Air Raid Damage Reports Brentwood Division Essex Fire Service February 1944.

Mar7

Date Time Location Damage

03/02/1944 21.00 Thundersley 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in wheatfield nr Oak Cottage.

N.D.C.

03/02/1944 21.00 Laindon 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Hardy Road, slight

damage to 2 bungalows. N.C.

03/02/1944 Unknown Canvey 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in rear garden of Wilburn

Island Dovercliff Road, N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.00 Ramsden 1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in grounds of Ramsden Hall.

Heath N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.00 Great 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field 100 yards N of

Burstead Acres Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.00 Hawkwell 1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in field 400 yards SW of Bells

Nurseries. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.00 Hockley 7 Unexploded and 2 exploded Ph.I.Bs in field

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.00 North 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in Windsor Road. N.D.C.

Benfleet

04/02/1944 05.00 Hawkwell 1 – H.E. fell in open field. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.00 Hawkwell 1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in field 400 yards SW of Bells

Nurseries. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.13 Downham 1 – H.E. exploded in a field at Whites Lillies Farm.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.13 Laindon 1 – Unexploded A.A. Shell at Norfolk Road, slight

damage. N.C.

04/02/1944 05.13 Ramsden 2 – Ph.I.Bs Ux. fell in field at Dowstetts Lane and

Heath Hawkwood Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.15 Ramsden 1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in orchard 100 yards W of Mill

Heath Lane Ramsden Heath. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.20 Rochford Number of I.Bs.1 Straw stack destroyed. N.C.

04/02/1944 05.20 Herongate 4 – H.Es exploded in field off Mount Thrift Farm,

Billericay Road. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.20 Childerditch 1 – exploded and 2 unexploded H.Es in field 30

yards N of Hill Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.20 Paglesham 3 – H.Es exploded and 1 unexploded fell in

Clements Marshes. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.20 Paglesham 2 – Ux.Ph.I.B and 3 ex at Clements Marshes.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.20 Childerditch 1 – A.A. Shell exploded at Childerditch killing one

mare.

04/02/1944 05.20 Paglesham 1 – H.E. Ux. In field N Waterside Lane. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.20 Downham 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field at Lt Prestons

Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.25 Brentwood 1 container of I.Bs AB 1000 fell in a field at rear of

St Faiths Hospital. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.25 Brentwood 8 – Ph.I.Bs exploded in fields between Calcott Hall

and Gt Charles School. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 Canvey Number of I.Bs slight damage to property.

Island

04/02/1944 05.30 Shenfield 1 – H.E. exploded at Herds Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 Herongate 1 basket of a number of I.Bs ignited in field 3/4

mile N of Fouches Farmhouse. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 South Weald 1 container of I.Bs in meadow at Vicarage Lane.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 Shenfield 5 – H.Es exploded and 5 unexploded in fields at

Sawyers Hall Farm. Damage to cables at Wireless Station. N.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 Foulness A number of I.Bs ignited in field NW of Foulness

Church. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 Wallasea A number of I.Bs ignited at Old Pool Farm. 3 ricks

Island burnt out. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 Canvey 3 – H.Es exploded at Pantiles Farm. N.D.C.

Island

04/02/1944 05.30 Wallasea 1 – H.E. exploded and a number of Ux.I.Bs fell at

Island Grass Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.30 Canvey 1 – I.B. container fell 300 yards off shore. N.D.C.

Island

04/02/1944 05.30 Rayleigh 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field 80 yards S of Lt

Wheatleys Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.40 Mountnessing 1 – A.A. Shell exploded by side of Railway

Line. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.40 Bowers 7 – H.Es exploded in Marshes 1/4 mile S of

Gifford Rookery Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.40 Foulness Crashed Aircraft. German aircraft, make not

known, struck sands 1/2 mile SE of Eastwick Head MR 457098 and disintegrated. Parts of bodies recovered with German AF uniform. Number of crew not known.

04/02/1944 05.40 Doddinghurst 1 – H.E. Ux. In field at Shops Farm and 1

H.E. at Pettits Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.40 South 1 – Ux.H.E. 800 yards W of South Benfleet Station

Benfleet and 120 yards .W. of track. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.45 Pilgrims Number of I.Bs Slight fire, 2 houses damage. N.C.

Hatch

04/02/1944 05.45 Shopland 2 – H.Es exploded in Beauchamps Farm. 4 calves

killed. Damage to electric mains. N.C.

04/02/1944 05.45 Shenfield Approximately 100 I.Bs fell at Hall Farm. All failed

to ignite. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.45 Vange 4 – H.Es exploded Southview Avenue, Gordon

Avenue, Fairview Road, extensive damage to property. 5 fatal casualties, 28 N.F. casualties.

04/02/1944 05.45 Rochford 1 – H.E. exploded 1/4 mile E of Newlands Farm.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.45 Vange 2 – I.B. containers fell in field S side of Clay Hill, 1

container failed to ignite. The other burned itself out. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.54 Brentwood Number of I.Bs in Highwood Hospital, minor fire.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 05.55 Raweth 2 – H.Es exploded in open ground. Damage to

property. N.C.

04/02/1944 05.56 Canewdon Number of I.Bs in fields. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 06.00 Stambridge Large number of I.Bs at Barton Hall Farm. Farm

buildings destroyed by fire. 6 horses killed. N.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Brentwood 1 – A.A. Shell exploded at Hartswood Road.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Hutton 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Roundwood Avenue.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Laindon 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Northumberland

Avenue. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Herongate 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell 100 yards of Mount Thrift.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Brentwood 1 – A.A. Shell Ux. Fell in Weald Park.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Rochford 1 – Ux.Ph.I.B. in field at New England Farm.

N.D.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Raweth 1 – A.A. Shell ux. in field at Carters Farm. N.D.C.

04/02/1944 Unknown Rochford A Barrage Balloon grounded at Mays Nurseries Nr

Cock P.H. Collected by RAF.

04/02/1944 Paglesham Number of I.Bs in fields. N.D.C.

05/02/1944 16.30 Foulness 2 Steel auxiliary petrol tanks dropped from an

Island aircraft at Landwick. 1 bearing Serial No. 7496 Assembly No 5398. Interpretation No 608 Wgt. 90 lbs US Gallons. Both smashed.

06/02/1944 17.00 Paglesham Norman Victor Brown age 12 years of Boards Row

was playing with German I.B. when a slight explosion occurred slightly cutting his left hand.

09/02/1944 Unknown Mountnessing 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in field at Fitzwalters

Farm. N.D.C.

09/02/1944 Unknown Childerditch 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in field 300 yards S of the

junction of Brickfield Road and Arterial Road. N.D.C.

12/02/1944 16.15 Great John Graves age 27 of School House and David

Stambridge Cornwall age 21 of Walden Farm were burning some German I.Bs on a wood fire in an isolated spot at Walden Farm. Graves put a complete I.B. on the fire. They both stepped back from the fire and when about 2 yards from it an explosion occurred. The clothing of both men caught fire. Graves sustained severe burns to the face and Cornwall received only slight burns to the left hand and did not receive medical aid.

13/02/1944 20.30 Great 1 – A.A. Shell exploded 20 yards rear of Bereden

Warley Cottage, Cranham Road, slight damage to cottage. N.C.

13/02/1944 20.30 Brentwood 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in piggeries at Brentwood

Mental Hospital, 1 sty damaged. N.C.

13/02/1944 21.00 Foulness 10 – Ph.I.Bs 1 mile SE of Post P.18 in open fields.

N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.00 Hullbridge 1 – I.B. fell through roof of Limedale, Perry Road.

Minor fire. N.C.

13/02/1944 21.00 Hullbridge 1 – I.B. container fell 100 yards SE of Post N.2

Coventry Hill also 1 – I.B. container at Hill Top Avenue approx. 20 bungalows damaged in Oakleigh and Sth Ave. 3 persons treated for shock slight leg injuries received by Dennis Hemmings age 21 years of La Mascot, Sth Ave.

13/02/1944 21.00 Basildon 1 – A.A. Shell exp. at Rectory Road. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.00 Wallasea 8 – Ph.I.Bs exp. at Grass Farm. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.00 Wallasea 1 – AB 1000-2 I.B. container at Cracknells Farm.

N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.05 Rochford 1 – Ux.Ph.I.B. in field approx 100 yards E of Smiths

Farm, Eastwood Rise, Eastwood and approx. 20 Ux.I.Bs and approx 60 exploded I.Bs. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.05 Eastwood 1 – Ph.I.B. in field at Eastwood. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.09 Hockley 2 – camouflets and 7 – Ph.I.Bs at Beckneys Farm.

N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.10 Paglesham 3 – H.Es exploded at East Hall also 4 flares at

same location. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.15 Hockley 1 – H.E. fell on house Crouch View Wood Avenue.

Serious damage to bungalow. N.C.

13/02/1944 21.15 Hockley 1 – A.B. 1000 container burnt out in crater and Ux.

I.B. scattered over woods at Beckney, Plumbers Ave. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.15 Billericay 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in garden at rear of

Greenway Western Road. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.15 Doddinghurst 1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in field 30 yards from

Solid Lane. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.16 Foulness Plane seen to crash in sea 2 miles SE Rugwood

Head.

13/02/1944 21.21 South I.Bs in field 1 mile S of Post No. 10. N.D.C.

