Category Archives: 1943

SCHWEINFURT – REGENSBURG MISSION

August 1943

The U.S, Army Air Force, based in England, carried out a strategic bombing mission against Germany on the 17th 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 and was led by Bombardment Wing commander Curtis E. LeMay. The task force consisted of 146 B-17 bombers accompanied by 87 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter escorts. The attacking formation of aircraft was not compact enough for their mutual defence and the individual wing groups were extended into a long stream of aircraft. Of the two groups of P-47 fighter escorts only one arrived on time to meet with the leading task force. The second arrived 15 minutes late. Finally, without engaging with any German interceptors, both P47 escort groups were forced to return to base after only 15 minutes of escort duty. Approximately 15 minutes after the Regensburg formation crossed the Dutch coast they encountered the first German fighter interception. The interception continued with growing intensity nearly all the way to the target. After 90 minutes of combat the intercepting fighters broke off the engagement, low on fuel and ammunition. Before retiring the German fighters had shot down or badly damaged 15 bombers. With visibility clear and anti-aircraft flak light, the remaining 131 bombers dropped nearly 300 tons of bombs on the fighter aircraft factories with a great deal of success. The Regensburg force then turned south to cross the Alps to enable them to land in North Africa. Additional losses of bombers were encountered through lack of fuel. After losing a total of 24 bombers, of the remaining 122 who landed in Tunisia 60 had suffered battle damage.

The Schweinfurt strike force consisted of 230 B-17 bombers and was commanded by Brigadier General Robert B. Williams. The strike force followed the same route as the Regensburg force. 96 RAF Spitfire fighters were added to the strike force, owing to the delayed start of the mission, to provide fighter escort. The Spitfires escorted the Schweinfurt strike force as far as Antwerp, where U.S. P-47 fighters took over to escort them to Eupen in Germany. The mission was planned to attack from 25,000/26,000 ft. (7,000/8,000 m). 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 almost immediately with over 300 fighters attacking the bombers head-on which continued all the way to the target. The RAF 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 Schweinfurt strike force, arrived five and eight minutes late. The escorting fighters consisted of 88 aircraft from two separate groups. The two groups were forced to break off the contact virtually as soon as they arrived. Before departing there were some individual combats, although nothing of any consequence. 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 who 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, 3 P-47 and 2 Spitfire 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 Germans 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, which did occur in October 1943.

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WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS (WASP)

WOMEN OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

In America the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was a women’s pilot organisation employed by the United States federal civil service which was formed on the 5th August 1943. The WASPs were attached to the United States Army Air Force but did not have any military status. The female pilots were required to have flying licences and experience before being accepted. In order to obtain their wings and fly military aircraft their training was basically the same as the male aviation cadets but they were not trained for combat, only combat-like conditions. They were taught the manoeuvres necessary to recover from any position. Their role was to fly aircraft from the factories to military bases in order to free male pilots for combat. Over 25,000 women applied but only 1074 of the 1830 who were accepted completed the training. Thirty-eight WASP members had lost their lives when the organisation was disbanded in December 1944. In 1977 the WASPs were granted veteran status for their service during the Second World War. On the 10th May 2010 the three hundred surviving WASPs travelled to Washington to accept the Congressional Gold Medal which President Barack Obama had awarded them the previous year. The following female pilots are a very small section of American women who made a huge contribution to the Second World War.

