed.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: Hoeppner's 4.Panzergruppe attacks near Vyasma from the south. Hoth's forces in the north are still battling the Soviet line between Vyasma and Rzhev. On the right wing of the attack, General Guderian's forces are approaching Orel and Bryansk. Large numbers of Soviet troops are in danger of encirclement. As Soviet Western Front falls back along the main Smolensk/Moscow road in the face of Army Group Center's attack, Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe bypasses them to the North while Hoepner's 4.Panzergruppe advances from the South (capturing the cities of Kirov and Spa-Demensk). The German aim is a massive double encirclement, converging on Vyasma, to trap the Soviet Western Front (31 rifle Divisions, 3 cavalry Divisions, 2 motorized Divisions and 3 tank Brigades, under Lieutenant-General Ivan Konev). Three German infantry Armies follow behind the Panzers to fence in Soviet troops for the coming battle of annihilation. Soviet Group Boldin continues with its counterattack against Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe. 3.Panzergruppe, stung by the attacks of Boldin's tanks, slows the Russian, and continues their advance on a less difficult axis. 4.Panzergruppe completes the destruction of the Soviet 43rd army and shatters the 33rd Army as it advances east. These attacks created a 90 mile gap in the Soviet lines between the Bryansk and Reserve Fronts. The 10.Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Lieutenant General F-W von Loeper), in the van of the attack, reached Vyasma. Once again, vast numbers of Soviet troops are threatened with encirclement and Stalin repeats the mistake of Kiev and refuses to allow a withdrawal. The German troops continued to advance toward Vyasma to complete the envelopment.
Finnish Army of Karelia attacks Soviet 7th Army along the Svir River. A Finnish unit refuses to cross Svir under enemy fire. Same event repeats itself following day. Morale is beginning to shake among the troops, because war was to be short.
The fighter pilots of JG 27 have a very successful day against the Soviets. In the morning, Ofhr. Hans Osswald of 9./JG 27 gets his first kill when he destroys a Soviet I-18 south of Andrejewskoye. Later Fw. Erich Wassermann of 7./ JG 27 gets his eighth kill when he downs a Russian SB-2 west of Grodno. But the most victorious pilot of JG 27 is Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 who downs three Russian planes - a DB-3, a SB-2 and a Pe-2 - throughout the day to bring his score to sixty kills. At 1045 hours Ofw. Erwin Sallwisch of Stab/JG 27 destroys two Russian I-18 aircraft then at 1355 hours he destroys two more to bring his total for the day at four Russian aircraft. In the morning, fighters from JG 54 engage several Soviet aircraft. Oblt. Hannes Trautloft of Stab. JG 54 downs a Russian I-26. Oblt. Günther Scholz and Lt. Alfred Pentenreider, both of 7./JG 54 each down a Russian I-18.
On this date The Jager Report (issued on 1 Dec 1941) noted that 432 adult male, 1,115 adult female, and 436 children, all Jews, were killed in Vilnius, Lithuania for a total of 1,983 people.
In the occupied town of Kovno, doctors, nurses and patients in the Jewish ghetto hospital are locked in the building and it is set on fire. Several people attempted to escape and were shot down.
NKVD notifies Stalin it has obtained copy of British report on atomic weapons.
MEDITERRANEAN: British anti-submarine trawler HMS "Whippet" was sunk by German bombing 30 miles north of Bardia, Libya, killing 1. British submarine HMS "Talisman" sank French ship "Theophile Gautier" in a convoy from Crete to the Greek mainland.
Kriegsmarine U-boats begin patrolling Allied supply routes from Alexandria to Tobruk.
NORTH AFRICA: RAF bombers attack Benghazi.
NORTH AMERICA: Jacqueline Cochran, America's most famous living woman pilot and a "tactical consultant" in Ferry Command Headquarters, has been requesting the US Army Air Corps begin using women pilots in national defense. Cochran submits proposal for a women's pilot division of the Air Corps Ferrying Command to Col. Olds. Olds disagrees, feeling that she has overstepped her authority, with specifics of how she feels women should be organized and who would be in charge. Today, Cochran goes over Col. Olds and writes Gen Arnold about a previous meeting with Pres and Mrs. Roosevelt, and requests meeting with him.
NORTHERN FRONT: Norwegians were warned by their German occupiers that they would face starvation if anti-Nazi unrest continued.
PACIFIC OCEAN: US Navy awarded a contract to build Dock No. 4 and a 20,000-kilowatt bomb-proof power plant at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii.
New Zealand Parliament passed a bill guaranteeing free medical care for all citizens.
.
Crimea_River
Marshal
The picture of Ronnie Foster reminds me that Inglis, which was a producer of home appliances, also produced .303 Brownings, one of which we have for our Hurricane restoration.
parsifal
Colonel
04 OCTOBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXc DKM U-159
U-159 under air attack from a USN PBM Mariner a/c in the Caribbean 28 July 1943. The boat was lost in this attack, with all hands lost.
Type VIIc DKM U-252
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMCS KAMSACK (K-171)
Losses
Type IXb U-111 (DKM 1051 grt) was lost from DC and gunfire attacks from ASW trawler HMS LADY SHIRLEY, with the loss of 8 dead and 44 survivors. Four crew on the trawler were wounded by machine gun fire from the submarine. The commanding officer and five ratings were killed in the U-Boat. Forty five survivors were picked up; one died of wounds. Returning to Gibraltar, the trawler was met by destroyer LANCE on the 8th. The destroyer escorted trawler LADY SHIRLEY into Gibraltar, arriving on the 9th.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
UBOATS
Departures
Brest: U-563
St. Nazaire: U-101
At Sea 04 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-101, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-563, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
34 Boats
OPERATIONS
East Front
Arctic
CA LONDON departed Archangel and arrived at Scapa Flow on the 9th.
North Sea
DD HURWORTH departed the Tyne for Scapa Flow to work up. The DD called at Rosyth and departed on the 5th. DD HURWORTH spent the night at Methil and departed on the 6th. She was delayed by thick fog and anchored in LochEribol on the 7th.
