UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). No ops due to bad weather.

Westminster: Britain is to extend the naval blockade of ships which may be carrying supplies to Germany to take in virtually all ships crossing the North Atlantic. The Minister for Economic Warfare, Hugh Dalton, told the Commons today that the steps were necessary now that Germany controlled the European coast from the North Cape to the Pyrenees. Neutral countries will be granted "Navicerts" to cover domestic needs, but not for re-export. France and all French Africa are to be designated enemy territory.

Bombs fall for the first time on Merthyr Tydfil.

Through penetrating cloud and drizzle a Dornier, at 06:04, released 15 HEs onto Norwich which causes considerable damage, killing 10 and injuring 16 residents. 

Additional to other cloud cover attacks over the east, south, Scotland and the Orkneys there was a follow-up anti-shipping foray off Suffolk by Bf110s of Erpro 210 during which one was shot down by 85 Sqn. 

In the early evening there was a raid on Esher's balloon sites, where the ARP post was hit. 

Night operations included mining of Liverpool Bay - partly by Fw 200s - and mining of Barry Docks in Wales. 

At Monmouth 13 HEs fell, Heysham, Lancashire was another target.

RAF Fighter Command: 5 Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed, no RAF casualties.

GERMANY: Hitler tells Göring  to have his forces ready to begin 'the great battle of the Luftwaffe against England' at 12 hours notice.

U-129 laid down.

U-93 commissioned.

KENYA Mombasa: Wavell replies to Churchill's request that the newly arrived South African Brigade be used in an offensive manner against the Italians.

...South African Brigade is only partially trained at present and requires further training before being employed offensively. They must also become acclimatised and learn anti-malaria precautions, etc.

Conditions in East Africa necessitate crossing of 200 miles of almost roadless and waterless bush desert before offensive against Italian East Africa can be made. African native troops who have smaller requirements and are more accustomed to bush conditions are more suitable than white troops for forward role...

As to use elsewhere, I understood when the brigade was offered that Smuts had given pledge in Union that South Africans would not be used north of the Equator...

I am sure you will keep considerations of geography, climate, deserts, distances etc., constantly in the minds of Middle East Committee. It all looks so simple to them and others on a small-scale map.

UNITED KINGDOM: London: Russian and the Polish government in exile signed a treaty of friendship in London today which Mr Churchill described as "proof of the fact that hundreds of millions of men all over the world are coming together on the march against the filthy gangster power which must be effectively and finally destroyed."

The first result of the treaty will be the formation of a Polish army from prisoners of war held in Russia. General Sikorski, the exiled Polish Prime Minister, said after the signing that, while not all questions had been settled between Russia and Poland, the treaty provided a basis for useful collaboration.

Polish-Soviet agreement of cooperation signed at London.

Corvette FS Renoncule commissioned.

Destroyer HMS Puckeridge commissioned.

Submarine HMS Trusty commissioned.

Submarine HMS Unseen laid down.

GERMANY: Rastenburg: Hitler orders assaults towards Leningrad and the Caucasus rather than a frontal attack on Moscow.

U-382 laid down.

U-508 launched.

U-504 commissioned.

SCANDINAVIA: German shipping and military facilities at Kirkenes in Norway and Petsamo in Finland are attacked by planes from the British carriers HMS Victorious and HMS Furious respectively. Of 29 planes from Victorious, 13 are shot down.
Petsamo (today Petchenga in Russia) by Arctic Sea was at the time Finnish territory. Acquired by Finland in the Peace of Tartu in 1920, it was the only harbour Finland had that was ice-free around the year. During the 1920's there were found substantial deposits of nickel, which made the area very important as the war came closer. The Soviets occupied the area in the Winter War of 1939-40, but returned it to Finland after the war (except the formerly Finnish half of the Rybachi Peninsula) for reasons that are still debated. As the German troops, as agreed with Finland, took over the northern Finland before the start of the Barbarossa, also the nickel of Petsamo all went to Germany. Finland lost the Petsamo territory finally in 1944 to Soviet Union.

As said, the territory was Finnish, but effectively controlled by Germans. The British attack came just after Finland had informed UK that the diplomatic ties will be 'interrupted'. The attack gave the Finnish Government the official reason for the severing of the diplomatic ties, and the fact was made public on 1 Aug.

