World War II in real time

Day 754 of World War II, September 25th 1941

Eastern Front - Operation Barbarossa

Hitler ordered a halt to attacks on Leningrad in northern Russia, instead ordering that the city be starved into submission. The siege of the city begins in earnest.

Armeegruppe Mitte: German forces continue reducing the final remnants of Soviet forces in the Kiev pocket.

Armeegruppe Sud: German and Romanian troops under German General Erich von Manstein seize the 7 km-wide Perekop Isthmus, linking the Crimean peninsula to the Ukrainian mainland. Soviet forces are now isolated on the Crimea itself and the major Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa. German paratroop attacks begin near Perekop.

To prevent a breakout by Soviet Fleet from the Gulf of Finland, newly-formed German Baltic Fleet (battleship “Tirpitz”, battlecruiser “Admiral Scheer”, cruisers “Köln” and “Nürnberg”, 3 destroyers and 5 torpedo boats) patrols the Baltic Sea. “Admiral Scheer” is damaged when 2 depth charges explode on the deck (returns to Blohm & Voss shipyard at Hamburg via the Kiel Canal for repairs until October 24).

Battle of the Atlantic

At 7.44 AM 500 miles North of the Azores, U-124 sinks British SS Empire Stream carrying 3730 tons of potash (8 dead and 27 survivors picked up by British corvette HMS Begonia and landed at Milford Haven on September 30).

US Navy escort escort turn over HX-150 to British escorts at the Mid-Ocean Meeting Point. All ships reach port safely.

Air War over Europe

RAF Bomber Command sends one aircraft to attack Emden, in the final RAF attempt to operate B-17 Fortress aircraft by day. The daylight career of RAF No 90 Squadron and its Fortresses was brought to a halt less than two months after it had started, the type having had little success in the high-altitude daylight role since its first operation in early July.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Italy begins the occupation of Croatia. The Italians reoccupy the demilitarized zone to secure Italy’s Adriatic flank.

Force H separated from the merchant ships in the early hours so Axis aerial reconnaissance might think only Force H was at sea. Fulmars from “Ark Royal” provided air cover over the convoy. Italian aircraft found Force H on the afternoon, and assumed the battleships were on a bombardment raid against the Italian coast.

Photo: on Board the Cruiser HMS Hermione. on Its Way Through the Mediterranean a Large British Convoy To Malta (operation Halberd), With a Royal Navy Escort Under the Command of Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville, Was Discovered by An Italian Reconnaissance Aircraft



Japan

The Japanese aircraft carrier “Zuikaku” is commissioned into service. Captain Tsunekichi Fukuzawa was named the commanding officer of repair ship “Akashi”.

Photo: Zuikaku at Kobe on 25 September 1941 after launching

Day 756 of World War II, September 27th 1941

Eastern Front - Operation Barbarossa

Armeegruppe Nord: Soviet attacks on German 16.Armee in the Valdai Hills.

Armeegruppe Mitte: The Soviet GKO issued the Directive to Organize a Strategic Defense, which proved to be disastrous as it led to over 50 divisions of Soviet troops being trapped at Vyazma and Bryansk in Russia shortly after.

Armeegruppe Sud: Heavy fighting breaks the Soviet defenses in the Crimean Peninsula as the town of Perkov is captured by the German 11.Armee.

Battle of the Atlantic

German submarine U-201 attacked Allied convoy HG-73 600 miles north of the Azores islands, sinking two merchant ships and the anti-aircraft ship HMS “Springbank”; 32 were killed, 201 survived. U-201 also sank SS “Margareta” and SS “Siremalm”.

Air War over Europe

RAF Bomber Command sends 24 aircraft to attack Amiens during the day. RAF Fighter Command flew Circus operations. Blenheims, escorted by Spitfires, bombed the Amiens rail junction. 21 German and 13 British fighters were shot down. Losses of British Blenheim bombers are not known.

RAF combat reports start describing encounters with a radial engined fighter misidentified as either captured French Bloch 151s or Curtiss Hawk 75s. In reality the aircraft is the new Focke-Wulf Fw 190, making it’s first appearance in combat. On this day the new German fighter encounters the new British fighter, the Spitfire V for the first time and the German aircraft proves itself to be superior in every respect to the upgraded British fighter.

