Posted on 09/02/2012 5:54:43 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Richard Tregaskis, Guadalcanal Diary
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/sep42/f02sep42.htm
1st Panzer Army nears Grozny
Wednesday, September 2, 1942 www.onwar.com
On the Eastern Front... German troops from the 11th and 17th Armies advance near Novorosiysk. 1st Panzer Army makes slow advances on Grozny.
In North Africa... Rommel gives the orders for his troops to withdraw to their starting points. British General Montgomery refuses to follow the Germans in their retreat.
In New Guinea... At Buna, 1000 more Japanese reinforcements land from Rabaul land.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm
September 2nd, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: The Hawker Tempest fighter (HM 595) makes its maiden flight. Originally titled the Typhoon Mk V, it can reach 435 mph. (22)
U-256 shot down RAF Whitley aircraft, Squadron 77/H. (Dave Shirlaw)
Convoy PQ-18 sails from Scotland. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY: U-273 is launched. U-527 and U-710 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
POLAND: Dzialosyce: Polish police, Ukrainian militia and German Gestapo slaughter 2,000 Jews and deport the remaining 8,000 to Belzec death camp.
Soviet aircraft bomb Warsaw.
BALTIC SEA: The German submarine U-222 is sunk west of Pillau, East Prussia in position 54.25N, 19.30E, after a collision with U-626. Only 3 of the 45 crewman survived.
(Jack McKillop)
U.S.S.R.: Soviet submarine “M-97”of the Baltic Fleet, Ladoga and Onega Flotillas is sunk by surface ASW ships, North of Hogland Is. (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
The Russian 11th and 17th Armies advance near Novorossiysk. The German 1st Panzer Army is advancing slowly toward Grozny.
GERMANY launches a major drive against partisans in the district of Mogilev.
EGYPT: By dawn, Rommel realizes that his drive on Alam Halfa Ridge is failing. He himself suffers stomach trouble, nausea, and blocked nasal passages, adding to his misery. As he drives to the front, he sees tanks unable to move from lack of fuel and men unwilling to leave foxholes for fear of air attack. At one point, Rommel has to dive into a foxhole and a shell splinter rips through the blade of a shovel lying on the lip of a trench, and a piece of red hot metal falls beside him. Rommel needs more supplied to advance. A 300-truck convoy is sent to him. It gets caught by 7 Armoured Division’s light tanks, which destroy 57 vehicles. The Germans are down to one day’s petrol. Rommel returns to his HQ, to discuss things with Luftwaffe General Kesselring. The latter promises more airstrikes, but says the 500 tons of petrol promised per day is “consuming itself” on the way up in the tanks of vehicles bringing it up over the appalling roads and tracks. Of the 5,000 tons of petrol Italian Marshal Ugo Cavallero, Chief of the Supreme General Staff, has promised, 2,600 tons has been sunk, 1,500 tons is stuck in Italy, and the prospect of the remaining 1,000 tons arriving is slim. That night, Rommel scratches out a report to Berlin saying that he has decided to call off the offensive and retreat to his start line. As soon as Rommel’s radiomen begin to send the message, the RAF arrives to hammer the place. The desert floors shakes from 4,000-pound (1814 kilogram) bombs that fling lumps of stone into the air, adding to the death and destruction. (Jack McKillop)
In the air, US Army, Middle East Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb aircraft and a landing ground and, with the RAF, attack troops and vehicles in the battle area around Alamel-Halfa ridge; and P-40s fly escort and sweep missions over the battle area in conjunction with the RAF. (Jack McKillop)
LIBYA: US Army, Middle East Air Force B-24 Liberators hit docks and jetties at Tobruk. (Jack McKillop)
MALAYSIA: In Singapore, Japanese troops recapture two Australian and two British POWs who have escaped captivity. Major General FUKUEI Shempei orders the POWs shot, a violation of the Hague and Geneva Conventions. Further, the shooters will be Indian Sikh POWs. The four are executed in the afternoon. (Jack McKillop)
PACIFIC OCEAN: The USN submarine USS Guardfish (SS-217) sinks a Japanese merchant cargo ship 13 miles (21 kilometres) southeast of Chikyu Mizaki, Hokkaido, Japan, in position 42.08N, 141.15E. (Jack McKillop)
NEW GUINEA: 1000 additional IJA soldiers are landed at Buna tonight.