U.S.S.R.: Moscow: Roosevelt's advisor Harry Hopkins, arrives to discuss ways to help the Soviet war effort.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Submarine HMS Cachalot mistakes an Italian torpedo boat for a tanker in poor visibility. The Torpedo boat suddenly appears out of fog at 800metres, and rams Cachalot holing Z tank, but not the pressure hull. The commander orders abandon ship and opens the main vents, and the submarine gently sinks bows first into 200 feet of water. The Italian torpedo boat commander lowers boats and ensures the safety of all the submarine crew except a Maltese steward who has disappeared, before he requests permission of the submarine commander to discontinue the search. There is just the single casualty. This sinking takes place off Benghazi at 32 49N 20 11E. (Alex Gordon)(108)

At 0138, the Shahristan, dispersed from Convoy OS-1, was torpedoed and sunk by U-371 SE of the Azores. The master, 38 crewmembers and 26 passengers were lost. 33 survivors were picked up by the Spanish tanker Campeche and 37 survivors by HMS Sunflower and landed at Ponta Delgada, Azores. Six survivors were rescued by HMS Derbyshire and landed at Gourock.

At 0246, the Sitoebondo, dispersed from Convoy OS-1, was hit by a torpedo from U-371 after they had witnessed the sinking of Shahristan about one hour earlier by the same U-boat. She sank after being hit by two coup de grâce at 0254 and 0337. The 71 crewmembers and six passengers had abandoned ship in three lifeboats after the first hit when the stern settled. The Spanish tanker Campeche picked up the occupants of two boats the next day. The Spanish tanker Campero rescued two crewmembers on a raft after about six days. The 17 crewmembers and two passengers in the last boat were never found.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Ulva launched.

Frigates HMS Jed and Ness launched.

Light cruiser HMS Ceylon launched.

U-525, U-633 commissioned.

U-192, U-228 launched.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: During the night of 30/31 July, the US Army, Middle East Air Force (USAMEAF) dispatches B-24s to bomb a convoy in Pylos Bay, Greece, claiming hits on 2 merchant ships, and B-17s to hit the harbor at Tobruk, Libya.

U-375 sank two sailing vessels 80 nautical miles south of Cyprus. At 1245, Amina with gunfire and at 1328 the Ekbal by gunfire and ramming.

EGYPT: Having prevented Rommel's advance, Auchinleck pauses to await reinforcements, thus ending the First Battle of Alamein.

SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC: The Japanese occupy small islands between Timor and New Guinea in an effort to support their campaign against Port Moresby, New Guinea.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: B-17s of the USAAF's 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy)  begin arriving at Espiritu Santo Island from Hawaii where they are to constitute a reconnaissance and strike force over the Guadalcanal-Tulagi-Gavutu area in preparation for the amphibious assault by US Marines on 7 August.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: The US 11th Air Force dispatches 1 LB-30 and 3 B-24 Liberators and 9 B-17 Flying Fortresses to fly photo reconnaissance and bombing missions to Tanaga and Kiska Islands; the missions are unsuccessful due to weather.

The US submarine Grunion (SS-216), commanded by Mannert L. Abele, is lost to unknown causes, off Kiska. All hands are lost. (Joe Sauder)

CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Port Hope commissioned.

U.S.A.: The US Navy establishes the Women's Naval Reserve or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).

After laying mines off New Orleans, Louisiana, on 27 July, the German submarine U-166 attacks convoy TAW 7 about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and sinks the US ship SS Robert E Lee. All of the crew are rescued.

The man who built the Grand Coulee and Hoover dams has been "drafted" to mass-produce weapons for the American war machine as the country strives to become the "arsenal of democracy". The industrialist Henry J. Kaiser has promised Senate committees that he will adopt the same techniques for building cargo planes as he has for manufacturing "Liberty" ships - a ship can be built in 80 hours using assembly line methods.

A week ago, the House of Representatives' naval committee was told of a 360% increase in naval ship production. The time required to build and aircraft carrier has been reduced from 45 to 17.3 months. And yesterday a combined British and United States production and resources board was created in London to control the allocation of war materials to industry in both countries. Averell Harriman, the Lend-Lease representative in Britain, and Oliver Lyttleton, the British minister of production, are to be its senior members.

US labour leaders have assured President Roosevelt that "any sacrifice" will be made to meet his quotas of 60,000 planes, 45,000 tanks, 500,000 machine-guns, 20,000 anti-aircraft guns and eight million tons of merchant shipping by the end of the year.

Destroyer USS Frazier commissioned.

Submarine USS Runner commissioned.

CARIBBEAN SEA: At 1958, the unescorted Cranford was hit by one torpedo from U-155 about 250 miles ESE of Barbados, as she was proceeding on a nonevasive course at 8.6 knots because of a lack of fuel and daylight conditions. The torpedo struck on the starboard side between #2 and #3 holds. Her cargo caused the ship to sink bow first within three minutes. The complement of nine officers, 27 men and 11 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 3-in, four .50cal and two .30cal guns) left the ship in one lifeboat and two rafts, but the most men had to jump overboard. Six officers (among them the master), three crewmen and two armed guards died. U-155 surfaced, questioned the survivors and asked them if they could do anything for them. Two injured survivors were treated on board the U-boat and water, supplies and directions to land were given before U-155 left. Several hours after the sinking the survivors were picked up by the Spanish steam tanker Castillo Alemenara and landed at Curaçao on 3 August.