Fambridge

13/02/1944 21.30 Basildon 1 – A.A. Shell Ux. in Nelson Road Basildon. N.C.

13/02/1944 21.30 Thundersley 2 – A.A. Shells Ux. in Church Road Thundersley.

N.C.

13/02/1944 21.34 Thundersley 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field 100 yards E of

Church Road. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.35 Hutton 1 – A.A. Shell exploded 40 yards NE of Mavis

Cottage, Hall Green Lane. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.40 Pilgrims 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell at Coxtie Green Farm. 40

Hatch yards from Fair Lane at side of footpath. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.40 Thundersley 1 – A.A. Shell exp. in field at Rushbottom Lane.

N.D.C.

13/02/1944 21.46 Hullbridge I.Bs in Oakley Avenue, several small fires. 2

bungalows slightly damaged. N.C.

13/02/1944 Unknown Rayleigh 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in meadow 70 yards of The

Warren. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 Unknown Mountnessing 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in garden opposite

Mountnessing Hall Cottages. N.D.C.

13/02/1944 Unknown Little 1 – A.A. Shell ux. in field at Sudburys Farm.

Burstead N.D.C.

13/02/1944 Unknown Rayleigh 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in meadow 70 yards of The

Warren. N.D.C.

14/02/1944 11.30 Havengore Body of German Airman found on sands 1 mile SE

of Havengore Creek M.438062. Body conveyed to Rochford Mortuary and searched by RAF I.O. Rochford. Identified as Kurt Urhan age 19 Oberleutnant. Believed to have come from aircraft shot down on night of 13 February 1944.

19/02/1944 00.57 Rochford 4 – H.Es exploded in field 200 yards West of Lt

Stambridge Hall Lane. One high tension electric pylon severely damaged. No casualties.

19/02/1944 01.10 Billericay 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell at 50 yards N of Stack Yard

at Browns Farm Cox’s Farm Road. N.D.C.

19/02/1944 01.15 Mountnessing 1 Container of I.Bs fell at Fitzwalters Farm

and burnt itself out. N.D.C.

19/02/1944 01.15 Hawkwell 1 – Ux.Ph.I.B. fell in field on Clement’s Hall Farm.

N.D.C.

19/02/1944 01.30 Billericay 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Outwood Common

Lane, Billericay opposite to bungalow “Pembroke” which received very slight damage. N.C.

19/02/1944 01.40 Pilgrims 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in field 250 yards E of Crow

Hatch Green Road. N.D.C.

19/02/1944 Unknown Shenfield 1 – A.A. Shell exploded on Palmer **.

N.D.C.

19/02/1944 Unknown Cranham 1 – Ux. A.A. in field adj. Moor Lane.

19/02/1944 Unknown Warley 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Mental Hospital

Grounds. N.D.C.

19/02/1944 Thundersley 1 – A.A. Shell exploded on Burches **. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 21.20 Raweth 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell on Lower Barn Farm. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 21.30 South 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell on waste land 50 yards S of

Benfleet Croft Road. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 21.50 Crays Hill 1 -Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field on Gurnard’s Farm.

N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.00 Brentwood 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell struck house. Slight damage.

N.C.

20/02/1944 22.00 Barling 3 – Ux.H.Es fell in fields. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.00 Canvey 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in road. N.D.C.

Island

20/02/1944 22.00 Wickford 6 – Ux.Ph.I.Bs and 4 Ph.I.Bs exploded, fell in Swan

Lane. Slight damage to 2 houses. N.C.

20/02/1944 22.00 Stambridge 1 – Ux.H.E. in river bed, 2 H.Es exploded in marsh

and 2 H.Es exploded in River Roach. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.00 Thundersley 5 – Ux.Ph.I.Bs and 4 – H.Es exploded in fields.

N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.00 Langdon 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field S of High Road.

Hills N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.00 Billericay 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field on Hatches Farm.

N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.05 Wickford Large number of I.Bs Slight damage to 3 houses. N.C.

20/02/1944 22.05 Little 4 – H.Es exploded, 6 H.Es unexploded and 2

Burstead containers of I.Bs fell near Hatches Farm. Slight damage. N.C.

20/02/1944 22.05 Canvey 1 – A.A. Shell exploded. 1 Naval rating killed.

Island

20/02/1944 22.05 Ramsden 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field on Barn Farm. N.D.C.

Heath

20/02/1944 22.05 Billericay 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field E of Blunt’s Wall

Farm. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.10 Ingrave 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field on Willow Farm.

N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.10 Billericay 2 – Ux.H.Es fell in field W of Blunt’s Wall Farm.

N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.14 Great Warley 2 Containers I.Bs 2 Stacks destroyed. N.C.

20/02/1944 22.15 Rayleigh Large number of I.Bs fell in fields. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.15 Ingrave 1 – H.E. exploded in field on Willow Farm. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.15 Nevendon 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field on Does Hill Farm.

N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.15 Rayleigh 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell at Brockley Drive. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.15 Hutton 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Bush Wood. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.15 Crays Hill 2 – H.Es exploded in fields. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.15 Crays Hill 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Hope Road. Damage to

1 house. N.C.

20/02/1944 22.20 Great Warley 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Selo Works. Slight

damage. N.C.

20/02/1944 22.20 Hutton 1 – A.A. Shell exploded. Slight damage to 1

house. N.C.

20/02/1944 22.20 Wickford 2-A.A. Shells exploded in field off Runwell Road.

N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.30 Laindon 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field NE of Merrylands

Road. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 22.35 Laindon 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field. N.D.

20/02/1944 22.35 Wickford 9 – Ph.I.Bs exploded on open land. 1 house

damaged. N.C.

20/02/1944 Unknown Shenfield 1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in field adj. Priests

Lane. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 Unknown Hutton 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field at rear of Wood’s

Cottages, Hanging Hill Lane. N.D.C.

20/02/1944 Unknown Little 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in spinney. N.D.C.

Burstead

23/02/1944 00.30 Hutton 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field N of Wash Road.

N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.30 Laindon 1 – 1000 A.B. container exploded in Heywick Drive.

N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.30 Wickford 4 – H.Es exploded on open ground at Shotgate.

Damage to property. N.C.

23/02/1944 00.30 Fobbing 1 – A.A. Shell exploded rear of house in High Road. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.30 Langdon Hills 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.30 Crays Hill A number of I.Bs fell in field. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.35 Vange 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.40 Little Warley 2 – Containers of I.Bs exploded on Little Warley

Hall Farm. Stack destroyed and slight damage to property. N.C.

23/02/1944 00.40 Pilgrims 1 – A.A. Shell exploded rear of Claydon’s Coxtie

Hatch Green Road. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.40 Little Warley 1 – Container of I.Bs. exploded nr Glenwood Café.

N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.40 Great Warley 1 – exploded ‘U.P.’ Shell casing fell in garden of

No. 3 Rita Road. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 00.45 Hutton 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 01.00 Brentwood 1 – A.A. Shell exploded nr Poplars Farmhouse

Brook St.

23/02/1944 01.00 South Weald 1 – Ph.I.B. exploded in meadow E of Old Vicarage.

N.D.C.

23/02/1944 01.10 Hadleigh 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field W of Templewood

Road. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 01.15 Thundersley 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field N of Church Road.

N.D.C.

23/02/1944 01.20 Laindon 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Pound Lane. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 22.50 Canterbury Tye 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field. N.D.C.

23/02/1944 23.05 Canvey 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in garden in Surig Road.

Island Slight damage to 1 bungalow. N.C.

24/02/1944 22.00 Billericay 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field 300 yards W of

Police Station. N.D.C.

24/02/1944 22.30 Canewdon Slight damage to tiles of Police house by shrapnel.

24/02/1944 22.30 Dunton 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field. N.D.C.

SECOND WORLD WAR

Feb1

February 1944

(Britain)

Operation Argument or “Big Week” was a series of bombing raids on the German aircraft industry from the 20^th to the 25^th February 1944. Allied intelligence were aware the German aircraft industry was capable of producing over 2,000 aircraft per month. The Allied plan for “Big Week” was to achieve air superiority over the Luftwaffe. This was crucial for the forthcoming invasion of Northern France in June 1944. The Allied air commanders agreed “Big Week” would be to attack Germany with USAAF bomber daylight raids and RAF bomber raids by night. Escorting the USAAF bombers would be the recently introduced U.S. long-range P-41 Mustang fighters, whose aim was to draw German fighters into combat. American Major General Jimmy Doolittle, commander of the Eighth Air Force, ordered bombing missions of key aircraft factories. When the Luftwaffe fighters attacked the bombers, the P-51 Mustangs were ordered to attack the enemy fighters. On the 20^th February 1944 “Big Week” began with the USAAF and RAF bombers attacking airfields and aviation industrial areas in Germany. On the 21^st February 1944 the USAAF and RAF bombers raid airfields and flying-bomb sites in Germany and Belgium. Both air force bombers attacked Germany, the Netherlands and Yugoslavia on the 22^nd February 1944. On the 23^rd February 1944 all the bombers attacked Germany, Austria and dropped leaflets in central France. On the 24^th February 1944 the bombers targeted V-weapon sites, ball-bearing factories, airfields and leaflet dropping in German and the Netherlands. On the final day of the “Big Week” missions, on the 25^th February 1944, the bombers were dispatched against aviation industries in Germany and leaflets dropped in northern France. The total losses for “Big Week” were, for the Allies were 357 heavy bombers and 28 fighters lost. They also lost over 2,000 aircrew killed or missing. For the Germans, they lost 262 fighters and 250 aircrew killed or missing. This figure included nearly 100 fighter pilots. Nearly 1,000 civilians were killed in raids on Nazi occupied Netherlands. The end result was mixed with neither side actually winning, but the Allies eventually achieved air supremacy in support of the northern France invasion later in the year. For further details see the separate essay on the “Big Week”.

