December 1944

(Britain)               

The Home Guard (Local Defence Volunteers) were an unpaid armed civilian militia, operational from 1940 to 1944. The “Home Forces” of the British Army was supported by the Home Guard. By the 20^th May 1940 Germany had occupied France and reached the English Channel. Prior to this the British government realised the need to have some form of home defence. A radio broadcast on the 14^th May 1940 by the Secretary of State for War Anthony Eden announced the formation of the Home Guard. Volunteers were called for to join the force with the statement, “You will not be paid, but you will receive a uniform and be armed”. Over 1.5 million volunteers responded who were not eligible for military service. These include workers engaged in reserved occupations, whose skills were of greater service to the nation at home. Also included were those too young or too old to join the regular armed services. Those available for military service were aged from 18 to 41. Approximately one in five volunteers were either in the civilian police or other civil defence organisations, such as the fire brigade. In case of invasion by the airborne forces of Nazi Germany, the prime role of the Home Guard was to act locally as a secondary defence force for civilians in their own homes. The Home Guard was formally stood down on the 3^rd December 1944 following the successful landings in France and the drive towards Germany by the Allies.

The north of England, after the initial Luftwaffe bomb attacks of 1940 and 1941, saw very few German bombing raids. German bombers were required to attack the Soviet Union after Germany invaded Russia. Germany was in retreat on all fronts and as reprisal “Vengeance” weapons had been developed to attack the Allies. The first of the “Vengeance” weapons, were launched in June 1944. They were the V-1 Flying Bombs and the primary targets were London and the south of England. On the 24^th December 1944 (Christmas Eve) 45 V-1 Flying Bombs were launched against Manchester. The V-1 was a bomb fitted with plywood wings and a jet-pulse engine that needed to be launched from a ramp but only had a limited range. Specially adapted Heinkel HE111 bombers, flying over the North Sea, launched the V-1s toward Manchester. After launching the V-1s the bombers returned to their bases in Germany. Of the 45 V-1s launched 14 fell into the North Sea and 31 crossed the Yorkshire coast. Only seven V-1s fell and exploded within central Manchester and a total of 42 civilians were killed. A further 109 civilians were injured.

The second of the “Vengeance” weapons were first launched in September 1944. The V-2 rocket was a long-range guided missile powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine. The warhead contained 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) of Amatol explosive. The V-2 had an operational range of 200 miles (320 km) and a maximum speed of 3,580 mph (5,760 km/h). For the long-range trajectory the maximum altitude attained was 55 miles (88 km). The V-2 was virtually silent on impact as the rocket engine cut-out, not long after being launched, sending the rocket on a ballistic free-fall trajectory. Of the 1,152 V-2s launched against Britain, one V-2 Rocket landed and exploded on Canvey Island on the 30^th December 1944. During the flight something must have happened and instead of reaching London, the V-2 landed and exploded into the marshy ground south-west of the island. Fortunately it missed the populated area and the only damage was to a barn from the blast of the explosion. Later ecavations located the detached warhead 300 yards away from the main body of the V-2.

(Belgium)

The Battle of the Bulge began on the 16^th December 1944 when the Germans launched their surprise last major offensive of the war. Their brief was to advance through the Ardennes Forest and retake the recently opened port of Antwerp, thereby denying the Allies the port facilities. The offensive was to also split the Allied lines, encircle and destroy the armies of Britain, the U.S. and Canada. With success they would force the Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis favour. Being preoccupied with the advance into Germany, the area west of the Ardennes Forest was lightly defended by the Americans using it as a rest area.

To the south of the Ardennes Forest is the town of Bastogne, which had a network of metalled roads leading to the Ardennes. By the 18^th December 1944 Bastogne was surrounded by the rapid German advance. The defenders had been reinforced by the U.S. 101^st Airbourne Division arriving by road in trucks. The defenders so stubbornly resisted that the Germans found it impossible to secure the vital crossroads around the town. Meanwhile bad weather had denied the defenders much-needed air support.

With the defenders of Bastogne halting any further German advance the skies cleared on the 23^rd December 1944, allowing the Allied air forces to attack the enemy. Devastating bomb raids were launched at the German supply lines. American P-47 Thunderbirds attacked additional reinforcement German armoured vehicles and troops on the roads. Much needed supplies of medicines, food, blankets and ammunition were dropped for the Bastogne defenders. A military glider landed with a team of volunteer surgeons who began operating on wounded troops.         

By out-running their supply lines the German advance was effectively halted by the 24^th December 1944. When it was suggested to Fuhrer Adolf Hitler to withdraw owing to shortages of fuel and ammunition Hitler rejected the proposal. On the 26^th December 1944 the U.S. Third Army reached Bastogne ending the siege. The Battle of the Bulge finally ended on the 28^th January 1945.

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The Malmedy Massacre happened after the U.S. convoy of the 285^th Field Artillery Observation Brigade engaged with the 1^st SS Panzer Division on the 17^th December 1944. The 1^st SS Panzers were heading west from Bullingem and the U.S. 285^th heading south from Hurtgen Forest toward Ligneuville, 2.5 miles south-east of Malmedy the two forces converged at the hamlet of Baugnez Crossing. The Germans immediately began firing at U.S. convoy. The 140 U.S. troops panicked and those who did not escape quickly surrendered. The 84 U.S. prisoners, including medical personnel, were searched, had their possessions removed, and executed in a field at the crossroads.

(Eastern Front)

Off the Estonian coast, the small Ruhnu Island was evacuated by the Germans on the 15^th December 1944. The Germans had occupied Ruhnu Island since April 1941 when Estonia was liberated from the Soviet Union. With the German evacuation the Red Army reoccupied Estonia and Ruhnu Island on the 19^th December 1941.

(Pacific)

U.S. prisoners of war (POW) were interned on the Philippines island of Palawan from August 1942. With the Allies advancing toward Palawan, to prevent their rescue, the Japanese issued an order for the Palawan Massacre on the 14^th December 1944. Within the prison compound the Japanese had forced the POWs to build bomb shelters to house the prisoners. To achieve the massacre an air raid warning was sounded and the POWs entered the shelters. Of the 150 POWs 139 died when the entrances were doused with fuel and set alight. 11 POWs managed to escape with the aid of Filipino scouts and guerrillas. Convicted and hanged for war crimes on the 23^rd February 1946, General Tomoyuki Yamashita accepted the full blame for the Palawan Massacre.

The island of Mindoro is located in the central Philippine islands. The Battle of Mindoro began on the 13^th December 1944 and ended on the 16^th December 1944.Japanese kamikaze attacks on the 13^th December 1944 struck the U.S. Navy transporting the amphibious landing force. One light cruiser and two Tank Landing Ships (LST) were damaged, and several ships were disabled. Over 130 U.S. servicemen were killed and another 190 wounded during the kamikaze attack. On the 15^th December 1944 the invasion of Mindoro began. Defending the island were 1,200 Japanese troops who were outnumbered and outgunned when 10,000 U.S. troops launched their amphibious landing. With clear weather the attackers were supported by the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). Japanese resistance was minimal apart from kamikaze attacks which sank two LSTs. The island was secured within 48 hours apart from some final mopping-up. The Japanese lost 200 killed, 375 wounded and 15 captured. The remainder fled into the jungles and remained until the end of the war. The U.S. casualties were 151 killed and 271 wounded.

Typhoon Cobra was the U.S. Navy’s designation for a powerful tropical cyclone in the Pacific. As part of the Pacific typhoon season, the affected area was in the Philippine Sea east of Luzon. Cobra began forming on the 14^th December 1944 when low pressure air sucked high pressure air into its path. The combination of low and high air pressure produced winds up to 160 mph (260 km/h).  Cobra finally dissipated on the 19^th December 1944. The United States Pacific Fleet Task Force 38 (TF-38) had been conducting air raids on Japanese airfields in the Philippines. TF-38 was part of the U.S. Third Fleet. Whilst trying to refuel the ships of TF-38, Admiral William Halsey was given false information regarding the status of Cobra. On the 17^th December 1944 Halsey ordered the Third Fleet into the centre of the typhoon despite warning signs the conditions were worsening. The outcome was that 790 sailors were killed, three destroyers sunk, nine other warships damaged and dozens of aircraft swept of the deck of their carriers. In hindsight the Third Fleet should have ceased refuelling TF-38 and sought shelter.

