4 March 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: London: General Alan Brooke replaces Admiral Pound as chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Air Marshal Arthur Harris, who took charge of Bomber Command on 23 February, has already made an impact. Last night 235 bombers took off to attack the Renault works at Billancourt near Paris, and 224 aircraft claim to have bombed the target.

The raid was unique in a number of ways. The aircraft attacked in three waves. The first, consisting of experienced crews, dropped 1,000-pound bombs and then marked the target with flares while the second attacked, also with 1,000 pounders. Finally, the heavies went in with 4,000-pound bombs.

Since the anti-aircraft defences were known to be light the aircraft were able to attack at under 6,000 feet and all were clear of the target in under two hours. German propaganda will make much of the 367 French civilians dead plus 341 badly hurt and 9,250 homeless.

London: Clothes made from "utility cloth" will soon be on sale, and the fashion world is trying to assess the likely effect of the new fabrics on styles. Sir Thomas Barlow, the director-general of civilian clothing, has said that although there will be fewer styles available, this will not mean that variety vanishes and civilians clothing becomes like uniform.

Ladies' hemlines are likely to rise as a result of the new measures, and a smaller range of colours will be available. Pleats and other designs which use a lot of fabric, will also be limited. But Mr Bridgland, the editor of the Tailor and Cutter, is of the opinion that men's loss will be greater with the end of turnups and double-breasted coats.

Westminster: A minister was appointed today to take charge of planning for post-war reconstruction. He is the Labour MP Sir William Jowitt, KC, the paymaster-general.

Ideas for a better Britain after the war are much in the air and are discussed in Picture Post, and Daily Mirror, Daily Herald, News Chronicle and other papers. The archbishop of Canterbury, Dr William Temple, and other church leaders have called for the abolition of "extreme inequality of wealth and possessions" and the introduction of "equal opportunity" after the war. In a new book the archbishop advocates better housing, paid holidays and family allowances.

ASW trawler HMS Grayling launched.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Stronsay launched.

Submarine HMS P-222 commissioned.

ASW trawler HMS Portsdown commissioned.

GREECE: Corfu: Cdr. Anthony Cecil Capel Miers (1906-85) of HMS TORBAY followed and attacked an enemy convoy into the heavily defended anchorage at Corfu. Torbay proceeded to fire torpedoes at two large transports and a destroyer, scoring two hits with both transports reported sunk, and endured 40 depth charges returning to open sea. (Victoria Cross)

INDIAN OCEAN: The Australian sloop HMAS Yarra, escorting a convoy of three ships from Tjilatjap, Java, Netherlands East Indies, to Fremantle, Western Australia, is attacked by the Japanese heavy cruisers HIJMS Atago, Maya and Takao and the destroyers HIJMS Anashi and Nowaki. The three other ships in the convoy are sunk first while HMAS Yarra, armed with three 4-inch (10,16 cm) guns, attempts to engage the Japanese force but they just stay out of range and pound the ship into a blazing wreck and she sinks shortly after 0800 hours. Only 13 of the 151 men aboard Yarra survive; they are rescued by a Dutch submarine on 10 March.

CHINA: Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell establishes HQ, American Army Forces, China, Burma, and India, at Chungking, using his U.S. Task Force in China and American Military Mission to China (AMMISCA) personnel as a nucleus.

JAPAN: The Japanese Imperial General Staff decides to expand its conquest to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Fiji Islands and American Samoa. Taking the Fijis and Samoa would cut America's supply line to Australia.

Java Sea: Japanese ships sink the Australian sloop HMAS YARRA (Lieutenant Commander Robert William Rankin, age 35), killing 138 of her crew, and the British destroyer HMS STRONGHOLD. Leading Seaman Ronald Taylor refused to obey the order to abandon ship when HMAS Yarra was sinking on 4 March 1942. As captain of the last operating gun on the ship he continued in action until he was killed and his gun silenced. Although not mentioned in dispatches, his action was not forgotten and his name and deeds were included in the official Australian Navy history of WW2.

