On This Day during WW2....

Crann na Beatha · 11-10-2012 11:53AM

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Jawgap · 24-10-2012 03:55PM

A day late but the Second Battle of El Alamein started 70 years ago yesterday......'the end of the beginning'

Capt'n Midnight · 29-10-2012 10:22PM

Wednesday October 25th 1944

Totally missed it and I'm rereading the book

One Day in a Very Long War - John Ellis

44 chapters each detailing different events that took place on that date around the world. The main one being the battles around Leyte Gulf.

focusing on a single day in the fifth year of the Second World War, when the Allied war machine was in top gear but the outcome was far from certain. He describes a world-wide conflict from the viewpoint of those who took part on all fronts in both Allied and Axis forces - field marshal or private; president, prime minister, prisoner-of-war or munitions worker - just as they saw it on 25th October 1944, without foresight, only with clouded and partial hindsight. Among the set-piece actions of the day are the titanic naval battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, Hilter planning an Ardennes offensive which is to lead to the Battle of the Bulge, the eruption of the Red Army into Eastern Europe, a frustated wolf-pack in the Atlantic, the saturation bombing of Essen and Hamburg, V2 rocket attacks on London and high secret Manhattan Project. The war in the rear, where civilian families find themselves in the battle zone, infantry replacements anxiously await their first taste of battle whilst the Communist guerrillas thrive in the Balkans and in China.

TheLastLazyGun · 05-12-2012 07:00PM

On 5th December in 1940, Great Britain declared war on Finland, Romania and Hungary. At the time, the British Empire was the only power fighting Nazi Germany.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTvYsnrLBERJY0xdvFh3ecCmCxL-zAtrd-LNG2veUlvZn7Am1r6KFqfCpohWg

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTvYsnrLBERJY0xdvFh3ecCmCxL-zAtrd-LNG2veUlvZn7Am1r6KFqfCpohWg

Marshal Ion Antonescu of Romania meets with Hitler

Influenced by the Winter War, Finland joined forces with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union. Germany provided Finland with military equipment because Hitler saw the strategic advantage of the Finns' co-operation in an attack on the Soviet Union. From 25th June to 6th July 1940, the Finns fought the largest military battle in Nordic history alongside the Germans, regaining much of the territory they had lost during the Winter War.

Romania and Hungary joined the Tri-partite Pact - originally signed by Germany, Japan and Italy - in November 1940, as Hitler prepared his attack against Bolshevism on the Eastern Front.

Hungary became essential in the defence of the Reich's outworks. Good soldiers, the Hungarians were nonetheless pitted against the daunting Red Army and the Hungarian dictator General Horthy considered defection until Hitler kidnapped his son.

Romania also played a vital role in the German war effort. After a German-Romanian economic agreement in 1939, German companies came to control much of the Romanian economy. By 1941, German-owned companies produced nearly half of Romania's crude oil output, and the German war effort relied heavily on Romanian oil.

As a result of all this, Britain declared war on the three countries on 5th December 1940.

That night also saw more death and destruction around Britain as the German bombings of British cities continued. A bomb blast in London that night caused these furtniture vans to pile atop one another.

That night was also the night in which Goebbels wrote in his diary: "Things must continue until England falls to her knees and begs for peace."

DaveyCakes · 31-01-2013 06:46PM

January 31, 1943. Newly appointed Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus surrenders to soldiers of the 38th Motorized Rifle Brigade. The main grouping of 6th Army in central Stalingrad also surrenders. A group comprised of the remnants of 11th Korps under General Karl strecker fights on for two more days in the factory district.

Mr Cumulonimbus · 02-02-2013 01:10PM

2 February 1943. Final German surrender in Stalingrad. Events being held in Russia today to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the battle.

DaveyCakes · 02-02-2013 03:21PM

I've written a post compiling some of the coverage..

http://mamayevkurgan.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/battle-of-stalingrad-70th-anniversary/

Jawgap · 10-07-2013 12:18PM

Depending on who you read, the Battle of Britain may or may not have started on this day in 1940......

Dowding in his despatch picked 10 July as the start date.......

"I have therefore somewhat arbitrarily chosen the events of the 10th July as the opening of the Battle.”

Tony EH · 19-07-2013 11:53AM

TheLastLazyGun wrote: »

Influenced by the Winter War, Finland joined forces with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union. Germany provided Finland with military equipment because Hitler saw the strategic advantage of the Finns' co-operation in an attack on the Soviet Union. From 25th June to 6th July 1940, the Finns fought the largest military battle in Nordic history alongside the Germans, regaining much of the territory they had lost during the Winter War.

Um....from the 23rd August 1939 to 22nd June 1941, Russia was an de facto ally of Germany, despite covert planning for invasion that had begun the year before and Hitler's anti-Soviet rhetoric that had been in effect since the 20's. There was no joining of "...forces with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union" in 1940. In fact, Germany spent the whole of 1940 trying to keep Russia sweet. Only with the "Jatkosota", or Continuation War from the 25th of June to September 1944, where the Finnish and German forces joined in battle against Russia.