P-400 Airacobras of the Allied Air Forces bomb and strafe forces in the Kokoda and Alola areas as the Japanese continue to push toward Port Moresby.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: The IJN sends 18 G4M “Betty” bombers escorted by 22 A6M “Zeke” fighters to bomb Henderson Field on Guadalcanal at 1200 hours. USMC F4F Wildcat pilots intercept and shoot down 3 G4Ms and 4 “Zekes.” During the day, USN and USMC SBD Dauntlesses and USN TBF Avengers attack an IJN supply convoy en route to Guadalcanal damaging 1 ship. And, RAAF Beauforts attack IJN shipping at Faisi, Bougainville.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Aleutian Islands The US 11th Air Force dispatches 6 bombers and 12 P-38 Lightnings to fly cover and photo reconnaissance over Nazan and Kuluk Bays on Adak Island, and Amchitka and Semisopochnoi Islands.
CANADA: U-517 sighted Quebec-Labrador convoy NL-6 escorted by corvette HMCS Weyburnand minesweeper HMCS Clayoquot as well as a second convoy LN-7 (SS Donald Stewart, Ericus and Canatco)escorted by corvettes HMCS Shawinigan and Trail. The two convoys were headed on practically reciprocal courses. Just as U-517 fired at Donald Stewart, HMCS Weyburn sighted her and attacked with 4-inch gun. U-517 dived and Weyburn attempted to depth charge. However, the throwers jammed and only two were dropped. Failing to gain contact HMCS Weyburn proceeded to assist the burning Donald Stewart which sank with the loss of 3 crewmembers, HMCS Trail rescued the remaining crew. Donald Stewart, which was loaded with aviation gasoline, stored in drums and dry cement intended for the new Air Force based being built at Goose Bay. The loss of this relatively small ship significantly delayed the construction of the runways at Goose Bay. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: Submarine USS Harder commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
It is announced that President Roosevelt, at the request of the Brazilian Government, had appointed an American technical mission of industrial engineers to visit Brazil to assist in the expansion of the Brazilian industrial war machine. (Dave Shirlaw)
The first Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express, cargo aircraft, is delivered to the USAAF. (Ron Babuka)
"An energetic Führer addresses a crowd in 1942.
Such occasions grew increasingly rare soon after, as the Third Reich began to disintegrate.
Failure to achieve victory on the Russian front and accelerated British bombings of German cities plunged Hitler into growing isolation and depression."
"A prisoner at Auschwitz is left dangling on top of the barbed-wire fence after he was killed by machine-gun fire while attempting to escape.
The body was left in full view for hours on end to serve as a deterrent.
Prisoners were well aware that escape was nearly impossible.
Armed guards and police dogs patrolled the camp, and much of the fence was electrified."
"Zyklon B, the commercial name for hydrogen cyanide, was the Nazis' killing agent of choice.
Zyklon B was first used to exterminate the mentally ill under the auspices of the T-4 program.
In 1941 Soviet POWs held at Auschwitz were killed with the lethal gas, and by 1942 Zyklon B had become the preferred method for killing large numbers of people.
Within minutes after being placed in a sealed room filled with hundreds of people, the gas would kill every occupant."
The fighting now focused on the central railroad station. On the morning of 17 September the Soviet defenders subjected to a heavy attack by infantry and 20 tanks and assault guns. Here,a Schutzengruppe,supported by a StuG III Ausf. F assault gun armed with a long 7.5cm gun, also known as a SturmgeschOtze 40, awaits orders to advance through the railway sidings and shattered rolling stock. In the center of the picture there is a Soviet prisoner. Frontkameraden.
An MG-34-armed Maschinengewehrtrupp trudges through the rubble strewn streets to a new position. A machine gun troop normally carried one or two spare barrels, which were changed after about 250 rounds of continuous firing to allow one to cool before it was again used. By now all the infantry inside Stalingrad could be referred to as Alte Hasen (Old hares (rabbits). old hands, combat veterans. One who has managed to stay alive.
Frontkameraden. Kameradschaft (comradeship)had a deep and serious meaning within the Heer forming a strong bond between men who fought together. The Frontgemeinschaft (front community) signified solidarity between Frontkameraden. among whom advancement was determined by proven skill and bullets saw no distinction between classes. It was a factor needed to maintain Kampfgeist (battle spirit). meaning absolute duty and obedience, which were deemed necessary for a high degree of morale.