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Jacqueline “Jackie” Cochran was named Bessie Lee Pittman and was born on the 11th May 1906 in Florida. Her family moved to Georgia when she was eight years old. She grew up in poverty with little formal education. She married Robert Cochran when she was fourteen and they had a son in 1925 and the couple divorced in 1927. She had trained as a beautician and pursued her career in Alabama, Florida and in 1931 to New York where she took the name of Jacqueline, but maintained name of Cochran and was known to her friends as ‘Jackie’. In 1932 she took her first flying lesson and obtained her flying licence within three weeks whilst working as a cosmetics saleswoman. Her future husband, Floyd Odium told her that flying would help her to be one step ahead of the competition. In 1935 she started a cosmetic company by the name of Jacqueline Cochran Cosmetics which prospered and she sold it in 1963. Jackie pioneered the field of aviation and was one of the prominent racing pilots of her generation. Before America entered the Second World War, she was part of an organisation that ferried American built aircraft to Britain under the “Wings for Britain” scheme. Jackie had an idea whereby female pilots could ferry military aircraft from factory to air force base, similar to Britain’s Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) to enable male pilots to fight. She travelled to Britain to see her plan in action, by volunteering for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) through the ATA which was actively recruiting women. Upon returning to America she refined her plans and eventually Jackie and twenty-five handpicked female pilots embarked for England where they trained and ferried aircraft whilst with the ATA. In America while Jackie was in England the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) was formed under the direction of Nancy Harkness Love. Upon hearing of this formation she returned to America. She lobbied Lieutenant General Henry Arnold, Chief of the Air Corps, for expanded flying opportunities for women as her experience in Britain showed her what could be achieved. Arnold sanctioned the creation of the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) headed by Jackie. With Nancy Love as head of the ferrying section and Jackie as director the WAFS and WFTD merged in 1943 to create the Women Aircraft Service Pilots (WASP). From August 1943 to December 1944, Jackie supervised the training of hundreds of women pilots. For her wartime service she received the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) in 1945. At the end of the war she was hired by a magazine to report on global post-war events. She witnessed the Japanese surrender and attended the Nuremburg Trials in Germany.  In September 1948 Jackie joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve as lieutenant colonel and retired in 1970 as a full colonel. Just prior to and during her career in the Air Force Reserve she received three awards for the Distinguished Flying Cross for various achievements from 1947 to 1964. She died in her home in California on the 8th August 1980 after a lifetime of aviation achievements.  In a typical rags to riches story Jackie Cochran rose from a poverty stricken childhood to become one of history’s most accomplished female aviators.

Betty Gillies (nee Huyler) was born in 1908 at Long Island to a fairly prosperous family. She was a pioneering American aviator and the second female to join the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) and the first to qualify to fly military aircraft. In 1928 she had enrolled in a nursing school and had her first flying lesson, and achieved her first solo flight in November 1928. She was issued with a private licence in May 1929 after which she purchased her own aircraft. In 1930 she married Bud Gillies, vice president of the Grumman Aircraft Corporation and continued flying to earn a commercial pilots licence. Women pilots were ready to take an active part as necessary when the United States entered the Second World War. When Betty received a telegram from her friend Nancy Love to join her at WAFS she left immediately. She had been flying for fourteen years with over 1,400 flying hours and was the first female pilot to qualify for the WAFS which was later incorporated into the Women Aircraft Service Pilots (WASP). When Nancy left to start another branch of WAFS Betty was promoted to squadron leader of the 2nd Ferrying Group based in Delaware. Her role was to organise the ferrying of aircraft to the various air bases for dispatch to Britain and France. Betty and Nancy Love were the first women to qualify and fly the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. After the war her family moved to California where they had three children. Betty became a ham radio operator working from her home connecting calls to ships in the Pacific Ocean and maintaining contact with U.S. Navy personnel in the Antarctic. In 1964 she was appointed the first Federal Aviation Administration Women’s Advisory Committee by President Lyndon B.  Johnson. She received a Paul Tissandier Diploma from the Federal Aeronautique Internationale in 1977 and the National Aeronautic Association Elder Statesman of Aviation Award in 1982. Betty Gillies was a pioneer in aviation history and after lifetime of flight she passed away aged 90 in 1998.

