Ethiopia, East Africa. 29th Brigade, 5th Indian Division again attacks the Italian mountain fortifications at Amba Alagi. While Italian defenders are distracted by the feint in the Falaga Pass, 6/13th Frontier Force Rifles battalion and 3/2nd Punjab battalion capture 3 foothills (Pyramid, Whale Back and Elephant) between 4.15 and 7.30 AM. The path to the next hill is over a steep, narrow ridge exposed to Italian machinegun fire, so they wait for dark to advance.
Libya. General Paulus, representing the German High Command, suggests to Rommel that he abandon the attacks at Tobruk in favour of a passive siege to starve the defenders into submission. Rommel creates a ring of posts to limit Allied sorties outside the wire, while Luftwaffe will try to prevent resupply of the Tobruk garrison by sea.
At 7.15 PM off the coast of French Guinea, West Africa, U-38 sinks Swedish SS Japan with 3 torpedoes and shellfire from the deck gun (barrel of the deck gun bursts, injuring the gun crew). All 50 crew and 4 passengers reach land and are interned by the Vichy French. German bombing sinks British minesweeper Fermoy in dock at Malta.
Luftwaffe bombs Liverpool again overnight.
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Was Capt VD Jayal of 6/13 FF awarded DSO in the battles of the 3 foothills? Where can I get his citation OR the Gazette Notification?
ReplyDeleteBrig RS Rawat (retd)