18 January 1939

Yesterday Tomorrow

January 18th, 1939 (WEDNESDAY)

FRANCE: Irish poet and playwright W. B. Yeats dies in the south of France.

U.S.A.: New York: Louis Armstrong and his orchestra play Jeepers Creepers on a Decca recording.

18 January 1940

January 18th, 1940 (THURSDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: A British company has today delivered the first of a very large Admiralty order for buoyant electrical cable. It is to be used in the fight against the magnetic mine. When the cable is towed behind a wooden trawler, a current generated by the ship will produce a magnetic field around it sufficient to detonate a mine. In the meantime ships continue to be sunk by mines - over 260,000 tons between September and December 1939.

Waltham Abbey Essex: Nazi saboteurs are blamed for an explosion at an arms factory which killed five people. Mr. Leo Francis O'Hagan (d. 1968) and Mr. Stanley William Sewell (1906 - 1969) employees of the Royal Gunpowder Factory, were working on over 1,000lbs of unstable nitro-glycerine when an explosion partly wrecked their building. Mr. William George Sylvester (b. 1914) was even closer to the blast. However, despite the obvious danger, all three men remained at their posts until the danger was past. All were awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal (later exchanged for the George Cross).

RAF Bomber Command: Reconnaissance of North-West Germany for naval targets.

Glasgow: Cpl. John McIntosh McClymont (b.1903) Auxiliary Air Force, was badly burnt pulling two men from a blazing aircraft. Unfortunately both men were dead. He was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal which was later changed to a George Cross.

GERMANY:

U-756 laid down

U-63 commissioned.

POLAND: Warsaw: The Gestapo shoots dead 250 Jews in woods outside the city following the arrest of Jewish born catholic resistance leader Andrzej Kott.

BERMUDA: The British commence censorship of air mail passing through Bermuda; the censor there removes mail for European destinations from the Lisbon-bound Pan American World Airways Boeing 314 “American Clipper.” A written protest is lodged and no assistance in the unloading process is offered.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 1625, SS Pajala was hit in the bow by one torpedo from U-25, after the ship had been spotted 20 minutes earlier together with an escort. A first coup de grâce at 1650 missed due to bad visibility, but the second at 1703 hours hit in the stern and caused the ship to sink 10 miles 072° from North Rona, Hebrides.

At 1126, MS Canadian Reefer was torpedoed and sunk by U-44 25 nautical miles east of Cape Villano.

At about 1745, SS Foxen was sunk by an explosion about 85 miles from Pentland Sound. The ship broke in two and sank within 90 seconds. On 24 January, the Norwegian steam merchant Leka picked up one survivor, another survivor was rescued earlier by another Norwegian ship, which took him to Bergen. There is no corresponding U-boat report since U-55 did not return from her patrol, but the likelihood is that she sank the Foxen.

At 2030, SS Patria was spotted on a southerly course by U-9 and was suspicious because no national markings could be seen from the distance of 500 meters. At 2223 and 2240, the U-boat fired one torpedo each, but missed with both. 30 minutes later, the Flandria was spotted and sunk with one torpedo at 2.53 about 95 miles north of Ymuiden before the Patria was hit underneath the bridge by one torpedo at 0145 hours on 19 January, which caused the ship to sink rapidly north of Ymuiden.

18 January 1941

January 18th, 1941 (SATURDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The Ministry of Economic Warfare charges that "Some United States producers are helping Germany indirectly by selling Russia commodities in which Germany is deficient. Of these cotton is the most important."

Fair Isle, Orkney: An RAF rescue launch, sent to collect the German airmen who crashed yesterday, runs aground at the south end of the island. A second boat is despatched to collect both men and boat. It too runs aground and has to be refloated with the help of the islanders.

Corvette FS Mimosa (ex-HMS Mimose) launched.

Corvette HMS Pentstemon launched.

Destroyer HMS Eskdale laid down.

GERMANY: U-77 commissioned.

MALTA: Luftwaffe planes attack the island's airfields.

CHINA: The Communist Party describes the New Fourth Army incident as "planned by pro-Japanese conspirators and anti-Communist die-hards."

U.S.A.: The German Consul General in San Francisco, California, displays the prescribed German Reich flag from the consular office in recognition of a German national holiday. At noon the flag is taken down in the presence of what is described as "a large shouting throng of people" and torn to pieces. The German Chargé d'Affaires Hans Thomsen makes "most emphatic protest" to the U.S. Government over the incident.

18 January 1942

January 18th, 1942 (SUNDAY)

FRANCE: One of the greatest race horses of his time, Epinard, was stolen during the German occupation of France. On this day, newspaper accounts disclosed that the famous equine was being used as a delivery wagon horse.
Paris: A Fireman called Kremer is severely wounded by a revolver fired by a resistant in Port Maillot.

GERMANY: German civilians are to get a taste of the fare being eaten by their soldiers at the front - in the form of "field-kitchen meals" to be served in all German restaurants on Mondays and Thursdays. Customers who bring meat, fat or bread vouchers are entitled to change them for the "voucher-free meal of the day" which usually consists of soup of boiled vegetables.

Neither meal - "served from the same pot as their soldiers" - appears to be winning popular approval. They tend to lack the calorie-rich foods like potatoes, peas or noodles, and there is precious little meat in them.

GERMANY, Italy, and Japan sign a new military pact in Berlin.

U-275 is laid down.

U.S.S.R.: Soviet paratroopers land behind enemy lines south-west of Vyazma. The Soviet Army encircles several German divisions at Demjansk near Lake Ilmen. In the Crimea, German troops of Army Group B recapture Feodosia and seal off the Soviet bridgehead at Kerch.

GIBRALTAR: An explosion in Gibraltar sank ASW trawler HMS Erin and minesweeping trawler HMS Honjo.

PALESTINE: Haifa: Burma's prime minister, U Saw, was arrested here today when his plane touched down while he was returning to Burma from talks with British representatives. He had been trying unsuccessfully to secure a British promise of Burmese independence in return for supporting the war effort. The nationalist U Maung Saw is unpopular with the British authorities, who see him as a demagogue of suspect loyalty. This suspicion now seems justified, because he contacted Japan's legation in Lisbon on his return flight. He was unaware that Britain had broken Japanese codes and knew of these overtures.

AUSTRALIA: Sixteen of the 17 P-40s of the USAAF’s Far East Air Force’s 17th Pursuit Squadron (Provisional) arrive in Darwin, Northern Territory, en route to Java.

BORNEO: Due to heavy monsoonal rains and wind that continued throughout the day, the Japanese ships carrying the troops invading Sandakan, British North Borneo, must anchor in Sandakan Harbour.

MALAYA: The Indian 45th Brigade, reinforced, repels further Japanese attacks in the Muar-Yong Peng area and destroys a number of tanks, but the landing of a strong Japanese force a few miles north of Batu Pahat increases the danger in this sector. In the evening, the Commander of West Force orders a withdrawal. The Entire Muar front is placed temporarily under Indian 3 Corps command. During the night of 18/19 January, the Indian 9th Division falls back behind the Muar River, as does the Australian 27th Brigade Group behind the Segamat River. The RAF bomber group withdraws from Singapore Island. to Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: On Bataan, the II Corps renews its efforts to restore its western flank positions. The U.S. 31st Infantry is still unable to gain the Balantay River line on the right and is under strong pressure along the river on the left. A battalion of the 45th Infantry, Philippine Scouts, reaches the Balantay River to the west of the 31st Infantry and is attached to 31st Infantry. Two other battalions of 45th Infantry advance toward the Balantay between the 31st Infantry and the 41st Division, Philippine Army, but are halted short of the objective. In the I Corps area, the Japanese increase pressure and force outposts to withdraw. A small Japanese force is moving eastward unopposed to outflank the eastern portion of line.

PHOENIX ISLANDS: The USAAF’s Hawaiian Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses that are part of Task Group 8.9 begin flying antisubmarine patrols from Canton Island.

JAPAN: The USN submarine USS Plunger (SS-179) torpedoes and sinks a Japanese merchant cargo ship off the mouth of Kii Suido, Honshu, in position 33.30N, 135.00E.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: The first U.S. Army engineer troops arrive on Umnak Island to build Otter Point Airfield (renamed Cape Field in 1942). The airfield, which was part of Fort Glenn, is built in secret to protect Dutch Harbor, 70 miles (113 kilometres) to the east.

U.S.A.: The first increment (1,400 men) of US forces to be sent to the United Kingdom sails for Northern Ireland.
In baseball, New York Yankees center fielder Joe DiMaggio is named 1941's Player of the Year.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarines attack three unarmed U.S. merchant ships off the east coast of NORTH AMERICA:

(1) At 0644, the unescorted and unarmed SS Frances Salman was hit by one torpedo from U-552 off Newfoundland, after being missed by four torpedoes in four unsuccessful attacks. The ship attempted to escape and several distress signals were sent, but were not heard by Allied stations. The torpedo, fired from about 500 yards, struck the after part of the ship, causing her to sink by the stern within ten minutes in rough seas. The bow remained above the water for about 25 minutes before disappearing. Some of the eight officers and 20 crewmen managed to launch a lifeboat, but due to the state of the seas, none of the men in the boat survived;

(2) The unarmed tanker SS Allan Jackson proceeding independently without routing instructions about 60 miles ENE of Diamond Shoals, North Carolina, when she was hit by two torpedoes from U-66 at 0833. The first hit the starboard side forward of the bridge in the forward tank and the second hit the starboard side aft of the deckhouse between #2 and #3 tanks and broke the ship in two about 25 feet forward of the midship house, nearly in line with the foremast. This caused both parts of the burning tanker to sink within 10 minutes. Flaming oil spewed from the tanker’s side and spread over the water hundreds of feet around the ship, making it hazardous for the crew to abandon ship. Many of the men burned to death because only the #3 boat with eight men could be launched. Five men jumped into the water and clung to wreckage. The lifeboat picked up the radio operator after 15 minutes. Destroyer USS Roe picked up the 2nd mate, the 3rd mate and an able seaman four hours later. The destroyer then picked up the occupants of the lifeboat and found the master after seven hours in the water. On 19 January, all survivors were landed at Norfolk, Virginia. Of the eight officers and 27 men aboard, only three officers and 10 men survived, eight of them injured; and

(3) a tanker is shelled and damaged by U-123 off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina; although the tanker is torpedoed by U-123 upon the U-boat's return and damaged further, the holed tanker reaches Hampton Roads, Virginia, safely the next day; one man perishes in the shelling and four drown when the ship is abandoned after she is torpedoed.

SS Dimitrios G Thermiotis sunk by U-86 while in Convoy SC-63 at 51N, 62W - Grid BC 4110.

HMCS Lynx, an armed yacht (ex-SS Ramona), rescued the passengers and crew of the British merchantman MV Empire Kingfisher, which was sunk off Cape Sable by U-109, Kptlt Heinrich Bleichrodt, Knight's Cross, Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, CO. The Newport News Shipbuilding Company, in Virginia built lynx in 1922. She was 181 feet long (o.a.) and displaced 495 tons. Commissioned into the RCN on 26 Aug 40, her first assignment was to the Sydney local escort force. She was plagued by chronic mechanical problems that were made worse by a lack of spare parts. Shortly after her rescue operation, Lynx was condemned as unfit for service at sea and was paid off on 23 Apr 43. She was sold for commercial service and was ultimately lost off the coast of Australia (date unknown).

18 January 1943

January 18th, 1943 (MONDAY)

GERMANY:

U-1003 laid down.

U-845 launched.

POLAND: German troops start new deportations from the Jewish ghetto.

U.S.S.R.: A supply corridor is pushed through to Leningrad.

Leningrad: The 16-month-long siege of Leningrad began to crack today when Captain Sabatkin of the Leningrad army exchanged the password with Captain Demidov of the relieving force on a corpse-littered field near Schlusselburg on the shore of Lake Ladoga. The formalities over, the two men embraced in a celebration of their victory.

It has taken five days of fierce fighting for the Russians to break the German ring around the city, for the Germans have spent the last year building their siege fortifications with minefields, and a network of concrete pillboxes. The victory is yet another triumph for the meticulous planning of Georgi Zhukov who was made a Marshal of the Soviet Union today, the first Russian field commander of this was to be so honoured.

It is, however, still too early to claim that the suffering of the stoic people of Leningrad is over. The gap that has been opened in the lines round the city remains narrow, and any traffic through it will have to run the gauntlet of the German guns. Nevertheless, Hitler will no longer be able to boast that he will destroy this proud city.

TUNISIA: Tiger tanks are used for the first time at Bou Arada.

BURMA: Indian troops attack Japanese positions at Donbaik.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The long awaited US attack on the "Gifu" on Guadalcanal begins. It makes only small gains.

AUSTRALIA: MacDonald, Northern Territory: No. 18 Squadron RAAF (B-25 Mitchell) flies its first mission, a reconnaissance mission.

CANADA: Corvette HMCS Kamsack completed refit Halifax, Nova Scotia.

U.S.A.: US commercial bakers stopped selling sliced bread. Only whole loaves were sold until the end of the war. It comes about to reduce steel consumption for slicing machine repairs. More...

Destroyer escort USS Charles R Greer launched.

Secretary of state John McCloy and Geneal de Witt of the Western Defense Command discuss allowing American born Japanese to volunteer and form a combat team. Transcripts. (Stuart Kohn)

18 January 1944

January 18th, 1944 (TUESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The first batch of 600 young recruits to the mines, known as the "Bevin Boys" after the Labour minister, Ernest Bevin, began training today. Their names were picked by ballot on 14 December and they are now under training by experienced miners. Those who have been taken down below said it was not as bad as they expected. They are being paid a weekly wage of £2/10/6. They say that after deductions have been made for hostel lodgings, meals, laundry, insurance and transport to the pit, they are left with only 3/6 a week "pocket money".

Rescue tugs HMS Cheerly and Sesame commissioned.

Minesweeper HMS Lennox commissioned.

Frigate HMS Torrington commissioned.

Destroyer HMS Urania commissioned.

GERMANY: U-1007 commissioned.

BURMA: Lt Alec George Horwood (b.1914), Queen's Royal Regt., braved constant danger as a forward observer and died in an attack he volunteered to lead. (Victoria Cross)

U.S.A.:

Destroyer escort USS Oberrender launched.

Escort carrier USS Kadashan Bay commissioned.

Destroyer escort USS Holder commissioned.

18 January 1945

January 18th, 1945 (THURSDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Winston Churchill today gave MPs his most confident and sparkling report of the whole war - now in its 65th month. He appealed for unity at home while the Allies use the overwhelming forces which are now poised to crush Nazi Germany. The prime minister warned the Germans that giving in now will be easier for them than enduring what the Allies have in store for them.

Minesweeper HMS Liberty commissioned.

NETHERLANDS: NETHERLANDS: Fusilier Dennis Donnini (b.1925), Royal Scots Fusiliers, despite a head wound, drove the Germans from a house, firing until he was killed soon after. (Victoria Cross)

GERMANY: Oberst Karl-Heinz Sieber, the commandant of Stalag IX-B Bad Orb, orders the segregation of American Jewish-PoWs from non-Jews.

After a brief protest and the beating of the U.S. Man of Confidence (_Vertrauensmann_, or MOC), Sergeant Johann "Hans" Kasten, the new POWs complied with the order. Except for those who hid their identity, most Jews were placed in a separate compound surrounded by a barbed-wire fence.

U-2533 commissioned

U-2363 launched.

POLAND: Warsaw: The Soviet puppet government arrives from Lublin to take over the reins of government.

Auschwitz-Birkenau: The Germans order the inmates to evacuate the camp immediately for transport - on foot or by train - concentration camps in Germany.

CANADA:

HMS LST 3543 ordered from North Vancouver Ship Repairs Ltd.

Corvette HMCS Summerside completed repairs Halifax and departed for workups Bermuda.

U.S.A.:

Frigate USS Milledgeville commissioned.

Destroyer USS Hollister laid down.

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