Air Operations, Europe

• I.6 Bostons raid Dieppe and 2 Mosquitos Essen. There are no losses.
• In a follow up raid to the previous night's attempt, Essen is again the target. 195 aircraft including 97 Wellingtons, 38 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters, 21 Stirlings and 12 Hampdens make the raid. The bombings are again widely scattered. Ground reports from Essen say only 3 high-explosive and about 300 incendiary bombs hit the city. There is no major damage or casualties reported.
• In minor operations, 6 Wellingtons raid Dieppe, 11 aircraft lay mines of Lorient and St Nazaire and 4 Hampdens make leaflet flights over France. 1 Hampden minelayer is lost.

Air Operations, New Guinea

5th Air Force B-17 based in the Bismarcks hit the dock area and a military camp at Rabaul.

Aleutians

Kakuta's light carriers attack Dutch Harbor, but with their knowledge of Japanese intentions against Midway, the Americans are not of course distracted.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-159 torpedoes and sinks the unarmed US freighter City of Alma (5446t) about 400 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. 10 survivors of the 36-man crew are rescued by the patrol craft YP-67.

Diplomatic Relations

Chinese Foreign Minister T. V. Soong and Cordell Hull sign a Lend-Lease agreement. The US will begin channelling large amounts of military equipment through to Chinese forces via Indian ports.

A lorry-mounted 2-pdr anti-tank gun passes a destroyed German PzKpfw tank in the Western Desert, 2 June 1942.

2-Pdr Anti-Tank Gun Passes a Destroyed German Tank

Troops inspecting a German PzKpfw III tank, knocked out by a 2-pdr anti-tank gun in the Western Desert, 2 June 1942.

Troops Inspecting a German PzKpfw III Tank

Eastern Front

In the southern sector the 11th Army begins an artillery barrage which will last for five days. This bombardment is in preparation for an assault on the fortress of Sevastopol in the Crimea by the Germans and Rumanians. Involved in the barrage are 1,300 artillery weapons including 2 60-cm 'Karl' mortars and the even more enormous 80-cm 'Dora' gun. They are also supported by the Fliegerkorps VII.

The thunderous detonation of 1,300 artillery pieces break the Crimean dawn in the hopes of breaking through the heavily defended port fortress of Sevastopol. This will not be an easy task as some of the fortress's defenses date back to the days before the Crimean War. These have now been reinforced with moderen, concrete strongpoints. There are also numerous defense lines belted around the city, heavily entrenched in favorable mountainous terrain. Finally, there are heavy coastal batteries on the shores. By the end of the battle the 11th Army and the VIII Air Corps will have dropped more than half a million rounds on the port. Manstein commits the full weight of his artillery to smashing the strongly build Soviet defenses, easing the difficult task for the infantry in the coming battle. The German forces are supplemented by the Romanian VII Corps (10th and 19th Infantry Divs), 4th Mountain Div and 8th Cavalry Bde. The VIII Air Corps is heavily committed on the first day of battle, flying hundreds of sorties over the burning city. Fierce artillery fire continues for a week before the main attack will be launched.

Mediterranean

U-652was damaged in an attack by Swordfish 'L' of 815 NAS and was disabled. She transmitted a signal requesting assistance. U-81 received the signal and headed for U-682 at maximum speed. Finding the submarine in a sinking condition, the crew was evacuated and U-682 was sunk by a torpedo from U-81

U-682

Afrika Korps 88mm anti-tank gun fires near Bir Hacheim, Libya, 2 June 1942.

Afrika Korps 88mm Anti-Tank Gun in Action

A British infantryman takes the surrender of the crew of an enemy supply truck in the Western Desert, 2 June 1942.

Crew of German Supply Truck Surrenders to British Infantryman

North Africa

Rommel strikes out from 'The Cauldron' sending the 90th Light and the Trieste Div south to take Bir Hacheim and free his flank. They replace the Ariete Div which has been engaged with the French brigade since 26 May. The Free French 1st Brigade resistance is extremely stubborn and even when 15th Panzer and Rommel's heavy artillery come up they still hold out.

The 21st Panzer is sent on a raid to the north. This first disperses the 16 Valentines of the 8th Royal Tanks, then routs the 4th Armored Brigade which is surprised and loses 21 tanks. The 5th Royal Tanks suffers severely losing its commander Lt-Col Robie D. W. Uniacke.

Occupied Czechoslovakia

The Germans execute 131 Czechs in reprisal for the attack on Heydrich.

Pacific

The US carrier groups from Pearl Harbor, Task Force 17 under Adm Frank Jack Fletcher and Task Force 16 under Adm Raymond Spruance, join forces about 350 miles northeast of Midway. Adm Frank J. Fletcher takes over command of the operation and moves his two squadrons to a position about 200 miles north of Midway. Altogether the 3 carriers have about 250 aircraft, approximately the same as the Japanese main force. The rest of the US naval forces consist of 7 heavy cruiser, 16 destroyers, oilers, and a light cruiser, all being screened by 25 submarines.

In the Aleutians, American reconnaissance aircraft sight two Japanese aircraft carriers 400 miles from Kiska.

Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon addressed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 2, 1942.

Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon Addresses US House