GERMANY: Rastenburg: Hitler orders reinforcements to be sent to the Balkans, believing that the Allies will strike there next.

U-747 commissioned.

U-880 laid down.

U-478, U-903 launched.

SPAIN: Spanish Generalissimo Francisco Franco makes his annual Civil War anniversary speech, this slams the door on monarchist hopes. (Glenn Steinberg)

ITALY: US forces take Agrigento and Porto Empedocle on Sicily.

General Sir Harold Alexander appointed Allied Military Governor of Sicily. (Glenn Steinberg)

Messina: Resplendent in riding breeches and burnished boots, Lieutenant-General George S. Patton Jr has arrived back from Algiers to lead the US Seventh Army in an extraordinary race to Messina against General Sir Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army.

While the rough terrain and determined German resistance are slowing progress by both armies, a serious rift between the two generals is causing concern in the Allied camp. The fiery Patton had agreed only reluctantly that his army should act as a "shield" to Montgomery, who had planned a fast thrust along the east coast.

When the Eighth Army found itself stalled as it neared Catania, a sudden switch of plans by Montgomery - aiming to attack on the west side of Mount Etna - found his men fighting in the same area as the Americans at Vizzini. It was then that Patton blew up. He flew to protest to General Sir Harold Alexander, the commander-in-chief. The urbane "Alex" was startled at Patton's fury - and gave the American his head.

The row is not just strategic. What worries Alexander is the personal feud between the two men. Patton dislikes Monty's "cocksureness" and his condescension to his less-experienced troops. He does not like the casual dress of Monty's "Desert Rats". Most of all, he does not like playing second fiddle. he wants an American victory.

AMGOT, the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories, is set up.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: A major air attack is staged by the US on Japanese bases and shipping in the Northern Solomons, including Bougainville, Buin and Faisi. This is the heaviest Allied air raid on the Japanese so far in this war. It started yesterday evening and has lasted for more than 12 hours.

Waves of Liberators and Flying Fortresses hit the airfield of Kahili for nine long hours through the night, preventing enemy opposition from taking off and wrecking scores of aircraft on the ground. While bombing Buin-Faisi harbour swarms of Zeros rose to the defence, but 44 land planes and 5 floatplanes were shot out of the sky in a vicious 20-minute battle in which just six Allied aircraft are lost.
In the Northern Solomons during the morning 7 Thirteen Air Force B-24 Liberators, escorted by P-39Airacobras and P-40s and RNZAF P-40s, and 35 Navy TBF Avengers and 36 Navy and Marine SBD Dauntlesses, escorted by 114 Marine F4U Corsair and USAAF P-38 Lightning fighters, attack shipping off Buin, Bougainville Island. They sink one Japanese destroyer and claim 7 other vessels sunk. In the air battle, Marine F4Us down 38 fighters, P-38 pilots claim 6 A6M "Zekes," Marine SBD pilots claim 2 "Zekes;" and Navy SBD and TBF pilots claim 3 "Zekes." The US loses are 1 TBF, 1 SBD, 1 F4U and 2 P-38s.

South-West PACIFIC: Units of the Australian 3rd and US 41st Divisions move toward Salamaua, New Guinea, from Nassau Bay.

U.S.A.: Dick Johnson solos for the first time. (Dick Johnson)

Destroyer escorts USS Swenning and Willis laid down.

Light cruiser USS Vincennes launched.

Anti-Aircraft cruiser USS Oakland commissioned.

CANADA: Frigate HMCS Longueil laid down Montreal, Province of Quebec.
Frigate HMCS Valleyfield launched Quebec City.
Minesweeper HMS Providence (ex HMCS Forest Hill) laid down Toronto, Ontario.