Italian forces reach the Thyamis (Kalamas) River, near Epirus. 11,000 Italian mountain troops marched for the pass at Metsovo, Greece but were trapped by 2,000 Greek troops, who knew the terrain far better than the Italians, in the Vovousa Valley 5 miles before they reached the pass. In southern Greece, British destroyers Ajax landed more troops at Suda Bay, Crete while under attack by Italian bombers. 300 are killed in bombing attacks on Piraeus. Meanwhile, Turkey declared neutrality in the Italo-Greek war.
In the central sector in the Pindus Mountains on 1 November 1940, Italian Division Julia (Italian divisions are named for where they are recruited from) of about 11,000 troops faces 2000 Greek troops commanded by Colonel Konstantinos Davakis. The Italians are strung out along narrow roads marching through the Vovousa Valley, with the Greeks looking down on them from the ridgelines and mounting harassing attacks. The Italians are making slow progress in the snow and icy rain — the word almost universally used to describe this is “plodding” — and are approaching the village of Vovousa. This village, though, is inconsequential, the real prize is Metsovo 30 km to the south. Taking that key supply transit center would unhinge both the northern sector — there the Italians are not moving forward at all — and the Greek line that stretches west to the coast.
On the less important coastal sector, the Italian troops finally close up with the dug-in Greeks at the Thyamis River. They capture Konitsa. The Greeks, under Major-General Nikolaos Lioumbas, are behind excellent natural defensive features. Further inland, the Greeks are dug in on the Kalpaki Line and tie in with the Greek troops defending in the Pindus Mountains.
On the fairly quiet northern sector of the front, the Greek 4th and 9th Infantry Divisions mount some probing attacks across the border toward Koritsa. Greek bombers attack the Koritsa airfield.
The Italian high command (Commando Supremo) realizes that it will need more troops in Albania. It orders the Bari and Trieste infantry divisions shipped to Albania forthwith.
Italy turned the fury of an aerial blitzkrieg upon all Greece yesterday in 24 violent bombing attacks that killed and wounded nearly 300 persons and blasted five important ports and cities, an official communique said early today. Tons of bombs smashed upon the port and airport of Athens, on strategic Salonika, which was bombed six times In as many hours, on the central city of Larissa and the islands of Crete and Corfu. An official announcement of casualties in the bombings said 90 persons were killed and 209 wounded.
Greek destroyers Spetsai and Psara continue bombarding Italian positions along the coast.
Royal Navy light cruiser Ajax lands troops of the 2nd Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment at Suda Bay. The Italians bomb the Royal Navy ships in the harbor and almost hit the Ajax.
Turkey declared neutrality in the Greco-Italian War. However, Turkey is having an outsized influence on the campaign because it has threatened to intervene in some fashion if Bulgaria — a very tentative German ally — intervenes. This Turkish threat, based on a previous treaty (the Balkan Pact of 1935), keeps the Bulgarians from attacking Greece, which would dilute the Greek defense and cause them many military problems. Knowing that Bulgaria has been neutralized allows the Greeks to put all of its troops in the mountains to oppose the Italians.
Turkey will continue her relations with Soviet Russia, “despite all other occurrences,” the official Turkish radio announced tonight. “Turkish-Russian relations in this confused period are unique,” the radio said. “Our country, despite all other occurrences, will continue its relations with Russia.”
Bulgaria early today was reported rushing troop reinforcements to her frontier facing Turkey and diplomatic quarters feared a sharp rise in Balkan tension as result of the Turkish government’s new announcement of non-belligerency. Constant reports of German troop movement through Rumania, pushing steadily eastward to the Black sea, contributed to the fresh alarm in Sofia. Official quarters refused to comment on the reported “precautionary” troop reinforcements along the border with Turkey. Diplomatic quarters said that yesterday’s speech before the Turkish national assembly at Ankara by President Ismet Inonu would tend to increase rather than decrease Balkan tension.
