20 March 1945

UNITED KINGDOM: Peace in Europe will signal a two-year period of national housing emergency in Britain. The coalition government announced today that the first aim is a seperate home for every family wanting one. This will mean that 750,000 new dwellings will be needed. Pre-war slum clearance schemes will be revived and accelerated with plans for another 500,000 homes. The government is to give hundreds of thousands of building workers priority release from the forces after the war.

GERMANY: The German bridgehead over the Oder River at Altdawn is eliminated by the Russians.

General Heinrici is appointed to command the Army Group Vistula succeeding Himmler. Guderian had made the suggestion to Hitler.

AUSTRIA: 760+ Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s hit targets including Korneuburg and Kagran oil refineries; marshalling yards at Wels, Sankt Polten, Amstetten, Wierner-Neustadt and Klagenfurt; and tank works at Steyr.

BURMA: Mandalay: The town has fallen. Churchill says "Thank God we have got a place whose name we can pronounce."

The city was taken by the 19th Indian Division under Major-General Peter Rees, the five-foot "Pocket Napoleon". Three weeks ago the division, which had deliberately drawn the 15th and 33rd Japanese divisions on itself at its Irrawaddy bridgehead to facilitate the 17th Indian Division's attack on Meiktila, began its southward march down the road to Mandalay.

"Act boldly and go fast while the going is good," Rees briefed his commanders, "and take risks". By 7 March they had reached Powa Taung, within sight of Mandalay Hill and its wreath of temples.

The division reached the suburbs on 9 March, the 4/4 Gurkhas and the Royal Berkshires taking the top of Mandalay Hill after ferocious fighting with swords, kukris, bayonets and grenades in the subterranean vaults of the Buddhist temples. In the ten days that followed every inch of street and historic wall was fought over. Finally, after crushing air attacks, the garrison slipped out yesterday.

JAPAN: Japanese Imperial General Headquarters has determined that troops of the Soviet Union are being transferred to the Far East. Headquarters notifies subordinate commands that there is a new plan for the defence of the Homeland, i.e., KETSU-GO or Operation Decision.

After attacking targets in Japan for two days, Task Force 58 begins withdrawing. Japanese aircraft attack all day. At 1454 hours, a kamikaze just misses the aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CV-19) and hits an accompanying destroyer. At 1626 hours, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) is hit by friendly AA fire during an attack by 18 Navy Type 1 Attack Bombers (Allied Code Name "Betty") plus another 30 aircraft. Some of the "Bettys" are carrying Yokosuka MXY7 Navy Suicide Attacker Ohka (Cherry Blossom) (Allied Code Name "Baka"). This is the first time the "Bakas" have been seen byUSNcarrier pilots.

BONIN ISLANDS: Iwo Jima: The USAAF 549th Night Fighter Squadron arrives on the island.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The US submarine Kete (SS-369), commanded by Edward Ackerman, is listed as missing between Okinawa and Midway. The probable cause of loss is by Japanese submarine. All hands are lost. (Joe Sauder)

Escort carrier USS Tinian laid down.

Aircraft carrier USS Midway launched.

Destroyer USS Myles C Fox commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-683 listed as missing in the North Atlantic after today south-west of Ireland or in the English Channel. 49 dead (all hands lost). Probably sunk 12 March, 1945 in the English Channel near Land's End, in position 49.52N, 05.52W, by depth charges from the British frigate MS Loch Ruthwen and the sloop Wild Goose. (Alex Gordon)

Whilst escorting convoy JW.65 on its approach to Kola Inlet, sloop HMS Lapwing takes a hit from a Zaunkönig fired by U-968 (Oberleutnant Otto Westphalen) which causes her to break into halves and sink 20 minutes later. (Alex Gordon)(108)

Frigates HMCS Beacon Hill, Sussexvale, New Glasgow and Ribble sailed from Londonderry for training at Loch Alsh. After the group passed the Foyle buoy it, formed up, a mile apart and zigzagging independently, making about fourteen knots with CAT gear streamed. A periscope and schnorkel were visible on New Glasgow's port bow, action stations were sounded and a shallow depth-charge pattern was ordered however, it was too late. The U-boat struck New Glasgow just below the bridge. Subsequent searches by EG 26, C-4 and EG 25 failed to reveal U-1003.

In the afternoon, U-968 attacked Convoy JW-65 and reported a destroyer and a Liberty sunk and another Liberty ship torpedoed. In fact, sloop HMS Lapwing of the 7th Escort Group and Liberty ship Thomas Donaldson were sunk. HMS Lapwing was hit amidships at 1325 and sank 20 minutes later.