DD EXPRESS departed the Humber for Scapa Flow to work up after long repairs
Northern Patrol
BB KING GEORGE V and DDs ASHANTI, MATABELE, and SOMALI departed Hvalfjord for Akureyri (a harbor on the nth coast of Iceland. CV VICTORIOUS, CL PENELOPE and DDs ASHANTI, PUNJABI, and MATABELE in company. The Ships arrived on the 5th. CL AURORA departed Hvalfjord and proceeded to Seidisfjordur (on the east coast of Iceland) arriving the next day.
Submarine P.35 was to support EJ, but was ordered to patrol west of Utsire.
West Coast
Convoy ON.23 departed Liverpool. The convoy was joined on the 5th by DDs MALCOLM, SARDONYX, and WATCHMAN, corvettes ARABIS, ARROWHEAD, CELANDINE, DAHLIA, MONKSHOOD, and PETUNA, and ASW trawlers LADY ELSA, NORTHERN GEM, NORTHERN PRIDE, and NORTHERN WAVE. DD SARDONYX and the trawlers were detached on the 9th. DDs BROWADWAY and BURWELL and corvettes BRANDON, BUCHTOUCHE, COBALT, and GALt joined on the 10th. Corvette BRANDON was detached later that day with DD MALCOLM and corvette PETUNIA. DD WATCHMAN and corvette CELANDINE were detached on the 11th. Corvettes ARROWHEAD and BUCTOUCHE were detached on the 17th and DDs BROADWAY and BURWELL on the 18th. The convoy arrived at Halifax on the 19th with corvettes COBALT and GALT.
Western Approaches
MSW BRAMBLE departed Belfast for Scapa Flow to await the sailing of convoy PQ.2. The ship arrived at Scapa Flow on the 5th.
Med/Biscay
Submarine THORN departed Gibraltar for Malta, arriving on the 10th.
On the 3rd, a convoy of Italian tanker TORCELLO and Vichy liner THEOPHILE GAUTIER, escorted by TBs MONZAMBANO, CALATAFIMI, and ALDEBARAN, departed Salonika for Piraeus. Submarine TALISMAN sank Liner THEOPHILE GAUTIER (Vichy 8194 grt) in the Aegean in Doro Channel.
Submarine UPRIGHT arrived at Malta from patrol.
Submarine REGENT departed Malta on short notice to intercept an Italian convoy east of Tripoli.
Polish submarine SOKOL departed Malta on short notice to search for a crew of a missing Blenheim. The search was unsuccessful and the submarine arrived back at Malta on the 6th. The aircrew was later rescued off Djerba.
A submarine was reported by aircraft north of Bardia in 33-00N, 25-30E steering towards Alexandria. DDs KIPLING, GRIFFIN, JUPITER, and HOTSPUR departed Alexandria on the 5th and were ordered to search the area.
MSW ABERDARE departed Alexandria with twelve torpedoes for the Fleet Air Arm at Cyprus. After delivering the torpedoes, the MSW relieved MSW BAGSHOT at Beirut.
ASW whaler WHIPPET (RN 353 grt) (ex-KOS XXI), towing a D lighter, was sunk by the LW whilst on passage to Tobruk.
The whaler was in company with MSW whaler SVANA. Four survivors reached Tobruk in SVANA. The remainder of the crew returned in the D lighter to Mersa Matruh. T/Sub Lt (E) A. Hodgson RNVR, lost on the whaler, was the only fatality in the loss.
CLA COVENTRY was withdrawn from the Suez Escort Force and passed through the Canal for Alexandria. This was in preparation in leaving for repairs at Bombay.
Sth Atlantic
DD CORRIENTES (Argentine 1375 grt) was sunk in a collision with CA ALMIRANTE BROWN during fleet maneuvers off Tierra del Fuego.
Sister ship BUENOS AIRES
Pacific/Australia
RNZN CL ACHILLES departed Suva to search for raiders with RAN CL ADELAIDE and AMC MONOWAI. ADELAIDE was detached on the 6th for escort duties. ACHILLES and MONOWAI returned to Auckland on the 10th.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 4 OCTOBER TO DAWN 5 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Fine, some cloud.
AM Air raid alert for six enemy aircraft heading towards Malta from the north. Eight Hurricanes 185 Squadron are scrambled and circle over the Island. The raiders turn away without crossing the coast and there is no engagement. One fighter of P/O Veitch crashes into the sea one mile from Benghaisa Point. The rescue launch conducts a search and finds only wreckage. It is thought the crash may have been caused by a failure in the oxygen supply.
1547-1610 hrs Air raid alert for 15 enemy aircraft approaching the Island. 13 Hurricanes (two 185 Squadron and eleven 249 Squadron) are scrambled but the raiders retire towards Sicily and there is no engagement.
1613-1620 hrs Air raid alert for the same formation which turns back towards Malta before circling away again.
1747-1758 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft approaching the Island. 13 Hurricanes (two 185 Squadron and eleven 249 Squadron) are scrambled but the raiders turn away before any interception.
0200 hrs Summer time ends. All clocks put back one hour.
0310-0400 hrs Air raid alert for two enemy aircraft which approach the Island singly. One crosses over Gozo, dropping bombs in the sea. The second crosses the coast of Malta and drops 50kg high explosive bombs between on the Safi area causing damage to civilian property and four civilian casualties. Two Malta Night Fighters are scrambled. One of the raiders is spotted by moonlight at 800 yards range but retreats rapidly and there is no engagement.
0512-0523 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches and drops bombs in the sea south of the Island. Searchlights illuminate the raider but it stays away from the coast and guns do not engage.
OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Upright returned from patrol off Rasocolino, where she sank a small destroyer and sighted two U boats. Regent sailed at short notice to intercept convoy east of Tripoli. Sokol also sailed at short notice to search for the crew of a missing Blenheim. Two Swordfish carried out an anti-submarine patrol for enemy submarines reported in vicinity of Malta, but without result.
