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October 19th, 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: 542 Squadron (Photo Reconnaissance) is formed at RAF Benson. (Bob Hart)(137)

Submarine HMS Terrapin laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: U-347 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The air offensive preliminary to the British Eighth Army ground attack west of El Alamein, Egypt begins as RAF aircraft and US Army, Middle East Air Force B-25 Mitchells hit a landing ground and B-24s claim a direct hit on vessel at Tobruk, Libya. (Jack McKillop)

MADAGASCAR: East African troops press southward from Tananarive; the King’s African Rifles capture 800 Vichy troops near Ivato.

INDIA: Delhi: General Stilwell presents Chiang Kai-shek with new plans for Chinese forces in Burma, including the arming of 30 more divisions.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The last elements of the IJA 2nd “Sendai” Division (Lieutenant General Masao Maruyama) step of along a primitive 20-mile road (the “Maruyama Road”) through Guadalcanal’s jungles and struggling toward attack positions south of the American-held airfields.

The “road” is a 24-inch (61 cm) wide trail hacked through the jungle for 20-miles (32.2 km). The initial march started on 16 October 16. Each member of the elite 2nd “Emperor’s Own” Infantry Division lugs his rifle, pack and a 30-pound (13.6 kg) artillery shell over ridges and gorges. General Maruyama is confident his division will massacre Henderson Field’s defenders with a surprise attack and his staff is already planning the surrender ceremony. Another 3,000 Japanese infantry supported by artillery and tanks are readying a diversionary attack west of the airfields. As yet, the Americans have not detected the moves.

During the day, a USN minesweeper arrives off Lunga Point with 175 55-U.S.-gallon (208.2 liter) drums of aviation fuel and a fuel barge is towed from the New Hebrides to Tulagi by a fleet tug. Cactus Air Force F4F Wildcats fly a constant CAP over the fuel.

SBDs Dauntless dive bombers of the USN’s Bombing Squadron Six (VB-6) and Scouting Squadron Seventy One (VS 71) and Marine Scout Bombing Squadron One Hundred Forty One (VMSB-141) from Henderson Field attack three Japanese destroyers north of Guadalcanal, damaging HIJMS Uranami. IJA artillery fire closes Henderson Field for part of the day.

The USN submarine USS Grampus (SS-207) lands Australian coastwatchers on Choiseul Island. (Jack McKillop)

NEW CALEDONIA: The IJN submarine HIJMS I-19 launches a “Glen” reconnaissance aircraft (Kugisho E14Y, Navy Type 0 Small Reconnaissance Seaplane) to reconnoiter Nouméa. (Jack McKillop)

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Aleutians: An Eleventh Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress flies weather reconnaissance and bomb runs over Attu, Semichi, Kiska, and Amchitka Islands; 6 B-24 Liberators dispatched to bomb Kiska Island abort the mission due to weather. (Jack McKillop)

CANADA:

Corvette HMCS Sorel commenced refit Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

Corvette HMCS Summerside departed Halifax for UK and Operation Torch duties. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: Destroyer escorts USS Levy and McConnell laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The U.S. freighter SS Steel Navigator, straggling from convoy ON 137, is attacked by German submarine U-610; Steel Navigator briefly drives off the shadower with 5-inch (12.7 cm) gunfire, but the U-boat returns and torpedoes and sinks the freighter in position 49°20’N, 32°00’W. Hastily launched motor boat swamps in heavy seas; no.3 lifeboat swamps as the ship plunges and spills its 35 occupants into the sea. U-610 surfaces and approaches the survivors’ boats and rafts; when questions shouted by the submarine’s commander fail to get answers, the enemy threatens to cut a raft in two. After answers are given in the brief interrogation, the Germans refuse to provide a course to the nearest land and depart. Subsequently, survivors right no.3 boat and redistribute themselves; the boats becomes separated. (Jack McKillop)

U-116 (Type XB) is listed missing in the North Atlantic, details and position not known. 55 dead (all hands lost). The last radiogram was sent on 6 October from approximate position 45.00N, 31.30W. (Alex Gordon)

U-332 sank SS Rothley. (Dave Shirlaw)