Battle of the Mediterranean

The Allied convoy to Malta is found by air reconnaissance and suffers the loss of one transport. Force H rejoined the convoy at 07:10 hours. Sixteen destroyers formed a bent line screen ahead of two columns of merchant ships. The port column was led by the cruiser “Kenya”, followed by “Ajax”, “Clan MacDonald”, “Imperial Star”, “Rowallan Castle” and “City of Calcutta”. The starboard column was led by the cruiser “Edinburgh” followed by “Clan Ferguson”, MV “Dunedin Star”, HMS “Breconshire” and “City of Lincoln”. “Rodney” took position behind the port wing of the screen followed by “Prince of Wales”. “Nelson” took position behind the starboard wing of the screen followed by “Ark Royal” in formation with the anti-aircraft cruisers “Euryalus” and “Hermione”. The cruiser “Sheffield” took position astern of the merchant ships, while the destroyers “Piorun” and “Legion” assumed plane guard positions astern of “Ark Royal”. Italian aircraft correctly identified “Ark Royal” at 08:10 hours and the battleships from Naples rendezvoused with the cruisers from Taranto and were joined by the 8th cruiser division at 11:48 hours.

Photo: HMS Prince of Wales opens fire with her two pounder pom-poms and 5.25 inch guns during an enemy bombing attack on the Malta convoy ,she shot down two enemy aircraft in the first few minutes



The Italian fleet was faster than the battleships of Force H, but was inferior to the British firepower. Since Italian aircraft had reported only a single British battleship, the Italian fleet received authorization at noon to engage the British formation. Regia Aeronautica was requested to provide increased air cover for the Italian fleet. Regia Aeronautica launched a strike of 28 SM.79 and SM.84 torpedo planes with 20 Cr.42 fighters. The strike was met by defending Fulmars and heavy anti-aircraft fire. Three bombers pressed through the barrage of starboard wing destroyers to launch torpedoes at “Nelson”. An Italian torpedo bomber hit “Nelson” in the bow with a torpedo. “Nelson” slowed to 15 knots, but maintained position in the convoy. Six more torpedo planes and 1 fighter failed to return from the strike. Friendly fire from “Rodney” and “Prince of Wales” shot down two Fulmars, and a patrolling Swordfish had been shot down by the Italian fighters before the strike ended. The Italian fleet was about 40 miles from the convoy, but decided to return home around 14:30 hours when it learned that the British had two battleships, a carrier and six cruisers at sea. Two more Italian pilots were lost when another flight of ten C.200s ran out of fuel and ditched at sea. In the evening, Force H turned back and sailed for Gibraltar. The merchant vessel “Imperial Star” carrying 8,000 tons of war supplies was hit by another aerial torpedo and damaged. Despite being taken in tow by the destroyer HMS “Oribi” it had to be scuttled the following day. There was no loss of life.

Photo: An Italian torpedo bomber on fire and crashing whilst HMS Ark Royal steams on during Operation Halberd



Conclusion of naval transport of British 16th Infantry Brigade into Tobruk while Australian 24th Infantry Brigade is withdrawn to Egypt. British minelaying cruiser HMS “Abdiel” and destroyers HMS “Kandahar”, HMS “Jaguar”, and HMS “Griffin” departed Alexandria, Egypt after sundown with supplies for Tobruk, Libya. This would be the final Operation Supercharge supply run for the besieged city. Since September 17, Royal Navy has carried 6308 British troops and 2100 tons of supplies into Tobruk and removed 5444 troops mostly Australian 9th Division, 544 wounded, and 1 POW.

East African campaign

Photo: Men of the (British) King's African Rifles (KAR) collecting surrendered arms at Wolchefit Pass, after the last Italians had finally ceased resistance in Ethiopia.



China

Japanese forces land paratroops behind the Chinese lines and penetrated into Changsha, Hunan Province, China against strong resistance by Chinese 9th War Area. Japanese troops in plain clothes infiltrated the north gate of the walled city, but failed to complete their sabotage mission. The Chinese counterattacked the paratroops, destroying them, and in an uncharacteristically decisive move, wheeled their forces north of the city, cutting off the Japanese troops in the city. Chinese 9th War Area launched thrusts against flanks and rear of Japanese 11th Army, cutting its line of communications. About 100,000 Japanese troops found themselves surrounded.

