Fantasque Time Line (France Fights On) - English Translation

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6495
December 20th, 1942

Alger
- Around the waxed wooden conference table sit a few men - two senior French military intelligence officials, a member of the cabinet of the President of the Council and one from the cabinet of the Minister of Defense, plus four representatives of France's two main allies, two British and two Americans, no more. All eight of them are hanging on the lips of Pierre de Froment, the head of Operation Medusa, who has just stood up.
- Good morning, gentlemen. Thank you for coming. This meeting is intended to shed light on the current situation of Operation Medusa. It is probably a little over two years since the Collaborators created the Atlas network. We became aware of its existence early last year and have gradually succeeded in infiltrating it. At present, some of our 12 penetrators have managed to reach some of the highest Atlas positions.
The head of Atlas in Tunisia has been turned and is now working for us. Other of his men are in the same situation and others are simply men of ours recruited by the previous ones according to our... suggestions. Only a third of the Tunisian structure of Atlas is really collabo, and we control it thanks to the other agents.
In Algeria, the work is less advanced, the difficulties are greater and the pool of enemy sympathizers larger, but we have placed enough pawns not to fear much. The... sudden disappearance of Mr. Vaugrand, who had enthroned himself as the head of Atlas for the whole NAF, but in practice for Algeria, calms us down completely.
In addition, we have been working for months with the Germans on accreditation, providing them with accurate and verifiable information, in the operation carried out shortly before Torch was launched.

Captain Stirling, a sturdy Scotsman, raises his hand: "What kind of information?"
- For example, names of units sent to the Sicilian front. When we learned that a regiment had suffered losses against the Italians, we hurried to communicate its position to the Germans. The information that we transmitted to them always arrived before the Italian services and, ironically, we were the ones who were credited with its discovery. Now, the Germans are probably quite convinced of the reliability of Atlas.
- But are you sure?

The man who just spoke is a British colonel with a strong salt and pepper mustache. This officer, unknown to the public, is the head of Force A, the Allied counter-espionage network in the Mediterranean. Network X, in North Africa, is the French component.
- Colonel?
- A few days ago, you eliminated Vaugrand, a key figure, however. Don't you fear that this will provoke the mistrust of the Abwehr? Besides, why did you do it? Because of the messages in code that he was sending to the Germans?
- We broke the code, and you're right, it was his messages that made us eliminate him, colonel, but not because they were dangerous. His transmissions were nothing more than meaningless political jargon. What they showed us was that the man wanted to interfere in everything that was happening in Atlas and that he was a sort of political commissar. When he managed to get his official appointment as head of Atlas-NAF, it became clear that he had to be eliminated before he found out what was really going on.
- I understand your reasons, but... How do you say... Wouldn't that give them a hint?
- No, because it was officially one of the six agents who landed on December 3rd by plane, and the Germans took Vaugrand's assassination as a settling of scores between Lavalists and Doriotists! As the Abwehr doesn't like Doriot very much, it's just that they didn't ask us to congratulate the supposed killer.

The English colonel nods his head in satisfaction. Froment flips through a file, then: "We have thus entered phase two of Medusa. The goal is now to carry out a major military disinformation. In agreement with the allied high command, we must push the enemy to overestimate our forces and to be mistaken about the location of the landing in Italy, which now seems inevitable, even if it was not necessarily in our plans before the elimination of our great friend Mussolini.
Commander Lagny asks to speak.
- Commander?
- Didn't we have to convince them that the landing would take place somewhere other than Italy?
- We also spread information about a landing in Sardinia, Greece and even in Provence. But let's say that Atlas considers them unreliable. Curiously, it appears that the Germans were sure that we had taken Sicily to invade Italy, well before we had decided to do so! So, we are going in their direction, which gives us credibility...
- I understand.

Froment resumes his presentation.
- Three days ago, we sent this message to the Germans: "Important preparations throughout NAF. All the French, British and American troops who had taken part in the operations in Sicily [followed a detailed list of units which will not tell them anything] are preparing for a very forthcoming amphibious operation. Possible destinations: Sardinia and Corsica, Italy, Southern France."
Yesterday, we went up a notch: "EMERGENCY. Large amphibious operation imminent. Intense naval movements. Strong aeronautical activity. The Dissenters [that's what Atlas members call our national army, isn't that something?] bring many British and American reinforcements."
Tomorrow we will send the following message: "EXTREME EMERGENCY. Landing in the south of Italy in preparation, near the Strait of Messina. Another landing further north is planned later, to trap the Axis forces.
- What is the expected effect?
" asked the head of the A force.
- Obviously, they were not going to rush forces far to the south, with Italians who could not be less reliable. When they see our predictions come true, they'll believe in whatever we tell them next... On the other hand, they asked us what the Allies think of Badoglio.
- And what did you answer?
- We hesitated. We had to answer, though! So we explained that the French thought nothing but bad things about him, that they were certain that Italy would remain in the Axis and that the Marshal was no better than Mussolini. But we added that the Americans thought that Badoglio was going to betray Germany and that the British were between the two!

A light laugh runs through the audience...
.........
According to "Atlas médusé - The response of French counter-espionage to the activities of spies of the NEF and the Axis in North Africa", by A. Naxagore, Paris, 1946.
 
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6496
December 21st, 1942

Berlin
- Since it has become impossible to deny Germany's crushing defeats in the Ukraine (maliciously confirmed by Von Trott, under the seal of secrecy, of course), Subhas Chandra Bose is in a sombre mood: it would probably be a long time before his Indian Legion can return to India through the North-Western border... It seems that his grand plan has little chance of succeeding with the Germans.
The Japanese are probably a better horse to bet on: had they not defeated the impregnable fortress of Singapore? And, in the process, did they not take many of their Indian compatriots prisoner, who are surely only too willing to join his Legion? Better still, did not the Indian Independence League, sponsored at great expense by the same Japanese, did it not officially invite Bose, at its second conference held in Bangkok the previous June, to come and lead the independence movement?
Yes, yes, three times yes! It is decided: Subhas Chandra will ask for an audience with Gen. Hiroshi Ōshima, the Japanese ambassador in Berlin, to get to the Japanese Co-Prosperity Sphere.
 