ATLANTIC OCEAN:

At 2048, the unescorted Danmark was torpedoed and sunk by gunfire by U-130 south of the Cape Verde Islands. The master, 37 crewmembers and eight gunners were picked up by the Norwegian tanker Mosli and landed at Freetown.

At 0110, the Pacific Pioneer in Convoy ON-113 was torpedoed and sunk by U-132 SW of Sable Island. The master, 58 crewmembers, eight gunners and four passengers were picked up by HMCS Calgary and landed at Halifax.

At 1216, U-77 fired torpedoes at a small destroyer and heard three hits, but no detonations, after 61 seconds. However, seven minutes later there was a dull (presumed internal) explosion. U-77 may have hit the Fany, which was not spotted as she was sailing beyond the escort vessel that was targeted.

UNITED KINGDOM: The US Eighth Air Force's VIII Air Support Command and VIII Bomber Command fly missions from England.

- B-26B Marauders of the VIII Air Support Command VIII fly Missions 10A and 10B against 2 airfields with the loss of 1 bomber. Woensdrecht Airfield, The Netherlands is bombed by 11 aircraft at 0657 hours; 1 B-26 is lost. In the second mission, 24 B-26Bs are dispatched to Wevelghem Airfield at Courtrai, France but the mission is recalled because the escorting fighters are fog bound on the ground.

- B-17s of the VIII Bomber Command fly Mission 80 in two forces against the aviation industry at Kassel, Germany. In the first force, 94 B-17s bomb the Bettenhausen Fieseler Works between 0910-0917 hours; 6 B-17s are lost. In second force 40 B-17s attack the Waldau Fieseler Works between 0925-0928 hours; 6 B-17s are lost. 107 P-47 Thunderbolts with auxiliary tanks escort these raids and they surprise the attacking Luftwaffe fighters over Bocholt, Germany as the enemy is not yet accustomed to fighter escort penetration beyond the coastal fringe. P-47 pilots claim 25 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down; 7 P-47s are lost.

Frigate HMS Glenarm commissioned.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: The US destroyers USS Farragut (DD-348) and USS Hull (DD-35) bombard the Gertrude Cove and main camp areas of Kiska Island. The action is futile; all of the Japanese troops have been evacuated.
US ignorance about the Japanese departure may be prolonged, as the island is usually shrouded in heavy cloud making reconnaissance difficult and encouraging bombers to climb to high altitudes.

The 47-minute short film "Report from the Aleutians" is released in the U.S. This official documentary, narrated by John Huston, describes the mission of US forces on an island of the Aleutians, from which US bombers are attacking the Japanese occupied island of Kiska. The movie includes footage of a bombing raid over Kiska with B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators.

U.S.A.:

Destroyer USS Brush laid down.

Frigate USS Charlottesville launched.

Destroyer USS Uhlmann launched.

Destroyer USS Franks commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The German submarine U-230 lays mines off the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay in the US. Meanwhile the German Navy loses six submarines:

- U-43 is sunk south-west of the Azores, in position 34.57N, 35.11W, by a Fido homing torpedo from a US Navy F4F Wildcats and TBF Avenger of Composite Squadron Twenty Nine (VC-29) in the escort aircraft carrier USS Santee (CVE-29). All hands on the U-boat (55 men) are lost. U-43 was supposed to rendezvous with U-403 and then go on and sow mines off Lagos, Nigeria.

- U-375 is sunk in the western Mediterranean north-west of Malta, in position 36.40N, 12.28E, by depth charges from the US submarine chaser USS PC 624. All hands on the U-boat (46 men) are lost.

- U-461 is sunk in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain at 45.33N, 10.48W, by a Royal Australian Air Force Sunderland Mk III of No. 461 Squadron based at Pembroke Dock, Wales. 15 of the 68 men on the U-boat survive. 

Amazing numbering coincidence. The Sunderland aircraft which sank U-461 had the individual code letter U and so using the style of the RAF was listed in Squadron records as U/461. Thus U/461 sank U-461. 

The 461 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force unit. The captain (pilot in command) of Sunderland U/461 was Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Dudley Marrows. The aircraft was based at the RAF flying-boat station Pembroke Dock. The attack also involved U-462 and U-504, with other aircraft including two Liberators, two Halifaxes, and a Catalina. Both those boats were eventually sunk by surface ships on the same day.

(Alex Gordon)

- U-462 is sunk by a Royal Air Force Halifax Mk II of No. 502 Squadron based at Holmsley South, Hampshire, England, and gunfire from the British sloops HMS Wren, HMS Kite, HMS Woodpecker, HMS Wild Goose and HMS Woodcock in the Bay of Biscay at 45.33N, 10.58W. 65 of the 65 crewman on the U-boat survive.

