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August 29th, 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: The US Eighth Air Force in England flies Mission 8: 11 of 13 B-17 Flying Fortresses attack Courtrai Airfield, Belgium at 1131-1136 hours; 1 B-17 hits Steene Airfield at 1137; they claim 0-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft. (Jack McKillop)

The CIGS, Sir Alan Brooke, complains bitterly to Churchill about the dreadful casualties and lack of planning of the Dieppe raid.

Minesweeper HMS Stratford commissioned.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Lundy is launched.
Submarine HMS Trooper commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: Moscow Radio reported today that Soviet aircraft have bombed Berlin for the second time in four nights. Danzig, Konigsberg and Stettin were also hit. In its report the radio says that while over Berlin one of the Russian pilots sent a message to Stalin telling him “our task has been carried out”.

Berlin has admitted that Russian aircraft reached the city, but says that “only a few bombs were dropped”. After the previous raid the Germans said that “only single aircraft succeeded in reaching the outskirts.”

The Russians insist, however, that 48 fires were started in the German capital and that there were nine big explosions. They give similarly detailed accounts of fires started and damage caused in the other cities. The resumption of raids on Berlin after nearly a year means that the Russians have now succeeded in forming a long-range force capable of flying some 2,000 miles.

U-397 laid down.
U-306 and U-667 launched.
U-385 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

SWITZERLAND: Berne: There is growing concern in Switzerland about the neutral republic’ attitude towards the Jews and gypsies now being rounded up to be deported from Vichy France to “the east” - in fact, death in the Auschwitz gas chambers. In response to the lively official and press debate on the issue the Swiss government said today that its policy was not to turn back Jewish refugees to Switzerland. In practice, however, Jews trying to flee the brutal mass round-ups in Vichy France are often refused entry by Swiss border guards.

U.S.S.R.: In the battle for Stalingrad, the German 4th Panzer Army crashes through the Soviet Army’s defenses southwest of the city. Thousands of Russians surrender, but 20,000 escape and join Stalingrad’s garrison. (Jack McKillop)

Soviet submarine SC-304 sunk by Seeigel minefield. All hands lost. (Dave Shirlaw)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: US Army Middle East Air Force B-24 Liberators fail to locate shipping near Crete and return without bombing. (Jack McKillop)

Whilst carrying out a coastal bombardment of the Daba area of the North Africa coast, destroyer HMS Eridge takes a torpedo hit in the engine room from Italian MTSM.228. Location: off El Dab’a airfield, Egypt, 31 07N 28 26E. She is towed back to Alexandria by HMS Aldenham but after survey is declared to be a constructive wreck and not repaired. (Alex Gordon and Jack McKillop)(108)

NEW GUINEA: In the air, USAAF B-26 Marauders and P-400 Airacobras of the Allied Air Forces attack the airfield at Buna and P-40s hit facilities in the Milne Bay area. (Jack McKillop)
Enemy ground forces continue their drive over the Owen Stanley Range toward Port Moresby. (Jack McKillop)
A Japanese cruiser that twice enters Milne Bay to shell Australian shore positions around Gili Gili, each time scrupulously avoided firing on the brightly painted and lit-up hospital ship. This contrasted with the behaviour of their IJA comrades ashore who were mutilating and torturing Australian prisoners. (Michael Mitchell)
The Australian destroyer HMAS Arunta sinks Japanese submarine HIJMS RO-33 10 miles (16 kilometres) southeast of Port Moresby in position 09.36S, 147.06E. (Jack McKillop)

Pte. Bruce Steel Kingsbury (b.1918), Australian Military Forces, died clearing a path through attacking troops, saving battalion HQ. (Victoria Cross)

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Off Guadalcanal, USS Gamble, a destroyer minesweeper, escorting a supply convoy sinks IJN I-123. The supply convoy safely reaches Guadalcanal.