6497
December 21st, 1942

South of Grytefjord, 01:05
- This time, it's the good one! Clear sky, very cold, scattered clouds sometimes pouring snow crystals. Poulsson is surprised by the little noise made by the four-engine aircraft that he sees rather late, engines reduced. He manipulates feverishly his torch, transmitting in morse code the agreed letter. Has he been seen? He doubts it a little while seeing the plane straighten up and move away without having released parachutes, then initiate a wide turn to the left in the distance. He repeats the light signals, hoping that the tail gunner will see him, but then the pilot when the plane returns on its route, before noting with consternation that its lamp has given up... The time to call for one of his guys, the heavy aircraft has disappeared. Without Poulsson having been able to see if it had dropped its passengers.
But on board, Joachim Rønneberg, the Norwegian team leader, discussed with the navigator and asked for an airdrop, although no signal was seen. The weather conditions are good, we won't postpone again, they will manage on the ground. The hatch, open since the arrival on the zone, sees thus passing the six members of the commando: in addition to their leader, there is Knut Haukelid (second in command), Fredrik Kayser and Kasper Idland (explosives experts), Hans Storhaug, Birger Strømsheim and finally Einar Skinnarland (radio operator). The six men, wearing white overalls over British uniforms, make an excellent jump, as in training, without any glitch on landing on a nice layer of snow.
Regrouping. A hut of branches is hastily put up, because there is no question of walking or skiing without knowing their position, while the radio prepares its apparatus to send the signal of arrival out of contact. Nevertheless, Rønneberg takes advantage of the moonlight to observe with binoculars the surrounding landscape, from the top of a small hillock. They areclose to a large lake, judging by the flatness in one place. We'll have to test the ice cover to see if it will support the weight of the loaded men. The question of the explosives is left hanging: according to the distance to be covered to join the group of Poulsson, will they be able to take everything?
 
6498
December 21st, 1942

Paris
- A new corrosive editorial of L'Action Française signed by Charles Maurras is intercepted before publication by the services of the Secretary of State for Propaganda, Paul Marion.
It is the fifth since the one that Otto Abetz's services had censored in the autumn 1940. Indeed, Maurras claimed at the time "French solutions to French problems". But two years later, the solutions are less and less French and the problems more and more numerous. The editorial in question has now disappeared, but according to the few witnesses, it came, after having vowed to the gémonies the "deserters of Algiers" and the "nullities of Paris" confused in the same detestation, to ask...Germans to help France to find its solutions, while continuing to affirm that its movement "fighting the German influence in the Letters, the Arts, History, Philosophy..." !
Laval is furious, but the Germans could not agree to arrest the old man, who also pleads for a united Europe against Communism... To calm down the head of the New French State, they agree to let him send some of Maurras's former friends to the Eysses prison, notably Jacques Arthuys and Georges Valois: founders of the Faisceau, the first French fascist league, they are however anti-Maurras and now violently criticize the Collaboration. Their arrival at Eysses does not go without causing some gnashing of teeth by the other prisoners!
 
6499
December 21st, 1942

Madrid
- Du Moulin de Labarthète announces to Reynaud - through Soustelle - that he has finally gathered the necessary evidence. He proposes to meet Reynaud in Oran (it is less visible than Algiers), in a discreet place, during the visit that the President of the Council is to make to the fleet at Mers-el-Kébir on the occasion of the New Year of 1943 (for wishes to the Fleet in a way).
 
6500
December 21st, 1942

Guadalcanal
- It is a visibly exhausted Vandegrift who informs Patch of the latest developments on the island. He is obliged to interrupt himself several times, and even the legendary bourbon he is so fond of doesn't seem to be of any help. It is with relief that he hands over the command to his replacement. Not wanting to be given any special treatment, he would have liked to embark the day before with the men of the 2nd and 11th Marines with whom he had been fighting for five months and who were leaving Guadalcanal without regret on the ships that bring the 182nd US-IR and the Americal Division's artillery. But Patch insists on meeting him in person and have a final look around with him, and Vandegrift can't blame him, knowing only too well that reports and memos are never enough to get a clear picture of the reality of a situation. So he tries to offer him all the advice andsuggestions that come to mind, hoping that Patch will be able to sort them out...and that he will not expose for nothing the three regiments of Marines (the 6th, 7th and 8th) which still remain in the island* ! At the end of the day, Vandegrift take off for New Caledonia, for two weeks of well-deserved rest before returning to the United States.

Truk - Vice Admiral Komatsu receives orders from Admiral Yamamoto to schedule the end of Guadalcanal submarine supply operations at the end of the month. The ships of the 6th Fleet will recover their 140 mm gun and their torpedo reserve. But Komatsu knows very well what this means: Guadalcanal is definitely lost and we must accept it.

* 7th USMC Rgt (1st Marine Division), 6th and 8th USMC Rgt (2nd Marine Division). To this must be added the 10th Rgt USMC, i.e. the artillery of the 2nd Marine Division.
 
6501
December 21st, 1942

Central Ukraine
- A dry and anticyclonic weather settles durably from Kiev to the Black Sea, with temperatures slightly negative. It will be stable until the last days of the year.
 
6502
December 21st, 1942

Operation Mars (against the 1. PanzerArmee) - Epilogue
Rastenburg
- After the decisions taken the day before by Hitler, the OKH sets up a reorganization of the 1. PanzerArmee. A certain number of units are withdrawn for rest and reconstitution: in the immediate future, the 6. and 7. Panzer; at the beginning of January, then the SS Totenkopf and the 250. ID (the Azul Division - or the little that remains of it); before the end of January, it will be the turn of the 2. and 4. Panzer.
In exchange, Guderian has already received the 10. Panzergrenadier and the 17. Panzer; he will also receive the 83. and 339 ID. "Heinz the Quick" finds that the count is not there, but the inevitable annihilation of the 2. PzA will direct the following reinforcements in another direction...

Moscow - Stalin summons Zhukov and the leaders of the fronts involved in operation Mars. The Soviet losses that worry them are important, but Stalin assures that the human losses are easily replaceable. It will be longer for the material!
Stalin also announces the creation of a commission of inquiry directed by members of the GKO to establish the reasons for the failure of the Soviet offensive. Sanctions will be taken "against officers who have not fulfilled their duty properly" - but it is "premature" at this stage to give names.
 
6503 - End of Operation Uranus, Start of Operation Kolso
December 21st, 1942

Operation Kolso (elimination of remnants of the 2. PanzerArmee)

The front south of Kiev has definitely stabilized.
Solidly encircled by Soviet forces around Tarashcha, what remains of the 2. PanzerArmee still has seven divisions: the 44., 298. and 299. ID (III. PzK), the 111. ID (XIV. PzK), the 57. and 75. ID (XLVIII. PzK) and the 101. Jäger-Division (LII. AK). The III. PzK holds the north of the pocket, around Uzyn, the 111. ID is at the eastern point of the pocket, around Bohuslav, the two divisions of the XLVIII. PzK form the south-east flank of the pocket and the 101. Jäger, entrenched around Jashkiv, the southwestern corner.
On the other side, the four armies of the 4th Ukrainian Front (58th, 14th, 62nd and 59th from north to south) surround the eastern part of the pocket. The south-western part is entrusted to Lukin's 16th Army (taken from the 2nd Ukrainian Front) and the northwest to Muzychenko's 6th Army (taken from the 1st Ukrainian Front). All six armies have already received or will receive strong support in the form of fresh units (battalions, regiments or brigades) and in the form of armor, anti-tank, artillery and "special mortars, all from the 4th Ukrainian Front and many from the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts.
With these forces, Rokossovsky is entrusted with operation Kolso: the cleaning of the Tarachtcha pocket. The first step is a systematic artillery preparation on the whole perimeter of the pocket, while a breakthrough force is concentrated in a precise point and the air force harasses the German troops while trying to prevent the Luftwaffe transports from supplying Tarachtcha. The relatively good weather of the day sees a new air battle in the sky of the pocket, perhaps less intense than the previous ones - but the result is the same : the VVS lose about 1.5 times more planes than the Luftwaffe, but half of the German losses are precious transports...
 
6504 - Operation Saturn, Order of Battle
Forces engaged in Operation Saturn

Soviet forces
South Ukrainian Front (Col. F.I. Tolbukin, HQ in Pervomajsk)

9th Army (General Fyodor M. Kharitonov) - Around Piervomaysk, objective Kishinev.
- 14th Infantry Corps (General D.G. Jegerov): 25th ID (Imeny Chapaeva), 51st ID, 95th ID
- 48th Mixed Corps: 74th ID, 176th ID, 9th Cavalry Division
- 2nd Armored Corps
- 454th Anti-tank Brigade
- 265th Artillery Division

2nd Shock Army (Udarnye) (General Kutzma N. Galitsky) - Around Voznessensk, objective Tiraspol.
- 17th Infantry Corps: 272nd ID, 274th ID, 276th ID
- 10th Mixed Corps: 267th ID, 268th ID, 19th Cavalry Division
- 8th Armored Corps
- 196th Armored Brigade (4 KV-2, 26 KV-1, 40 T-34 and 10 BA-45 self-propelled guns)
- 864th and 866th Independent Armored Battalions (each with 2 KV-2 and 23 KV-1D or KV-85)
- 345th and 347th Artillery Brigades
- 317th High Power Artillery Battalion

51st Army (General P.I. Batov) - From Novaya Odessa to Nikolayev, objective Odessa.
- 2nd Cavalry Corps (General A.K. Selivanov): 29th and 42nd Cavalry Divisions, 283rd ID
- 3rd and 24th ID (ex Motorized) [they lost most of their vehicles].
- 49th Armored Brigade
- 356th Anti-tank Brigade

Front Reserve
18th Army
(General I.E. Petrov) - Northeast of Nikolayev.
- Odessa Cavalry Corps (General P.A. Belov): 2nd and 40th Cavalry Divisions, 127th ID
- 59th Infantry Corps: 25th ID, 109th ID, 280th ID
- 201st Armored Brigade (heavy)

9th Armored Corps [operational from December 28th]

Odessa Marine Infantry Corps
5th, 8th and 79th Marine Rifle Brigades (MSB)

Note on the equipment of the Soviet units involved
* The three armored corps (2nd CB of the 9th Army, 8th CB of the 2nd Shock Army and 9th CB of the Front Reserve) each have about 210 tanks (12 KV-2, 78 KV-1, 120 T-34), 42 self-propelled guns (21 SU-45/57, 11 SU-76, 10 SU-122) and 64 self-propelled guns (43 BA-36 and 21 BA-45). In addition, there was a powerful artillery: 18 howitzers of 122 mm, 18 76 mm guns, 30 120 mm mortars, 36 82 mm mortars, 8 BM-13/16 multiple rocket launchers; plus 12 AA 37 mm guns (towed) and 48 12.7 mm twins (on trucks).
* Each of the infantry divisions also had formidable artillery.
- Those of the 17th Infantry Corps (2nd Shock Army) were equipped with 126 pieces each (12 107 mm field guns, 60 M-30 122 mm howitzers, 54 76 mm field guns: 36 ZIS-3 or K 36 and 18 Mod-27), supported by 120 mortars (46 x 120 mm, 74 x 82 mm), 4 BM-8-36 multiple rocket launchers (i.e. a salvo of 144 rockets), 24 AA guns (8 x 76 mm and 16 x 37 mm) and 46 anti-tank guns (28 x 57 mm and 18 x 45 mm).
- The other IDs made do with 36 122 mm howitzers, 36 76 mm field guns, K-36 or ZiS-3, 18 76 mm guns mod. 27 and 30 anti-tank guns (12 x 57 mm, 18 x 45 mm).
- In addition, the DI of the 17th Infantry Corps were each supported by 39 tanks (4 KV-1, 10 T-34, 15 T-50, 4 SU-122, 7 SU-57) and 46 self-propelled guns.
- Each of the other IDs includes 27 tanks (10 T-34, 15 T-50 and 2 SU-122) and 16 self-propelled guns.
* All these figures are theoretical, but for Operation Saturn, they were most often reached, especially for the armoured corps and the 2nd Shock Army.