AIR HQ Departures 1 Beaufighter, 4 Blenheim, 1 Maryland. 38 Squadron 11 Wellingtons attacked a convoy in the south Ionian Sea. 69 Squadron Marylands photoreconnaissance Tripoli, patrols central Ionian Sea, east Sicilian coast and special search for a convoy. 107 Squadron 8 Blenheims attacked Zuara Sgt Hamlyn (with Sgt Latter and Sgt Williams) was attacked by Italian CR 42 fighters and ditched in the sea. An air and sea search has been mounted. 830 Squadron Fleet air Arm 7 Swordfish attacked a convoy off the coast of Tripoli leaving two merchant vessels sinking and a damaging a third.
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXc DKM U-159
U-159 under air attack from a USN PBM Mariner a/c in the Caribbean 28 July 1943. The boat was lost in this attack, with all hands lost.
Type VIIc DKM U-252
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMCS KAMSACK (K-171)
Losses
Type IXb U-111 (DKM 1051 grt) was lost from DC and gunfire attacks from ASW trawler HMS LADY SHIRLEY, with the loss of 8 dead and 44 survivors. Four crew on the trawler were wounded by machine gun fire from the submarine. The commanding officer and five ratings were killed in the U-Boat. Forty five survivors were picked up; one died of wounds. Returning to Gibraltar, the trawler was met by destroyer LANCE on the 8th. The destroyer escorted trawler LADY SHIRLEY into Gibraltar, arriving on the 9th.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
UBOATS
Departures
Brest: U-563
St. Nazaire: U-101
At Sea 04 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-101, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-563, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
34 Boats
OPERATIONS
East Front
Arctic
CA LONDON departed Archangel and arrived at Scapa Flow on the 9th.
North Sea
DD HURWORTH departed the Tyne for Scapa Flow to work up. The DD called at Rosyth and departed on the 5th. DD HURWORTH spent the night at Methil and departed on the 6th. She was delayed by thick fog and anchored in LochEribol on the 7th.
DD EXPRESS departed the Humber for Scapa Flow to work up after long repairs
Northern Patrol
BB KING GEORGE V and DDs ASHANTI, MATABELE, and SOMALI departed Hvalfjord for Akureyri (a harbor on the nth coast of Iceland. CV VICTORIOUS, CL PENELOPE and DDs ASHANTI, PUNJABI, and MATABELE in company. The Ships arrived on the 5th. CL AURORA departed Hvalfjord and proceeded to Seidisfjordur (on the east coast of Iceland) arriving the next day.
Submarine P.35 was to support EJ, but was ordered to patrol west of Utsire.
West Coast
Convoy ON.23 departed Liverpool. The convoy was joined on the 5th by DDs MALCOLM, SARDONYX, and WATCHMAN, corvettes ARABIS, ARROWHEAD, CELANDINE, DAHLIA, MONKSHOOD, and PETUNA, and ASW trawlers LADY ELSA, NORTHERN GEM, NORTHERN PRIDE, and NORTHERN WAVE. DD SARDONYX and the trawlers were detached on the 9th. DDs BROWADWAY and BURWELL and corvettes BRANDON, BUCHTOUCHE, COBALT, and GALt joined on the 10th. Corvette BRANDON was detached later that day with DD MALCOLM and corvette PETUNIA. DD WATCHMAN and corvette CELANDINE were detached on the 11th. Corvettes ARROWHEAD and BUCTOUCHE were detached on the 17th and DDs BROADWAY and BURWELL on the 18th. The convoy arrived at Halifax on the 19th with corvettes COBALT and GALT.
Western Approaches
MSW BRAMBLE departed Belfast for Scapa Flow to await the sailing of convoy PQ.2. The ship arrived at Scapa Flow on the 5th.
Med/Biscay
Submarine THORN departed Gibraltar for Malta, arriving on the 10th.
On the 3rd, a convoy of Italian tanker TORCELLO and Vichy liner THEOPHILE GAUTIER, escorted by TBs MONZAMBANO, CALATAFIMI, and ALDEBARAN, departed Salonika for Piraeus. Submarine TALISMAN sank Liner THEOPHILE GAUTIER (Vichy 8194 grt) in the Aegean in Doro Channel.
Submarine UPRIGHT arrived at Malta from patrol.
Submarine REGENT departed Malta on short notice to intercept an Italian convoy east of Tripoli.
Polish submarine SOKOL departed Malta on short notice to search for a crew of a missing Blenheim. The search was unsuccessful and the submarine arrived back at Malta on the 6th. The aircrew was later rescued off Djerba.
A submarine was reported by aircraft north of Bardia in 33-00N, 25-30E steering towards Alexandria. DDs KIPLING, GRIFFIN, JUPITER, and HOTSPUR departed Alexandria on the 5th and were ordered to search the area.
MSW ABERDARE departed Alexandria with twelve torpedoes for the Fleet Air Arm at Cyprus. After delivering the torpedoes, the MSW relieved MSW BAGSHOT at Beirut.
ASW whaler WHIPPET (RN 353 grt) (ex-KOS XXI), towing a D lighter, was sunk by the LW whilst on passage to Tobruk.
The whaler was in company with MSW whaler SVANA. Four survivors reached Tobruk in SVANA. The remainder of the crew returned in the D lighter to Mersa Matruh. T/Sub Lt (E) A. Hodgson RNVR, lost on the whaler, was the only fatality in the loss.
CLA COVENTRY was withdrawn from the Suez Escort Force and passed through the Canal for Alexandria. This was in preparation in leaving for repairs at Bombay.
Sth Atlantic
DD CORRIENTES (Argentine 1375 grt) was sunk in a collision with CA ALMIRANTE BROWN during fleet maneuvers off Tierra del Fuego.
Sister ship BUENOS AIRES
Pacific/Australia
RNZN CL ACHILLES departed Suva to search for raiders with RAN CL ADELAIDE and AMC MONOWAI. ADELAIDE was detached on the 6th for escort duties. ACHILLES and MONOWAI returned to Auckland on the 10th.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 4 OCTOBER TO DAWN 5 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Fine, some cloud.
