October 29th, 1943 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Slough, Buckinghamshire: Sgt John Rennie (b.1920), Canadian Army, tried to hurl a live grenade clear of his trench; it went off as he did so, killing him. (George Cross)
Anti-Aircraft cruiser HMS Bellona commissioned.
Frigate HMS Kingsmill commissioned.
GERMANY: U-870 laid down.
U.S.S.R.: Colonel General Gotthard Heinrici, Commander of the Fourth Army, organizes German defenses between Orsha and Vitebsk, while under a new Soviet attack. This is the beginning of his rise as one of the best defensive tacticians in the German Army.
ITALY: Cantalupo is captured by units of XIII Corps British 8th Army.
In the U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, 34th Infantry Division continues to pursue the Germans northward, the 135th Infantry Regiment taking Pratella and Prata. Elements of 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Infantry Division, protecting the right flank of the VI Corps, reach Gallo. The3d Infantry Division continues north on the left flank of corps in region west of the Volturno River.
In the British Eighth Army area, XIII Corps begins an attack toward Isernia, the 5th Division leading off in a downpour of rain during the night of 29/30 October.
One hundred thirty three USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses, escorted by P-38 Lightnings, bomb the Genoa marshalling yard and also hit the Sampierdarena marshalling yard, San Giorgio instrument factory, and ordnance, electric, and fitting plants and bridges at Genoa-Ansaldo; the XII Air Support Command, Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force, and RAF Desert Air Force are forced by bad weather to abandon several missions in support of ground forces. Troops and gun positions are attacked on two occasions and several bridges are hit; Giulianova harbor and shipping are successfully attacked.CHINA: Two USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb the administration building and runway at Ft Bayard airfield; nine P-40s on offensive reconnaissance in the Chiuchiang area strafe a 200-foot (320 meter) steamer and attack a train, destroying the locomotive.
HONG KONG: Mr. John Alexander Fraser (b.1897), a colonial official, was executed. He had organized escape plans and a radio service for fellow internees until arrested by the Japanese, and revealed nothing under torture. (George Cross)
Capt. Matreen Ahmed Ansari (b.?), Rajput Rifles, endured 18 months of brutality in an effort - utterly unsuccessful - to make him switch loyalties. The Japanese executed him today. (George Cross)
FRENCH INDOCHINA: Fourteen USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators and 16 P-40s attack the smelter area at Quang Yen.
EAST INDIES: USAAF B-25 Mitchells sink a vessel off Tanimbar Island located between Australia and New Guinea while B-24s bomb Selaroe (Poelau) Aerodrome located on a smaller island, just to the south of Tanimbar.
NEW GUINEA: In Northeast New Guinea, 17 USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells attack the Madang area and P-47 Thunderbolts attack shipping in the Hansa Bay area and B-24 Liberators attack the Waroe Bay area .
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: On New Britain Island, 37 USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators, escorted by 53 P-38 Lightings, bomb the Rabaul area on New Britain Island, claiming 45 Japanese airplanes destroyed on the ground and in the air. Meanwhile, P-47 Thunderbolts attack shipping in Hansa Bay and strafe the Cape Gloucester area. Australian Beauforts fly the first of many torpedo attacks against Japanese shipping in Simpson Harbor, Rabaul. During the night of 29/30 October, Australian (PBY) Catalinas begin a series of night harassment missions to Kavieng on New Ireland Island.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: USAAF Thirteenth Air Force and USN aircraft attack Buka Airdrome on Buka Island north of Bougainville. The four attacks are made by: (1) 40 B-25 Mitchells and 22 F6F Hellcats; (2) nine B-25s dropping parafrag bombs; (3) 21 B-24 Liberators; and (4) 11 B-24s and 24 fighters. Bonis Airfield on northern Bougainville is hit by 12 USN PV-1 Venturas and a B-25.
PACIFIC OCEAN: 0200 hours: USS Seawolf (SS-197) sinks a cargo ship at 22-45 N, 116-10 E. 1400 hours: USS Seawolf (SS-197) sinks a sampan at 31-24 N, 138-24 E. (Skip Guidry)
CANADA: Frigate HMCS La Hulloise launched.
Frigate HMCS La Hulloise launched Montreal, Province of Quebec.
U.S.A.: Destroyer escort USS Savage commissioned. Historian Samuel Loring Morison served on this ship during the Vietnam War. Destroyer escort USS Cockrill launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: While tracking fast Convoy ON 208 (U.K. to North America), German submarine U-282 (Type VIIC) is sunk about 601 nautical miles (1 113 kilometers) southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland, in position 55.28N, 31.57W, by depth charges from British destroyers HMS Vidette (D 48) and HMS Duncan (D 99) and the British corvette HMS Sunflower (K 41). All 48 crewmen on the sub are lost. (Alex Gordon)
U-220 (Type XB) is sunk in the North Atlantic at position 48.53 N, 33.30 W by depth charges from two Avenger aircraft of escort carrier USS Block Island. 54 dead.
U-415 was attacked by a Wellington aircraft in the North Atlantic and suffered slight damage.