Hoddom Castle

Tuesday 3 Aug 43

My dearest Maz,

So very many thanks for your letter received today – I was so interested in all your news, especially your description of the day with Eva and the Filbert, I’m sorry the latter was a bit off colour though he never was particularly bright and cheery.  Very nice mind you, but always a trifle dull I thought!

Your meals at the Majorca and the G.E. made me feel very envious!

Nothing of any great excitement has come to pass here since my letter to you written on Sunday – Stan and I had an excellent game at Powfoot that afternoon and when I got back I had a good bath, changed and went along for supper with Robin and his wife – I had a very pleasant evening but was reminded so much of our cottage at Mayfield and Dunkeld that I came away feeling quite homesick.

My eagerly awaited interview with the Colonel duly took place yesterday and I came away feeling more depressed than I have felt for some time – enough of that though!  The C.O. as I had anticipated said he had thought everything over, had had a chat with the CRA about me and they were both of the opinion that I was too young to embark on Staff Training – that he had talked to the CRA about me and had told him that my administrative work was excellent but that my tactical work was ‘short’, presumably meaning short of standard!  That after he has seen very little of my tactical work and after only just over a month ago giving me a special word of praise for the way I had commanded the Regiment that day he and the 2 i/c had been made casualties!  Now we were on the subject he went on he would like to tell me now that he felt that I had been assimilated into the Regiment and had found my feet and could start throwing my weight about and show more ‘binge’(!) (presumably ‘drive’ etc!).

He said he was afraid he had rather depressed me when I had joined the Regiment by his exhortations to me to go slow!  I said not a word, if I had  what I wanted to I should now be Gunner Benham!  I just said ‘Thank you, Sir’ saluted and marched smartly out.  You can imagine my feelings, I won’t dwell upon same!  You wanted an accurate account of the interview, I’ve supplied it almost verbatim.  My only hope now is Ian or an earthquake to wipe out all the Majors in the Regiment.  Nearly a year ago now I was told by Ian and Col Thomas that I could soon expect promotion, now I seem no nearer, and so many who joined up so long after me and who had the pleasure of calling me ‘sir’ are now elevated to high rank!  Prior, who came back with us, came to see me yesterday – he is a major now, having been posted to an Anti Tank Regt (he was in A/Tk) which has just formed another Battery, which he has got!

Maz dear, I know you will excuse this rather tedious account of my ‘fate’ but I shall not let matters drift.

Very much love to you and to Pari and Elli, again many thanks for your letter,

            Yours ever affectionately

            Peter.

In envelope addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked LOCKERBIE DUMFRIESHIRE dated 4 AU 43.   (5)

Hoddom Castle

Sunday

 1^st August 43

My dearest Maz,

It was grand to hear your voice again last night, it was exactly 3 weeks since I had phoned to report my safe arrival at Langholm, 3 weeks that might quite easily have been 3 years – I’m afraid I must have sounded very queer on the phone but I couldn’t hear awfully well and was rather having to guess at your answers!

So very many thanks, Maz, for your 2 letters received since my letter to you last Sunday, I was so interested in all your news and do so hope you had an enjoyable day with Eva and ‘the Filbert’!  I shall be very interested to hear how you got on.  I do hope, that after all you will decide to take a holiday with Aunt Beth.  You must realize that you have been, and are, doing the work which 2 people did before the war and that you’ve been doing it now since that wizard visit to Dunkeld, very nearly a year ago, without a break.  I’m certain the break would do you an absolute power of good.  I only wish this wasn’t such an out of the way sort of place so that you could come up here for a week or so but Annan is the nearest place and I should only be able to get down latish in the evening and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  How tragic it is that we are not somewhere like Lauder or Dunkeld or even that that was more time for recreation – if only we could move to somewhere more civilized, but there’s no sign of that happening I’m afraid.

I went to the Colonel last Monday and asked him about the possibilities of my going on a Staff Course – he was very pleasant and seemed, at any rate not to discourage the idea – he said he would like to think it out and have a chat with the CRA about it and I have got to see him again tomorrow to get his verdict.

Stan and I had some very enjoyable golf yesterday afternoon, it was very hot playing and a storm blew up just as we had got into tea and it cleared again just as we had finished so we were very lucky.  I’ve just got back to the Mess for lunch after a Battery Church Parade this morning – the weather doesn’t look too good but I’m hoping for another smack at the golf ball after lunch.  The week has been a very dull one just routine jobs and an Audit Board and Court of Inquiry thrown in so you can imagine how busy I’ve been.  I hear rumours that we go to Redesdale on the 14^th for about 10 days but have heard nothing official about it yet.  A quarter of the time before our next meeting has now gone and a few visits to Redesdale and exercises will all help to make the time go quickly, but it just can’t go fast enough for me.

What a shock Musso’s resignation was – it really made one feel conscious that we are winning the war, but I hope Badoglio won’t dilly dally too long and so give the Germans time to infiltrate in strength into Italy.  I want to hear soon that he has accepted our terms of honourable but unconditional surrender.

I will write on Tuesday and let you know how my interview with the Colonel goes – I should say its about ten to one that he will say I’m too young and must have more experience, but there’s just a chance that something may come of it.  I am so pleased Eileen has had her board and do so hope that everything went off well.  I know how relieved she will be that it’s all over.

At the moment Robin and I are the only 2 officers left in the Battery all the others are away on courses of one sort or another, mostly on local courses some at Rhyl and one or two at Larkhill, it certainly won’t be through lack of effort on my part if I don’t get one of the next vacancies on any Larkhill course that’s going!  Maz dear, I must close do I shall be late for lunch – I will write without fail on Tuesday and give you the ‘gruff’ – take care of yourself and my love to Pari and Elli, much love to you

Yours ever

affectionately

Peter.

In envelope addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked LOCKERBIE DUMFRIESHIRE dated 2 Au 43.    (4)

(Britain)

 The U.S, Army Air Force, based in England, carried out a strategic bombing mission against Germany on the 17^th August 1943. 376 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers attacked separate targets which was to become known as the Schweinfurt -Regensburg mission. The ambitious plan was to cripple the German aircraft industry. However, both targets were well beyond the range of escorting fighters. England was covered in fog and take-off was delayed for a couple of hours. The Regensburg strike force was the first to leave. The task force consisted of 146 B-17 bombers accompanied by 87 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter escorts. The P-47 fighter escorts finally met with the invaders but were forced to return to base after only 15 minutes of escort duty. Approximately 15 minutes after the formation crossed the Dutch coast they encountered the first German fighter interception which continued with growing intensity nearly all the way to the target. Low on fuel and ammunition the fighters broke off the engagement. Before retiring the German fighters had shot down or badly damaged 15 bombers. The remaining 131 bombers dropped nearly 300 tons of bombs on the factories with a great deal of success. They then turned south to land in North Africa. After losing a total of 24 bombers, of the remaining 122 who landed 60 had suffered battle damage.

The Schweinfurt strike force consisted of 230 B-17 bombers. 96 RAF Spitfire fighters were added to the strike force, owing to the delayed start of the mission, to provide fighter escort as far as Antwerp. U.S. P-47 fighters took over to escort them to Eupen in Germany. As they crossed the Dutch coast the clouds were at about 17,000 ft. (5,000 m) and the bombers flew below that level. However, they were more susceptible to German fighter attacks. The attacks began with over 300 fighters which continued all the way to the target. The Spitfires engaged the German fighters and claimed eight victories, but were forced to return to their bases early in the engagement to refuel and re-arm. U.S. P-47 escorting fighters, who were meeting the strike force, arrived late. The escorting fighters consisted of 88 aircraft who were forced to break off the contact virtually as soon as they arrived. After which the bombers continued un-escorted onto their target. At approximately 2.30 pm the force deviated from the Regensburg route at Worm in Germany, which alerted the defenders that the target was Schweinfurt. Of the 57 bombers of the leading group, only 40 dropped their bombs over the target. The remainder of the 300 defending fighters disengaged 15 miles from Schweinfurt in order to refuel and re-arm and commence the attack on the bombers during the return journey. Five miles from their target the bombers faced anti-aircraft guns. During the 24 minute span 183 B-17s dropped their bombs on five factories and 30,000 workers. They dropped nearly 425 tons of bombs which included 125 tons of incendiary bombs. Three bombers were shot down by flak over Schweinfurt. Upon leaving the target each individual task force circled over the town of Meiningen to re-assemble their formation, Once re-assembled they continued west toward Brussels. At approximately 3.30 pm the German fighters renewed their attacks concentrating mainly on the damaged bombers. The returning bombers were met by 93 P-47 and 95 Spitfire fighters which provided withdrawal support. The Allied fighters claimed 21 German fighters were shot down. However, on the return journey eight more bombers were lost before reaching the North Sea. A further three bombers were lost when they crash landed. The Schweinfurt force lost a total of36 bombers that day. Coupled with the 24 bombers lost on the Regensburg raidthe loss of60 bombers was a high price to pay.

