German U-boat U-210 seen from HMCS Assiniboine, 6 August 1942.

U-210 Seen from HMCS Assiniboine

Assiniboine Maneuevers to Ram U-210.

In August 1942, destroyer HMCS Assiniboine, a member of escort group C-1, was assigned to the protection of convoy SC-94 sailing from Sydney, Nova Scotia, to the United Kingdom. SC-94 suffered repeated attacks from a wolf pack of U-Boats and 11 out of its 33 ships were torpedoed and sunk. In the afternoon of August 5th, HMCS Assiniboine and two corvettes are ordered to help six stragglers rejoin the convoy but it is already too late for merchant ship SS Spar, hit by a torpedo, a column of smoke billowing from its hull. HMCS Assiniboine attempts in vain to find the attacker. On August 6th, U-210 is sighted on the surface of the foggy sea and the chase starts for good.

Air Operations, CBI

11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack the Tienho airfield at Canton.

Air Operations, Europe

• 3 Mosquitos to Germany
• 1 aircraft bombs at Hanover
• No losses

• 216 aircraft of 5 types attack Duisburg
• Most bomb loads fall in open country west of the target area; in Duisburg, 18 buildings are destroyed, 66 damaged; 24 people killed
• 2 Halifaxes, 2 Stirlings and 1 Wellington lost

• 5 aircraft to Le Havre, but do not bomb; 3 Blenheims on Intruder flights; 1 Lancaster lays mines in the Frisians
• No losses

Air Operations, Libya

USAMEAF B-24s attack the harbor at Tobruk.

Air Operations, New Guinea

5th Air Force B-25s and 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack the airfields at Lae and Salamaua.

Baltic Sea

U-612 sinks following a collsion with U-444. She is subsequently raised and put back in service as a training boat.

U-612

Battle of the Atlantic

• Operating against Convoy SC-94, U-210 by the Canadian destroyer Assiniboine. The destroyer opens fire. The U-boat returns fire but is rammed by Assiniboine and left wallowing on the surface. Her conning tower is wrecked from a direct hit from a 4.7in shell which killed the CO and all those on the bridge. The destroyer turns and rams the submarine again which sinks the submarine.

U-210

Class	Type VIIC
CO	Kapitänleutnant Rudolf Lemcke
Location	North Atlantic
Cause	Ramming
Casualties	6
Survivors	37

The unarmed US schooner Wawaloam (342t), en route to St John's, Newfoundland, is sunk by shellfire from U-86 but suffers no casualties to the 7 on board. [ | ] Britain, Command After much discussion of various proposals, Gen Alexander is chosen to command in the Middle East and Gen Gott to have tactical control of 8th Army. [ | ] Diplomatic Relations The British Government formally denounces the Munich Agreement of September 1938. Queen Wilhelmina of Holland addresses a joint session of the US Congress. [ | ] Eastern Front The Russians admit the loss of Kotelnikovo. Army Group B is beginning to wear down the Russian defenses in the Don elbow. 17th Army from Army Group A manages to capture Tikhoretsk, in the Kuban area south of Rostov and north of Krasnodar. They also seize Armavir on the Kuban River. In the bend of the Don near Stalingrad the Soviet resistance to Army Group B is weakening. NORTHERN SECTOR Heavy attacks are unleashed against the Demyansk salient. The 11th Army launches strong attacks aimed at nipping off the salient and isolating the Germans. Hitler has begun to lay down plans for the capture of Leningrad. Operation NORDLICHT will throw the 11th Army into a concerted attack into the city environs. It is planned for mid-September. CENTRAL SECTOR The Soviets commit the VI and VIII Tank Corps and the II Guards Cavalry Corps to support the 31st and 20th Armies attacks around Rzhev. Fierce tank battles erupt as the Germans commit their Armored reserves. SOUTHERN SECTOR After a bitter battle around Armavir, the Germans smash the I Independent Rifle Corps, the town falling to the 1st Panzer Army, which then forces the Kuban River. Both the 18th and 12th Armies retreat before Group Kleist, falling back to cover the Maikop oilfields. Tikhoretsk falls to the 17th Army as Group Ruoff reaches the Chelbas. To prevent the loss of the Maikop-Tuapse line, Budenny deploys the 12th and 18th Armies, together with the XVII Cavalry Corps. Tyulenev start the fortification of defensive positions along the Terek. [ | ] India, Home Front A campaign of civil disobedience is threatened if the British do not make India 'free and independent', at the earliest possible time, not after the war. [ | ] Mediterranean The British submarine Thorn is sunk by the Italian motor torpedo boat Pegaso 30 miles south of Gavdos Island with the loss of 60 of her crew. [ | ] New Guinea All Australian and American forces in Australian New Guinea (Papua and northern New Guinea) are combined into the 'New Guinea Force'. [ | ] Pacific The Allied landing force heading for the Solomons draws near its objective without being spotted by the Japanese. The US submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks the Japanese army transport Ohio Maru (5372t) in the South China Sea about 250 miles east-northeast of Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina. [ | ]

[August 5th - August 7th]