AM Air raid alert for six enemy aircraft heading towards Malta from the north. Eight Hurricanes 185 Squadron are scrambled and circle over the Island. The raiders turn away without crossing the coast and there is no engagement. One fighter of P/O Veitch crashes into the sea one mile from Benghaisa Point. The rescue launch conducts a search and finds only wreckage. It is thought the crash may have been caused by a failure in the oxygen supply.
1547-1610 hrs Air raid alert for 15 enemy aircraft approaching the Island. 13 Hurricanes (two 185 Squadron and eleven 249 Squadron) are scrambled but the raiders retire towards Sicily and there is no engagement.
1613-1620 hrs Air raid alert for the same formation which turns back towards Malta before circling away again.
1747-1758 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft approaching the Island. 13 Hurricanes (two 185 Squadron and eleven 249 Squadron) are scrambled but the raiders turn away before any interception.
0200 hrs Summer time ends. All clocks put back one hour.
0310-0400 hrs Air raid alert for two enemy aircraft which approach the Island singly. One crosses over Gozo, dropping bombs in the sea. The second crosses the coast of Malta and drops 50kg high explosive bombs between on the Safi area causing damage to civilian property and four civilian casualties. Two Malta Night Fighters are scrambled. One of the raiders is spotted by moonlight at 800 yards range but retreats rapidly and there is no engagement.
0512-0523 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches and drops bombs in the sea south of the Island. Searchlights illuminate the raider but it stays away from the coast and guns do not engage.
OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 1941
ROYAL NAVY Upright returned from patrol off Rasocolino, where she sank a small destroyer and sighted two U boats. Regent sailed at short notice to intercept convoy east of Tripoli. Sokol also sailed at short notice to search for the crew of a missing Blenheim. Two Swordfish carried out an anti-submarine patrol for enemy submarines reported in vicinity of Malta, but without result.
AIR HQ Departures 1 Beaufighter, 4 Blenheim, 1 Maryland. 38 Squadron 11 Wellingtons attacked a convoy in the south Ionian Sea. 69 Squadron Marylands photoreconnaissance Tripoli, patrols central Ionian Sea, east Sicilian coast and special search for a convoy. 107 Squadron 8 Blenheims attacked Zuara Sgt Hamlyn (with Sgt Latter and Sgt Williams) was attacked by Italian CR 42 fighters and ditched in the sea. An air and sea search has been mounted. 830 Squadron Fleet air Arm 7 Swordfish attacked a convoy off the coast of Tripoli leaving two merchant vessels sinking and a damaging a third.
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
Halder's Diary 4 October 1941
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #2,177
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
October 5 Sunday
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Chinese 9th War Area crosses Milo River as Japanese 11th Army withdraws to the north.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: A Blenheim bomber of No. 1404 Meteorological Flight of British RAF Coastal Command attacked German submarines U-563 and U-565 in the Bay of Biscay. A 250-lb bomb missed U-563 at about 1030 hours, and another 250-lb bomb hit the conning tower of U-565 at 1102 hours but it failed to explode.
The Canadian Paterson Steamships Co. merchantman "Mondoc" (1,926 GRT) sank in the Caribbean Sea after she struck an unknown submerged object, probably Darien Rock, off the east coast of Trinidad. She was on route from Trinidad to the US Virgin Islands (other sources say Guyana to the British Virgin Islands), with a cargo of bauxite from transshipment. There were no survivors from this incident.
The destroyer USS "Mayo" (DD 422), escorting convoy HX 152, after seeing the Swedish motor vessel "Kaaparen" show a string of lights for five minutes, thus jeopardizing the convoy, hailed the offender and threatened to open fire if the practice was not stopped.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: 1.Panzerarmee (von Kleist) reaches the Sea of Azov. Elements of German 2.Panzergruppe are pushing from Orel toward Tula. German 4.Armee captures Sukhinichi. The leading German formations reported that they were only about 100 kilometers from Moscow, Russia. On the same day, Moscow-based Soviet fighters discovered German vehicles as close as 50 kilometers from Moscow. When Moscow Military District's Air Force Fighter Command chief Nikolai Sbytov reported this to his superiors, he was investigated by the NKVD for disseminating false rumors, but he was lucky that Joseph Stalin believed him. Lieutenant-General Ivan Konev, against Stalin's orders, begins the withdrawal of his West Front at Vyasma. Konev ordered Rokossovski to hand over his sector of the line, take his staff to Vyasma, and with the five divisions he would find there, stop the Germans. Yeremenko finally managed to return to his HQ at Bryansk. Again he tried to get permission for a withdrawal but whilst waiting for a reply he discovered panzers close to his command post and had to flee. He quickly rounded up three tanks, some infantry and several trucks and broke through the Germans. However, members of Yeremenko's staff had already reported to Stalin that the HQ had been overrun and Stalin, temporarily at least, put Petrov in charge of Bryansk Front. Later in the day, Stalin would order all three fronts guarding Moscow to withdraw. For precaution, Stalin also ordered the Soviet Western Front to withdraw to Vyasma to form a new defensive line under a new commanding officer, Georgy Zhukov, replacing Konev. Stalin recalls Zhukov from Leningrad to replace Konev who he blames for failing to stop the German advance. Stalin considers executing Konev but is talked out of it by Zhukov. Konev will command Soviet forces throughout the war, achieving great success and promotion to Marshal of the Soviet Union by Stalin in February 1944.
Remnants of Soviet forces on Saaremaa (Osel) Island withdrawn to Hiiumaa (Dago) Island in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Estonia.
The pilots of JG 51 were heavily engaged with Russian warplanes throughout the entire day. The first into action are the fighters of 4./JG 51 who bounce a flight of bombers shortly after 0900 hour. Claims for destroyed aircraft are made by Oblt. Harald Jung, Lt. Herbert Puschmann, and Lt. Horst Walther. At 1017 hours, Ofw. Edmund Wagner from 9./JG 51 gets his first victory of the day when he destroys a Russian DB-3. The second major engagement of the day occurs shortly after 1100 hours when 2./JG 51 and 6./JG 51 come upon another flight of Russian bombers. Kill claims are made by Uffz. Heinz Leber of 2./JG 51 who claims two DB-3s shot down and another DB-3 shot down by Lt. Günter Rübell of 6./JG 51. The next encounter occurs shortly after 1300 hours when numerous fighters from I. and II./JG 51 come across several Russian bombers with fighter escort. Claiming kills from this battle are Lt. Hans Strelow and Oblt. Hartmann Grasser, both of 5./JG 51 who each claim two Russian aircraft. Oblt. Helmut Tangerding of 7./JG 27 gets his eighth kill when he shoots down a Soviet Pe-2.