United States of America

The “Patrick Henry” is launched from the Baltimore Naval Yard. The 10,000 ton cargo ship is the first of 2742 “liberty ships” which would be launched in the next few years. 14 Liberty Ships were launched today in the United States. They were to be transferred to the United Kingdom via the Lend-Lease program.

Photo: Patrick Henry launching on Liberty Fleet Day



Battle of the Pacific

Joseph Rochefort warned US commanders at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii that the Japanese communication codes were being changed.

German raider “Atlantis” departs rendezvous for Vanavana in the Pomotu Islands (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia).

   To explain the LOL its due to Cunningham's message to Somerville.  I never realised you could be knighted more than once, as it seems rather redundant.

Day 759 of World War II, September 30th 1941

Eastern Front - Operation Barbarossa

The Wehrmacht begins its great drive on Moscow. With the codename Operation Typhoon (Unternehmen Taifun), this attack is viewed by many in the German Army as the rightful focus of Operation Barbarossa. After much hesitation, and only when it appeared that the other two main objectives of the invasion, Leningrad and Kyiv, were in hand, Hitler finally agreed. Reinforced by strong units from both Army Group North and Army Group South, Army Group Center under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock now has to race against the changing seasons to accomplish the key objective of the campaign during 1941.

Field Marshal von Bock disposes of 70 divisions for Operation Typhoon and it begins two days earlier than previously scheduled. General Heinz Guderian's Panzer Group 2 has finished the conquest of Kyiv earlier than some had expected, and now it has reoriented itself to attack in the opposite direction - to the northeast - in a matter of days. While recent reports suggest that Guderian's panzer forces are only at 20% of pre-war effectiveness, they face a Red Army that just lost almost a million troops in the fighting at Kyiv. There isn't an army in the world that can just shrug off the loss of a million men along with their leaders and equipment and the economic resources of a major city... or is there.

While the Red Army has been greatly weakened, there are several factors that count in its favor. For one, while the weather remains good for campaigning, that won't be the case for much longer. The German troops have no experience with the Russian Rasputitsa or rainy season, but it is just around the corner. While the Germans find the ubiquitous peasant carts, or Panjes, somewhat odd-looking with their giant wheels and watertight construction like boats, they are built like that to survive the twice-yearly Rasputitsa. The German trucks are not built for those conditions, which should begin to appear within about a month or even less.

Another Soviet advantage is that master spy Richard Sorge in Tokyo has assured Joseph Stalin that the Japanese are not interested in attacking the Soviet Union. This allows him to pull seven fresh Siberian Divisions west to the defense of Moscow. It will take time to get them through four or five time zones to Moscow, but they are experts at winter warfare and accomplished skiers. The lengthening German supply lines over deteriorating railroads and dirt roads, their worn equipment from three months of constant battle, and heavy losses also blunt the Wehrmacht's effort.

Still, despite all the issues, it is not too late in the season to get started. General Guderian's panzers head east at 06:35. They achieve surprise, as the Soviets expect them to take longer to digest Kyiv (this may be in part because the attack starts earlier than OKH planned, and the Soviets may know this from intelligence sources). Two panzer corps lead the attack, followed by infantry and motorized divisions. Panzer Group 2 heads back to the northeast and heads toward Moscow without regard to its flanks. The panzers smash through five Soviet divisions of Major General’s Arkadii Ermakov’s operational group (three infantry, two cavalry, and two tank brigades) at Glukhov, then open a wedge into Soviet 13th Army under front commander Lieutenant General Yeremenko (Eremenko).

While all seems rosy for the Germans, they have some unpleasant surprises. The Soviets use their new Katyusha rockets against the 3rd Panzer Division with good effect, though they are perhaps most effective now for their surprise value. In addition, the Soviets have trained dogs laden with explosives to run under German tanks, where they explode.

Many panzers are stopped by virtually undetectable antitank mines in wooden cases. The Germans, however, make good ground on the first day of the offensive, covering over ten miles. Everything is going according to plan, and the Germans plan to encircle Yeremenko's forces by closing a pocket at Bryansk. It is to be another giant battle of annihilation, and the Germans are confident that they will soon be chasing the fleeing remnants of the Red Army back toward Moscow.

