JAPANESE REPORT ATTU IS LOST; R.A.F. BLASTS ANOTHER RUHR CITY (5/31/43)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 5/31/43 | John D. Morris, C.L. Sulzberger, Foster Hailey, Hanson W. Baldwin

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Continued from May 29.

Winston S. Churchill, The Hinge of Fate

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Another letter from Camp Cable, Australia.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Foe in Suicide Rush (Morris) – 2-3
Chinese Roll Back Enemy Offensive – 3
War News Summarized – 3
Wuppertal Raided – 4
British Fliers Sink 5 U-Boats in 10 Days – 4-5
Germans Regroup 218 Divisions for Supreme Gamble in Russia (Sulzberger) – 5-6
Alexandria Ships Said to Join Allies – 6-7
More French Get Call to Germany – 7
Presidential Unit Citation for Aircraft Carrier Enterprise (photo) – 8
Patrol Job Tough on Guadalcanal (Hailey) – 9
War in Political Phase (Baldwin) – 10
Lists 140 Soldiers Wounded in Africa – 10
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on the Fighting in Various War Zones – 11-13
M’Arthur Tours Bases in Bomber – 13

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/may1943/f31may43.htm

Royal Navy bombards Pantelleria
Monday, May 31, 1943 www.onwar.com

Aftermath of the bombardment of the island of Pantelleria [photo at link].

In the Mediterranean... Pantelleria is bombarded by a British cruiser and 2 destroyers. The city has been bombed several times in the past few days.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm

May 31st, 1943 (MONDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Corvette HMS Amberly Castle laid down.
Destroyers HMS Myngs and Zenith launched.

Corvette INS Gondwana (ex-HMS Burnet) launched.

Escort carrier HMS Emperor (ex-USS Pybus) commissioned.

(Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: Dönitz transfers responsibility for naval armaments to Albert Speer’s ministry.

Chronic shortages are biting deeper into German civilian morale. Today the government announced a cut in the weekly meat ration from 12 to nine ounces, and the SS, in one of its regular secret reports, noted on 6 May that despite stiff penalties bartering is increasing.

This is not surprising, given the lack of consumer goods. An SS report on 17 May expressed concern at the consequences of a shortage of alarm clocks: arms workers and miners, exhausted from long hours and frequent air raids, have been sleeping through early shifts.

U-1272 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

ITALY: USAAF B-17s attack Naples.

ALGERIA: Algiers: Generals de Gaulle and Giraud begin talks on a provisional government of France; it is also announced that Rear Admiral Rene Emile Godfroy’s naval squadron, immobilized at Alexandria, joined Giraud’s forces on 7 May.

EGYPT: Egyptian Cabinet voted to resume diplomatic relations with Russia. (Dave Shirlaw)

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: In the Aleutian Islands, the USAAF’s Eleventh Air Force dispatches five F-5A Lightnings to fly separate photo missions over Kiska Island. Six B-24 Liberators, ten B-25 Mitchells, 37 P-40s and eight P-38 Lightnings fly attack missions to Kiska hitting Gertrude Cove, AA installations, trenches, the North Head runway, and a vessel.

The Japanese submarine HIJMS I-24 is getting ready to sail in an attempt to rescue personnel from Attu Island. The sub approaches the entrance to Chichagof Harbor three times in early June and then sails for Kiska Island. (Jack McKillop)

CANADA: Destroyer HMCS Saskatchewan (ex-HMS Fortune) commissioned.

Frigate HMCS Stettler laid down Montreal, Province of Quebec. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: 500,000 US Coal Miners go on strike after protracted wage negotiations.
Minesweeper USS Adopt commissioned.

Destroyer USS Chauncey commissioned.

Submarine USS Bonefish commissioned.

Destroyer escorts USS Steward, Robert E Peary, Harold C Thomas, Charles Lawrence commissioned.
Destroyer escort USS Harmon laid down.

Submarine USS Pipefish laid down.

(Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-440 sunk in the North Atlantic NW of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.38N, 13.04W, by depth charges from an RAF 201 Sqn Sunderland. 46 dead (all hands lost)

U-563 sunk in the Bay of Biscay SW of Brest, in position 46.35N, 10.40W, by depth charges from RAF 58 and 228 Sqn Halifaxes and an RAAF 10 Sqn Sunderland. (Dave Shirlaw)

[colorado tanker]

DeGaulle was a royal pain in the butt for the Brits and Americans to deal with. I can only imagine what the negotiations between DeGaulle and Giraud were like.