- U-504 is sunk at 1543 hours in the North Atlantic north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.33N, 10.56W, by depth charges from the British Sloops HMS Kite, HMS Woodpecker, HMS Wren and HMS Wild Goose. All hands, 53 men, on the U-boat are lost.

- U-591 is sunk in the South Atlantic near Pernambuco, Brazil, in position 08.36S, 34.34W, by depth charges from a US Navy PV-1 Ventura coded "B-10" of Bombing Squadron One Hundred Twenty Seven (VB-127) based at Natal, Brazil. 28 of the 47 man crew survive including the captain. They are picked up by the gunboat USS Saucy (PG-65, ex-HMS Arabis)

In the Kurile Islands, 8 US Eleventh Air Force B-24s based in the Aleutians are dispatched to bomb targets in the Kuriles but are recalled because of weather disturbances.

Over Japan:

- 60+ B-25s and A-26 Invaders of the US Far East Air Force bomb Omura Airfield and 4 of the planes hit airfield at Izumi; P-47s support the strike and also hit numerous nearby targets of opportunity; B-25s, failing to find targets on a shipping sweep over Korean waters, bomb shipping, a railroad, and a warehouse in the Sendai area and covering P-51s also hit nearby targets of opportunity; 80+ P-47s bomb Sendai, leaving much of the town in flames; P-51s on photo reconnaissance of southern Kyushu destroy trains and small craft; and nearly 80 P-47s attack the Miyazaki, Karasehara, and Tomitaka areas, firing warehouses and damaging barracks, hangars, towers, and other buildings, and blast buildings and construction on and near Shibushi Airfield.

- US Twentieth Air Force P-51s based on Iwo Jima attack airfields, railroads, and other tactical targets throughout the Kobe-Osaka area.

- American and British carrier-based aircraft attack airfields and industrial targets in central Honshu and Maizuru Bay. 1842 RN Sqn, Corsair aircraft #KD621 off HMS Formidable piloted by Lt (P) James Finlay Ross RCNVR of Truro, Nova Scotia killed. Lost, wing folded on take off and crashed at sea.

- US Navy Task Unit 34.8.1 consisting of 3 battleships, 4 heavy cruisers and 10 destroyers complete the bombardment of targets at Hamamatsu on Honshu. The Royal Navy battleship HMS King George V and 3 destroyers also participate in this operation.

The US heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) is torpedoed by Japanese submarine HIJMS I-58 northeast of Leyte at 12.02N, 134.48E. After delivering parts of the atomic bomb to Tinian, USS Indianapolis was dispatched to Guam where she disembarked men and reported for onward routine to Leyte. From there she was to report to Vice Admiral Jesse B Oldendorf for further duty off Okinawa. Departing Guam 28 July, USS Indianapolis proceeded by a direct route unescorted. Early in the morning, 0015 hours, 2 heavy explosions occurred against her starboard side forward, and she capsized and sank in 12 minutes. The ship had been hit by two torpedoes. The seas had been moderate; the visibility, good, USS   Indianapolis had been steaming at 17 knots. When the ship did not reach Leyte on the 31 July, as scheduled, no report was made that she was overdue. This omission was due to a misunderstanding of the Movement Report System. Thus it was not until 1025 hours on 2 August that the survivors were sighted, mostly held afloat by life jackets, although there were a few rafts which had been cut loose before the ship went down. They were sighted by a plane on routine patrol; the pilot immediately dropped a life raft and a radio transmitter. All air and surface units capable of rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once, and the surrounding waters were thoroughly searched for survivors.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: LOA KULU MASSACRE: After surrendering to overwhelming numbers of Japanese troops, around one hundred members of the Netherlands East Indies Army were disarmed and for a while permitted restricted freedom in the town of Samarinda , in Borneo, where most of the soldiers lived with their families. Early on the morning of July 30, all prisoners, including their families, were rounded up and taken before a Japanese officer who summarily sentenced them all to death. No reason was given as they were bundled into lorries and taken to Loa Kulu just outside the town. There they had their hands tied behind their backs and as the men and children watched, the women were systematically cut to pieces with swords and bayonets until they all died. The screaming children were then seized and hurled alive down a 600 foot deep mine shaft. The men captives, forced to kneel and witness the butchery of their wives and children, and suffering the most indescribable mental torture, were then lined up for execution by beheading. When the grisly ritual was over, the bloodied corpses and severed heads of the 144 men were then thrown down the mine shaft on top of their murdered wives and children. The horror of Loa Kulu was discovered by Australian troops who had earlier started a search for the missing Dutch soldiers. (Denis Peck)

CANADA: Destroyer HMCS Saguenay paid off.

U.S.A.:

Destroyer USS Carpenter laid down.

Destroyer USS Noa launched.