Born in  Michigan on the 14th February 1914, Nancy Love (nee Harkness) was a pilot, test pilot, air racer and creator of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS). She was the first woman to fly American high performance aircraft. Financed by her doctor father Nancy earned her private pilot’s licence at the age of 16 years. She began working in the aviation industry and finally resigning in late 1935 from the position of pilot for the Bureau of Air Commerce. In January 1936 she married Robert Love, owner of one of the companies she has worked for previously. She competed in two national air races after her honeymoon but focussed on work within the aviation industry. She returned to the Bureau of Air Commerce where she refined her close attention to the details of flying. She devised check lists for her pre-flight schedules. In the autumn of 1938 she was approached by the directors of the newly formed Gwinn Aircar Corporation as a woman to sell its new product, a small aircraft with a tricycle landing gear. Instead of a selling post she was offered the position of test pilot as the tricycle landing gear represented an entirely new technological approach to a tail-wheel landing. At Gwinn, she helped to develop the landing to become function of the aircraft operation, and to learn how to test an aircraft’s performance to its limit. By 1940 she was a member of the Civil Air Patrol where she helped in the ferrying an aircraft from America via Canada to France. She gained valuable experience by ferrying new planes to Canada for dispatch to Britain and France. Her original proposal to form the Air Corps Planes Division was rejected. The proposal was the growing need of qualified male ferry pilots could be replaced by experienced women pilots. After America entered the war, her husband Bob who was a major in the reserves, was assigned as deputy chief of staff at Air Corps Ferrying Command headquarters and Nancy became an operations planner. Facing a shortage of trained pilots to ferry aircraft from the factories the authorities recognised Nancy was the ideal person to organise and lead the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) in the summer of 1942. The WAFS merged with Jacqueline Cochran’s WFTD in August 1943 to become the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) with Nancy as commander of the ferrying division and Jacqueline Cochran as director and training schedule. In 1944 the WASPs were disbanded and Nancy continued to work for the Air Transport Command. At the end of the war Nancy and her husband Bob were simultaneously decorated for their efforts during the war. She received the Air Medal and her husband received the Distinguished Services Medal, adding to his previous awards. After the war she had three daughters but continued as an aviator leader. In 1948, after the creation pf the United States Air Force she was given the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Nancy died of cancer in 1976 at the age of 62 years, and she did not live to see the WASPs being accorded military status in 1979. Nancy was the champion for the recognition as military veterans for the women who had served as WASPs. Nancy Love was commemorated on the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 1989.

Ola Mildred Rexroat was the only Native American woman to serve in WASP. Her father was a white publisher and editor and her mother was an Oglala-Sioux from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and she was born on the 28th August 1917 in Argonia, Kansas. Her family moved from town to town and “Millie” spent a lot of time visiting her grandmother on the reservation in South Dakota. She graduated from St. Mary’s Indian High School for Girls in South Dakota in 1932. She drifted from different jobs until studying and finally achieving a Bachelor’s Degree for Art in 1939. When the United States entered the war in December 1941 she and her mother went to Washington DC and Millie found employment at the Army War College. She heard about the WASP but did not have any flying experience and so she learnt to fly at the local flight school. She was sufficiently qualified to apply to the WASP after thirty-five hours of lessons to obtain her flying licence. Accepted into the WASP Millie graduated from training in 1944. She was stationed at Eagle Pass Army Airfield where she took on the dangerous job of towing targets for the male pilots to practise gunnery. After WASP disbanded, she joined the Air Force Reserves and she was recalled into active service during the Korean War. Millie worked as an air traffic controller in San Antonio and Albuquerque then spent approximately twenty years at Santa Fe Municipal Airport. She briefly re-joined Civil Air Patrol in which she was active in the 1950s. She served two terms as President of the North American Indian Women’s Association as she never forgot her Indian heritage. On the 30th June 2017, aged 99 Millie died in Hot Springs, South Dakota.

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Letter from Peter Benham to his Mother.

Hoddom Castle

Monday 9 Aug 43

My dearest Maz,

I decided after all to wait until today before I wrote to you especially as you said you had sent a letter off to me on Saturday – it duly arrived this morning – so very many thanks for same, it was read with great interest and the kind words contained therein were very much appreciated.  After a few days of fairly acute depression I realised what an awful mutt I was being – it does no good to worry and one must just wait and see and hope for the best, difficult sometimes as it is.  It was simply grand last night to have heard your voice.  They certainly let us have a good natter before finally say ‘time up’ – you will I know be pleased to hear that the tooth trouble which I mentioned, has turned out to be nothing of the sort, in fact the dentist told me this morning that he had rarely seen such healthy gums!  Was I relieved, or was I!  He told me however that the hard biscuits had whipped a few bits of stopping away and I’m going along tomorrow p.m. to have them done.  Our exercise was, as Eileen would say, a terrific ‘bind’ and I felt the full effects of loss of sleep etc today and am shortly preparing for bed.  I was chief umpire for the Regt and had to trail round with the C.O. most of the time and send constant reports in to the senior R.A. Umpire.  In all I managed 11 hours sleep in the 3 nights but didn’t feel tired yesterday evening.  The C.O. was too pathetic for words, having no grip at all on what was happening – his prize effort being a conversation over the wireless with a B.C. in which he got very shirty with the B.C. because he couldn’t get any reply – after a few minutes someone tactfully reminded him to talk into the correct side of the microphone!!

