A. V. Alexander, first lord of the admiralty, declared tonight that British troops have landed in Greek territory and that Britain will “honor” her pledge of aid to the Italian-invaded Greeks. “The navy is there, air support is being given, military objectives in Naples have been bombed and British troops have landed in Greek territory,” Alexander said. “What we can do we will do.” The admiralty chieftain said “the road to victory is beginning to define itself. Even if it proves a long road we can afford time and our enemies cannot.”
Greece’s hard-fighting mountain troops were reported officially tonight to have captured a hill four miles inside Albanian territory after a furious bayonet charge against the Italian invaders. There was no information in Athens on just how far the Italians have penetrated Greek territory on the Epirus sector, where they have concentrated their drive. But some reports from the front said the Italians had made scant gains in the last three days in this area despite repeated attacks.
Turkey moved 37 divisions to the Bulgarian border and warned Bulgaria not to participate in the Italo-Greek war. Meanwhile, Italian troops reached the main Greek defensive line on the Kalamas River between Elaia and Kalamas. Off Suda Bay, Crete, as British warships departed after unloading troops, Italian bombers scored near misses against them but failed to cause damage.
The Battle of Elaia–Kalamas began. Italian infantry of the Ferrara Division attack Greek forces on their main defensive line of Elaia-Kalamas, north of Ioannina. The Italians make no progress despite having light L3/35 tankettes and medium M13/40 tanks because the mountainous terrain is hostile to vehicles.
In the central Pindus Mountain sector, the Italian Julia Division struggles forward and captures the villages of Vovousa, Samarina, and Distrato. This is still 30 km short of their objective, Metsovo, whose capture would have strategic significance (it is a key transit point to Greek supplies). Greek Colonel Konstantinos Davakis, in charge of the two battalions, cavalry and artillery of the Pindus Detachment, is badly wounded during reconnaissance near Fourka. The Greeks work through the night to prepare an ambush of these advanced Italian troops.
On the Coastal Sector, the Italians begin their attack on Kalamas River along the Kalpaki front. It starts to snow, which aids the defense. An Albanian battalion captures the Grabala heights in the Negrades sector and holds it through the night, but otherwise, the attack makes little progress.
In the Koritsa sector, the Greek 9th Infantry Division and 4th Infantry Brigade attack static Italian positions at the border.
The Greeks report repelling an Italian naval attack near the Corinth Canal with antiaircraft guns and fighter attacks.
Wavell writes to General Maitland Wilson:
“…I have instructed Lieut.-Gen O’Connor to prepare an offensive against the Italians to take place as soon as possible.
“…in everything but numbers we are superior to the enemy. We are more highly trained and have better equipment. We know the ground and are better accustomed to desert conditions.. Above all we have stouter hearts and greater traditions and are fighting in a worthier cause.
“…a striking success will have incalculable effect not only on the Middle East … but of the future of freedom and civilisation… It is the best way on which we can help our Greek allies.”
The operation is given the code name COMPASS.
General de Gaulle points out to the British government the dangers of continuing talks with the Vichy government: “….[we] understand the reasons which might at present lead the British government to conciliate the Vichy government as long as no concessions have been made to Germany and Italy that would be unfavorable to the British Empire… Nonetheless, General de Gaulle and the French Empire Defence Council believe it their duty to point out that their policy and attitude to Vichy differs appreciably from the present policy and attitude of the British government.
Free French submarine Rubis (CC Cabanier), which was in the port of Dundee, Scotland at the time of the French surrender on 22 June, drops off a British agent at Korsfjord, Norway during the night.
A significant earthquake hit Rumania in the Vrancea region, registering 7.7 on the Richter scale and causing the deaths of 1,000 people.
During the day, the Luftwaffe sends a couple of raids against London, but the RAF scatters the German planes, which drop their bombs at random over the Kent/Sussex countryside. The weather is bad during the night, so the RAF bombers stay on the ground today, and the Luftwaffe bombers finish their minor raids by midnight.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 4 Blenheims during the day; but lacked cover and returned early.
Italian raiders bomb Salonika, killing 200 civilians but fail to reach the Corinth Canal. Other targets include Corfu, Patras, and Janina. The attack on Salonika is especially strong, with 15 Italian Cant 1007Z bombers escorted by Fiat CR 42 fighters. The Greeks intercept the formation and shoot down three of the Italian bombers.
One of the most extraordinary aviation incidents of the war took place. Greek Air Force pilot Marinos Mitralexis, after running out of ammunition, rammed an Italian bomber. Mitralexis then landed his plane and captured the Italian crew who had parachuted to safety.