General Paul Ewald von Kleist takes command of the 1st Panzer Group (Panzergruppe).
General Enno von Rintelen, the military attaché in Rome, submits a report to Hitler which describes the slow pace of Italian operations in Greece. This is hardly a secret; media outlets around the world already are describing the Italian invasion as an incompetent sideshow.
The report, though, sets Hitler off. He explodes into a raging tantrum about the military incompetence of the Italians. He decides to put any plans to insert German troops into Libya to assist the Italian advance into Egypt on indefinite hold and expresses an unwillingness to participate in any joint military operations with Mussolini in the future. Hitler also for the first time tells the head of OKW operations, General Jodl, that an offensive from Bulgaria to the Aegean may be necessary to conquer Greece — something he previously appears not to have contemplated. This ultimately becomes Operation Marita.
Hitler characterizes this as a “second rate substitute” to an Italian victory but figures that it is the only way to continue the “peripheral strategy” in the Mediterranean and convince the British — the real target of such an operation — that they had lost the war. In other words, in the strained reasoning of Hitler, since England could not be invaded, Greece would be substituted and (presumably) have essentially the same effect — force the British to accept defeat. He orders a meeting of senior officers to be held on the 4th at the Reichskanzlei (Reich Chancellery) to discuss the Peripheral Strategy.
The British Government institutes the Military Medal for women. The first three winners are members of the WAAF.
The German Oflag IV-C prisoner of war camp at the Colditz Castle, until now a transit camp, was redesignated an actual holding camp as Polish prisoners of war were transferred there from nearby Oflag IV-A and Oflag VIII-B.
General Karl-Heinrich von Stulpnagel is appointed head of the military regime in the occupied zone of France.
Marshal of France Henri-Philippe Petain, Head of the Vichy French Government, reassures U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the disposition of the French fleet stating, “The French Government has declared that the French fleet would never be surrendered and nothing can justify questioning today that solemn undertaking.”
President Roosevelt was accused today by Virginio Gayda, the highly-placed Fascist editor, of initiating an offensive against Germany and Italy and of responsibility for creating, along with his supporters, an “ideological political conflict which is skidding toward belligerency between the United States and the axis.” He declared again, however, that Italy is not interested in the outcome of the presidential election in the United States.
The Norwegian fishery protection vessel Fridtjof Nansen seizes a German ship carrying 50 armed men who plan to seize a weather station in Greenland and supply advance forecasts to the Luftwaffe.
The British mined the Bay of Biscay off France.
German bombers attacked British shipping in the Thames Estuary in southern England, United Kingdom, sinking Letchworth (1 killed), sinking minesweeping trawler HMT Tilbury Ness (10 killed), and heavily damaging sloop HMS Pintail (10 killed, 3 wounded); one German bomber was shot down by the anti-aircraft ship Royal Eagle. On the same day, a force of around ten Italian BR.20 bombers escorted by forty CR.42 fighters set off to attack the docks at Harwich, England; eight of the bombers were claimed as destroyed by the RAF, which contributed to the Italian decision to withdraw from the Battle of Britain in the next few weeks.
After dark, the main targets are London, Coventry, the Liverpool area along the Mersey, and various points in the Midlands. Total losses are about seven RAF planes and about twice that number for the Luftwaffe.
RAF No. 92 squadron receives some Spitfire Mk.IBs with an improved 20mm cannon installation this month.
The Speed Spitfire, with a normal Merlin XII engine installed, is delivered to the PRU at Manston this month. But its range is too short for reconnaissance missions. Metal-covered ailerons are tested. They greatly improve the high-speed roll rate.
Delivery of the first production Messerschmitt Bf 109F fighters occurs this month. The F-series is aerodynamically cleaned up, but too lightly armed.
Adolf Galland was promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant.
