7 September 1939

GERMANY: The death penalty is decreed for anyone "endangering the defensive power of the German people". Another decree forces workers to accept new jobs even if they pay lower wages than jobs previously held.

French Army patrols cross into German near Saarbrucken. These gentle probings will continue until the 17th, when the fall of Poland makes them pointless.

Shirer writes in his diary: "The talk in Berlin is of peace, after a German victory in Poland, Hitler will offer the West peace"

The French offensive on the Saar begins. The Siegfried Line defences are sound with ample minefields and booby-trapped built-up areas. The Germans hold all the high ground. Forward positions and salients have to be reduced before the main line can be accessed. These forward positions are tenaciously defended by German 1st Army (von Witzleben) with 17 divisions. French General Prételat has had 31 divisions, but can use no more than nine in the initial operations to clear the salients. The French are attacking with their maximum force available, and have stripped their defences elsewhere. (Michael Alexander)

Großadmiral Dr. Erich Raeder, Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy meets with Hitler for their first wartime conference on the developing naval situation.

POLAND: German troops are within 20 miles of Warsaw.
The Polish naval base at Westerplatte surrenders after a renewed German bombardment.

The Polish command issues instructions for the forces on the line of the Narew to retire to the Bug.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The 4,066 ton British freighter SS Olivegrove is stopped, torpedoed at 1427 hours GMT and sunk by German submarine U-33 615 kilometers west-southwest of Cork, County Cork, Éire, in position 49.05N, 15.58W. Upon receiving SS Olivegrove's distress signal, U.S. passenger liner SS Washington, en route to the British Isles to evacuate American citizens from the European war zone, alters course and increases speed to reach the scene. Meanwhile, U-33's commanding officer, Kapitanleutnant (Lieutenant) Hans-Wilhelm von Dresky, treats the British survivors courteously, and aids in their rescue by having distress rockets fired to guide SS Washington to the two lifeboats containing the 33-man crew, which she picks up without loss.

The weather is fair with some haze. This is the start of Phase 3 of the Battle of Britain. Day bombing switched to London with a heavy attack on the capital. Luftwaffe activity did not develop until mid-morning when some 30 aircraft crossed the coast near Lympne but did not penetrate far inland. Dover and Hawkinge are attacked. The main attack of the day started at 1635 hours and came over in two waves totaling some 350 aircraft which spread over Kent, making for the Thames Estuary, East London and aerodromes north and south of London. By 1814 hours all raids are homing. While the above raids are in progress some 24 aircraft approached the South Coast near Spithead but turned back. Reconnaissance flights are made over Liverpool and Manchester areas, Bristol Channel, Norfolk and Yorkshire. In the early morning in the East, one aircraft, picked up among returning bombers, flew across the Wash to Lincoln and out at Skegness, no interception effected. At 0920 hours, one Do 215, plotted inland in Norfolk, is intercepted and shot down off the Dutch Coast. Two reconnaissance raids over convoys. One raid of some 6 aircraft 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Lowestoft; fighters failed to intercept. A raid of one aircraft patrolled Yorkshire and is intercepted on its way out but escaped into cloud. A further raid crossed the coast at Southwold and penetrated to Duxford. In the Southeast, there are a number of early reconnaissance flights off the Southeast Coast and one overland between Harwich/Biggin Hill and Maidstone in the early morning. The first attack occurred between 1100-1200 hours. After massing on the French Coast, some 70 enemy aircraft crossed the coast near Folkestone. A split from this raid flew along the coast to Hastings, the remainder spreading over East Kent. Dive bombing attacks are carried out against Hawkinge and Dover. From 1300 to 1500 hours constant patrols averaging six aircraft in the Calais/Boulogne, France, district. At 1515 hours ten aircraft patrolled the Straits and appeared to cross the coast near Lympne. The second attack occurred between 1625 and 1814 hours. First wave totaling some 100 aircraft crossed the coast but activities are confined to Kent. A second wave commenced to cross the Coast at 1718 hours, some 250 aircraft being plotted in five raids, the activity spread to an area from east of Kenley covering the Thames Estuary to as far north as Duxford. Royal Air Force (RAF) No 12 Group provided five Squadrons to assist No 11 Group during this engagement. A strong German patrol is maintained in the Straits down to Dungeness for about an hour after the attack. In the South, a raid of three plus flew from Le Havre, France, to Portsmouth at 0915 hours. It is intercepted off the Isle of Wight and one Me110 shot down. A further raid of two plus aircraft in this area is intercepted but decisive action by RAF fighters is prevented owing to antiaircraft fire. During the period of the second attack in the South East, a raid of 12 aircraft approached Portsmouth but turned back before reaching the coast.

