http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/nov42/f01nov42.htm
Axis forces inflict losses but not defeat
Sunday, November 1, 1942 www.onwar.com
In North Africa... The Battle of El Alamein. Operation Supercharge, planned by British General Montgomery gets under way. The infantry attacks to clear the last of the minefields are held up and when the British armor advances, the 15th Panzer is prepared and inflicts heavy losses. The British can afford these losses. Rommel cannot. After 21st Panzer joins the attack, he is left with only 35 operational vehicles and little fuel or ammunition. Rommel sends word to Hitler that a British breakthrough is inevitable and withdrawal necessary.
In the Solomon Islands... On Guadalcanal, two Marine regiments begin an attack west across the Matanikau River. American engineers have built bridges to aid supplying the attacks. There is heavy fighting. East of the American positions, American troops advance toward Koli Point to preempt an expected Japanese landing.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm
November 1st, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: The Westland Welkin High Altitude fighter prototype (DG 558) makes its maiden flight. Two 1,650-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin engines drive it to 387mph, with a ceiling of 44,000-feet and a range of 1,200 miles. (Emmanuel Gustin)(22)
Trawler HMS Bowell renamed HMS Miscou.
Corvettes HMCS Baddeck and Port Arthur arrived at Londonderry, having escorted the 50-ship convoy SC-105 from St. John’s. Both ships were Flower-class corvettes. SC-105 departed New York City on 11 Oct 42 and arrived safely in Liverpool on 31 Oct 42 with all of ships intact. (Dave Shirlaw)
FRANCE: Workers strike in protest against forced labour.
BALTIC SEA: Finnish SS Agnes torpedoed and sunk by Soviet submarine SC-406 12 miles north of Rixhöft. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.S.R.: Alagir, in the Caucacus, falls to the German 1st Panzer Army.
EGYPT: Cairo: The enigmatically-named unit known as “L” detachment of the Special Air Service Brigade has been expanded into the 1st Special Air Service Regiment. The handful of survivors of Major David Stirling’s 12-month experiment in mayhem behind Rommel’s line will be steadily augmented by other veterans of irregular warfare. These include the Middle East Commando (30 officers and 300 rankers of whom Stirling wants only a third); a Free French SAS squadron (14 officers, 80 others); the Greek “Sacred Squadron” (14 and 100); and the Special Boat Section (15 and 40). Special units still outside Stirling’s empire include the Long Range Desert Group; the Special Operations Executive; the Parachute Regiment; Popski’s Private Army; and some commandos.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: The 1st Sqdn of Marine Air Group 11, VMSB-132 begins arriving on Guadalcanal.
1st and 2nd Btns of the 5th Marines cross the Matanikau River, on Guadalcanal, at 0630 followed by the 3rd Btn at 0800. Preceded by artillery and supported with air strikes, their mission is to push the Japanese back an capture Kokombona. The only authenticated US bayonet charge of the campaign is conducted by Company I. By nightfall they are west of Point Cruz.
U.S.A.: Destroyer escort USS Edsall launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
NORTH ATLANTIC: Convoy SC 107 reaches the air support gap south of Greenland. During this night four U-boats sink eight merchantmen. A ninth is sunk during the day. The weather then worsens and the German lose contact with the convoy. (Henry Sirotin)
Destroyer USS Borie sank from damage received after ramming U-405 in the North Atlantic. 27 crew lost. 49 men died when this U-boat was lost. There were no survivors.
U-565 shot down RAF 233 Sqn Hudson and heavily damaged another.
U-126 sank SS George Thatcher.
U-174 sank SS Elmdale in Convoy TRIN-20.
U-178 sank SS Mendoza.
U-173 sailed from France on her second and final patrol.
U-664, on her maiden patrol, was severely damaged by depth charges dropped by a Catalina of USN Squadron VP 84, and had to abort to France. (Dave Shirlaw)