The Greeks bomb Koritsa airfield.
At Malta, there is an air raid around 12:30 when 20 SM 79 bombers escorted by 30 Macchi 200 and CR 42 fighters fly over the island from the north. There is a massive dogfight. One Macchi 200 is shot down by Hurricanes (pilot killed when chute fails to open), and a second Macchi and two CR 42s badly damaged. The bombs hit Luqa airfield and four houses near Aabbar.
A Maryland of RAF No. 431 Squadron is photographing Taranto Harbor when the pilot is wounded by a fire from an Italian fighter and knocked unconscious. The navigator takes over the controls until the pilot recovers sufficiently to pilot the aircraft back to base.
U-31 was sunk by destroyer HMS Antelope, escorting convoy OB.237, northwest of Ireland in 56‑26N, 10‑18W. Destroyer Antelope was damaged alongside U-31 while boarding her. Five officers and thirty eight ratings were taken prisoner from the German submarine. Two ratings were lost. Destroyer HMS Achates was also in the escort of convoy OB.237. Destroyer Antelope proceeded to Greenock for repairs. On 7 December, she was moved to Glasgow to complete repairs completed on 24 December.
British minefield BS.44 was laid by minelayers HMS Teviotbank and HMS Plover and destroyers HMS Intrepid and HMS Icarus. Following the minelay, destroyer Intrepid was damaged on a mine off Hartlepool. Both Intrepid’s engines were damaged. Destroyer Intrepid was repaired at Hartlepool in seven weeks.
Destroyer HMS Campbeltown, while on trials after refitting at Devonport, was damaged in a collision with Norwegian steamer Risoy (793grt). Destroyer Campbeltown was repaired at Liverpool completing on the 24th.
Armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranpura was damaged by fire.
Destroyer HMS Douglas departed Scapa Flow at 1830 to search for a boat containing four men in 58-34N, 1-32W. Destroyer Douglas arrived at Scapa Flow at 1500/3rd with twelve survivors from minesweeping trawler HMS Wardour (335grt) mined on 31 October.
Destroyers HMS Mashona and HMS Keppel departed Scapa Flow at 0030 to meet armed merchant cruiser HMS Letitia and troopships Empress of Australia and Antonia on passage from Iceland to the Clyde. All ships safely arrived in the Clyde at 0815/3rd.
Destroyer HMS Vimy arrived at Scapa Flow at 1715 after escorting armed merchant cruiser HMS Comorin to her Northern Patrol Station.
After being delayed by engine room defects, Anti-aircraft ship HMS Alynbank departed Scapa Flow at 0040 to escort convoy EN.17 from the vicinity of Aberdeen to Pentland Firth.
Submarine HMS Taku (Lt J. F. B. Brown) attacked German tanker Gedania (8923grt) fifty miles off the Loire in 46-54N, 3-50W, without success.
Submarine HMS Tigris unsuccessfully attacked Italian submrine Veniero off the Gironde.
British tugs Lea (168grt) and Deanbrook (149grt) were sunk on mines in the Tilbury Basin. Six crewmen were lost on tug Lea. The entire crew of tug Deanbrook was lost. Both tugs were raised for scrap.
Minesweeping trawler HMS Rinova (429grt, Chief Skipper T. Fraser RNR) was sunk on a mine off Falmouth, 2.9 miles 154.5°, from St Anthony Light. Fourteen ratings were lost in the trawler.
British drifter Goodwill (28grt) was sunk on a mine in the Firth of Forth.
Battleship HMS Warspite, aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, other units of the Mediterranean Fleet arrived at Alexandria after supporting initial Crete landings.
Submarine HMS Tetrarch unsuccessfully attacked a steamer off Benghasi.
Destroyer HMS Kimberley was attacked unsuccessfully by Italian bombers in 14‑14N, 42‑47E.
Light cruiser HMS Neptune departed Lagos on patrol.
HMS Hermes completed her repairs at Simon’s Town, South Africa.
Convoy OB.238 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers HMS Castleton, HMS Vanquisher, HMS Viscount, and HMS Whitehall and corvette HMS Fleur De Lys. The escort was detached on the 5th.
Convoy FN.324 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers HMS Verdun and HMS Watchman. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 4th.
Convoy FN.325 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers HMS Vanity and HMS Wolfhound. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 4th.
