Yesterday Tomorrow

June 21st, 1942 (SUNDAY)

GERMANY: U-760 launched.

The Eighth Army, confident of success in North Africa after driving the Axis forces so far westwards last year, has allowed Tobruk's defences to deteriorate. The British also lost their numerical advantage in tanks through a series of piece-meal attacks on the Cauldron.

With Rommel's tanks racing in pursuit of a shattered Eighth Army, no one expected him to turn back to attack Tobruk. But then, with incredible speed, Rommel captured two airfields at Gambut and turned back towards Tobruk.

He struck as dawn yesterday with a heavy bombardment by air and artillery before an infantry assault followed by Panzers which he himself led. By the afternoon it was all over.

PACIFIC OCEAN: A PBY-5A of Patrol Squadron Twenty Four (VP-24) operating from Midway Island rescues the two man crew of a Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) Douglas TBD-1 Devastator 360 miles north of Midway Island. The two were from the USS Enterprise (CV-6) and were shot down by the Japanese on 4 June These are the last survivors of the Battle of Midway that are found.

A US submarine sinks a Japanese gunboat in the Solomon Islands.

 

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: US submarine operations continue.

U.S.A.: Fort Stevens, Oregon is shelled by Japanese submarine HIJMS I-25.

As well I-25 arrived off Cape Blanco, Oregon and launched a E14Y GLEN Yokosuka recon aircraft by catapult which flew inland about 50 miles and dropped 2 incendiary bombs on Oregon forest area, two such mission were flown.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Ex-USA R.19 submarine now RN P.514 is rammed by mistake by Canadian minesweeper Georgian. The minesweeper had not been warned of the presence of P.514, but had been notified that two German U-Boats were in the area. There were no survivors. Location E coast of Canada at 43 33N 53 40W. (Alex Gordon)(108)

Among the lost were Lt (E) James Flevelle MAGILL, RCNR, Halifax Memorial; OSST Albert Edward Lidstone RN of St. John's, Nfld. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire, UK. P514 was on passage from Argentina to St. John's, under the escort of HMS Primrose, just after midnight on 21 Jun 42 HMS/M P514 was sunk in error by the minesweeper HMCS Georgian. The tragedy took place off Cape Race when the path of the eastbound submarine and her corvette escort, intercepted that of a westbound convoy CL.43 being escorted by the minesweeper. Problems with one of the ships in CL.43 had delayed the start of the convoy and it was several hours behind schedule. At the same time an eastbound convoy, SC.88, which had been blown north of its intended track, intercepted and passed through CL.43. The situation was confusing and dangerous. Visibility was poor and the night sky was overcast with frequent mist patches. Georgian detected approaching diesel engine HE on her hydrophones and turned onto the bearing to investigate. When the lookouts spotted the submarine the helm was immediately put over and she rammed P514 amidships. According to one testimony, the submarine's navigation lights flicked on, then off. According to the CO of the corvette escorting P514, her lights had been on for some time. The bridge personnel in Georgian could look down into the bridge of the submarine and they observed that it was empty and the hatch was shut. At 00 -40 hours Atlantic Time, the submarine went down in 27 fathoms. There were no survivors. A lone body was spotted in the water at the time but sank before it could be recovered. The body of ERA, N.C. Bennett came ashore near Ferrylands a month later. He was interred in the local graveyard with full military honours. At the enquiry, no blame was attached to anyone concerned. It was NSHQ policy then, and throughout the war, to not inform escort forces of the movements of Allied submarines for fear they would hesitate in attacking U-boats. The only measure of safety offered to Allied submarines passing through an operational area was the establishment of temporary no-attack zones for aircraft, but the submarines were always on their own when it came to both ships and aircraft. Lt (E) James Flevelle Magill RCNR, was onboard, for passage, OSST Albert Edward Lidstone RN (of St. John's Nfld) crew, of HMS/M P514, when lost with all hands. (DS)

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