Honestly, I ask you.  Many of the very elementary errors which he made were duly very tactfully noted in my report.  We go to practice camp at Redesdale on Friday or Saturday for a fortnight and already the preliminary terrific training up for same has begun.

Today my programme was work from 9 til 1 and 2 – 4.30 then min range at 5.30 – 6.30 and gun drill solidly from 6.30 – 9 – it will be the same ‘til we eventually go to Camp – Jack Talbot, the Troop Commander of D Troop, is away so I’m having to do my own job and his – hard work but there’s nothing else to do.

A most regrettable thing happened last Saturday week, namely that my lovely cigarette case was stolen – it’s sickening, isn’t it?  The facts briefly were that on the night in question I was in the Ante Room awaiting my call through to you with my matches and case on the arm of my chair – after talking to you I went upstairs to finish off a letter to Eileen and, remembering my case was down stairs, went down for it to find the ante room deserted and only my matches where I had been sitting – I have made very exhaustive enquiries but so far there is no trace of it – tell Elli that I will be writing to report the loss when a  few days have elapsed and the last hopes of its recovery have gone.

Maz, all this rigmarole about myself and no enquiries after your health – I was so sorry to hear you had not been so fit and do hope you are feeling better now – I hope, too, to hear that you are going to have a holiday, it will do you so much good.  I was delighted to hear about Eileen’s successful board and know how much some real training will mean to her – she will, I feel certain, enjoy it more with a goal to aim at.

Well, little Maz, time draws on and I must begin to finish (that sounds a bit Irish!) – Yes, the news during the last week really has been excellent and gives one renewed hope that it won’t be long now before we are back to normal again.  I do so hope you are feeling yourself again.  Many thanks again for your letter and kind words, my love to Pari and Elli and to yourself – much love

            Yours ever affectionately,

                        Peter

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

Postmarked LOCKERBIE DUMFRIESHIRE 10 Au 43.             (6)

THE RAMMING OF PT-109

August 1943

In the Solomon Islands on the 2nd 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. Kennedy had been transferred from the U.S. to the Solomon Islands in January 1943. Having qualified for command Kennedy was assigned commander of PT-109 in April 1943 after her original commander had been killed. 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. The provisions were for the Japanese troops garrisoned on Kolombangara Island and the destroyers were known as the “Tokyo Express”. On the 1st August 1943 fifteen PT boats left their Rendova base to intercept the destroyers including Kennedy on board PT-109. The fifteen PT boats were divided into four groups, of which PT-109 was part of “B” Division. On the 2nd August 1943 “B” Division consisted of four PT boats led by PT-159 with PTs 109, 157 and 162. Spotting radar blips indicating the Japanese destroyers were in the vicinity, PT-159 fired her four torpedoes from a range of one mile. Unfortunately all torpedoes missed their target as did the two fired from PT-157. After releasing their torpedoes both PT-159 and PT-157 zigzagged away to avoid detection. Whilst advancing toward the destroyers PT-159 did not radio Kennedy on PT-109 to follow, thereby leaving PT-109 behind in darkness. In the meantime PT-109, accompanied by PT-157 and PT-162 had been ordered to patrol the area. 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. With PT-109 cut 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. From another group, PT-169 was closest to PT-109, and launched two torpedoes at Amagiri which missed their target. When PT-162 attempted to launch her torpedoes they failed to fire. Both PT-169 and PT-162 returned to base without checking for survivors. Seamen Andrew Kirksay and Harold Marney were killed instantly the collision occurred. Patrick McMahon was the only man in the engine room where he was badly wounded and severely burnt. In the meantime, the blazing sea had died down sufficiently for Kennedy to rescue McMahon and brought him to the floating bow section. As a previous member of the Harvard University swim team, Kennedy was a strong swimmer. He also rescued two non-swimmers. Kennedy instructed all the remaining eleven survivors to regroup by clinging onto the floating bow section. For approximately twelve hours the bow section was drifting south and taking in water. The crew decided to swim for land, the nearest being Plum Pudding Island 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away. Nine of the crew members began kicking together to propel one of the bow section timbers, whilst clinging on. Kennedy swam with McMahon’s lifebelt strap clenched between his teeth. They reached the island approximately four hours later without encountering any sharks or crocodiles. The exhausted crew dragged themselves up the beach to the tree-lined area so as not to be visible to any passing Japanese vessels. The island had no natural food or water and was only about 100 yards (91 m) in diameter. Kennedy swam for a further two miles in an attempt to attract the attention of a passing PT boat, but was unsuccessful. On the 4th August 1943 Ensign Leonard Thom and Kennedy once again assisted the swimming of the crew as before to Olasana Island, a distance of 3.75 miles (6 km). 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 5th 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. When Kennedy first spoke to local coast-watchers Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumanu they feared the castaways were Japanese. Once they realised they were American they vowed to help. On the 6th August 1943 Gasa and Kumanu left Olasana Island by canoe 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. Gasa and Kumanu gave to Kevu a pencilled note from Thom and a scratched coconut from Kennedy requesting instructions for rescue. Without giving co-ordinates or their location in the messages, both Kennedy and Thom trusted the coast-watchers with their lives. Kevu provided a better canoe for Gasa and Kumanu, accompanied by scout John Kari, and 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 6th/7th August 1943 through rough seas and hostile waters patrolled by the Japanese. The two coast-watchers travelled in a Kevu pre-arranged boat to the PT base, with Gasa clutching the scratched coconut. 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. When he was convinced Kennedy and his crew had been found Evans sent a canoe with fresh food to the crew. Kennedy was ordered immediately to return to Kolombangara’s Gomu Island. On the return journey he was instructed to lie underneath palm fronds in the canoe. By doing so he was not spotted by Japanese planes flying in the vicinity. On the morning of the 7th August 1943 Evans was able to radio Rendova to confirm that Kennedy and his crew were found. When Gasa and Kumanu arrived at Rendova PT Commander Warfield doubted the authenticity of the native coast-watchers. When Warfield received Evans’ radio message he dispatched two PT Torpedo boats to pick-up the survivors. On the morning of the 8th 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. The Purple Heart was also awarded to Kennedy for the injuries he sustained in the collision. McMahon survived his injuries but further details are unknown. Undoubtedly Kennedy was a national hero and his influential father made him out to be the key player by totally ignoring the contributions of Thom, Ross and the coast-watchers. After the war Kennedy became a politician and was to become the future President of the USA.

