4-5 August 1944 Following the start of an uprising against German forces in Warsaw by the Polish Home Army on 1 August, the Chiefs of Staff despatch a signal to Air Marshal Slessor, Air Commander in Chief Mediterranean Allied Air Forces and Commander in Chief RAF Mediterranean and Middle East, requesting that he comply with Polish appeals for assistance if operationally practicable. Supply dropping operations begin on this night, and continue until 21-22 September. The majority of resupply operations were flown by Polish and Royal Air Force (RAF) special duties units, together with RAF and South African Air Force heavy bomber squadrons, operating from Italian bases. Operations were hampered by the full moon period, prevailing weather conditions and the refusal of the Soviet authorities to permit the use of Soviet-controlled forward airfields by Allied supply aircraft before 10 September 1944. As a consequence of the latter, only one supply operation was mounted (by the US Army Air Force) from the United Kingdom. Allied casualties were heavy. Between 8/9 August and 21/22 August, 31 aircraft were lost, together with 248 aircrew, of whom 203 were killed. Polish resistance in Warsaw ceased on 2 October 1944 with the surrender of the Home Army units
August 7, 1942 U.S. forces invade Guadalcanal On this day in 1942, the U.S. 1st Marine Division begins Operation Watchtower, the first U.S. offensive of the war, by landing on Guadalcanal, one of the Solomon Islands. On July 6, 1942, the Japanese landed on Guadalcanal Island and began constructing an airfield there. Operation Watchtower was the codename for the U.S. plan to invade Guadalcanal and the surrounding islands. During the attack, American troops landed on five islands within the Solomon chain. Although the invasion came as a complete surprise to the Japanese (bad weather had grounded their scouting aircraft), the landings on Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tananbogo met much initial opposition from the Japanese defenders. But the Americans who landed on Guadalcanal met little resistance-at least at first. More than 11,000 Marines had landed, and 24 hours had passed, before the Japanese manning the garrison there knew of the attack. The U.S. forces quickly took their main objective, the airfield, and the outnumbered Japanese troops retreated, but not for long. Reinforcements were brought in, and fierce hand-to-hand jungle fighting ensued. "I have never heard or read of this kind of fighting," wrote one American major general on the scene. "These people refuse to surrender." The Americans were at a particular disadvantage, being assaulted from both the sea and air. But the U.S. Navy was able to reinforce its troops to a greater extent, and by February 1943, the Japanese had retreated on secret orders of their emperor (so secret, the Americans did not even know it had taken place until they began happening upon abandoned positions, empty boats, and discarded supplies). In total, the Japanese had lost more than 25,000 men, compared with a loss of 1,600 by the Americans. Each side lost 24 warships. The first Medal of Honor given to a Marine was awarded to Sgt. John Basilone for his fighting during Operation Watchtower. According to the recommendation for his medal, he "contributed materially to the defeat and virtually the annihilation of a Japanese regiment."
MV MAMUTU (August 7, 1942) A Burns Philip & Co. vessel requisitioned at the outbreak of the Pacific War as a Stores Issuing Ship for the Royal Australian Navy. In 1942 she returned to Inter Island Trading. On August 6 the Mamutu (Capt. J. McEachem) set sail from Port Moresby en route to Daru on the Gulf of Papua. On board were 32 crewmen and 82 passengers including 28 children being transported to the safety of Australia. Port Moresby had already been subjected to over seventy air raids by the Japanese, ahead of the planned assault on the town. Just after 11am on the 7th when the Mamutu was half way across the Gulf, she was attacked by the Japanese submarine RO-33 which opened fire with its 3.25 gun. Within minutes the ship was on fire as panic stricken passengers jumped into the water, many to be gunned down by 13mm gunfire. There were 28 survivors. The submarine RO-33 was later sunk on August 29, 1942, by depth charges from HMAS Arunta. All hands (42) perished.
MOHAMED ALI el-KABIR (August 7, 1940) Egyptian vessel of 7,289 tons, built in Scotland in 1922 and later requisitioned in 1940 by the British Government and converted to a troop transport. The ship left Avonmouth, en route to Gibraltar, carrying military stores and a complement of 895 naval and military personnel including 163 crew, 26 officers and 706 other ranks, many from the 706 General Construction Company of the Royal Engineers. Off the coast of Ireland, the ship was torpedoed at 19.56 hrs by the U-38 (Lt. Henrich Liebe) and sank one and a half hours later. Her sole escort was the destroyer HMS Griffin which rescued a total of 766 of the troops and crew on board and landed them at Greenock, the wounded being taken to Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride. Unfortunately a total of 129 men lost their lives. Two weeks later, thirty-three bodies were washed up on the shore of Donegal in Ireland.
Date: 7 August 1940 The Battle of Britain Weather: Mainly fair with cloud and thunderstorms in eastern districts. South-eastern districts cloudy. Winds variable. Day: Convoy reconnaissances. Convoy off Cromer attacked. Night: Widespread raids from Thames Estuary to Aberdeen and from Poole, Dorset, to Land's End and Liverpool. Enemy action by day There was very little enemy activity during the day. A few raids reconnoitred convoys and one convoy was bombed. One raid approached to within 30 miles of Aberdeen but fighters were unable to intercept. In many cases enemy aircraft turned back on sighting our fighters. South and West In the morning, two raids were plotted in the Isle of Wight area. Raids were also plotted over Start Point and the Lizard and an isolated raid was picked up inland north of Bournemouth whence it was tracked over Gloucestershire and the Oxford and Reading districts before fading out to sea over the Isle of Wight. In the evening, a raid of 9+ aircraft approached the Isle of Wight but turned south before a squadron from Tangmere and a flight from Middle Wallop which were waiting to intercept, could make contact. Later, two further raids - one of 6+ and one of 3+ aircraft - were some miles off Beachy Head and the Isle of Wight respectively but again turned south before fighters could contact. East At 0635 hours, Hurricanes of No 46 Squadron saw bombs bursting around a convoy off Cromer but interception by fighters from Coltishall was frustrated by thick cloud from 5,000 to 10,000 feet. Scotland At 1040 hours, a raid of 11 aircraft approached to within 30 miles of Aberdeen where the track was lost. Later, one aircraft was plotted 90 miles east of St Abb's Head. Fighters were despatched to both raids but no interception resulted. France In the afternoon, continuous enemy patrols were in evidence in the Dunkirk-Calais-Gris Nez area, of an average strength of about 3 aircraft each. Some of our fighters on patrol in the Dover Straits approached the Calais district where they were fired on and damaged by AA, but no casualties have been reported. By night Enemy raids during the night were over a widespread area extending from the Thames Estuary up to Aberdeen on the East Coast and from Poole to Land's End up to Liverpool. Four raids, which were plotted intermittently off the Norfolk coast between Cromer and Southwold, were not picked up until close to the Coast and are thought to have been fighters trying to intercept our outgoing bombers. Eight raids were plotted approaching 13 Group area from the south-east; three raids on westerly courses down the Channel; two raids approached Portland from Jersey and five or more raids approached Harwich where they were obviously involved in minelaying. Minelaying also appears to have been in progress between the Forth and the Humber. Several raids were tracked inland in the Yorkshire area. Statistics Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 7 August 1940 Blenheim - 66 Spitfire - 256 Hurricane - 368 Defiant - 24 Total - 714 Casualties: Enemy: Nil. Own: Nil. Patrols: Figures not yet available. Balloons: Flying 1518. Casualties 23. Aerodromes: No reports. Organisation: No changes. Air Intelligence Reports No reports. Home Security Reports Date: 7th/8th August 1940 General Summary 7th August In addition to the areas where bombs were dropped in the early hours Gloucestershire was also visited and magnetic mines were dropped. For the period 0600 to 1800 hours, no enemy action over land was reported and there was nothing of interest to report. 8th August During the early hours bombs were dropped in Buckinghamshire, Dorsetshire, Devonshire and Glamorganshire; also in the north in the Firth of Clyde area and districts some miles from Glasgow. [*]Detailed Summary 7th August Large batches of leaflets have been found at Fairwood Common, Bishopston (225º Swansea, 6 miles). Two magnetic mines were dropped at Bickenhall near Taunton; both exploded but no casualties are reported. Portions of parachute were recovered. Two unexploded bombs were discovered in cornfields during harvesting - one at 315 degrees Boston (Lincs) 8 miles and one at Meonstoke (135º Winchester 11 miles). Time of occurrences unknown. Shortly after midnight, 7th/8th August, several HE bombs were dropped between Wendover and Bierton. It is not yet reported if the exact location warrants the assumption of an intended attack on Halton Aerodrome. Some windows are reported broken but no casualties or further damage. Poole (Dorset), Exeter and St Donats were subjected to bombing attacks but only minor damage and one person injured at Exeter are reported. In the Firth of Clyde area, bombs are reported at Ardgowan, in Lunderston Bay and in the sea near the boom defence. Reports of the number of bombs vary from 7 to 12. Loud explosions were reported near Airdrie and north-west of Stirling. No material damage except to windows and no casualties are so far reported. [/list] [/LIST]
8-11 August 1939 The last major British peacetime exercise takes place, with over 1,300 aircraft taking part in south-east of England and at the end of the practice, a civilian 'blackout' is ordered.
Date: 8 August 1940 the Battle of Britain Weather: Showers and bright intervals. Channel cloudy. Day: Three major attacks on a Channel convoy. Night: Small raids and minelaying. Start of Phase 2 of the Battle of Britain Enemy action by day The enemy's main effort, which developed into three successive attacks involving about 300 aircraft, was directed against one convoy off the South Coast. In the course of combats with these forces, our fighters achieved very considerable success in inflicting 66 casualties (confirmed and unconfirmed) upon the enemy against a loss of 18 aircraft. There was, in addition, a minor attack towards Dover and this may have been made to create a diversion from one of the above convoy attacks which occurred further west shortly afterwards. South and West At 0541 hours, a convoy off the Isle of Wight was reconnoitred by an enemy aircraft flying at 20,000 feet. The reconnaissance was followed at 0840 hours by an attack upon the convoy from two raids totalling 60+ aircraft. The convoy was being escorted by three sections of fighters which were then reinforced by two squadrons and in the course of the engagement 9 enemy aircraft are claimed as confirmed casualties against our loss of two fighters. Two ships are reported to have been sunk. Fighters report that waterborne balloons above the clouds would appear to have disclosed the position of the convoy. At 1205 hours, two raids originating from Cherbourg (as did the previous attack), and consisting of 100+ aircraft appeared as a mass raid on a 20-mile front and made a second attack on the convoy. Six squadrons were detailed to this attack and as a result, 23 enemy aircraft are claimed as confirmed and 4 as unconfirmed. We lost five aircraft. Between 1300 and 1400 hours, 3 raids of one aircraft each approached the Isle of Wight and in one case an enemy seaplane was reported. It is suggested (but not confirmed) that this seaplane was being used to pick up survivors from aircraft previously shot down. Between 1400 and 1500 hours, reconnaissances were made off Falmouth and the Lizard, and a Ju88 is claimed as an unconfirmed casualty. At about 1615 hours, a third attack developed against the convoy off Bournemouth. This consisted of five raids numbering some 130 aircraft which emanated from the Cherbourg area and fanned out as they approached our coast. By this time the convoys is said to have scattered as a result of the previous raids. Five of our squadrons operated against this attack and accounted for 18 aircraft claimed as confirmed and 9 as unconfirmed casualties. Our losses were 6 aircraft. South East At about 1145 hours, a raid originating in Le Touquet area and consisting of 20+ aircraft, approached Dover and eventually turned west along the coast to Beachy Head where it circled and the flew south east. It was intercepted by 3 squadrons and they claim two enemy aircraft as confirmed. Our losses were five aircraft, one of which was a Blenheim undergoing a training flight which got mixed up in the battle. Two other raids approached the coast in the morning but did not materialise. Between 1500 and 1600 hours, two raids were engaged by fighters off Dover, and one of these raids preceded the third attack on the same convoy. East No activity took place until 1600 hours when an aircraft flew towards the Tyne and a Ju88 was reported near Cromer. A trawler was bombed off Yarmouth at 1656 hours. France From 1300 hours onwards, patrols were unusually active in the Calais - Boulogne area. By night Raids of one aircraft and 4+ aircraft from Cherbourg approached Portland and Start Point. Minelaying was presumed to be in progress off Falmouth/Plymouth/Lyme Bay and the Bristol Channel. Several raids approached Poole, Birmingham and Manchester and the mouth of the Mersey River and 15 miles north of Barrow-in-Furness. Further minelaying is suspected in the Humber and Thames Estuary and off the East Anglian coast. During the night, one aircraft of No 219 Squadron (Blenheims) intercepted an enemy raider in the Humber area but with no apparent result. One raid came in the Newcastle area. Raids crossed the Devonshire coast, proceeded up to North Wales, then to Liverpool and Leeds and across to the Catterick district and probably went out to sea north of Flamborough Head. Enemy aircraft were also active over Bristol, St Margaret's Bay and Birmingham. Statistics Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 8 August 1940 Blenheim - 66 Spitfire - 257 Hurricane - 370 Defiant - 20 Total - 713 Casualties: Enemy Losses By Squadron No. Confirmed Unconfirmed 145 Sqn (Hurricanes) 12 Ju87 6 Me109 3 Me110 64 Sqn (Spitfires) 2 Me109 238 Sqn (Hurricanes) 2 Me110 1 Me110 1 Me109 2 Me109 1 Do17 609 Sqn (Spitfires) 2 Ju87 3 Me110 41 Sqn (Spitfires) 6 Me109 257 Sqn (Hurricanes) 2 Me109 601 Sqn (Hurricanes) 3 Me109 234 Sqn (Spitfires) 1 Ju88 43 Sqn (Hurricanes) 3 u877 6 Ju87 3 Me109 1 Me110 152 Sqn (Spitfies)) 2 Me109 2 Me109 213 Sqn (Hurricanes) 1 Me109 17 Sqn (Hurricanes) 1 Ju8 TOTAL 52 14 Ow wn: No 145 Squadron - 5 Hurricanes No 64 Squadron - 1 Spitfre (pilot wounded) No 257 Squdrron - 3 Hurricanes No 65 Squadron - 3 Spitfires (1 pilot unhurt) No 43 Squadron - 3 Hurricanes (1 pilot wounded) No 600 Squadron - 1 Blenheim No 238 Squadron - 2 Hurricanes Patrols: 152 patrols despatched involving 689 aircraft. Sorties by night No 10 Group - 8 No 11 Group - 9 No 12 Group - 13 No 13 Group - 3 [/list] Ballloons: Flying 1501. Casualties 43. Aerodromes: No reports. Organisation: No reports. Air Intelligence Reports Nil. Home Security Reports Date: 7th/8th/9th August 1940 General Summary In addition to those areas already reported, where bombs were dropped in the early of this day, enemy aircraft were active in parts of Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire, in the North and in Somersetshire, Cornwall and near the Scilly Isles in the South-West. Comparatively little damage was done, except to a Sanatorium at Stannington (Northumberland) - prevously repoorted - and only one person is said to have die from amongstt the few seriously injurd. Three soldiers were injured at St Donat's. Leaflets were dropped at Salord, Mancheester. From 0600 to o 1800 hours no reports were received of the dropping of any bombs on land but there was considerable enemy air activity off the South Coast with convoys as the supposed objectives. During ng the night 8th/9th August, bombs were dropped in somewhat widely separated areas including Cheshire, Warwickshire, Monmouthshire and on the South-east Coast, East Sussex and Kent. [*]Detailed Summary 7th August (not previously reported) A number of bombs were dropped in Somersetshire betwetn 2330 and 23 2345 hours, notably at Hewish near Crewkerne, at West Coker near Yeovil and near Milbourne Port. [*]8th August At 0040 hour number of HE HE bombs were dropped at Boothstown, Wors and Ad Astley, near Manchester at At Appln, ArlArley and near Plumley between Warrington and Northwich. Damage was slight and thererwere no casualties. In Buckinghamshire, six bombs were reported in the hendover er - rton an area. It is now stated that 16 bombs were dropped this Cs County and the area e exted to HogHoggeston and Swanbourne. Nine boimbs were dropped in the Bierton area, not six as prously reported. Tbombs fe fenear a a searchlight station about 90 degrees Winslow (Buckinghamshire) 3 miles. No damage was causand thereere w no casualualties With reference to the last ry of yf yesterday's report, it is now learnt that mines were dropped at Stannington (Northumberland) not HE bombs. Parachutes have beebeen found beside each crater. Two objects attached to parachutes fell at Ramsgate at about 1135 hours. They are about 3 feet long and 18 inches in diameter and are reported to be m sage canistersers. When first seen they were emitting smoke. At 2230 hours, one bomb was dropped at Severn Tunnel Junction (Monmouthshire). Road and railway not affected but two slight casualties reported. At Fairlight, near Hastings, what was first reported to be a bomb is now said to have been a magnetic mine. Fragments of silk have been recovered and Coasards report ht having seen a parachute. Crater 12 feet by 20 feet in a field. [*]9th August At 0005 hours two HE were dropped at St Margarets-at-Cliffe (north-east of Dover). Several unoccupied houses were damaged - two extensively - and telephone wires down. No casualties. Nine HE were reported dropped in Cheshire between 0002 and 0030 hours, four at Prenton near Birkenhead and five at Carden near Malpas. Damage to telephone wires only is reported. In the Birmingham area, five HE are reported dropped between 0100 and 0123 hours and preliminary reports suggested that several people have been trappedped in damaged houses. [/LIST]
August 8, 1945 Soviets declare war on Japan; invade Manchuria On this day in 1945, the Soviet Union officially declares war on Japan, pouring more than 1 million Soviet soldiers into Japanese-occupied Manchuria, northeastern China, to take on the 700,000-strong Japanese army. The dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima by the Americans did not have the effect intended: unconditional surrender by Japan. Half of the Japanese inner Cabinet, called the Supreme War Direction Council, refused to surrender unless guarantees about Japan's future were given by the Allies, especially regarding the position of the emperor, Hirohito. The only Japanese civilians who even knew what happened at Hiroshima were either dead or suffering terribly. Japan had not been too worried about the Soviet Union, so busy with the Germans on the Eastern front. The Japanese army went so far as to believe that they would not have to engage a Soviet attack until spring 1946. But the Soviets surprised them with their invasion of Manchuria, an assault so strong (of the 850 Japanese soldiers engaged at Pingyanchen, 650 were killed or wounded within the first two days of fighting) that Emperor Hirohito began to plead with his War Council to reconsider surrender. The recalcitrant members began to waver.
Battle of Britain Campaign Diary Date: 9 August 1940 Weather: Cloudy with showers, some bright intervals. Channel still cloudy. Day: Quiet with isolated raids on east coast shipping. Night: Minelaying and attacks off east coast. Enemy action by day Many small raids approached the East Coast during the morning and were probably searching for shipping. In the afternoon, several raids concentrated in mid-Channel but turned when our fighters were sighted. One enemy aircraft was shot down off Sunderland. In the evening, about 6 raids approached the Dover area and made an unsuccessful attack on the Balloon Barrage. Enemy activity was generally on a much-reduced scale. South and West Between 1300 and 1700 hours, a hostile reconnaissance was made from the Isle of Wight are up the Channel to Dungeness. Further reconnaissance flights were in the Falmouth area and there were test flights in mid-Channel south of Start Point and Portland Bill. At 1650 hours, two Messerschmitts machine-gunned Dover Harbour. Fighters intercepted and fired at the enemy aircraft but without results. Later, 4 raids approached Dover and attempted to shoot down the Barrage Balloons without success. Two squadrons which were sent to intercept, saw no enemy aircraft. Several raids were scattered all over the Channel and appeared to represent portions of reconnaissance flights. East Coast In the early morning, several raids were reported off the Yorkshire and Norfolk Coasts searching for shipping. A section of fighters was sent up to intercept a raid about 25 miles east of Southwold but the enemy turned away before interception could be effected. At 1140 hours, one He111 crossed the coast near Sunderland, but after being active over Sunderland was shot down by No 79 Squadron (Hurricanes) at 1145 hours. There is a report that 1 boat was dropped by this aircraft but there is no confirmation of the crew having been saved. Between 1400 and 1420 hours, there was one hostile reconnaissance off Spurn Head and later, one enemy aircraft, which may have been the same raid, reported on a convoy and suggests the possibility of a rendezvous with submarines 70-90 miles north east of Haisboro'. Enemy aircraft have been known to circle in this vicinity on the 1st and on the night of 8th/9th August. By night Increased enemy activity was noticeable during the night. About 2100 hours, one raid came in over Kent and was active over Chatham. Six raids approached the coast between Plymouth and Portsmouth from the Cherbourg area. Several raids - apparently minelaying - were in the Thames Estuary and north of Harwich and probably between Cromer and Yarmouth. About seven raids were off the coast between the Tyne and the Wash steering in a north-westerly direction. Between 001 and 0100 hours, approximately 12 raids - thought to be minelaying - were off the coast between Aberdeen and the Wash. Several raids came over East Anglia and one over the North London area. Further raids were over Mersey, Weymouth and Gloucester and also North Devon. Between 0100 and 0200 hours, enemy aircraft were very active near two convoys off Amble and Hartlepool respectively. Statistics Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 9 August 1940 Blenheim - 64 Spitfire - 228 Hurricane - 370 Defiant - 23 Gladiator - 2 Total - 687 Casualties: Enemy: Enemy: Fighters - nil, Bombers - 1 He111 confirmed (by No 79 Squadron). Own: Nil. Patrols: 142 patrols despatched involving 431 aircraft. Addendum With reference to yesterday's report, the following enemy casualties have been reported: By No 43 Squadron (Hurricanes) - 1 Ju87 unconfirmed) and 1 Me109 (unconfirmed). Balloons: Flying 1475. Casualties 52. Aerodromes: No reports. Organisation: On 8th August No 41 Squadron from Hornchurch to Catterick. No 54 Squadron from Catterick to Hornchurch. [*]On 9th August No 266 Squadron from Wittering to Tangmere. Air Intelligence Reports Home Security Reports Date: 9 August 1940 General Summary Enemy air activity was slight. Early in the morning, bombs were dropped near Ilchester (Somerset) and also in Sunderland and its environs later in the morning. (The plane in this district was reported to be subsequently shot down). Bombs were dropped over a fairly wide area covering parts of Lancashire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, (including the Isle of Grain and Islae of Sheppey), Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Cornwall and Monmouthshire. [*]Detailed Summary No summary available.
