February 5th, 1945 (MONDAY)
GERMANY: Ravensbruck: Ensign Violette Reine Elizabeth Szabo (b.1921), Women's Transport Service, was executed. Arrested on a secret mission to France, she suffered brutal - and futile - interrogations before being sent to Ravensbruck camp. (George Cross)
The Allied PoWs force marched from Stalag Luft III arrive at Stalag IIIA, 50 kilometres south of Berlin, after an 8 day journey. (Henry Sirotin) Article by Buzz Bourdon, Globe and Mail, Thursday, May 5, 2006. Page S9. Link
U-2362, U-2363, U-3029 commissioned.
POLAND: The Soviets begin attacks on Poznan.
Troops of the Red Army start crossing the River Oder.
U.S.S.R.: Soviet minesweeper T-116 (ex-USS Arcade) sunk by U-992.
GREECE: Athens: Communist fighters lay down their arms, as the government agrees an amnesty with EAM.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Sergeant Donald Rudolph crosses a battlefield on Luzon island in the northern Philippines alone - protecting himself with grenades - when the company that was supposed to be supporting his unit was pinned down. He destroyed two Japanese pillboxes before attacking and neutralizing six others. Then, when his unit came under fire from a tank, he climbed onto the tank and dropped a white phosphorus grenade through the turret, killing the crew. (MOH)
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Brandon arrived St John's to join EG W-5 WEF.
U.S.A.: Escort carrier USS Gilbert Islands commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 2025, Liberty Ship Henry B. Plant as last ship in the starboard column of Convoy TAM-71 was torpedoed by U-245 about 17 miles east of Ramsgate. The lookouts had spotted the U-boat 300 yards off the starboard side, but it was too late to evade the torpedo which struck at the #4 hold. The explosion ruptured the main deck, severed steam lines, blasted the hatches and beams overboard and probably set off the after magazines. The engines were secured as the vessel rapidly sank, sinking stern first within five minutes. Most of the eight officers, 33 crewmembers, 28 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) and one passenger (an Army security officer) had to jump overboard, they only managed to launch one lifeboat and four rafts. The survivors were picked up by HMS Hazard and armed trawler HMS Sir Lancelot and landed in England. One officer, eight crewmembers and seven armed guards drowned.