Field Marshal Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was named the commander of German 1.Panzerarmee. The German 2.Panzergruppe was reorganized as the 2.Panzerarmee. General Heinz Guderian remained the unit's commanding officer. Hermann Hoth took over command of the 17.Armee from Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel. General Georg-Hans Reinhardt replaces Hoth as commander German 3.Panzergruppe.
Plant relocations from Leningrad begin. 92 plants will be relocated before the city is surrounded.
Stalin convenes emergency session of Stavka to deal with collapse of Soviet defenses in front of Moscow. Stavka orders Soviet Western Front, Bryansk Front, and Reserve Front to begin withdrawal during the night. The Russians put German losses in the campaign at 3,000,000 and their own at 1,100,000. General Cherevichenko replaces Tyulenev as commander Soviet Southern Front with 9th Army, 12th Army, and 18th Army.
MEDITERRANEAN: Swordfish torpedo bombers of British No. 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm based in Malta attacked an Italian convoy en route from Naples, Italy to Tripoli, Libya 67 miles north of Misrata, Libya, sinking tanker "Rialto"; the 145 survivors were rescued by Italian destroyer "Gioberti".
U-79 is successful in breaking through to the Mediterranean.
NORTH AFRICA: British aircraft raid Tripoli during the night. RAF bombers attack Benghazi again.
British military leaders have devised a plan to hit back at Rommel and the DAK. The Allied enclave at Tobruk will be the prime target of Operation Crusader. It was agreed two days ago and despite pressure from Churchill for quick action, General Sir Claude Auchinleck, the C-in-C, wants to build up his supplies before taking the offensive next month. Lt-Gen Sir Alan Cunningham will lead the British campaign at the head of the Eighth Army, formed last month from XIII and XXX Corps. In addition to the British troops, Sir Alan will have Australian, Indian, New Zealand, Polish and Free French forces under his command.
Fritz Bayerlein becomes chief of staff of Afrika Korps.
PACIFIC OCEAN: US and UK naval commanders met in Singapore. Brereton briefed by Marshall, Gerow, Arnold, and Spaatz. Brereton stated "in the event of war it was almost certain to incur destruction of a bomber force put in the Philippine Islands without providing adequate antiaircraft defense"; Marshall responded that he and Arnold were taking a "calculated risk". Brereton was to state, after the War, that, "[T]he lessons of the War in Europe were being completely ignored in placing a heavy bomber force in the Philippines without adequate protection."
Allied convoy SC-48 departed Sydney, Australia for the United States.
USN Task Force 5 returns from deployment in southern Philippine waters.
Remainder of 2/15 Punjab arrives from Singapore to garrison British Borneo.
WESTERN FRONT: Ulrich Adrian of JG 2 is killed in a flying accident. He had five victories over the Allies.
In Vichy France Petain commutes the death sentence on Paul Collette who attempted to assassinate Laval and Deat.
.
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Chinese 9th War Area crosses Milo River as Japanese 11th Army withdraws to the north.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: A Blenheim bomber of No. 1404 Meteorological Flight of British RAF Coastal Command attacked German submarines U-563 and U-565 in the Bay of Biscay. A 250-lb bomb missed U-563 at about 1030 hours, and another 250-lb bomb hit the conning tower of U-565 at 1102 hours but it failed to explode.
The Canadian Paterson Steamships Co. merchantman "Mondoc" (1,926 GRT) sank in the Caribbean Sea after she struck an unknown submerged object, probably Darien Rock, off the east coast of Trinidad. She was on route from Trinidad to the US Virgin Islands (other sources say Guyana to the British Virgin Islands), with a cargo of bauxite from transshipment. There were no survivors from this incident.
The destroyer USS "Mayo" (DD 422), escorting convoy HX 152, after seeing the Swedish motor vessel "Kaaparen" show a string of lights for five minutes, thus jeopardizing the convoy, hailed the offender and threatened to open fire if the practice was not stopped.
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Taifun: 1.Panzerarmee (von Kleist) reaches the Sea of Azov. Elements of German 2.Panzergruppe are pushing from Orel toward Tula. German 4.Armee captures Sukhinichi. The leading German formations reported that they were only about 100 kilometers from Moscow, Russia. On the same day, Moscow-based Soviet fighters discovered German vehicles as close as 50 kilometers from Moscow. When Moscow Military District's Air Force Fighter Command chief Nikolai Sbytov reported this to his superiors, he was investigated by the NKVD for disseminating false rumors, but he was lucky that Joseph Stalin believed him. Lieutenant-General Ivan Konev, against Stalin's orders, begins the withdrawal of his West Front at Vyasma. Konev ordered Rokossovski to hand over his sector of the line, take his staff to Vyasma, and with the five divisions he would find there, stop the Germans. Yeremenko finally managed to return to his HQ at Bryansk. Again he tried to get permission for a withdrawal but whilst waiting for a reply he discovered panzers close to his command post and had to flee. He quickly rounded up three tanks, some infantry and several trucks and broke through the Germans. However, members of Yeremenko's staff had already reported to Stalin that the HQ had been overrun and Stalin, temporarily at least, put Petrov in charge of Bryansk Front. Later in the day, Stalin would order all three fronts guarding Moscow to withdraw. For precaution, Stalin also ordered the Soviet Western Front to withdraw to Vyasma to form a new defensive line under a new commanding officer, Georgy Zhukov, replacing Konev. Stalin recalls Zhukov from Leningrad to replace Konev who he blames for failing to stop the German advance. Stalin considers executing Konev but is talked out of it by Zhukov. Konev will command Soviet forces throughout the war, achieving great success and promotion to Marshal of the Soviet Union by Stalin in February 1944.