(Eastern Front)

As part of the Red Army Winter/Spring Campaign 1944, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin ordered a “broad front” strategy. In the Narva Isthmus, the border between the Soviet Union and Estonia was located between the Bay of Finland and Lake Peipus. The Narva River was on the border and the town of Narva and Lake Peipus was on the S.U. side of the river to the east. The Battle of Narva began on the 2^nd February 1944. The participants were the S.U. Army and the German S.S. Army. Stalin demanded the German-held town of Narva be captured by the 17^th February 1944, but that order was not attainable as the battle, and the additional “broad front” battles continued into March 1944.

(Italy)

The Battle of Anzio began on the 28^th January 1944 when the U.S. launched a surprise attack to bypass the German held Monte Cassino. By the 10^th February 1944 the advance had stalled, despite Allied troops and stores still arriving. Instead of advancing onto Rome from Anzio, the element of surprise was lost, when U.S. Major General John Lucas preferred to entrench against expected counter-attacks. These local German counter-attacks caused the Allies serious losses. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill requested that British General Harold Alexander, should order more aggression from his field commanders. Alexander was the overall commander of the U.S. and British armies during the Italian Campaign. Field Marshall Albert Kesselring, the German commander in the Italian theatre, was aware of the landings and began to provide defensive reinforcements. The Germans launched an offensive on the 16^th February 1944 with reinforcements supported by Tiger Tanks. The recently arrived British 167^th Brigade was overrun with many losses. By the 18^th February 1944 the Allies had prepared defences at the original line of the beachhead. They sustained huge losses. Following Churchill’s request to Alexander regarding a breakout as soon possible, Alexander hosted a high level conference to discuss the circumstances. In attendance were American Lt. General Mark Clark and Harry Wilson commander of Allied Forces Headquarters. Two deputies were appointed to assist Lucas, American General Lucien Truscott and British Major General Vyvyan Evelegh. However, on the 22^nd February 1944 Clark replaced Lucas with Truscott and appointed Lucas deputy commander of the Fifth Army until being sent back to America. The Battle of Anzio would continue into March 1944.

The Battle of Cisterna, part of the Battle of Anzio Campaign, ended on the 2^nd February 1944. Located NE of Anzio the town of Cisterna was defended by the Germans behind the Gustav Line. 0n the 30^th January 1944 at 01:30 a small force of 810 U.S. 1^st and 3^rd Ranger Battalions attempted to infiltrate the town as a surprise attack. Bypassing numerous German positions, by first light they were short of the objective. The infiltration had been discovered, by German intelligence, and an ambush had been prepared. With open ground still to go the Rangers were attacked by German forces of the 715^th Infantry Division and at least 17 tanks of the Hermann Göring Panzer Division. One tank was destroyed by the 1^st Battalion commander Major Dobson. Two additional tanks were captured but were mistakenly destroyed by Rangers who were unaware of the capture. With the Rangers in open ground and despite fierce fighting there was little chance of success. 700 Rangers were captured and taken prisoner. Despite the German victory, an attempt by the U.S. troops to rescue them, and break through the Gustav Line failed. However they did push the Allied lines forward on a front 3 miles (4.8 km) deep and 7 miles (11 km) wide which the Germans failed to recover.

British Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Penelope was sunk on the 18^th February 1944. Penelope was leaving Naples to return to the Anzio area when she was struck by a torpedo fired from German submarine U-410. A second torpedo hit the after boiler room after the first had hit the after engine room. She sank immediately and 417 of the crew, including the captain, went down with the ship. 206 members of the crew survived.

When the Battle of Monte Cassino began in January 1944, Germany declared the hilltop abbey/monastery was a holy place. It was not to be included in the Gustav Line German defences, and the Pope in Rome together with Allies were informed. Heavy fighting between the German defenders and U.S. Marines continued, and on the 7^th February 1944 the marines reached a round-topped hill immediately below the monastery. This hill was approximately 400 yards (370 m) from the monastery, but heavy machine gun fire from the German defenders prevented any further advance. What was left of the Marines were withdrawn from Monastery Hill and Cassino town after a final unsuccessful three-day assault on the 11^th February1944. After over two weeks of battle the marines were worn out and sustained losses.

(Pacific)

In the Marshall Islands, U.S. Armed Forces secured the Kwajalein Atoll, which is a curved coral reef in the sea. Code-named Operation Flintlock the amphibious landings on Kwajalein began on the 31^st January 1944 and ended five days later on the 4^th February 1944. Following the securing of the atoll, American Navy construction workers (Seabees) began building Kwajalein into a major base on the 4^th February 1944. When completed an airfield, a seaport and craft repair depots were built. The major functions on Kwajalein atoll were for radar and tracking stations.

Between the 17^th to the 23^rd February 1944 various U.S. naval operations occurred on the remote Japanese held island chains in the Pacific Ocean. These attacks on Eniwetok, the Truk Islands, the Mariana Islands of Saipan, Guam and Tinian were all successful.

(Other Fronts)

Belgium had been occupied by Germany following the invasion on the 10^th May 1940. Prior to the Belgian government evacuating the country on the 15^th May 1940 Alexandre Galopin was appointed chairman of an informal group of businessmen to act as a kind of Belgian shadow government. The businessmen included ex-politicians, bankers and industrialists who were known as ”Galopin’s Committee”. Their aim was to keep Belgian industry and economy strong, so that at the war’s end, the economy would not be destroyed as it had been after the Great War. Despite the committee’s policy for the production of non-military equipment, the policy was difficult to maintain. Individual business committee members were forced by the Germans to co-operate with the threat of the confiscation of their business. They were also threatened by personal punishment. German occupation officials nicknamed Galopin the “Uncrowned King of Belgium” for his power and influence within the Belgian wartime economy. On the 28^th February 1944 Galopin was assassinated by a pro-Nazi radical paramilitary group.

————————————————————

Air Raid Damage Reports Brentwood Division Essex Fire Service January 1944.

Jan31

Date Time Location Damage

15/01/1944 0.00 Cranham 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in meadow 100 yards E of

Woodlands Moor Lane. N.D.C.

15/01/1944 9.45 Billericay 1 – A.A. Shell exploded on a shed at the rear of

Tree-tops Western Road. N.C. but shed demolished.

19/01/1944 1.15 Canvey A British Aircraft passed over Canvey Island and

Island jettisoned a petrol tank which dropped on the sea wall about 150 yards W of Benfleet Sewerage outfall and exploded causing a crater in wall 6′.

21/01/1944 1.25 Billericay 1 – A.A. Shell exploded by side of footway at Lt.

Norsey Road. N.D.C.

21/01/1944 2.00 Canvey 2 – A.A. Shells exploded on grass verge at Lt.

Island Brickhouse Farm Northwick. N.D.C.

21/01/1944 21.50 Hadleigh 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in garden 30 yards N of the

rear of Sea View London Road. N.C. very slight damage.

21/01/1944 Hadleigh 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in Hadleigh Gt Wood.

N.D.C.

21/01/1944 North 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in ploughed field 60 yards W of

Benfleet St Johns Florence Road. N.D.C.

22/01/1944 04.45 Billericay 1 – A.A. Shell exploded on Waractel, Norsey Road.

N.C. Damage to property.

22/01/1944 05.10 Vange A large container of I.Bs exploded in field 50 yards

W of West End of Hillcrest View. N.D.C.

22/01/1944 05.10 Wickford 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell on footpath adjoining

Southend Road Wickford adjoining Southend Road. N.D.C.

22/01/1944 05.10 Vange A large number of I.Bs exploded in the vicinity of

Paynters Hill. 1 fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight casualty. Extensive (Rest of entry missing on original).

22/01/1944 05.11 Wickford 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in garden 50 yards N of

Hedgerows, Highcliff Road. N.D.C.

22/01/1944 05.20 Great Warley 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell on verge of Great Warley St. nr

Waterworks. N.C.

22/01/1944 05.20 Great Warley 1 – Firepot I.B. fell on grass verge between track of

Southend Arterial Road A.127 opposite Codham Hall Farm. N.C. Water main damaged.

22/01/1944 05.20 Great Warley 8 – Ux. H.E’s fell on grass verge of Southend

Arterial Road A. 127 opposite Codhams Hall Farm. N.C. Water main damaged.

22/01/1944 05.00 Pilgrims 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field 100 yards N of

Hatch Day’s Farm. N.D.C.

22/01/1944 05.30 Hullbridge 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in back garden of Valley

View Windemere Avenue. N.D.C.

22/01/1944 05.30 Vange 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in pond on Riverside Farm.

N.D.C.

