Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s attack antiaircraft batteries at Rein Bay.

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and Düsseldorf, 10 Stirlings lay mines in the Frisians and there are 11 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

This crew could at last smile having completed the required number of missions to fulfil a tour, they could look forward to a few months out of front-line action to recover. Some pilots however, found life on the operational training units and heavy conversion squadrons teaching raw pilots just as stressful.

This Crew Has Completed the Required Number of Missions

Air Operations, New Guinea

• A total of approximately 40 V Bomber Command B-17s, B-24s, and B-25s attack defenses and lines of supply in the Bogadjim area.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s and RAAF bombers attack Japanese Army defenses near Finschhafen.

Air Operations, Solomons

• AirSols B-25s, TBFs, and SBDs attack gun emplacements at and near the Vila airfield at Kolombangara.
• A VF-12 F6F downs an A6M Zero over Barakoma, Vella Lavella, at 1113 hours.

Diplomatic Relations

A Lend-Lease agreement is signed by United States and Free French representatives at Algiers.

Britain, Politics

There is a Cabinet reshuffle because of the death on September 23 of Sir Kingsley Wood, then Chancellor of the Exchequer. Atlee becomes Lord President of the Council, Sir John Anderson, Chancellor, Lord Cranbourne, Dominions Secretary and Lord Beaverbrook, Lord Privy Seal.

Eastern Front

Stalin announces the greatest victory of the summer campaign. The Soviets take Smolensk and Roslavl

arguably their most important success since the end of the Kursk battle. Smolensk, with its vast network of defenses constructed by the Germans over 2 years and claimed by Berlin to be impregnable, was the keystone to the entire German defense system in Russia. The German 4th Army, which has been withdrawn west of Smolensk, withstands the powerful Russian thrust in the direction of the Orsha River. From here to the south the Germans are retreating behind the Dniepr, where they have been ordered to make a stand by Hitler. This retreat has been entirely forced and so there has been less benefit than if it had been done earlier as von Manstein recommended.

The 31st, 5th and 68th Armies take Smolensk. Roslavl falls to the 10th Army.

German forces continue to withdraw across the Dniepr, while the 7th Guards Army of the Steppe Front reaches it south of Kremenchug, crossing with ease.

New Guinea

The Australian 20th Bde advances slowly towards Finschhafen.

North Sea

In a German minelaying operation off Harwich and Ordfordness by S-boats, the British minesweeping trawler Franc Tireur is sunk by S-96 off Harwich with the loss of 15 crewmen. S-96 is then rammed by ML-150 and ML-145 and abandoned. 13 German crewmen are picked up and made prisoners of war.

Solomons

The Japanese begin to evacuate Kolombangara. Their garrison there has been made useless by the American capture of the other islands in the New Georgia group. Over the next week 9,400 men are taken off by landing craft and destroyers. US destroyers sink 40 boats. 1,000 Japanese drown.

Pics from September 25, 1943

Australian Troops of the 2/14 Infantry Battalion arrive at Kaiapit Airfield while engineers rest on a log. Credit: AWM 057573 Date: September 25, 1943

Australian Troops Arrive at Kaiapit Airfield

Myoko Maru beached at Malahang near Lae 25 September 1943. (Photo-AWM 015813)

Myoko Maru Beached at Malahang