Remnants of Soviet forces on Saaremaa (Osel) Island withdrawn to Hiiumaa (Dago) Island in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Estonia.
The pilots of JG 51 were heavily engaged with Russian warplanes throughout the entire day. The first into action are the fighters of 4./JG 51 who bounce a flight of bombers shortly after 0900 hour. Claims for destroyed aircraft are made by Oblt. Harald Jung, Lt. Herbert Puschmann, and Lt. Horst Walther. At 1017 hours, Ofw. Edmund Wagner from 9./JG 51 gets his first victory of the day when he destroys a Russian DB-3. The second major engagement of the day occurs shortly after 1100 hours when 2./JG 51 and 6./JG 51 come upon another flight of Russian bombers. Kill claims are made by Uffz. Heinz Leber of 2./JG 51 who claims two DB-3s shot down and another DB-3 shot down by Lt. Günter Rübell of 6./JG 51. The next encounter occurs shortly after 1300 hours when numerous fighters from I. and II./JG 51 come across several Russian bombers with fighter escort. Claiming kills from this battle are Lt. Hans Strelow and Oblt. Hartmann Grasser, both of 5./JG 51 who each claim two Russian aircraft. Oblt. Helmut Tangerding of 7./JG 27 gets his eighth kill when he shoots down a Soviet Pe-2.
Field Marshal Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was named the commander of German 1.Panzerarmee. The German 2.Panzergruppe was reorganized as the 2.Panzerarmee. General Heinz Guderian remained the unit's commanding officer. Hermann Hoth took over command of the 17.Armee from Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel. General Georg-Hans Reinhardt replaces Hoth as commander German 3.Panzergruppe.
Plant relocations from Leningrad begin. 92 plants will be relocated before the city is surrounded.
Stalin convenes emergency session of Stavka to deal with collapse of Soviet defenses in front of Moscow. Stavka orders Soviet Western Front, Bryansk Front, and Reserve Front to begin withdrawal during the night. The Russians put German losses in the campaign at 3,000,000 and their own at 1,100,000. General Cherevichenko replaces Tyulenev as commander Soviet Southern Front with 9th Army, 12th Army, and 18th Army.
MEDITERRANEAN: Swordfish torpedo bombers of British No. 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm based in Malta attacked an Italian convoy en route from Naples, Italy to Tripoli, Libya 67 miles north of Misrata, Libya, sinking tanker "Rialto"; the 145 survivors were rescued by Italian destroyer "Gioberti".
U-79 is successful in breaking through to the Mediterranean.
NORTH AFRICA: British aircraft raid Tripoli during the night. RAF bombers attack Benghazi again.
British military leaders have devised a plan to hit back at Rommel and the DAK. The Allied enclave at Tobruk will be the prime target of Operation Crusader. It was agreed two days ago and despite pressure from Churchill for quick action, General Sir Claude Auchinleck, the C-in-C, wants to build up his supplies before taking the offensive next month. Lt-Gen Sir Alan Cunningham will lead the British campaign at the head of the Eighth Army, formed last month from XIII and XXX Corps. In addition to the British troops, Sir Alan will have Australian, Indian, New Zealand, Polish and Free French forces under his command.
Fritz Bayerlein becomes chief of staff of Afrika Korps.
PACIFIC OCEAN: US and UK naval commanders met in Singapore. Brereton briefed by Marshall, Gerow, Arnold, and Spaatz. Brereton stated "in the event of war it was almost certain to incur destruction of a bomber force put in the Philippine Islands without providing adequate antiaircraft defense"; Marshall responded that he and Arnold were taking a "calculated risk". Brereton was to state, after the War, that, "[T]he lessons of the War in Europe were being completely ignored in placing a heavy bomber force in the Philippines without adequate protection."
Allied convoy SC-48 departed Sydney, Australia for the United States.
USN Task Force 5 returns from deployment in southern Philippine waters.
Remainder of 2/15 Punjab arrives from Singapore to garrison British Borneo.
WESTERN FRONT: Ulrich Adrian of JG 2 is killed in a flying accident. He had five victories over the Allies.
In Vichy France Petain commutes the death sentence on Paul Collette who attempted to assassinate Laval and Deat.
.
Old Wizard
2nd Lieutenant
parsifal
Colonel
05 OCTOBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Type II DD HMS HURWORTH
Losses
U.204 sank steamer C. JON (Pan 744 grt) in 48-30N, 13-00W. The entire crew were taken as prisoners of war.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Tkr TYNEFIELD (UK 5856 grt) was sunk by mining in the Suez Canal. Four crew were lost.
UBOATS
Arrivals
Kirkenes:U-576
St Nazaire: U-552
Departures
Lorient: U-109
At Sea 05 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-101, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-109, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-559, U-562, U-563, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
33 Boats
OPERATIONS
North Sea
RNoN DD DRAUG and MTB.56 departed Lerwick for Scapa Flow where they arrived later that day.
SW Approaches
Ocean boarding vessel MARON was attacked by U.67 in the central Atlantic. The vessel fired upon the submarine, which submerged. Corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS, which had escorted tanker BENEDICK, were ordered to assist the boarding vessel.
On the 6th, corvette COREOPSIS developed engine room defects and proceeded to Funchal. The ocean boarding vessel and corvette FLEUR DE LYS arrived at Gibraltar on the 8th. Corvette COREOPSIS arrived at Gibraltar on the 10th.
Med/Biscay
U-563, whilst outbound was attacked in the Bay of Biscay by CC Blenheim Z7406 (1404 MetFlt RAF/A, pilot P/O Jack Coleman) in a diving attack. The a/c had to circle to lose height and by mistake only dropped one instead of both 250lb A/S bombs on the diving U-563, causing no damage. The Blenheim then proceeded to patrol ahead of the original course of U-563, but instead came across U-565.
U-565, whilst inbound was attacked in the Bay of Biscay by Blenheim Z7406 (1404 MetFlt RAF/A, pilot P/O Jack Coleman). U-565 by the CC a/c while searching for U563 after unsuccessfully attacking the latter U-Boat 30 minutes earlier. A 250lb A/S bomb dropped in a head-on attack actually hit the net deflector and conning tower of the diving U-boat and bounced off without exploding. The aircrew apparently misinterpreted the rapid dive of the U-boat at steep angle and claimed a sinking, but the boat in fact escaped unscathed.