A leichter Maschinengewehrtrupp cautiously advances as a second machine gun and riflemen cover them. By this time many rifle groups were armed with two machine guns for increased firepower. A Funker (radio operator-"Sparks") operates a Torn.Fu. bl backpack radio is set-up on the parapet of a slit trench. The battery case is to the left. This radio could not be operated on the move. This is probably a company command post.
A schwerer Maschinengewehrtrupp advances through the wasteland of the northern suburbs. They carry ammunition containers and multiple spare barrel containers. The tail man in the background group in the upper right carries the heavy machine gun tripod on his back for which two shoulder straps and pads were provided. This unit has smeared mud on their helmets for camouflage.
A Landser takes aim at a target near a block of destroyed apartments. He is armed with a 7.92mm G.41(W)semi-automatic rifle. It had a 10-round fixed magazine and was loaded with the same five-round stripper slips as used with the Kar.98k bolt-action carbine. The demand for these rifles was made after the Germans had encountered Soviet semi-automatic rifles, but the Selbstladegewehr saw only very limited distribution.
A machine gun nest firing down a street on the outskirts of the city. The machine gunner to the right carries standard infantryman's equipment to include support straps ("Y" straps), gas mask case with his gas sheet pouch strapped to it, rolled Zeltbahn camouflage shelter-quarter, bread bag, field flask (water bottle), entrenching tool, and 8tg.24 stick hand grenade. Contrasting him is his assistant gunner who has shed his equipment. The two metal belt support hook integral to his tunic can be seen.
On the outskirts of the city the crew of a 5cm Pak 38 antitank gun is manhandled forward. Marginally effective against T-34 tanks, it was effective against lighter tanks, field fortifications, and defended buildings. The gun's spaced armor shield is visible. This provided better protection from small arms rounds and fragments while keeping the weight down as opposed to a solid thick shield. This gun has camouflage materials fastened to its barrel shield. The Pak 38 was provided with armor-piercing, improved armor-piercing, and high explosive rounds. The crew wears cloth helmet camouflage covers.
This 5cm Pak 38 antitank gun crew is partly composed of Luftwaffe personnel, what the Landser called Ersatz-Landser (substitute soldiers). This type of camouflage disguised the gun sufficiently to give it an edge on an approaching tank that might not detect its position in time to survive.
A Leutnant gives orders to his men. He wears standard 6x30 binoculars with a leather eyepiece protective cover fitted (normally attached to the neck strap,)and enlisted men's "Y" belt support straps. Officers were directed to wear such straps in November 1939. His Blech (tin-wear) or Lametta (tinsel)include das Kreuz (the nickname for the Eisernes Kreuz-Iron Cross), Wound Badge with much of the black paint worn off, and the Infantry Assault Badge with part of the wreath broken off. A soldier wearing a large number of ribbons and other decorations was said to be a Bandhandler (ribbon-dealer). Standing to his left is a Hauptmann, Hauptmann Friedrich Winkler (Friedrich Konrad Winkler) of the 305th Infantry Division in the area of a Stalingrad factory. Winkler was taken prisoner and died shortly thereafter in a POW camp in Beketovka. He carries a Soviet PPSh-41 submachine gun. These soldiers wear a variety of helmet camouflage means to include Gummibander, a cloth cover on the center man, and the Oberleutnant has a scarce camouflage-painted helmet.
This same Hauptmann, with the lower pip (stern) missing from his right shoulder board, is armed with a 7.62mm PPSh-41 submachine gun with a 71-round magazine. The Soviets referred to it as the Finka, a Finnish nickname for a woman and the Germans sometimes used the term. They also referred to it as an MP.717(r). It was widely used by the Germans as they assumed it superior to their own machine pistols. It was rugged, reliable, and had a large magazine capacity, but offered poor penetration and knockdown power. The main reason for its use was simply to increase automatic weapons fire.
Another photo of Captain with PPSh-41 submachine gun near the Volga ferry landing. Nearby Panzer troops had just surprised supply train loaded with trucks and American Jeeps.
A Panzergrenadier takes cover behind a tank as his unit comes under heavy fire. Beyond him a Pz.Kpfw.III has also been brought to a halt. He carries a Klappspaten (folding spade) first issued in 1938, but it never did completely replace the rigid kleines Schanzzeug (small entrenching tool). The waterproof TragbOchse for Gasmaske (carrying case for gas mask) was often used to stow cigarettes and matches resulting in it being called a Zigarettenbuchse (cigarette container). Socks, foot wraps, and writing materials were also carried in the container. This was a prohibited, but nonetheless widespread practice.