The Bf 110 squadrons have taken a beating during the Battle of Britain. One group, 1,/ZG 2, is broken up to form a new night fighter outfit, 4./NJG 2.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 1 Blenheim to the Dortmund—Ems Canal during daylight; returned early because of lack of cloud cover.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 81 aircraft overnight to Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, Magdeburg and to airfields in Belgium, Holland and France. 2 Hampden lost. 8 Hampden minelaying off Brest. Bomber Command attacks Berlin railway targets during the night, causing heavy casualties. Other targets include the Krupp factory at Essen, railway installations at Osnabruck, oil installations at Magdeburg, the coastal guns at Cap Gris Nez, and various airfields in northwest Europe.
Winston Churchill tells Mideast Command to send some bombers to Greece. About half the RAF bombers head north. Churchill is thinking strategically, wishing other neutral countries to see that Britain will stand behind them if attacked.
The Metaxas government inquires of Germany whether it would consider RAF bases in Greece as a reason to declare war. Hitler is not ready to invade yet and replies, through his ambassador, in the negative. The planes arrive shortly thereafter.
In a telegram to Air Marshal Longmore in Cairo, Churchill promises to reinforce him “as soon as possible.”
The Italian Regia Aeronautica mounts major strategic bombing operations on Greek cities, including:
— Piraeus
— Salonika
— Larissa
— Corfu
— Corinth
— Candia (on Crete)
The Italian bombing kills some civilians (59 in Salonika) but otherwise accomplishes little of military value. The Greek air force responds with an attack on the Italian base at Koritsa, Albania.
Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano, who has led bombing missions previously in Abyssinia (and received his appointment as Foreign Minister as a result), volunteers and leads a bombing mission against Salonika. Also in his flight are bombers piloted by Bruno and Vittorio Mussolini. While obviously a publicity stunt, the more fervent fascist supporters (which at this point still number Ciano) are full of manly vigor and the martial spirit and do want to participate in stunts like this as an example.
RAF bombers from Malta and the Fleet Air Arm bomb Naples and Brindisi, as well as Italian supply ports in Albania. The Malta-based bombers target Naples seaport, industrial zones, and railway installations. Italian fighters attack two Short Sunderland flying boats of RAF No. 228 Squadron based on Malta, one of which is performing normal reconnaissance over Sicily. That flying boat is lost, the other, on a search and rescue mission is badly damaged.
U-124, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Schulz, sank British steamer Empire Bison (5612grt), a straggler from convoy HX.82, in 59‑30N, 17‑40W. At 0706 hours the unescorted Empire Bison (Master William Herbert Harland, OBE), a straggler from convoy HX.82 since a gale on 23 October, was hit on the port side between #1 and #2 holds by one torpedo from U-124 while steaming on a zigzag course at 9 knots in bad weather about 200 miles northwest of Rockall. The ship had been spotted about three hours earlier and missed by a first torpedo at 0618 hours. The explosion felled the foremast that struck the starboard side of the bridge. The crew and passengers tried to abandon ship in the lifeboats, but none could be launched as the ship sank rapidly by the bow within one minute. The master, 29 crew members, seven passengers and one gunner (the ship was armed with one 4in and one machine gun) were lost. The only survivors were the second officer, the boatswain, one fireman and one passenger who rescued themselves on a raft that floated free. After about 24 hours, they spotted a U-boat surfacing nearby which soon left without investigating the raft further because the occupants played dead to avoid being taken prisoner. On 5 November, the survivors were picked up by the British steam merchant Olga S. and landed at Gourock. The 5,612-ton Empire Bison was carrying scrap steel and 94 trucks and was bound for Clyde, the United Kingdom.
Destroyer HMS Bulldog arrived at Greenock at 0930 for convoy WS.4A escort.
Destroyer HMS Exmoor departed the Tyne at 0845 for Rosyth, but was delayed at Rosyth due to mining of the port. She departed Rosyth at 1700/2nd and arrived at Scapa Flow at 0715/3rd.
Destroyer HMS Quorn departed Scapa Flow at 1030 for Lerwick to escort British troopship Royal Ulsterman (3244grt) to Aberdeen. Upon arrival at Aberdeen at 1130/2nd, destroyer HMS Quorn proceeded to Rosyth and continued her passage to Sheerness to join the Nore Command.
