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This Happened on 30th September 1939

The Polish Government in exile is set up in Paris led by General Wladyslaw Sikorski. The first of many European governments in exile set up in the wake of German domination.

The German pocket-battleship Admiral Graf Spee sinks the British steamship Clement. The allies have now lost 185,000 tons of merchant shipping. This marks the beginning of the search for the German pocket-battleships by the Royal Navy.

This Happened on 30th September 1940

Since the start of the air offensive over London on September 7th the British have lost 247 fighters against 433 by the Luftwaffe. British civilian casualties for September are numbered at 6,954 killed and 10,615 injured.

This Happened on 30th September 1941

Eastern Front Northern sector; after hard fighting Finnish units break through the Russian positions at Petrozavodsk.
Central sector: the German forces are lined up for an offensive against Moscow
Southern sector: the German 11th Army, supported by Italian troops defeat a Russian force at Petrikovska. First snowfalls in Ukraine reported.

Western Mediterranean Two British fighters sink the Italian submarine Adua

UK civilian casualties for September: 217 killed, 269 injured

This Happened on 30th September 1942

Aleutian Islands The Japanese carry out the first in a series of nuisance raids on Adak Island

Germany Hitler speaks to the Nazi party rally: ‘’I said that if Jewry started this war in order to overcome the Aryan people, then it would not be the Ayrans but the Jews who would be exterminated. The Jews laughed at my prophecies…. I doubt if they are laughing now.

This Happened on 30th September 1943

Eastern Front The Soviet government announces that the Red Army is advancing towards Kiev in the Ukraine and on Vitebsk, Gomel and Mogilev in Belorussia. September has seen the liberation of huge regions.

Italian Front Despite the truce heavy fighting is still reported in Naples. About 11.00am the news comes that the Allies are at the gates to the southern part of the city. British V Corps and US 5th Army have surrounded Vesuvius. Avellino is taken by units of the US VI Corps, US 5th Army.

This Happened on 30th September 1944

Western Europe Calais surrenders to the Canadian 3rd Division.
In the Antwerp sector the Polish 1st Division captures Merxplas, northwest of Turnhout.
A powerful counter attack by the Germans in the American XII Corps sector is contained only after help from the American 6th Armoured Division

Eastern Front The 57th Army is followed by the 47th Army of the 3rd Ukraine Front over the river Danube in force upstream of Turnu Serverin on the frontier between Rumania and Yugoslavia advancing towards Belgrade

Palau Islands Command of the Western Carolines sector passes from Rear Admiral Wilkinson, Commander of the Task Force 31, Rear Admiral Fort, Commander of the Western Attack Force Task Force 32. Fort announces that the capture of Peleiu, Angaur, Ngesebus and Kongauru are complete but in actual fact fighting pockets of Japanese resistance goes on for sometime.

Heres September 30th 1938 Sniper ....

1938: 'Peace for our time' - Chamberlain

The British Prime Minister has been hailed as bringing "peace to Europe" after signing a non-aggression pact with Germany.
PM Neville Chamberlain arrived back in the UK today, holding an agreement signed by Adolf Hitler which stated the German leader's desire never to go to war with Britain again.

The two men met at the Munich conference between Britain, Germany, Italy and France yesterday, convened to decide the future of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland.

Mr Chamberlain declared the accord with the Germans signalled "peace for our time", after he had read it to a jubilant crowd gathered at Heston airport in west London.

The German leader stated in the agreement: "We are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference and thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe."

But many MPs are bound to criticise it as part of the Prime Minister's "appeasement" of German aggression in Europe.

And Mr Chamberlain's personal pact will be little comfort to the Czechoslovakian Government which has been forced to hand over the region of Sudetenland to Germany, despite not being present at the conference.

After greeting members of the public at the airport, Mr Chamberlain appeared in front of another rejoicing throng on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with the King and Queen, and again later outside 10 Downing Street.

The British Prime Minister was forced to mobilise the Royal Navy four days ago when Germany announced it was building massive fortifications in Rhineland.

But the Conservative leader has always expressed his desire to find a peaceful solution to the Fuehrer's wish to create a new - and enlarged - German homeland in Europe.

This Happened on 1st October 1939

In Poland the heroic defenders of the little garrison of the Hela Peninsula just north of Danzig surrender. Three destroyers and some Polish submarines succeed in escaping and getting to British ports. Fighting continues on the Baltic and Polish coasts and in a few days the last of the isolated points of resistance are overwhelmed.
The Poles have left 694,000 prisoners in the hands of the Germans and 217,000 in the hands of the Russians. The number of Polish dead, wounded and missing is not known. The Germans have come off lightly with just 10,572 dead, 30,322 wounded and 3,409 missing.

