3 February 1944

ITALY: Anzio: Hitler has ordered that the Anzio beach-head "must be crushed in the blood of British soldiers". As dusk fell last night those soldiers were suffering a massive artillery barrage as the German Fourteenth Army prepared a full-scale counter-attack on the British salient.

Every German gun was trained on the "thumb" created by the British 1st Division on 30 January in an abortive attempt to reach Campoleone. "Anzio Annie", a 14-inch railway gun, was used to devastating effect. However, the Germans' latest secret weapon - "Goliath", a radio-controlled miniature tank packed with explosive - failed under small-arms fire.

By mid-morning the "thumb" was nearly severed. Over 1,400 men had been lost. The Germans suffered similar losses, but show no sign of letting up. Today the British VI Corps issued verbal orders to beach-head forces to prepare defensive positions.

U.S.S.R.: Moscow: Victory salvoes are crashing out in Moscow as the Russians celebrate victories all along the front. In a special order of the day Stalin has announced the trapping of ten German divisions in the Dniepr Bend in the biggest encirclement since Stalingrad. Meanwhile, in the north, General Govorov's troops have crossed the Estonian border in their great Leningrad offensive.

INDIAN OCEAN: At 2345, the unescorted Chinese Liberty Ship Chung Cheng was torpedoed by U-188. Due to her cargo of ore she sank so quickly that no lifeboat could be launched. On board were eleven American officers, four Chinese officers, 29 Chinese crewmen and 27 American armed guards. Twenty men, mostly Chinese crewmen were lost. The survivors were picked up after 12 hours by a British freighter and taken to a hospital in Aden.

JAPAN: United States warships shelled Paramushiru Island in the first attack on Japanese home territory.

The task Force pulled back during the night and we met a tanker for refueling which was completed at about 1400 hrs. As soon as we were up to launch speed, we put up the CAP and ASP. After this was done, we received 4 SB2Cs and 3 TBFs from a CVE. Later when it was time, we put up a relief CAP and proceded to land the ones that had been up. Everything went well until it was time to land Ens. George W. Reeves. He couldn't get his flaps down. After several waveoffs, he picked out a DD and flew past it and made a water landing forward of it. It might not have been quite the show it was if he had retracted his main gear, but perhaps he couldn't. That F6F did put on a show. The DD stopped and picked him up and everyone was happy. Scuddlebutt is that we are heading for Majuro.

Corvette HMCS Matapedia completed forecastle extension refit Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

Destroyer HMCS Huron departed Kola Inlet with Convoy RA-56 for Loch Ewe.

NEWFOUNDLAND: Tug HMCS Radville assigned to St John's.

U.S.A.:

Escort carrier USS Savo Island commissioned.

Minesweeper USS Triumph commissioned.

Destroyer escort USS Roy O Hale commissioned.

Frigate USS Hutchinson commissioned.

Submarine USS Entemedor laid down.