9-12 August 1941 In meetings on United Kingdom and United States warships in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland Churchill and Roosevelt draft the Atlantic Charter. This pledges their countries to preserve world freedom and at the end of hostilities improve world conditions.
USS QUINCY, USS VINCENNES, USS ASTORIA (August 9/10, 1942) Three US cruisers sunk during the one hour 1st Battle of Savo Island by a force of Japanese warships including five heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and one destroyer. The American warships were protecting and escorting US troop transports en route to Gaudalcanal. Total losses from the three ships amounted to 1,077 men killed and 709 wounded. On the USS Astoria 216 men were killed. The Vincennes lost 332 men and 529 men were lost on the Quincy. Many of the blood and oil covered survivors, struggling in the water, fell victim to the sharks. Japanese casualties were only 58 killed and 70 wounded. The catastrophe at Savo Island was a demoralizing defeat for the Allies and the worst defeat ever suffered by the United States Navy. During this one hour duel, the Australian cruiser HMAS Canberra (Captain Frank Getting) was also sunk with the loss of 85 lives. Many of Canberra's survivors were rescued by the American destroyers USS Patterson and the USS Blue which was herself sunk with all hands some weeks later on August 23. On hearing of the Camberra's sinking, Churchill requested that the British cruiser HMS Shropshire be sent to replace her. In 1943, the US launched a new cruiser and named her Canberra, the first time the US Navy had named a vessel after a foreign warship. Fifty years later, a deep sea diving team, led by Robert R. Ballard, and including one of the Canberra's survivors, Ordinary Seaman Albert Warne, placed a plaque on the battered but upright hull of the Canberra which read "In Memory Of Our Fallen Comrades". USS Astoria, HMAS Canberra, USS Quincy, USS Vincennes.
USS JARVIS DD-393 (August 9, 1942) American destroyer hit by an aerial torpedo while escorting troop transports during the Guadalcanal landings. The torpedo opened a hole 50ft long in her boiler room. After emergency repairs at Lunga Point the ship set sail for Brisbane, Australia. At a speed of only eight knots she was a sitting duck for a swarm of Japanese land based dive bombers of the 25th Air Flotilla from Rabaul which caught up with her near Cape Esperance. A hit from one of their torpedoes caused the ship to split in two and within minutes she sank, taking to the bottom her captain, Lt. Cdr. Graham, and his entire crew of 247 men.
AMAKUSA (August 9, 1945) Japanese escort destroyer of 900 tonnes attacked by Corsairs from the carrier HMS Formidable while anchored in Onagawa Bay, northern Honshu. Piloted by Canadian Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, his Corsair flew 50ft above the water to drop its bomb on the Amakusa. The bomb pierced the deck and exploded in the engine room killing 40 of its crew. Robert Grey flew his plane on after its engine caught fire but spun out of control and crashed into the sea killing the pilot. The Amakusa took on a list and started to sink while other Corsairs attacked the burning wreck and strafed survivors in the water. Soon it disappeared under the waves taking with her another 71 crewmembers. Altogether 157 men lost their lives. Lieut. Robert Hampton Gray was later awarded the Victoria Cross the last VC of the war in the east. (A simple granite cairn stands in Sakiyama Peace Park, overlooking Onagawa Bay. This cairn was erected by the Japanese in 1989, it is the only known instance of a monument honouring an Allied serviceman in all of Japan)
9 August 1945 The Victoria Cross is awarded posthumously to Lieutenant R.H. Gray RCNVR for his attack on the Japanese destroyer Amakusa in Onagawa Bay in a Chance Vought Corsair IV (FG-1D KD658) of No.1841 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm.
9 Aug 1945 A second atomic bomb is dropped by the B-29 Bocks Car on the city of Nagasaki in Southern Japan; 35,000 people were killed.