China

Japanese 11th Army, cut off around Changsha, breaks out overnight and begins withdrawing to the north. They suffer serious losses in the retreat to Yoochow. Chinese estimates range up to 40,000 losses for the Japanese, a major victory for the Chinese. Chinese troops at Changsha declared victory at the Second Battle of Changsha after pushing Japanese troops back to the Yueyang region.

Vichy France/Thailand relations

Representatives of France and Thailand further defined the boundaries between Thailand and French Indochina per the May 9th 1941 peace treaty.

Air War over Europe

British bombers attacked Stettin and Hamburg in Germany after sundown for the second consecutive night. RAF Bomber Command sends 82 aircraft to attack Hamburg overnight. RAF Bomber Command sends 40 aircraft to attack Stettin overnight.

The RAF withdrew B-17 bombers from service.

Luftwaffe raids on the north-east were carried out by some of the eighty German aircraft that flew over Britain. A major raid on Tynemouth Borough caused sixty-one deaths and widespread damage. The main weight of attack fell on North Shields, to the west of Tynemouth, where some fifty HEs were dropped. The Wesleyan Hall, fortunately unoccupied, was reportedly set on fire by oil bombs. A Rescue Party foreman, who afterwards received the George Medal for his gallantry, was lowered head first into the cellar and succeeded in rescuing 3 people, despite the danger from a broken gas main and the possible collapse of heavy masonry. The south bank of the river got off more lightly. Twenty-eight HEs were dropped at South Shields and one medium fire was started. German bombers attacked the shipyards at Tyneside where the Submarine HMS “Sunfish” was badly damaged during the attack. The minesweeping trawlers 'Eileen Duncan' and 'Star of Deveron' were attacked and sunk, probably during this same air raid. Three bombs fell on Prince Albert Edward Dock. A 1,000kg bomb fell in No.3 dock in Middle Docks, passing through the side of a ship and on to the dock bottom. Another of the same size fell on the west side of the Middle Docks, demolishing the canteen and the Whitehill Point ferry landing stage; it sank the ferry with 4 of the crew on board. The last bombs of this disastrous evening descended on Mayfair Gardens and Harton Cemetery. Of the 2 that fell in Mayfair Gardens, one fell in a garden on the north side of the houses, causing no casualties but damaging windows and roofs. The 2nd scored a direct hit on 2 semi-detached villas which were completely obliterated. 34 bombs fell during this raid, no incendiary bombs were dropped and the NFS was only called out to attend one fire. Approximately 300 people were rendered homeless or were evacuated from their homes.

The detention center in Peel, Isle of Man had its guard forces strengthened after disturbances; 20 arrested British fascists were transferred to Liverpool as another result.

A Junkers Ju 88 was shot down by a Beaufighter 50 miles off the Northumberland coast. The Beaufighter was also hit and returned to base on one engine.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Italian submarine “Adua” attacked British ships sailing for Malta to Gibraltar (having just completed escorting the Operation Halberd on the previous day) 250 miles east of Gibraltar. British destroyers HMS “Gurkha” and HMS “Legion” counterattacked with depth charges, sinking the Italian submarine, killing all 46 aboard.

War of the Pacific

US General Marshall directs MacArthur to arrange for the “regular use” of British and Imperial air fields at Port Darwin, Rabaul, Port Moresby, and Singapore, for the “emergency use” of fields in the Netherlands East Indies, and to ask the British to develop an additional air field in the northern part of Borneo. At the instigation of Arnold, Marshall offers MacArthur the choice of MG Lewis Brereton, MG Jacob E Fickel, or BG Walther H Frank to head up the expanded FEAF. Sayre writes to MacArthur to complain of MacArthur’s lack of co-operation with the High Commission in civil defense.

War Plans Division develops plans for the stockpiling of ammunition and POL [ petroleum, oil and lubricants] throughout the South-West Pacific.