Artur.PL · 20-08-2013 09:58PM

Warsaw Uprising, August 20, 1944, the PAST-a building was captured by AK battalion „Kiliński”.

Under the cover of darkness we retrieved water, some food, and also some news about the progress of the uprising. During the day the courtyard and street were under fire from the tall PASTA building (the telephone exchange building on Zielna Street), where the Germans were stationed for a short time. The resistance fighters took this building from the lower floors, chasing the occupiers to the upper floors. We heard the cries of the cornered Germans, calling for help. This lasted for several days, until they gave in.

source

beauf · 20-08-2013 10:12PM

http://dailym.ai/171FhQ6 Warsaw Uprising in colour: Black and white pictures taken during doomed 1944 revolt against the ... #MailOnline

Crann na Beatha · 25-09-2013 10:50AM

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Artur.PL · 01-02-2014 09:52AM

01/02/44.
SS Brigadefuhrer Franz Kutschera, SS and Reich's Police Chief in Warsaw was killed by Home Army's Anti-Gestapo unit Agat.

Capt'n Midnight · 01-02-2014 10:39AM

Forgot to post the 70th anniversary of the lifting of the Siege of Leningrad

http://www.dw.de/russia-remembers-nazi-siege-of-leningrad/a-17390645

President Vladimir Putin on Monday visited the main siege memorial in western Russia's city that now bears the name Saint Petersburg, saying the world should never forget the "courage and heroism of the Soviet people and residents of Leningrad."

The Kremlin said Putin's elder brother, Viktor, born in 1940, died as an infant in 1942 during the 872-day siege and was buried in a mass grave.

Meeting survivors and laying flowers, Putin recalled that "360,000 civilians died in Leningrad over a period of just four months from the end of 1941 to the start of 1942."

He drew a comparison to the United Kingdom, saying: "Britain lost nearly the same amount in the entire World War Two."

BlaasForRafa · 01-02-2014 04:26PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Forgot to post the 70th anniversary of the lifting of the Siege of Leningrad

There's quite a few 70th anniversaries at the moment. This time 70 years ago the battle of Monte Cassino was raging and on the eastern front the Germans were trying to escape encirclement in the Korsun pocket http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korsun_Pocket

Jawgap · 01-02-2014 04:38PM

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

There's quite a few 70th anniversaries at the moment. This time 70 years ago the battle of Monte Cassino was raging and on the eastern front the Germans were trying to escape encirclement in the Korsun pocket http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korsun_Pocket

Indeed, the First Battle of Monte Cassino was in full swing this time 70 years ago. It would take the Allies (incl the 36 Infantry (Irish) Brigade of the 78th Division) three more battles and the guts of three months to winkle the German defenders from their positions, break through and begin to advance on Rome.

Jawgap · 12-02-2014 01:21PM

12 Feb 1942 - Lt Eugene Esmonde VC killed leading an attack against the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen during their Channel Dash.....

Esmonde's Swordfish's and Kingcombe's much faster Spitfires met briefly at 12:32 hours. It happened more or less by accident as the fighters dived out of the clouds and spotted the Swordfish beneath them. The latter were now divided into two sub-flights travelling in line astern. Esmonde was leading the first, Sub-Lieutenant Thompson the second. The target was estimated as 37 kilometers (23 miles) away on a bearing of 140° from Ramsgate. At this point, they were travelling at 457 meter (1.500 feet). Later, they came down to between 15 and 30 meter (50-100 feet).

It was no more than a passing encounter. The air space was overpopulated by enemy (German) fighters. The ships down below were saturating the sky with AA fire regardless, it seemed, of who was friend and who was foe. The attacks began when a formation of Focke-Wulf 190s swooped down on 72 Squadron 16 kilometers (10 miles) off the coast. This effectively put an end to the fighter cover. Kingcombe and his pilots became too heavily involved in a general dogfight to be of any assistance to Esmonde and his Swordfish.

Esmonde caught his first glimpse of the ships when he saw the German Schnellboats (E-boats) and destroyers about 34 kilometers (21 miles) away on his port bow. Two of the larger units could just be seen through the smoke screen, but their outlines were blurred and it was impossible to identify them.

By this time, Esmonde's Swordfish had already been hit. The port main wing had been shot to ribbons, and it seemed about to crash. But the aircraft recovered. It was now over the destroyer screen and Esmonde made a slight change of course in the direction of the big ships. Shortly afterwards he appears to have released the torpedo. The final reckoning came when he was 2.743 meters (3.000 yards) from the main target. The aircraft was hit again and it crashed into the sea. All three men in it were killed.

Unfortunately all the squadron's torpedoes went wide of their marks.