4th Air Force (in total: 1,499 aircraft, of which 1,068 operational)
Fighter (435/310)
216 IAD (45 IAP, 55 IAP, 298 IAP): 87 / 61 MiG-3U/UD/UT and 42/31 Yak-1
217 IAD: 124 / 87 Yak-1
32 IAP: 45 / 37 Yak-9
39 IAP : 42/32 LaGG-5
VVS-MF (naval aviation) (8th and 32nd IAP) :
41 /30 MiG-3 U/UD and 44 /32 Yak-1

Bombardment (520 / 372)
219th BAD : 117 / 83 Pe-2
218th NBAD : 107 / 72 DB-3
229th BAD : 80 / 51 DB-3F, 44/36 Pe-2
VVS-MF - 3rd SAG : 18/16 Pe-8 and 36/31
Yak-1; 63rd BAB with 2nd BAP (MT): 39/28 DB-3; 40th and 62nd BAP: 79/55 Pe-2

Assault (268 / 192)
230th SAD: 84/61 Il-2 and 48/34 I-153
233rd SAD: 46/32 Il-2 and 90/65 I-153

Reconnaissance (80 / 59)
47th RAP: 42/31 Pe-2
147th RAP: 18/14 Yak-1 and 20/14 MiG-3UR

IA-PVO (196 / 135)
123rd IAP: 84 / 57 MiG-3 U/UT
126th IAP: 112 / 78 MiG-3 U/UT

Fleet Cooperation Aviation (116 / 81)
116th ORAP: 28/21 MBR-2 and 14/10 GST*
119th ORAP: 25/19 MBR-2 and 12/9 GST
6th AER: 7/5 MBR-2
7th AER: 7/4 KOR-1
9th AER: 9/6 I-153
11th AER: 5/3 KOR-1
14th AER: 6/4 MBR-2

Axis Forces
11. Armee (col. general Eugen von Schobert)
Note - Many units of this German army are Romanian.
- XLII. Armeekorps (Hans von Sponeck)
Sent north to close the gap between the 17. Armee and the 11. Armee.
* 46. ID (Kurt Himer)
* 72. ID (Frank Mattenklott)
* 7. Gebirgs-Division (von der Chevallerie)
* 4th Romanian Mountain Brigade (Maj. Gen. Gheorghe Manoliu) [8th and 9th Mountain Groups, 4th Mountain Artillery Group]
* 107. Artillery-Commander

- 6th Romanian Army Corps (Major-General Corneliu Dragalina)
Sent north to close the gap between the 17. Armee and the 11. Armee.
* 5th Infantry Division (Lt. Gen. Nicolae Mazarini, EM Chief Maj. Gen. Nicolae Cambrea),
* 18th Infantry Division (Maj.-Gen. Radu Băldescu),
* 20th Infantry Division
* 5th Cavalry Brigade
* 1st Engineer Brigade (Brig.-Gen. Barbu Alinescu)

- LIV. ArmeeKorps (Hansen),
Initially assigned to support the 6th Corps on its right, it was at the hinge of AG South's front.
* 50. ID (Friedrich Schmidt)
* 170 ID (Wittke)

- XI. Armeekorps (von Kortzfleisch)
Along the Bug, between LIV. and XXX. AK.
* 73. ID (von Büneau)
* 95. ID (Zickwolf)
* 212. ID (Endres)
* 6th Infantry Division (Ioanovici) [10th, 15th and 27th Infantry Rgt, 11th and 16th Artillery Rgt]
* 1st Armored Division (Sion) [1st Armored Rgt, 3rd and 4th Vanatori Motorized Rgt, 1st Motorized Artillery Rgt]
[The 76. ID (Rodenburg) and the 239. ID (Neuling) were sent to rest after the hard fighting in the fall].

- XXX. Armeekorps (Kleffel)
Along the lower Bug, up to its estuary.
* 215. Infantry-Division (Kniess)
* 8th Infantry Division (Orasanu) [29th Infantry Rgt., 7th and 8th Vanatori Rgt, 12th and 17th Artillery Rgt]
* 13th Infantry Division (Rozin) [7th, 22nd and 89th Infantry Rgt, 19th and 41st Artillery Rgt].
* 14th Infantry Division (Stavrescu) [13th and 39th Infantry Rgt, 6th Vanatori Rgt, 24th and 29th Artillery Rgt]
* 1st Mountain Brigade (Maj. Gen. Mikhail Lascar) [1st and 2nd Mountain Groups, 1st Mountain Artillery Group]
[The 198. ID (Röttig) was sent to rest after the hard fighting in the fall].

- Army Reserve
* Cavalry Corps (Racovita):
- 6th Cavalry Brigade (Racovita) [5th Calarasi Rgt, 9th Rosiori Rgt, 10th Motorized Rgt. Rosiori, 4th Horse Artillery Rgt]
- 8th Cavalry Brigade (Danescu) [2nd Calarasi Rgt, 3rd Calarasi Motorized Rgt, 4th Rosiori Rgt, 3rd Horse Artillery Rgt]
* 7th Infantry Division (Stavrat) [14th, 16th and 37th Infantry Rgt, 4th and 8th Artillery Rgt].
* 2nd Mountain Brigade (Maj.Gen. Ioan Dumitrache) [4th and 5th Mountain Groups, 2nd Mountain Artillery Group]

4th Romanian Army (Lt-gen Ciuperca)
North and northeast of Odessa.
- 2nd Corps (Macici)
* 9th Infantry Division (Schwab) [34th, 36th and 40th Infantry Rgt, 13th and 18th Artillery Rgt]
* 10th Infantry Division (Glogojanu) [23rd, 33rd and 38th Infantry Rgt, 3rd and 20th Artillery Rgt]

- 3rd Corps (Atanasiu)
* 11th Infantry Division (Popescu) [2nd, 3rd and 19th Infantry Rgt, 21st and 26th Artillery Rgt]
* 15th Infantry Division (Cosma-Popescu) [25th and 35th Infantry Rgt, 10th Vanatori Rgt, 23rd and 25th Artillery Rgt]
* 35th Reserve Infantry Division (Procopiescu) [50th, 55th and 67th Reserve Infantry Rgt. 63rd and 64th Reserve Artillery Rgt.]

- 5th Corps (Leventi)
* Guards Division (Sova) [6th Guards Infantry Rgt, 1st and 2nd Guards Vanatori Rgt, 1st and 2nd Guards Artillery Rgt]
* Border Guard Division (Potopeanu) [1st, 2nd and 5th Border Guard Rgt., Artillery Rgt of the Border Guards]
* 21st Infantry Division (Dascalescu) [11th, 12th and 24th Infantry Rgt. 5th and 30th Artillery Rgt.]

- 11th Corps (Son)
In Odessa itself.
* 1st and 2nd Fortification Brigades.

Air Force
Given the commitment of the German air force in support of the two Panzer armies, in addition to the growing needs in the Mediterranean, along the English Channel and in Germany, only the Romanian Air Force (FFAR) was able to support the Axis forces.
The FFAR deployed 255 combat aircraft to the front, 201 of which were airworthy.
- 1st Bombardment Flotilla: 63 / 47
1st Bombardment Group: 71st and 72nd Bombardment Squadrons (S-79B)
4th Bombardment Group: 76th and 77th Bombardment Squadrons (Ju 87 D and IAR-81)
5th Bombardment Group: 78th, 79th and 80th Bombardment Squadrons (He 111 H3)
- 2nd Bombardment Flotilla: 36 / 31
2nd Bombardment Group: 74th and 75th Bombardment Squadrons (JRS-79B)
82nd Bombardment Squadron (He 111 H3)
18th Bombardment Squadrons (IAR-37)
- 2nd Observation Flotilla: 48 / 39
11th, 12th and 13th Observation Squadrons (IAR 38)
14th Observation Squadron (IAR 39)
- 1st Fighter Flotilla: 108 / 84
5th Fighter Group: 51st and 52nd Fighter Squadrons (IAR-80)
7th Fighter Group: 56th, 57th and 58th Fighter Squadrons (Bf 109 E/F)
8th Fighter Group: 41st, 59th and 60th Fighter Squadrons (IAR-80 [IAR-81 to 59th])
1st Long Range Fighter Squadron (Bf 110 C/D)

* The GSTs are PBY-Catalina produced under license in Taganrog.
 
6505 - Start of Operation Saturn
December 21st, 1942

Operation Saturn (against the German-Romanian forces)