24/01/1944 22.54 Billericay A British Meteorological Apparatus No. B4805 with

Balloon and Parachute attached fell in fields near the Anchorage Buckwyns Estate.

28/01/1944 22.45 Foulness 1 – H.E. exploded on sea wall 100 yards East of

Island Clarks Hard. No casualties.

29/01/1944 20.30 Mountnessing 1 – A.A. Shell exploded at Bacons Farm.

No casualties or damage.

29/01/1944 20.40 Doddinghurst 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell 16 yards from

Maytree Peartree Green. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 20.45 South Weald 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell in field on Sth side of Old

Vicarage. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 20.50 South Weald 1 – H.E. exploded 240 yards Sth of St Vincents

Hamlet in open ground. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 20.50 Langdon 2 – Ph.I.Bs exploded in field 100 yards S

Hills Sanatorium. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 20.55 Hutton 1 – Exploded A.A. Shell. Slight damage to

property. No casualties.

29/01/1944 20.55 Ramsden 1 – H.E. exploded. Hut demolished 23 soldiers

Heath killed.

29/01/1944 20.55 Raweth A number of I.B’s fell destroying 2 straw stacks.

No casualties.

29/01/1944 20.59 Downham 3 – H.Es exploded in Hawkwood Road. Slight

damage to 1 house. No casualties.

29/01/1944 21.00 Coxtie Green 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in grounds of Chafford

School. No damage or casualties.

29/01/1944 21.00 Little 1 – H.E. Ux. 300 yards West of Lt. Burstead

Burstead Church. No damage or casualties and 4 H.Es fell in fields South of St Margarets Farm. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.00 Billericay 1 – H.E. exploded in field 200 yards E of Whites

Farm and 1 – H.E. exploded in field 200 yards E of Cullis’s Factory Southend Road. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.00 South A large number of I.Bs fell on Marshland. N.D.C.

Fambridge

29/01/1944 21.00 Hadleigh Approx. 100 I.Bs fell on marshes on Salvation

Army Colony Hadleigh. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.00 Coxtie Green 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in ditch 250 yards NE of

Chafford School. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.00 Coxtie Green 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in grounds of Chafford

School. No damage or casualties.

29/01/1944 21.00 Ramsden 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field 300 yards SW London

Bellhouse Road. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.00 Ramsden 1 – H.E. exploded in Hawks Wood. N.D.C.

Heath

29/01/1944 21.00 Raweth 1 – A.A. Shell unexploded in open field at Watery

Lane. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.00 Raweth 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in meadow 60 yards West of

Boxes Farmhouse. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.03 Brentwood A large number I.Bs 10 dwellings slight damage. 1

slight casualty.

29/01/1944 21.05 Pitsea A large number of I.Bs Railway signals damaged.

N.C.

29/01/1944 21.05 Pitsea 3 – H.Es in field Ux. 200 yards -250 yards Sth of

Railway Line and 1 mile E of Railway Station. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.09 Rochford A large number of I.Bs. No casualties or damage.

29/01/1944 21.10 Great 1 – H.E. Ux. Fell at Havengore Road Gt Wakering.

Wakering N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.13 Ingrave 1 – H.E. and 1 Ph.I.B No casualties or damage.

29/01/1944 21.15 Rochford Large number of I.Bs 3 straw stacks destroyed.

29/01/1944 21.15 Pilgrims 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in Awkard Lane. N.D.C.

Hatch

29/01/1944 21.15 Ramsden 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in garden 50 yards NE of The

Bellhouse Blenheims, Glebe Road. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 21.51 Foulness Large number of I.Bs overhead electric cable

Island damaged.

29/01/1944 22.10 Childerditch 1 – A.A. Shell exploded on up track of Arterial

Road. No casualties or damage.

29/01/1944 22.10 Little Warley 1 – exploded incendiary container full of I.Bs in

garden of “Lyndhurst” Hall Lane, slight damage to tiles of 2 bungalows. No casualties.

29/01/1944 22.15 Hullbridge Large number I.Bs one shed on farm damaged.

29/01/1944 Unknown Wickford 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field 300 yards of

Wickford Church. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 Unknown Mountnessing 1 – A.A. Shell in Main Road. Slight damage

to 1 cottage. No casualties.

29/01/1944 Unknown Raweth An unignited parachute flare at Hylands Farm.

29/01/1944 Unknown Ingrave 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell on the verge on South side of

road, 100 yards East of Dairy Farm, Tilbury Road. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 Unknown Great 1 – H.E. 500 Kg Ux.B. in Codham Hall Wood and

Warley 200 yards N of Arterial Road. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 Unknown Dunton 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in field 700 yards due West

of Dunton Church. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 Unknown Bentley 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field 200 yards W of

White Cottage. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 Unknown Runwell 1 – Ux. A.A. Shell fell in garden of the Oaks

Runwell Road. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 Unknown Little 1 – A.A. Shell Ux. Fell 300 yards SW Sudburys

Burstead Farm. N.D.C.

29/01/1944 Unknown South 1 – H.E. fell in field at Vicarage Lane causing a

Weald camouflet.

Diary of Major D.G. Fisher January 1944

Jan31

Friday 31^st December 1943.

Had party at Carmelia Ct. Wheatman’s, Jim Graham, Gretel, Pen, Lottie, and myself. Finished up at O.C., R.A.S.C. mess. Lottie & I walked all the way home and didn’t remember it! Poor old Pen passed out in the mess! Stayed the night (what was left of it) at Lottie’s flat.

Saturday 1^st January 1944.

Very quiet day. Most civilians still on holiday. Stayed in camp & early to bed.

Sunday 2^nd January 1944.

S.S.M. Nuttall posted to El Jiya at the BSD. What a relief! Visited Yankee Bky at Tel Aviv.

Monday 3^rd January 1944. No entry.

Tuesday 4^th January 1944. No entry.

Wednesday 5^th January 1944. No entry.

Thursday 6^th January 1944. No entry.

Friday 7^th January 1944. No entry.

Saturday 8^th January 1944. No entry.

Sunday 9^th January 1944.

Lt. Page arrived. Stayed in camp & had an early night.

Monday 10^th January 1944.

Lt. White departed for 33 F.B. Atmosphere clearer already! Went with Lottie to Wheatman’s for dinner. Did not get to bed until 03.00.

Tuesday 11^th January 1944.

Visited Affulch with Page. Contract there expired. Wrote to mother. Major D phoned from GHQ re ovens at Hadera! Told him we didn’t need new ones. Bed at 9.30 p.m. Very tired.

Wednesday 12^th January 1944.

Col Hall cancelled his inspection. Capt Sterrard, SIS, inspecting accounts, etc. Catering Advisor trade testing cooks. Capt Hunt came tom see me. Knew him in Beirut. Invited to his mess tomorrow. Had dinner with Lottie at her flat. We went on to Carmelia Ct. & joined Page. Sergt Smith, Cpls Morkillie & Green were there from Beirut.

Thursday 13^th January 1944.

Padre visited the camp. Started to rain like hell again. Capt. Perkins arrived for the evening. Page, Perkins & I went to Carmelia Ct. met Lottie, Greta, Graham etc. Quite a boozy party. Got to bed about 01.00 hrs.

Friday 14^th January 1944.

Frightful storm. Camp flooded. Lunched with Pen on board the “Saad”. Shocking tragedy this afternoon. Pte. Bunn collapsed & died in two minutes. Leaves a wife & two kiddies. No previous record of illness. Dined with Lottie at her flat. Grand meal, bless her. Stayed the night in comfort.

Saturday 15^th January 1944.

No rain today. Extremely cold. Pte Bunn buried in Haifa today. Managed to get wreathe in time. New establishment came through. Not to be implemented yet! We had a unit dance this evening. Quite enjoyed myself. Band very good.

Sunday 16^th January 1944.

Bloody cold. Very quiet day in office. Padre held a service in afternoon. Collected Lottie in evening & went O.C., R.A.S.C. mess for an informal “do”. Not very exciting. Stayed night at Lottie’s.

Monday 17^th January 1944.

Left Haifa at 07.30 with Page to visit detachments. Good car. Arrived Rafah at 12.00 hrs. Called at El Jiya on way to Jerusalem. Conversion set arrived. Arrived J at 18.00 hrs. Stayed night at St. Julian’s. Sing song with some Yanks & ENSA blokes.

Tuesday 18^th January 1944.

Saw Major Thorne in morning. I left for Sarafel at 10.00. Had lunch in O.C., R.A.S.C. mess. Game of snooker. Called at Hadra on return journey. Arrived Haifa 18.00. Stayed in office & went to bed early.

Wednesday 19^th January 1944.

Started to pour again. D.D.M.S. inspected Pott’s bakery. All O.K. Said he would help us re drainage there. Sumps all very bad & overflowing. Went to pictures in evening with Lottie. Saw “Commandos Strike at Dawn”. All about invasion of Norway. Extremely good. Stayed night at Lottie’s.

Thursday 20^th January 1944.

Weather becoming impossible. Heavy rain & wind. Floods approaching camp at Haifa rapidly. Back of Pott’s a foot under water. Ct of Enquiry held on Bunn’s death. Died of cerebral haemorrhage. Wrote to his wife, lousy job. Saw K**** fight but on points. Good.

Friday 21^st January 1944.