The Agana Race Riots occurred on the island of Guam on the 24^th-26^th December 1944. Guam is part of Mariana Islands in the Pacific. Tensions arose between White American Marines and African/American Marines. Over the three-day period a number of marines were killed on both sides, white and Afro/Amer The riots ended with the subsequent Courts-Martial of some of the marines involved. For further information, see the separate essay on the Agana Race Riots.   

(Other Areas)

The 32^nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt was first elected in 1933 and by the time the U.S. entered the war in 1941 he was in his third presidency. War production under his administration was healthy.  With the war in the Pacific against the Japanese and in Europe against the Axis powers, Roosevelt decided to run for his fourth term of office. On the 7^th November 1944 Roosevelt was re-elected and chose Harry Truman as his deputy.                       

Field Marshall Sir John Dill was a senior British Officer who served in both the Great War and Second World War. At end of 1941 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill posted Dill to Washington D.C. as his personal representative. He attended many conferences as Churchill’s representative. He was also immensely important in getting the Chiefs of Staff of both countries to function to joint satisfaction. He was particularly friendly with American General George Marshal and the two exercised a lot of influence on President Roosevelt. Whilst stationed in Washington, on the 4^th November 1944 Dill died of Aplastic Anaemia. A memorial service was held in Washington National Cemetery as a mark of respect and affection he had earned. The route to Arlington National Cemetery was lined by thousands of troops including his friend George Marshall who was visibly stricken. Following a simple service at the graveside, American Joint Chief of Staff sent a message of condolence to their British colleagues. An equestrian statue of Sir John Dill was erected over his grave. His statue is one of only two at the cemetery, the other being Major-General Philip Kearny, a Union officer during the American Civil War. In 1944 Dill was posthumously awarded the American Army Distinguished Medal.

American bandleader Glen Miller formed his orchestra into a swing dance band in 1938. Glen Miller and his Orchestra enjoyed great success on the radio, records and films. At the height of his popularity he decided to volunteer his services to the war effort in 1942. He enlisted in the army and his ambition was to entertain the troops and raise money for the war effort. He was commissioned Captain Glen Miller.  He began his army career by radio broadcasting in America. In June 1944 Miller and his orchestra arrived in England to entertain the troops in Europe. He was promoted to Major and made an extensive schedule of appearances primarily at American air bases. In November 1944 Miller sought and received approval to move the orchestra from England to France. The Miller Orchestra was to be based in Paris which would enable them to broadcast their music and be seen in person. Miller was scheduled to fly to Paris and was on standby to board the regular flight on the 13^th December 1944. Owing to bad weather in France the flight was cancelled as was the flight the following day. However, Miller learned that a Lt.-Colonel of the 8^th Air Force Service Command was flying to France on the 15^th December1944 and Miller was invited to join them. The single engine plane took off from England and was lost while flying over the English Channel and was never seen again. The orchestra crossed the channel by sea and conducted by Jerry Grey, the Major Glen Miller Army Field Orchestra appeared as scheduled on the 25^th December 1944. Until V-E Day in Europe and in the Pacific the orchestra continued to broadcast until August 1945. In February 1945 Glen Miller was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and his widow Helen received it on his behalf. To this day the tune of “Moonlight Serenade” typifies Glen Miller’s music.   

In the English Channel, the Belgian transport ship SS Leopoldville was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of France on the 24^th December 1944, with the loss of approximately 300 troops. Leopoldville was part of a six-vessel convoy transporting U.S. reinforcements for the Battle of the Bulge. For further information, see the separate essay on the “The English Channel”.

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