Operation Saturn (see Order of Battle) targets the German-Romanian forces that make up the center and right of the 11th Army, commanded by von Schobert. These forces include three corps under German command (but two of which were mostly Romanian) and a Romanian army. From north to south: LIV. Armeekorps, XI. Armeekorps, XXX. Armeekorps; the 4th Romanian Army is in reserve in Odessa and north of the city. The air force, apart from a few liaison aircraft, is entirely Romanian.
The Soviet command, informed by its intelligence services of the deployment of the 11th Army, targets the weak LIV. AK, on the other hand the junction between the XI. and the XXX. AK.
The plan of the Stavka resumes, adapted to the conditions, that which G.K. Zhukov had set in January 1941 in the Kremlin. The general idea is to break through the Axis lines, to push back the armies to the Prut and to reconquer Odessa. A landing on the shore of the Black Sea should support the westward thrust along the coast. All this maneuver is not without reminiscing of those of the Tsarist army, in 1877 (against the Turks) and in 1916 (against the Central Powers) - Zhukov had served in the 1916 offensive.
.........
In the north (Saturn-1), the 9th Army, concentrated around Piervomaisk, has to break through the lines of the LIV. AK in the direction of Kishinev. But its preparation was delayed. Indeed, its leader, Kharitonov, received the visit of the special representative of the Stavka to the South Ukrainian Front, Lev Mekhlis. This close friend of Stalin is very feared. After having been involved in the purges of the Red Army and in Ukrainian affairs in the 1930s, he now heads the Red Army's political administration (PUR), i.e. all the political commissars, and he also has the rank of Deputy People's Commissar for Defense.
However, Mekhlis questioned part of the 9th Army's battle plan. Consequently, it must be reworked urgently and Kharitonov had to cancel part of the moves planned on the 21st.
.........
In the center (Saturn-2), the 2nd Shock Army is concentrated around Voznessensk.
The objective of Galitsky, its leader, is Tiraspol. His opponent is the XI. AK (von Kortzfleisch).
During the day, two reconnaissances in force are launched, one towards Kozubovka, in the west, the other towards Martynovskaya, south-west. These two villages, held respectively by elements of the 95. ID and the 212. ID, ae taken by reinforced elements of the 10th Mixed Corps and the 17th Infantry Corps, supported by Soviet artillery.
General von Kortzfleisch puts in alert all the XI. AK and brings the 1st Romanian AD closer to the front lines. Informed of what is happening on his right, he suspects that his turn will soon come.
.........
Indeed, in the south (Saturn-3), the battle begins from 07:00 in the sector of Nicolaïev.
After an artillery preparation of about twenty minutes and supported by batteries on the left bank of the Bug, the 51st Army comes out of its entrenchments on the right bank and attacks the positions of the XXX. Armeekorps. In the forefront of the attack, the 49th Armored Brigade is reinforced by the few elements of the 3rd and 24th IDs that had kept their vehicles, the rest of these two divisions advancing on foot. The three divisions of the 2nd Cavalry Corps form a second echelon.
Surprised by an effort of which they thought the Soviet forces were incapable, the soldiers of the 8th Romanian ID and of the German 215. ID have to withdraw respectively towards the villages of Volchiy and Senchino.
.........
Morskii desant 1 (Naval Landing 1), 15:00 - A convoy of flat-bottomed barges escorted by the coast guards Tigr and Leopard* enter the Bug estuary. It carries a part of the 79th Marine Rifle Brigade (MRB) of the Odessa Marine Infantry Corps and sows on its way several companies in charge of reoccupying several points of the coastline (Bolchaya Kozyrka, Parutino and Adzhigiol) and to harass the Romanian defenders.
16:00 - In Sebastopol, a squadron sets sail. Illuminated by the 1st Division of speedboats and preceded by five Tral class minesweepers (T-404, T-407, T-408, T-409 and T-410) the old cruisers Krasnyi Kavkaz and Krasnyi Krym set sail, escorted by the destroyers Dzerzhinski, Jeleznjakov, Nezamojnik and Shaumjan. They join the convoy of barges in the night.
.........
On the whole front of the 11. Armee, air operations are very intense, with 1,500 sorties recorded for the VVS, which completely saturate the FFAR. The Romanian troops are subjected to bombardments in all the depths of their defense system.
The Soviets lose 34 aircraft, against 49 FFAR aircraft (18 of which are destroyed on the ground). Moreover, the violence of the air attacks and the level of activity of the VVS forbid the command of the large German units to have a precise idea of the situation.
.........
But important events are also taking place quite far from the front.
09:45 - General von Schobert returns from Bucharest. North of Odessa, his Fieseler Storch is hooked by the Soviet fighters and lands in a snowy field...mined by the Romanians. The unlucky general is killed. His chief of staff, general Schultz, will lose several hours to search for him, the communication passing badly between the Germans and their partners.
16:30 - The OKH is finally informed of the death of von Schobert. His successor is immediately appointed, General Reinhardt (current commander of Panzergruppe 2 of the 1. PanzerArmee), will arrive in his new HQ during the night. He will be replaced by Model at the head of PG 2; Eberbach (former commander of the 4. Pz) will take over from Model at XLVII. PzK.

* The latter was barely completed at the Nikolayev shipyards and not even tested at sea yet.
 
6506
December 21st, 1942

Rome
- Following the release of Promemoria N.1, General Ambrosio meets again with Admirals Sansonetti and Giartosio to discuss the safety of the last vessels of the Regia Marina. They decide to move the units still in Genoa, La Spezia and Livorno to Naples on December 24th (or at the latest on December 25th), in order to avoid alerting the Germans.
Ambrosio then meets Carboni and Castellano. Convinced that a confrontation with the Germans is inevitable, they decide to ask the Allies to send to Rome some parachutist officers to prepare the arrival of a division.
For his part, Marshal Badoglio has his weekly meeting with the King. "I have decided not to speak on the radio," says Victor Emmanuel. "I leave you free to do so when it is necessary to announce the news to the people. The time set for the change of course of the country (which will be communicated by radio to the Italian forces) remains 04:00 on Friday December 25th." Badoglio's announcement will be pre-recorded and launched on the air at 07:00.

Bologna - The officers sent to Rome on reconnaissance report to the headquarters of the Hermann-Göring brigade. It seems possible to take control of the main airfields of Rome, and in particular Fiumicino and Guidonia.

Viterbo - General Wolff and Colonel Dollmann come to welcome, in the greatest secrecy, a battalion of the Waffen-SS. In the evening, they leave for the Pescara area to meet the officers of the large German units stationed there.

Tunis - The Allied mechanics take advantage of the bad weather to revise their machines, whether they are bombers or transport planes of the Troop Carrier Groups (USAAF), the Transport Wings (RAF) and the Transport Groups (AdA).
 
6507
December 21st, 1942

Off the Algerian coast, 02:23 GMT
- The submarine U-593 (Kptlt G. Kelbling) wins the last and biggest success of the U-boats in the Mediterranean for this month of December. 40 nautical miles north of Oran, it attacks a Glasgow-Gibraltar-Alger convoy. Of four torpedoes launched, one hits the port side of the British troop transport (ex-liner) Strathallan (23 722 GRT). But it is a lucky shot: it hits the big ship the engine room, breaking the bulkhead between the engine room and the boilers and damaging a fuel oil tank that begins to leak into the boiler room.
Deprived of power and listing heavily (15°), the Strathallan appears to be salvageable and can towed to Oran by one of the convoy's escorts and then by the tug HMS Restive, but the fuel oil that came into contact with the boilers ignites, causing a violent fire. The liner finally sinks 12 nautical miles from Oran on December 22nd at 04:00 GMT; however, there are only 16 deaths out of the 5,122 people on board (466 crew and 4,656 passengers).
This lucky success is the fourth for the U-Bootwaffe in the Mediterranean. Between December 1st and 21st, the two other available submarines won three. On the 9th, also not far from Oran, U-431 (Kptlt W. Dommes) succeeded in placing a torpedo on the destroyer HMS Porcupine, which does not sink but, brought back to Mers-el-Kébir by the tug MN Fort, is recognized as irreparable (total constructive loss) 13. On the 16th, the U-73 (Oblt H. Deckert) intercepted a French convoy coming from Casablanca northwest of Algiers, sinking the cargo ships Thésée (2,088 GRT) and Madali (2,983 GRT). Four successes without even one seriously damaged boat: a result to which the German submariners were no longer accustomed to.
 