Camp completely under water. Potts flooded at rear & sides. Rain still falling. Just managed to save ovens at Potts by erecting a barricade. Had dinner at Lottie’s flat. Afterwards went to Carmelia Ct. Lottie had on a new black dress. Looked sweet. Met Jim & Gretel.

Saturday 22^nd January 1944.

Rain stopped. Floods receding. Glorious sunshine at last. Spoke to Dudley on the phone. Expect to see him in Beirut next week. Went to the “Behal” with Page, Knolles & Atherfold. Quite good fun. In bed by midnight.

Sunday 23^rd January 1944.

Glorious weather. Visited Capt. Hunt at Pet. Toc mess for a drink at lunchtime. Page & I went for a long walk in afternoon. Felt it in my legs. Hunt & three officers came to tea. Went to Lottie’s for dinner. Stayed the night. Very cold.

Monday 24^th January 1944.

Went to Mafrae with Page. All O.K. Lunched in O.C., R.A.S.C. mess. Back in Haifa by 18.30. Cleaned up in office & early to bed. Very weary. Reading “Vicomte de Cragalone” by Dumas.

Tuesday 25^th January 1944.

Received charming letter from Amiouni. He is a fine fellow. Had news that establishment to be implemented at once by “A”. Notified that Sgts Hogg, McBain, Shephard, Smith & Cpl. Jones to be posted. Went to pictures with Lottie. Saw Clark Gable in “

Wednesday 26^th January 1944.

Went to Saisford to see about four new ovens there. Lunched in the Gat Rimon Hotel in Tel Aviv. Met Gretel and had a drink with her. Looked up Chloe after lunch. Found her home & asked her why she had’nt written. Promised to see her next time I went there. Had puncture on way home. Arrived Haifa 18.30. Joseph phoned coming Monday. Splitting headache. Early to bed.

Thursday 27^th January 1944.

Glorious weather. Col. Geddes called to see me. Invited me to dance at Beirut on Feb. 12^th. Page & I lunched with him at Officers Club, Haifa. Got stockings from Lottie in afternoon. Had dinner at her flat. Roast York!! Went to Orlando afterwards to see cabaret.

Friday 28^th January 1944.

Great day in my young life! Received my majority. New establishment through. Tons of work ahead. Cabled the news to angel. Went with Page to cocktail party at 53^rd G.H. Got a bit tight. We took two sisters to the Piccadilly. Quite a cheery night. Sister’s name was Angela Overs.

Saturday 29^th January 1944.

Poor Page very ill this morning. He certainly gets a good hangover!! Had a coffee with Col. Hull at 11.00. Missed seeing Lottie. The Sergts had a dance in the mess saying farewell to McBain & Shephard. I stayed for a time. Then took Lottie to dinner at Carmelia. Everyone congratulated me. We went on to Piccadilly. A grand eve. Extremely merry. Finished at Wheatmas.

Sunday 30^th January 1944.

Shocking cold this morning. Can’t smell, taste or hear. Weather lousy again. Morning in office. Slept all the afternoon. Felt a bit better. Busy in the office until 20.00 hrs. Phoned Lottie. Bed at 20.30. Read for an hour or so.

Monday 31^st January 1944.

My cold a bit better. Arranged for all personnel at Haifa, excepting H.Q. to proceed to Base Depot on Saturday. Major Josephs phoned to say he would stay night at Tel Aviv. Had dinner at Lottie’s. Went to Carmelia for drink later. Met Blumenthal on his way to G.H.Q.

P.C. Benham’s Collins Diamond Diary January 1944

Jan31

Saturday 1 January 1944

Heard this am to go to WO for interview – wires sent to A & L. Caught 3.50 pm train and had dinner in Perth – sleeper 1^st class in 8.50 train – didn’t get a lot of sleep.

Sunday 2 January 1944

Arr London 11 am – taxi to L’pool St – caught 11.50 train to Colchester. Met by G in car – after tea wrote A – after supper played Poker Dice with L G & B and lost 2/– A phoned at 5.30 great news.

Monday 3 January 1944

Charles returns – Up in time in have good chat with A – Town 9 – 10. Caught 10.37 to Town in London at 1.20 and had lunch at G.E. Taxi to Whitehall. Taken in front of 2 Cols by Graham Peddie – interview seemed to go OK. Tea John French – wrote A at Euston 4 Train 7.10 – no sleeper.

Tuesday 4 January 1944

No b’fast – no water – arrived Inverness at 2 ocl. Shave at Sr Hotel – car came – lunch at 2.30. Told by Eric K before tea that I had not got job, pity. Phoned A and wrote 3 super letters from her awaiting my return. Also letter from John Q. Bed at 12 – late in office. Duty offr.

Wednesday 5 January 1944

Usual day – not much work to do. Hockey in pm, scored 6 eye fairly well in. Bath & change – office late with George. Cut up 300 odd ships!

Thursday 6 January 1944

Usual day – no letters. Still cutting out ships! Office late – wrote A. Went down to PO put in £10. Visit Ness Castle – sep

Friday 7 January 1944

Still no letters – George off on leave – usual dull day – medal up. Conf for 2 ½ hrs after tea. Wrote John French – Boyd may be going – Felix too.

Saturday 8 January 1944

Tony returns – Dull morning no mail – hockey in pm. Chat in morning with John Dawkes, G2 – Wrote A after dinner and phoned Ox Rd. Scored 1 goal in hockey game.

Sunday 9 January 1944

Took things very easy all day – b’fast at 10 ocl – did certain amount of work. In pm read in mess til 3 – office til 4 doing stamps. After tea walk and letters to A etc. Letter to A to be continued. Bath.

Monday 10 January 1944

Letter from A at last – p.g. but things will be OK – Gods not being very kind this year. Dull day – office after dinner finished letter to A. Airgraph from Peter Rawson. Walk with Roger Bruman over Golf Course. Very good sharp frost.

Tuesday 11 January 1944

Haircut in a.m. Very slack day with practically nothing doing. Told this evening that I am to return to 7^th Fd tomorrow – saw CRA said ‘No go’ and told him why.

Wednesday 12 January 1944

Film Wed night with Charles, Francis & George Ashly – very good ‘Above suspicion’.

Thursday 13 January 1944

Eileen phoned – great show.

Friday 14 January 1944

No entry.

Saturday 15 January 1944

Parcel from A arrived – incl baccy G.G. Hockey in pm with Navy – 7 aside very hectic very short. Out patrolling with Charles until 1 am.

Sunday 16 January 1944

Up at 9.30! No mail – stamps am for Charles. Bought £1-1-10 worth but in pt exchange for my Coronations. Quiet pm. Wrote A & L. Concert after dinner good fun. Stamps with Charles in his hut.

Monday 17 January 1944

Dull day – letter from A – good show.

Tuesday 18 January 1944

Dull day – Letter from L, G & E.

Visit to Spey Brg

Wednesday 19 January 1944

Super long letter from A. Sent wire off congratulating A on promotion – super show.

Thursday 20 January 1944

Visited EY this morning and out in FORRES direction in the afternoon. EY in good form – one or 2 old faces still about – Gerslip, Sedgwick Gee etc. ENSA show – very good.

Friday 21 January 1944

Developed very bad cold today – a real snorter. Kept in most of day. Phoned 370 but A not there – spoke to friend – A to ring on Mon or Sun.

Saturday 22 January 1944

Hockey this p.m. v RN – Excellent game though it poured with rain during first half – won 5-4 (2). Had dinner with Charles, George, Boyd, Tury – looked in for 5 mins at Sgts dance. Washing & stamps arrived.

Sunday 23 January 1944

B’fast 9.45 – EY in morning, lunch there – feeling pretty bloody – waited til 10 ocl in case A phoned – no such luck. Powders & ‘whiskied tea’ brought along by Wright.

Monday 24 January 1944

Still feeling bloody – marked AQ’s map in am. Quiet pm – no letters – good tidy up – Back to office after early supper – no sign of phone call from A.

Tuesday 25 January 1944

1500 – Lecture in gym. Out all day in Elgin area – lunch at Gordon Hotel – sent pc off to Eileen – letter from L & G.

Wednesday 26 January 1944

Duty Officer. Letter today from A good show – feeling particularly browned right off – duty offr. Slept here. 3^rd & last inoculation.

Thursday 27 January 1944

Dull day – nothing of any importance to relate. Over to 101 A/Tk to see a chap about divorce.

Friday 28 January 1944

Nothing at all in the work line. At 4 ocl went down to town tea with Charles at Station Hotel – film after – Mr Lucky – dinner with C in C Mess. Chat with C & Q in C’s bunk.

Saturday 29 January 1944

In pm few holes golf with George, tea in Club house – Dinner B Mess with C, G & F. then to WRENS pty – left early chat & tea with C.

Sunday 30 January 1944

G + C to Dumfries – conference in pm – walk after tea – early night.

Monday 31 January 1944

Nothing of note.

SECOND WORLD WAR

Jan7

January 1944

(Britain)

The appointment of American General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) as Supreme Allied Commander of Europe preceded his arrival in London to take up his post. Arriving on the 16^th January 1944 the Allied leaders named him as head of Operation Overlord, and confirmed his promotion on the 24^th December 1943, Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of Europe in Normandy, the forthcoming D-Day landings in June 1944.