During the night, raids on London continue from dusk till dawn. Main objectives are the East End and Docks. German activity commenced at 2010 hours when raids came out of Fecamp/Caen, France, area, crossing the Coast near Shoreham. One raid went to Northolt and others to Kenley and Biggin Hill area. There is then a steady stream of raids mostly crossing between Beachy Head and Dungeness, spreading over Sussex/Kent/Essex and penetrating into Greater London area including Northolt where between five and eight raids are continuously plotted up to 0300 hours. Three hundred Luftwaffe bombers attack London and drop 337 tons of bombs. Even though civilian populations are not the primary target, the poorest of London slum areas—the East End--felt the fallout literally, from direct hits of errant bombs as well as the fires that broke out and spread throughout the vicinity; 448 civilians are killed during the afternoon and evening. This night is the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. By about 0430 hours the last raids has left Greater London area and are homing. Very slight activity over the remainder of the country. Isolated raids reached Liverpool/Birmingham and South Wales, and there is suspected minelaying activity off the Norfolk Coast before midnight. By 0500 hours the whole country is clear of enemy raids.

RAF Fighter Command has a total of 59.5 fighter squadrons available: 31 Hurricane squadrons, 20 Spitfire squadrons, six Blenheim squadrons, two Defiant squadrons and one half of a Gladiator squadron. Fighter Command has 694 serviceable aircraft as of 0900 hours; 398 Hurricanes, 223 Spitfires, 44 Blenheims, 20 Defiants and nine Gladiators.

RAF Fighter Command:
Losses: Luftwaffe, 41; RAF, 28.

RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). 51 Sqn. One aircraft crashed near Wells, Norfolk on return from Boulogne. Crew unhurt, aircraft wrecked.
Bombing - invasion fleet at Ostend and Boulogne.
51 Sqn. Four aircraft. Three got off but none bombed due to adverse weather.
One crashed on return, crew safe.
78 Sqn. Three aircraft. None bombed due to weather.

London: Today as many as 350 German bombers protected by as many fighters appeared over London's docks. They were followed by another 247 tonight. A few hours later, with 2,000 Londoners dead or injured and the whole area engulfed by flames, all railway links south were blocked, and the decision was taken at GHQ Home Forces to send out the code word "Cromwell": invasion imminent. Home Guard and regular troops were called out, church bells rung and some bridges blown.
Churchill had been warning the chiefs of staff that if an invasion is to be tried it cannot be long delayed, because the weather may break at any time. For the past few weeks hundreds of self-propelled barges have been observed moving down from German and Dutch harbours to ports of northern France. They have come under heavy bombardment from the RAF and the Royal Navy. But the massive bombing attack on London docks, which British forces interpreted as a prelude to an attempted German landing, does not appear to have been followed up by any movement of the invasion fleet. One theory is that the Germans hope that their air raids on civilian targets will cause such panic and chaos that invasion will be unnecessary.

RAF Fighter Command has a total of 59.5 fighter squadrons available: 31 Hurricane squadrons, 20 Spitfire squadrons, 6 Blenheim squadrons, 2 Defiant squadrons and 1/2 of a Gladiator squadron.

London: London's dockland is on fire tonight after a massive daylight raid in which more than 300 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs rained on the capital, with the RAF seemingly unable to stop the death and destruction which fell from a stately procession of bombers onto the streets of East London.
Göring directed the attack from a clifftop in France, whence he watched 350 bombers escorted by 650 fighters stream across the Channel. Broadcasting from his HQ, he said he could see waves of planes heading for England.
It seems that the RAF have been wrong-footed this time, despite Enigma warnings of an at
tack on London. There have been raids on Hawkinge airfield this morning and thinking that the new wave of raiders were heading for airfields north of London, the 11 Group controller kept his squadrons north of the capital not realising that London was the target until it was too late. Eventually 21 out of 23 squadrons airborne managed to get into action and shot down 41 German planes for the loss of 25, but by then the damage had been done.
The first bombs set fire to bonded warehouses. Blazing rum, paint and sugar floated on the Thames. Many people had to be evacuated by boat. "Send all the pumps you've got," pleaded one fire officer, "the whole bloody world's on fire." One of the problems facing the fire-fighters was that the level of the Thames had fallen in the dry summer and they had difficulty in getting their pumps to work. Later the sirens sounded again, and in the night 247 German aircraft attacked the capital, dropping 352 tons of high explosive and 440 canisters of incendiary bombs.

London: Mr Albert Ernest Dolphin (b. 1896), a porter, died when he flung himself under a falling wall, saving the life of a nurse trapped after a bomb hit the South-Eastern Hospital, New Cross. (George Cross)

The U.S. freighter SS Lehigh, detained by British authorities since 5 September, is released. The British then detain another U.S. freighter, SS Warrior.

LUXEMBOURG: Anti-Semitic Nuremburg laws are applied to Jews living in Luxembourg by decree.

GERMANY: Berlin: The German armed forces have drawn up detailed plans not only for invading the British Isles but for consolidating their positions after the initial landings. Operation Sealion entails the landing of a first wave of 13 divisions at a number of points on the south coast, from Ramsgate in the east to Lyme Regis in the west. Airborne troops will also be used. The Germans would then move inland to establish themselves on a line eastward from Gloucester to south of Colchester. By then they believe that Britain will have surrendered and a military government will be set up. But the difficulty of mounting an invasion without air superiority worries the chiefs of staff.

The prototype Blohm and Voss Bv 222 V1 six engined flying boat makes its maiden flight.

ROMANIA: The Bulgarian-Romanian agreement ceding the historic region of Dobruja to Bulgaria is signed at Craiova.

ITALY: Rome: The Italian High Command announced:
'Italian bombers have again bombed oil refineries in the centre of Haifa and caused extensive fires. In North Africa our planes bombed the rail line between Alexandria and Marsa Matruh.'

EAST AFRICA: A Gloucester Gauntlet of No. 430 Flight (RAF) (K 5355) downs an Italian Caproni Ca 133.

U.S.A.: The USN's Cruiser Division 7 (Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens) sails to establish patrol off the eastern seaboard between Newport, Rhode Island, and Norfolk, Virginia. Heavy cruisers USS Quincy (CA-39) and USS Vincennes (CA-44) depart first, USS San Francisco (CA-38) (flagship) and USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) follow. The ships, burning running lights, are to observe and report the movements of foreign men-of-war, and, as required, render prompt assistance to ships or planes encountered.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The German submarine U-47 torpedoes and sinks three merchant vessels, two British and one Norwegian totalling over 14,500 tons, sailing in convoy SC-2 between Iceland and Ireland in position 58.30N, 16.10W. They are the SS Gro, SS José de Larringa and SS Neptunian.

CARIBBEAN SEA: U.S. passenger liner SS Santa Paula is hailed by an unidentified RN cruiser 30 miles (48 km) off Curaçao, Netherlands West Indies, and ordered to stop; after a delay of 20 minutes, SS Santa Paula is allowed to proceed.

U.S. tanker SS I.C. White is challenged by unidentified cruiser 15 miles (24 km) off Baranquilla, Colombia, but is allowed to proceed without further hindrance.

Yesterday Tomorrow

September 7th, 1941 (SUNDAY)

FRANCE: Paris: The Germans execute Pierre Roche, a member of the Resistance who sabotaged German military telephone lines.

GERMANY: The heaviest raid on Berlin to date by the RAF Bomber Command is flown during the night of the 7/8 September when 197 aircraft (Wellingtons, Hampdens, Whitleys, Stirlings, Halifaxes and Manchesters) attacked the German capital. Fifteen aircraft are lost.

FINLAND: The offensive by the German 20.Gebirgsarmee (Dietl) in northern Finland to capture the vital Lend-Lease port of Murmansk, U.S.S.R. comes to a halt.

U.S.S.R.: Two squadrons of RAF Hurricanes arrive at Archangel, in the north of Russia.

262 Inf. Div. (GL Edgar Theissen) crosses the Desna River at Oster, about 100 miles west of Konotop. 2nd Panzergruppe units move south making a breakthrough at Konotop. Specifically, 3 Pz. Div. (GL Walter Model) of XXIV A.K. (mot) (GdPzT. Leo Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenberg) crosses the Seim River north of Konotop. (Jeff Chrisman)

Mobile units General Heinz Güderian’s 2nd Panzer Group achieve a breakthrough at Konotop in the Ukraine. General Heinz Güderian’s 2nd Panzer Group driving south, behind the Soviet forces defending Kiev, reaches Lokhvista encircling nearly 600,000 Soviet troops in the Kiev area.

RED SEA: In the Gulf of Suez, the unarmed U.S. freighter SS Steel Seafarer (carrying cargo earmarked for the British Army in Egypt) is bombed and sunk by a Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe Ju 88 off the Shadwan Islands; her 36-man crew is rescued unharmed.

CHINA: Japanese forces attack Chinese positions near Yuezhou at the beginning of the Second Battle of Changsha.

U.S.A.: Bobby Riggs beats Frank Kovacs to regain U.S. tennis title at Forest Hills, New York.

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UNITED KINGDOM: USAAF OPERATIONS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (8th Air Force): VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 11: 9 of 29 bombers dispatched attack targets in the Netherlands: (1) 4 of 15 B-17s ineffectively raid the Wilton shipyards at Rotterdam in bad weather and claim 8-4-7 Luftwaffe aircraft and (2) 5 of 14 B-17s seek targets of opportunity in the vicinity of Utrecht and claim 4-6-5 Luftwaffe aircraft.

NETHERLANDS: During the night of 7/8 September, 26 RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines in the Frisian Islands.

FRANCE: RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines off three ports: six aircraft mine off Lorient, five off La Pallice and four off St. Nazaire. One aircraft is lost off La Pallice.

Individual RAF Bomber Command Mosquitos bombed Bremerhaven, Cologne, Emden, Essen and Wilhelmshaven. The Cologne and Wilhelmshaven diaries have no records of bombs falling. No aircraft lost.

USAAF OPERATIONS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (U.S. Army, Middle East Air Forces): B-24s bomb convoys at sea, hit other shipping, and in Crete, attack Maleme Airfield and Suda Bay.

NEW GUINEA: Port Moresby: For the first time in the Pacific, a Japanese amphibious invasion force has been defeated and forced to withdraw after establishing a beach-head. The defeat was inflicted by two Australian infantry brigades at Milne Bay, in south-eastern Papua, where Japan was denied an air base.

The purpose of the air base was to provide air support for Japan's major thrust across the Owen Stanley Mountains aimed at taking Port Moresby. The Japanese sent 2,400 men of the Special Navy Landing Force to seize the area. But Milne Bay was defended by the 7th Brigade (an Australian militia formation) and the 18th Brigade of the veteran Australian 7th Division, recently returned to the south-west Pacific after service in the Middle East. After landing under cover of darkness on 25 August the Japanese attacked in force on the night of 26-27 August, and after a long and ferocious fight the Australians withdrew to the Gama river.

The Japanese suffered heavy casualties on the night of 31 August when they charged wildly three times in their attempts to seize the airfield. The Australians were firing into groups of Japanese who bunched as they attacked, and many fell in the hail of fire. The operation turned into a Japanese debacle. More Japanese warships were sent to help, but on 5 September Rabaul radioed "try to get them out". By the time the troops had withdrawn they had lost 311 killed with 700 missing.

On the Kokoda Track, Papua New Guinea, the Japanese continue moving down the track from Efogi and engaging the Australians.

In Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, the Australian 18th Brigade is ordered to concentrate in the Gili Gili area based on intelligence reports of a possible Japanese attack from the west or northwest.

USAAF OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (5th Air Force): In New Guinea, A-20 Havocs and P-400 Airacobras strafe and bomb positions at Myola Lake and Efogi in the Owen Stanley Range; P-40s and RAAF Hudsons, Beauforts, and Beaufighters attack a cruiser and destroyer 17 miles (27 km) east-northeast of Cape Karitahua; and organized Japanese resistance in the Milne Bay sector ends.

Milne Bay was a Japanese debacle and an Australian triumph. The victory had a tonic effect on Allied forces far beyond New Guinea. For the first time in the Pacific war a Japanese amphibious invading force had been turned back after it had established a beachhead. In the broad canvas of the Pacific war it was not a major victory. But it was significant. It was an example too of Australians working together as a team. The AIF and the Militia fought side by side with the support of RAAF pilots whose dedicated efforts the soldiers greatly admired. Australian Militia, who were the first to engage the enemy at Milne Bay had proved themselves in a vital test, as had the 39th Battalion on the Kokoda track.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The 1st Marine Raider Battalion, Col. Merrit "Red Mike" Edson", lands at Tiavu Point on Guadalcanal. This unit was transported by High Speed Transports (APDs) from Tulagi arrived on Guadalcanal two days ago. They are following up information about the landing of Japanese reinforcements that have landed here the past several nights. The bulk of the Japanese troops have left, heading through the jungle towards the south of the Marine perimeter. They will attack there, in about 1 week. The Raiders, numbering about 600, find and destroy supply dumps and rearguard units. The supplies and guard units are destroyed. The Marines will return after 2 days. They carry with them the dress uniform of Lieutenant General Kawaguchi Kiyotake, Commanding Officer of the 35th Brigade. He brought this to wear at the surrender ceremony, when he planned to accept the surrender from General Vandegrift.

First air evacuation of casualties to hospital ships off shore occurs at Guadalcanal.

A combined force of the 164th Infantry Regiment, Americal Division and the 7th Marine Regiment moves eastward along the coast without opposition to within a mile of the Metapona River.

Despite bad weather, a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress leads four replacement USMC F4F Wildcats from Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides Islands, to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.

PACIFIC OCEAN: USN submarine USS Growler (SS-215) sinks a Japanese merchant cargo ship 20 miles (32 kilometres) northwest of Keelung, Formosa.

In the Solomon Sea in the western South Pacific, twenty RAAF aircraft, eight Kittyhawks, six Beauforts, three Beaufighters and three Hudsons, attack the Japanese ships that evacuated their troops from Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, last night. The ships are the light cruiser HIJMS Tenryu and destroyer HIJMS Arashi. The two ships are spotted off Normanby Island, one of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, located 10 nautical miles (19 kilometers) from the eastern tip of Papua New Guinea. The RAAF aircraft attack and expend all bombs and torpedoes but do not hit anything; the only damage to the ships is from the strafing of the Kittyhawks.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: USAAF OPERATIONS IN ALASKA (11th Air Force): In the Aleutians, 3 B-24 Liberators patrol and bomb Kiska Harbor and camp area and also patrol Tanaga Island; they are attacked by 3 seaplane fighters of which at least 1 is downed.

CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Kenora arrived Halifax from builder Port Arthur, Ontario.

Corvette HMCS Snowberry arrived New York for duty under USN, Commander Eastern Frontier, NY-Guantanamo convoys Sep 42-Mar 43.

U.S.A.: The first Consolidated XB-32-CO, AAF s/n 41-141, rolls off the assembly line, six months behind schedule. Because of problems with the pressurization system, the gun turrets and landing gear doors, these items were omitted on the prototype. This aircraft had R-3350-13 engines inboard and R-3350-21s outboard driving three-bladed props. The aircraft also had problems with engine oil leaks and poor cooling and this had delayed it further.

Military and naval agreement signed between Cuba and the United States coordinating the special measures which had been taken since the war began.

The Navy and the Maritime Commission celebrate Labor Day by launching 174 ships at 60 shipyards.

Destroyer escorts USS Charles R Greer, Daniel T Griffin, Greiner, Lovering, Reuben James, Ross, Sanders, Sims, Whitman and Wyman laid down.

LST-314 (Landing Ship Tank) is laid down at the New York Navy Yard. (JJ McKenna)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The German submarine U-517 torpedoes and sinks three merchant vessels, two Greek (Mount Pindus -5,729 GRT and Mount Taygetus - 3, 286 GRT) and one Canadian (Canadian Gulf and Lake Navigation Co. pulpwood carrier Oakton (1,727 GRT), Oakton was on route from Montreal with a cargo of coal bound for Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Three of her 21 crewmembers were lost. ) totalling over 10,500 tons, sailing in convoy QS-33 at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River near Cap Chat, Quebec, Canada, in position 48.50N, 63.46W. This was the most disastrous convoy in the Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The Battle of the St. Lawrence – Convoy QS-33. On 06 Sep, U-165, KKpt. Eberhard Hoffmann, CO, was tracking and reporting the Quebec City to Sydney convoy QS-33 as it passed downriver off Pointe au Pere, east of Rimouski. The convoy consisted of five merchant ships in two columns and was escorted by HMCS Arrowhead (K145), a Flower-class corvette, Cdr. Edgar George Skinner, RCNR, CO, HMCS Raccoon (PV 377), a converted yacht, LCdr. John Norman Smith, RCNR, CO, and the Fairmile-class motor launches HMC ML 083 (Q083), Lt. William Martin Grand, RCNVR, CO, and HMC ML 065 (Q065), CO unknown. At 21:10 on 06 Sep, U-165 sank the Greek merchantman Aeas (4,729 GRT). Arrowhead illuminated the area with star shell and conducted a search, but was unable to detect U-165. Arrowhead picked up 29 of Aeas’s 31 crewmembers and then rejoined the convoy. At 00:12 on 07 Sep, two explosions were heard astern of the convoy roughly where Raccoon was stationed. It was assumed by Arrowhead that Racoon was dropping depth charges. The corvette made a sweep astern of the convoy but Cdr. Skinner did not consider it curious when Racoon was not sighted. Between 03:30 and 04:00, U-517, KptLt. Paul Hartwig, CO, closed on the convoy and conducted four single-torpedo attacks in a span of three minutes. The Canadian Gulf and Lake Navigation Co. pulpwood carrier Oakton (1,727 GRT), Captain Alfred E. Brown, Master, loaded with 2,285 tons of coal bound for Corner Brook, Newfoundland, was sunk in position 48.50N, 063.46W. There were no losses from her 19 crewmembers. Two Greek ships, Mount Pindus (5,729 GRT) and Mount Taygetus (3, 286 GRT), were also lost. All three ships sank within 15 minutes with a combined loss of life of seven crewmembers. Fairmile Q-083 eventually landed 78 survivors at Gaspe. This was the most disastrous outcome of a convoy action during the Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Racoon was a private yacht that was requisitioned for use as an escort vessel. She was built by Bath Iron Works at Bath, Maine, in 1931, under the name Halonia. Racoon was commissioned on 31 Dec 40 and saw extensive service in the Halifax area and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. She was hit by two of three torpedoes fired by U-165 and sank rapidly. A short blast from Racoon’s siren was heard faintly after she was hit but this did not alert Arrowhead. As Racoon was not fitted with a voice radio transmitter, she could not signal her distress. Her approximate position in the St. Lawrence River at the time of her loss was 49.01N, 067.17W. All of her 37 crewmembers were lost. (Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)

* VIII Air Support Command flies Mission 52: In France, marshalling yards at Lille and St Pol are targeted but confusion at the rendezvous point causes one group and half of another to abort the mission; St Pol is hit by 81 B-26B Marauders at 0854-0858 hours; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft

* VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 92 in 3 forces:
(1) 105 B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb Evere Airfield at Brussels, Belgium, at 0849-0852 hours;
(2) 3 B-24s bomb Alkmaar Airfield at Bergen, the Netherlands, at 0857 hours and 19 hit a convoy off Texel Island; and
(3) 147 B-17s are dispatched to attack V-weapon site at Watton, France, but weather is a problem and 3 groups abort the mission but 58 hit the target at 0820-0854. Strikes 1 and 2 are escorted by 178 P-47 Thunderbolt that claim 3-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; a P-47 is lost.

NETHERLANDS: During the night of 7/8 September, four RAF Bomber Command Mosquitos bombed Havelte Airfield at Steenwijk.

Corsica: Civilians stage an armed uprising against Italian troops on the island, and occupy Ajaccio.

GERMANY: During the night of 7/8 September, 38 of the 41 RAF Bomber Command Mosquitos dispatched to Karlsruhe bomb the city while five of the six dispatched to Emden bomb the target. .

U.S.S.R: The German 17. Armee begins the evacuation of the Kuban bridgehead across the Strait of Kerch to the Crimea. The Soviet Army captures Baturin, east of Konotop, and Zvenkov in the Kharkov sector. The Germans begin evacuations at Stalino.

ITALY: The British 8th Army liberates Bova Marina and tries to trap the German rearguard in the toe of the Italian boot. Commandos and infantry land at Pizzo on Calabria's northern coast, but the Germans sidestep them. Montgomery's army has advanced 60 miles (97 kilometres) in five days.
U.S. Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor begins a spy mission to see whether a surprise parachute drop by the 82d Airborne Division can capture Rome. Posing as a downed Allied airman, Taylor -- the 82d's artillery commander -- goes to Rome and finds it's crawling with Germans. After meeting with Italian Prime Minister Field Marshal Pietro Badoglio, Taylor realizes the 82d would be cut to pieces. He sends a secret signal to cancel the drop. Taylor then escapes.
In the air, USAAF XII Bomber Command B-17s bomb 2 satellite airfields at Foggia while B-25s and B-26s hit road and rail bridges at Saptri and Trebisacce and roads at Lauria. A-20s of the Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force support British landing on 7/8 September near Pizzo in an unsuccessful attempt to cut off enemy retreat up west coast of the Italian toe. Medium and light bombers, in an afternoon raids, bomb Crotone airfield and roadblock and gun batteries north of Catanzaro.

During the night of 7/8 September, 48 RAF Liberators of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group bomb Viterbo Airfield.

Sardinia: USAAF P-40s hit the landing ground at Pabillonis and barges off Portoscuso.

NEW GUINEA: The airstrip at Nadzab is made serviceable for use by Allied aircraft.

USAAF OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s and B-26s bomb the Lae area and B-25s bomb and strafe nearby targets on the road to Markham; P-38 Lightnings successfully turn back enemy bombing attack on Morobe; and C-47 Skytrains begin flying the Australian 7 Division to Nadzab. A-20s hit Gasmata Island area off New Britain Island.

A B-24 crashes on take-off at Port Moresby, New Guinea, hitting five trucks carrying men of the Australian 2/33rd Battalion;15 are killed instantly, 44 die of their injuries and 92 are injured but survive. (Crash Report)

* Tenth Air Force: In Burma, B-25 Mitchells attack Gokteik Viaduct causing minor damage.

USAAF OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): In the Solomon Islands, 2 B-25s bomb a barge depot and supply area east of Ringa Cove on New Georgia Island.

ELLICE ISLANDS: Engineers finish work on the 5,000 foot (1 524 meter) runway on Nonomea Island. Later ten IJN "Betty" bombers (, Navy Type 1 Attack Bombers) from Tarawa Atoll drop 20 bombs on the new runway.

TERRITORY OF HAWAII: Pearl Harbor: The ICPOA becomes a joint organisation, JICPOA, when the head of the US Army's 64th Topographic Company, Colonel Joseph J. Twitty, takes command and brings his topographic company with him. Twitty speaks Japanese and is the liaison between the US Army and ICPOA. (Mike Yared)(184 and 187)

CANADA: Fifth Victory Loan campaign is launched Ottawa, Ontario. The goal is to raise CDN$1.2 billion.

U.S.A.: HQ US Army Air Forces decides to transfer Lieutenant General Lewis H Brereton, Commanding General Ninth Air Force, and his HQ staff from Africa to the United Kingdom and to reform the Ninth Air Force as a tactical air force in the European Theater of Operations by absorbing the VIII Air Support Command.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) discusses the possibility of mounting an invasion of Paramushiro Island in the Kurile Islands from the Aleutian Islands.

The U.S. recognizes Czechoslovak fighting forces and those of Slovakia as a combat force.

Destroyer escort USS Earl V Johnson laid down. Submarine USS Darter commissioned.

The escort aircraft carrier Edisto (CVE-41) is transferred to Britain under Lend Lease and renamed HMS Nabob (D 77). Although manned by Canadians, the ship, the 24th CVE transferred to Britain, is not commissioned in the RCN. She is severely damaged when torpedoed on 22 August 1944 and not repaired.

U-402 shot down RAF Wellington aircraft, Squadron 172/D. Another two Wellingtons were also involved in the attack, one of them had to crash land.

U-669 sunk in the Bay of Biscay northwest of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 43.36N, 10.13W, by depth charges from a Canadian aircraft (RCAF-Sqn. 407).

BELGIUM: The British Second Army and the U.S. First Army reach the Albert Canal and elements of the U.S. 113th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) cross the canal near Hasselt while elements of the U.S. VII Corps approach Liege.

FRANCE: In northern France, the U.S. Third Army's second attempt to take Metz in is thwarted by hard-fighting Germans.
In southern France, troops of the U.S. 3d Infantry Division enter Besancon.

* Ninth Air Force: In France, bad weather grounds the bombers but fighters provide air cover for the US 8th and 29th Infantry Divisions.

* Twelfth Air Force: Weather cancels all flying in France and Italy except for weather reconnaissance by a few P-47s.

FINLAND: The Finnish peace delegation leaves for Moscow. Prime Minister Antti Hackzell acts as the chairman of the delegation, the other members are Minister of Defence Gen. Rudolf Walden, Chief of General Staff Gen. Erik Heinrichs and Lt. Gen. Oscar Enckell (brother of Foreign Minister Carl Enckell). They cross the Fenno-Soviet frontline in Juustila, and arrive at Moscow in evening.

The Finnish government enquires whether the Swedish government can receive some 100 000 Finnish refugees from northern Finland. The Swedes reply in affirmative. When the Finns later in autumn initiate hostilities against the Germans in northern Finland, this Swedish help in taking care of the civilian population proves invaluable.

ITALY: The U.S. II Corps completes preparations for an attack, but the German withdrawal during the night of 7/8 September to the Gothic Line itself from delaying positions on the hills around Florence makes the first phase of the assault unnecessary.

