Posted on 01/21/2011 4:33:36 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
Winston S. Churchill, The Grand Alliance
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/jan41/f21jan41.htm
Tobruk targeted by Allied forces
Tuesday, January 21, 1941 www.onwar.com
In North Africa... The 6th Australian Division begins the attack on Tobruk. The town is already isolated by the advance of the British 7th Armored Brigade which is heading for Martuba and Mechili. The southeast corner of the Italian position is assaulted and after a heavy bombardment the Italian defense is quickly broken. Fort Palastrino is taken later in the day and General Mannella also captured.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/21.htm
January 21st, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM: London: Churchill expresses concern at the reduction of the weekly coal supply to London. Only 250,000 tons are week are being delivered, but the requirement is for 410,000 tons a week.
He also pushes the Ministry of Health to reduce the number of homeless people still in London rest centres and have them dispersed into more permanent accommodation.
London, the Admiralty: With the Greek refusal to accept British land forces, the Defence Committee switch the area of greatest importance back to North Africa, with the capture of Benghazi being now of prime importance. However, with the impending arrival of German forces in mainland Greece there is also a need to capture the islands of the Dodecanese, primary being Rhodes to preserve communications with Greece and Turkey.
Rescue tug HMS Englishman lost due to unknown circumstances. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY: U-763 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
BULGARIA: Sofia: The story is emerging here of a slaughter of Jews by the Iron Guard in Bucharest. Some were burnt to death in buildings set on fire by the rioting guards. Others were beaten senseless, robbed and then doused in petrol and set on fire. In the most horrific incident some 50 Jews had their throats cut in a barbarous parody of kosher butchering in the municipal slaughterhouse. Tiring of this sport, the guards beheaded scores more. In another incident 160 Jewish leaders who has been imprisoned at Jilava were taken into a field and shot.
NORTH AFRICA: O’Connor’s Commonwealth force attacks Tobruk at 0830 hours. The attack is strongly assisted by naval and air forces and is led by elements of the Australian 6th Infantry Division. 16th Australian Brigade with “I” tanks to break through the perimeter are closely followed by the 19th Brigade. Free French troops also played an important part in the attack.
The Australians reach their first objectives by midday; but then the Italians bring their coastal and AA guns into action and there are several hours of fierce fighting around and about the middle of the perimeter. By dusk though, the Commonwealth forces are ranged along the edge of the escarpment overlooking the town, and the western and south-western portions of the perimeter are safely under control.
The Italian cruiser “San Giorgio,” damaged earlier in the month by the RAF and beached in Tobruk harbour, where she was used as a fortress mounting anti-aircraft guns, was set on fire from the air and put out of action.
HMS Gnat, HMS Ladybird and HMS Terror bombard Tobruk.
U.S.A.: The US Navy orders 108 Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo fighters, for delivery between July and December. Based on reports from Europe, armor protection was incorporated in the aircraft increasing it’s weight resulting in instability and handling difficulties. (Jack McKillop)
CANADA: Corvettes HMCS Arrowhead, Spikenard and Eyebright departed Halifax with Convoy HX-104 for UK. (Dave Shirlaw)
JAPAN: Tokyo: Yosuke Matsuoka, the Foreign Minister, warns the US against meddling in Asian affairs.
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 509 January 21, 1941
Operation Compass. Assault on Tobruk, Libya, opens at 5.40 AM with an artillery barrage. Australian 6th Division sappers blast through the perimeter wire with Bangalore torpedoes and fill in antitank ditches, allowing 18 Matilda tanks and some captured Italian M11 and M13 medium tanks to move through. As at Bardia, Allied infantry and tanks pick off Italian machinegun posts, artillery batteries and dug-in tanks from within the defensive perimeter. They reach within 2 miles of the town of Tobruk and shell Italian cruiser San Giorgio from cliffs overlooking the harbour. 3 squadrons of RAF Blenheims bomb the defenses continually. 8000 Italians are captured including the commander at Tobruk, General Petassi Manella, who refuses to surrender the garrison. Overnight, Italian bombers attack but only succeed in hitting a POW compound and killing 50-300 Italian prisoners.
Italian East Africa. 5th Indian Infantry Division, under British General Lewis Heath, advances 50 miles into Italian Eritrea from Kassala on the border with Sudan and captures the town of Aicota unopposed. General Heath sends part of 10th Indian Infantry Brigade, including 2nd battalion Highland Light Infantry, North to get behind well dug in Italian position at Keru.
Rescue tug HMS Englishman is sunk by German bombing 50 miles off the coast of County Donegal, Northwest Ireland (all 18 hands lost).
Looks like the Eastern Africa campaign is starting to ramp up. Which will bring us to the first Axis capital to fall to the Allies. I don’t think anyone has guessed which one it is yet.
High Sierra (1941) is an early heist film and film noir written by W.R. Burnett and John Huston from the novel by Burnett. The movie features Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart and was directed by Raoul Walsh on location at Whitney Portal, halfway up Mount Whitney.
The screenplay was co-written by Bogart's friend and drinking partner, John Huston, adapted from the novel by William R. Burnett (also known for, among others, Little Caesar and Scarface). The film cemented a strong personal and professional connection between Bogart and Huston. The film was noted for its extensive location shooting, especially in the climactic final scenes, as the authorities pursue Bogart's character, gangster "Mad Dog" Roy Earle, from Lone Pine up to the foot of the mountain.
In Baseball news today: The Cleveland Indians sign Bob Feller to a deal worth a reported $30,000. The Van Meter, Iowa farm boy posted a 27-11 record with a 2.61 ERA for Cleveland last season.
We have seen Bogart a few times in the last year but this may be the first time he has been the top billed star. I'm pretty sure Bosley Crowther has "High Sierra" on his schedule for this week. I'm looking forward to his review.
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