The Schweinfurt – Regensburg mission was successful in that 6 main factories were destroyed or damaged at Regensburg. Schweinfurt suffered damage that was less severe but was still extensive. A lot of the buildings and machinery at Schweinfurt were fire damaged from the incendiary bombs. Overall the Germans lost 27 fighters and 203 civilians killed. American losses were 60 bombers, 2 Spitfires and 3 P-47 fighters shot down. They had 585 airmen in total either killed, wounded, missing or taken prisoner of war. In effect the Germans were victorious that day but the mission shocked the German air command into realising the war was beginning to turn against them. For the Americans the mission against Schweinfurt would need to be made again. It did in October 1943. For further details see separate essay.

Operation Hydra was conducted on the 17^th August 1943 when the RAF bombed the Peenemünde V2 rocket scientific research centre. Peenemünde is located on the Baltic coast of Germany. Following  the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 Germany was restricted to the amount of heavy artillery the treaty allowed. To evade these restrictions, German scientists studied the possibility of using rockets. Research began in the early 193Os. By 1943 the Austrian resistance group had forwarded information to the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) about the V2 rockets and Peenemünde. In the meantime the British Intelligence Service (SIS) received evidence, via various sources, that research and development of rockets were being conducted. On the 15^th July 1943 the government and Chief of Staff ordered an attack at the first opportunity. A planned diversionary attack on Berlin by eight Pathfinder Force Mosquitos was to simulate the beginning of a Main Force raid. The intention was to lure the Luftwaffe night fighters away from Peenemünde to Berlin. The attack began on the night of the 17^th/18^th August 1943 and the plan was to kill as many of the personnel involved in the research and development of the V2 rocket. The attack comprised three waves and the first wave comprised of 249 British bombers dropping marker flares over the target. Approximately 75% of the buildings were destroyed and about 170 of the 4,000 people attacked were killed. Amongst those who died were two chief engineers, one for the rocket motors and one for the rocket factory. The second wave consisted of 131 bombers who attacked the V2 works and managed to destroy the roof and the rockets stored within the building. The third wave of 169 bombers attacked the area of the works which consisted of 70 buildings containing experimental data and equipment. Once the first wave flew over Denmark the Luftwaffe despatched 213 night fighters to oppose the raiders. Although the raid was successful, V2 rocket launches were only delayed for about two months. A consequence of the raid was for the Germans to relocate the research facility and launching sites. Therefore the impact was deemed insufficient on German war production. The British lost 40 bombers and 245 airmen killed with another 45 taken prisoner. The Germans lost 12 aircraft plus their aircrew. In addition they lost 180 civilians plus between 500-700 slave workers. On the diversionary raid over Berlin three men were killed together with one convict labourer.

(Eastern Front)