A rifleman rushes forward carrying extra machine gun ammunition. Running to evade fire was known as hinrotzen (literally "evading snot"). He is outfitted with typical infantry equipment, two 30-round cartridge pouches, S.84/98 sidearm (bayonet), entrenching tool, and Stg.24 stick hand grenade. Stick grenades were referred to as a Torklopfer (doorknocker), the same nickname the Soviets used, kolotushka. He carries a slung rifle, probably taken from a fallen Kamerad to prevent its recovery by the Soviets who were short of weapons. Spare weapons were also carried to replace damaged or malfunctioning weapons.
A MG-34 heavy machine gun pours fire Into a distant factory building to suppress snipers, Klotzen-firing everything at a target. Snipers were a constant worry for the Germans as they inflicted significant casualties, forced all round security, tied down troops attempting to clear them, and effected morale. Lause und ScharfschOtzen (lice and snipers) was a common phrase used by Landser to characterize Russia and was a general phrase for anything that was a nuisance. The gunner wears a crude sack-like rucksack.
Two photographs taken in sequence showing a 8cm (actually 81 mm) SGrw'34 heavy mortar group advances behind the rifle company they support. One of the men carries a 5cm leGrw'36 light mortar on his shoulder. An infantry battalion's machine gun company possessed a platoon of six 8cm mortars. Mortars were close behind the lead assault platoons to rapidly place fire on Soviet strongpoints and sudden counterattacks. They carried grenades to mop-up bypassed holdouts.
![Mortar Group [picture 2]](http://s1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/incomitatus1/Eastern%20Front%202/Sommer%20in%20Russland/?action=view¤t=0bdd3799.jpg)
Supported by a StuG III 7.5cm assault gun, infantry of the 389th Infanterie Division advance into the factory district, a main center of resistance. On 3 October the Germans attacked the Red October Tractor Factory with three infantry and two Panzer divisions on a three-mile front. The following day the tractor factory was attacked by elements of the 15th Panzer Division, 60. Infanterie-Division (mot), and 389th Infanterie Division.
"Ich hatt'einen Kameraden" (I had a Comrade) is a song dating from 1809 and sung at soldiers' funerals and still sung to this day within the German armed forces. Scattered field dressings by his boots indicate the efforts made to save a Kamerad ...dran sein (his time is up). A group of 389th Infantry Division troops await word to move out. By late September the 6th Army had lost 7,700 soldiers killed and 31,000 wounded. Ten-percent of von Paulus's army had been lost, and still he was nowhere closer to clearing the city. The worst was still to come, the struggle for the Industrial district.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Tempest
Tempests also scored a number of kills against the new German jets, including the Messerschmitt Me 262. Hubert Lange, a Me 262 pilot, said: “the Messerschmitt Me 262’s most dangerous opponent was the British Hawker Tempest — extremely fast at low altitudes, highly-manoeuvrable and heavily-armed.”[39] Some were destroyed with a tactic known to 135 Wing as the “Rat Scramble”:[40] Tempests on immediate alert took off when an Me 262 was reported to be airborne. They did not intercept the jet, but instead flew towards the Me 262 and Ar 234 base at Rheine-Hopsten.[41][nb 7] The aim was to attack jets on their landing approach, when they were at their most vulnerable, travelling slowly, with flaps down and incapable of rapid acceleration. The Germans responded by creating a “flak lane” of over 150 quadruple 20 mm (.79 in) guns at Rheine-Hopsten, to protect the approaches.[42] [nb 8] After seven Tempests were lost to flak at Rheine-Hopsten in a single week, the “Rat Scramble” was discontinued. For a while, in March 1945, a strict “No, repeat, No ground attacks” policy was imposed; this only applied for a few days.[43]
In air-to-air combat, the Tempest units achieved an estimated air combat success ratio of 7:1, accomplishing a 6:1 ratio against single seat enemy fighters.[nb 9] The top scoring Tempest pilot was Squadron Leader David C. “Foobs” Fairbanks DFC, an American who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941. By mid-1944, he was flying with 274 Squadron. When he was shot down and made a POW in February 1945, he had destroyed 11 or 12 German aircraft (and one shared) to make him the highest scoring Tempest ace.
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