Nothing reported on 1st October 1940

This Happened on 1st October 1941

End of Moscow conference between the USSR, Britain and the USA on aid to the USSR.

This Happened on 1st October 1942

On the eastern front the impetus of the German thrust is becoming exhausted. Bloody fighting continues in Stalingrad, where the German 6th Army have a heavy loss for every yard gained. The Russians try in vain to get help to the ruined city. Army Group A is halted by the Russians, while trying to conquer the Caucasus region with its rich oil fields. The Germans fail to take Gronzny and there is bitter fighting between Novorossiysk and Tuapse on the Black Sea. Heavy losses of materials and men, shortage of supplies especially fuel and the terrain are beginning to tell on the armies of the German Reich.

This Happened on 1st October 1943

Eastern Front During the first week of October the armies of the Central Front, Steppe Front and South-west Front exert pressure on the Army Groups Centre and South along the Dniepr river. Managing to cross at several points and establish bridgeheads near Kiev, Kremenchug and Dneproptrovsk.

Italian Front During the morning the King’s Dragoon Guards of British X Corps enter Naples without opposition. The British XIII Corps 8th Army push towards the Vinchiaturo – Termoli line. The 78th Division pushes along the coast and the Canadian 1st Division move inland across the mountains.

Solomon Islands Admiral Halsey tells General MacArthur that he has decided to make a landing at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville. MacArthur tells him he will have maximum air support from the South West Pacific Area Forces.

New Guinea The Australians resume attacks on the Japanese forces at Finschhafen inflicting heavy losses on them.

In Austria Allied bombers drop 187 tons of bombs on Vienna.

This Happened on 1st October 1944

Western Europe The Canadian 3rd Division of II Corps completes the occupation of Calais.
In the Antwerp sector the Canadian 2nd Division of I Corps begins to cross the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal and makes for the Beveland Peninsula, passing the northern suburbs of the city of Antwerp.
The US 1st Army begin operations for surrounding Aachen.
Marshall Petain and Pierre Laval are taken from Belfort to Sigmaringen in Germany.

Italian Front In the western sector the US 5th Army begins the offensive against Bologna at dawn, meeting strong resistance from the Germans
At British 8th Army Headquarters General Sir Oliver Leese hands over the reins to General McCreery and heads for the Asian Front.
In Greece British commandos coming from Kithira land on the island of Poros. Greek forces incorporated in the British 8th Army land at Mitilini, Lemnos and Levita

This month also sees the Oscar going to Ingrid Bergman for her role in Gaslight in 1944. In 1943 we see the death from a heart attack of Max Reinhardt a contemporary figure in theatre. In 1942 the film ‘Mrs Miniver is released and receives five Oscars. In 1941 we see Greta Garbo in her last film, ‘Two faced Woman. In 1940 we see the sad death of Tom Mix, one of the most popular screen cowboys of the time. Also in 1940 we see Charlie Chaplin premier his film in New York called ‘The Great Dictator’ a great satire comedy which was savage against Hitler and Mussolini. On 20th October 1939 we saw the premier of the film ‘Mr Smith goes to Washington starring James Stewart, the last in a trilogy of films.

This Happened on 2nd October 1939

Delegates from 21 American countries meeting in Panama decide to set up along the coast of each nation a security zone 300 – 600 miles deep within any act of war would constitute a hostile act against the country concerned.

This Happened on 2nd October 1940

Night attacks on London

Arrival of New Zealand naval and air force drafts in Britain

Hitler had still not lost hope of being able to carry out a landing in Britain, Operation Sealion. Although his commanders advised him to abandon the project rather than have the craft gathered at European ports exposed to British bombing.

This Happened on 2nd October 1941

Eastern Front Operation Taifun ‘Typhoon’, the attack on Moscow begins. The right wing of the Army Group Centre, ‘2nd Armoured Army. Guderian’s ‘Panzergruppe’ smashes through the Russian defences at Glukhov and sweeps onto towards Orel, then suddenly turns north towards Tula, about 125 miles from Moscow. The 2nd Army and part od Guderian’s armour converge on Bryansk. The 4th Army and IV Panzergruppe ‘Hoeppner’ break through the right wing of the Russian western front under Konev east of Roslavl and advance on Vyazma, and the tanks of Hoth’s III Panzergruppe converge on the same town.
In the southern sector: the start of the battle of the sea of Azov.

This Happened on 2nd October 1942

Ellice Islands American unit from Espiritu Santo occupies the Funafuti atoll near the Gilbert Islands in the South Pacific.

Madagascar The British proceed to occupy the southern part of the island.

This Happened on 2nd October 1943

Italian Front US VI Corps sector the 3rd Division on the left makes for the Volturno river and the 34th and 45th divisions move by separate routes towards Benevento.
During the night Allied commandos land near Termoli and seize the harbour and the town. The British 78th Division links up with them stabilizing a bridgehead over the river Biferno.

Central Pacific The US 27th Division has been getting ready to land on Naura is ordered to prepare plans for the capture of a new objective suggested by Vice-Admiral Spruance to Admiral Nimitz – Makin atoll in the Gilbert Islands.

Solomon Islands During the night the Japanese ‘Tokyo Express’ completes the evacuation of the garrison, some 9,400 men, of Kolombangara. US naval and air forces intervene but to no effect.

New Guinea The Austrailian 20th Brigade captures the village and harbour of Finschhafen after bitter fighting and joins up with the 23rd Brigade which has advanced from Lae. However the Japanese still hold two strongpoints overlooking the harbour.

This Happened on 2nd October 1944

Western Europe In the American sector XIX Corps 1st Army, the 30th Division opens up the attack on the west wall of the Siefrried Line after heavy air and artillery bombardment. They attack north west of Aachen.

Italian Front Almost all of the American II and IV Corps 5th Army are held up at Monte Catarelto and Monte Galletto.

Eastern Front General Tadeo Bor, leader of the insurrection in Warsaw signs the surrender of his forces to the Germans. The city is a pile of rubble and more than 250,000 Polish patriots have lost their lives.

Yugoslavia In the area of Negotin south of Turnu Severin, the Russian 57th Army are locked into a bitter battle with German Serbia Group, part of von Weichs Army Group F

Palau Islands The 321st Infantry Regiment liquidates all Japanese resistance on Mount Amiangal. On Mount Umerbrogol sector the 7th Marines are held up by Japanese forces determined to fight to the last man.

Angaur The 322nd Infantry breaks off attacks against the Japanese in the north-west of the island in an area only a few hundred metres square. They begin systemic shelling of the area.

Burma In accordance with the decisions made by the war cabinet Admiral Mountbatten orders the offensive against Mandalay should be launched while other operations postponed and reduced. Headquarters of Northern Burma is to guarantee the security of air communications between Indian and China.

This Happened on 3rd October 1939

Nothing reported on this day.

This Happened on 3rd October 1940

The ships of Force M which took part in the action against Dakar from 23rd Sept to 25th Sept leave Freetown where they have taken refuge, and escort the Free French forces to Douala in the French Cameroons. They are not accompanied by battleships Barham or Resolution, which sailed for the Mediterranean, the Resolution stopping at Gibraltar for repairs to damage suffered at Dakar.

Neville Chamberlain resigns on the grounds of ill-health

This Happened on 3rd October 1941

Eastern Front Hitler announces that Russia is broken and will never rise again. He tells the German people of the previous day’s offensive on the eastern front.
Northern Sector The Germans take the defences at Tsarskoe Selo near Leningrad
Central Sector The Russian front at Bryansk defended by 43rd, 3rd, 50th, and 13th Armies begin to crumble under the command of Timoshenko. Two big pockets are formed north and south of Bryansk while further north a third pocket forms near Vyazma.
Southern Sector The German Dnepropetrosk bridgehead is strengthened.

This Happened on 3rd October 1942

Eastern Front In the Causcasus German Army Group A makes some progress towards Gronzny.
The battle for Stalinggrad continues and the Russian position is starting to improve but at huge cost.

This Happened on 3rd October 1943

Italian Front In the VI Corps sector the 34th Division and the 133rd Infantry Regiment take Benevento and establish a bridgehead across the Calore
In the Termoli sector the Germans send in the 16th Panzerdivision in an attempt to push the British back across the river Biferno. A bitter battle begins. That evening a brigade lands in the sector which the British have captured their bridgehead. The Canadian 1st Division is held up by terrain 12 miles from Vinchiaturo.
The 3rd Panzergrenadier Division replaces the 16th Armoured Division at Volturno

Mediterranean The Germans land on Kos which is used as a British RAF base.

Germany Heavy night raid by the Allies on Kassel, dropping 1500 tons of bombs in 30 minutes

This Happened on 3rd October 1944

Western Europe The American 3rd Division ‘XIX Corps, 1st Army’ have penetrated into the Siegfried Line and reaches Ubach where it is overtaken by the 2nd Armoured Division which crossed the Wurm at Marienberg.
In the XX Corps ‘US 3rd Army’ sector they resume the attack on Metz. Earlier in the day 247 bombers of the RAF attacked the Westkapelle dyke on the island of Walcheren, Holland. A complete success the dyke was demolished for over 100 yards and the sea flooded in over thousands of acres of land.

Eastern Front In Estonia troops of the Leningrad Front land on the island of Hiiumaa and begin the destruction of the German garrison. The three Baltic fronts continue their pressure on the German Army Group North which is slowly being driven towards Riga.

Palau Islands On Peleiu the US 7th Marine Regiment makes some progress against Japanese positions on Mount Umurbrogol.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff agree MacArthur in the difference of opinion on strategy between him and Nimitz. The American pacific forces will be given preference to the capture of bases on the island of Luzon in the Phillippines. The operation is overseen by MacArthur himself.

This Happened on 4th October 1939

Nothing reported on this day

This Happened on 4th October 1940

Hitler and Mussolini meet at Brennero on the Brenner Pass. Hitler asks for no action to be taken unless its of use to the Axis powers. Ribbentrop and Ciano the Foreign Ministers are present as is German Commander in Chief Keitel. Hitler offers military aid for North Africa but Duce declines it.

This Happened on 4th October 1941

Eastern Front Central Sector, expoiting the success of Hoeppner’s IV Panzergruppe, the XL Armoured Corps ‘Stumme’ assaults Vyazma

This Happened on 4th October 1942

New Guinea The Australians continue to advance along the Port Moresby – Kokoda track. American patrols carry out recce on another island near Jaure.

This Happened on 4th October 1943

Italian Front In Corsica Italian and French troops recapture Bastia, the whole island is now under Allied control.
Both Eisenhower and Alexander forecast that the Allies will be in Rome by the end of the month. GHQ was transferred to Naples from Algiers but Eisenhower waits to establish himself in Rome.

Mediterranean The German forces land at Kos and overcome the British garrison. The loss of Kos endangers the Allied hold on Leros and Samos as it’s the only Allied air base in the Aegean.

This Happened on 4th October 1944

Western Europe The Canadians of the 2nd Division continue to advance north of Antwerp, liberating the Merxerem-Eeckeren sector. North of Aachen units of US XIX Corps have breached the Siegfried Line, the Germans 6th Armoured Division launches a couter-attack to close the gap in the German defences. However the Americans keep the ground they have gained. The American V Corps in the Luxemborg sector are also getting ready to attack the Siegfried Line.

Eastern Front In the Yugoslavia region of Negotin the Russian 57th Army surrounds and routs the German Divisions of the Serbia Group. Units of the Russian 46th Army capture Pancevo, on the eastern bank of the Danube near Belgrade.

Germany It is reported that German males born in 1928 are to be called up.

Palau Islands In tbad weather the 7th Marine Regiment continues to attack Japanese positions on Mount Umurbrogol, Peleliu but end the day with heavy losses. Headquarters orders its relief.

Burma The British sector of XXXIII Corps the 11th East African Division captures Yazagyo, while the 5th Indian Division nears Tiddim.

This Happened on 5th October 1939

Mutual assistance treaty signed between USSR and Latvia giving Russia air and sea bases.

This happened on 5th October 1940

Daylight air attacks cease entirely by the Luftwaffe on Britian, though night time raids are constant. A one mile tunnel opened between Bethnal Green and Liverpool Street opened to provide shelter for 4,000 people.

This Happened on 5th October 1941

Nothing reported on this day

This Happened on 5th October 1942

Pacific American carrier-borne aircraft bomb Japanese installations on Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands.

This Happened on 5th October 1943

Italian Front On the Adriatic coast where XIII of the British 8th Army were operating, bitter fighting continued around the Biferno bridgehead near Termoli. The Germans entered Termoli for a short period.

Pacific An American fleet consisting of 6 aircraft carriers, 7 cruisers, 24 destroyers and auxiliary craft commanded by Rear Admiral Montgomery shelled and bombed Wake Island. When on the 23rd December 1941 Admiral Kajioka took possession of the island he re-christened it Island of Birds. The attacks caused much damage and were repeated the next day.
The Commander in Chief in the Pacific, Nimitz issues orders for the forthcoming offensive. Vice Admiral Spruance is to direct the landings on Makin, Tarawa and Abemama Islands in the Gilberts. He is to protect the landing forces by all means and neutralize the Japanese bases on Marshall Islands and Nauru which is supposed to start on the 19th October but is put back to the 20th October.

