Allied Planning

Beginning this day (or the 29th?) and lasting until October 1, the conference suggested at Placentia by Churchill and Roosevelt takes place in Moscow. Harriman is the United States' representative and Beaverbrook the British delegate. Molotov takes the leading part on the Soviet side.

Winston Churchill visiting the ruins of Coventry Cathedral on September 28, 1941. Coventry Cathedral had been destroyed when the Germans bombed Coventry in a massive overnight air raid in November 1940.

Churchill Visits Coventry

Czechoslovakia, Home Front

Citing 'irresponsible elements' with antagonistic acts directed at the Reich, a state of emergency is declared in Bohemia and Moravia. Heydrich imposes martial law on 6 districts.

Eastern Front

Heavy fighting rages before Sumy as the XLVIII Panzer Corps pushes forward against the II Cavalry Corps. The 9th Panzer and 25th Motorized Divisions strike the Soviet corps hard and inflict heavy losses.

Italian East Africa

The Italian garrison of Wolkefit, in Amhara, on the Adowa-Gondar road, surrenders to the British.

Italian Garrison at Wolshefit Surrenders

After the fall of Amba Alagi, in May, the only remaining Italian resistance in the country was centered around Gondar. On September 28, however, British and native forces attacked and captured the Italian garrison of Wolshefit, an important position guarding Gondar from the north. The Italian commander, Colonial Gonella, his staff, and 3,000 troops were taken prisoner, and the way was paved for an assault upon Gondar itself. The picture shows Colonel Gonella with his men receiving full military honors.

Some of the Colonial Soldiers who took part in the battle

British Success in Abyssinia

Mediterranean

• The British convoy of Operation HALBERD reaches Malta almost intact. On the journey from Gibraltar one transport is sunk by air attack but the rest reach Malta with a close escort of cruisers and destroyers. Pantellaria is shelled by part of the British force and an Italian submarine is sunk by a destroyer. A total of 50,000 tons of supplies is landed giving the island enough provisions to last until May 1942.
• The British submarine Tetrarch damages the German steamer Yalova (3751t) 20 miles south of San Giorgio. She is able to beach herself but is finished off by the British submarine Talisman on 3 October.
• The Italian submarine Fisala is sunk by the British corvette Hyacinth off Jaffa.