Squadron Leader Neville Duke (RAF) achieves his final air to air success when he shoots down two Messerschmitt Bf 109s near Rimini. (Scott Peterson)

* Tenth Air Force: 22 B-24s fly fuel to Kunming, China and many other troop carrier and cargo sorties are flown to numerous CBI terminals.

* Fourteenth Air Force: In China, 24 B-25s attack town areas, river shipping and trucks in and around Kiyang, Lingling, and Yoyang; 11 B-25s bomb Tien Ho and White Cloud Airfields at Canton and 2 bomb the Siangtan ferry; 5 B-24s hit 4 freighters southwest of Hong Kong; and nearly 100 P-40s and P-51 Mustangs on armed reconnaissance over vast areas of southeastern China attack numerous targets of opportunity including troops, railroad targets, river shipping, warehouses, and bridges. In French Indochina, 4 P-38s hit targets of opportunity in the Hanoi-lower Red River area.

BURMA: On the Salween front, a mop up of the Sung Shan position is completed. The battle for this Burma Road strongpoint has cost the Chinese 7,673 dead and virtually destroyed all of the estimated 2,000 Japanese on and around the position.

JAPAN: Japanese premier Lieutenant General KOISO Kuniaki warns his countrymen that an American invasion of the home islands is a distinct possibility.

USAAF OPERATIONS IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): In the Mariana Islands, Saipan-based P-47s make strafing and rocket attacks on Pagan and Aguijan Islands. B-24s on snooper and armed reconnaissance missions hit Iwo Jima and Marcus Islands.

USAAF OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Far East Air Forces): B-24s bomb the Menado area on Celebes Island and B-25s hit Wasile Bay villages on Halmahera Island; other B-24s strike Galela in force while P-38s dive-bomb Djailolo and airfield on Halmahera Island. A-20s bomb Boela Airfield, Ceram Island and B-25s sink a lugger in Bara Bay. In New Guinea, A-20s hit Mongosah Airfield while fighter-bombers hit Manokwari Airstrip and villages in the Schouten Islands and strafe and bomb Wewak Airfield and surrounding areas.

NEW GUINEA: In the Schouten Islands U.S. Army forces supported by naval vessels land on Soepiori Island.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: Carrier-based aircraft from Task Groups 38.1, 38.2, and 38.3 conduct full scale air strikes on Japanese installations throughout the principal Palau Islands; they will repeat the evolutions (albeit with diminishing force in view of the paucity of targets) the next day. Cruiser Division 14 (Rear Admiral F.E.M. Whiting) (three light cruisers, screened by four destroyers, drawn from Task Groups 38.2 and 38.3) bombards Japanese installations on Peleliu, Angaur, and Ngesebus, supplementing the carrier air strikes begun the previous day by TF 58.

During the night of 7/8 September, USAAF Seventh Air Force “snooper” B-24 Liberators attacked airfields and Japanese defenses in the Palau Islands.

Heavy cruiser USS New Orleans (CA-32) and light cruiser USS Biloxi (CL-80) and four destroyers (from TG 38.4) bombard Yap Atoll; they will repeat the bombardment the following day. Planes from TG 38.4, meanwhile, on this day and the next will carry out operations against Yap and Ulithi Atolls.

AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister John Curtin tells the Advisory War Council that “we would have two divisions for the Philippines operations, and this would ensure the Australian flag going forward with that of the United States.”

PACIFIC OCEAN: USN submarine USS Paddle (SS-263) sinks Japanese transport Shinyo Maru, which unbeknown to her attacker carries 750 American prisoners of war on board, off the coast of Mindanao, Philippine Islands. Only 83 of the POWs made it to an island where they are rescued by Filipino guerillas. One man died on the beach. The guerillas contacted U.S. authorities in Australia and the submarine USS Narwhal (SS-167) picks up the survivors on 29 October.
RAAF Beaufighters sink a Japanese motor sailboat off the southern coast of Ceram, Netherlands East Indies.

USAAF OPERATIONS IN ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 6 B-25s on a shipping sweep attack a small fishing fleet between Paramushiru and Onnekotan Islands.

UNITED KINGDOM: Britain and the Netherlands agree to fix the exchange rate at 10.691 guilders to one pound sterling for the next three years.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: In Laos, Prince Phetsarath is informed by the interior minister that the King has issued a proclamation continuing the French protectorate over the Kingdom of Louangphrabang. Prince Phetsarath also favors this.

JAPAN: Okinawa: A Japanese delegation signs the surrender document at Tenth Army Headquarters (Lieutenant General Joseph W. Stilwell).