Battle of Britain Campaign Diary Date: 10 August 1940 Weather: Squally and thundery, some bright intervals. Channel cloudy. Day: Shipping and overland reconnaissance. Night: Minelaying. Enemy action by day There was little activity; spasmodic raids were made off the South West, South East and East Coasts searching for shipping and a trawler was attacked of Lowestoft. Fighters were sent to intercept several of these shipping reconnaissances but the weather was favourable for evasion and as far as is known, only in one case was contact made. South and South West In the early morning, a raid reported a convoy at Swanage; the raid then turned and faded south of Shoreham. There were reports of machine-gunning off trawlers near Beachy Head and a little later, two further raids appeared in this area. At 0730 hours, one raid crossed the coast at Pevensey and attacked the aerodrome at West Malling where AA guns went into action. One raid of three aircraft crossed the coast at Shoreham and re-crossed going south east over Dungeness. Later, it was reported that an enemy aircraft had been active over a ship 40 miles south west of Pembroke. Enemy patrols were active from the Lizard to Dungeness, evidently searching for shipping. East Coast During the morning, attacks were reported on trawlers off the Norfolk coast. Later, several raids appeared off the Yorkshire and Norfolk coasts and one enemy aircraft attacked a trawler off Lowestoft. During the afternoon, several shipping reconnaissances were made off Yarmouth and Cromer and a Dornier was active over South Norwich. This raider was intercepted by a Spitfire which fired all its ammunition into it but the enemy aircraft turned out to sea and escaped. By night Eight raids - presumably minelaying - were plotted between North Foreland and Orfordness; some of these raids were off Harwich and others well into the Thames Estuary. A liner is reported to have been attacked approximately 20 miles west of Achill Head (County Mayo). Four raids approached the Bristol Channel and were probably minelaying as were also raids off the coast of Plymouth. Four raids approached the coast between Flamborough Head and the Humber and activity was reported south-west of Catfoss and south of Flamborough Head. One raid was reported north east of the Orkneys and one from south of Wick to near Rosehearty. Statistics Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 10 August 1940 Blenheim - 60 Spitfire - 245 Hurricane - 382 Defiant - 22 Gladiator - 2 Total - 711 Casualties: Enemy: Nil. Own: Nil. Patrols: 116 patrols despatched involving 354 aircraft. Balloons: Flying 1359. Casualties 176. Aerodromes: No reports. Organisation: Debden (Nos 17 and 85 Squadrons) has passed from control of No 12 Group to No 11 Group. Church Fenton (Nos 73 and 249 Squadrons) has passed control from No 13 Group to No 12 Group. Air Intelligence Reports No reports. Home Security Reports Date: 9th/10th/11th August 1940 General Summary 9th/10th August Further information on enemy air activity late on the 9th and early on the 10th extends the field of enemy bombing to Northumberland and Yorkshire. In several places, attacks seem to have been directed against aerodromes. Considering the number of bombs dropped, material damage was very slight and casualties comparatively small. During the early part of the day on the 10th, bombs were dropped on and near Malling Aerodrome, Kent, but through the day air activity over Great Britain was slight. [*]11th August In the very early hours of this day, a salvo of bombs is reported to have been dropped on Landore viaduct, near Swansea, where major damage to the GWR track was caused but several important local works are said to be undamaged. [*]Detailed Summary At 0154 hours on August 10th, 12 HE bombs were dropped on the Skinningrove Iron and Steel Works. Casualties were caused to men working at the blast furnaces but output was only very slightly affected. At 0227 hours on the 10th, 3 HE bombs fell near Cullercoates and the hole in this neighbourhood is believed to contain an unexploded magnetic mine. Between 0045 and 0200 hours on the 10th August, 31 HE bombs were dropped in the Warkworh area and between this place and Amble and at Helsay Point, all in Northumberland. At 0215 hours on the 10th, three HE bombs fell at Marske, near Saltburn. A number of bombs were dropped in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex notably at Weybread, near Pulham, near Norwich, in the Ipswich area, but no damage of serious consequence is reported. At 2255 hours on 9th August, bombs fell on the landing ground of the Marston Aircraft factory, near Swindon. No damage of consequence was caused. At 0730 hours on August 10th, some HE bombs were dropped on or near Malling Aerodrome, Kent. Considerable damage was reported to old laundry block of the Institution and surrounding buildings. There were about ten civilian casualties. It is said that two sticks of bombs, 12 in all, were dropped, one stick in one direction and the other across it. Other aerodromes which have been attacked include Hatfield and Rochester (both previously reported). In addition, bombs were dropped in Wiltshire late on the night of the 9th, near Upavon Aerodrome, near Wootton Bassett, at Avebury, Knighton and Minety near Swindon. Also during the night of the 9th/10th August, nine HE bombs were dropped at Gilwern near Abergavenny. A further number of bombs were reported late on the night of the 9th, over an area of Cornwall in the Camelford and Launceston districts. With reference to bombs reported late on the night of the 9th at Rookley, Isle of Wight, it is now stated that splinters indicate the use of the concrete type. Billingham Manor nearby, which is used as a military HQ, may have been the target.
August 10, 1945 Japan accepts Potsdam terms, agrees to unconditional surrender On this day in 1945, just a day after the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan submits its acquiescence to the Potsdam Conference terms of unconditional surrender, as President Harry S. Truman orders a halt to atomic bombing. Emperor Hirohito, having remained aloof from the daily decisions of prosecuting the war, rubber-stamping the decisions of his War Council, including the decision to bomb Pearl Harbor, finally felt compelled to do more. At the behest of two Cabinet members, the emperor summoned and presided over a special meeting of the Council and implored them to consider accepting the terms of the Potsdam Conference, which meant unconditional surrender. "It seems obvious that the nation is no longer able to wage war, and its ability to defend its own shores is doubtful." The Council had been split over the surrender terms; half the members wanted assurances that the emperor would maintain his hereditary and traditional role in a postwar Japan before surrender could be considered. But in light of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, Nagasaki on August 9, and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, as well as the emperor's own request that the Council "bear the unbearable," it was agreed: Japan would surrender. Tokyo released a message to its ambassadors in Switzerland and Sweden, which was then passed on to the Allies. The message formally accepted the Potsdam Declaration but included the proviso that "said Declaration does not comprise any demand which prejudices the prerogatives of His Majesty as sovereign ruler." When the message reached Washington, President Truman, unwilling to inflict any more suffering on the Japanese people, especially on "all those kids," ordered a halt to atomic bombing, He also wanted to know whether the stipulation regarding "His Majesty" was a deal breaker. Negotiations between Washington and Tokyo ensued. Meanwhile, savage fighting continued between Japan and the Soviet Union in Manchuria.