BlaasForRafa · 13-02-2014 01:20AM

Jawgap wrote: »

12 Feb 1942 - Lt Eugene Esmonde VC killed leading an attack against the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen during their Channel Dash.....

A brave yet ultimately suicidal attack. I recall reading that the attacking FW-190s needed to deploy full flaps and lower their undercarriage so as not to overshoot the slow Swordfishes, and ran the risk of stalling their engines and dropping into the sea themselves.

roundymac · 13-02-2014 11:17AM

Am I correct in saying that he was from Mallow?

Jawgap · 13-02-2014 11:25AM

roundymac wrote: »

Am I correct in saying that he was from Mallow?

Kilkenny, I thought - but I'm basing that on the fact that my mother-in-law is a distant relation of his and she's a Kilkenny-woman.

A Corkman - Group Captain Victor Beamish (one of the famous Beamish brothers who served the RAF and Irish rugby so well!) made the initial sighting of the ships.

The operation to intercept them was a rolling disaster and is often regarded as a tactical defeat for the British, but an even greater setback for the Germans - it left three of their most powerful surface units blockaded with at least two of them sustaining significant damage.

Jawgap · 14-02-2014 12:44PM

Speaking of things large, grey and German........

75 years ago today Bismarck was launched......

Bundesarchiv_Bild_193-04-1-26%2C_Schlachtschiff_Bismarck.jpg

Crann na Beatha · 23-02-2014 04:20PM

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audidiesel · 09-05-2014 11:15PM

9th May 1945 - Victory Day - Nazi Germany officially capitulates to Soviet Russia.

(They had previously surrendered on 7 May 1945 (VE Day), but this was not to the Soviet Envoy and Stalin ordered the official surrender two days later in Berlin to Marshal Zhukov).

RED L4 0TH · 13-05-2014 08:52PM

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

This time 70 years ago the battle of Monte Cassino was raging

Final battles of this would be underway now. Polish flag raised on the heights on May 18 1944.

audidiesel · 17-05-2014 01:27AM

17th May 1943 - The dambusters raid

RED L4 0TH · 24-05-2014 12:41PM

Jawgap wrote: »

Speaking of things large, grey and German........

75 years ago today Bismarck was launched......

73 years ago today sinks HMS Hood.

Photo taken from the accompanying heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen of the Bismarck during this engagement.

Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1984-055-13%2C_Schlachtschiff_Bismarck%2C_Seegefecht.jpg

Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1984-055-13%2C_Schlachtschiff_Bismarck%2C_Seegefecht.jpg

beauf · 24-05-2014 04:19PM

The Hood blew up sank in 3 mins with 1418 lost and 3 survivors. Most likely a 15" shell penetrated the armour belt and hit a magazine. Resulting in an enormous explosion. That section of the ship simply disappeared.

Just staggering.

Jawgap · 31-05-2014 07:00PM

31 May 1941 - the North Strand in Dublin is bombed by the Luftwaffe.

Snickers Man · 03-06-2014 04:28PM

roundymac wrote: »

Am I correct in saying that he was from Mallow?

Jawgap wrote: »

Kilkenny, I thought - but I'm basing that on the fact that my mother-in-law is a distant relation of his and she's a Kilkenny-woman.

Jaysus lads!!! Was he a Corkman or a Kilkennyman? Is there a worse insult you could level at a man from Tipperary???

Eugene Esmonde was born in Yorkshire the son of an Irish Nationalist MP and doctor. He was a scion of an ennobled Irish catholic family. His elder half brother inherited a baronetcy that had been in the family for generations.

Eugene returned to Ireland as an infant and is recorded as a two year old in the National Census of 1911 living at Drominah Demesne (the family pile) in Tipperary. He was educated at Clongowes and served in the RAF in the 1930s before beginning a career as a commercial pilot.

He rejoined the forces on the outbreak of war and served in the Fleet Air Arm. He was one of three "Irish" VCs cited by Churchill as examples of the true Irish spirit in his infamous radio speech at the end of the war in which he accused De Valera of "frolicking with the Germans and Japanese".

Azwaldo55 · 04-06-2014 04:17PM

The Allies entered Rome on June 4th 1944 exactly 70 years ago. The notoriously vain American commander, Mark Clark ordered the Allies to take the open city which had been vacated by the retreating Nazis allowing the German 10th Army to escape from Monte Cassino and join Kesselring's forces which were regrouping at the Gothic Line. The instability and weakness of the German front was not exploited negating the blood sacrifice made by thousands of Allied troops who had fought the Battle of Monte Cassino for months. The capture of the city was good politics but in truth the city had little strategic value. Clark's glory was short-lived as two days later he was overshadowed by the D-Day landings in France. The Gothic line held until March 1944 claiming thousands more Allied lives while behind the German front line Italian partisan activity resulted in brutal reprisals against Italian civilians. Northern Italy was not liberated until May 2 1945.

On This Day during WW2....

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