(Britain)
Whilst stationed in Britain, American Lt-General George Patton was given command of the U.S. Third Army (the Phantom Army) on the 21st January 1944. Patton was kept busy by preparing the newly formed Third Army’s inexperienced soldiers for combat in Europe. He was also a prominent figure in the deception scheme in convincing the Germans the Allied invasion of Europe would be at the Pas de Calais, not Normandy. He made various speeches whilst stationed in Britain. The most controversial was a speech given at the Welcome Centre in Knutsford on the 25th April 1944. He stated “the United States, Britain and Soviet Union” were destined to rule the post war world. Next day a reporters’ story left out the Soviet Union and the Kremlin was offended. For this incident, Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, Dwight Eisenhower reprimanded Patton. Patton would return to combat command during D-Day landings in June 1944.
It always the intention of the Allied Forces to invade mainland Europe, once the U.S. entered the war. Operation Overlord was the code-name for the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944, The Allies were to land on five separate beaches using combined British, U.S. and Canadian troops. In order for the vast new, conscripted, enthusiastic but inexperienced U.S. army to gain experience, a simulated training programme was introduced. Slapton Sands on the south Devonshire coast was chosen as the conditions they would face were similar to those of Utah beach in Normandy. On the 27th April 1944 full scale operations began. On the 26th April 1944 landing ships and landing craft left Devon harbours with a full complement of men, vehicles and ammunition. As the first wave reached the beach everything went according to plan. However, when the second wave of Landing Ship Tank’s (LSTs) left Plymouth twenty hours later they were attacked by German E-boats. Based in Cherbourg nine E-boats were on patrol in the English Channel. British destroyer HMS Onslow located the E-boats on radar but because of radio communication problems the landing craft were not informed and were vulnerable for attack. The E-boats, carrying torpedoes and cannon, launched an attack on LST 507 at 2:00 am on the 27th April 1944. Hit by a torpedo LST 507 burst into flames, and minutes later LST 531 was torpedoed and exploded. Having witnessed the attacks, LST 289 had her stern blown away by torpedo despite taking evasive action. She eventually limped into Dartmouth despite having lost her rudder. The planned assault and landings of the second wave of the remainder of LSTs was a complete success, but they were completely unaware of the fate of the three LSTs who had been attacked. Once the tragedy became known an immediate security restriction was imposed. All troops and naval personnel were threatened with court-marshal unless they remained silent. The official U.S. toll was 749 dead soldiers and sailors. Even now there is still doubt whether the dead were buried in a mass grave at Slapton or buried in cemeteries elsewhere. However, the training exercises at Slapton Sands gave the U.S. army an insight into what they would face on D-Day.
At the beginning of 1944, production of supplies and equipment by British factories was increased. Approximately nine million tonnes of supplies and equipment were transported to Britain from America. Allied forces from the U.K., U.S. and Canada were beginning to assemble. Free French/Polish/Belgian/Czechoslovak/Dutch/Norwegian forces were also involved. By the 30th April 1944 vast preparations were taking place all over southern England for the D-Day landings.
Eastern Front
In early April 1944, USAAF bombers restarted air attacks on Romanian oilfields, The Germans doubled anti-aircraft guns, set up more smoke generators and increased the number of fighters to cover the Ploesti oil refineries. Owing to the increased German defences, both the U.S. and RAF bombers suffered losses. This was despite the fact they were escorted by P-51 Mustang fighters and had flown from the captured airfield at Foggia in Italy.
On the Eastern Front, on the 3rd April 1944, several hundred U.S. bombers flew over Romania. This was an attempt to aid the Soviet Union, and the aim was to survey and attack targets of economic importance. Taking off from Foggia in Italy, they attempted to destroy the main Bucharest railway station. Lasting over two hours the operation destroyed hundreds of buildings including the railway station. The casualties were over 5,000 people killed or injured, who were mostly civilian.
The Germans had taken control of the Crimean Peninsula in 1942. The Battle of the Crimean, which began on the 8th April 1944 was a series of fights between Soviet troops and the German-held Crimea garrison. By the 18th April 1944, the Red Army had the German defenders retreating to Sevastopol, on the Black Sea coast. The evacuation of the Crimean was a complete success when German and Romanian warships escorted many convoys from the Crimea. The evacuation was via the Black Sea and ended on the 12th May 1944.
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Pacific
During the Burma Campaign, the Japanese army had crossed the border into India on the 20th March 1944. and launched the U-go offensive. The intention was to capture the British army supply base at Imphal. The British 14th Army had attempted to retake Burma in early March 1944, but received intelligence reports that the Japanese were about to cross into India. The 14th Army Commander, Field Marshall William (Bill) Slim, together with Lieutenant General Geoffry Scoones, of the IV Corps, ordered their troops to retreat to Imphal on the 13th March !944. The Japanese attacked Imphal from several directions from the beginning of April 1944. The Japanese 33rd Division attacked from the south onto the Imphal plain. The British together with the 17th & 23rd Indian Divisions were regrouping after their retreat, but the Japanese had advanced and almost isolated them in Imphal.