Battle of Britain Campaign Diary Date: 11 August 1940 Weather: Fair in morning, cloudy for most of the day. Day: Heavy attack on Portland, feints by fighter formations over Dover. Convoy attacks in Thames Estuary and off East Anglia. Night: Harassing attacks on Merseyside. Minelaying. Daily audio broadcasts, taken from the official Fighter Command Daily Summaries, giving the news highlights of each days action in the Battle of Britain are now available FREE and streamed direct to your PC every day. Find out more information on Radio1940, download the software and hear daily the Battle of Britain news as it happened 60 years ago to the day. Enemy action by day There was very considerable activity during the day, the main features of which were a heavy attack on Portland at 1030 hours, four attacks on the Dover Balloon Barrage between 0730 and 1210 hours and attacks by large formations on convoys in the Thames Estuary and off East Anglia at about 1130 hours. Sixteen squadrons were in action (some as many as four times) and shot down 32 (plus 46 unconfirmed) enemy aircraft while AA guns shot down a further 5 (plus one unconfirmed). In addition, a further 28 enemy aircraft are reported damaged. Our losses were 25 aircraft (20 pilots missing and 2 killed). Portland Area At about 1030 hours, 5 raids totalling approximately 200 aircraft approached Portland and Weymouth Bay on a 20 mile front and of these about 150 crossed the coast and caused considerable damage to Portland. The attack was made both from high level and by dive bombers. These raids were met by 7 fighter squadrons which shot down 23 (plus 22 unconfirmed) enemy aircraft against our losses of 16. At 1920 hours, one enemy aircraft visited Portland evidently on reconnaissance. AA guns opened fire but no results are reported. Dover Area The Balloon Barrage at Dover was attacked on four occasions between 0730 and 120 hours by enemy fighters in formations of 15 aircraft and upwards. Seven balloons were shot down Attacks on Convoys At 1148 hours, an attack on a convoy in the Thames Estuary developed and spread to a second off Harwich. This attack came over in two waves and about 100 aircraft were plotted. A number of ships are reported to have been hit. Other Activity At about 1455 hours, a raid of six aircraft appeared 15 miles south east of Clacton flying west; a section was sent up but the raid turned away. At 1705 hours, a raid appeared 10 miles off Yarmouth and patrolled off the coast from Cromer to Lowestoft. This raid was not intercepted. From 1705 hours onwards, several raids were plotted off the Norfolk and Suffolk Coasts and reports were received of single hostile aircraft shadowing convoys in the vicinity but no attacks materialised. At 1915 hours, a Ju88 approached Church Fenton and then returned to just north of Whitby where it was shot down on the shore. By night Four raids approached Start Point from the south east but did not cross the coast. Seven raids crossed the South and South East Coasts at Portland, Isle of Wight, Southwold and Deal. Further raids were in the Cardiff area, mid Wales, Liverpool and Market Harborough. Three raids approached the Tyne area at about 2300 hours which were probably minelaying. A raid also patrolled the Downs and may also have been minelaying. Considerable minelaying activity occurred between Flamborough Head and Farne Island. One raid crossed the coast at Farne Island and continued up to Carlisle. Further raids were over Cardiff, Bristol, Newport and Gloucester and the number of enemy aircraft in this vicinity indicated a concentrated attack which, however, did not materialise. One raid crossed the coast near Portland, proceeded over Gloucester to Liverpool thence down to Reading and out to sea by Shoreham. Statistics Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 11 August 1940 Blenheim - 60 Spitfire - 247 Hurricane - 373 Defiant - 24 Gladiator - 2 Total - 706 Casualties: Enemy Losses By Squadron No. Confirmed Unconfirmed 74 Sqn (Spitfires) 1 Me109 5 Me109 64 Sqn (Spitfires) 2 Me109 145 Sqn (Hurricanes) 3 Me110 4 Me109 1 Sqn (Hurricanes) 1 Me110 1 Do17 74 Sqn (Spitfires) 2 Me109 601 Sqn (Hurricanes) 9 Me110 3 Me109 85 Sqn (Hurricanes) 1 Me110 64 Sqn (Spitfires) 2 Me109 74 Sqn (Spitfires) 2 Me110 10 Me110 17 Sqn (Hurricanes) 1 Me110 1 Me110 111 Sqn (Hurricanes) 1 Me109 74 Sqn (Spitfires) 1 Me109 3 Me109 238 Sqn (Hurricanes) 1 He111 152 Sqn (Spitfires) 1 Me109 609 Sqn (Spitfires) 5 Me110 87 Sqn (Hurricanes) 2 Me109 1 Me109 1 Ju88 ? 213 Sqn (Hurricanes) 7 Ju88 2 Ju88 1 Me109 238 Sqn (Hurricanes) 3 Me109 41 Sqn (Spitfires) 1 Ju88 By AA Guns 5 Me109 1 Me109 TOTAL 37 47 Own: No 145 Squadron - 3 Hurricanes No 1 Squadron - 1 Hurricane No 601 Squadron - 4 Hurricanes No 74 Squadron - 2 Spitfires No 17 Squadron - 1 Hurricane No 111 Squadron - 4 Hurricanes No 610 Squadron - 2 Spitfires No 56 Squadron - 1 Hurricane No 238 Squadron - 2 Hurricanes No 152 Squadron - 1 Spitfire No 87 Squadron - 2 Hurricanes No 213 Squadron - 2 Hurricanes Patrols: 165 patrols despatched involving 767 aircraft. Balloons: Flying 1389. Casualties 101 (including 7 shot down by enemy). Aerodromes: No reports. Organisation: No reports. Air Intelligence Reports Nil. Home Security Reports Date: 10th/11th/12th August 1940 General Summary Night 10th/11th August Enemy activity was light in comparison with the preceding nights and was confined to the south-west of England and South Wales areas. In what is presumed to be an attempt to sever the Landore Viaduct at Swansea, considerable damage was caused to private houses