Day 761 of World War II, October 2nd 1941

Eastern Front - Operation Barbarossa

Operation Typhoon, the German assault on Moscow, begins in earnest as the 3.Panzergruppe (Colonel General H. Hoth) and 4.Panzergruppe (Colonel General Erich Hoepner) and the 2.Armee, 4.Armee and 9.Armee in the north join with 2.Panzergruppe in attacks against the Soviets. 2,000 German tanks advanced against the Russian lines in this the “last, great decisive battle of the war”, according to Hitler, in a communiqué to his troops, broadcast before the battle commenced. Forces have been withdrawn from south and north to boost the German assault, which many generals had wanted to make several weeks ago before Hitler ordered a diversion to capture industrial and coal-mining areas in the south. Bock's main force attacks along the entire front from the Western Dvina to the Desna. 3.Panzergruppe, in heavy fighting advances 5 miles splitting the defenses of the Soviet 19th and 30th Armies. 4.Panzergruppe breaks the Soviet 43rd Army and advances 25 miles, making contact with the second line of Soviet defenses. Meanwhile, the German 2.Panzergruppe under General Guderian was split into two pincers at Sevsk, Russia; the northern pincer moved toward Bryansk while the northeastern pincer moved toward Orel. The operation is lead by tank units and includes substantial air cover. Committed to the operation were bombers, several Gruppen of Stukas, two Gruppen of SKG 210 and all of JG 51 and JG 3.

For Leningrad, Unternehmen Taifun has offered some respite. Field Marshal von Leeb has failed to take the city by storm, and his tanks have been assigned to Taifun. Hitler still expects von Leeb to succeed, using artillery and aerial bombardment and the oldest siege weapon, starvation. Hitler says Leningrad “will fall like a leaf.” In Leningrad itself over 4,000 have died in 200 artillery bombardments and 23 air raids in the past month. The first deaths from starvation have been reported.

The Soviet’s begin the evacuation of Odessa, not because of Rumanian attacks on the city, but because the Germans now threatened Sevastopol. The Black Sea Fleet evacuates the Odessa Garrison to Sevastopol completing the task by the 16th of October.

The last of the encircled forces around Kiev are mopped up. Of the 452,700 men encircled, only around 15,000 had escaped. In total, the Southwestern Front suffered 700,544 casualties including 616,304 killed, captured or missing during the Battle for Kiev.

Boldin resumes position as deputy commander in chief of Soviet Western Front and takes operational command of Group Boldin.

Photo: Red Army soldiers firing at the enemy



Continuation War

Offensive in the northern direction from Petrozavodsk by Finnish VII Corps (Major General Hagglund) is launched. The aim is to take favorable defensive positions along Maaselkä Isthmus. It continues until December with continuous fighting.

Photo: Finnish military motorboat with a mounted Lahti L-39 anti-tank gun



Air War over Europe

After sundown, in England, German bombers attacked the Tyneside and Tees-side areas in northern England (50 were killed, 250 buildings were destroyed, shipbuilding and repairing facilities at South Shields severely damaged) and Dover area in southeastern England (10 killed). It is estimated that about fifty bombers took part in attack on South Shields. Many fires were started including one that required twenty pumps to contain it. A fire started by a bomb on Dunn's Paint Store spread to Hanlon's shop, the Locomotive Hotel, Campbell's Lodging House and the Union Flag public house. Tins of burning oil and paint were hurled into the air and started fires in the City of Durham public house, the Metropole Hotel and the Imperial Hotel. With so many fires and so much damage to the water mains, water had to be relayed from the Ferry Landing and the static water tank in North Street. By daylight all the fires were under control, but it was not until midday on October 3rd that the burning gas main outside the Water Company's Offices was extinguished because the stopcock to turn off the gas supply could not be found. One of the heaviest bombs to fall in this raid fell on Queen Street between Station Approach and Mile End Road at 22.05 hours. It demolished all the property on the north side, including Chipchase's Tripe Shop which had remained practically unaltered since 1832, and rear of Moorhouse's Furniture Store in Mile End Road. Many people were buried under the debris of ten or twelve houses.

Two German bombers were shot down by the leader of a Beaufighter Squadron, Wing Cdr D.G. Morris who was later awarded the DFC. Four Nazi airmen were captured at sea and landed at Alnwick. A Dornier Do 217E was shot down and crashed into the sea six miles east of Blyth at 20.30 hours. The crew was picked up by a passing trawler and taken prisoner.