The Battle of Berlin began in November 1943 and ended in March 1944. Commander-in-Chief of Bomber Command, Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur (Bomber) Harris, believed with the aid of American bombers it would cost “Germany the war”. As a typical RAF night attack, on the 20^th/21^st January 1944, Berlin was attacked by 495 Lancaster, 22 Halifax and ten Mosquito bombers. Low cloud the following day prevented any assessment of the damage suffered. The RAF lost 22 Halifax and 13 Lancaster bombers to anti-aircraft guns and night fighter attacks. The Germans were victorious during the Battle of Berlin as the RAF was unable to inflict a decisive defeat over Germany in Berlin. This was no different to the Nazi Blitz on London in 1940.

(Eastern Front)

The two and half year Siege of Leningrad in the Soviet Union ended on the 27^th January 1944, when the Soviets had pushed the German Wehrmacht back 36-62 miles (60-100 km). Following Operation Barbarossa when Germany attacked the Soviet Union the siege began on the 8^th September 1941, after the German Wehrmacht took control of the last road to the city. During the course of the siege the S.U. lost 500,000 military personnel killed, captured or missing. Leningrad also lost one and a half million civilian dead. The German casualties were in the region of 580.000. Prior to the withdrawal the Wehrmacht destroyed many historical palaces of the Tsar and a large collection of valuable art collections were sent back to Germany. At a later date, when asked why they didn’t occupy Leningrad, the German reply was they would have had to feed the occupants.

(Italy)

Count Gian Galeazzo Ciano was the son-in-law of Italian Duce Benito Mussolini. He was an Italian diplomat and politician who served as Foreign Minister from 1936 to 1943. He was seen as the most probable successor to Mussolini as head of government when the time came. Ciano was executed by firing squad for treason on the 11^th January 1944. Alongside him were four others who had voted for Mussolini to be removed from power. When Mussolini founded the National Fascist Party (NFP) and his subsequent “March on Rome” in 1922 he emerged as Prime Minister of Italy. Ciano and his father were with Mussolini. In April 1930 he married Mussolini’s daughter and she bore him three children. Shortly after the marriage Ciano and family left for Shanghai to serve as Italian consul. Upon his return to Italy in 1935 he volunteered for action during the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935/36. When he returned from the war as a “hero” in 1936 he was appointed Foreign Minister by his father-in-law. Italy declared war on Britain and France in January 1940 and joined forces with the Axis Power regime of Nazi Germany. Following a series of defeats suffered by the Axis Powers during the war Ciano began to push for Italy’s exit from the war. As a result he was dismissed as Foreign Minister. Being a member of the Grand Council of Fascism he was one of those responsible for the dismissal and arrest of Mussolini. Ciano attempted to flee to Germany but was arrested and handed over to Italy’s new regime, the Italian Social Republic. Mussolini, under German pressure, ordered the death of Ciano and the subsequent trial resulted in in his execution on the 11^th January 1944. The five treason prisoners were tied to chairs and were to be shot in the back. However, at the last minute Ciano managed to turn his chair to face the firing squad before saying “Long live Italy”.

When Italy surrendered to the Allies in September 1943, the Germans were the sole defenders of Italy. The Winter Line was south of Rome and ran north from Cassino and where the terrain allowed it, terminated on the west coast. The western half of the Winter Line which formed part of the Gustav Line-Monte Cassino extended from the east coast to the Lira and Rapido valleys and central mountain spine of Italy. The Germans were located behind this valley-strewn and peaks/ridges line and especially around the historic hilltop abbey which dominated the nearby town of Cassino. German Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, commander in Italy, ordered his troops not to include the abbey in their defensive line and informed the Vatican and the Allies in December 1943. As a protected historic zone the area was unoccupied although they did man some slopes below the abbey’s walls. The Allies were aware of the strong defences around Monte Casino as they advanced toward Cassino from the toe of Italy; they were repeatedly bombarded by artillery located on these slopes. The Allied leaders incorrectly assumed the Germans were using the abbey as an observation post. On the eastern side of Italy the Germans were in the process of reinforcing the Winter Line. The battle began on the 17^th January 1944, the Allied objective was to break through the Winter Line and begin to advance on Rome. British General Harold Alexander, overall commander of the U.S. and British armies, launched an attack on the Gustav Line west of Cassino. General Oliver Leese, commander of the British X Corps, replaced Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery when he returned to Britain for his role in the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944. The X Corps forced a crossing on the Garigliano River, which ran from Cassino to the west coast, as part of the first assault. Unfortunately the X Corps did not have any extra troops available to overwhelm the Germans and waited for the central attack. Fierce fighting between the Allies and the German defenders saw the attack being repulsed. Kesselring was aware that if Cassino was taken the Allies would be able to advance on Rome. German reinforcements arrived from Rome on the 20^th January 1944. The central attack was launched by the U.S. 36^th Division which began on the 20^th January 1944. This attack was hindered by strong German defences, bad weather and un-cleared mines/booby traps previously set by the Germans. The Battle of Monte Cassino was to continue into February 1944.

Anzio is to the northwest of Monte Cassino on the west coast of Italy. The Battle of Anzio began on the 22^nd January 1944 and ended on the 5^th June 1944 with the capture of Rome from the Germans. The Allied plan was to assault the beaches at Anzio and to by-pass Monte Cassino, thereby trapping the Germans between the two armies. The Anzio beach-head is in a basin and comprises reclaimed marshland surrounded by mountains. The landings began on the 22^nd January 1944. The campaign was launched in a hurry, so no proper training had been possible and insufficient landing craft was another problem for the Allies. The majority of the available landing craft were allocated for the invasion of Normandy later in the year. In what landing craft were available the initial landings were virtually unopposed, with the exception of some strafing runs by the Luftwaffe. By midnight 36,000 American troops and 3,200 vehicles were on the beach. The landings came as a surprise to the Germans and the American troops should have swiftly advanced inland and supported the battle for Cassino. A misunderstanding between Clark and his second-in-command Major General John Lucas did not achieve that element of surprise. Clark, commander of the U.S. Fifth Army, wanted to continue with the attack. Lucas, commander of the U.S. VI Corps, preferred to take time to entrench his positon against any counterattack. The proposed support for Monte Cassino was therefore not forthcoming. With the element of surprise gone, Germany’s Kesselring moved every unit, who were available, into a defensive ring around the beach-head. The mountainous terrain favoured the defenders and as a consequence the Germans were in a position to see every movement of the Americans. 40,000 German troops had arrived by the 24^th June 1944 bringing the total to 71,500. Further arrivals of the U.S. 45^th Infantry Division and the U.S. 1^st Army Division landed on the beach-head by the 29^th June1944. This brought the American attack force up to 60,000 troops, 508 guns and 208 tanks. The Battle of Anzio was to continue into February 1944.

As part of the supporting naval attacking forces the British destroyer HMS Janus (F53) was sunk off the beach-head of Anzio on the 23^rd January 1944. There is some confusion whether Janus was sunk by a conventional torpedo or a guided bomb dropped by a German bomber. Whatever the device was, she sank within twenty minutes of being hit and only about 80 of her 240 crew were rescued. It is recorded that Janus had fired over 500 salvoes of 4.7“ shells in support of the Allied troops.

(Pacific)

Cape Gloucester is located on the far north-west coast of the island of New Britain, which is part of the Territory of Papua New Guinea. The area around Rabaul was the main Japanese supply depot and was located on the north-east corner of the same island. The Battle of Cape Gloucester began on the 26^th December 1943 when American Marines attacked the Cape from east to west in a two-pronged formation. The battle ended on the 16^th January 1944 when American Marines defeated the Japanese defenders of two Japanese airstrips. By the end of December 1943, the Japanese held airstrips at Cape Gloucester. These were over-run by the Marines. The marines began to extend their airport perimeter south toward Borgan Bay on the 2^nd January 1944 and met with organised Japanese resistance. Fierce fighting continued through the jungle until the 16^th January 1944 when the marines captured Hill 660. 0rganised Japanese resistance ended when Japanese commander Major-General Iwao Matsuda had withdrawn from Cape Gloucester. He was accompanied by approximately 1,000 troops evacuating the battle area and heading for the supply depot at Rabaul. During the Battle of Cape Gloucester, the U.S. lost 310 marines killed and 1,083 wounded and the Japanese losses were 2,000 killed.

The Andaman Islands are part of the Union Territory of India and located east of Burma. When the Japanese left the islands at the end of December 1943 there were unconfirmed rumours that 750 civilians had been murdered. The Japanese had occupied the islands since early 1942 and after leaving authority was handed over to the Provisional Government of Free India. However, the Japanese still remained in control as the leader of the government Subhas Chandra Bhose was pro-Japanese. 44 Indians, the majority of whom were part of the Indian Independence League, were accused of spying and shot in what became known as the Homfreganj Massacre on 30^th January 1944.

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

Jan7

Date Time Location Damage

01/12/1943 07.25 Rayleigh An American Piper Cub No. 4 Aircraft Machine No.

669 belonging to No. 10 Air Depot Group made a forced landing at Pearsons Avenue. Map Ref. 245105. Machine not damaged. Pilot uninjured.