6508
December 22nd, 1942

Hardangervidda Plateau, 09:20
- The sky is getting blocked quite quickly from the west. If the sun is supposed to rise at this moment, it hardly makes a little light in the greyish cloud cover. It's not snowing, but it will soon. The six men of the Norwegian commando scan the surroundings in the hope of finding their bearings. Suddenly, a shout: "A hut!" They all turn in the direction indicated. In fact, it takes damn good eyes to distinguish the rectangular shape of a small hut drowned in the snow. Rønneberg consults his compass: it seems to be in the right direction, south or southeast, so we might as well go and see, even and especially if no smoke appears. One makes the packages, or rather one gathers them because the early awakening allowed to prepare, in the expectation of the light of the day.
We put on the skis, and go ahead.
Half an hour later, the men stop and take off their shoes, weapons ready even though no sign of life is detected. The door is on the east side, less exposed to the wind and snowdrifts, but it is still partially covered with snow, proof that it is uninhabited. To enter, a sas, the first door opens inwards, to avoid the snow blocking it, the second, after a very short corridor, opens outwards, against the intrusions of bears. The two doors also protect the interior from the intense cold of the outside.
The cabin is effectively empty of any occupant. A table and two wooden benches carved form the furniture, but the walls carry bat-flanks lined with animal skins. A fireplace, a wood store, a small window on the west side - that's all. But on the mantle of the fireplace there is an inscription in Norwegian, carved into the wood with a knife: "Skrykken".
Not much, but it's enough for some to remember: they are on the north-east side of the Skrykken lake, the one that their chief had located, which makes it possible to locate themselves. To reach the Swallow group, they have to walk south for 40 km through a rather deserted region, dotted with rivers and frozen lakes. The relief is not too marked, however, and they could test the solidity of the ice, which will allow them to use their skis in an intensive way, under a low ceiling from which sometimes falls a little fine snow which usefully erases their tracks. Rønneberg and his men agree: it will take them two days at least to join the point of meeting envisaged with the group of Poulsson, which was warned by London.
 
6509
December 22nd, 1942

Guadalcanal
- Alexander Patch gathers his division and regimental commanders and outlines his plan. By mid-January, Mount Austin and the southern front should be definitively secured thanks to the expulsion of the Japanese from their positions at the Seahorse. At the same time, the 25th US-ID will be welcomed, gradually taking the place of the three Marine regiments. From January 15th, the offensive towards Cape Esperance will begin, the progression along the coast being facilitated by landing operations on the enemy's rear, "like the English and French have done in Sicily," says Patch, who followed is happening on the other side of the globe.
 
6510
December 22nd, 1942

Guadalcanal
- The submarine I-19 enters Kamimbo Bay on the north coast of the island. While remaining underwater, it releases the small watertight rubber containers attached to its deck, the first time they have been used under the conditions foreseen, to ensure a delivery virtually harmless to the submarine. The I-19 then briefly surfaces to embark some 40 wounded soldiers brought in by a Daihatsu barge.
 
6511
December 22nd, 1942

Chongqing
- Dai Li is by all appearances a harmless Chinese official: after all, isn't his official title the director of the Bureau of Surveys and Statistics? But behind this innocent title lies the secret police of the Nationalist regime, in particular the Department of Special Works, responsible for the liquidation of political enemies. Dai Li, nicknamed the Chinese Himmler (although he is not on the same side!), has under his command nearly 70,000 men (and women): intelligence agents, spies, commandos, torturers and professional assassins. Nowadays, a group of these latter are entrusted with a mission of the utmost importance: to kill Wang Jingwei, leader of the pro-Japanese puppet regime in occupied Nanjing.
Wang is a difficult target, and for good reason: twice already, in 1938 and 1939, nationalist agents had made attempts on his life. Since then, he has lived in a state of permanent paranoia...which is perfectly justified. He and Chang were once comrades-in-arms before becoming leaders of rival factions of the Nationalist Party and, finally, mortal enemies. If there is a man in the world whose death Chang desires more than Mao Zedong's, it is Wang Jingwei! This time, rather than a commando operation, now impossible because of the protection Wang is under, it will be a matter of infiltrating his entourage. This is a long-term plan, which will only bear fruit in several months, if it is not discovered.
 
6512
December 22nd, 1942

Operation Mars (against the 1. PanzerArmee) - Epilogue
Moscow
- The GKO is quick to set up the commission of inquiry into the failure of Mars decided by Stalin. Konev and Sherevishenko, commanders of the Desna and Seym Fronts, are in the hot seat.
Konev defends himself by affirming that he certainly had the means on paper, but that, for half of them, his armies had fought during Typhoon and had not been fully reconstituted, while for the other half, they were units drawn from the reserve, inexperienced and poorly trained. Turning from the defensive to the offensive, he asserts that, despite these handicaps, his troops achieved notable successes in the initial attack. "Alas!" he continues, "I did not have sufficient operating forces! A single armored corps was not enought for the task, despite its great qualities. As you know, Comrades, the Seym Front had five armored corps, totaling almost three times as many tanks!"
His four army commanders block behind Konev and approve of all the words.
Better still, all the members of the commission know full well that Zhukov continues to support Konev.
On the contrary, Sherevishenko is from the start in a bad position, because his two main subordinates, Malinovsky and Cherniakovsky, dump on him! Both consider that their shock armies were badly used. Composed of mobile forces, they should have been instruments of exploitation, but after their introduction on the front, they were often used to attack the opposing lines of defense head-on, exhausting themselves a little more each time. Sherevishenko tries to explain that, on the ground, the tactical conditions have changed compared to the fighting at the beginning of the war: most of the German machines are able to destroy a T-34 at a reasonable distance - but this is not a valid defense for a Front Commander! No doubt the leader of the Seym Front was right in pointing out the effectiveness of Luftwaffe ground support, but more often than not, the German air force, torn between Uranus and Mars, was not very present - something that the VVS leaders did not fail to point out, taking credit for it. Finally, of course, Sherevishenko invokes the serious insufficiencies in logistics and supplies noted in December, but this does not excuse the insufficient results obtained in November.
 