Tanker RIALTO (FI 6099 grt) was sunk by British 830 Squadron Swordfish, 80 miles NNE of Misurata. RM DD GIOBERTI rescued 145 survivors. The tanker was from a convoy of steamers VETTOR PISANI, SEBASTIANO VENIER, FABIO FILZI, RIALTO and German REICHENFELS and ANKARA, escorted by DDs DA NOLI, USODIMARE, GIOBERTI, and EURO which had departed Naples on the 2nd for Tripoli and RM TBs from Tripoli CALLIOPE and PARTENOPE.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
U.559 in operations northeast of Tobruk was attacked by a "friendly aircraft" which dropped three bombs. No damage was done.
Nth Atlantic
Convoy HX.153 departed Halifax, escorted by RCN DD ANNAPOLIS. The DD was relieved on the 7th by USN DDs BERNADOU, DUPONT, LEA, MACLEISH, and SAMPSON and RN corvette GLADIOLUS. The corvette was detached the next day. The USN group was relieved on the 13th by RN DDs MALCOLM, SARDONYX, and WATCHMAN, corvettes ARABIS, DAHLIA, MONKSHOOD, and SUNFLOWER, and ASW trawlers NORTHERN PRIDE and NORTHERN WAVE. Corvette MONKSHOOD was detached on the 16th and the rest of the escorts on the 17th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 19th.
Convoy SC.48, departed Sydney CB, by corvettes BADDECK and SHEDIAC. Corvette GLADIOLUS joined on the 8th and corvettes CAMROSE, MIMOSA, ROSTHERN, and WETASKIWIN on the 9th. The convoy was joined on the 16th by USN DDs PLUNKETT, LIVERMORE, KEARNY, and DECATUR from convoy ON.24, DD GREER joined from other escort duties, and DD BROADWATER and corvette ABELIA from Reykjavik. Also joined on the 16th were DDs HIGHLANDER and RICHMOND, corvettes PICTOU and VERONICA, and ASW trawler ST APOLLO. Corvette PICTOU was detached later that day. Corvette GLADIOLUS was lost on the 16th.
The initial escorts, less corvette ROSTHERN were detached, and the US DDs were detached. Corvette VERONICA was also detached on the 17th. On the 17th, DDs AMAZON, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN, corvette HEARTSEASE, and ASW trawlers ANGLE and CAPE WARWICK joined. On the 18th, DD BROADWATER was lost. DDs HIGHLANDER and RICHMOND and corvette ABELIA were detached on the 20th, DDs AMAZON, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN and corvettes HEARTSEASE and ROSTHERN were detached on the 21st, the ASW trawlers on the 22nd, when the convoy arrived at Liverpool.
Central Atlantic
Convoy SL.89 departed Freetown escorted DD BRILLIANT and corvettes ASPHODEL, CLEMATIS, CLOVER, COLUMBINE, and CYCLAMEN to 8 October. On the 6th, DDs VELOX and WRESTLER escorted the convoy for that day only. Sloop WELLINGTON joined on the 8th to 25 October. Sloop STORK joined the convoy on the 9th to 25 October. Escort vessels SENNEN and TOTLAND escorted the convoy on the 21st only. DDs BEVERLEY to 24 October and CROOME for that day only joined the convoy on the 22nd. On the 23rd, DDs KRAKOWIAK and KUJAWIAK to 24 October and VANQUISHER and WITCH to 25 October joined. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 25th.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 5 OCTOBER TO DAWN 6 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Fine and cool.
0934-1005 hrs Air raid alert for two formations of three enemy fighters. Only the second formation crosses the Island, passing over Grand Harbour at great altitude. Five Hurricanes 185 Squadron and twelve 249 Squadron are scrambled but are unable to reach the necessary height for interception. The raiders recede northwards with no engagement.
1511-1542 hrs With no prior alert, six enemy aircraft which approach the Island from the north, cross the coast at 27000 feet and immediately split up. Two Hurricanes 185 Squadron and twelve 249 Squadron are scrambled but again are unable to reach the necessary height to intercept. Two heavy anti-aircraft guns fire pointer rounds.
0018-0023 hrs Air raid alert triggered by the return of friendly aircraft.
OPERATIONS REPORTS SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER 1941
AIR HQ Arrivals 1 Bombay. 38 Squadron 9 Wellingtons attacked shipping in Tripoli Harbour. 69 SquadronPhotoreconnaissance Sicily, reconnaissance Tripoli Harbour area and convoy. 107 Squadron 2 Blenheims searched for Sgt Hamlyn and crew without success. 2 Blenheims attacked railway installations at Catania. Fleet Air Arm 2 Fulmars on offensive patrol on aerodromes in Sicily. One attacked Trapani aerodrome and Marsala seaplane base. The other attacked aerodromes at Gerbini and Catania, dropping high explosive bombs on the Gerbini dispersal area and both aerodromes were machine-gunned at low level.
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Type II DD HMS HURWORTH
Losses
U.204 sank steamer C. JON (Pan 744 grt) in 48-30N, 13-00W. The entire crew were taken as prisoners of war.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Tkr TYNEFIELD (UK 5856 grt) was sunk by mining in the Suez Canal. Four crew were lost.
UBOATS
Arrivals
Kirkenes:U-576
St Nazaire: U-552
Departures
Lorient: U-109
At Sea 05 October 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-101, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-109, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-559, U-562, U-563, U-564, U-565, U-573, U-575,
33 Boats
OPERATIONS
North Sea
RNoN DD DRAUG and MTB.56 departed Lerwick for Scapa Flow where they arrived later that day.
SW Approaches
Ocean boarding vessel MARON was attacked by U.67 in the central Atlantic. The vessel fired upon the submarine, which submerged. Corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS, which had escorted tanker BENEDICK, were ordered to assist the boarding vessel.