On the 1^st August 1943 Operation Tidal Wave was conducted by American bombers attacking nine oil refineries in Ploiesti, Romania. The plan was to deny the Axis military machine the fuel required to keep them mobile. The Ploiesti oil refineries provided about 30% of all the Axis oil production. Germany and Romania had built strong anti-aircraft defences around Ploiesti following a previous small U.S. attack in June 1942. During the morning of the 1^st August 1943, taking off from their air-fields in Benghazi in Libya, were 178 B-24 bombers in five separate waves. These waves were drawn from the Ninth Air Force (98^th and 376^th Bombardment Groups} and had overall responsibility for the attack. The partially formed Eighth Air Force provided three additional bomb groups (44^th,93^rd and 389^th). One aircraft was lost on take-off. Flying at low level to avoid German radar detection, the formation reached the Adriatic Sea without further incident. At this point one B-24 began to fly erratically before plunging into the sea. Confusion in the formation began when another B-24 descended to look for survivors. No survivors were seen and with the extra fuel weight the B-24 could not regain altitude to re-join the formation and resume the course for Ploiesti. Confusion for the crew’s inability to re-group was mainly caused by the order to maintain radio silence during the attack. After this incident, for several reasons, ten of the B-24 aircrews returned to friendly airfields. The remaining aircraft were faced with a 9,000 ft. (2,700 m) climb over the Pindus Mountains. All five waves made the climb and levelled out at 11,000 ft. (3,400 m) but two of the waves were using higher power settings, and pulled ahead of the trailing formations. Maintaining radio silence was considered more important than the disruption of the synchronisation of the wave attacks. The Germans, by this this time, were aware of the Americans presence but did know the target. All five waves arrived at their navigational check point 65 Miles (105 km) from Ploiesti although well strung out. One of the 389^thBomb Group departed as planned for its synchronised approach but made a costly navigational error. The 93^rd Bomb Group followed the same course. They followed a railway line heading toward Bucharest instead of Ploiesti. Radio silence was broken in order to point out the error. Whilst on this course, as well as engaging with Ploiesti air defences they also faced Bucharest’s air defences which extended a long distance from the city. The 93^rd successfully dropped their bombs on Columbia Aquilla, Astra Romano and Unirea Orian refineries. Of the B-24 losses one bomber crashed into the Ploiesti‘s Women’s Prison and most of the prisoners did not survive. Conversely, all of the aircraft crew were also killed. When the building exploded in flames 100 civilians were killed. The 376^th target was the Romana Americana refinery where the air defences were heaviest. Most of the 376^th bombers attacked the Steaua Romana refinery with five bombers continuing on to attack Concordia Vega refinery. The air defences faced by the Operation Tidal Wave were German/Romanian Flak Division, the Romanian AA Brigade and 52 fighters. Operation Tidal Wave was a strategic failure by the Allies. Of the 177 bombers who left Libya only 88 returned. One B-24 landed in Libya 14 hours after departing with 365 bullet holes in it. 55 B-24s were found to be badly damaged after landing. 53 B-24s were destroyed with the loss of 310 aircrew killed or missing. The remaining bombers were diverted to the RAF airfield on Cyprus. The Allies estimated a loss of 40% of the refining capacity. Most of the damage was repaired within weeks. Many of the refineries had been operating below maximum capacity before the raid. After the raid, when the repairs were completed output of fuel was greater than before. For the Axis Powers seven fighters were lost, two were Romanian and five were German and 100 civilians lost at the Women’s Prison.

In Russia, following the Soviet defensive resistance during the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev was a Soviet summer offensive. Beginning on the 3^rd August 1943 with a heavy artillery barrage against German defensive positions was the opening engagement. Soviet tanks could not be held back even though the German defenders fought tenaciously. On the 5^th August 1943 the Soviets broke through the German defences. They advanced 37 miles (60 km) into the rear area. Strong Soviet attacks from the north-east overwhelmed German defenders and Belogorod was captured. In an attempt to stem the attack German reserves were moved from the Orel sector and north from the Donbas region in Ukraine. Success was limited and only delayed the Soviet Army by a day. German Panzers were assembled to counter-attack the approaching Soviet forces. After nine days the assembled Panzers initiated a counter-attack near Bogodukhov 18.5 miles (30 km) from Kharkov. The following tank battles had the Panzers destroying a huge number of Soviet tanks. Two further Soviet tank armies joined in the battle, but all three armies suffered heavily. The Soviet reinforcements stopped the German counter-attack, but further Soviet offensive plans were halted. They had lost 800 tanks, almost two thirds of the tanks available. The Soviet advance had stopped around Bogodukhov and the Germans took advantage by attempting to encircle the Soviet army. On the 18^th and 20^th August 1943 two separate German units encircled the Soviets and met up. However, the Soviets heavily outnumbered the Germans.  Although many Soviet troops and tanks were trapped, many were able to break out but suffered heavy casualties. Following this setback, on the 23^rd August 1943, the Soviet forces focussed on Kharkov and after heavy fighting captured the city. The 20 day battle losses for the Soviets were an estimated 200,000 killed or missing, with a similar number wounded. 1,864 tanks, 423 artillery guns and 153 aircraft were lost. For the Germans over 25,000 were killed or missing, over 16,000 wounded, 240 tanks and an unknown number of artillery guns were lost. The operation led to the Germans retreating in the Ukraine and set to stage for the Battle of Kiev in October 1943.