and casualties, a number of which proved fatal, are reported. [*]11th August There was considerable enemy activity over the south east, in the Dover area and in the south west at Weymouth and Portland. Minor damage and small fires were caused in the former area but extensive damage to railways and property occurred at Weymouth and in the district. At 0535 hours, a mine exploded on the beach at Saltburn, Yorkshire. Early in the morning of this day, bombs were dropped at Bovey Tracey. [*]Night 11th/12th August Bombs were reported at Dinas Powis (Glamorgan) and in the vicinity of Cromer Lighthouse shortly before midnight and just after in the Bristol areas where a railway signal box and instruments were damaged. At 0111 hours, mains were fractured and set alight by HE bombs at Lancing (West Sussex). At Mount Batten (Plymouth), two mines exploded on the land at 2240 hours on the 11th. This may be connected with a report "estimated 10 hostile aircraft entered Plymouth area between 2325 and 0108 hours, 10th/11th August. No bombs were dropped but possibly minelaying". Other areas where bombs were dropped included - near Avonmouth - in the Heaton district of Newcastle - at Battersby Moor (Yorkshire) - in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Note: In South Wales on the night of 10th/11th August the bombs dropped are said to total 48, of which 11 were unexploded. In the Weymouth - Portland area on the 11th August, over 70 bombs were dropped of which 21 did not explode. [*]Detailed Summary Supplementing the information given in yesterday's report, it is now advised that a total of 26 bombs exploded in the Swansea area - plus 5 unexploded. Extensive damage to property was caused - not slight as first stated - and a water main was burst, damaging a main road. Casualties are reported as 17 killed and 8 injured - excluding a number of minor injuries. There was one direct hit on an Anderson shelter in which five occupants were killed. The viaduct will be closed for three to four days. Further reports on the bombing attacks on Cornwall state that 12 bombs dropped in the Stithians area (135 degrees Redruth, 5 miles), were found to have caused craters in line over a mile of country. Two craters reported to be semi-circular with sides as if cut by a spade. Amongst the bundles of leaflets reported dropped in this country, one lot at Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, had attached to it one spent and one live cartridge. Further leaflets reported to have been dropped in Somersetshire and in Shropshire near Shrewsbury. At 0734 hours on the 11th August, fires were caused at Dover as a result of enemy aircraft attacks on our balloons, some which were shot down. Some slight damage was caused to houses and it was reported a gas holder was punctured by Messerschmitt shrapnel. A heavy bombing attack was made on Portland and Weymouth at 1040 hours on the 11thAugust, when over 70 bombs were dropped of which 21 unexploded. Considerable damage was caused. Signal box and lines at railway station completely demolished, rail services to Weymouth blocked, telephone dislocated, oil tanks burning and serious damage to houses. A public house and two breweries were severely damaged. Seventeen houses were demolished and about 150 damaged. One killed and 22 injured. It would appear from reports received that in the other areas attacked, as mentioned in the general summary above, there was no serious damage caused of a major nature with the possible exception of the main line at Annesley (Nottinghamshire) where the line was apparently seriously affected with a consequential disorganisation of traffic.
HMS EAGLE (August 11, 1942) British 22,600 ton aircraft carrier (Capt. L. Mackintosh) launched in 1918, sunk in the Mediterranean, 70 miles south of Cape Salinas, Majorca, by four torpedoes from the German U-73 (Kptlt. Helmut Rosenbaum) while escorting a convoy (Operation Pedestal) to the island of Malta. All four torpedoes hit the Eagle on her port side slewing the ship to starboard and shedding the parked Sea Hurricanes on her deck into the sea. Listing to port she turned slowly over and sank just over seven minutes later. Many of the survivors, bobbing in the sea by their hundreds were severely injured by concussion when the Eagle's boilers exploded. Of her crew of 1,087 a total of 160 perished, two officers and 158 ratings. The 927 survivors were picked up by the destroyers HMS Lookout and HMS Laforey and the tug Jaunty. The Eagle was the only aircraft carrier in Admiral Cunningham's Mediterranean Fleet and the only carrier with two funnels. (On the 16th December 1942, the U-73 was sunk off Oran by the US destroyers Woolsey and Trippe, killing 16 of her crew. There were 34 survivors)
SS WAIMARAMA (August 11-13, 1942) British merchant ship of 11,100 tons, loaned from the Shaw Savile Line and now part of the fourteen ship convoy Operation Pedestal to the relief of the besieged island of Malta. The 'Operation Pedestal' convoy was the most bombarded convoy in the entire war. The Waimarama was sunk by German Junkers 88 dive bombers off Cape Bon. Direct hits by four bombs ignited aviation fuel stored in cans on her deck. The ship exploded in a sheet of flame and smoke. In less than five minutes the ship was gone. Of her crew of 107, only 27 men survived. A total of 209 ships in 61 convoys, made the journey to and from Malta from July 9, 1940, to December 31, 1942. Thirty of these ships were lost, resulting in the deaths of 264 seamen. (Britain lost 22 ships, USA 4 ships, Holland 2 and Norway 2)