The commanding officer of HMAS Yarra singled out Taylor for 'for keenness, courage and the example he set to all ratings' in the Empress of Asia blaze. On neither occasion was he mentioned in dispatches.
In WW2 a British Commonwealth sailor could be awarded one of four awards for gallantry in action; the Victoria Cross, the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal or be mentioned in dispatches. Only the Victoria Cross or the mentioned in dispatches could be awarded posthumously in WW2. (Anthony Staunton)

Carrier-based aircraft of Task Force Sixteen (TF-16) attack Marcus Island, 1,000 miles from Tokyo, beginning at 0630 hours. USS Enterprise (CV-6) launches 32 SBD Dauntlesses and six F4F Wildcats against the island located 725 miles (1167 kilometres) northwest of Wake Island. Despite intense antiaircraft fire, only one SBD is shot down; the two-man crew is captured by the Japanese.
     Submarine USS Grampus (SS-207) torpedoes and sinks a Japanese tanker 145 miles (233 kilometres) south of Truk Island in the Caroline Islands.
     Submarine USS Narwhal (SS-167) torpedoes and sinks a Japanese army cargo ship in the Ryukyu Islands.
     Submarine USS S-39 (SS-144) torpedoes and sinks a Japanese oiler 170 miles (274 kilometres) northeast of Batavia, Java, Netherlands East Indies.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: The Dutch continue fighting on Java and report that the destruction of principal installations has been completed. The Australian Blackforce begins withdrawing from Buitenzorg to Sukabumi, about 30 miles (48 kilometres) to the south.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: General Douglas MacArthur, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces, Far East (USAFFE), begins reorganizing his forces in the Philippines in preparation for his departure. The Composite Visayan-Mindanao Force is divided into two commands. Brigadier General William F. Sharp retains command of forces on Mindanao; the Visayan forces are placed under Brigadier General Bradford G. Chynoweth. MacArthur's plans envisage the formation of two more commands. Major General George F. Moore's harbour defence forces on Corregidor and other islands in Manila Bay will constitute one, the forces on Luzon the other.
General MacArthur informs Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell, Commandant of the Sixteenth Naval District, that he has been instructed to leave Corregidor. The plan is for him and his party to board the submarine USS Permit (SS-178) which is scheduled to leave Corregidor on 14 March.

AUSTRALIA: No 75 Squadron was formed at Townsville. Squadron Leader Jeffrey, a highly experienced fighter pilot who had commanded No 3 Squadron R.A.A.F in the Middle East, was placed in temporary command to direct the operational training, on the Kittyhawks (P-40) which have been ferried here. The first flight encountered bad weather and lost three aircraft and two pilots in crashes. (Daniel Ross)

TERRITORY OF HAWAII: Japanese Operation K: during the night of the 4th/5th, two Kawanishi H8K1, Navy Type 2 Flying-Boats (later assigned the Allied Code Name “Emily”) of the Yokohama Kokutai (Naval Air Corps) based at Wotje Atoll in the Marshall Islands and refuelled by submarines HIJMS I-15 and I-19 at French Frigate Shoals, fly 2,300 miles (3701 kilometres) each way to drop four bombs near Punch Bowl crater on Oahu causing no damage. Overcast conditions prevent successful pursuit by U.S. aircraft.

CANADA: Japanese Canadians ordered to turn over property and belongings to Custodian of Enemy Alien Property as a "protective measure only".

U.S.A.: The 1942 Academy Awards are presented at the Coconut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California. "Mrs Miniver" wins six awards including Best Picture; Best Actress (Greer Garson); Best Supporting Actress (Teresa Wright); and Best Director (William Wyler). "Yankee Doodle Dandy" wins three awards including Best Actor (James Cagney) and Van Heflin wins the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "Johnny Eager." The Best Song Award goes to Irving Berlin's classic "White Christmas" from the motion picture "Holiday Inn."

The Stage Door Canteen opened on West 44th Street, New York City. It became widely known as a service club for servicemen on leave. It was run by the American Theatre Wing. Many stars and celebs frequented the club during the war years, providing entertainment, dancing, and even serving as waiters/waitresses to provide some randr to servicemen. It would become the focal point of a 1943 film (Stage Door Canteen). (Michael Ballard)

Tarpon Springs, Florida: Petro Botzis, owner of the Central pharmacy here, was advised Monday night by his parents that his younger brother, Anthony Botzis, was lost last week when a tanker was sunk off the eastern coast. Young Botzis was 21 and had been serving as a member of the crew aboard the tanker less than two months. He visited here about five years ago at the time of his brother's marriage and returned several years ago for a short visit. (Bill Howard)