Battle of the Atlantic

German submarine attacks continued against Convoy ON-19. Sailing with Convoy ON-19, the British catapult armed merchant “Empire Wave” was torpedoed and sunk by the U-562, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Horst Hamm, about 500 miles east of Cape Farewell, Greenland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 29 died and 31 survivors were picked up by the Icelandic trawler “Surprise”. The 7,463 ton “Empire Wave” was carrying ballast and was bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. A straggler from Convoy ON-19, the British steam merchant “Hatasu” was torpedoed and sunk by the U-431, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes, approximately 600 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 40 died and 7 survivors were picked up by the destroyer USS “Charles F. Hughes” (DD 428). The 3,198 ton “Hatasu” was carrying ballast and was bound for New York, New York. At 0709 hours, the Dutch motor merchant “Tuva” was torpedoed and sunk by the U-575, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Heydemann, in the northern Atlantic Ocean. The destroyer USS “Winslow” (DD 359), in screen of convoy ON 20, was detached from U.S. Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 to proceed to the assistance of the “Tuva”. Although the USS “Winslow” found the freighter still afloat, the destroyer depth charged a "doubtful" submarine contact in the vicinity and upon her return was unable to locate any survivors. Of the ship’s complement, 1 died and 34 survivors were picked up by the Canadian destroyer HMCS “St. Croix” (I 81). The 4,652 ton “Tuva” was carrying ballast and was bound for Tampa, Florida.

The keel of HMS “Vanguard”, was laid down at Clydebank, Scotland.

Battle of the Mediterranean

British submarine HMS “Perseus” sank German ship “Castellon” 60 miles west of Benghazi, Libya.

Axis Convoy departs Naples for Tripoli with six vessels escorted by Italian destroyers “Da Noli”, “Usodimare”, “Gioberti”, and “Euro”.

China

Japanese 11th Army continues withdrawing to the north under pressure from Chinese 9th War Area. The Chinese Air Force’s 1st and 2nd BG attacked airfields during the night in the ongoing campaign at Changsha.

The Japanese Army of the North China Theater launched the Henan Operation.

Japan

In response to the Japanese government’s multiple requests for peace talks, the US reiterates its requirement that Japan withdraw its forces from China and Indo-China before any such talks can take place. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rejects Japanese Prime Minister Konoye’s request to meet and discuss Pacific and Far Eastern questions. This would lead directly to the fall of the “moderate” Konoye government.

Day 763 of World War II, October 4th 1941

Eastern Front - Operation Barbarossa

Hoeppner’s 4.Panzergruppe attacks near Vyasma from the south. Hoth’s forces in the north are still battling the Soviet line between Vyasma and Rzhev. On the right wing of the attack, General Guderian’s forces are approaching Orel and Bryansk. Large numbers of Soviet troops are in danger of encirclement. As Soviet Western Front falls back along the main Smolensk/Moscow road in the face of Army Group Center’s attack, Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe bypasses them to the North while Hoepner's 4.Panzergruppe advances from the South (capturing the cities of Kirov and Spa-Demensk). The German aim is a massive double encirclement, converging on Vyasma, to trap the Soviet Western Front (31 rifle Divisions, 3 cavalry Divisions, 2 motorized Divisions and 3 tank Brigades, under Lieutenant-General Ivan Konev). Three German infantry Armies follow behind the Panzers to fence in Soviet troops for the coming battle of annihilation. Soviet Group Boldin continues with its counterattack against Hoth's 3.Panzergruppe. 3.Panzergruppe, stung by the attacks of Boldin’s tanks, slows the Russian, and continues their advance on a less difficult axis. 4.Panzergruppe completes the destruction of the Soviet 43rd army and shatters the 33rd Army as it advances east. These attacks created a 90 mile gap in the Soviet lines between the Bryansk and Reserve Fronts. The 10.Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Lieutenant General F-W von Loeper), in the van of the attack, reached Vyasma. Once again, vast numbers of Soviet troops are threatened with encirclement and Stalin repeats the mistake of Kiev and refuses to allow a withdrawal. The German troops continued to advance toward Vyasma to complete the envelopment.

Photo: German infantry digging in



Continuation War

Finnish Army of Karelia attacks Soviet 7th Army along the Svir River. A Finnish unit refuses to cross Svir under enemy fire. Same event repeats itself following day. Morale is beginning to shake among the troops, because war was to be short.