3 IJN G4M “Betty” bombers bomb Henderson Field early in the morning. At 1200 hours local, 10 USMC F4F Wildcats and 14 USAAF P-400s attack 18 “Betty” bombers which are escorted by A6M “Zeke” fighters. The Marines claim 5 G4Ms and 6 A6Ms shot down but this claim is much too high. After dark, 7 Japanese destroyers land IJA troop east of the Lunga River.(Jack McKillop)

Shortly before midnight, IJN destroyer division 11 and 24 plus Patrol Boats 1 and 34 land 1st Btn 124th Infantry IJA and most of Ichiki’s rear echelon on Guadalcanal near Taivu Point, east of the Lunga perimeter. Their orders include an anti-shipping sweep after landing the troops. Due to aircraft flying from Henderson Field during the night, the sweep is called off. Admiral Tanaka relieves Captain Murakami for this action.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: USAAF B-17s of the Allied Air Forces bomb the airfield at Rabaul, New Britain Island. (Jack McKillop)

NEW HEBRIDES: Bill Paull becomes a (reluctant) US Marine Raider on the island of Espiritu Santo.

Here is his tale:

I was a reluctant Marine Raider for a short period (29 August - 28 September, 1942) on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. I think our outfit was called the 1st Provisional Raider Bn. I was one of the many Marines who were working aboard the troop transports at Tulagi and Guadalcanal on 10 August when Admiral Fletcher pulled the fleet out of the Solomons and deserted all the Marines ashore with less than half their provisions and gear unloaded. Three days later I was dumped ashore on Santo along with many other orphans and we artillerymen were set to work surveying gun positions and emplacements to repel the expected Jap invasion of the Hebrides. The news of the Makin raid filtered down to us. We all felt it was a disaster but the news was being put out that we had scored a stunning success. We all knew about the fabled “Raiders” and Col. Carlson from their recruiting efforts while we were training and forming up the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Elliot near San Diego back in the spring of ‘42. The scuttlebutt was that Carlson was a Communist and the Raiders were highly trained, dedicated killers.
Anyway, about 10 days after the Makin raid all us orphans were organized into a Raider battalion and began training to make another surprise raid on some Jap held island (probably Little Makin.) None of us were happy campers and we were greatly relieved when we were disbanded about the end of September and sent back to the Solomans to rejoin our old outfits. As I recall, during our Raider training there was none of that BS about “democracy” and having decisions made by consensus of all the troops. We were organized in the traditional “Marine” way....... the officers and NCOs made the decisions and gave the orders, and us grunts obeyed.
I think Gordo may have more info about the Provisional Raiders. I have searched my personnel records and have come up with the dates that I’ve quoted, but after 61 years, my memory of those miserable days is somewhat cloudy.
Regards, ......... Bill Paull

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Aleutians Islands: A USN PBY Catalina reports a force of 3 IJN cruisers and 4 destroyers northwest of Umnak Island; thereupon all aircraft of the US 11th Air Force go on attack alert. The surface force then identifies itself as friendly.

CANADA: Patrol vessel HMCS Camentia acquired. Sold in 1945 to Ante Boroevich of Vancouver, later owned by Norman Wadhams of Alert Bay, British Columbia.
Destroyer HMCS Assiniboine arrives Halifax for refit.
Corvettes HMCS Fredericton, Sudbury and The Pas arrive New York to bolster US escort forces for New York - Guantanamo convoys under Commander Eastern Frontier.
Minesweepers HMCS Trois-Rivieres and Port Hope arrive Halifax from builders in Sorel and Toronto respectively. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: The American Red Cross, reveals that Japan has refused free passage of ships carrying food, medicine, and other necessities for American POWs held by Japan. Japan refused to allow even “neutral” ships to enter Japanese waters, even those on humanitarian errands. Despite protests by the Red Cross, Japan allowed just 10 percent of what POWs elsewhere received to reach prisoners in their territories. (Jack McKillop)

Destroyer escort USS Doherty launched. Destroyer USS Saufley commissioned.

The American Red Cross, reveals that Japan has refused free passage of ships carrying food, medicine, and other necessities for American POWs held by Japan. Japan refused to allow even “neutral” ships to enter Japanese waters, even those on humanitarian errands. Despite protests by the Red Cross, Japan allowed just 10 percent of what POWs elsewhere received to reach prisoners in their territories. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-66 sank SS Topa Topa. (Dave Shirlaw)