Letter from Peter Benham to his Mother.

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)

Letter from Peter Benham to his Mother.

Hoddom Castle

Sunday

 1st 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 14th 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)

SECOND WORLD WAR August 1943

(Britain)

 The U.S, Army Air Force, based in England, carried out a strategic bombing mission against Germany on the 17th 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 17th 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 15th 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 17th/18th 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 1st 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 1st 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 (98th and 376th Bombardment Groups} and had overall responsibility for the attack. The partially formed Eighth Air Force provided three additional bomb groups (44th,93rd and 389th). 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 389thBomb Group departed as planned for its synchronised approach but made a costly navigational error. The 93rd 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 93rd 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 376th target was the Romana Americana refinery where the air defences were heaviest. Most of the 376th 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 3rd 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 5th 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 18th and 20th 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 23rd 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 16th 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 17th August 1943 the planned deportations to the concentration and extermination camps went ahead. By the 20th 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 3rd   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 102oF (39oC) 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 10th 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 16th 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 21st 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 22nd August 1943. Finally on the 23rd 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 29th 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 10th /11th July 1943. The northern port of Palermo was captured on the 22nd 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 1st 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 6th August 1943.In the meantime the Germans had decided to evacuate the island and shortly after the Italians followed suit. On the 11th August 1943 full-scale evacuations began by the German & Italian forces. On the 16th August 1943 U.S. troops entered Messina. The Allies were in total control of all Sicily by the 17th 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 31st 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 17th August 1943, and the removal of Dictator Benito Mussolini on the 25th July 1943, the military’s aim was to push the new government to surrender. Taking off from Tunisia on the 31st 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 1st 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 2nd 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 1st 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 2nd 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 4th 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 5th 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 6th 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 6th/7th 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 7th 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 8th 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 6th 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 15th August 1943 the Battle of Vella Lavella began with the landing of 4,600 U.S. troops at Barakoma. These troops were from the 35th 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 18th 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 19th August 1943 they camouflaged and hid the barges while they established the depot. In the meantime further U.S. troops arrived on the 17th 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 15th 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 15th August 1943 U.S. and Canadian troops invaded Kiska Island they found the island abandoned. On the 28th 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 17th/18th 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 19th 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.

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Air Raid Damage Reports Brentwood Division Essex Fire Service July 1943.