Photo: Dual 305 mm guns in a turret on Finnish island Mäkiluoto



Battle of the Atlantic

USS Idaho anchors in Hvalfjörður, Iceland.

Photo: Idaho at Hvalfjörður, Iceland, October 1941



German submarine U-129 picked up 119 survivors of German supply ship “Klara”, sunken by British cruiser HMS “Kenya” on the previous day, 300 miles northeast of the Azores islands.

British anti-submarine trawler HMS “Lady Shirley” forced German submarine U-111 to the surface with depth charges 225 miles west of Tenerife, Canary Islands. U-111's crew scuttled the submarine after a brief gunfire exchange; U-111 suffered 8 killed and 44 captured, while HMS “Lady Shirley” suffered 1 killed.

Photo: picture of HMS Lady Shirley when she was still originally fitted as fishing trawler ca 1937

Day 765 of World War II, October 6th 1941

Eastern Front - Operation Barbarossa

The first snow of the Russian winter fell during the night of 6/7 October. The cold weather set in unusually early. There was no anti-freeze for trucks or tanks. No chains were available for the wheeled vehicles, many of which were soon immobilized. It was still snowing on 12 October. On the Moscow axis, the Soviet position near Vyazma and Bryansk is deteriorating. Rokossovsky made it to Vyazma but only found the local police. Rokossovsky's 16th Army takes command of forces in the Vyazma sector, but 10.Panzer-Division (Fischer) was already nearby. With fuel and ammunition running low Fischer made a quick strike at the city during the evening. The Germans took the airport at 1915 hours. Two hours later the Germans were in the suburbs of the city. Heavy fighting was reported as the Germans clear the city. Rokossovski fled Vyazma just in front of the German panzers. He collected some medium tanks and armoured cars, a squadron of NKVD cavalry, and elements of the 18th (Leningrad) Volunteer Division that had escaped encirclement. This force was strong enough to push through the occasional German units they encountered. They reached the headquarters of the Western Front on 9 Oct. The threat of encirclement of the Bryansk Front has become even more serious as 17.Panzer Divisionen (Lieutenant General H-J von Arnim) reaches Bryansk. Russian 5th Army (Leliushenko) counter-attacked at Mtensk on the Orel-Tula highway. The relatively new T-34s, under a competent tank commander, caused Guderian’s panzer troops some consternation. Colonel Katukov concealed his T-34s in a wood and ambushed 4.Panzer-Divisionen (Major General W. von Langermann) as it passed. At the end of the day many or most of the German tanks had been destroyed. 17.Panzer Divisionen rolls in unexpectedly from the East, surprising the HQ of Soviet General Yeremenko who is wounded but escapes. 2.Panzerarmee links up with German 2.Armee, encircling 2 large pockets of Soviet troops (23 Divisions of 3rd, 13th and 50th Armies). A large pocket of about 100,000 Soviet forces surrender near Kharkov and the Donets river. Eight Soviet Armies are about to be encircled at Bryansk and Vyazma by the surprise maneuver conducted by German 17.Panzer Divisionen. In less than two weeks, the Germans have taken nearly 700,000 prisoners and destroyed or captured 1,200 tanks and 5,000 heavy guns.

The 1.Panzerarmee and 11.Armee succeed in surrounding the Soviet 9th and parts of the 18th Armies north of the Sea Azov. German General Kleist’s right wing reaches Berdyansk, on the Sea of Azoz trapping more than 100,000 Soviet soldiers. The German 11.Armee is attempting to link with Kleist by attacking along the coast.

Air War over Europe

RAF No. 601 Squadron flying from Duxford in Cambridgeshire, makes its first operation in the Bell P-400 Airacobra, a shoot-up of the French coast.

RAF Fighter Command flew a Roadstead operation to Ostend. 4 Hurricane IIb from RAF No. 615 Sqn. flew the Anti-shipping mission off Ostend and encountered flak. There were no casualties.

Battle of the Mediterranean

German bombers attacked shipping in the Gulf of Suez east of Egypt, sinking British ship “Thistlegorm”, which carry aboard, among other items, two steam locomotives; 9 were killed. Australian ship “Salamaua”, Norwegian tanker “Norfold”, and British ship “Scalaria” were also damaged during this attack.

RAF bombers attacked Piraeus.