11/12/1943 16.45 Foulness The body of a German Airman was found on

Island sands about 30 yards off Foulness Point. Particulars of Identity Disc: No. 216 Gfr. Herbert Meschner 510/57358. Probably one of the crew of plane shot down 10.12.43.

12/12/1943 15.00 East 1 – A.A. Shell exploded in field S of Station Road

Horndon East Horndon. N.D.C.

15/12/1943 12.15 Benfleet A Meteorological Balloon with a Device ‘B’ canister

attached was found on Marshes bearing marking A.1647.

22/12/1943 2.43 Vange A deflated British Naval Barrage Balloon Mark

M.K. VI (S.2) 13 and 48746 grounded 50 yards N of Down Grove and 50 yards W of Pitseaville Grove. N.D.C.

22/12/1943 14.00 Billericay 2 – Ux. British Mortar Bombs were found in Norsey

Woods. (Map Ref. 130140) and were later detonated by the B.D.S. N.D.C.

Diary of Major D.G. Fisher December 1943

Jan7

Friday 31^st December 1943.

SINKING OF GERMAN BATTLESHIP SCHARNHORST

Dec27

Battle of North Cape

On the northern coast of Norway in the Arctic Sea, the Battle of North Cape was fought on the 26^th December 1943. The battle was the last big-gun naval battle between Britain and Germany in the European theatre of the war. The western Allies, since August 1941 had been regularly supplying the Soviet Union with convoys escorted by warships. German battleships Scharnhorst and Tirptiz were based on the northern coast of German-occupied Norway. By December 1943 the German army was being forced into a continuous retreat by Soviet troops. It therefore became increasingly important to intercept the supplies to the Soviet Union from the Allies. German Admiral Karl Dörnitz and Fuhrer Adolf Hitler held a conference to discuss the problem on the 19^th – 20^th December 1943. It was decided Scharnhorst would be employed against the next Allied convoy. The outcome was Scharnhorst was ordered by Dönitz to be ready to go to sea at three hours’ notice. British/Polish Intelligence had broken the German Enigma Code earlier on in the war and were aware of the German plans. The next convoy to leave for the Soviet Union was JW55B which departed on the 20^th December 1943. On the 22^nd December1943, German reconnaissance aircraft located the convoy 460 miles (740 km) west of Tromso. Two days later the convoy was spotted again heading for the Soviet Union. Dörnitz ordered Scharnhorst into action at 09:00 on the 25^th December 1943 after a report of the convoy’s position by a U-boat. Being pre-warned of Scharnhorst’s intentions, Commander-in-Chief Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser of the Home Fleet, in his battleship HMS Duke of York escorting the convoy, left Loch Ewe. He was accompanied by one cruiser and four destroyers. Fraser also brought to the encounter the escorting warships of returning convoy RA55A. Additional protection from Group 1 was provided by a force consisting of flagship HMS Belfast and two destroyers HMS Norfolk and HMS Sheffield. Stormy weather during the early morning of the 26^th December 1943 resulted in Scharnhorst being unable to locate the enemy. To increase the search area the commander of Scharnhorst, Konteradmiral Erich Bey, sent his escorting destroyers off to the south. Scharnhorst was now completely separated from her escorting destroyers. Shortly after 09:00 Belfast was the first to obtain radar contact on unescorted Scharnhorst. Rapidly closing the range to approximately 13,000 yds. (12,000 km) three British ships open-fired on the battleship. Scharnhorst was hit by two British shells, one of which destroyed the forward radar controls. In response she fired salvoes at the British warships but missed. She was now virtually blind in a mounting snowstorm. Bey assumed he was facing Duke of York as they were firing flash-less shells. The British ships were also firing flash-less shells. Bey turned south in an effort to escape where his superior speed soon out-paced his pursuers. Scharnhorst then turned northwest in an attempt to attack the convoy from another direction. The additional warships of Group 1 anticipated such a manoeuvre and positioned themselves to protect the convoy. Radar contact located Scharnhorst again as she was approaching the convoy. Exchanging gun-fire Scharnhorst scored two hits on Norfolk. Following this exchange Bey ordered his escorting destroyers to attack the convoy, while he returned to port. However, the given position of the convoy was inaccurate and the destroyers could not locate the convoy. Scharnhorst turned south again and her superior speed outpaced Sheffield and Norfolk, whose speed had slowed after suffering engine problems. The out-gunned Belfast was the sole pursuer and very vulnerable to long-range shelling. However, they soon located Scharnhorst on the radar and Belfast sent a series of messages to the Duke of York to intercept. In the meantime the Duke of York escort warships attempted to get into a torpedo-launching position. After locating Scharnhorst on radar, Duke of York was brought into a position for a torpedo broadside attack. At 16:48 Belfast fired a starlight shell which illuminated Scharnhorst and was clearly visible to Duke of York. She immediately opened fire at a range of 11,920 yds. (10,900 km). Without working radar Scharnhorst was un-prepared for the attack as her gun turrets were trained fore and aft. The first salvo disabled her foremost turrets, a second salvo destroyed the ship’s aircraft hangar. By turning north Bey was engaged by Norfolk & Belfast, he then turned east at high speed (32 knots – 57 km/h), but now was being attacked from two sides. Scharnhorst was able to increase the distance from the British warships, but was taking heavy punishment from Duke of York’s 14 inch shells. Scharnhorst’s speed dropped to 11 knots (19 km/h). Emergency repairs enabled her to increase her speed to 22 knots (41 km/h) but was vulnerable to torpedo attacks. Scharnhorst did, however, succeed in hitting Duke of York with two of her own 11 inch shells. One shell severed some wireless aerials, the second knocking over the radar-aerial, which was soon back in operation again despite the appalling weather. At 18:20 Duke of York fired a shell from extreme range and hit and destroyed Scharnhorst’s N^o 1 boiler room. At 18:50 Scharnhorst turned to starboard and engaged two of Duke of York’s escorts who scored two torpedo hits. Continuing to turn Scharnhorst suffered three torpedo strikes to her port side. Duke of York’s escort destroyer HMS Saumarez was hit several times by Scharnhorst and suffered 11 killed and 11 wounded. Scharnhorst’s speed again dropped to 11 knots (19 km/h) and Duke of York and one escort destroyer HMS Jamaica resumed firing shells at Scharnhorst after closing the gap. Belfast joined in the attack from the north. All British warships subjected Scharnhorst to a deluge of shells. A total of 21 torpedoes were fired at her and at 19:45 she capsized and sank. 36 Germans survived the attack out of a complement of 1,968 officers and men. The British by contrast lost 11 sailors killed, 11 wounded, one damaged battleship, one cruiser and one destroyer damaged. The sinking of Scharnhorst was a major victory for the Allies in the Arctic Theatre. It also demonstrated the importance of radar in modern naval warfare. The Allied navies were able to be relocate their resources away from the Arctic Theatre. The remaining German battleships were either out of service or being repaired. The Battle of the North Cape was the last battle involving battleships in European waters. The final battle of the war involving battleships was at the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944 during the Pacific Theatre.

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SECOND WORLD WAR

Dec1

December 1943

(Britain)

In December1943, following the Trident Conference in Washington the Allied leaders proposed a general Allied Expeditionary Force be formed for the invasion in Europe. American Dwight D. Eisenhower, was from June 1942, Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force of the North African Theatre of Operations. The leaders appointed Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander of Europe on the 11^th December 1943. Eisenhower officially became Supreme Allied Commander in Europe on the 24^thDecember 1943. Eisenhower was also named as head of Overlord in Normandy and this was made official the following month.

Ed Murrow, America’s premier broadcast correspondent who was employed by CBS News and transferred to Britain, was in the London studios of the BBC on the 3^rd December 1943. He sat in front of his microphone waiting for his programme to begin. The programme was to be known as “Orchestral Hell” and was probably his most famous wartime report. His opening statement was “Last night, some of the young gentlemen of the RAF took me to Berlin”. The eighteen minute broadcast was to CBS listeners in America about his experience in accompanying a bombing raid on Berlin the previous evening. His report stated how cold it was in the interior of a Lancaster bomber. When the bomber reached Germany they began to encounter flak exploding which he described as “like a cigarette lighter on a dark night that won’t light. Sparks but no flame”. He also described the cloud cover, the dazzling gleam of the searchlights and Berlin wreathed with smoke from bombs dropped ahead of them. He described the gentle uplift of the Lancaster after the payload had been released. Murrow went on to say the British crew appeared to treat the raids as a job to be completed. But his biggest statement was that Berlin appeared to turn into “a thing of Orchestral Hell, a terrible symphony of light and flame”. In all he flew on about twenty five missions and allowed himself to be in dangerous positions to ensure the accuracy of reporting to his listeners.

(Germany)

German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler appointed Field Marshall Erwin Rommel as head of Fortress Europa on the 12^th December 1943. Following his campaigns in the deserts of North Africa and the Italian Campaign in Greece, Rommel, known as the Desert Fox, was to oversee the defence of the Atlantic Wall. Built to withstand the invasion of Europe by the Allies, based in Britain, the Atlantic Wall stretched along the European coastline. Stretching from Scandinavia to the heavily fortified Channel Islands and France, the wall was constructed by Vichy French workers and slave labour from 1942. Rommel’s role was to examine and make suggestions as to how to improve the defences. Upon his arrival in Northern France he was dismayed by the lack of completed works. Being in a staff position Rommel could not issue the orders that would allow his suggestions to become reality. In any case the appointed defensive officers senior to Rommel made sure his suggestions were slowed down, thereby nothing changed. After submitting a request to be made commander he was promoted in 1944.