In central Burma, the metalled road into Imphal was attacked on the 4th April 1944. It was essential for the Japanese to break through the Indian defences in order that their tanks and heavy artillery could gain access to one of the two all-weather airfields on the plain. The metalled road into Imphal traversed five peaks and between the 8th to the 22nd April 1944 a number of these were occupied but British and Indian counter-attacks regained land previously lost. The Japanese infantry weren’t ready for battle and British anti-tank guns destroyed twelve tanks. British artillery imposed severe losses on leading troops, but they were mainly halted through lack of supplies, approximately 10 miles (16 km) from Imphal. Casualties on both sides were heavy. With the Japanese were the Indian National Army’s Ghandi Brigade who were ordered to attack Palel airfield. On the 28th April 1944 the Ghandi Brigade withdrew after suffering 250 casualties.
Attacking from the north, the Japanese 15th Division encircled Imphal and captured a supply depot. To their dismay the depot had been emptied of food and ammunition. The Japanese 51st Regiment posed a major threat to the British IV Corps after a bridge was seized. The bridge gave access to steep ridges overlooking the main airstrip at Imphal. Supported by airstrikes, massed artillery and M3 Lee tanks of the Carabineers, the 5th Indian Division counter-attacked on the 13th April 1944. Driven from the ridge through lack of anti-tank weapons, the Japanese had not expected the Lee tanks to climb the steep slopes, and consequently suffered heavy casualties. The Allies also took many casualties, every officer of the Carabineers was either killed or wounded, plus the majority of the Indian 17th Dogra Regiment,
The turning point for the Japanese U-go offensive into India was the Battle of Kohima. Located 44 miles (70 km) north of Imphal, Kohima was the town supplying the besieged town of Imphal. The Japanese had entered India in mid-March 1944. Good progress was made despite the arduous conditions. They were hampered by a shortage of transport, therefore approximately half of their heavy weapons and guns were left behind. What supplies were carried was only three weeks food and ammunition. On the 20th March 1944, the Japanese clashed with Indian troops of the 56th Indian Parachute Brigade. The Japanese were handicapped by the lack of artillery, but the Indian brigade withdrew after six days because of the loss of 600 men. The 14th Army Commander, Bill Slim was fully aware there were few fighting troops in Kohima, and a Japanese siege began on the 6th April 1944. From the 18th April 1944 British and Indian reinforcements counter-attacked and British and Indian forces at Kohima were relieved.
The Battle for Imphal continued into May 1944 and the Battle of Kohima continued into May and June 1944.
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In the meantime, the Japanese advantage in the Pacific began to slip away following the Battle of Kohima. In and around Papua New Guinea, the Americans staged further advances. On the 22nd April 1944 U.S. troops simultaneously landed at the northern port of Hollandia, codenamed (Operation Reckless), and the northern coast of Aitape, codenamed (Operation Persecution). Hollandia is located to the east of Aitape. At Hollandia 30,000 U.S. assault troops attacked 11,000 Japanese defenders and was an unqualified success. Of the Japanese defenders, 3,000 had been killed and 300 captured whilst the remainder withdrew to a new strategic defence line further east. The U.S. troops receivedrelatively light casualties with 152 killed and 1,057 wounded. Final U.S. mopping-up was completed by the 6th June 1944. When U.S. troops landed at Aitape the objective was to support the Hollandia landings. The Japanese defences were very light with only about 1,000 men to defend the beach. Of these only approximately 240 were combat troops with the remainder being anti-aircraft artillerymen and service personnel. The only resistance was some rifle fire with most of the Japanese defenders fleeing into the hills as the attacking force continue to arrive. With the beachhead secured the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) went ashore to secure and repair Tadji Airfield. Between the 22nd April and 4th May 1944 Japanese casualties were 525 killed and 25 captured. During the same period U.S. casualties were 19 killed and 40 wounded. The Allied push toward western New Guinea and the Philippines was effectively a result of the landings at Hollandia and Aitape.
On the 29th April 1944, the U.S. Navy sent aircraft carrier fighters into the effectively besieged Truk Lagoon in the Caroline Islands. The Caroline Islands are located north of Papua New Guinea. The original attack on Truk Lagoon, codenamed Operation Hailstone was a major air and surface attack on 17th /18th February 1944. A surprise attack and follow-up attack on the lagoon destroyed many merchant vessels leaving the remaining defenders desperately short of supplies and virtually besieged. Between Operation Hailstone and the follow-up attack, the remaining defenders had started to rebuild Truk as a bomber air base. They also increased their anti-aircraft defences. The attack, when it came, destroyed the defences and the bombers parked at the airfield. For the Japanese, Operation Hailstone was a disaster. Over 4,500 troops were killed. Out of a total number of 68 ships, they lost 56 sunk or damaged. Over 250 aircraft were damaged or lost out of a total of 350 planes. Whereas the U.S. lost 40 troops killed, 2 ships damaged, out of a fleet of 63 ships and 25 aircraft destroyed out of an attacking force of 500 planes. With the neutralisation of Truk Lagoon the U.S. gained an eventual foothold in the region, in readiness for the invasion of the Philippine Islands.
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The Bay Museum & Research Facility 