The Jewish population of Bialystok in Poland were put into a ghetto after the Nazi occupation and invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Mass deportations to Treblinka extermination camp was achieved as a first wave in February 1943. The Bialystok uprising began on the 16^th August 1943 following the German announcement that mass deportations would take place from the ghetto as a second wave. Between 300 and 500 ghetto inhabitants linked up with members of the armed Warsaw Anti-Fascist Bloc guerrillas. For weapons they had one machine-gun, some rifles and pistols, bottles filled with acid and Molotov cocktails to act as grenades. Knowing military success would be almost impossible the inhabitants reasoned it would be better to die in battle rather than the extermination camp. They fought in isolated pockets of resistance, which lasted several days, against the overwhelming German forces. A tank was sent into the ghetto and the defence was broken almost immediately. German soldiers set fire to the area. On the 17^th August 1943 the planned deportations to the concentration and extermination camps went ahead. By the 20^th August 1943 approximately 10,000 Jews had been transported on the Holocaust trains and murdered in the camps. However, several dozen of the guerrillas and inhabitants managed to escape into the surrounding forests and join up with the local partisans. During the uprising nine German soldiers were wounded. Of the 60,000 Jewish inhabitants living in Bialystok before the war, only several hundred survived the Holocaust.

(Mediterranean)

During the Sicily Campaign American Lieutenant General George S. Patton slapped two U.S. soldiers under his command. He had already acquired a reputation as an effective and hard-headed commander. He would reward men under his command when they performed well but also punishing them for the slightest infringements. He disagreed with the medical profession when they recognised combat stress, then known as ‘battle fatigue’ or ‘shell shock’. The first slapping incident occurred on the 3^rd   August 1943 when Private Charles H. Kuhl reported to the medical officer his condition. He was diagnosed as suffering from exhaustion. As part of his tour of the U.S. II Corps troops Patton arrived at the hospital the same day. He spoke to some of the physically wounded and when he approached Kuhl he asked where he had been injured. Kuhl replied he was ‘nervous’ rather than wounded. Patton immediately slapped Kuhl across the chin with his glove. He demanded Kuhl be sent back to the front immediately. However, Corpsmen brought Kuhl to a ward tent and it was discovered he had a temperature of 102^oF (39^oC) which was later diagnosed as malarial parasites. The second incident concerned Private Paul G. Bennett, who was a four year veteran of the U.S. Army. On the 10th August 1943 Patton entered the receiving tent of the hospital and spoke to some of the injured. When he approached Bennett the reply he received was, “It’s my nerves, I can’t stand the shelling anymore”. Accusing him of being a coward Patton slapped his face several times and pulling out his pistol threatened to shoot Bennett himself. The hospital commander Donald E. Currier had to physically separate the two. Up until the 10^th August 1943 Bennet had not shown any sign of combat stress. The medical staff were upset by Patton threatening a subordinate with a gun. The II Corps surgeon, Colonel Richard T. Arnest submitted a report of the incident which Eisenhower received on the 16^th August 1943. Dwight D, Eisenhower was Supreme Commander Allied Forces of the North African Theatre of Operation at the time. In a secret unofficial letter to Patton, Eisenhower informed him he knew of the slapping incidents. He said he would not be opening up an investigation into the matter, but his criticism of Patton was harsh. He also suggested Patton apologised to all concerned. Patton brought Bennett into his office, apologised and the men shook hands on the 21^st August 1943. He expressed his regret for his ‘impulsive actions’ when he met with Currier and the medical staff, who had witnessed the actions on the 22^nd August 1943. Finally on the 23^rd August 1943 he had Kuhl brought into his office where he apologised and the men shook hands also. Currier later stated Patton’s remarks sounded like no “apology at all but like an attempt to justify what he had done”. When Eisenhower arrived in Sicily on the 29^th August 1943 Patton gave him a letter expressing his remorse about the incidents.

0peration Husky was the code name for the Allied invasion of Sicily, which began on the 10^th /11^th July 1943. The northern port of Palermo was captured on the 22^nd July 1943 by the American Provisional Corps. British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery, known as “Monty”, gathered his forces for an attack on Adrano on the 1^st August 1943. The object of the attack was to split the German forces on either side of Mount Etna an active volcano on the north east coast. Etna lies between the cities of Messina and Catania. With American General Patton’s assistance the U.S. forces attacked east. The western area of Adrano fell on the 6^th August 1943.In the meantime the Germans had decided to evacuate the island and shortly after the Italians followed suit. On the 11^th August 1943 full-scale evacuations began by the German & Italian forces. On the 16^th August 1943 U.S. troops entered Messina. The Allies were in total control of all Sicily by the 17^th August 1943. The Axis evacuation was highly successful with the Germans evacuating 60,000 troops to mainland Italy. The Italians also had recovered 75,000 troops. However, the success of Operation Husky came at a cost. The British and Canadians lost nearly 12,000 men killed, wounded, missing or captured. The Americans lost nearly 9,000 men killed, wounded, missing or captured. No figures are available for the Axis Powers troop losses.For further details see separate essay on the Allied Invasion of Sicily.

The north-western Tuscan town of Pisa was bombed by the United States Air Force on the 31^st August 1943. Located north of Rome, Pisa is the major junction for the railway communications in central Italy. Following the evacuation of Sicily on the 17^th August 1943, and the removal of Dictator Benito Mussolini on the 25^th July 1943, the military’s aim was to push the new government to surrender. Taking off from Tunisia on the 31^st August 1943, a combined force of 152 B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers dropped 408 tons of bombs on the railway station area. Thinking the air raid sirens were another false alarm when they were operated at noon, most of the population did not go into the air raid shelters. Italian and German anti-aircraft guns open fired when the raid began at 1.00 pm. The power station was the first to be bombed, the railway station was badly damaged and 2,500 homes in the vicinity were destroyed or damaged. The seven minute raid accounted for the death of 952 civilians, whilst the Americans suffered the loss of four bombers shot down.

(Pacific)

The Japanese invasion and occupation of Burma began with the retreat of the British in 1942. With the success of the occupation Japan declared  the land as the ’State of Burma’ and installed a puppet government led by Ba Maw. Independence for Burma had been promised and on the 1^st August 1943 Japan declared that Burma was to become a fully sovereign state. It soon became obvious to Ba Maw that he had been deceived, as the Japanese had no intention of giving them independence. The puppet government began to look toward the communists for the solution.

In the Solomon Islands on the 2^nd August 1943 the U.S. Patrol torpedo boat PT-109 was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. The torpedo boat PT-109 was commanded by Lieutenant John F. Kennedy, the future American president. By the end of July 1943 intelligence reports informed the PT base on Rendova Island that four Japanese destroyers were heading their way carrying provisions. On the 1^st August 1943 fifteen PT boats left their Rendova base to intercept the destroyers. The fifteen PT boats were divided into four groups, of which PT-109 was part of “B” Division. On the 2^nd August 1943 “B” Division consisted of four PT boats. The leading PT boat fired her four torpedoes but missed the target as did the two fired from the following PT boat. PT-109 was idling along on one engine when at 2.00 am fog developed from the cloudy moonless night. Returning Japanese destroyer Amagiri, after offloading stores and Japanese soldiers, was heading directly for PT-109. Unable to evade the oncoming destroyer, PT-109 was rammed on her starboard side cutting her in two. The rear section of the hull had an explosion of fuel causing the sea around the ship to be set alight. The watertight compartments of the forward section kept it afloat but was surrounded by the blazing sea. Two seamen were killed instantly the collision occurred. Patrick McMahon was badly wounded and severely burnt. Kennedy to rescued McMahon and brought him to the floating bow section. Kennedy instructed all the remaining eleven survivors to regroup. For approximately twelve hours the floating bow section was drifting south and taking in water. The crew decided to swim to nearby Plum Pudding Island 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away. Kennedy swam with McMahon’s lifebelt strap clenched between his teeth. They reached the island and found the island had no natural food or water.  On the 4^th August 1943 Ensign Leonard Thom and Kennedy assisted the crew 3.75 miles (6 km) to Olasana Island. Again Kennedy towed McMahon by his lifejacket against a very strong current. The island provided them with ripe coconuts but no fresh water. On the 5^th August 1943 Kennedy and George Ross swam the half mile (0.8 km) to Naru Island. They discovered an abandoned Japanese canoe containing a fifty-gallon drum of drinkable water. The two men paddled the canoe back to Olasana Island to the awaiting crew. On the 6^th August 1943 the coast-watchers of Plum Island left Olasana Island by canoe and paddled the 12 miles (19 km) to Wanu Wanu Island. They linked up with Senior Scout Benjamin Kevu and informed him they had found the crew of PT-109. Kevu provided a better canoe for the coast-watchers and accompanied by scout John Kari, they paddled to within three miles (4.8 km) of the PT base on Rendova Island. The journey took 15 hours to complete the 38 miles (61 km) overnight on the 6^th/7^th August 1943. Australian Sub-Lieutenant Reg Evans was a coast-watcher on the Japanese held Kolombangara Island. From his secret observation site, he had witnessed the explosion and fireball of PT-109. Kevu sent a scout to inform Evans of the discovery. He sent a canoe with fresh food to the crew. Kennedy was ordered immediately to return to Kolombangara’s Gomu Island. On the morning of the 7^th August 1943 Evans was able to radio Rendova to confirm that Kennedy and his crew were found.When PT Commander Warfield received Evans’ radio message he dispatched two PT Torpedo boats to pick-up the survivors. On the morning of the 8^th August 1943 they had rescued the crew of PT-109 and returned them to Rendova PT base and medical care. The Navy and Marine Corps Medal was awarded to Thom, Ross and Kennedy for saving the crew in the water. Undoubtedly Kennedy was a national hero and his influential father made him out to be the key player by totally ignoring the contribution of Thom, Ross and the coast-watchers.  For further details see separate essay of the Ramming of PT-109 in August 1943.

Following the success of the Japanese in re-supplying the garrison at Vila on Kolombangara Island during July 1943, they decided to send further supplies to Vila. This was an attempt to halt the American troops advancing on the airfields of New Georgia Island. On the 6^th August 1943. U.S. forces captured Japanese Munda airfield, which the garrison at Vila was to re-enforce.  On the same day the Japanese navy sent a further four “Tokyo Express” destroyers using the same successful transport run they used during the Battle of Kula Gulf. Having been pre-warned by U.S. intelligence of the Japanese to re-supply Vila the U.S. navy despatched six destroyers to intercept. The Battle of Vella Gulf was the first time U.S. destroyers were allowed to operate independently during the Pacific campaign. The six destroyers, U.S. Dunlop, Craven, Lang, Maury, Sterett and Stack were led and commanded by Commander Frederick Mossbrugger. Just before midnight the U.S. destroyers located the Japanese “Tokyo Express” on their radar screens. The battle plan was to divide the six destroyers into two separate divisions. Mossbrugger’s destroyer Dunlop, accompanied by Craven and Maury launched a surprise torpedo attack out of the shadow of Kolombangara Island. They fired 24 torpedoes in the space of 63 seconds, turned to starboard and withdrew at high speed. The second division of Lang, Sterett and Stack was led by Commander Roger Simpson. Simpson’s destroyers were placed in an over-watch position to stop any Japanese attempt to turn into the torpedo attack, thus exposing their flanks.  Immediately the torpedoes started to detonate, Simpson’s destroyers opened fired with guns on the Japanese. All four Japanese destroyers were hit by torpedoes. Three were immediately or were quickly sunk by naval gunfire. One Japanese destroyer, Shigure, was hit by torpedo that did not detonate and allowed her to escape in the darkness. Whilst retreating she fired eight torpedoes at the U.S. destroyers, all of which missed their targets. The attack on the “Tokyo Express” was so successful that the only U.S. casualty was an accident to a gun loader, a crush injury. Not a single bullet or shell struck any of the U.S. destroyers. However, the Japanese lost 1210 soldiers and sailors, mostly by drowning. 685 were soldiers and the remaining 525 were sailors. The U.S. destroyers offered rescue but the majority of the Japanese soldiers/sailors refused the offer. They did not wish to become prisoners of war of the Americans. With the loss of the re-enforcements, the Japanese were no longer able to supply their garrison on Kolombangara Island. As a result they were forced to abandon Kolombangara Island and completed their withdrawal by early October 1943.

Vella Lavella is an island in the chain of the Solomon Islands. The island had been occupied by Japanese forces from the early days of the war in the Pacific. On the 15^th August 1943 the Battle of Vella Lavella began with the landing of 4,600 U.S. troops at Barakoma. These troops were from the 35^th Regimental Combat Team as part of the Expeditionary Force (EF). Seven destroyer-transporters, three LSTs (Landing Ship, Tanks) and two submarine chasers made up the EF. They were accompanied by many LCIs (Landing Craft, Infantry). Twelve destroyers formed the defensive escort for the flotilla. In addition P-40 and Corsair fighters patrolled the skies above. Zero fighters and Val dive bombers were dispatched by the Japanese in response to the landings. They were driven off by U.S. anti-aircraft fire as was a further attempt later in the day. Upon securing the beachhead U.S. troops advanced along the east coast to Horanui forcing the Japanese to retreat. U.S. losses were light with two aircraft shot down and no ships being sunk. U.S. troops suffered 12 killed and 50 wounded during the initial landings.  After having secured the beachhead the Americans made arrangements for resupply facilities on the island. The Japanese losses were greater with between 17 and 44 aircraft being shot down. Of the estimated 1,000 Japanese troops on the island less than 150 were killed. The actual numbers have never been confirmed. The Japanese established a depot, with barges, at Horaniu in readiness to evacuate the island rather than counter-attack. A group of four Japanese destroyers were dispatched from Rabaul on the 18^th August 1943 and another group of reinforcements were also despatched in barges to secure the depot. Four U.S. escort destroyers were sent to disrupt the Japanese landings. The outcome was the U.S. and Japanese destroyers engaged in a Naval Battle of Vella Lavella off the coast of Horaniu. Two Japanese destroyers were damaged and several of the smaller vessels destroyed. While the sea battle was taking place the Japanese troop-laden barges proceeded to Horaniu. Upon landing on the 19^th August 1943 they camouflaged and hid the barges while they established the depot. In the meantime further U.S. troops arrived on the 17^th and 2Oth August 1943 and began limited patrol operations. The land Battle of Vella Lavella extended into September and early October 1943.

(Other Theatres)

The Aleutian Islands are located off the U.S. State of Alaska. The Aleutian campaign ended on the 15^th August 1943 when U.S. and Canadian troops invaded to find Japanese troops had evacuated. The Baring Sea separates the continents of America and Asia and at narrowest point the distance between them is approximately 50 miles (80 km).  Once America entered the war in December 1941, the Japanese considered control of the Aleutian Islands essential. By doing so they would prevent the U.S. forces attacking them from the north in the Pacific Theatre. Similarly the Americans reasoned that the Japanese would use the islands as bases from which to carry out aerial attacks on cities of the U.S. west coast. The Japanese invaded the islands in June 1942 and occupied them until July 1943. In the meantime U.S. aircraft bombed well established Japanese strong points. The U.S. navy was assigned to eliminate Japanese supply convoys. When on the 15^th August 1943 U.S. and Canadian troops invaded Kiska Island they found the island abandoned. On the 28^th July 1943 and under the cover of fog, the Japanese successfully removed their troops from the islands. The Aleutian Islands Campaign was over.

The Azores Islands are located in the mid-Atlantic and are a colony of Portugal. On the 17^th/18^th August 1943 Portugal agreed to an Allied request for Britain to set up air bases on the islands. Wishing to stay neutral as Portugal realised they were too weak to defend their islands or even the homeland. They were worried about a possible German invasion through Spain. By allowing the Allies to use the islands as an air base it was an ideal position to attack any possible German invasion of Portugal. Also the islands provided enormous strategic value against the German U-boats.   

On the 19^th August 1943 during a meeting in Canada, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Quebec Agreement. The agreement stipulated that nuclear weapons would be developed by U.K. and U.S. scientists who would pool their resources. The British Tube Alloys project was merged with the American Manhattan Project which gave control of the joint project to the Combined Policy Committee (CPC). A Canadian representative was included on the PCP although not a signatory to the Quebec Agreement. British permission was required for use of nuclear weapons against Japan in July 1945.

—————————————–