Date                Time   Location         Damage

03/07/1943    01.30  Nevendon     A British Spitfire No A.H.V.B.L. 294 belonging to

the 332nd Squadron (Norwegian) RAF North Weald, piloted by Lt. Hans Ratnes Isachsam, made a forced landing due to shortage of petrol in a wheat field on Craines Farm 3/4 mile N W of Nevendon Police Station (Map Ref M 169089) Pilot was uninjured but damage was caused to propeller and undercarriage of machine.

03/07/1943    Found   Paglesham A Ux H.E. in marshland 300 yards South of

Congregational Church and 450 yards South East of Biggins Farm East End.  Time and date of falling unknown.  No casualties or damage.  (Disposed of BDS 28.7.43).

10/07/1943    09.15  Laindon         An inflated Rubber Dinghy fell from a Flying

Fortress passing over Laindon and was found in Kings Crescent.  It caused slight damage to a house and electric cables but no casualties.

12/07/1943                Raweth          1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in a field forming a camouflet. 

No damage or casualties.  (Dealt with BDS 28.7.43).

14/07/1943    04.00  Canvey          1 – A.A. Shell exploded in a field 10 yards S W of

Island             Northwick Corner Canvey Road.  No casualties or damage.

14/07/1943    04.00  Pitsea             The window of Lewis shop 3 Jubilee Terrace

                                                            Rectory Road was broken by shrapnel.

21/07/1943    Found  Horndon      1 – Ux.H.E in field adjoining Brown & Tawse

                                                            factory 230 yards East of Childerditch Lane.

23/07/1943    04.40  Rayleigh        Mrs. Mitchell of No 1 Hillview Road, was pushing

Archibald Brown of Summerhill London Road Rayleigh in an invalid chair along the Hockley Road Rayleigh in the direction of Hockley when opposite a house known as “The Hattens” an explosion occurred in the roadway.  Brown was killed.  Mrs. Mitchell was injured and conveyed to Southend Hospital.

23/07/1943    09.00  Foulness       The body of James Walter Ward, aged 38 years,

Island             was found on the foreshore at Foulness Island 30 yards South of Asplin Head.  Was the skipper in charge of a barge “J.B.W.” which was blown up by a mine 20 miles Clacton side of Southend on 15.7.43 his death therefore being due to war operations.

29/07/1943    00.15  Pitsea             A – Ux. A.A. Shell found in fields Nurseries, High

                                                            Road.  No damage or casualties.

29/07/1943    00.30  Billericay        1 – A.A. Shell exploded 60 yards West of

Fernshore, Church Road Ramsden Bell House.  No casualties or damage.

29/07/1943    00.50  Paglesham    1 – H.E. exploded in Saltings Creek, between

Clements Marshes and Wallasea Island.  No casualties or damage.

Hoddom Castle

Dumfries

Sunday 25 July 43

My dearest Maz,

It’s now getting on for 9 pm and I am hoping soon to be told that my call to 2116 is through and that I shall be hearing your voice again – it seems like a year since I was telling you of my safe arrival back at Langholm after that never-to-be-forgotten leave, in fact it’s only 15 days – fantastic.  I put a call through last night and at 9.40 pm was told that the bell had been ringing but that there was no reply – I may be wrong but my guess is that you and Pari were probably at the Lion or the George.

Very many thanks, little Maz, for your letter received on Tuesday, I was delighted to hear of your various outings on Par’s leave and that you have **** the Slovikkis (not spelt correctly but it sounds pretty near!) I heard from Eileen on Saturday that Hugh has at last been awarded the D.S.C. – great show and I know magnificently deserved – please congratulate Aunt Vi from me when you next see her.  I had a very nice letter from her the other day enclosing 10/- for my birthday.  I wrote by return and have asked her to let me have Hugh’s address.