On the 6th, corvette COREOPSIS developed engine room defects and proceeded to Funchal. The ocean boarding vessel and corvette FLEUR DE LYS arrived at Gibraltar on the 8th. Corvette COREOPSIS arrived at Gibraltar on the 10th.
Med/Biscay
U-563, whilst outbound was attacked in the Bay of Biscay by CC Blenheim Z7406 (1404 MetFlt RAF/A, pilot P/O Jack Coleman) in a diving attack. The a/c had to circle to lose height and by mistake only dropped one instead of both 250lb A/S bombs on the diving U-563, causing no damage. The Blenheim then proceeded to patrol ahead of the original course of U-563, but instead came across U-565.
U-565, whilst inbound was attacked in the Bay of Biscay by Blenheim Z7406 (1404 MetFlt RAF/A, pilot P/O Jack Coleman). U-565 by the CC a/c while searching for U563 after unsuccessfully attacking the latter U-Boat 30 minutes earlier. A 250lb A/S bomb dropped in a head-on attack actually hit the net deflector and conning tower of the diving U-boat and bounced off without exploding. The aircrew apparently misinterpreted the rapid dive of the U-boat at steep angle and claimed a sinking, but the boat in fact escaped unscathed.
Tanker RIALTO (FI 6099 grt) was sunk by British 830 Squadron Swordfish, 80 miles NNE of Misurata. RM DD GIOBERTI rescued 145 survivors. The tanker was from a convoy of steamers VETTOR PISANI, SEBASTIANO VENIER, FABIO FILZI, RIALTO and German REICHENFELS and ANKARA, escorted by DDs DA NOLI, USODIMARE, GIOBERTI, and EURO which had departed Naples on the 2nd for Tripoli and RM TBs from Tripoli CALLIOPE and PARTENOPE.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
U.559 in operations northeast of Tobruk was attacked by a "friendly aircraft" which dropped three bombs. No damage was done.
Nth Atlantic
Convoy HX.153 departed Halifax, escorted by RCN DD ANNAPOLIS. The DD was relieved on the 7th by USN DDs BERNADOU, DUPONT, LEA, MACLEISH, and SAMPSON and RN corvette GLADIOLUS. The corvette was detached the next day. The USN group was relieved on the 13th by RN DDs MALCOLM, SARDONYX, and WATCHMAN, corvettes ARABIS, DAHLIA, MONKSHOOD, and SUNFLOWER, and ASW trawlers NORTHERN PRIDE and NORTHERN WAVE. Corvette MONKSHOOD was detached on the 16th and the rest of the escorts on the 17th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 19th.
Convoy SC.48, departed Sydney CB, by corvettes BADDECK and SHEDIAC. Corvette GLADIOLUS joined on the 8th and corvettes CAMROSE, MIMOSA, ROSTHERN, and WETASKIWIN on the 9th. The convoy was joined on the 16th by USN DDs PLUNKETT, LIVERMORE, KEARNY, and DECATUR from convoy ON.24, DD GREER joined from other escort duties, and DD BROADWATER and corvette ABELIA from Reykjavik. Also joined on the 16th were DDs HIGHLANDER and RICHMOND, corvettes PICTOU and VERONICA, and ASW trawler ST APOLLO. Corvette PICTOU was detached later that day. Corvette GLADIOLUS was lost on the 16th.
The initial escorts, less corvette ROSTHERN were detached, and the US DDs were detached. Corvette VERONICA was also detached on the 17th. On the 17th, DDs AMAZON, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN, corvette HEARTSEASE, and ASW trawlers ANGLE and CAPE WARWICK joined. On the 18th, DD BROADWATER was lost. DDs HIGHLANDER and RICHMOND and corvette ABELIA were detached on the 20th, DDs AMAZON, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN and corvettes HEARTSEASE and ROSTHERN were detached on the 21st, the ASW trawlers on the 22nd, when the convoy arrived at Liverpool.
Central Atlantic
Convoy SL.89 departed Freetown escorted DD BRILLIANT and corvettes ASPHODEL, CLEMATIS, CLOVER, COLUMBINE, and CYCLAMEN to 8 October. On the 6th, DDs VELOX and WRESTLER escorted the convoy for that day only. Sloop WELLINGTON joined on the 8th to 25 October. Sloop STORK joined the convoy on the 9th to 25 October. Escort vessels SENNEN and TOTLAND escorted the convoy on the 21st only. DDs BEVERLEY to 24 October and CROOME for that day only joined the convoy on the 22nd. On the 23rd, DDs KRAKOWIAK and KUJAWIAK to 24 October and VANQUISHER and WITCH to 25 October joined. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 25th.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 5 OCTOBER TO DAWN 6 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Fine and cool.
0934-1005 hrs Air raid alert for two formations of three enemy fighters. Only the second formation crosses the Island, passing over Grand Harbour at great altitude. Five Hurricanes 185 Squadron and twelve 249 Squadron are scrambled but are unable to reach the necessary height for interception. The raiders recede northwards with no engagement.
1511-1542 hrs With no prior alert, six enemy aircraft which approach the Island from the north, cross the coast at 27000 feet and immediately split up. Two Hurricanes 185 Squadron and twelve 249 Squadron are scrambled but again are unable to reach the necessary height to intercept. Two heavy anti-aircraft guns fire pointer rounds.
0018-0023 hrs Air raid alert triggered by the return of friendly aircraft.
OPERATIONS REPORTS SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER 1941
AIR HQ Arrivals 1 Bombay. 38 Squadron 9 Wellingtons attacked shipping in Tripoli Harbour. 69 SquadronPhotoreconnaissance Sicily, reconnaissance Tripoli Harbour area and convoy. 107 Squadron 2 Blenheims searched for Sgt Hamlyn and crew without success. 2 Blenheims attacked railway installations at Catania. Fleet Air Arm 2 Fulmars on offensive patrol on aerodromes in Sicily. One attacked Trapani aerodrome and Marsala seaplane base. The other attacked aerodromes at Gerbini and Catania, dropping high explosive bombs on the Gerbini dispersal area and both aerodromes were machine-gunned at low level.
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
Halder's Diary 05 October 1941
Last edited:
