Fantasque Time Line (France Fights On) - English Translation

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5797
October 4th, 1942

Operation Iskra
- In the afternoon, the troops of the 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts meet at the outskirts of Lavry. Violent fighting takes place in Ostrov itself. The city, surrounded, is almost in Soviet hands by the end of the day.
On the right wing of the 1st Baltic Front, after another day of losses without significant progress, the attack against Valga is halted.
On the left wing of the 2nd Baltic Front, the Soviets are at the gates of Velikye Luky. Faced with the risk of isolation of the units defending the Ostrov-Velikye Luky sector, Army Group North decides that the 16. Armee would "establish a new defense line" (the word "retreat" is carefully avoided). It tightens its position with the help of the 18. Armee, which has to enlarge its own front, and troops from the reserve of the Army Group, which will stop the Soviet offensive at Vorü (north of Tartu) and Pustochka (west of Velikiye Luky).
AG North initially wanted to withdraw its forces to the old border between Latvia and the USSR as a new line of defense, but AG Center strongly protested. Indeed, such a withdrawal would have uncovered its northern flank (in Belarus). After discussion, AG North agrees to limit its withdrawal, in exchange for air support from the Luftwaffe units assigned to AG Center .
 
5798
October 4th, 1942

Operation Typhoon
The Northern wing offensive
- Little or no rain today - but heavy clouds cover the sky and the ceiling is so low that apart from the Henschel 123 biplanes, the Luftwaffe ground support aircraft are not taking off. Moreover, the German airfields are saturated with water and, apart from the Hs 123, only the Ju 52s can take off and land without problems. The VVS seem less affected by these conditions. Il-2s and I-152/153s attack German troops quite frequently; the I-153s even regain their role as fighters in the time of the Spanish war when they meet Hs 123.
Untamed, von Manstein resumes his attack against Pyryatyne. His tanks being always blocked by the mud, he tries to bypass the Soviet defenses by using his mechanized infantry, once this one has been landed. Around noon, the German vanguards are south of the city, but constantly harassed by small Soviet combat groups, sometimes reinforced by a platoon of T-50s.
In Pryluky, Shuikov resumes what the Germans consider to be "probes". In fact, the 37th Army launches a general attack! But the situation worries Reinhardt to the point that he decides to interrupt the attack of Pyryatyne, to the great anger of von Manstein. In reality, the improvised combat groups to contain the assaults of Shuikov or Shanshibadze frequently use the tanks that arrived as reinforcements. While doing so, the German tankers discover that out of the 500 tanks promised by the Führer, 200 are light tanks (Pz-II and Pz-38t), practically useless against most of the Soviet machines.
Among the others, some - including the new Pz-V - break down shortly after their arrival at the front, having driven too fast to come from Gomel in very difficult conditions.
The maintenance units have all the difficulties of the world to restore these tanks, because engines and transmissions have suffered a lot.

The Southern wing offensive - The rain has stopped, but the sky remains leaden. In the evening the rain will resume. On the airfields, completely soaked, movements are extremely difficult. The Bf 110s are stuck to the ground and the Ju 87s can only take off empty. Only the Hs 123s are able to carry out a few support missions. Similarly, on the Soviet side, only the I-153s can fly - and, as in the north, occasionally attack the Hs 123s.
The German attack resumes at dawn, against a Soviet resistance that hasstiffened. The political commissars of the 201st Division pass the slogan: "Ne shagu nazad" (Don't take a step backwards!). But the men of the 201st have great difficulty digging trenches in the mud and most have to make do with makeshift shelters. As a dense fog, which will be broken only at the end of the morning, covers the battlefield, the anti-tank units of the 201st (45 mm guns and even PTRD and PTRS rifles) will nevertheless take a toll on the lightest panzers advancing.
From 09:45, as far as the fog allows it, the self-propelled anti-tanks of the 406th Brigade intervene, while the heavy guns of the 349th Artillery Brigade try to support the infantry with their fire. Over a battlefield where any movement is difficult, an artillery duel has to be fought.
Shortly before 13:00, Kampfgruppe Hube and the 13. Panzer, which at that moment has only advanced 5 km at the cost of 22 tanks, come up against Rokossovsky's tanks. Maneuvering better in the mud, the latter obtains a near draw: 23 Soviet tanks lost against 21 panzers destroyed. In total, Hube and Düvert (13. Panzer) have only 23 tanks left, and Shpola is still not in sight!
Gathering his commanders, Kleist notices that his men are exhausted, but that they are still sure of being able to break through. He himself is less convinced of this and speaks to Kempf and von Wieterscheim: "Even if we get to Shpola, with what forces can we exploit it?" Nevertheless, at the urging of his subordinates, he agrees to make a third attempt to break through the Soviet defenses.
Meanwhile, southeast of Kiev, Kampfgruppe Dietrich and elements of 111. and 299. ID are facing attacks from the 26th Army and the survivors of the Dovator group in the direction of Mironivka. The fighting is fierce, but the Soviets are finally repulsed with significant losses.
 
5799
October 4th, 1942

Avanhard (west of Odessa)
- The 13th Romanian Infantry Rgt. has to face a Soviet counter-attack. The Reds attack without armor and without artillery support, which does not prevent them from charging with bayonets in the strip of unbuilt land that separates Avanhard from Malynovs'kyi district (western subdivision of Odessa). "Ура, Живой Сталин" (Hurrah, long live Stalin) they shout to give themselves courage. The Romanians, well entrenched in the houses of the small town and the fortifications built by the Red Army, greete them with heavy gunfire.
"Soldier Pretorian was running. The bullets rattled around him, ricocheting off the small dry stone wall he was running along. Around him, other Romanian soldiers were spreading out, shooting in the direction of the Reds. Pretorian bolted and threw himself into a chicken coop, but the wooden fence around the small building did not really protect him. As he panted, his nose in the dust, he saw a bullet shatter a post a step away. Frightened, he got up.
Straddling the wounded and the dying, he made his way to a non-commissioned officer who was trying to gather the men of the section.
The large collective farmhouse transformed into a fortress that the Romanians occupied was surrounded by low walls that marked the boundaries of the fields. Posted behind this precarious shelter, the Romanians opened a heavy fire on the Soviets who were attacking by throwing hand grenades. The explosions killed and wounded many of the defenders.
Still alive, Pretorian retreated into the farmhouse with other soldiers, defending the windows against screaming Russians who sprayed the openings with bursts of PPSh-41. The explosion of a "bouquet of grenades" formed by the explosive cylinders serving as heads of RGD-33 around a single shaft blew out part of the building, killing or wounding most of the defenders. Stunned, soldier Pretorian regained consciousness and pulled himself from the rubble as the sun set.
The battlefield was covered with dead. However, the first living men he encountered were Romanian medics searching for survivors. They had won, but at what cost."
(From La Guerre dans les Steppes, Jean Mabire, Presses de la Cité, 1955)
 
5800
October 4th, 1942

Operation Torch - D-Day+15
Last air preparations...

All day long, the allied planes attack targets on the Gerbini-Catania front or command posts and depots in Messina, Nicosia and Troina. The airfield of Trapani is opened to Allied operations, but after the numerous bombings of the previous weeks, only two runways are operational out of the five previously used by the Italians.
.........
Last naval preparations...
At noon, the Godfroy squadron leaves Bizerte in the direction of the northern coast of Sicily. At the beginning of the afternoon, the light monitors of the 1st Squadron of Coastal Fire Support enter the small port of Cefalù, close to the front, to support the attack along the coastal road. They are soon joined by the 2nd MTB Flotilla of the French Navy (squadrons I/2 and II/2, with sixteen MTBs in all, Elco 70-ft and Higgins 76-ft).
Meanwhile, the amphibious transports (LCI, LSM and BDIC) are busy landing the ruined docks of Palermo with as many supplies as possible, even though the large ships are still unable to reach the port because of the numerous destructions.
.........
... and public relations
Interview with General Bastin, by Jo Gérard.
"General, you have just been appointed to head the newly formed Belgian Army Corps formed in Sicily. How does this decision inspire you?
- An immense pride! Not so much for myself as for our brave soldiers. It demonstrates the confidence of our Allies in the military potential of the reconstituted Belgian army. It is the first concrete result of a gigantic work, accomplished in particularly difficult circumstances. Remember where we were two years ago! Today, we can field nearly 30,000 men in the various units that make up the CAB, and that's just the beginning!
- How did our troops perform in the Sicilian campaign?
- Admirable! Belgium can be proud of its sons. Castelvetrano, Castellammare del Golfo, Palermo, Corleone, will join Haelen and Dixmude in the annals of the Belgian army.
- Were the losses significant?
- They are still excessive: my latest information indicates 168 dead or missing and about 700 wounded [sentence censored]. However, in view of the successes achieved, they remain bearable. The morale of our soldiers remains excellent and they are giving their all to accelerate the liberation of our beloved country.
- What will be the next step?
- You will understand that military secrecy prevents me from telling you much about it. But Mussolini himself must suspect that we are not going to leave him the little corner of Sicily that he still controls.
- General, you were Chief of Staff of the Cavalry Corps during the Eighteen Days Campaign. How is it that you are not today a captive in Germany?
- When I learned of the King's unavoidable decision to end the fighting in Belgium, I had no desire to find myself once again a prisoner in Germany. Three years from 1914 to 1917, that was more than enough for me!
- This did not prevent you from making life difficult for the Germans! I can only recommend to our readers the fascinating book in which you describe your ten escape attempts (Jules Bastin, Mes dix évasions, Ed. Payat, 1936), which earned you the Légion d'Honneur and the French Medal of Escapees.
- That's true, but this time I preferred to take the lead and escape before I was caught! With a few officers from my unit, I reached Dunkirk, where I was able to board a British ship. We are now rewarded for our efforts!
- General, we wish you and your men all the best. Long live Belgium, long live the King!"
(Interview reproduced in Se battre pour la Belgique, 1940-44, by Jo Gérard, Hervé Gérard and Gustave Rens, Ed. Collet, Brussels, 1984)
 
5801
October 5th, 1942

Dihua, Xinjiang Province
- Consul General Pushkin can't believe it. Who does he think he is, this stupid puppet! Governor Sheng's dodging around, making a fuss, was unpleasant. But this is treason!
Pushkin had already almost choked during his lunch when he heard the proclamation made in the morning in Chongqing: the Kuo-Min-Tang government had announced "the long-awaited return of Xinjiang to the fold of the Republic of China, which thus regains its thousand-year-old unity". He had rushed to the governor's residence, where he had experienced the
He had rushed to the governor's residence, where he had experienced the supreme vexation of standing in line all afternoon without managing to see Sheng Shicai.
At about 19:30, he was relieved to see an envoy from the governor arrive with a letter for him. But when he read it, the consul general was furious!
The letter contained a memorandum asking him to "remove within three months from the territory of the Chinese province of Xinjiang all Soviet military personnel not essential to the delivery of military aid to the Republic of China". Since May 17th, this aid was limited to ammunition and spare parts... Moreover, the memo insolently asserted that the activities of the Sovsintorg company (which manages Soviet mining interests in Xinjiang) were "to be suspended until the provincial authorities of Xinjiang have reached an agreement with the interested Soviet ministries as to the fair distribution of the benefits of the mining facilities in the province".
After spending a good while blaming that ungrateful Sheng, Pushkin finally transmits the memorandum to Moscow. He will spend the rest of the night making arrangements to begin negotiations as soon as possible - once Moscow had given him permission, of course. But it will be in Chongqing! There is no question of letting the puppet believe that he has acquired any importance. The thought that Sheng will pay for his presumption sooner or later, and at a high price, helps him to calm down.
 
5802
October 5th, 1942

Milne Bay Area
- The LW/AW radar that landed in Mullins Harbour on the night of the 2nd and 3rd is assembled in only 48 hours over Bloody Saddle. It gives very quickly information on the operations of the Japanese Army Aviation in the area.
 
5803
October 5th, 1942

Guadalcanal, 01:00
- This time, the 16th and 29th Regiments of the 2nd Japanese Division attack in the middle of the night, relatively simultaneously. Wading through the muddy expanse of water that purported to be a river, the Japanese dash forward behind a barrage of 75 mm field guns and 105 mm field guns, a barrage that is more symbolic than anything else because of the lack of ammunition. Applying their usual tactics, they infiltrate between the American resistance points without paying attention to the terrible losses inflicted on them by the firepower of the Marines, while their 70 mm rounds target the American machine guns in response.
By 02:00, the positions of the 1st Marines Rgt seem to be submerged, even if most of them are in fact only bypassed by the Japanese assault waves. B Company of the 1st Marines, the most unfortunate, is attacked by two battalions of the 16th Regiment at the same time (though without any deliberate coordination). Except for a few survivors, it is practically destroyed.
Swearing and cursing, Colonel Puller finally obtains the support of the whole American artillery. He then distributes the fire of the 75s and 105s of the 11th Rgt as well as the 155s of the beach defense batteries to encircle the most threatened sectors and hammer the enemy rear, where Japanese reinforcements are concentrated.
In the morning, only a few small groups of Japanese remain in the American positions, desperately trying to reach the airfield. They are exterminated during the day.

Aden - Arrival of the Franco-American fleet en route to the South Pacific, which has just crossed the Suez Canal.

Brisbane - After clearing the seriously damaged bridge block, the removal of her destroyed turret III, the sealing of the breaches in the aft boiler room and repair of the main steam manifold crossbeam, the CA MN Duquesne sails for San Diego, where her repair and refit have just been scheduled. For services rendered during the second battle of Savo Island, the French government obtained from the Americans that the old fighter be refurbished and transformed into a theater command cruiser at the expense of the US Navy (which also hopes to use her services). She will cross the Pacific at 15 knots, running on her front boilers only.
 
5804
October 5th, 1942

Operation Iskra
- In the center of the offensive, Lavry and Ostrov fall. Violent fighting takes place in Velikiye Luky, which the Soviets control in large part at the end of the day. They also progress towards Pustoshka, but mainly because the defenders retreated.
On the German side, the troops of the 18. Armee expand their sector to the east, while the reserve units of AG North arrive at the front.
 
5805
October 5th, 1942

Operation Typhoon
The Nortern wing offensive
- Another day of showers falling from low clouds. While Reinhardt is trying to re-establish the positions of the 2. PzG, the 3. PzG is attacked by Chernyakovsky and Malinovsky's troops. The Soviets received new tanks, some of them just built by the Kharkov factory and hastily daubed with paint.
Chernyakovsky assigns all his new T-34s to the 119th Mechanized Corps and attacks after 50 minutes of artillery preparation. In spite of a high concentration of big guns, it is not enough to reduce the German defenses and when the Soviet tanks move forward, they are targeted by the towed and self-propelled anti-tanks. Fortunately for the attackers, the German vehicles suffer just like the Soviet tanks from the omnipresent mud.
Unable to maneuver properly, the Panzerjaegers begin to suffer from Soviet counterfire. Chernyakovsky's forces advance to Bakhmash, the cavalry infiltrating between the German positions as a very mobile infantry. At 14:00, although having taken heavy losses, Chernyakovsky manages to infiltrate a few units into the town and cut the road a little to the north, threatening to encircle the German defenders of the sector.
Further south, Malinovsky tries again to advance from east to west, from Romny to Pryluky.
There too, an artillery preparation is carried out, but again, it is not really effective: a number of shells do not explode because of poor quality fuses or when they fall in the mud. Men and tanks nevertheless throw themselves on the German lines, but they are stopped; the results are far from those foreseen by Chernyakovsky and the dead are even more numerous. Despite everything, Malinovsky's men did not fall in vain, because their efforts prevent Hoth from reinforcing the defenders of Bakhmash and the German situation on the Bakhmash-Nejyne axis begins to worsen.

The Southern wing offensive - After heavy rain during part of the night, the weather will improve slightly during the day. However, the weather conditions remain very unfavorable for aviation intervention and the mud continued to hamper ground movements.
From the beginning, the German attack encounters innumerable difficulties. At 08:30, although it has not even started, a new massive firing of rockets by the 57th Rgt of "Special Mortars" falls on the PanzerGrenadier regiments, reduced to a shadow of their former selves. The attack is delayed for more than two hours because of the losses suffered. A little later, the 57. ID is seriously slowed down by the fire of the two independent battalions whose rocket launchers, mounted on light T-26 chassis, are playing in the mud.
When the attack finally breaks through, it is again met with fire from anti-tank guns, and then a counter-attack of most of the Soviet tanks. Furious fights will take place on the plateau. At the beginning of the afternoon, the German forces have only 14 operational tanks left.
Shortly after, two new rocket salvos are fired. One of them falls into the void (on an area evacuated by the German forces), but the other surprises the infantry of the 44th and 75th Divisions advancing and inflicts serious casualties.
Disorganized, the German forces take several hours to regroup, especially as they avoid communicating by radio - they suspect (rightly) that the Soviets are using directional bearings to guide their artillery.
When the attack resumes, around 16:00 it is again confronted by Soviet tanks, scattered in small groups in support of their infantry. At 18:30, Kleist and Hube have to face the evidence. They have reached the road from Zemigorodka to Shpola, but they are still far from the little town. And Kleist is not yet aware that the 181st Division (59th Army), which had landed a few days earlier at Cherkassy, is taking up positions in and around Shpola. He also does not know that Bagramyan is preparing to attack the Hungarian army corps. But he decides to suspend offensive operations.
During the day, the 149th Soviet Division tries again to attack the German left flank. It comes up against the SS Wiking Division, which rejects it so strongly that the German officers would only consider this attack as a reconnaissance in force.
Kleist decides, however, that it is time to suspend the offensive to readjust his positions.
The German attack is in full crisis, but the Soviets do not realize it.
Konev has a series of meetings with the Stavka in the evening. He obtains to receive other reinforcements of the general reserves, the 62nd Army, which is to be transferred immediately to Shpola.
 
5806
October 5th, 1942

Nerubai'ske (northwestern suburb of Odessa)
- The first houses of Nerubai'ske are protected by trenches and sandbag bunkers. The Germans of the 198. ID launch themselves forward, covered by the fire of their MG-34s, while hand grenades fly towards the Soviet lines. But the Reds do not remain without retaliation; their Maxim machine guns, recognizable by their shields, sweep the ground, greedily gobbling up bands of 7.62 rounds.
The attackers, however, seize the barbed wire barricade on Kirova Street and advance between the low houses. But they are shot at from some houses along the street and Russians take cover behind another barricade, a little further away. There, they put in place a Degtiarev DP-28 machine gun, whose bursts have devastating effects.
Sprayed with grenades on both flanks, the Germans try to advance until muffled detonations followed by characteristic whistles announce the entry into action of mortars. Deadly explosions force the Germans to withdraw, while the defenders shout patriotic songs at the top of their lungs.
 
While I fully accept that Russia would have been better militarily prepared and would have held up better if Barbarossa hadn't taken place until 1942, I think that they are performing just a bit too well given that Voroshilov, Timoshenko and Budyenny are still prominent figures in the early part of the war and the Commissars and, in particular, Mekhlis and Vashugin are also going to be around at the start of the war. Kirponos, who seemed to have a bit of nous, surviving is a definite advantage to the Soviets but the OKW weren't entirely wrong about the levels of ineptitude in the Soviet military command since the Purges. There's just not enough mistakes made and good units sacrificed in the early stages of Barbarossa.
 
performing just a bit too well given that Voroshilov, Timoshenko and Budyenny are still prominent figures in the early part of the war
Voroshilov is responsible for the collapse of the Belarus front and has been essentially sacked. Tymoshenko about the same due to failures on the Baltic and Belarus front, and Budyenny has been essentially sidelined in front of the annihilation of the different cavalry corps.
 
5807 - Start of Operation Trident
October 5th, 1942

Operation Trident - D-Day (Torch, D-Day+16)
Allied plans: Lightfoot, Supercharge, Neptune and Quiévrain

According to the plan adopted after the capture of Palermo, the Allied troops will attack in three sectors, North, Center and East. The offensive is to start first in the Northern sectors (under the command of General Delestraint) and the East (under the command of General Montgomery).
"On the British side, the Xth Corps under General Ritchie was to resume the offensive against Gerbini (Operation Lightfoot) and General Allfrey's V Corps was to attack along the coast (Operation Supercharge). The aim of this double assault was first of all to fix as many Italian troops as possible. Aerial reconnaissance had shown that the Italians were well entrenched. "Monty" had therefore carefully planned an assault based on his superiority in artillery (and on the help provided to Allfrey by the fire support squadrons). He did not hope for a spectacular breakthrough, but a progressive crushing of the Italian defenses, allowing in a second time to begin an operation towards Messina." (According to Francesco Folcini, La caduta dell'Italia Fascista, Rome, 1961)
In the northern sector, the attack is named Neptune (the god with the trident). It must also benefit from considerable naval and air support. Delestraint hopes that the Italian troops would concentrate on the front line, near the coast, thus exposing themselves to a landing on their rear once they were engaged in the battle.
The attack by General Montagne's troops in the Centre sector is to be launched later than in the other two sectors. This decision was made in the hope that the Italian command would weaken its center to strengthen its right and left. This would make the task of the mountain troops easier and their losses reduced, although very tough fighting was expected in a very hostile geographical environment. Montagne's men have the mission of cutting the defenders' forces in two and turning the "Etna Line" from the northwest. The French 4th Corps has to attack along Route 120 through Gangi and the Belgian Corps along Routes 121 and 117 through Leonforte towards Nicosia, where the two CA should meet before pushing towards Troina. This Franco-Belgian association provided the code name of this offensive: Quiévrain (the name of this commune which marks the French-Belgian border is unpronounceable for the Anglo-Saxons, but as there are no English speakers in the area...).
"The preparation of Operation Trident had been masked (at least, that's what they had tried to do) by the installation of a network of false command posts between Trapani and Castellammare del Golfo, to make the Italian staff believe that the next objective of the operation would be Sardinia or Corsica. Given the French strategy during the summer of 1940, it was not absurd to hope that the Italians would fear a landing on these two islands. Nevertheless, General Guzzoni did not fall into this trap, even though Mussolini and Victor-Emmanuel III were more or less convinced that the enemy was preparing to strike in Sardinia or even to land directly in Corsica (where the kidnapping by the Resistance of the general-governor of the island, a few weeks earlier, had made a big impression. (Francesco Folcini, op. cit.)

The Italian reorganization
"Since the beginning of Operation Torch, Guzzoni had obtained from Mussolini (to the great chagrin of General Ambrosio) substantial reinforcements. The first days of October had seen the arrival of two mountain infantry divisions, the 2nd Sforzesca and the 3rd Ravenna, and part of the 16th Motorized Infantry Division Pistoia. If the first two corresponded to the "share of the fire" to which Ambrosio had resigned himself on 21 September, the Pistoia replaced the Trento as an expiatory victim: finally forced to let go of a second motorized infantry division, the Chief of General Staff, in agreement with Messe, had at least held firm on the preservation of the latter. Moreover, he had not considered it useful to warn Guzzoni that the heavy equipment of Pistoia, and in particular the 3rd Fossalta Artillery Regiment, had little chance of ever passing the Messina Strait.
Even ignoring this detail, Guzzoni knew that his position remained weak. The territorial units had virtually no military value. What remained of the mobile units stationed in Sicily at the beginning of the campaign were in a sad state. Only the troops from the Armata di Levante were still able to fight effectively, and they lacked firepower and anti-aircraft protection. Even the Brigata Corazzata "M" and the 52nd Motorized Division Torino, transferred at the end of September, had suffered a lot and had only 50-60% of their theoretical strength left. Moreover, the continuous allied air attacks against Messina and Reggio Calabria had destroyed the local infrastructure, making it very difficult to transfer any heavy equipment. In practice, movements through the Strait of Messina could only be made at night. (Francesco Folcini, op. cit.)
.........
Forced to make do with these hard-pressed forces, Guzzoni reorganizes them into three army corps.
Armata di Sicilia (situation on October 5th, 1942, 00:00)
General Alfredo Guzzoni (Chief of Staff: General Emilio Faldella)
Catania-Gerbini sector: XVI Corps (General Carlo Rossi)
- 54th DI Napoli (General Giulio Cesare Gotti Porcinari)
75th and 76th Infantry Regiments, 173rd Blackshirt Legion, 54th Artillery Rgt (four groups of howitzers, two 100/17 motorized, two 75/13 transported by pack animals, two
two AA 20 mm batteries). Unit seriously reduced.
- 40th Corps Artillery Group with 3 groups : XIIIth with 12 105/28 guns, CXth and CXIIIth with 12 howitzers of 149/13 each.
- 1a Brigata Corazzata "M" (Consul General Alessandro Lusana)
Two battalions of medium tanks (61 x M13/40 or M14/41), one battalion of self-propelled guns (30 x Semoventi M41 75/18), an independent company of Carri Pesante (10 x P26 pre-production) and a mechanized battalion of Black Shirts on German half-tracks. Unit transferred at the end of September, lost 50% of its equipment and 35% of its men.
- 52nd Motorized Division Torino (General Luigi Krall)
81st and 82nd RI, 52nd Artillery Rgt (12 x 100/17, 24 x 75/27, 16 x 20 mm AA), one anti-tank battalion (8 x 47/32, 8 x Semoventi L40 of 47/32), 74th anti-tank battery (4 x 75/39). Unit transferred at the same time as the Brigata "M" and seriously weakened by the first fights.
- 2nd Sforzesca Mountain ID (general Carlo Pellegrini)
53rd and 54th RI, 17th Artillery Rgt (24 howitzers of 75/18, 12 of 100/17, 2 AA batteries of 20 mm), 2nd anti-tank company (8 x 47/32), 70th anti-tank battery (4 x 75/39). Unit transferred from XXI Corps of the Armata di Levante and being deployed on October 5th.
- 35° Reggimento Corazzato "Centauro II" (35th Armoured Regiment)
Two battalions with three companies of medium tanks and one of self-propelled guns: in all, 78 x M13/40 and M14/41, 26 x Semoventi M41 of 75/18.
Unit being transferred from the X Corps of the Armata di Levante between October 3rd and October 7th.
.........
Central sector: XXXII Corps (officially created on October 5 at 00:00 - General Benvenuto Gioda, transferred from the Armata di Levante and arriving on October 6th at Troina)
- 4th Mountain ID Livorno (General Domenico Chirieleison)
33rd and 34th Infantry Regiments, 95th Black Shirt Battalion, two Engineer Battalions, a battalion of mortars (81 mm), 28th Artillery Rgt (four groups of towed howitzers: 24 x 75/18, 24 x 10/17; three AA batteries of 20 mm), 4th Anti-tank Battalion (16 x Semoventi L40 of 47/32 mm). Unit seriously reduced.
- 3rd Mountain ID Ravenna (General Edoardo Nebbia)
37th and 38th RI, 121st Motorized Artillery Rgt (three groups of howitzers: 24 x 75/18, 12 x 105/28; 2 AA batteries of 20 mm), one anti-tank battalion (16 x 47/32), 71st anti-tank battery (4 x 75/39). Unit transferred from the XXI Corps of the Armata di Levante and being deployed on October 5th in the Troina-Nicosia area, with most of its artillery still in Reggio Calabria.
.........
Northern sector: XIIth Corps (General Mario Arisio)
- Mobile Group C (with about ten M13/40 or 14/41 tanks).
- 28th Aosta Division (General Luigi Manzi)
5th and 6th Infantry Regiments, 171st Black Shirt Battalion, 22nd Artillery Rgt. (three groups of towed guns, two 20 mm AA batteries), 28th Mortar Battalion (27 x 81 mm). Seriously reduced unit.
- 16th Motorized ID Pistoia (General Giuseppe Falugi)
35th and 36th RI, 3rd Artillery Rgt (three groups: 8 x 100/17, 8 x 75/27, 8 x 75/32; 3 AA batteries of 20 mm). Unit being transferred from the X Corps of the Armata di Levante.
.........
"However, if Guzzoni was well aware that Sicily was the main target of the Allies, if he had correctly guessed the Allied objective (to trap his troops) and if he had understood the threat to the Palermo-Messina and Catania-Messina coastal routes, he misjudged the timing of the attack. He did not expect the Allies to resume the offensive until the 8th or the 9th. Indeed, he had underestimated the scale of the Allied logistical effort and the fact that that French and Belgian troops were prepared to settle for more spartan living conditions than British and (especially) American troops. Furthermore, due to the intensity of the previous British attacks on Gerbini, he expected the most dangerous blow to come from Montgomery's side and did not suspect the risk to his center." (Francesco Folcini, op. cit.)
.........
Lightfoot: the victory of the Churchills
The battle begins with a three-hour bombardment on the entire front of the 1st British Army. It is said that Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, the future Viscount of Sicily, did not leave the details to anyone, battery by battery.
At 08:10 am, the X Corps launches itself forward. The 50th British ID (Northumbrian) and two regiments of the 2nd South African ID slowly make their way through the Italian defenses west of Gerbini, with the support of Churchill tanks and Churchill 3-in. Gun Carriers of the 1st Army Tank Brigade. Two of the three regiments of this brigade were in fact equipped with Churchill "infantry tanks"*. In addition, all the Gun Carriers sent to Sicily were divided into two additional squadrons attached to the Churchill-equipped regiments and each composed of a 3 Churchill Mk.I HQ (useful for close support) and three platoons of 5 Gun Carriers. The latter are used as assault guns against the positions of their opponents of the previous weeks, the "M" Brigade and the 52nd motorized Torino. They approach the Italian field fortifications and shelters without fearing their fire and destroy them with direct hits from their 3 inches.
Around noon, the Italians, unable to reply to the deadly fire of the 6th AGRA guns (Army Group, Royal Artillery), begin to withdraw to their second line of defense, which the British reach shortly after 15:30.
The situation appears so serious that General Luigi Krall (of the Torino) and the head of the XVIth Corps, General Carlo Rossi, decide to counter-attack by gathering all the remaining tanks and Semoventi in the "M" Brigade and the Torino Division. At that moment, the 1st Army Tank Brigade also lost a lot of forces, not so much under anti-tank fire (the Churchills were indifferent to the fire of the 47/32 guns) but also because of the mines. Nevertheless, if a mine could stop a Churchill, it could not put it out of action. Playing the role of fortresses, the Churchills, even when untouched, stop the Italian counter-attack, which is halted at 1840 hours. Several Churchill Mk.III crews report serious problems with their 6-pdr, but the small 2-pdr that arms the Mk.I as the Mk.II is enough to stop even an M14/42, and the 3-inch long Gun Carriers leaves no chance to the Italian tanks. Thus, the machines of Squadron A, supported by a platoon of Gun Carriers, claim the destruction of 11 tanks and 5 self-propelled vehicles.
At dusk, when silence falls on the battlefield, the British forces have not yet broken the Italian second line, but they have seriously damaged it, drawing in all the reserves in the area.
.........
Supercharge: a "naval" victory
On the east coast, Allfrey can only launch his V Corps attack at 10:35, because the combination of a morning mist and a strong swell delayed the naval bombardment. The heavy monitors HMS Erebus and Terror, supported by their little brothers of the 2nd Coastal Fire Squadron and by the allied fighter-bombers, carry out an impressive suppression fire against the Italian positions north of Catania. Supported by the 4th Armoured Brigade, mainly equipped with Valentines and some old Matildas, the men of the 6th ID and the 231st Infantry Brigade start to advance northwards. The 54th ID Napoli and the 53rd Infantry Regiment of the 2nd DIM Sforzesca resist stubbornly, but in the evening, the 75th Infantry Regiment of the Napoli is reduced to the size of a battalion. Most of the division's artillery is eliminated by Royal Navy guns in an attempt to oppose the British advance.
.........
Neptune: watch out for mines
In the northern sector, naval support is also delayed by the morning fog, but it dissipates earlier, and the attack begins at 09:15. The 14th French ID (brigade De Larminat in the lead) and a regiment of the American 1st ID Big Red One attack on the coastal road, supported by the CC A of the 2nd US armored division. The 15th DBLE Massada-Valmy attacks a little more inland, on the hillside. Fighting is less severe than in the eastern sector, but progress is slow, because the defenders have sown a very large number of mines.
.........
As expected...
All in all, at the end of the day, the situation is more or less as expected by the allied plans. The progress is slow and the defense is fierce, but the numerical and qualitative superiority of the Allies begins to speak. Heavy land artillery, naval guns and constant air support take an ever-increasing toll on the Italian forces.
General Guzzoni makes the same assessment. From his point of view, the attack of the X Corps under Ritchiis the most threatening. Gerbini's defenses crack. At 22:00, Guzzoni orders the 38th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Ravenna Infantry Division, which had just arrived at Troina from Messina, to move south-east towards Adrano to avoid the collapse of the Torino.
 
5808
October 6th, 1942

Brussels
- The Military Government for Belgium and the North of France decides to set up the implementation of the "Service du Travail Obligatoire". This order concerns men from 18 to 50 years old and women from 21 to 35 years old. Some critical categories are exempted, like the railway workers of the SNCB and the miners. This measure, of sinister memory following the precedent of the Great War, pushes many young people into hiding. The peak in the number of Belgians working in Germany is reached in mid 1943, with about 250,000 workers in exile, voluntary or not.
 
5809
October 6th, 1942

Milne Bay
- Bad weather forces a 24-hour suspension of air operations.
The Australians and Americans take advantage of this to distribute in a safe place the equipment and supplies brought in during Operation Havelock.
 
5810
October 6th, 1942

Guadalcanal
- Both sides take stock after the previous day's fighting.
The Americans are furious: although the attack was finally repulsed, the defenses appeared for a moment to be in great danger. In about ten days, new reinforcements will arrive. They will have to be acclimatized and supplied with ammunition before considering to attack, because the concerns of the previous day show that the American superiority is far from being assured. There is no question of taking the slightest risk.
The Japanese were painfully surprised (except, of course, General Kawagushi and, no doubt, General Maruyama): apparently, the Spirit of the Warrior was not enough to assure complete victory in front of the Yankee shells.
Kawagushi then obtains what he had been asking for a week: heavy artillery. The general staff granted him the sending of pieces of the 24th Special Heavy Artillery Rgt. These are 150 mm Type 89 long range guns (roughly equivalent to the 155 mm GPF). A few should be enough to seriously disrupt Henderson Field. In the jungle, the US guns will not be able to carry out effective counter-battery fire. The hated Marines would have to attack, and this time they would be well received. If the 2nd Division had been severely punished during the fighting on the 5th and the survivors are already beginning to suffer from the debilitating effects of the climate, malaria and amoebiasis, the 28th Division is on its way to the Solomons...
.........
Ironbottom Sound - A raid by Japanese seaplanes (four E13A1s and nine A6M2-Ns) against small boats in the Guadalcanal-Tulagi traffic is disrupted by the intervention of seven "Floatfire". After a small aerial battle, two E13A1 and two A6M2-N are shot down, in exchange for three Floatfires.
.........
Eastern Solomons - In the evening, a PBY Catalina, after having dropped off personnel and medical equipment on Henderson Field, returns to Espiritu Santo. South of San Cristobal, it surprises the submarine I-22 on the surface and attacks it immediately. A few depth charges are enough to sink the submarine, which had hardly time to start its dive.
 
5811 - Liberation of Tartu
October 6th, 1942

Operation Iskra
- Tartu, Ostrov and Velikye Luky are in Soviet hands, but everywhere else, the attempts to continue to advance are curtly blocked by the German troops. The generals commanding the 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts would like to interrupt the operation, but the Stavka refuses and orders the resumption of the offensive.
 
5812
October 6th, 1942

Operation Typhoon
The Northern wing offensive
- The weather is getting a little better, but the effects of the Russian autumn are still felt by the Panzerwaffe and the Luftwaffe. The latter can nevertheless give a certain support to von Manstein and, after great efforts of the German pioneers and sappers, the LVI.PanzerKorps manages to bypass Pyryatyne and march on Lubny. The LVI. PzK, or what is left of it: despite the support of the 3. Panzer of Breith, it has hardly more forces than an intact Panzerdivision slightly reinforced. The German columns triy to advance on very narrow roads, which are quickly transformed into potholes. The progress is slow and it is necessary to think about containing the Soviet forces encircled in Pyryatyne, which constantly threaten von Manstein's rear. At dusk, Lubny - the last important stage before Kremenchug - is in sight, but the vanguards are met by heavy artillery fire.
East of Pryluky, Malinovsky's attack is cut short with heavy losses. But in the west of the city, it is this time the 37th Army of Shuikov that the Germans must repel.
However, it is at Bakhmach, north-east of Pryluky, that the main confrontation of the day takes place. The Soviets eventually overrun the defenders. While the 44th Army begins to enter the ruins of the city, Chernyakovsky pushes his advantage and launches his 1st Armored Army toward Nezhnyne in the west. The 1st PanzerArmee is threatened to be cut in two!
Guderian's forces are indeed spread over nearly 150 km. In the northwest, the XXIV. PanzerKorps (von Schweppenburg) holds the 5th Army and the 17th Motorized Army (of the 1st Ukrainian Front). Further east, the XXXIX. PzK (Schmidt) of the 3. PzG faces the Boldin forces between Dobruz and Mena.
South of Chernygov, the XLVII. PanzerKorps (Model) of the 2. PzG holds Nejyne against Shanshibadze, the remnants of Belov's cavalry, the 21st Artillery Division and the independent brigades of the Kiev defense zone. East of Nejyne, on the side of the 3. PzG, the LVII. PanzerKorps (Kuntzen) desperately tries to defend both the Nejyne-Bakhmash and Pryluky-Romny transversals. Finally, in the southwest, stretched from Prylouky to the outskirts of Lubny, von Manstein and his LVI. PanzerKorps (plus the 3. Panzer of Breith) have to contain at the same time contain the assaults of Shuikov towards Pryluky and progress towards Kremenchug.
On the other hand, to the east of the German offensive, the Stavka reserve is concentrated around Konotop, on both banks of the Seym.
Guderian is unaware of this new threat, but the situation seems serious enough for him to go meet with Reinhardt and Hoth in Nejyne at the end of the day.
The first priority is to counter the offensive of Chernyakovsky's Armored Army in order to avoid the collapse of the whole operation. Guderian decides to use the 6. Panzer of the LVI. PzK and two regiments of the SS Totenkopf Division to attack the Soviet tip of the south-west, while a "KampfGruppe Nehring" consisting of elements of the 17. and 18. Panzer is assigned to attack from west to east on the Nejyne-Bakhmash road, with the help of the 18. ID (LVII. AK).
But Guderian refuses to give up the goal of Typhoon. Having learned that Kleist is approaching the Dnieper south of Cherkassy, he orders Manstein to resume his advance southward with his remaining troops.

The Southern wing offensive - The rain resumes during the night and continues until about 10:00, increasing the misery of the soldiers on both sides. However, the Soviets are enjoying the precarious calm that has returned to the 14th Army sector. Small groups of I-153s take advantage of this to harass the German rear.
Kleist gathers his generals in Boguslav (Bohuslav) to consider the next steps to be taken in the operation. The Shpola corridor seems fragile and expensive to defend. He proposes to abandon part of it to shorten his lines. This time, all the generals approve this decision, but Sepp Dietrich, always combative, proposes to rush to the Dnieper by the shortest route. It is again the option "Little Typhoon". In desperation, the idea is accepted.
On the Soviet side, the 14th Army is in a critical state. Main opponent of the Germans the day before, the 201st ID is decimated. However, the battle seems to have reached a lull.
Aware that the enemy should not be given time to recover, Konev, with the consent of the Stavka, orders the 45th Army to attack on the Uman - Jaskiv (Zhaskiv) axis, against the Hungarian forces. In addition, the responsibility for the fortified areas of Cherkassy and Krementchug (ChUR and KUR) passes to the new 3rd Ukrainian Front (Lt-Gen. A.I. Lopatin), activated on October 4th to hold the junction between the Strategic Directions West and South-West.
 
5813
October 6th, 1942

Nerubai'ske
- "Private Tesador belonged to the 39th Romanian Infantry Regiment. Posted on the roof of a house, he was watching the firefight around him. The long bursts of
machine guns, the shorter bursts of the Soviet machine guns and the dry, incessant snapping of the rifles. The fighting was not far away, probably just in the street parallel to the one overlooked by the house he occupied.
Tesador moved on crouching. Holding his rifle in one hand, he grabbed the chimney with the other and looked down to a perpendicular street that appeared between the buildings. He could see Romanian soldiers running quickly across the alley. Shots rang out, tearing off the walls with splinters of masonry. One unlucky man collapsed, his hands pressed to his stomach. A comrade grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him to relative safety.
A few soldiers were advancing, right at his feet, toward the end of the alley, which joined a more important street, the Sovkhoznya, running east-west. The south side of the street was unbuilt, directly overlooking fields; the Soviets had installed a bunker there, along with trenches and mortars. These fired in sequences, aimed at the streets occupied by the Romanians.
Sometimes the Soviets would gather en masse and launch a charge... like now!
Tesador swore and took cover behind the fireplace. The Reds stormed in, shouting slogans. From a rooftop, a machine gunner aimed his ZB-30 at the street's mouth, releasing a short burst that had a definite effect. Some of Stalin's soldiers collapsed, the others scattered, but the Romanians were firing at them from windows and barricades. Tesador himself pulled the trigger of his VZ-24 rifle. He had aimed at a soldier hiding behind a pile of debris, too afraid to move forward. He was pleased to see him collapse. As he straightened up to look for another target, a sudden pain made him put his hand to his neck, his vision turned red and he lost his balance, tipping over into the void...
.........
In a parallel street, soldier Forasco was crouching behind a barricade of paving stones torn from the street. He was playing a dangerous game and he knew it. His throat was dry, unlike the back of his uniform, soaked with cold sweat. He got up suddenly, shouldered his gun and fired in the direction of a barricade occupied by the Russians. No sooner had he huddled in the shelter again that bullets whistled above him. Panting, he tried to regain his composure. He had to start again, because if he and his comrades stopped shooting, the Soviets would advance and could attack with grenades. Forasco straightened up again, only to be pinned down by a burst from a PPSh-41 that hit him in the chest.
.........
A few streets away, Romanian soldiers were advancing cautiously in an alley. Razvan Antonescu was not related to the dictator, but he would have liked it.
So he could have been sent to guard some warehouse in Timisoara, his hometown. Instead, he was wandering around this labyrinth, just waiting to come face to face with some Russians. So it would be the fastest way...
Arriving at the corner of a street, he pointed his rifle and took a look around. Nothing... A mortar shell fell not far away and the house next to it shook, dropping a few tiles that crashed to the ground. In the middle of the clouds of smoke and dust, Antonescu discerned silhouettes that were progressing parallel to his group. He raised his weapon, then recognized his comrades by their helmets stamped with the royal family crest. Antonescu sighed. Signaling to the other soldiers, he resumed his advance.
Soviet mortars continued to thunder and explosions sounded around them, damaging the buildings and throwing bricks and tiles around. It was better not to be too close. But the sound of gunfire worried Antonescu even more. He and his companions were getting dangerously close. They had been told that the enemy had dug in around Mikoyana Street. An entrance to the catacombs, not far away, offered the Soviets a well-sheltered underground base.
Suddenly they came upon a large avenue surrounded by three- and four-story stone buildings. Despite shell holes in the road and a few wrecks, it was still in good condition. Shots threw Antonescu to safety. Some of the streets in front were strewn with barricades held by the Reds. He looked around again.
Romanians in ambush were firing from the street corners. Some were trying to cross the open space in the middle of the street, but they all perished. And considering the number of dead bodies on the ground, they must have been trying for a while. The artillery of the 8th Division was pounding enemy positions and shells were hitting the buildings with regularity - though they were not expected to kill many people, given the heavy fire of the Odessa defenders.
The third time he glanced towards the Soviet positions, Antonescu saw Reds running towards him, firing at random. Bullets hit the corner of the wall and he retreated several meters. Terrified, he took a grenade from his belt, primed it and cocked his arm. Four Russians appeared. He threw his projectile.
He had time to see the explosion before he collapsed, mowed down by a burst of machine gun fire."
(From La Guerre dans les Steppes, Jean Mabire, Presses de la Cité, 1955)
 
5814
October 6th, 1942

Operation Trident - D-Day+1 (Torch, D-Day+17)
Pressure on the coast

At dawn, the attack resumes in the eastern and northern sectors.
In the east (Lightfoot), the British X Corps pushed once again towards Gerbini. The 1st Army Tank Brigade concentrates all its operational Churchills in two large squadrons and launch them towards the Agira-Adrano-Gerbini-Catania road, west of Gerbini. At 14:35, the second line of Italian defense is broken and a group consisting of two platoons of tanks, two Gun Carriers and two battalions of the 50th ID (Northumbrian) reach the road, cutting off Gerbini's defenders from their rear. Guzzoni orders the 38th RI of the 3rd Ravenna Division to counter-attack, but he had no artillery support (the division's artillery had landed in Messina during the night and the still operational guns of the 40th Corps Artillery Group were poorly placed to intervene). The Italian infantrymen, overwhelmed by British artillery shells, are easily repulsed.
On the coast (Supercharge), the V Corps is still advancing slowly. Nervous, Montgomery calls Allfrey in the evening to find a way to speed up the movement. The meeting starts badly, with Montgomery scathingly reproaching his lack of results to his colleague. It took all of Alexander's diplomacy to re-establish a semblance of dialogue.
Stung to the core, Allfrey then proposes a landing of commandos in Acireale, behind the backs of the defenders of the coastal road.
In the northern sector (Neptune), the French and Americans continue to advance, but with significant delays in the plan. Paradoxically, the greatest progress is made in the hills by the legionnaires of the Massada-Valmy half-brigade, as the Italians had concentrated their forces to block the coastal road.
On the one hand, the terrain is not very high, but it is interspersed with valleys running south/north, at 90° to the Allied axis of advance. On the other: the sea, with no beach wider than a few meters. Between the two, the road and the railroad below. The whole on less than 200 meters wide, sometimes - often - less. Very easy to defend, by mines, landslides and traps. So it is difficult to progress without the engineers having cleared the way.
So they start to work on it! Fortunately, they are rarely under enemy fire, which is quickly counterattacked. But before that, it is very difficult.
.........
Quiévrain: surprise attack in the center
The most important event of the day is the start of "Quiévrain", the Franco-Belgian offensive. Betting on the fact that after the previous day's fighting, the Italians would expect that any attack would be preceded by an abundant artillery preparation and would start at dawn, General Montagne orders the attack at 12:45, without any prior bombardment. On Route 120, towards Gangi, the Algerian riflemen of the 86th DIA and the goumiers of the 2nd Tabor Group are in the lead. On Route 121, towards Leonforte, the 7th Chasseurs Ardennais lead the attack.
Montagne's gamble pays off. Riflemen and goumiers surprise the defenders. They suffer heavy losses at first, but by 19:30 they are halfway to Gangi. The Chasseurs, with the help of some tanks of the Tancremont Brigade, quickly break through the Italian lines and take Leonforte.
This attack is a very bad surprise for the leader of the newly formed XXXII Corps, General Gioda. Coming from Messina, he only arrived at his headquarters in Troina at 16:10, his car had been targeted three times by Allied fighters. There he discovers a chaotic situation. Communications are cut with the 33rd and 34th regiments of the Livorno and only one regiment, the 37th of the Ravenna, remains available to cover Nicosia.
.........
At the end of the day, General Guzzoni warns Rome that the situation is deteriorating severely. He requests the authorization to withdraw the troops fighting on the north coast towards Santo Stefano.
 
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