Air Operations, Europe

14 Wellingtons lay mines off St Nazaire without a loss.

Air Operations, Libya

During the night, USAMEAF B-17s and B-24s attack the harbor at Benghazi and probably destroy an ammunition ship.

Air Operations, New Guinea

5th Air Force B-17s and 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack Lae and Salamaua.

Arctic

PQ-17, a Russian-bound convoy from Iceland, comes under heavy attack by German aircraft and U-boats in the Barents Sea. The convoy is ordered to scatter when Tirpitz and other German warships are believed heading from Norwegian ports to intercept the Allied ships. Without benefit of escorts once the vessels dispersed and operate independently, they are an easy prey form about 200 planes and submarines operating in the area. Of the 22 American and 11 British merchantmen, 23 are sunk, most by aircraft and U-boats but some by mines as well.

Tirpitz followed by Admiral Hipper and Admiral Scheer departing Altafjord July 5, 1942 for Operation RÖSSELSPRUNG (KNIGHT'S MOVE) attack on Convoy PQ-17.

German Ship Moving on Convoy PQ-17

The severe losses force the British Admiralty to suspend convoys for Russia 'at least till the northern ice packs melted and receded and until perpetual daylight passed.' This in turn draws the wrath of Stalin and seriously exacerbated inter-Allied relations.

13 vessels from PQ-17 are sunk. The German heavy units make an abortive sortie, returning when the successes of the Luftwaffe and the U-boats make their presence unnecessary. QP-13 in the Denmark Strait sails into a 'friendly' minefield, losing 4 ships.

Baltic Sea

Russian submarine SC-320 sinks the German steamer Anna (677t) west of Memel.

Eastern Front

All organized Russian resistance in the Crimea has ceased. Hoth's 4th Panzergruppe reaches the Don near Voronezh, meeting with bitter resistance from the Russians. In the central sector the Germans move to better positions in the Smolensk area. The Germans reach the Don River near Voronezh.

West Front begins a new operation at tying down the 2nd Panzer Army near Sukhinichi.

Soviet armies fighting around Voronezh are pounded on the banks of the Don by the 4th Panzer Army and smashed by the Luftwaffe. Hoth crosses the Don and enters the outskirts of Voronezh, while the 2nd Army moves up to protect the exposed left flank.

Stalin orders the formation of a new Voronezh Front. Golikov assumes temporary command until the arrival of Vatutin. The front comprises the 40th, 3rd and 6th Armies. Chibisov takes over the Bryansk Front.

North Africa

Stukas attack the New Zealanders several times one of which hits the Headquarters of the 4th New Zealand Brigade and puts the entire staff out of action and the troops 'without direction'.

4.5-inch field gun firing at night against enemy armoured concentrations at El Alamein, July 1942.

Artillery in Night Action

XIII Corps moves to its jumping off places for their attack when Auchinleck changes his mind thinking he didn't have enough superiority to justify the dispersal of his forces in such a wide movement. Lt-Gen William Gott is now directed that the roving columns would operate in the rear while the rest of the corps attacks Rommel's right flank before moving toward Deir El Shein.

Pacific

4 Japanese destroyers are torpedoed by US submarines off the Aleutian Islands. The Arare and the Nenohi are sunk; Kasumi and Shiranuhi are damaged.

Soviet Union, Armed Forces

Stalin creates the Voronezh Front made up of the 3rd, 6th and 40th Armies.