(Mediterranean)

During the Italian Campaign the Germans were victorious with the air raid on Bari on the 2^nd December 1943. The Italians had surrendered to the Allies in early September 1943 leaving their previous Axis partners to continue the fight alone. Bari is a harbour city on the eastern coast of Italy which was in the British sector during the invasion of Italy. The defensive arrangements of Bari both ground and air defences were totally inadequate. Confident that the Bari Harbour would not be attacked from the air, the harbour was busy unloading supplies. These supplies were intended for the forthcoming Battle of Monte Casino. At night the harbour was lit up to facilitate unloading. There were thirty British, American, Polish, Norwegian and Dutch ships being unloaded in the harbour as well as the 250,000 civilian population in the city. On the afternoon of the 2^nd December 1943 a German reconnaissance flight was conducted over Bari. This resulted in the Commander-in-Chief Albert Kesselring ordering an air attack against Bari. Kesselring and General Field Marshall Wolfram von Richtofen agreed that 150 Junkers Ju 88A-4 twin-engine dive bombers would attack the harbour. Only 105 were available to attack the harbour in order to slow the advance of the British Eighth Army. The attack began at 19:25 when three German aircraft dropped Duppel (foil strips) to confuse Allied radar. Flares were dropped but were not necessary as the harbour was well illuminated. The German bombers were able to bomb the harbour with great accuracy. The defenders of the port were surprised at the attack and offered little resistance. Two ammunition ships exploded after being hit by bombs. A sheet of blazing fuel spread across the harbour after a bulk petrol pipeline was severed on a quay. 34,000 tons of cargo was lost when 28 merchant vessels were sunk. A further twelve were damaged. Of the sunken vessels one was U.S. Liberty Ship John Harvey. Included in her cargo, and secretly kept quiet, were 2,000 mustard gas bombs, each holding 60-70 lb (27-32 kg) of the agent. Apparently the mustard gas shells were intended to be used as a retaliatory response should the Germans use chemical warfare in Italy. Waters in the harbour were already contaminated by oil and the liquid sulphur mustard became part of that oily mixture. Chemical reaction caused rescued sailors to suffer from mustard gas poison symptoms. The casualties for the British were 28 ships sunk, 12 damaged and extensive damage to the harbour. 1,000 military and merchant marine personnel, together with 1,000 civilians were killed. The Germans had a victorious day losing only one aircraft

In Greece, during October 1943, 78 German soldiers had been taken prisoner by the resistance guerrilla fighters and on the 10^th December 1943 were executed by their captors. In response to the guerrilla’s actions, the German commanding officer ordered the “severest measures” be taken. The German troops were based in six cities in Greece and converged on Kalavryta. The Kalavryta Massacre was conducted on the 13^th December 1943. The orders were that the German 117^th Jäger Division were to encircle the Greek guerrillas in the mountains surrounding Kalavryta. They burnt 11`villages and monasteries and shot civilians on the way. Rounding up all the residents of Kalavryta in the early hours of the 13^th December 1943 the Germans forced the residents into the school building. Older boys and men were separated from the women and children. Following the citizen separation the Germans looted the town and set it ablaze. The 438 men and boys were escorted to a nearby field and killed by machine gun. Because they hid under the dead bodies of the massacred men, thirteen survived. The women and children were locked into a local primary school, after which the Germans set the school alight. Fortunately the majority of the women and children found a way to escape after the school was on fire. As a In Greece, the Kalavryta Massacre was conducted on the 13^th December 1943. The orders were that the German 117^th Jäger Division were to encircle the Greek resistance guerrilla fighters in the mountains surrounding Kalavryta. During October 1943, 78 German soldiers had been taken prisoner by the guerrilla and on the 10^th December 1943 were executed by their captors. In response to the guerrilla’s actions, the German commanding officer ordered the “severest measures” be taken. The German troops were based in six cities in Greece and converged on Kalavryta. They burnt 11`villages and monasteries and shot civilians on the way. Rounding up all the residents of Kalavryta in the early hours of the 13^th December 1943 the Germans forced the residents into the school building. Older boys and men were separated from the women and children. Following the citizen separation the Germans looted the town and set it ablaze. The 438 men, boys and seniors were escorted to a nearby field and killed by machine gun. Because they hid under the dead bodies of the massacred male population, thirteen males survived. The women and children were locked into a local primary school, after which the Germans set the school alight. Fortunately the majority of the women and children found a way to escape after the school was on fire. As a landmark of the Greek War of Independence, the monastery Agia Lavra was burnt down by German troops the following day of the 14^th December 1943. The Germans went on to destroy 28 communities which include towns, villages, monasteries and settlements. During the reprisals of Operation Kalavryta 693 civilians were massacred. More than 1,000 homes in Kalavryta were looted and burned down and more than 2,000 livestock were seized by the Germans. There doesn’t appear to be any evidence that any German was convicted of war crimes after the war.

(Pacific)

On the island of New Britain, the Battle of Cape Gloucester began on the 26^th December 1943. The island was defended by the Japanese and the attackers were U.S. Marines whose objective was to capture two Japanese airfields. The island of New Britain is partially semi-circular in shape and fairly narrow running east to west. Cape Gloucester is located on the tip of the north-west coast. The airfields, which were the prime target, and the coast around Cape Gloucester were heavily bombed by the Allies for several months before the battle. The bombardment was mainly by the U.S. Fifth Air Force. Just before dawn on the 26^th December 1943, a naval shell barrage was directed onto the Japanese positions at the cape, this was the beginning of the battle. Following the barrage, United States Army Air Force (USAAF) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) attacked the Japanese. A total of 14 mixed squadrons provided air support. Nine squadrons were bombers and five were attack aircraft. Fighter squadrons were employed as attack aircraft and provided cover on the landing beaches. Just prior to the attack there were nearly 4,000 Japanese troops in the vicinity of Cape Gloucester, together with field and anti-aircraft artillery support. The Allied plan was for a two-pronged landing, east and west of Cape Gloucester.

The main landing area was on the coast east of Cape Gloucester and the area was designated as yellow beach. Three separate U.S. Marine Divisions, plus supporting naval equipment, took part in the assault on yellow beach. The assault was carried out by three Combat Teams, “A, B and C”. The 5^th Marines formed Combat Team “A”, the 1^st Marines formed Combat Team “B” and the 7^th Marines formed Combat Team “C”. At about 08:00 Combat Team “C” were the first to land on shore and were assigned to secure the beach-head. After the initial assault Combat Team “B”, minus the 2^nd Battalion, would begin the northern advance toward the airfields. Each Combat Team was transported by landing craft from the naval vessels assigned to them. Also landed was the support equipment which included 30 days of supplies of food and ammunition. Combat Team “A” remained on board their landing craft as a floating reserve. Japanese aircraft attacked the Allied ships around the landing beaches, which resulted in the sinking of destroyer USS Brownson. The crew were successfully rescued by two U.S. destroyers. Despite this setback about 13,000 troops and around 7,600 tons of equipment were landed beginning about 14:30. Opposition in the main landing area by the original defenders had been easily overcome. Japanese 2^nd Battalion, 53^rd Infantry Regiment reinforcements counter-attacked and slowed the U.S. advance until the evening of the first day, U.S. artillery was landed and the beach was secured. The Combat Teams began the slow advance toward Cape Gloucester along the narrow swamp lined beach road. Owing to bad weather the Japanese air attacks had ended and by the end of the month the airstrip at Cape Gloucester was over-run by the Marines.

Green beach was to the west of Cape Gloucester and was designated to be a diversionary attack. The assault troops were the 2^nd battalion of Combat Team “B” and a battery of artillery from the 11^th Marines. Around 7:30, after a preliminary naval and aerial bombardment, the marines landed. There was no opposition as the Japanese had abandoned their defences. The beach-head was secured and all the first day’s objectives were achieved by 10:00. Shortly after the U.S. troops landed on green beach, the Japanese responded by sending two companies of the 53^rd Infantry Regiment. By the 31^st December 1943 various small clashes occurred between the two sides. In the jungle environment the Japanese sought mainly to avoid contact. Most of their forces were ordered to withdraw to support the fighting on yellow beach.

The Battle of Cape Gloucester ended with an Allied victory on the 16^th January 1944.

—

The Andaman Islands are located in the north-eastern Indian Ocean and serve as maritime barrier between the Bay of Bengal and Burma. Most of the Andaman Islands are individual small islands, as are the Nicobar Islands to the south. They are part of the Union Territory of India. During the Burma Campaign, beginning December 1941, the Japanese had occupied the Andaman Islands. When the Japanese left on the 29^th December 1943 the authority was handed over to Arzi Hukuma-e-Azad Hind of the Provisional Government of Free India. The Provisional Government was headed by Subhas Chandra Bose, who was allied to the Japanese during the occupation. On the 30^th December 1943 Bose first raised the flag of Indian independence. Unconfirmed rumours indicate that before leaving the islands, the Japanese rounded up and executed 750 civilians.

(Other Fronts)

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