This week in many ways seems to have gone very quickly, nothing of any interest has taken place, but the weather has continued to be perfect – we’ve had no rain now for 10 days – a record for Scotland I should think.  Yesterday Stan and I cycled over to Powfoot where we had 13 holes before tea and 13 holes after before cycling back here at 7.30.  It was lovely playing, very hot but I went well prepared and wore my tropical kit outfit, shirt, shorts and stockings.  I struck rather good form and gave Stan a good trouncing.  As I’m Regimental Field Officer for the week starting today I have been in all this afternoon and had a real good old *** – including a spot of shut eye from 3 – 5.  I woke up just in time for tea!  Next week promises to be a very busy one as I’m the President of a Court of Enquiry on Tuesday and a member of a Regimental Audit Board which has to audit all the accounts in the Regt.  This will take a lot of time I’m afraid.  My Court Martial last Thursday went off well – the deserter had no chance at all, he was absent for 12 weeks, but we had a great tussle in the other case in which a gunner shot his left thumb off and in the end I got him off, much, so I’m told, to the Colonel’s annoyance!  I do so hope this call comes through soon.  I’m afraid this is a very dull letter but really there’s so little to do here that one can’t report any particularly interesting items of news.  You must be having a very strenuous time while Emily is away, please don’t overdo it.  My love to you, Maz dear, and to Pari and Elli.  I really will write to Elli soon tell him.  Take care of yourself and as I say don’t overdo things.

            Ever yours very affectionately

                        Peter

Well done the chaps who went to Hamburg – what a raid!  Did you hear them going over?

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

Postmarked LOCKERBIE DUMFRIESHIRE dated ** JY 43.  

On back of envelope 9.40 no reply again!  Will try next weekend  P.

Hoddom Castle

Sunday 18 July 43

9.15 p.m.

My dearest Maz,

So very many thanks for your letter which arrived on Wednesday after being forwarded on from Langholm – Yes, it really was a superb leave and will rank probably until the next as one of the very best, won’t it?  I have thought so much of you and Pari this week and do hope the weather was kind to you and that you had some good days out.

The first 4 days of the week here were simply appalling it just never stopped raining, and the whole camp was just a sea of mud, but these last 3 days have been lovely, hot and sunny.  During the week I’ve been very busy and have been working up ‘til about 7.30 or so most evenings, the chief job I’ve been on is ‘camp improvements’, making pathways, cleaning drains etc, I must say the last unit here left the camp in a simply shocking state but now it’s 100% better, though there is still a lot of work to be done.  On Sat morning I had a wire from Eileen requesting a phone number to ring me up – I had a chat with her at 7.45 yesterday evening and she told me that her ‘stirring up’ which I had advised her to do, had borne fruit and that she hopes this week to be interviewed at Group HQ with a view to training properly as a watch keeper – it will certainly add spice to what must be a very dull existence at Stad and I hope her interview goes favourably.

I’ve enjoyed this week-end as much as any I’ve spent up here since I joined the 7th.  Yesterday Stan Lockyer and I cycled over to a golf course at Powfoot (6½ miles from here) where we borrowed clubs, had 13 excellent holes, tea and then cycled quietly back here.  This afternoon we repeated the performance, but this time we played 6 holes after tea.  The course is not at all bad and is quite well kept, there are only 13 holes, the other 5 having been ploughed up, but its excellent value and *** and much needed exercise.

The news continues to be good and after only a week’s fighting in Sicily to have captured 1/3 of the island and taken 30,000 prisoners (what are they going to do with them all?!) seems a really first-class show.  The Russians also seem to be doing great things – everything, touching wood, really does seem to be going in our favour now.  I’m getting so impatient, as must many millions of others for the war to end and now see the beginning of the end seems to be here – great show.

I spoke to Robin the other day about the disability of the Bty Captain going on a course at Larkhill on our new equipment and this seemed this morning to have borne fruit when I saw my name down for a course beginning 28 July and ending 15th August – however he told me later on this morning that he had put someone else’s name down for it as he would want me here when our new stuff starts arriving, it is thought roughly about that time.  Anyway I shall get one of the courses later on I hope and it will mean a couple of short week-ends at Oxford Road which is a great thought.

This camp is pretty deadly but fortunately I’m very busy so don’t really mind so much and this golf course will make all the difference to the weekend.

There is, unfortunately a Regimental Mess where the atmosphere tends to get a trifle strained at times and after listening to the news at 9 pm I come up here, don my jacket and write and read.  Please thank Pari for his most welcome letter and tell him that I shall be writing to him either tomorrow or Tuesday.  Maz dear I must away to bed as I feel a wee bitty tired after cycling some 30 miles in the last 2 days and playing about 36 holes.  Am so looking forward to hearing from you on Tuesday – much love and God bless, love to Pari and the Elli.

Yours ever affectionately

Peter.

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

Postmarked LOCKERBIE DUMFRIES 19 JY 43.           (2)