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6513
December 22nd, 1942

Operation Kolso (elimination of the remains of the 2. PanzerArmee)

Rokossovsky's plan was to start by eliminating the only source of German supplies by seizing the airfield of Tarachtcha. Indeed, if the Luftwaffe can supply the pocket, the needs of the encircled units have strongly decreased since Operation Wintergewitter and the departure, for better or for worse, of all the mechanized units of the 2. PzA.
The northern wall of the pocket is the closest to Tarachtcha, but it is on this side that the defenses are the strongest. That's why the Soviets decide to attack from the other side, from the south. The spearhead of the offensive is the 237th Armored Brigade and the 245th Heavy Armored Brigade, supported by the 215th Motorized Division (taken from the 14th Army). The way will be opened to them by a powerful concentration of artillery: the 31st Artillery Division (taken from the 2nd Ukrainian Front), the 69th Artillery Brigade, the 127th Special Artillery Brigade and Guard units: 111th and 113th Mortar Regiments, 201st, 204th and 207th Independent Mortar Battalions.
The 31st Artillery Division begin bludgeoning the Jashkiv sector today, forcing the men of the 101st. Jäger Division to cower in their entrenchments.
 
6514
December 22nd, 1942

Operation Saturn (against the German-Romanian forces)
Saturn-1
- The LIV. AK has only two divisions. The 50. ID defends the crossing points Velykaya Mechetna to Lupolove (about 40 kilometers northwest of Pyervomaisk), while the 170. ID is deployed in the area of the east-west railroad line leading from Pyervomaisk to Balta.
The 9th Army attacks at two points on the front of LIV. AK.
In the northwest, against the 50. ID, the 48th Mixed Corps tries to cross the Bug in force, but does not make any conclusive progress during the day.
To the southeast, the 14th Infantry Corps commits two of its three divisions against the 170. ID. The 51st and 95th ID attack along the railroad leaving Pyervomaisk from the south after the 265th Artillery Division carries out a half-hour bombardment. But the Germans are on the alert, the reconnaissance is not precise enough and the density of the enemy defensive works was underestimated. Moreover, harassed by Mekhlis, Kharitonov made the mistake of massing his units on too narrow a front. The first assault is a bloody failure. The 14th Corps seizes the first German lines, but, despite a clear numerical superiority, it is unable to break through.
.........
Saturn-2 - After the hors d'oeuvres of the previous day, Galitsky launches the real offensive of his 2nd Shock Army. In front of him, the front of the XI. AK is held, from north to south, by the 73. ID, the 95. ID, the Romanian 6th ID and the 212. ID. A massive preliminary bombardment falls on their positions for more than an hour. Then the assault starts.
In the north, the 10th Mixed Corps rushes from the positions conquered the day before around Kozubovka and pushes the 95. ID to march towards Lidyevka, ten kilometers further west.
The 6th Romanian ID abandons Pokrovka (south of Voznessensk, near the Bug) more or less without fighting (the German and Romanian versions diverge strongly) and retreats towards the south-west following the railroad line that leads to Kichinev (Chisinau).
Further south, the three divisions of the 17th Corps attack, covered on the wings by two Independent Armored Batallions and reinforced in the center by the 196th Armored Brigade. It is the 212. ID which suffers the shock. The objective of the attackers is to break through to Berezovka, in the south-west.
.........
Saturn-3 - Facing the 51st Army, the 13th ID remains for the time being armed in front of Novaya Odessa, while, further south, the 1st Mountain Brigade holds firmly the village of Novo Grigoryevka, northwest of Nikolayev.
In the center of this front, the Romanians of the 8th ID place themselves in defense behind the Berezan river and the 215. ID holds on to the town of Nechayannoye.
But it is on the coast that the main events take place.
.........
Morskii desant 1 - At dawn, the convoy of barges appears in the estuary of the Bug, in front of the port of Ochakov. The operation is covered by the fighters of the 8th and 32nd IAP while seaplanes of the 116th ORAP ensured the reconnaissance.
The city was bombed the day before by the DB-3 and Pe-2 bombers of the naval aviation (63rd BAP), in order to eliminate the danger represented by the former Soviet coastal batteries, but at least one of them, equipped with 75 mm guns, proved to be active for several hours despite the bombs. The battery and the harbour are bombed again, first by the cruisers and their escort, then again by the naval aviation, before the first elements of the 79th BMS land. The garrison of Ochakov, composed of the 13th Infantry Regiment and elements of the 29th Artillery Rgt (both from the 14th Romanian ID), defends itself with determination against the marine riflemen.
Learning of the Soviet landing, General Kleffel (XXX. AK) orders the whole of the 14th Romanian ID, deployed along the coast, to divide into several columns in order to smother the bridgeheads held by the Soviet riflemen.
...........................
Composition of a Soviet marine brigade (BMS)
3 marine battalions,
2 assault companies (maneuvering landing craft and securing beaches),
1 company of engineers,
1 artillery battalion (18 x 76 mm), 1 anti-tank battalion (12 x 45 mm + 18 PTRS guns),
1 light mortar battalion (24 x 82 mm), 1 heavy mortar battalion (18 x 120 mm),
1 AA company (12 x 12.7 mm AA), 1 signal company
1 tank company (10 x T-50).
 
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