This Happened on the 5th October 1944

Western Europe Units of the US 2nd Army advance in the direction of Geilenkirchen and towards the south reach the road between that and Aachen. The American XII Corps sector bad weather holds up the attack towards Schmidt, an important target on the Rur dykes south of Aachen.

Italian Front West of where the American IV Corps attacks are resumed in the direction of La Spezia, while other units continue to advance north hill by hill.

Eastern Front In the Northern sector the armies of the 1st Baltic Front in the areas of Siualiai in Lithuania open an offensive towards the Baltic and East Prussia, with the aim to surround the German Army Group North. It is left to the 2nd and 3rd Fronts to continue towards Riga. At the other end of the front Malinovsky’s 2nd Ukraine Front starting from Arad in Rumania begins a offensive against south east Hungary aiming towards Szeged and Budapest.

Greece British forces land on the Greek mainland and enter Patras.

Palau IslandsOn Peleliu operations are temporarily slowed down by the weather and by the relieving units going to Mount Umurbrogol.

It Happened on this day on 6th October 1939

The Polish campaign is over as the last of the resistance is crushed.

Hitler makes a speech appealing for peace to the Western powers and asking them to recognise the new status quo in Eastern Europe.

It Happened on this day on 6th October 1940

Bad weather gives Londoners their first quiet night since the 7th September.

It Happened on this day on 6th October 1941

Eastern Front In the Southern sector the 1 Panzergruppe of von Kleist crosses two major rivers, the Dneiper and the Samara and surrounds the Russian 9th and 18th Armies at Berdyansk.
The Germans launch a two pronged attack on Moscow, and German Armour breaks through the line from Rzhev to Vyzama and they advance on Mozhaysk, only 50 miles from Moscow. The attack is halted by the Russians but six days later the town is surrounded and the Germans advance towards Kaluga.

It Happened on this day on 6th October 1942

North Africa Montgomery issues orders for the upcoming offensive being prepared by the 8th Army.

Eastern Front Army Group A captured Malgobek which is an important oil producing area in Caucasus, west of Grosny

USA A second agreement by the USA sees them signing in Washington the undertaking of sending more supplies to Russia. They plan to send 4,400,000 tons of supplies, mostly by sea and the rest via Iran.

It Happened on this day on 6th October 1943

Italian Front The American 5th Army reaches the banks of the Volturno. The British 10th Division captures Capua.

Central Solomons The Americans of the 25th Division have unopposed landings on Kolombanara which gives them the Central Solomon Islands. Only Vella Lavella is occupied and costs the Americans 1,100 dead and about 4,000 wounded. The Allies have four airfields in which to attack their next objective, Bougainville.
During the Battle of Vella Lavella during the 6th and 7th October three US destroyers intercept the ‘Tokyo Express’ which includes nine Japanese destroyers cammanded by Rear Admiral Matsuji Ijuin. Attempting to evacuate 600 men the American destroyers sink one Japanese destroyer but also lose one destroyer and two more are damaged, one by an accidental collision and another from a torpedo.

New Guinea Elements of the Austrailan 7th Division take Dumpu very easily and now start building a landing strip.

New Britian US patrols land secretly near Cape Gloucesterand carry out a through recce of the area chosen for the forth coming landings.

This Happened on this day on 6th October 1944

Western Europe In the Northern sector Montgomery launches an offensive to clear the estuary of the Scheldt to make it possible for the Allies to use the Port of Antwerp. Only one German Division is left manning the small port of Breskens south of Flushing. It is against these that the Canadian II Corps attack during what will be called the Battle of Polders, which is fought mainly in mud and water. North of the Leopold Canal they manage to set up two small bridgeheads. The Germans counter attack and the Canadians have to send for reinforcements.
The US XIX Corps of the 1st Army continues its battle around Aachen and Geilkirchen on the Siegfried Line.

Eastern Front Units of the Leningrad Front land on Saaremaa Island in the Gulf of Riga.

Palau Islands Operations on Peleliu come to a standstill again. On Angaur artillery fire is re-commenced against the Japanese at the far north west of the island.

China As a result of a breach between Chaing Kai-shek and Roosevelt, General Stilwell is relieved of his post and can now only command Chinese troops in Burma which have been trained and equipped by the Americans. He is also relieved of his responsibilities of supplies to China under the Lend-Lease Act