President Roosevelt said tonight that the “storm” now raging over the world was the true reason why he was running for a third term and that “when that term is over there will be another president.” In his “final national address of the campaign,” broadcast over the nation from Cleveland’s auditorium, he said “no personal ambition of any man could desire more” than “that great privilege of being your president.” Appealing to the nation to give him a “vote of confidence” next Tuesday, the president’ said: “There is a great storm raging now; it makes things harder for the world. And that storm, which did not start in this land of ours, is the true reason that I would like to stick by these people of ours until we reach the clear, sure footing ahead.”
A 78-year-old man, who police said carried a loaded .32 caliber revolver in his pocket, was seized tonight 20 feet from the platform on which Wendell L. Willkie was speaking in Madison Square garden. The elderly prisoner, moving toward the rostrum as the Republican presidential nominee concluded his last major campaign address, was grabbed by Patrolman Charles Havelick, who had been summoned by spectators.
A campaign of tremendous and trivial issues, a campaign fought out with a slugging tenacity seldom equalled, a campaign holding a decision for America, is almost ended. On Tuesday the voters of the country will select the man who for four years will sit in the White House and mould the nation’s destiny in a world at arms. They will choose between Franklin D. Roosevelt, the personification of the new deal, and Wendell L. Willkie, lawyer and former public utilities executive who endorses a number of new deal measures but has denounced new deal methods and philosophies.
To the cheers of an audience which jammed Madison Square Garden, Wendell L. Willkie declared tonight that he wanted to be the “master of no man” but sought to be the people’s servant.
Professor F. Bert Farquharson at the University of Washington completes studies he has been conducting of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State. Contracted by the Toll Bridge Authority in March, Farquharson has built a 1:200 scale model of the bridge to try to duplicate in a wind tunnel the vibrations which have given the bridge the nickname “Galloping Gertie.” He is successful at this and decides the bridge has a major problem. Farquharson, however, believes one of two solutions should be implemented: drill holes in the bridge’s girders to allow wind to pass through or affix wind deflectors. The State, meanwhile, has taken the temporary expedient of tying the bridge spans down with cables. The State plans a meeting with Farquharson on the 6th to discuss the remedies.
The first ferry of a large number of aircraft from North America to the UK took place, with seven Lockheed Hudson bombers landing in Northern Ireland after a more than 10-hour flight.
Rear Admiral John W. Greenslade arrives in Fort-de-France, Martinique, to confer with Vice Admiral Georges A.M.J. Robert on the economic distress of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and the status of French warships and aircraft there (see 3 November).
Under authority of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson entered into a secret contract with the Pan American Airport Corporation, a subsidiary of Pan American Airways, Inc. The purpose of the contract was to create a chain of airports and seaplane bases along the coast of Brazil, from the border of French Guiana to Uruguay.
Commander of the Philippine Department Major General George Grunert requests that Philippine Army be called into U.S. Federal service and that he be sent 500 officers to train them.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 134.85 (+0.44)
Born:
Ed Budde, AFL-NFL guard (AFl champions, 1966; AFL Champions and Super Bowl IV champions-Chiefs, 1969; AFL All-Star, 1963, 1966-1969; Pro Bowl 1970, 1971; Kansas City Chiefs), in Highland Park, Michigan (d. 2023).
Jim Bakken, NFL place kicker and punter (Pro Bowl, 1965, 1967, 1975-1976; St. Louis Cardinals), in Madison, Wisconsin.
Died:
Big Nose Kate, 89, Hungarian-born prostitute and common-law wife of Old West gunfighter Doc Holliday.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy LCT (Mk 1) class landing craft tank HMS LCT 17 is launched by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. (Hebburn-on-Tyne, U.K.)
The U.S. Navy submarine tender USS Otus (AS-20), sole ship of her class, is launched by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. (Kearny, New Jersey, U.S.A.).
The Royal Navy MMS I-class motor minesweeper HMS MMS 19 (J 519) is launched by the Richards Ironworks Ltd. (Lowestoft, England, U.K.).
The Royal Navy M 1-class minelayer HMS M 5 (M 74) is launched by George Philip & Sons Ltd. (Dartmouth, U.K.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type 37 torpedo boat T21 is launched by F. Schichau, Elbing, East Prussia (werk 1448).
The U.S. Navy Gleaves-class destroyer USS Swanson (DD-443) is launched by the Charleston Navy Yard (Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A.).
The U.S. Navy Bullfinch-class minesweeper USS Cardinal (AM-67) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Julius Elbridge Smith, Jr., USN.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-69 is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Kapitänleutnant Jost Metzler.
History Diaries 