Sloop HMS Black Swan, arriving with convoy FN.323, was mined in the Firth of Forth. No one was killed. The sloop was towed to Rosyth, then to Dundee for repairs completed in mid April.
Patrol sloop HMS Pintail, escorting convoy FS.323 with destroyers HMS Watchman and HMS Verdun, was badly damaged by German bombing in the Thames Estuary. Her commanding officer Lt Cdr T. H. Hill-Walker, Sub Lt E. C. Hopkins RNVR, eight ratings were killed. Three ratings were wounded. Sloop Pintail was under repair at London until mid February.
British steamer Letchworth (1317grt), in convoy FS.22, was sunk by German bombing one cable west by north of Oaze Buoy and one cable south, southwest of Mouse Light Vessel.
One crewman was killed on the British steamer.
Minesweeping trawler HMS Tilburyness (279grt, T/Skipper W. S. Hawes RNR) was sunk by German bombing near East Oaze Buoy in the Thames Estuary. Ten ratings were lost. Anti-aircraft ship HMS Royal Eagle and tug Salvo rescued the survivors. Auxiliary anti-aircraft ship Royal Eagle (T/Lt Cdr E. F. A. Farrow RNR) shot down a bomber during these air raids in the Thames Estuary.
British drifter Torbay II (83grt) was sunk by German bombing off Downs.
Dutch steamer Santa Lucia (379grt) was sunk on a mine 3.6 miles 44° from Pile Light, Belfast. Four crewmen were lost on the Dutch steamer.
Norwegian steamer Hundvaag (690grt) was sunk on a mine one to two cables west of No. 1 Buoy (former S. Goodwin Lightship). One crewman was lost on the Norwegian steamer. This mine was laid by German torpedo boats 29/30 October in minefield designated “ALFRED.”
Light cruiser HMS Ajax, which departed Alexandria on 30 October, landed troops of the 2nd Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment at Suda Bay on the 1st. Light cruiser Ajax was near missed by Italian bombing on the 1st. Destroyers HMS Mohawk and HMS Nubian examined Navarin Bay. As the force departed Suda Bay on the 2nd, light cruiser HMS Ajax and anti-aircraft cruisers HMS Calcutta and HMS Coventry were taken under Italian bombing. Light cruiser Ajax was again near missed. The ships arrived at Alexandria on the 4th.
The U.S. Atlantic Fleet (Rear Admiral Hayne Ellis) was redesignated the Patrol Force, United States Fleet. This designation remained until 1 February 1941 when the old name U.S. Atlantic Fleet was revived.
Convoy WS.4A departed the Clyde and Liverpool. This convoy was composed of troopships Warwick Castle (20,445grt), Stirling Castle (25,550grt), Scythia (19,761grt), Dunedin Star (11,168grt), Highland Monarch (14,137grt), Port Wyndham (8580grt), Clan Lamont (7262grt), and Clan Chattan (7262grt) and steamers City of Manchester (8917grt), Martand (8000grt), Delius (6065grt), Abosso (11,330grt), Duchess of Richmond (20,022grt), Almanzora (15,551grt), Akaroa (15,130grt), and Malancha (8124grt). The convoy was escorted by heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall and armed merchant cruiser HMS Salopian and given local escort by anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo and destroyers HMCS Ottawa, HMCS Skeena, HMCS Saguenay, HMS Beagle, HMS Bulldog, and HMS Hesperus which departed Greenock at 0200/2nd. The convoy was also given local escort by destroyers HMS Hurricane, HMS Harvester, and ORP Garland which departed Liverpool.
Convoy FS.325 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers HMS Vega and HMS Vimiera. The convoy arrived at Southend on 3 November.
Convoy FN.326 was cancelled.
Convoy HX.85 departed Halifax at 1430 escorted by Canadian destroyer HMCS Assiniboine and auxiliary patrol vessels HMCS French and HMCS Elk. At 1745, French departed the convoy and Assiniboine departed the convoy at 1730/2nd.
Convoy BHX.85 departed Bermuda on 30 October escorted by ocean escort armed merchant cruiser HMS Ausonia. The convoy rendezvoused with HX.85 on the 4th and the armed merchant cruiser was detached. Ocean escort was armed merchant cruiser HMS Rajputana. With the attack by German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer on convoy HX.84, convoy HX.85 was diverted to Sydney CB, where itarrived on the 9th.
Convoy SLS.54 departed Freetown and arrived at Liverpool on the 26th.
In Brooklyn, New York, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gives a campaign speech in which he discusses the Third Reich:
“Those forces hate democracy and Christianity as two phases of the same civilization. They oppose democracy because it is Christian. They oppose Christianity because it preaches democracy… We are a nation of many nationalities, many races, many religions bound together by a single unity, the unity of freedom and equality…
“Whoever seeks to set one nationality against another, seeks to degrade all nationalities. Whoever seeks to set one race against another seeks to enslave all races… So-called racial and religious voting blocs are the creation of designing politicians who profess to be able to deliver them on Election Day… But every American citizen…will scorn such unpatriotic politicians. The vote of Americans will be American – and only American.”
Franklin Roosevelt would not recognize modern American politics.
Gloves are off as the bitterest campaign since 1916 reaches the stretch. The struggle by Wendell L. Willkie to win the presidency and by Mr. Roosevelt to retain it for another four years has reached the stage where everyone is claiming everything. Both candidates are confident of victory. Willkie told crowds as his train moved through New Jersey “We will win!” He was confident of carrying New Jersey, Missouri and West Virginia, which were in the Roosevelt column in 1932 and 1936, and said there was a swing toward him in Kentucky. The president said at a press conference that he had taken another peek at the election forecast which he made a month ago, and it still is a good one. His speech tonight in the populous New York City borough of Brooklyn, the fourth of six major addresses he will make during the campaign, is a direct bid for urban support in capturing the rich prize of New York state’s 47 electoral votes.
President Roosevelt charged tonight that an “unholy alliance” had been formed in the Republican party by “the extreme reactionary and the extreme radical elements in this country,” they having no common ground except to “produce dictatorial ends.” Starting a final, intensive 24-hour campaign through New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, the president spoke over a nationwide radio network before a crowd which filled the old academy of music in Brooklyn to its capacity of about 4,000 persons.
President Roosevelt confirmed today reports that Congress probably would be asked to appropriate funds for additional aircraft production. Earlier advices from government sources indicated that 20,000 planes to cost $2,000,000,000 would be ordered.
Wendell L. Willkie charged President Roosevelt tonight with “deceptive optimism” in declaring in his Boston address that the nation was making “very rapid progress” toward a goal of 50,000 planes a year. Citing the president’s announce ment that he had asked the priorities board to give “systematic consideration” to a British request for permission to negotiate in this country for 12,000 additional planes, which Willkie said brought the British orders to 26,000 planes, the Republican presidential nominee declared: “But he does not tell us when Britain will get those 26,000 planes, nor when our military forces will get the 50,000 planes he talks about.”
An assertion by Democratic National Chairman Edward J. Flynn today that the Gallup poll is “controlled by pro-Willkie people” brought a reply of “fantastic” from Dr. George Gallup, director of the American Institute of Public Opinion. Representative Joseph W. Martin, Republican chieftain, said he wished he had known “about this said control several weeks ago when the poll gave us an awful bump.” Flynn said at a press conference that the Gallup poll was “attempting to bolster the idea there is a swing to Willkie.”
Secretary of State Cordell Hull tonight urged reelection of President Roosevelt, and said it would be “a tragedy for our country” if the coming presidential election should “turn to spurious and counterfeit issues of foreign policy artificially created to mislead the voters.” In a speech delivered over a radio network under auspices of the Democratic national committee, Hull assailed “the opposition” for resorting to “misinterpretation of a clear record and misrepresentation of established facts” concerning Mr. Roosevelt’s foreign policies.
The first U.S. air raid shelter is completed in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania.
The War Department activates the Hawaiian Air Force at Ft. Shafter, Oahu, to provide administrative and operational control of all U.S. Army Air Corps units assigned to the U.S. Army’s Hawaiian Department.
A typhoon hits Guam and damages US installations there.
U.S. Army General Jonathan Wainwright arrives in Manila aboard transport USAT Grant to command the Phillippines Division under General MacArthur.
The Submarine Force, Scouting Force is split up into:
— Submarines Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet (Admiral Wilhelm L. Friedell)
— Submarines, Atlantic Fleet.
Under the current expansion plans the U.S. Navy today orders 379 Martin PBM-3 Mariner flying boats.
Submarine Force, Scouting Force, ceases to exist; in its stead are two type commands: Submarines Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet, and Submarines, Atlantic Fleet. Rear Admiral Wilhelm L. Friedell becomes Commander Submarines, Scouting Force.
Naval Air Station, Alameda, California, is established, Captain Frank R. McCrary in command.
Theoretical physicist Robert Oppenheimer (36) weds biologist Katherine Harrison Puening.
The movie “Li’l Abner” is released. Based on the famous comic strip by Al Capp, it is directed by Albert S. Rogell and stars Jeff York, Martha O’Driscoll and Buster Keaton. Milton Berle helps to write the title song.
At the continuing Battle of South Kwangsi, the Japanese 22nd Army continues its withdrawal to Hainan Island.
Claire Chennault departs from Hong Kong for the States to begin recruiting for his American Volunteer Group.
During this month, the Japanese Navy began receiving the carrier version of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter. The Zeros already are serving with distinction in China.
Captain Shunji Izaki was named the commanding officer of Settsu.
Chuichi Nagumo was named the commandant of the Japanese naval war college.
Rear Admiral Keizo Tanimoto replaced Rear Admiral Isamu Takeda as the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
The British host a conference of representatives from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Holland to discuss defense of the Malay Barrier. The US sends Purnell as an observer. No direct records remain of the matters covered at this conference. British and American navies exchange liaison officers, Lt Cdr Wisden, RN, being sent to Manila. and Captain John Creighton, USN, to Singapore.
The German auxiliary minelayer Passat completed laying a mine barrage off the Australian coast in Bass Strait. The Pinguin continues laying mines nearby.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 134.41 (-0.20)
Born:
Barry Sadler, American soldier, singer, and songwriter (“The Ballad Of The Green Berets”), in Carlsbad, New Mexico (d. 1989).
Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, 35th Chief Justice of India, in Guna, Madhya Pradesh, British India (d. 2022).
Naval Construction:
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC U-boat U-158 is laid down by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1000).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-252 is laid down by Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 17).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC U-boats U-509 and U-510 are laid down by Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 305 and 306).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type 1936A (Mob) destroyer Z32 is laid down by AG Weser (Deschimag), Bremen.
The Royal Navy Shakespeare-class minesweeping trawler HMS Fluellen (T 157) is launched by Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd. (Selby, U.K.); commpleted by Amos & Smith.
The Royal Navy P 611-class submarine HMS P 615, originally the Türk Donanması (Turkish Navy) Uluc Ali Reis, is launched by Vickers Armstrong (Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.)
The Nihon Kaigun (Imperial Japanese Navy) Kagerō-class destroyer HIJMS Tanikaze (谷風; “Valley Wind”) is launched by the Fujinagata Shipyards, Osaka, Japan.
The Nihon Kaigun (Imperial Japanese Navy) Yamato-class battleship HIJMS Musashi (武蔵) is launched by the Mitsubishi Shipyard, Nagasaki, Japan.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Heather (K 69) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Commander (retired) James Geoffrey Clemons Gibson, RN.
History Diaries 