Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Day 766 October 5, 1941

Operation Typhoon. Stalin orders Soviet Western Front to withdraw to Vyasma, falling right into the German trap. Stalin recalls Zhukov from Leningrad to replace General Ivan Konev who he blames for failing to stop the German advance. Stalin considers executing Konev but is talked out of it by Zhukov. Konev will command Soviet forces throughout the war, achieving great success and promotion to Marshal of the Soviet Union by Stalin in February 1944.

Overnight, Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers (Fleet Air Arm 830 Squadron from Malta) attack an Italian convoy from Naples to Tripoli, sinking tanker Rialto 67 miles North of Misrata, Libya (145 survivors rescued by Italian Destroyer Gioberti).

A single RAF Bristol Blenheim (Coastal Command 1404 Meteorological Flight from RAF St. Eval, Cornwall) unsuccessfully attacks two U-boats in the Bay of Biscay. A 250lb bomb misses U-563 (departing Brest, France) at 10.30 AM and another 250lb bomb hits the conning tower of U-565 (returning to Lorient, France) at 11.02 AM but does not explode.

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