Air Operations, Carolines

A VMF(N)-541 F6F night-fighter downs an E13A 'Jake' reconnaissance plane over Peleliu at 1945 hours. This is the first victory credited to a USMC fighter pilot since June, and the only Japanese airplane ever downed by a US land-based fighter over the Palau Islands.

Air Operations, CBI

• 2 10th Air Force B-25s attack targets of opportunity between Katha and Bhamo.
• More than 60 10th Air Force P-47s attack rail targets between Naba and Kyaikthin and occupied towns and supplies at Bhamo, Nakang, and Namun.

• 4 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 12 14th Air Force P-40s attack a rail bridge at Pengpu.
• 6 P-51s attack shipping near Amoy and Swatow.
• Nearly 70 fighter-bombers support Chinese Army ground forces around Lungling.

Air Operations, East Indies

• FEAF A-20s and P-47s attack Kairatoe and Saharoe.
• B-25s and P-40s attack two towns in the Molucca Islands.

Air Operations, Europe

• 101 Lancasters of No. 3 Group carry out a good G-H attack on the oil plant at Bottrop.
• 1 Lancaster is lost.

The gutted remains of the Bottrop synthetic oil plant. Although this picture was not taken until 19th November, the damage caused in the attack almost 3 weeks earlier is still very evident.

Bottrop Synthetic Oil Plant

• 1 Hudson is on a Resistance operation and 1 Wellington makes a signals patrol.

• 493 aircraft including 331 Lancasters, 144 Halifaxes, and 18 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups are sent to Cologne. 15 additional Mosquitos carry out a feint attack just before the main raid. This is another Oboe-marked attack through thick cloud. Most of the bombing falls in the southern districts, with Bayental and Zollstock, according to the local report, being the hardest hit, although damage is not as severe as in other recent raids.
• 2 Lancasters are lost.

• 49 Mosquitos are sent to Hamburg, 4 to Saarbrücken and 2 to Schweinfurt, and there are 59 Mosquito patrols and 36 RCM sorties.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, Japan

4 28th Composite Bomb Group B-25s attack a cannery at Tomari Cape. A B-25 that is damaged by anti-aircraft fire force-lands in the USSR, where the airplane and crew are interned.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command A-20s and V Fighter Command P-38s attack airfields at Doom Island, Efman Island, Sagan, and Samate.

Air Operations, Pacific

US Navy communiqué No 170 makes an assessment of Japanese losses between the end of August and this date. The report is compiled by the 3rd and 7th Carrier Fleets. Between the two dates, the US lost 300 aircraft, but the Japanese suffered a catastrophic 2,594 aircraft losses: 1,462 shot down and 1,132 destroyed on the ground. Even allowing for some pilot exaggeration, it is clear that the Japanese Air Force is utterly outclassed and outnumbered in the Pacific War.

Air Operations, Philippines

49th Fighter Group P-38s down 3 D3A 'Val' dive bombers near the Tacloban airfield on Leyte at 1815 hours.

Burma

In the northern sector the British 36th Div occupies Mawlu. Japanese resistance grows.

China

(when?) Gen Albert C. Wedemeyer takes over command of the American forces in the Chinese theater of operations. His main task is to direct air operations in China, Burma and the Pacific.

Occupied Denmark

The Gestapo HQ in Aarhus is destroyed by the RAF in a precision attack designed to aid the resistance forces by wiping out many of the Gestapo records. There are 2 hospitals less than 100 yards away, but the 48 500-pound bombs dropped result in nothing but superficial damage to them.

Eastern Front

In Hungary the 2nd Ukraine Front steps up its operations, forcing the passage of the Tisza River near Kecskemet and penetrating into the city, where fierce street fighting develops.

The German Army Group North is trapped in the Courland Peninsula in Lithuania, where it will remain until May 1945.

The 46th Army reaches Kecskemet but becomes embroiled in bitter fighting with the XXIV Panzer Corps.

In the 10 months since January the Ostheer has lost in excess of 1,500,000 men, 6,700 panzers and assault guns, 28,000 arty pieces and 12,000 aircraft. The last 3 months alone account for 672,000 of this total. Of this latter figure, barely 201,000 have been replaced. German divisional strength stands at 21 panzer, 11 panzer grenadier adn 106 infantry divisions, most woefully short of men and equipment.

Greece

The Germans evacuate Salonika. This means that the remaining island garrisons cannot be evacuated. In recent weeks many of the German Aegean forces have been taken off in small vessels despite Allied patrols.

Italy

The 10th Indian Div of V Corps, 8th Army, advances swiftly toward the Rabbi River on the heels of the retiring Germans. The 4th Div establishes 2 bridgeheads over the Ronco River between Selbagnone and Highway 9.

Pacific

The Japanese district craft Kaiyo No. 6 is sunk by the US submarine Gabilan (SS-252) off Shikoku, Japan.

Philippines

On Leyte units of the US XXIV Corps advance from Abuyog across the center of the island toward Baybay, on the west coast. In the X Corps sector, to the north, the Americans mop up the area of Jaro(?) near Tacloban.

Western Front

At Breskens and Ostend, in the Scheldt sector, amphibious assault units of the Canadian II Corps prepare to land on the island of Walcheren. Units of the XII Corps of the British 2nd Army overcome German resistance in the Raamsdonk sector.

Images from October 31, 1944

RAF Attack on Aarhus University Gestapo Headquarters, 31 October 1944

Mosquito Bombers during the Successful Attack on Gestapo HQ in Aarhus, 31 October 1944

The attack on the building occupied by the Gestapo at Aarhus University, was an example of notably accurate bombing.

Accurate Bombing Example

German Prisoners of War in Walcheren, Holland, 31 October 1944

American Sherman Tanks Firing on the Gothic Line

US Army Truck Trying To Drive through Muddy Road South of Bologna, 31 October 1944

Sherman tanks of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division in town square. October 31, 1944, Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands.

Canadian Tanks in Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands