Air Operations, Europe

British aircraft raid Taranto causing severe damage.

54 aircraft are involved in mine laying operations in the Frisians and off Swinemünde in the Baltic. There are no losses.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• Despite overcast conditions, 2 5th Air Force B-17s, 5 B-25s and 11 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack runways and building at the airfields of Lae and Salamaua.
• In their combat debut, 35th Fighter Group P-400s, based at the Port Moresby/Twelve-Mile Drome, shoot down 5 A6M Zeros over Morobe at 1040 hours.

Allied Planning

The British and Americans appoint Combined Boards for Production and for Food. They are to meet in Washington under the supervision of Donald Nelson and Oliver Lyttleton.

Caribbean

The US freighter Merrimack (2606t) is sunk by U-107 about 60 miles north of Cozumel Island off the Honduran coast. Only 10 of the 51 men on board survive the attack.

Occupied Czechoslovakia

(6/4?) The mining village of Lidice is obliterated as a reprisal for the assassination of Heydrich (see May 27). All the men, 198, are killed outright. The 195 women residents are imprisoned in concentration camps and the 98 children are sent to other penal camps. On June 24 the village of Levzasky is also destroyed. Altogether the Germans murder more than 1,000 people in direct reprisals.

Eastern Front

There is a renewed German offensive in the Kharkov area.

The Volkhov Front becomes operational once again, its primary aim being the relief of the 2nd Shock Army.

A scene from Reinhard Heydrich's funeral procession, Berlin 9 June 1942.

Reinhard Heydrich Funeral

Mediterranean

Another consignment of 32 Spitfires is flown to Malta. The number sent in during the last few weeks shows how fierce the fighting for the island is.

North Africa

Rommel strikes northward. The 21st Panzer and Ariete Divs are sent on a feint to the west of 'Knightsbridge'. This produces a clash with the 6th Royal Tanks.

The British make an unsuccessful attempt to bring help to the Free French surrounded at Bir Hacheim, where bitter fighting continues.

By evening the 115th Motorized Infantry Regt captures Point 186 to the north of Bir Hacheim from which Lt-Col Ernst-Günther Baade can bring the fortress under continuous artillery fire. At 1700 Brig-Gen Marie-Pierre Koenig requests permission to withdraw. The defenders will hold out until the next day. During the night 2,700 men and 2 female staff car drivers break out of the trap.

Philippines

The Japanese have already completed the conquest ot the islands, though there are still isolated groups that have not yet laid down their arms. 140,000 US and Filipino personnel have been killed, wounded or missing in trying to defend the islands.